Strong Preparation = Strong Start to 2014
BY KENNETH LUNDGREN
Hey Gang,
2014 has started out well for me… Am working on more MTB racing for this year, still want to do some TTs, am trying to nicely melt the two together to maximize both ends… Am certainly more MTB-oriented with training, was a bit nervous how Allamuchy TT would go a few weeks ago, was elated to take the win…
With Allamuchy in mind, I was confident leading up to High Point TT, the TT engine was still there… The MTB season has been going well, won Hop Brook, was leading the Root 66 Series overall, training hard, the weight is down… I felt very very strong in the days leading up to High Point — my weight was down — AND on race day I realized it may have been TOO down.
With less pure TT prep than previous years, for 2014 I wanted my weight down from previous years… I’ve had a few strong runs at High Point, and those years my weights were 155 157 156… 157 lbs was actually my fastest time… This year, toed in at 153, but once on the mountain, nothing wanted to go… Have never actually been super-flat for a TT before, was always lucky in this regard — well, first time for everything! Legs just wouldn’t open up, couldn’t physically push up the mountain…
The feeling was an awful one LOL. The two guys behind me caught and blew by me like I was standing still! I felt like I was 70 years old!!! I finished 8th overall, my worst time at High Point by over a minute… Ehhh, some days you are the hammer. Today I was ALL ANVIL!!! There are many fast dudes out there, and it was quite impressive seeing all of them throw down some mean performances…
Post-race, I did not panic — the form was there, I was just a bit dehydrated and malnourished for the event… Hey, we are always learning with each and every event… I went out to a late-breakfast with race winner Cody Lacosta of Watchung Wheelmen, and EE stud Scott Sugent, and I wolfed down a big omelette and 2 big glasses of water…
Dinner was early and 2 huge sushi rolls with more and more water…
I was racing Blue Mountain MTB on Sunday, the first stop in the Jamis H2H Race Seires. I knew being flat on Saturday did not equate to being flat on Sunday… I showed up at Blue Mountain wanting to really, really race hard, to FEEL the form I knew I had. I felt sharp in the warm-up, and at the start I nearly got the holeshot, then gassed it leading into the singletrack, took the lead and rode away from the group… I felt strong, spooky strong — it was an incredibly awesome feeling.
Nathan Kanney bridged up to me on Lap 2 and we battled it out hard for essentially the entire lap. He was stronger in the gnar, I was better on the climbs — it was a close match, but I was able to attack in a hard pedaling section, got the gap, then hammered home Lap 3, taking the win by 4+ minutes… It was the strongest and smoothest I’ve ever raced on a MTB — not always so easy for the two to go together… On strong days, the techy ability is not there at times, and on smooth days, the legs are not always there… At Blue Mtn, everything as synced up nicely…
I am very proud of this result, also it being on a very technical and demanding course — Roadie Who? =) I used to be a very bad MTBer, but I’ve worked very very hard to improve in all areas… With new cycling endeavors, I try to be a walking example of specificity in training and true periodization, try to show what can be done… 2014 has started off very well and very clean: I have placed in every MTB race I’ve done this year, have taken 2 Cat-1 wins, and am very eager to keep going, see where the end of this rainbow goes… My power curve is feeling very different, my weight is where it needs to be — body and mind are in great places, which are of equal importance…
Next stops: Somerset TT this SAT, my favorite race on earth, and Wawayanda MTB, another techy course… Just want to continue to work hard in training and achieve these micro-goals along the way — results in racing, no matter what they are, I always say, are just fruits of these labors…
And on the Elite Endurance front, the past week recap of results!!!
Invasion of Virginia’s Tour of Page County!!!!
Frank Ramos of Team BIKE Doctor Racing Team-Bayside Velo Club finishes 3rd in the 35+ TT at Page County, a 1+minute improvement! Andrew Shelby finishes 12th in the Pro/1/2 TT, a personal PR. Nicholas Taylor does strong team work day 1, drills TT for 4th on Day 2, 6th in the crit, takes 9th on GC in the Pro/1/2!!! His teammate ended up 2nd overall!!!!
Grayson Church of District Velocity Racing battles a disastrous start in the final Page County crit to finish 7th overall in final GC! Tanner Browne of GS-CycleLife lights up the Cat-3 Page County final crit for 2nd!!!! Bryan Jones of United Healthcare has “the best racing day in my life” and scores 4th in the Page County road race!!!
At the Chain Stretcher MTB Race in Blue Mountain NY, first stop of the Jamis H2H Race Series, Kenneth Lundgren of Elite Endurance won the Cat-1 race. Laura Slavin of Cci Racing WON the Cat-1 women’s event! Kristine Contento-Angell was 2nd in Cat-1 Jennifer DeFalco WON the Cat-3 race!!!! WARRRRRRRRRRRRR ELITE ENDURANCE!!!!
AND, down south in Maryland, Stacey Barbossa of Team Colavita WON the Cat-1 race at Fair Hill XC! Trenton’s Oscar Diaz was 2nd in the Single-Speed race!!!! Awesome! SRAM’s Angelo Mascelli scored a strong 9th in the HUGE Cat-2 field, working his way from the back to finish top-10!!!!
At the High Point Uphill TT, Denise Bishop WON the women’s Eddy event!!!! WARRRRRRRRRRRRR BISHOP!!!!!!!!!!! Toby Hanna was a sizzling 2nd in the stacked 45+ category! Richard Wolf was 5th in the 55!!! Mark Curran had strong PR for a top-10 in the 45+!
At the CRCA race, Elite Endurance studs Chris Peck and Fred David forced an early breakaway, finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively!
On Sunday at the Spring Series finale, Foundation’s Steve Magyera was able to secure his top spot and WIN THE OVERALL FOR THE NEW YORK CITY SPRING SERIES!!!! 1st Overall, HUGE news HUGE result, so very very very happy for you, Mr. Magyera… e2Value’s Joseph Everett Grgic finished 6th overall…
John Bye of Mapso Tri ripped a strong negative split for 7th at the New Jersey Half Marathon… After achieving his spring goal and WINNING Battenkill, John is now building for the ultimate, the Mt. Trembant Ironman in late-August, and we are going to get him there in full peak form…
Jacob Schofield of Bicycle Heaven scored a solid 6th overall GC at the epic Fort Davis Stage Race in Texas! He was 6th in the opening Hill Climb TT, then 2nd in the road race!!!! He was 10th in the final road race… This kid is a mega talent and look for him to have big rides at the Texas State Criterium Championships, the Tulsa Omnium, the tour of Austin Omnium, and the Texas State Road Race Championships on September 27th…
Jerry Gala of Apex Auto scored a strong top-10 at North Carolina’s Brick City Criterium, finishing 9th! Jerry is on track to peak 100% for North Carolina’s Road Race Championships in mid-June…
