Team SoupCan test monkeys

Team SoupCan was at the Cleveland Clinic with our coach, Frank Ianotti, doing some midseason fitness testing and bike evaluation. Hooked up to a concotion of machines and computers we were put through the ringer with warm ups, 5 minute time trials, 40 minute lactic acid threshold testing, then a huge sprint at the end. Data was gathered to weigh where we are midseason and look for strengths and weaknesses and to create an off season training plan to get us ready for next season. It was really cool. I think we all felt like Lance Armstrong while others looked on. Its amazing how it exposes you for what you are. Ryans testing just said "pussy" on the computer screen. Mine said "badass mofo". Ok, that was pure fantasy. Ryan actually is the big power guy. John is the "model" as Frank liked to call him. Wes is even and great at everything but over-trains (frankly, he just loves to be on a bike...can you blame him?). Although it must feel good for Wes to know that he can be better simply by training less...sounds like a dream plan.

I would recommend to anyone who is serious about getting better on a bicycle that they check into a cycling coach. I would go even farther by recommending Frank Ianotti. His main office is in Bedford Heights at the brand new Cleveland Clinic Sports Health and Performance Center. He really knows what he's talking about and is an avid cyclist himself. Everyone spends all kinds of money buying parts to improve their bike but no one ever spends money on improving the motor. Doesn't make any sense, does it?

Uptight, white and outta sight.

Lake Hope OMBC Race

I had a great race. Left my favorite shades in Soups truck. Bastard.

Lake Hope OMBC race

The crew was in Nelsonville this past weekend. We went down Saturday and pre-rode some of the course. Its an awesome mtb trail great for singlespeeders (unless your racing). Lots of rolling terrain and no ridiculous steep climbs. The openess of the course and the long road start made it hard to stay in front of the geared guys. Lorson managed to get into the main pack and get sucked along into the woods. Wes and I shot out out the back and were last into the woods. We managed to stay together with Wes leading the charge and pushing people out of the way so I could pass also. We saw Lorson just ahead of us but couldn't catch up. I blew up and road the last 10 miles like I was out for a Sunday drive not caring who or when people passed me. I totally underestimated the toughness of the course. As usual, Wes pushed on and did great finishing just out of the money. John finished 4th I think. The last climb out of the woods and up the road to the finish found everyone "paper-boying" according to Scream. Ryan did great in the sport category finishing 3rd of 4th I think with Scream just behind him. Scream (Shawn Jones) has been racing with Team SoupCan and has been a great asset (or is that "asshole"-kidding) to the team. One thing is for sure. We always have a ton of fun wherever we go. We went into Athens the night before to eat Mexican food, drink beer, and people watch. The horse trailer was our lodging again. I gotta tell ya, that thing is perfect for what we do. Lots of inside space for bikes, no concern for mud or dirt in it, and we don't have a camp to set up or tear down. Thanks to Joe Merry going down with us we had new blood and new stories to tell and hear. Fun, Fun, Fun. If you ever see the SoupCan horse trailer at an event, stop by and have a beer on us!

The Pain Ultra

I tackled this beast Sunday with Wes and Shawn"Scream"Jones. I don't know what was more painful, the race, or riding in a car with Shawn doing 30 in a 55, 40 in a 65, 20 in a 45. But oh well he drove so I can't complain that much. Wes and I had other plans go bad so as of Friday night I got the ok from the boss to do the race. I figured I handled the Mohican 100k pretty well so what is the harm in a 45 mile bike race? Just ride your own race right? I was neither physically or mentally prepared for the ass kickin I was about to receive. After a painfully slow neutral 3 mile start we let it rip. I ran a 32x20 on my single speed and well into the 2nd climb of the day was wishin I had a 21 on the rear and after riding all the singletrack we had done the the other way I was whishin' for a 25 in the rear. This course had 5 or 6 climbs that dwarfed anything on the Mohican course and found myself off the bike pushing and wishing for gears on so many hills. The Shenandoah 100 had the longest hike-a-bike I have ever done, but we were confronted with a straight up quarter mile hike-a-bike-soul-crusher that topped of a brutal race. Would I do this again? Hell yeah. I'd be better prepared next time, plus it would be better to come down and camp to enjoy the atmosphere along the Ohio River and hang with some cool people. As hard as the course was this was beautiful backcoutry Ohio riding.

Team Soupcan Pics

I had a few people ask me where they can look online for some of the pics I was taking so heres the link.

http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss273/TeamSoupcan/

I hope this works for everybody. If it dosen't just go to photobucket and search for user name Teamsoupcan.

Vultures Knob Race #3

Crash and burn, that's all I got to say. Made it about 100 yards into the prolouge up the gravel road. A guy went down in front of me, I saw it thought I had plenty of time to go around, I braked and went down. Got up started to pedal and cause of my shitty bike maintenance busted my chain in half. Can't say I never done anything like this before. Guess it was kinda cool. Got to walk the coure with Dr. Soupcan and pound some Old Mlwaukee or as wes calls it "Old Skwak"