Girls on the Run is so much fun!

It was a beautiful sunny evening as cars busses and groves of people filed into Binder Park Zoo. The attraction today was not the animals, but over 700 3rd-5th grade girls from Calhoun County. The vibrant spirit in the air matched the bright green of the girls' shirts and one could definitely feel that this was a special kind of event. Each and every one of these girls would be accomplishing great things today. Today was the culmination of a 12 week program where the girls learned about being joyful, confident and giving while incorporating running. Today was their final 5k and WSI was honored to once again be a part of the event.

[caption id="attachment_1104" align="alignright" width="300"] Dwight, April, Rose, Marie, Andy, Angela, Paddi and Kevin [/caption]As the girls filed into the start corral with their families lining the start line the excitement was overwhelming. The WSI riders rode past making their way to the start and a cheer rose up from the crowd. It was almost time. And what better way to support a Girls on the Run race with a cycling crew of mostly women? (Go girl power!)

The girls shouted out a "boom chicka boom" cheer and the race began. The WSI cyclists led the girls through the zoo, up the paths and boardwalks of Africa and back out into wooded trails all the way to the finish. As the cyclists rode back by signaling that the lead runner was a step behind, the spectators all rose to attention and cheered. Our cyclists did not stop there. They continued to pedal back into the woods riding in, encouraging and cheering on more and more girls until each and every girl had crossed the finish.

[caption id="attachment_1106" align="alignleft" width="300"] Although Katie and Nikki were not on bikes, they have had the honor of being coaches for the last 12 weeks. [/caption]Volunteering at events like these is definitely a rewarding experience. Being able to see these girls and the pride and joy on their faces as they cross the finish line will make you want to come back every year, which is exactly what we have done. WSI Cycling has and will proudly support the achievements of our local girls working hard on building healthy lifestyles and self-confidence.

Girls on the Run is so much fun!
For more information about Girls on the Run locally please visit www.gotrofcalhoun.org

Yankee Springs 5-18-14

Impromptu race day ~ Yankee TT was not on my list of races to do. It is usually held in April when I have finals and no ride time, so I tend to opt out of it and stick to the NIMBA series. This year the race was rescheduled and Dwight decided that morning he was going to do it. I was itching to ride my bike but did not want to race it. A good group of our teammates were racing so I figured I would take pictures and follow little Jacob Goff out while his dad and brother raced. Unfortunately for us, his trail was cut from 9 miles to 2 miles…he wasn’t a happy campier.  

[caption id="attachment_1070" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Goff family[/caption]

For a millisecond, I considered following Dilan Goff but realized that might be embarrassing to him and there was a strong possibility he could be a stronger rider. Those Goff genes are crazy!

          After going back and forth drumming up my excuses with my teammates they solved my issues and left me with no excuses but to look like I “wussed out.” By that point, I already gave myself prerace jitters and just needed to pull it together and warm my legs up! As usual, I did more of the warming my mouth up then my legs, but that’s just another reason why I love racing...mountain bikers are just awesome people!

That's Me!

 I made my way to the start where sport women were taking off in 10-second intervals. Cyclone was just two people in front of me and she had had her game face on eying the women on the white Niner. I hoped I could use Cyclone as my rabbit but only had a glimpse of her after takeoff. The women in front of me started strong, passing a couple others but by mile four, she bonked too and I had to pass. The 10-second intervals were ideal for me because there was always someone else to try to catch and chat up. It also gave me a big boost when I am doing the passing.

 On that note, I had just passed a girl who was a strong climber but couldn’t handle down hills and turns. I assumed she would get on my tail and follow my lines. Well... we hit the big, black, rubber mat climb. I charge it, my front tire started spinning out, and I thought she was blowing up my back tire. I didn’t think I was going to make it and moved to the right so she could pass. To my surprise, I heard a familiar male voice say, “Damn it!” Apparently, just as I reared off, Dave was passing me in the same direction and I messed him up. (No sad feelings… he still won his class and learned the lesson of calling his passes!)

Towards the end, I shifted to climb a hill and my chain fell off. It was a quick fix with the front ring and a spin of the peddle but the fact that I was at the bottom of a sandy hill with no momentum sucked! My legs were screaming all the way up and I just wanted it to be over…luckily I got some encouragement from a few spectators and cowbells, which felt like a gu shot, giving me that extra push I needed to finish.

To my surprise, I came in second!

[caption id="attachment_1075" align="alignnone" width="257"] Cyclone Cindy (1st ) April Parrish (2nd)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1076" align="aligncenter" width="280"] That's how we roll...[/caption]





 





 

I really have to give Dwight kudos here. He gave me his Gatorade and hit the racecourse without even bringing a water bottle. Since he didn’t preregister, he had a great deal of racers to pass and could have used those electrolytes. In the end, he was literally seconds from 1st place against our very own Keith Wilkinson!

 

Keith Wilkinson  (1st) and 

Dwight Denisiuk (2nd)

 

Willow Time Trial Race Report: Haas, Winton & Wolin

Josh: Time trialing (TT) is not for everyone but for Danny and I, riding at or near lactic threshhold and suffering as long as possible is an adrenaline rush we love. Willow would be the first of the season TT for several of us and WSI Team Active Cycling had great representation. Devin Winton, Danny Wolin, Matt Wright, and myself all raced.  Willow is a 2.22mi loop that is repeated 6 times equaling 13.32mi.  While the weather man said it wouldn't be windy, Willow Metropark must have been left off his report because HOLY WINDS!!! Strong side winds around the 3rd curve were hellish on deep dish wheels but we all pushed through the winds safely. At Willow, it's important to know where you are at all times so you enter the finish chute on the correct lap. All four of us did just that  and all posted great times. For me, my goal was to finish in under 35min and I posted an even 34min time. That worked out to a 23.5mph average which I was very pleased with for a race in April. The next TT for me will be the State Time Trial Championships June 22. I'll be picturing Rocky training in Siberia whilst doing my interval work throughout the next month. :)

Devin: Willow has always been a good indicator if my winter training. The only thing constant about Willow is the weather: it is never consistent. Some years, it is sunny and 70, while other years it may be blustery and 40. As long as I am within a couple of minutes of previous years, I figure my off season training has been effective.

2014 was windy. Very windy. Riding Cat 4, I started just ahead of my teammate Danny Wolin. With a strong northwest wind, it was wind in your face at the start and finish of the six lap race. Riding "blind," i.e. without hr monitor or computer, I had no idea what my speed was. By the middle of the first lap I settled into a pace I knew I could sustain and began to suffer. A TT is just a matter of how much and how intense the suffering can be endured.

Well, after 6 laps I finished about where I expected; time consistent with prior years and all in all a fun outing with teammates Danny Wolin, Josh Haas, and Matt Wright.

Thanks to Team Active, WSI, and our other sponsors.

Danny: It was a very nice, windy day to race the Willow TT and also very nice to see Josh, Matt and Devin race as well. While the training was a bit behind due to the winter I felt very good and the intervals paid off. I ended up with second place (again) to the same guy as last year but I was very happy with the result as it was the fastest time and average speed I have had there (26 mph) and 30.35.

-Josh Haas, Devin Winton & Danny Wolin

Bendix Woods

The first race of the NIMBA series was held Sunday at Bendix Woods. This mountain bike trail is in New Carlisle, Indiana. It is approximately 6.5 miles of twisting trails. Although the largest visible hill is on the pavement crossing, I swear the majority of trail is deceptively on inclines! We were both racing sport so we had two laps to do. 

[caption id="attachment_1017" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dwight Denisiuk and April Parrish[/caption]

We arrived a good hour before the race and it was 40 degrees, dark rain clouds and windy. Little did I know, it would be sunny and 60 when we finished. I dressed as if I was doing the Iceman wearing my normal team kit, under armor, coat, long pants etc…I was still shivering! I quickly recognized my competition; she was warming up on the side trails as I was warming up in the jeep.

Before my 10:20 start time, I forced myself to spin those legs getting about two miles in. I was still freezing so did not opt to take any layers off. This was a time trial race. At the start I was very intimidated by the girl who was taking off behind me, she was doing jumping jacks, full of energy and singing along to the music. Considering the fact that I have only been exercising my brain and possibly had 50 miles on my wheels the past 3 months…I was regretting the beating she was about to deliver. I took off not knowing where the other girls were but thought this girl was taking off 30 seconds behind me. By mid lap, the sun came out and I was overheating. I unzipped it all but could not pull coat off with the camel back strapped to me. At this point, I was    wishing I wore those arm warmers, which would have been easy to slip down. While I was riding, I was trying to figure out how far back the girl was. I picked locations and counted the seconds that I would see someone hit it, but didn’t at all the first lap. I assumed I was in the lead so when I dropped my gu packet, I quickly stopped to pick it up. At that time, I should have taken off a layer but did not want to waste that much time. I eventually heard her on trail, I knew she wasn’t far behind, I tried to take off my gloves while riding and slip them in the pocket. Sadly, I dropped one and weighed my options, a $45 Pearl Izumi glove, or a $25 race.  I stopped and picked up the glove. It was not long after, she caught me! Any other time I would have fought for it but I was toasted/roasted/depleted… I told her how awesome she was and allowed her easy access to pass. At the end of it all, there were only three girls preregistered for the Sport class. I came in second.

           

                   Here is Dwight going through the rock garden like a pro...  and then there is me, doing the rookie move looking down.

Oh and about Dwight…his start time was just 15 minutes before mine  and when I reached the above rock section, he was actually on the the return trail next to me! At the start he had concerns about not changing the gearing on his single speed, but already seeing him there, I knew he made it work! He came in first place, beating his competition by 1:02! Unlike me, he was still full of energy and actually wanted to ride the course again before we went home!

[caption id="attachment_1035" align="alignnone" width="300"] Take notice...I won 2nd place but he won 1st![/caption]

                                                                                        And as you can imagine...

[caption id="attachment_1036" align="aligncenter" width="300"] He rubbed in his first place ALL THE WAY HOME!!![/caption]

 

 

Girls on the Run 5K Support ~ Matt Wright

I helped lead the Girls on the Run practice 5K Tuesday, May 20th at Endeavor Charter Academy! The coaches had planned a route through the surrounding neighborhood using chalk and signs. Tim Hubbard and I helped the girls stay on pace and on course. What a great program!

Willow Time Trial 2014 ~ Matt Wright

This was my very first time trial event and my first race of the year. The temperature was mild, about 55 degrees and very windy. Sustained wind speed was 15 MPH with 25 MPH gusts. The course was 20K. 6 loops around the Willow Metro Park. It seemed as though the wind was against you on 3/4 of each loop. I managed to complete the course in 37:41.4 with an average speed of 21 MPH which put me in 19th of 24 in the CAT 5 Men. It was a good experience and a good training session for my upcoming events this summer.

31st Seahorse Challenge Sprint Aquabike Race Report

It was a perfect day for racing here in Climax this morning! The air temp was about 60 degrees at the start. The water temp was 67. I raced the Sprint Aquabike division which means I had to swim 500 meters and then bike 20 kilometers. I was able to get right in the front of all the sprint athletes at the start of the swim, I always try to do that to avoid getting caught up in the slower swimmers. I felt pretty good throughout the entire swim and my time was 9:18. I then raced up the hill on foot to get my bike from transition.

The bike course was very hilly, but the wind was very light (about 4 MPH). My average speed on the bike was 20.5 MPH. I finished first….because no one else was doing that particular event. It was great to see so many other WSI team mates there, plenty of awards for the team! Everyone did awesome!

by Matt Wright

2014 Sodus River Road Time Trial race report:

It was a cool and sunny morning in Sodus for the event. Temperature was about 53 F. at 9:15 just before my start time. The event was small, but well organized. The course was very smooth with only a few small climbs to deal with. It was an “out and back” as well, which was nice since you could sort-of see where you stood with the competition before the turn around. The wind was light early and picked up to about 9 MPH out of the South West. It helped because the course took you mainly south first, then north to finish. I used a normal road bike with clip on aero bars and placed 9th out of 9 in Cat 5 men. Average speed for the 20K was: 21.56 with a time of 34:34.4. If I had taken off the aero bars and ridden the “Eddie Merckx” class I would have placed about 4th. Maybe next year…. One added bonus was a free pint glass just for participation! A nice event that I would highly recommend.
Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors!!

By Matt Wright

A Big Day of Birds By Bike

Having recently completed a Barry County Big Green Year in 2013, this year I needed a new challenge combining my two passions of cycling and birding. I decided to cram it all into one day with the goal of seeing or hearing as many birds as possible in Barry County. Riding for reasons bigger than myself, this time I would be riding for charity...

Being a new father, it's important to me that my daughter grows up seeing healthy living and being outside and active as normal. I decided to ride for the Barry County YMCA and their Play60 program (getting kids outside daily for at least 60min). My goal was to raise $1000 and tally a bird list of at least 100 species.

The day began at 2am and without getting on the bike, bird #1 was in the bag. The endangered Henslow's Sparrow was doing what they do best, calling at night. You may ask why a person would get on the bike at 2am... NIGHT BIRDS!!! What a morning it was. I tallied 50 birds by the time the sun showed itself through the trees including Barred Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Great-horned Owl, Sedge Wren and the illusive Eastern Whip-poor-whil.

At sunrise, a few local birders met up with me for a nice long hike through great habitat and by the time I left, my list was over 70. A lull in bird activity coupled with a nutrition problem early afternoon made for a rough couple hours but #100 came around 2pm in the form of a Red-breasted Nuthatch.  This bird should be in the UP right now and for some reason decided to stay just long enough.  With #100 in the bag, that was the encouragement I needed to continue on.  I got past my nutrition barrier and a random nesting colony of Bank Swallows presented itself. At that point, the numbers starting going up again. By the time I reached Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, my family was already there grilling some brats which really hit the spot. Lillian loves birds but she may like swinging even more!

I made it home at 8:30pm which meant I was on the road 18.5 hours, rode 106 miles, hiked 5 miles, kayaked 1 mile, tallied 116 birds total (which is a Barry County record, bike or no bike), burned over 4000 calories and climbed over 4000 vertical feet.  Needless to say, I slept well that night!!

Most importantly, I surpassed my charity goal of $1000 and have brought in over $1400. Thanks for all who donated. I'm even hopeful by the time my donation site closes; I'll have raised over $1500.  If you would still like to donate, please visit www.active.com/donate/joshhaas by May 31st.

-Josh Haas

Du-what? Another Seahorse Race Report

Today I competed in my first duathlon. 3.3 mile run, 20k bike, 3.3 mile run. The weather was beautiful and temperature perfect, although those competing in the triathlon may have thought differently with the water temps being a whopping 67 degrees.

My theme today was slow and steady. I was doing this for me and no one else, I was my only competition. Within the first 10 minutes of the start I needed to remind myself of just that. I know my limits, I know my strengths and there was no way I was keeping up with the rest of the runners in the duathlon. Mind you, there were only about 12 of us so the field was small.

My biggest fear going into this new challenge for me was being last, I did NOT want to be last. I know, it doesn't matter because I'm out there doing it, but last.........

I was so incredibly nervous about the bike portion that my typical first mile nerves were present for the entire first run! And what a run it was! The Seahorse advertises the run as a fun course that keeps you going and having fun. Sure, if you consider crawling up steep hills, dodging roots, crossing moving bridges and climbing flights of stairs fun. In all honesty it did help the run fly by but the nature of the course was definitely challenging. Every turn I took there was a race director in a golf cart or the lead biker in front of me probably making sure I hadn't passed out in the woods or gotten lost, because I was the last of the duathletes still running. I'd like to consider them my own personal escorts because I am THAT AWESOME!

As I ran into the bike corral I noticed about 3 bikes left in there which either meant there were 3 people behind me from the triathlon or three people already done with their bike and heading out on their run. I'd like to think it was the first option. Again, my fear is being dead last. And now for the moment of truth, exiting the transition area and clipping into my pedals in PUBLIC. I did it, without falling! Woohoo! That set the bike portion off to a great start!

The first few miles were a breeze. I could catch my breath, get a drink and ......Lord Almighty, look at that hill! The "rolling hills" or as I would like to refer to the second half of the bike course, the never ending hill, was a challenge. I passed 5 cyclists. Yes, I counted every single one only because I couldn't count the number of cyclists that passed me. Not only did they pass me uphill like I was standing still, but they were on their second loop of the course doing the Olympic distance triathlon! On a side note, I am humbled, grateful and encouraged beyond belief at the fact that almost every single one of them encouraged me to keep going with a "good job" or a "keep it up". All of them amazing athletes both physically and personally! It's the little things that keep us going sometimes and they definitely helped.

Nerve racking moment number two: dismounting. Slowing down, unclipping and running the bike back into transition area. I escaped embarrassment completely today. Zero falling, tripping or sprawling out flat on my face!

I knew the last run would be a grueling one because I had just done it. Déjà Vu in full effect as I was running through the swampy trail with nothing but the sounds of my breathing and the boisterous bullfrog, crawling up the hill in the woods, and heading over the river and through the woods. (No, I did not end at Grandma's house.)

I finished. Dead last in the duathlon, but there were still triathletes behind me in the course so no one knew the difference. Shhh!

There was a great presence there by my WSI cycling teammates. Many of them walking away with medals in hand. Imagine my surprise when my name was called at the awards. 3rd place. Only because there were only 3 females in the "Heifer" category. No, they do not really have a heifer category. I lovingly refer to it as that. In multi sport events when you are over a certain weight the men are called Clydesdales. I could never remember the name of the category for women (which I now know is Athena). I have jokingly always referred to it as the heifer category. So there it is, 3rd place, by default, which I have also already been told I need to stop referring to it as that and just claim my 3rd place. Again, just keeping things in perspective. Did I work hard for it? Sure. But I have to keep it real: real slow and real steady. That's how I roll (and run).

~Nikki


Update: Apparently I was 3rd in my age group, not Athena. My surprise at even receiving an award blocked my ability to hear what it was for. Ha.

Bridges Family Race Report - Seahorse Challenge

Seahorse Challenge May 25, 2014

Katie: What a beautiful morning for a race! With the harsh winter I really had been looking forward to summertime and triathlon and the Seahorse Challenge at Coldbrook Park did not disappoint. Kevin and I raced the Olympic distance, while Marie raced the duathlon and Scotty the Sprint Tri.

The Olympic distances athletes went out first, and I did not see Kevin or Scotty until the finish line. The water temperature was just fine. I really had some struggles at the beginning. In my head I was thinking, “how do I do this again?” At one point I realized my wetsuit was making breathing difficult, and as soon as I fixed that, things went a little better. Two loops around and I felt more than ready to head to my bike. Goodbye water!

The bike course was hillier than I thought. It was downhill at first and I was able to push it a bit to shore up my sense of self-respect after that swim. The hills came later and I really had to pay for that earlier speed! I found Marie on my first lap, and passed her. The roads were quite smooth and my ride was pretty nice. In one particularly rough/hilly spot, R.J. from Team Active was perched on the side of the road to assist anyone who might need it. Luckily, my trusty Synapse got me through. Two loops around and I arrived back into the park. Time to run!

The run course cut through woods, swamps, campgrounds and fields. Michigan was really turning up the heat by that time, and I looked around me and thought, “finally it’s summer!” The run was very well supported and I took advantage of EVERY water/HEED station. The run finishes with a run up a set of stairs… I was ready to be done!!

The highlight of my race was seeing my daughter Marie at the finish line, along with my great teammates and friends Nikki, Charles, Danny and Matthew. Third place in my age group, I’ll take it. Not bad for my first tri of ’14.

Scotty: Its finally triathlon season, I did the sprint distance. Swim was good came out of the water 16th, spotted all my buoys perfectly, time to bike. I was flying past a lot of people with carbon fiber time trail bikes, averaged about 21 miles per hour and hade the 8th fastest time, and felt very good. The run was a nice mix of pavement and trail. Ran a 24 minute 5k and 6th fastest on the run. Finished 8th overall with a 1:14 time. Finished first in my age group, ready for Gull Lake Tri.

Kevin: Seahorse Triathlon holds a very special place in my heart, it was my first triathlon a few years ago. This year I did the Olympic distance, previously I’ve done the Sprint race.

The water was much warmer than I thought it would be, at the start of the swim I got kicked and had my goggles knocked out of place. Normally this isn’t a big deal but today I had a hard time getting back into a rhythm, after about 300 meters I got it together and finished the swim without any problems.

The bike went very well my Speed Concept performed flawlessly, I do need to work on the engine though. The run course at Seahorse has a little of everything pavement, dirt, and trail. It was nice to see other teammates on the run and encourage each other. I didn’t finish with a medal, but had a solid performance to build on going to Gull Lake.

Marie: I did the Seahorse Duathlon. It was a beautiful day and it was a great race for me. I’m a 16-year-old girl so I’m normally one of the only ones in my age group, which I was. There were very few of us anyway. We went out on pavement and the running course was on pavement for the first mile, then we went on a trail. It got spongy for a little bit, but most if the trail is dry. It goes back on the pavement. Both of the runs are 5k.

The bike was my favorite part. The first part is mostly downhill and I could get really fast. I got up to 28 mph once, which is really fast for me. It was a nice day, no wind, very minimal traffic on the road, which I appreciate. The bike course goes through beautiful southern Michigan farmland.

I was the 3rd overall female and I made an awesome friend who was the first overall female in the duathlon, and I hope to see her in many more races as the summer goes on. It was a great race, and I hope to do it for years to come.

Yankee Springs TT Race Report

Hey Internet Peeps,

Sorry about the delayed race report, some great things take time. Numbers first! I placed 13 with a time of 59 minutes and some change. I really just wanted to finish sub 1 hour and I did by the hair of my chin.

That out of the way, I have to say you couldn't have asked for a better cycling day. The trail had dried up and was perfect. The climbs were not as daunting as last year, so I guess all that running over the winter worked for something. I had a small tussle and rubbed elbows trying to pass, but no crashes. Charles on the other hand...

We had a great team presence there with a ton of riders representing. For the future I'd look at getting a spot on team row, we had a campsite but it was farther back.

All in all, it was a great race and I did way better than last year. Looking forward to more punishment.

-Caleb Andrews

The Bridges Family Members Continue Their Racing Efforts

WSI Cycling's "cycling family" - The Bridges - have been busy these past couple of weekends. In addition to the two following race reports featuring their exploits on trail and road, you can expect at least one more report on their most recent triathlon, the Seahorse. Scott's doing the sprint distance, Marie is racing the duathlon and mom and dad (Katie and Kevin) racing the Olympic distance triathlon. Can't wait for the results!

Yankee Springs Time Trial - Sunday, May 18, 2014

Yankee TT 2014 was almost a repeat of Custer Stampede; Scotty was first in his age group with a 1:03, Marie second. Kevin was 18th racing in the Sport class for the first time, turning in a 1:03. Katie was 13th. Scott's time was about 20 seconds faster than the old man's (daddy might need a new bike). Although the trail was fast and the racing fun, I think hanging out with the family and friends at the finish line was the best part of the day. Hopefully next year's race will be held on a day as nice as this year, but moved to April. The Bridges don’t have any more mountain bike races on our schedule for this year, but we might try to squeeze in one more race, if we can find the time. Triathlon season is starting soon it’s going to be a busy summer.

~The Bridges Family

Tour de Frankenmuth - Saturday, May 24, 2014

The Tour de Frankenmuth 2014 was Scott and my (Kevin, the dad) first road race. Scott raced as a junior that was one 20-mile lap. I raced Cat 5 over 35, which was two laps. The first lap was uneventful, at every turn the peloton would slow then everyone would sprint back into a group. The farther back in the pack you are the harder it is to catch back up. I managed to stay with the peloton until the last left-hand turn where the road widened out the group spread out and picked up the paced, I tried to stay with them, but all I could do was keep them in sight to the finish line. Riding in a large group was very intense. I averaged 22 mph with a top speed of 34 mph and finished in 41st place. I want to go back next year to see how much I can improve.

Scott's race started with about 15 riders, at the starting line the starter lady said that if there was any swearing you will be disqualified (this may be an issue) but all the riders agreed not to snitch. After the first turn the group narrowed down to about eight riders. In a single file line taking turns pulling, they cruised at about 22 mph. Every two mile there would be one rider drop off the breakaway, until there was five of them, things were calm for about five miles. Then as he got back into position after a pull, took a drink and a deep breath, the person third in line crashed, Scott and the rider in front of him managed to miss him. After they regrouped, there was four of them, knowing the top three got on the podium, he tried to lose at least one rider, but it did not happen. He finished fourth with a 59 second gap between Scott and the winner.

~Kevin Bridges

Barry Roubaix - Race Report

Yes, it has been several months since this exciting, fun race, but work and life has been a little busy (we all have those challenges!).  In my mind it is better late than not at all - kind a like a wedding gift - give the gift before the first year anniversary and you are fine.  Anyway getting to my race report,  this was so much fun. I rode a tandem with RJ Mullenix and it was a blast.  Not sure if it was RJ that made it so much fun or riding a tandem (probably RJ).  We trained almost every week for this race.  Not only was it was my first time riding a tandem, we trained in the snow.  The first day riding with RJ on the tandem, we rode in 6 inch of snow.  We rode only 12 miles in 2.5 hours! It was the most fun I had ever had playing in the snow!

As race time got closer, I felt like we were ready as a team and me as a rider.  At the starting line we were in the back and we tried to make it up to the front before we started but ended up still too far back when the gun sounded.  I think if we had of gotten at the front of the line when the gun went off we maybe up closer in places.  We did not get passed by any other tandem and we had passed a few tandems, so we were thinking we would be closer to 2nd or 3rd spot.  The course was great! Temperature was prefect!  The whole race was a great time.  However, we finished 6th out of 12th - still middle of the pack. But we did finish and we had fun.  Total time was 2 hours 23mins

[caption id="attachment_905" align="alignnone" width="300"] RJ and me after the race[/caption]

The Bridges Family Represent WSI Cycling (Well) at Fort Custer Stampede

One of the cool parts about our team this year is that we have all levels of riders participating. One such example of this variety is the Bridges family. Mom, dad and the kids are all enjoying their time on the bike and even got on the podium this past weekend at the Fort Custer Stampede. Below are the race reports from mom and dad, as well as Scott, the oldest son. Great report "Team Bridges" and way to represent. Be sure to check out WSI Cycling's Facebook page for more photos of the Bridges family in action!

Scott Bridges' Race Report - First Place Win!!!

After checking the weather and seeing who’s registered for the past week. The day has arrived. This year I was racing in the 15-18 age group so there was no playing around. After talking to some of the guys at the line and looking at their bikes, I knew my work was cut out for me. They feel comfortable in there niners, while I can hardly fit in one. As we took off hauling butt, I gained the lead, took the sharp turn and went down the hill into the trail and I caught some traffic by the time I got around it, a fella in a yellow and red cross county cycles jersey caught up to me. But that did not last for long. As I got to the rough switchbacks on the green trail there was a big pile up. Once I got through that I looked below and saw a yellow and red jersey. The second half of the race was mellower, finished with my first career win. Looking forward to yankee tt next on the schedule.

Katie and Kevin's Race Report - The Rest of the Bridges Family

The Custer Stampede was good to the Bridges family this year, Scott and Marie took first place in their age groups. Mom (Katie) and Dad (Kevin) did not bleed on their new WSI/Team Active race kits. Rose did not race as she’s recovering from a foot injury acquired in Track.

All told it was a great day to be in the woods and out of the wind. With Yankee TT postponed the Stampede was the first mountain bike race for us this spring making an already long winter seem to drag on even longer. Now the racing has started it feels like summer is here. Next we race at Yankee hopefully Marie and Scott can continue their winning streak.

We might need to buy Scott a larger helmet if he wins again, he’s pretty happy with his race and Marie as usual is very mellow about the whole ordeal.

Ps. This is Katie checking in, I had a great ride in the woods and saw a huge blue racer… not the kind on a bike!
The Bridges Family

Good Things Come In Threes...

Yes, I admit I've been a bit lax on my race reports and so far this year I've raced three times. Twice on my 'cross bike in the Barry Roubaix and Lowell 50 gravel road races, and then today at the Fort Custer Stampede on my mountain bike. Each race had it's own "personality" and given the Winter/Spring season we've had here in Michigan, to say that I've actually raced three times is a treat.

#1 Barry Roubaix - March 22nd

Named after the Spring Classic, Paris-Roubaix, I raced the BR again this year on my trusty 'cross bike along 36 gravel roads throughout Barry County. I debated about using my studded tires due to ice the week prior, but ended up putting on regular tires for the race and didn't regret the decision. We had a great turnout from the team and we had a great crew of racers representing WSI Cycling. The temps were chilly, but not as cold as last year (fortunately). The good news is that the cold weather kept the gravel roads relatively firm, so the course was fast. I finished mid-pack and the best part was I didn't cramp (like I did last year). However, little did I realized that a few weeks later that would be a different story at the Lowell 50.

#2 Lowell 50 - April 5th

While you'd think the length of this race would be 50 miles, I did the 32 mile version. Temps were not as cold as the Barry Roubaix, which on the onset you'd think would be a good thing. However, there were more gravel roads on this race than in the BR, and due to the warmer temps, the surface was "smooshy" (as best I can describe it). That made it feel like you were riding with flat tires and there was always resistance... making constant pedaling a must. We had another great showing from the team and also got a few podiums. The good news is that for the first 27 or 28 miles I was hanging in there pretty good, but then the "wheels came off." Ok, not really my wheels, but the legs started cramping and made the last few miles "uncomfortable" (yes, that's a bit of an understatement. I know I lost several places at the end as I simply could not get the pedals to go around without pain in both legs, but I came across the finish line with a smile (ok, maybe it was a grimace), but I was happy to be done. One of the best parts of the race... Krispy Kreme donuts and hot coffee before the awards ceremony! Gotta maintain my Clydesdale status...

#3 Fort Custer Stampede - May 4th

Unfortunately the temps were still a bit on the chilly side and the wind was blowing like crazy, but the good news is that today I was going to be in the woods on my mountain bike... not riding gravel roads (which is brutal when windy). I raced Expert today, yet traveled quite a bit the week prior and had not been on my bike for over a week. Sure, I tried to keep the fitness up with running, but that's not the same so I was reserved to chalk this one up to a nice, long training ride for this Summer's Lumberjack 100. Our group did 36 miles (two Red/Green loops) and the trail was hooking up quite nicely. Last year, I ended up getting a soft front tire (slow leak) that took me down (into a tree) on the first lap, so I was also hoping for a crash-free race.

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Hamming it up at the start... yes, that's me photobombing my teammates - right in the middle.[/caption]

The good news is that I got both of my wishes, although my right shoulder did lose a battle with a tree that got a little close on one of the corners and I've got a nice raspberry to show for it. However, not nearly the "battle scar" as the one guy that did a flying endo over one of the "camelback" humps on the first lap. He went down right in front of me, taking up the entire trail with his carnage. I stopped and decided to be the good samaritan, helping him get un-tangled from his cables and twisted handlebar. He was really wound up and as people were flying by us, it was all I could do not to snap at the riders complaining that we were in the trail. Did they not see this guy covered in dirt with his leg twisted up like a pretzel?

Good news is no long-term damage and he got up and was able to continue the race. Must not have fallen too hard, since he ended up catching me later and passed me by. You'd think that he would have given me a courtesy follow and let me stay in front, but that's racing! Coming into the second lap, I started to feel a little better, although the rest of the field had pretty much gone by and I was riding solo. There were a few stragglers that I picked off as I got closer to the finish, so that made me feel a little better. The good news is that I finished on two (fully-inflated) tires this year and was in a considerably better mood than last year.

Another great part of the race, since this is WSI Cycling's "home turf" we again cooked burgers and hotdogs for everyone. But this year we did something different, and set out a collection jar to help raise money for a great cause from racers willing to donate for the food. One of the guys on the team works with local Battle Creek youth and started a bike program to get them into fixing bikes and learning a skill. Thanks to the generosity of everyone that attended, we raised over $200!

Finally, and since it was a bike race, the good news is that we had several WSI Cycling racers make the podium. We'll be posting photos on our Facebook page (be sure to stop by and "like" us), so click-on over and check 'em out. It was a great time and I was proud of everyone for their effort and making it a great day together.

Eric Cook

Back in the Race

I am back home sipping on a beer and noshing on some potato chips, my side hurts and I am the happiest guy in Michigan.  I was racing again today.

My new Trek  Superfly put 25 year old legs under me (those are younger legs for me, for those of you who are in your 20s), I was pushing the limits, had more power, and was low and flowing in the turns.  It was great, I was racing the sport class 50 to 59 Custer Stampede and I knew where the leaders were, was nagging at the guy in front of me and was pretty sure we were about 5^th place.  After the start, there were some guys who needed to be passed and were done so unceremoniously (felt kind of bad for the guys getting yelled at, but the front 5 were hitting it pretty hard).  We gapped the rest of the group by the time we hit the camel backs and needed to get around some less experienced racers who were doing a good job making their way around at a slower pace.

By the time we were in Granny’s Garden, the slower riders were standing on the hills and letting us by (probably educated by the groups in front of us) but the guy in front of me had been gapped enough that I could no longer see the leaders in front of him.  Seriously, this hard tail did everything I asked it to and had no problem climbing, turning, weaving—just a great bike (and made up for engine issues!).

As we made our way around the lake, a guy (who was not racing) stopped in the middle of a climb and caused me to stop and start to walk around the turn (where the monument is at the top of the hill).  At that point, my buddy Neil Sharphorn came by and I pushed his 70-plus year old back side so he could stay ahead of the other guys behind him (pretty sure that would not qualify as an illegal assist if he is a god!)

We were working our way around the pines and I noticed that my front brake was a lot more sensitive than my back brake and figured I would have Skittles take a look at it when we got back to Team Active.  It turned out that it was not the front break that was too sensitive, it was that the back brake was losing pressure.  I attacked the guy in front of me on a downhill and when we reached the bottom and started to turn, all I had was front brake and I did an end-o.  Knocked the wind out of me and hurt my ribs badly enough that I could not take deep breaths on the ascents.

Screw-it, I knew I could still climb and hit the flats hard, I would just have to take the downhills easy since my back brake hydraulics were completely disconnected.  I got passed by EVERYONE.  As it turned out, I got 14/23 and was happy to be racing again.  Mike (our new team EMT) said ‘cowboy up and grow a pair’!  Actually he did not, but he told me I only had bruised ribs if anything at all.

GREAT frigging day on the course.

Jack Miner, WSI Team Active RACER.