Today is an early start to a 3 day early weekend. I had to get going super early, at least for me, drive to Lawrence to be Woodlawn Elementary School and do a bike safety day gig with my TradeWind Energy guys. We’ve bought a lot, 237 to be exact,, bicycle helmets and are fitting each kid with a new helmet. Plus, we doing a little bicycle safety lecture, setting up an obsticle course for the kids to ride, etc. I’m all for it, except for the lack of sleep.

After the school deal, we’re going to ride over to the 1st stage of the Velotek Race, a 2 minute hillclimb, and pre-ride the course. Then I’m going to ride the 40 miles home. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden the hill, but what could be there to see? Trudi is going to ride over to Lawrence, after taking a few cats to the vet, then drive the van back to Topeka, while Bill and I ride.

Saturday and Sunday, both the races start at 8 am. And they are 40 minutes from my house. I don’t like racing that early in the morning. I don’t think it is healthy. At least not for me.

I managed to not ride my bike yesterday, but I did stand around on my feet for a few hours, if that counts. I really would have liked to ride, but held firm not to. I felt like I was really clogged up by allergies, and riding somewhat clears that up, but I just stayed stuffy all day and night. We’ll see if it helped or not.

I’m trying to get my Strava form number out of the negatives. (See below.) I’m not really sure what the form number means, but it hasn’t been a positive number in a while. It seems like you would want positive form. I’d better read up on it a little.

Okay, I need to get driving. I’m picking Bill up, getting some coffee and calling it good.

Helmets.

Yesterday was one of those days that just kept on going. We left the house at 6:30, drove over to Bill’s, got him, stopped for coffee, and then headed over to Lawrence for bike day at a local elementary school. It was pretty cool out, mid 40’s and I didn’t bring enough cycling clothes to stay warm. Anyway, the day went so fast I didn’t have enough time to stress the least about the race this weekend, which was a great by-product of being super busy. I hate pre-race nerves, but sometime can use them to get the proper focus.

The school visit was all set up by the time we got there. TradeWind Energy had bought a new Bell helmet for each kid in the school and Dan Hughes, of Sunflower Bike Shop, was there with a gaggle of his employees to help fit the helmets and repair the kid’s bikes.

Brian Jensen, Bill and I were there to do a little talk and let the kids ask questions. My favorite question was really a statement, “Titanium melts.” How true.

So, every kid in the school got a new helmet, most had ridden their bikes to school, so we set up an obstacle course and led them through it.

It took nearly all morning and after, we headed over to Freestate to have an early lunch. I really couldn’t drink a beer at 11 am the day before I was supposed to race at 8 am. So, I ordered hot tea, plus a fruit and cheese plate for lunch.

Brian, Bill and I then rode over to the ride the hillclimb of the first stage of the race today. It is super short, just .7 miles. Uphill to an overlook. It is going to be pretty hard.

Bill and I then rode back to Topeka. It was a stiff headwind the whole way back. Bill was feeling a little sluggish initially, but after he burned off the beer, was riding pretty good.

The field today for the race is small, but pretty good. There are only 30 riders registered for the Pro 1/2 race, but the field is the best regionally. So, it isn’t going to be a ride-around. Lots of time spent in the wind is going to be in store the next two days. Tomorrow we race 3 laps of Lake Perry. It’s nearly 30 miles a lap and pretty hilly. And of course, it is going to be windy. Super training.

So, Bill and I are riding the 40 miles over to the 2 minute time trial this morning. I know it seems a little overkill, but I’d rather be too warmed up than not enough. Last week at Joe Martin, I saw, and felt, what the result will be not warming up enough. My 2 minute maximum on Strava is right around 500 watts. I’m not going to be looking down at my Garmin, but hope to at least match that. We do a 75 minute criterium at 12:40 too. Hopefully we’ll have enough time to go have some breakfast.

Okay, cup of coffee and out the door.

Matt Gilhousen, Czar of TradeWind, walking some little ones through the obstacle course.

Dan Hughes, left, waiting for the onslaught of the helmet fittings.

Man, there were a ton of department store bikes there.

Stack of helmets before they got to their kids head.

Class photo.

Bill and Brian riding west of Lawrence Kansas.