The 2011 season is ending with some impressive results for Start-tri athletes. Early in August, Coach Kristin Cacicedo and husband Mike (competing at Ironman Florida in November) ripped it up at Born to Tri in Asbury Park, NJ. Barbara Reuven also got on the podium in this tough event with a stellar field of NJ athletes. Big shout out to other Start-tri friends competing at BTT, Meghan Helwig, Laura Fucci, Laurie Beland, Michelle Faul, Joe McMahon and all others…

Moving north to Burlington, coach Mickey took on the challenge at the USAT Sprint Nationals. Unfortunately, the start of the race was pushed back to 12:30 making for a hot race and a death march to the finish. However, many others suffered as well and Mickey was rewarded with a spot to race at worlds in New Zealand 2012 along with friends Joe Patanella, Ed Wright and Mickey Syrop!

The next stop for Start-tri was on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. Coach Jason had a strong finish at the Timberman half Ironman on only four weeks of training!!! Also, showing their stuff were Ed Riley, Barbara Reuven with a PR and Lawrence Writer. Great job everyone.

Raphael Zagury decided he was up for the challenge to take on the Toughman 1/2 Ironman in West Chester, NY after competing at Ironman Lake Placid at the end of July. Well, Raphael blasted through the competition and ended up on the podium in his very tough age group!!!

Next up for athletes, the Buckman tri in Round Valley, NJ (www.greenbrookracing.com) and Pocono 1/2 Ironman. Good luck to all athletes. Finish the season strong…

***Save the date***Saturday November 5th, 2011 will be our annual Tri Expo/Tri Swap Meet/Party at the Meyersville Grange. Come early to ride and stay to hang out. Food and drinks will be provided. All are welcome. More details to follow.

Finally, if planning for 2012 season…see below:

If interested in pre-planning your season, you can still lock in 2011 prices this fall. Our pricing for 2012 is below:

TIER I: $295 /month, $75 setup fee

TIER II: $180 / month, $75 setup fee

TIER III: $100 / month $75 setup fee

Train smart, Race hard…

The coaches

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We had a good turn out for this evenings time-trial in the Great Swamp. Below are the results – Congrats to Doug Clarke and Megan Sellers for winning their respective categories. I believe we have a new course record – 26:27!

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There are a number of factors that prevent you from going fast on the bike, but the two main characters are:
Frictional Drag- from the resistance between the air flow and the objects exposed to the air flow (their surface-area).  The resistance is a function of the viscosity of the air which, although very low, is significant enough to slow you down.
Pressure Drag-  from the eddying motions that are set up in the air behind the rider as they ride.  This is also termed wake (similar to that behind a boat).  This type of drag is a strong function of the cross-sectional area of the moving body (you).

The figure below is a good way of illustrating the two.  The object on the left is mainly subject to frictional drag, that on the right, pressure drag.

There are a number of equations associated with fluid flow but probably the most important is Bernoulli’s equation:

Why is this equation so important?  It relates the drag of a cyclist to his or her velocity.  You’ve probably heard that aerodynamics become more important the faster you go and it’s all due to the V2 term – drag is proportional to the square of your velocity  i.e.  Cyclist going at 10mph    V2  = 100      Cyclist going at 20mph V2 =400  i.e. 4 times more
As you go faster, your drag increases more so.

Below is a comparative list of the various modifications that you can make to your bike setup to improve drag – however, REMEMBER: The most aerodynamically inefficient part of cyclist is the rider themselves.  About 80% of the drag of a cyclist comes from the rider – bike FIT therefore is paramount since it affects aerodynamics on the bike and in particular, the pressure drag.

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We received an email recently regarding the elevation at Ironman Lake Placid – more specifically, how much climbing is there?

The Ironman USA website has an interesting quote “The two loop bike course takes place on impeccably smooth roads.  There is a major 9km downhill (good for the average speed).  The rest of the bike is a mix of some rolling hills and some “small chainring climbs.  Overall, you can move on this course!”

We think that this is slightly misleading in that it doesn’t really address the level of climbing that you will actually be doing.  The figure below depicts a heart-rate file (Jason’s) during one of our Ironman training camps held earlier this year.  The heart rate profile gives an ascent of 3300ft for one loop.  Obviously this needs to be doubled giving you a climbing elevation of 6600ft.  That is some serious climbing if you’re used to riding on flat roads.

IMUSA course profile

One of the main comments from our camp attendees was that the first loop seemed ‘quite reasonable’.  However, the second loop is ‘a (insert expletive)’ and it’s mainly due to the fatigue that accumulates from the first loop.

Our advice?  Take it easy climbing out of Lake Placid initially – you can blow your race here right at the beginning.  Go fast on the downhill to Keene if you’re comfortable riding at speed.  The section from Keene thru Upper Jay and Jay is a fast road and you should take advantage of staying in aero and covering the ground quickly.  Take the climbs easy so as to keep the legs as fresh as possible.  Enjoy the crowd coming back into Lake Placid and once again, watch that climb out of town prior to the descent.  On the second loop, even though you’ll want to get off the bike as quickly as possible, hold back a little  and spin up the hills – your legs will thank you for it during the marathon!

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Firstly, thanks to all who attended.

The weather was unpredictable but we managed to get cyclists off with the sun shining albeit on wet roads.  We changed the course a little from last year so the times are not directly comparable.  Also, the wet roads will obviously have affected the times a little.

Here are the results from those who braved the crazy weather:

Time-Trial Results

Congratulations to Lori and Arland for their great prize-winning times.

You will note that we’re opening this up to all and sundry – if you’d like to do the course and then email us your times, check out the time-trial page.

Many thanks to Lawrence Writer for helping out during the event.

Train and ride safe – Start-Tri.com

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We just completed our last training camp up at Lake Placid and for those following the tweets, you’ll know that DOT had been planning some roadworks on the descent down to Keene.  They haven’t quite finished (we think) although the work they’ve done has turned a bumpy and somewhat dangerous road surface into a sweet piece of pavement.  We tried a couple of times to get a clip of the surface and just about succeeded the second time around.  The camera was attached just below the handlebars and you’ll note there wasn’t much in the way of cushioning.  We actually have footage of the entire downhill but, to be frank, it’s quite nauseating to watch it.  If there’s enough demand, we’ll stick it up on youtube or something.

For those wondering what it was like up there this last (July19-21st) weekend:-

We dodged the bad weather and had ideal conditions for riding the course on the Saturday, temps ~65-75F.  Sunday saw a few light rain showers as our athletes were doing their long runs – we found them quite refreshing given that they were intermingled with some sun.  Water temperature for the lake has gone up significantly from a couple of weeks ago which, given the amount of rain, was a bit of a surprise.  It is now ~65F although this was taken from a heart rate monitor strapped to one of our wrists – never know how accurate that really is.

Anyway, hope you find the clip useful and train safe.

contact@start-tri.com

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Over the last few rides here near New York, we’ve noticed more and more people having flats while out riding.  The reasons for flats vary – from the unlucky piece of glass or sharp object that you can’t avoid, to hitting things (holes, branches, large stones etc.) that, if we’re honest, could probably have been avoided if we were paying a little more attention.  Regardless of how they occur, you should always be prepared for the worst by having sufficient gear with you to get you out of most roadside breakdowns.  Here is list of recommended tools and replacement parts that you should be carrying with you on every ride:
Spare inner tubes x 2 :- make sure that the valve stem is long enough for the rims that you are riding!
CO2 cartridges and inflator and/or mini-pump :-no good repairing a flat if you can’t inflate the tire afterwards!
Some tube patches : sometimes two tubes just aren’t enough…these help get you home on the really bad days…
Tire levers: Minimum two, ideally three.
A mini-tool for tightening and adjusting screws, bolts, hex’s.  We prefer ones that have a chain-splitter which will get you out of trouble should you be unfortunate enough to have your chain break.
Spoke Key: If your mini-tool doesn’t have a spoke key, including this in your kit is recommended since you’ll be able to adjust any wheel issues en route.
Ensuring that you have the necessary equipment not only helps you get home, but can also help a colleague or fellow cyclist get home – something they won’t forget!

We ride with the premis that we’ll help other riders, whether we know them or not, who are having roadside issues.  It’s a good practice since there will be occassions when you’ll need someone else’s help…

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Here are some general tips for improving your efficiency on the bike.

Pedaling
Smooth pedal stroke
• Using a fixed gear bike to improve smoothness in your pedal stroke.
Use of a fixed gear bike will focus you on your pedaling technique as well as increasing leg speed and strength. The mechanics of a fixed-gear bike require you to pedal as long as the bike is moving forward. Inexperienced riders should consider using a fixed-gear bike on a stationary trainer for the first couple of rides.
Pedaling continuously will develop a smooth pedal stroke as you spin down hills and increases leg strength as you climb the hills. Generally, gearing for a fixed-gear bike will be light (42×19, or about 60 gear inches), which is a nice balance for various types of terrain.
You might consider using an old road bike, adding a fixed-gear rear wheel from a used bike shop. Unthread your chain from the rear derailleur, shorten it, and place it around the small chainring in front and the single rear cog, and you’re done. You can also use a track bike for this purpose. You will need to install at least one brake before you go out on the road.
One-Leg Pedaling
One-leg pedaling is another approach to adding strength (and variety to your indoor training at the same time). Normally, when you pedal with both legs, the leg that pulls the foot through the bottom of the stroke and back up to the top of the 360 degree “cycle” is under used (as the other leg, when pushing the crank through the downstroke has significantly more power and thus allows a bit of slacking).

Learning to pedal a complete, 360-degree circle with both legs working together will make you a better rider. Practicing with one legged drills will embed this idea into your pedaling style.
1. Warm up on the trainer for 20 minutes while pedaling with both legs.
2. Unclip one foot from the pedal. Rest it on a chair or stool just outside the left pedal circle.
3. Pedal at 90 rpm using your right leg, using an easy gear until you get accustomed to the feeling of one-leg pedaling. The muscles that lift your thigh and push the pedal over the top will fatigue quickly at first, but you’ll improve rapidly.
4. After a few minutes, switch to the other leg.

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We recently demonstrated bike maintenance at the Tri Expo that we were at with Paramount Adventure.  Below are the maintenance tips; a 10 minute schedule and a maintenance schedule.

10 Minute check.
Brakes: The brakes should be fully on by the time the lever is half-way
Frame: Check handlebar, aero-bars, stem and rest of frame for any cracks.
Brakes: Check that there is plenty of rubber on the brake pads.  The pad should be properly aligned with the rim; 2mm or less from the edge of the rim is normally good.
Headset: Make sure that the headset does not have any play or is loose.  Apply front brake and try to move the bike, feeling for any movement.
Brakes: Check brake cables are in good condition.  You want to make sure that they are not frayed especially where they are secured.  If it requires a lot of pressure to activate the brakes, your cables may need replacing.
Headset: Check that the stem bolts are tight and tighten if necessary.
Cranks: Hold one side of the crank and, using your other hand, try to move the other side of the crank.  You’re feeling for any movement.  Repeat on the other side.  If any movement, you may need to tighten the cranks.  If both are moving, you may need to adjust the bottom bracket (take to shop if not comfortable doing this)
Cranks: Take chain off of the front chain rings and rotate cranks to ensure that they rotate smoothly.  If you feel any grittiness, your bottom bracket may need some attention.
Chain-ring: Check that the chain ring is straight and check the tightness of the chain ring bolts.  Also check pedals are rotating freely.
Rear-deuralier: Check cable is not fraying near the clamp.  Shift through gears to check smoothness.  If chain is jumping or making a noise, a simple adjustment of the cable may fix.  Check High and Low gears and adjust H/L screws if needed
Front-deuralier: Make sure the cage is parallel to the chain.  Check cable is not fraying.
Saddle & Seat post: check tightness but do not over-tighten these bolts since they are often alloy and can be damaged.
Wheels:  Spin wheel to make sure spinning freely.  Check for trueness: look at the gap between rim and pads when wheel is spinning and make sure it remains the same.  Check tire for any foreign objects; you can remove these with tweezers.   Check for any rubber perishing.  Axle should run smoothly.  Check for play (wheel bearings) Check tire pressure.
Quick Lube: Every 40 miles  Brake pivots: front and rear.  Front and rear gears: if it moves, lube it.  Lube chain: every link.  Brake levers.  Cable housing exits
Maintenance Schedule
Every Ride
Air: ensure proper tire inflation and check tire wear. Check for objects such as glass that may be stuck in the tire.
Brakes & Bars: check brake function (cable tension and pad alignment).  Check handlebars and aerobars for cracks. ‘close’ brakes
Chain and Cables: check for tight links and fraying cables. Lube chain.
Wheels: check for trueness , spoke tension / damage
Quick releases: ensure fully seated and correctly tightened (should leave impression in palm of hand when closing)

Monthly
Clean lubricate and inspect drivetrain (chain stretch)
Check wheel bearing adjustment: while wheel is on bike try to wiggle the tire…if it moves, bearings need adjustment
Check headset and bottom bracket adjustment (Pick up front of bike and steer the handlebars from side to side…movement should be smooth and easy.  Then with the front wheel on the ground, move bike forward and backward while you squeeze the front brake lever…if you feel play in the headset, it needs adjustment.  For bottom bracket, try to move crankarms from side to side…if you feel play or “creaking” noises when you ride, bottom bracket adjustment cup or fixed cup may be loose…also check crankarm bolts for proper tightness.)
Check for loose nuts and bolts. (headset, seatpost, waterbottle cages, handlebar, crankarm, chainring, stem bolts, pedals, any mounting screws)
Clean frame and working components and check for wear and breakage
-Lubricate brake, shifter, and pedal pivot points
-Inspect tires for wear and replace if necessary (don’t forget to check rim tape to insure all spoke holes are completely covered and tape is not deteriorating)
-Inspect shoe cleats for wear (tighten or replace if necessary)

Quarterly
-Thorough check of brake function (inspect pad wear, pad alignment, cable tension)
-Clean and wax frame, inspect for damage/hairline cracks on frame, hubs, and rims
-check tool kit (insure you have the needed tools to make minor repairs on the road…insure spare tube and patch kit are in good working order and not dry rotted or that the glue has dried up)
-Thoroughly clean drivetrain

Semi-Annually
-Take out Seatpost and Quill Stem…clean and lube (Do not lube carbon fiber seatpost or seat tube)
-Inspect handlebar tape and replace if necessary

Annually
-All the above and overhaul Bottom Bracket, Wheel Bearings, Headset, and pedals.  Check derailleur hanger alignment.  Replace worn or corroded cables and cable housing.  (Overhaul means to completely disassemble, clean, lube and adjust for proper function.  If this is beyond your expertise, you should have it done professionally.  Everything on your bike that has threads should be lubed with grease at least annually.)

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