Im crewing for Scott at RAAM this year. We have 11 days until the race.

On Sunday, June 1st, the Cubby Bear is hosting a rooftop party with Scott McIntosh as the guest of honor to help raise money for his RAAM venture as well as the American Breast Cancer Society.  For $100, you get a great rooftop seat to see the Cubs playing the Colorado Rockies. It’s open bar with beer and wine and a grill going, and Scott will be there, riding his Moots on a trainer.  Attendees will see the speedometer and can throw bets on what miles per minute he’ll hit.

Admission may be purchased online at: http://scottraam.blogspot.com/
or for tickets or more info, contact Josh@cubbybear.com or tim@wrigleyvillerooftops.com 773-248-7663

A few weekends ago I headed down to Ohio to do Calvins Challenge. Calvins is a bit unique in Ultracycling. It is relatively short - 12 hours. Its very flat. Most importantly pack positioning, drafting and energy conservation are central to competing for a top place.

My goal this year was to stay with the lead pack as long as possible, which i hoped to be all day. Weather conditions were sideways rain and heavy winds. I have had only one race in the past 16 months that did not include rain. I would love a break from it.

I tempted Murphy’s law right from the start by deciding to use my new TT bike(Cervelo P3C) for the race and also ride my Zipp 404 wheels rather than go with more conservative equipment.

The race started in the usual flurry as riders jockey for places to get as much protection from the rain. I’m feeling pretty good though the winds are obviously going to make this a slower race than last year where I managed 232 miles. We take a left turn and POP, my rear tire blows out. I yell a curse as this is the end of my aspirations for a top finish.

I quickly yank the tire off, grab a tube, attach my CO2 inflater to put a bit of air in, and snap off the valve of my only tube. A flurry of additional curses and i pick up my back and start walking back towards the start. Luckily another rider eventually came along with a long stem tube and CO2 and got me back on my bike. Many thanks to him for stopping his race to help me out.

I had probably lost 45 minutes by this point. I hopped on and began fighting the rain and wind by myself. When i completed that first 50 mile loop I stocked up on tubes and put a pump in my coat pocket.

I felt great all day. Even with the crazy winds I maintained a strong pace. I was never passed on the course by another rider. The new bike was comfortable all day and fast. A few knee pains in the last few laps, but not too bad for building it up the day before.

In the end I completed 212 miles. Not nearly the distance i had hoped for, but I was really happy with my fitness. My confidence is good looking toward my main goals later in the season.

April 19th I started my season by traveling to Nashville for the Music City Double Century. It was a last minute decision. I have been feeling very good lately and wanted to test my legs in a race even though i had not yet done a double century this year.

I hoped in with Paul Carpenter, who is doing the Race Across the West this year, and drove down to Nashville. The rain started as soon as we arrived in Nashville.

Jeff Bauer gives a good ride report at the The Harpath Bicycling Club Blog.

Shortly after the start I found myself riding with 3 other riders, Jeff Bauer, Paul Carpenter and George Hiscox. The feeling of the ride definitely took a turn toward brevet riding rather than racing. Jeff, a local, provided the navigation throughout the day. I could not be bothered with following a queue sheet. Paul made sure we kept the pace up and didn’t get too lazy.

I had never ridden around Nashville before. It is a beautiful countryside. It was hillier than i expected.

My biggest memory of the ride is the dogs. I had a dog run in front of me and than circle back and bite me on the calf. In all the miles of riding i have done this has never happened before. Usually the dogs just run along side and yelp for a bit. I now have the dental impressions of this canine impressed on my leg.

We continued on, though dog bites do hurt a bit and cause one to pause at the sight of other dogs. I felt quite good for the first 135 miles. Than i ran out of gas and struggled to keep up with group. While it may be my condition was not as good as i believed, I think this bonk may have been due to inadequate calories. I am using a energy drink and in the rush to get going I did not mix my water bottles to have an adequate amount. After all these races I still am struggling with how to get enough calories in, but I think i am on the right track.

Ride Stats:

Entire workout (169 watts): 	Duration:  	11:49:35 (12:10:34) 	Work:      	7173 kJ 	TSS:       	841.5 (intensity factor 0.845) 	Norm Power:	208 	VI:        	1.23 	Pw:HR:      	10.08% 	Pa:HR:      	-9.13% 	Distance:  	204.015 mi 			Min	Max	Avg 	Power:       	0	647	169 	watts 	Heart Rate:  	87	170	135 	bpm 	Cadence:     	29	163	78 	rpm 	Speed:       	2.2	44.7	17.3 	mph 	Pace         	1:21	26:49	3:28 	min/mi 	Hub Torque:  	0	459	77 	lb-in 	Crank Torque:	0	1059	191 	lb-in

I am crewing for a good friend of mine, Scott McIntosh, at this years Race Across America. Scott is the maniac responsible for getting me hooked on ultracycling. He is a very strong rider, a super guy and tough enough to do a great race this year.

We still need a few more crew members. The main qualifications are enthusiasm and a willingness to be part of an amazing experience. If you are interested drop me an email at bryce at brycewalsh.com

Thursday December 27
Empty Bottle
1035 N. Western Ave.
9:00 pm

In addition to biking quite a bit, I also play bass, so I am breaking from bike related posts(not that i have been very attentive to those) to put out a promotion for my band The Getouts.

Maybe you didn’t get that BB gun or pony you wanted for x-mas, but we have a new CD for you “How to Save a Drowning Horse”.

After numerous misstarts and disappearing sound engineers a CD is nowcomplete and shrink wrapped. To celebrate we are playing this Thursday December 27 at the EmptyBottle with the excellent Penthouse Sweets and Outlaw Family Band. Comeon by and wash that fruitcake taste from your mouth.

From the Chicago Reader:

I love a band that can evoke the comforts of a greasy spoon in music, and this local quartet is among the few to nail it. The house speciality is guitar—bluesy guitar, boogie guitar, slide-y guitar, Keef-y guitar, and Skynyrdyffyc guitar, all chopped up and cooked in a steaming omelet with a side of sausage and a slop of hot sauce. But that’s not all there is to eat: singer-guitarist Andy Matzdorf (the group’s only constant member) has a little Jeffrey Lee Pierce in him and an accent swiped from one of the Van Zant brothers. Tonight the Getouts celebrate their 11-track debut, How to Save a Drowning Horse, on their own label, Fort Awesome, named after their rehearsal space and studio. Penthouse Sweets and the Outlaw Family Band open. 9 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $7. —Monica Kendrick

From Timeout Magazine:

The Getouts’ MySpace page describes them as “rock/Americana/garage,” and that’s a surprisingly accurate description of their sound on their self-titled, self-released album. Their version of Americana isn’t terribly distinguished, but when they cross over to the garage side, they have a remarkable sense of dynamics, not doing the usual lame Cramps/Rev. Heat/Monomen imitations that others in the same field do. They’re not quite there yet, but these guys are clearly onto something.

The weekend before Thanksgiving I went and did my first cyclocross race of the year in Lansing, IL. It is part of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup that I raced last fall for my first attempts at cyclocross.

I have taken to heart this advice to rest and recover following a long season, but I may have taken it a bit too far. I have been quite lazy/burned out since the Furnace Creek 508. Put on a few pounds. On the positive side my lungs seem to be doing better finally.

I rode around the course for a bit beforehand. It was incredibly flat, with only 2 barrier sections. A long sandpit, referred to as the pit of despair, finished off each loop. Each time I approached the sand pit during the race I saw riders doing unintentional acrobatics into the sand. Would have been a good laugh if I hadn’t needed the air so desperately by that point. As I approached the first barrier, I remembered that last year I had determined I would be able to do pretty well if I spent some time practicing mounting and dismounting the bike. I had not practiced.

My memory of last year, was of enjoyment racing through the autumn leaves. This year from the start I was consistently thinking; “I can’t believe I’m still on the first.. second.. third.. etc lap”. My text messages to friends after the race were short and to the the point, Cycle X hurts.

I did drag myself through the course and didn’t finish last and didn’t get lapped, take small victories where you find them. It was my worst finish ever in a cyclocross race. Cant wait for Illinois State Championships next weekend.

Photos at: Flickr

I finished up my 2007 cycling season by doing the Furnace Creek 508 last weekend. Two weeks before the race when I would typically be tapering, I decided to go to Ireland and play a few gigs with friends. More than a few Guinness pints were consumed, and many a late night were had. Doubtful CSC will use it as an example for their next training camp. I had some beautiful rides through Connemara, but nothing very taxing. I think I can safely say I have an addiction when it seems reasonable to pack up a bike in addition to a bass guitar.

While the lead up was hardly ideal from a racing perspective, it was excellent from a mental health perspective. I had some concern about whether i was taking this difficult race too lightly(answer: yes) and if I was in good enough health to race(answer: no). Paris-Brest-Paris had left me with a seemingly endless case of bronchitis. My Doc seemed to think I would be fine in time for the race and all seemed to be fine by the time race week arrived.

I managed to convince some friends that it would be fun to sit in a van for 30 hours and follow me across the desert at 18 mph. Jen was a new recruit, while Bryce and Carmichael were veterans from my RAAM crew. You’d think they’d know better by now. A few hours of cramped Southwest Airlines comfort later, we arrive in Los Angeles. I pick up a van from Deluxe Rent A Car. Deluxe in LA means cheap with surly counter girls at no extra charge. Off to the endless mall complex known as Santa Clarita.

The race started well. I was up near the front and working, but not overly so. I felt great as we hit mile 25 where the crews could begin doing support. That was the last time I remember feeling good. As the day continued, I felt heavier and heavier. It was not bonking, but I was slowing. As the evening approached my lungs started to tighten up and the coughing began and the doubt started building in the back of my mind.

Hacking my through Death Valley, I made it to the Furnace Creek time station. I had to stop. I’ve never quit an ultracycling event yet, but I was on the verge. In my mind I had decided if I couldn’t get my breathing back to normal with a 15 minute break I was calling it quits. I slept for 25 minutes. I felt quite a bit better, still coughing, but not an endless fit. I got back on my bike. No longer thinking of finishing fast, just finishing was enough now. Hopefully with enough time to get some sleep before flying out Monday morning.

I love riding at night. It feels like I’m 5-10 mph faster than I really am. With this minor self-deception it seemed like I was riding pretty well through the night. I pass Paul Danhaus on a climb, only to hear “I’ll catch you on the downhill” as I reach the crest. He flys by on the downhill. I next see him at the finish line.

Morning arrives and I am a full time station behind where I was when I did this race 2 years ago. Morale is low. All those miles in the past 2 years don’t seem to have helped at all. I worry about the crew. It was now looking like an evening finish, far later than we had anticipated and far more hours in that van than they had hoped for.

“Stay on the bike” was the advice Rick Kent gave me before RAAM. It applies in Furnace Creek as well. I keep pedaling, sometimes smoothly, sometimes slowly, every once in a while quickly.

A long climb inches by until at last a downhill section for as far as I can see. I begin the descent, tucking in to get as much speed as possible. I feel i slight pull on the bars. This is going to be great. My speed is increasing, probably in the 40 mph range now, and my front wheel begins flopping uncontrollably. I’m all over the road, trying to brake, but the brakes make it shimmy even more if I apply them too fast. I’m going down…

Somehow, I get control again. I am awake and alert now. Maybe I’ll take it easy on the downhills now, maybe those Zip 404s aren’t the best choice for this ride.

Slugging it out for the rest of the miles. I luckily get confused about how far I have left to ride. Thinking I have 30 more miles to go I unexpectedly enter Twenty Nine Palms and the location of the finish line. I have a few words with my friend Tim Woudenberg as we enter town and I kick it in one last time. Anxious to be off the bike.

I cross the finish line at 7:16 PM. A time of 36:16:19. Nearly 5 hours slower than my 2005 time. Not as fast I had hoped, but this years race was about surviving and not giving up. I think I’ll have a Guinness to celebrate.

and day and night and day.

I have completed my second PBP and somewhat back to a clear head, though I’m told I look awful. We are in the process of collecting some friends along the course that have had to drop out.

Weather was nothing short of awful. Cold, rain and wind. Maybe 4 hours of sunshine in the 65 hours I was on the road. Rumors so far suggest a DNF rate over 30%.

The ride did not go to plan at all. Scott and I managed to get into the first wave of riders leaving at 8:00 pm. 500 riders per wave. Rain started minutes later. Pace was high, but not unreasonable. I attempted to move further up toward the front to avoid the energy sapping accordion effect that occurs when sitting at the back of a paceline. Eventually, we found ourselves looking at a large gap to bridge. I looked over at Scott and said, “We have to decide now if we really want to stay with the lead pack, or ride our own pace”. “lets go”. So I pushed hard to get across the gap and move up through the field, when I heard, “Bryce”. I look back and Scotts crank arm has fallen off. It is hanging from his shoe.

We stop and he reattaches the crank arm. We get moving again and start moving up through the packs, however it was becoming apparent I used far too much energy for this early in a 750 mile ride. The crank arm comes loose again and we somehow get off course and do an additional 9 miles before even getting to the optional checkpoint at Mortagne. When we reach the first real checkpoint at Villaines-la-Juhel I am toast and I have 1000 km to go.
more to come..

Four years ago, I rode a few long rides up in Wisconsin to qualify for a 1200 km ride called Paris-Brest-Paris. Initially, I didn’t plan on going to France. I didn’t think I was capable of riding 2 or 3 hundred miles let alone 750. I attempted each qualifying brevet with the thought that I may not complete it. It seemed so extreme at the time. Looking back it still seems like finishing my first 300K brevet was the most difficult ride I’ve done. Eventually, I made it through all the brevets and completed PBP. That experience got me hooked on long distance cycling. I get on a plane Friday to go ride it again and am looking forward to it just as much as the first time. Maybe more. Should be a bit less painful this time.
My frame number is: 1492

Track my progress at: http://www.paris-brest-paris.org/EN/index.php?showpage=64

I have been addictively watching the progress of this years Race Across America. Looks like its going to be an exciting race with many contenders.

A few friends of mine are in the race: John Jurczynski, Paul Danhaus, Patrick Autissier. Good Luck to you all. I wish I was on the road with you.