…Faster than Last

“Bones heal, pain is temporary, and chicks dig scars…”

recent posts

about Jason Kayzar:

Unprofessional Cyclist

  • 2012 ~ the year of the fat dude?


    Maybe I should consider racing Clydes?

    With the world coming to an end in just 353 days, I figured that I had better get a little scientific about my race plan this year.  For the last 2 years I’ve only averaged about 4,000 miles (that’s 6,400 Km for the roadies), but I’ve also managed to average a ride every other day (year-round).  I have never really done any focused training “program” and I tend to burn out halfway through the year.  My strategy has been ride whenever I can, and ride as hard as I can.  Usually that means quick, early morning rides before work.  No LSD miles in Spring, no recovery rides to speak of, no focus on weaknesses, in fact no focus at all.  

    As much as it sucked to think about it, I picked up some training books and got a new HR strap for the Polar monitor collecting dust in my closet.  I structured a plan that will get me to peak fitness for ToAD, and leave me fresh enough to finish WORS too.  On paper it looks good, even though my mileage will go up by somewhere between 25 and 50% (depending on the end of season tapering).  The real challenge will be embracing a plan that makes me better without sucking the life and fun out of riding.  As far as my weight, I’m not a twig like most of the guys I’m racing.  I usually focus on gaining some weight in Fall/Winter, but this year I’ll focus on taking it off too.

    Today felt good, but it’s Day 1.  Even crack addicts can probably stay focused for 1 day.  The real test will be my results and overall fitness this year, as well as avoiding mid-season burnout.

    I’m excited about doing some real road racing this year, and moving up to SS Open @ WORS.  I’m not really built for the longer courses, so hopefully the focus on my weaknesses will pay off.  I might even try to dial in my diet a bit, although a quick Google search reveals that “cake” and “beer” are the top 2 diet choices among competitive cyclists.

    Now, if I can just avoid crashing…

  • Inspiration…


    Hand Fishing.  Pure Davenport.

    “In fact, why don’t you go try yourself one, while I go look for some more.”

  • 2012 Windy 500 dates are set!


    Next year’s 2nd Windy 500 will take place from August 3rd to August 6th.

    500 miles in 4 days.  Nothing but bikes and beers.   This year’s adventure left us all with some great stories as well as something to brag to our grand-kids about someday.

    The goal this year will be to (at least) double the number of riders.  We’ll have a support vehicle and even more fun (did I mention beer yet?)

    Bookmark the website, and check back for details:

    www.windy500.com

    ToAD and WORS schedules are posted, this does not interfere with either, so get it on your calendar.

    I’d like to get a preliminary count of people who are interested, and we can all do the planning together in Spring.

    jasonkayzar@mc2wi.com

    Let my friend Chevy explain why you should “…go for it!”:

  • The end of an era


    7,437 miles and counting…

    In the past 2 calendar years, the longest I’ve been off the bike was 9 days: November 30 to December 8, 2010.  Before that, I wasn’t keeping track.

    I’ve enjoyed every mile – every adventure, every race, every crash, every one of the 316 rides so far.  But it’s time for a little time off the bike.  I’ll run, lift, do something else.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be riding on a regular basis, just much less… for now.

    Ah, who am I kidding?  I’m riding tomorrow.

  • Cars vs. Bikes – why isn’t it cars AND bikes?


    I’m a little edgy today.  I set my alarm last night for 4:45am to ride to my first-ever CX practice, and then I forgot to turn the alarm on.  No CX practice.  Then as I was driving to my office from a meeting, I heard someone discussing the Bike Fed on the radio.  I turned it up, and heard exactly what I expected – us vs. them.

    “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.”

    –         “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu

    This crap has been going on forever – “lefty car-haters” against “right wing bike-haters”.  Really?  Does even the simple joy of riding a bike have to be identified with a donkey or an elephant?  In the words of Rodney King: “People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along?”

    I’m a car-driving taxpayer.  I’m a bike-riding taxpayer.  I drive to work.  I ride for pleasure.  I guess that makes me some kind of political hermaphrodite – an anomaly.  Here’s my perspective: Many car drivers do not respect other beings on the road – bikes, pedestrians, motorcycles and even other cars.  How else do you explain driving and texting, drunk driving, aggressive driving, etc.?  Many cyclists do not respect other beings on the road – pedestrians, motorcycles, cars and even other cyclists.  How else do you explain blowing through stop signs, flipping off drivers that don’t do what we want them to do, and treating the roads like our own personal bike path?  The elitist attitude permeates both camps – We’re Number One!

    As my then-2-year-old famously said one time: “It’s all crap”.  Respecting other people is not a right.  The people on the radio were dismissing cyclists as kooks and loony tunes, while at the same time downplaying the severity of car/cyclist deaths.  One of the most influential people in my life was accidentally and needlessly killed by a motorist last year.  He was a cyclist, a motorist and a small business owner – not some goofy nut-job Hell-bent on writing a manifesto in his primitive mountain shack.  He was an honorable man, with a family and literally thousands of friends.  He did not deserve to die.  There were no winners in that tragedy.  It, and the thousands of other deaths like it, should serve as a red flag for unity.  As a society, we need to put our political views aside.  We need to mourn together, we need to work together to give each other the honor and respect in life that we are all too eager to bestow in death – regardless of what kind of machine you use to get from Point A to Point B.

    Ridiculous.

  • 2011 racing season – that’s a wrap!


    AKA – the continuing evolution of a fat dude…

    Here I am in summer of 2006.  Riding an old mountain bike on the road with my other fat old friends –  Bob Roll and Greg LeMond.  OK, we’re not really friends – just fat.  I had taken many years off of the bike, and was inspired to get back on for the Trek 100.  I did the 32 mile route that year.  Slowly.

    My Official Return to Cycling – 2006

    That was enough incentive to get me rolling again, literally.  I had so much fun, and it felt so good to be doing something I loved so much, I started making time to get on my bike.  Just a little at first – probably only did a handful more rides that year, but I did one very important ride: on the trails of the Southern Kettles.

    My off-road skills were anemic, and that’s giving me more credit than I deserved, but I knew they were in there somewhere.  Covered with years of rust and beer and God knows what else.  I was slower than a stampede of turtles.  Hill-climbing?  That’s where my dominance really showed!  I could climb anything under 10 feet tall in less than an hour.  Maybe.

    I rode a little more the following year, even got a road bike.  I remember telling my friend Mark how proud I was after a 15 mile ride where I had averaged 17 mph.  (This year I did a 161 mile “fun” ride and averaged 19.6mph).   Late that summer I was really starting to feel the mountain bike bug again.  My fitness was starting to shape up a little, and I had started trying to get out and ride a bit more.  The whole idea of a single-speed bike really seemed to make sense to me.  After all, I was a reformed BMXer – not a roadie.  On the road, I had nothing, but get me into some single-track and I could at least hold my own with stronger guys by riding smart.  In 2007, 29″ wheels were just starting to get some attention – most bikes sold  still had 26″ wheels.  Trek took a chance and produced a small run of Travis Brown inspired 69ers.

    NOTE: When it comes to “stuff”, I am not a technical guy, I’m an impulsive guy.  I’ve never researched a major purchase.  I liked the idea of a single gear (only later did a I realize that you might need to change out the gears for different courses…) and I liked the idea of the 29er, but I wasn’t sold on it.  The 26″ riders liked the cornering and climbing of their bikes, the 29″ riders loved the way their bikes flew on the flats and rolled over everything at speed.  A 69er seemed to make sense so I bought one – without riding it.

    2008 was the year that the MTB virus really took hold.  I started riding the singlespeed quite a bit, getting out to the Kettles or Crystal Ridge occasionally to grind out a few miles.

    Fast forward to 2011:

    2011 – Year of the fat boy!

    My 2011 season started with the Burnham Racing Spring Super Criterium on March 26th, and yes, it was snowing when we started.  My 3rd road race ever, I managed to finish a respectable 13th in the Masters 4/5s and avoid getting crashed out coming into the sprint.  Did a few more road races and 5 WORS races.  Managed to get (3) 3rds, (1) 1st and (1) DNF, so 2012 will mean a move up to Singlespeed Comp/Open to get my butt handed to me.  Even though I raced less than I wanted to, I rode more than I thought I would (and I’m still riding of course).

    2012 should be a great year for me.  I have a great Team that keeps getting better, and I’ll have more focus and more experience.  I plan to do more WORS racing, more ToAD and even a little CX.

    As always, time will tell.

  • Five Things I Cannot Do (…and Five I Can)


    5 Things I Cannot Do:

    • Play piano

    a.    How cool would it be to just sit down at any piano and just go?  Not gonna happen.  I would struggle with “Chopsticks”.  Even more amazing – being able to sit down with my wife and play together.  I can’t sing either.

    • Cook (without a recipe)

    a.    I like to eat.  I like to eat good, healthy food.  I can cook up a storm if I follow a recipe.  But I really envy people who understand food and wine and flavors well enough to slam them together from scratch into something magical.

    • Speak a foreign language (fluently)

    a.    I understand quite a bit of Spanish – enough to serve as interpreter for the group when I’ve been in Mexico.  But I am very uncomfortable trying to have a conversation with someone who speaks Spanish fluently.

    • Dance

    a.    You know that guy at every wedding that shouldn’t be on the dance floor?   I’m not EVEN him.  No dancing.

    a.    This is just an untested skill.  If I ever had to physically defend myself or my friends or family, I would.  But in 42 years I’ve never had to.

    5 Things I Can Do:

    • Face fears

    a.    My wife and kids don’t think I’m afraid of anything.  Of course I am, but I’d rather make them feel that they’re safe – no matter what.

    • Parallel park a stick shift car.

    a.    Took my driver’s test in a Renault Alliance with a 4 speed.  Chick magnet.

    • Perform CPR

    a.    Haven’t used it yet, hope I never will, but I have kept my certification valid for 20 years.  I did have to give a friend the Heimlich a few years ago.

    • Drive a nail, chop down a tree, roof a house…

    a.    I take satisfaction in doing things myself.

    • Take care of my wife & children

    a.    Pretty self explanatory.  The only one that really matters anyway.

    How about you? What’s on your lists?

  • August Networking Ride summary


    Despite what might have been the most beautiful day of the year, attendance for the August Networking Ride was only about half of July’s number.  Those who did participate were treated to a fantastic 33(ish) mile chat ride at about 18.5mph average speed with sunny temperatures in the mid 70s. 

    We once again rode the route exactly as it appeared on the map, without missing a turn.  That’s 2 months in a row – a new World Record.  Too busy enjoying the weather to take any pics or do a headcount, but it looked something like this: (without the palm trees… or the ocean… or the mountains)

    Post-ride, almost everyone hung out at Seester’s for a while.  John Beauchamp of One on One Physical Therapy made his 2011 return to the group and treated the group to a round of Negro Modelos, as did Bryan Wazbinski of Athea Laboratories.  Thanks again gents!

    Next ride is Wednesday, September 14th @ 2:00.

    I have committed to have a stand-alone website for the group online by September 1.  The site will have ride details (of course) but the goal is to share company and contact info with anyone who participates.

    I have received MANY emails and calls over the past few years after rides asking me “…who was the guy in the black jersey who…?”.  Anyone who has seen the awesome power of my memory as I miss a turn on the route we’ve been riding for the past 3 years will tell you that I’m not so good with names.  There are well over 300 people on the ride email list – many of whom never make the rides, but are great people and great business resources.  This will be a way to share info 24/7/365.  I’m not a web guru, but many of you are, so I may lean on the techno-weenies for a little help.

    See you all in September!

  • 2011 “Windy 500” ride report

    2011 “Windy 500” ride report


    Q: “Where are you guys from?

    A: “Milwaukee”

    Q: “Where you headed?”

    A: (depended on what day it was)

    • “Shawano”
    • “Iron Mountain, Michigan”
    • “Shawano”
    • “Milwaukee”

    Q: “What are you doing this for?”

    A: “For fun”

    …long pause…

    “I can think of a lot more fun things to do than this…”

    And so it went for 4 days with just about every non-cyclist we talked to (which was everyone we talked to).

    Gary, Mark (“Flat Stanley”), Chris and I left my house on Friday morning and proceeded to ride 545 miles in 4 days.

    161 on day 1:

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/100204643

    126 on day 2:

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/100206318

    119 on day 3:

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/100207505

    139 on day 4:

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/100208123

    We lucked out by getting the hottest stretch of weather of the year.  Temps on the road reached 104 degrees, and the dew points reached into the 80s.  Along the way, we racked up:

    one broken spoke

    three ripped tires requiring

    1. a patch
    2. a boot
    3. a Shot Block wrapper repair

    seven blown tubes

    twelve used CO2 cartridges

    We consumed approximately 12 gallons of water and slightly less beer

    We burned approximately 100,000 calories or 28.5 pounds.

    Many of the people “Up Nort”” were intrigued by our choice of transportation and our lack of camouflage clothing, but they were all hospitable.

    The first day was a beat-down.  I believe 161 miles in 1 day was a personal best for all 4 of us.  The weather was very warm but not hot, and thankfully the whole weekend was mostly overcast.  For any group of 4 guys trading pulls, 19.6 average moving speed for that many miles will take its toll.  We were all tired at the end of day 1, but Gary was clearly the most spent.  Day 2 brought the heat, and the second 100+ mile day and we managed to bring the speed down a bit.  Google Bike Maps is great for coming up with routes… assuming you’re riding a cyclocross bike.  By Day 2, it had us using gravel roads and even a sand road – complete with angry swarms of horseflies.  We had to improvise using the sun for navigation on un-mapped country (paved) roads and eventually wised up and went old-school with a paper map for back-up.

    Day 3 proved to be too much for Gary.  He had soldiered on, but his body never recovered from the effort of day 1.  I would have pulled the plug, but Gary kept riding until we all made the decision to get him a ride to the next stop.  The heat was brutal and we were in the middle of nowhere at times – it became a true safety issue at that point.  He truly gets the “HTFU” award for the week.

    Day 4 started with us huddled around the Weather Channel at the hotel for an early departure.  A severe heat advisory had been issued, along with a severe storm warning – fantastic.  We rolled for an hour before the sky got so black we had to put lights on.  Minutes before the rain started coming down in sideways sheets, we found refuge in a corner store in the middle of the country.  We waited about 30 minutes while the storm ripped branches from trees that littered the road for the next 30 miles before taking off in a light rain.  Thankfully the overcast stayed for most of the day because when the sun did pop out it became brutally hot on the roads.

    The ride ended at about 7:20pm back at my house on Monday night, 545 miles after it started.  Everyone agreed that it would be strange to NOT get up and ride the next day, but it would have been tough for any of us to find a comfortable spot on any saddle for another 100+ mile day.

    I’ve already started planning the 2012 ride and it will be even more awesome – stay tuned!

  • July Networking ride report


    Absolutely perfect weather greeted 30 riders as we toed the line at Attitude for the July networking ride.  Actually 31, as Jim Mitchell missed the launch but followed behind solo.

    A great time was had by all – once again we held the speed to a comfortable chat pace.  Billy O. and Bill King led the group out and we followed the route to a T, with not one single wrong turn (could be a first…).

    Afterward we crammed into and outside of Seester’s for dozens of Dos XX, generously purchased by Brad Babcock.  Brad works with surety bonds and has a ton of customers in the construction trades.  He appears to be extremely well-connected too, so I’m anxious to talk to him more on the next ride.

    We had quite a few new riders to the group as well, (Brad Kussow shot me a quick note to say he had a great time on his first networking ride) which is always great to see.  This is first and foremost a networking opportunity for like-minded business-people.  I am currently working on a stand-alone website for the group which will list ride info, as well as info companies and individuals that participate.  I am hoping to have the website be a great “go-to” for connecting people outside of the 3 hours we spend together once a month.  Please feel free to email any suggestions to me of content you’d like to see on the site.

    Next ride is Wednesday, August 10th.  Mark your calendars now!

  • WORS #6 “Alterra Coffee Bean Classic” pre-ride report


    82 degrees at 6am this morning – great morning to head over to Franklin and check out the Crystal Ridge trails.

    Once again this year the Alterra team will host the Crystal Ridge WORS race and their crew along with the Metro Mountain Bikers have made the once “fun to ride but crappy to race” course into a legit WORS course.  It’s still one of the most technical races in the series, but over the past 2 years they’ve opened a lot more passing lanes and made the course a lot more “race ready” – especially for those of us with only one gear.  The biggest change this year is the elimination of the snaky switchback climb.  It has been replaced with a “straight up the backside” climb that is longer than you think.  The Team & MMB crew will be doing some more trail grooming tomorrow too if anyone’s available to help out.

    Todd Somers from the Alterra team put together this summary of the 2011 course layout:

    “No prolog lap. Up the hill and around the cap. There is a drag strip on top that will suck but should help to separate the milk from the cream. Then in the woods over to Alpha then back to CR up the west side of the hill and around to O’Malley’s on the south end (open spots again) out and back to the hill. Comp will go up the hill a bit but not to the top. Pave plunge is gone, then let it rip down the hill in the small intestine and back up the starting hill.”

    Unfortunately, every year I forget how much fun this course is, and how close to home it is too.  I spent the second lap this morning picking bugs out of my teeth because I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.  There are still about 7 million trees that seem to jump out at you around every corner, and the rain and (finally) sun have kicked the brush growth into turbo mode.  It’s hard to see what’s around every corner, and trust me there are more corners than you can count.  This morning I saw enough wildlife to load an ark, in fact I stopped and had a staring contest with a doe who was only about 10 feet away from me.

    Do yourself a favor and get over to Crystal Ridge and ride it – or better yet, race it.  You are guaranteed to have a blast!

  • I can crush you, but I won’t… yet.


    I was born a loser – small, weak, not into sports… in fact I was the last kid on the block to learn to ride a bike.  My parents moved us to a different state when I was 7 and then divorced when I was 10.  Since I didn’t play sports and was relatively shy, moving to new towns didn’t do much to boost my self-confidence.

    I tried to be competitive, even raced BMX when I was 10 and 11.  I won a few trophies when the class was so small that everyone got one, or the time I had to beat a 10-year-old girl to get into the main moto.  I just never knew how to win; I never had the drive to be better.  Don’t get me wrong, I WANTED to be better.  I idolized my little brother who was consumed with the desire to win.  He lettered in 3 sports in high school – was all-conference on offense and defense in football and was romanced by 2 universities to play football.  But I didn’t feel that same drive, I was OK with just participating and then making up excuses for why I wasn’t the best.  I blamed everything and everyone and when things got too tough, I quit.

    As a 20-year-old, I raced a few mountain bike races.  It was a relatively new sport [people were wearing acid-washed jeans and Billy Ocean had one of the top-selling records (yes I said records)].  My goal in these races was to “not finish last”.  That meant that my goal was second to last, a goal I always managed to hit.  That’s like setting a goal of breathing at least once every hour.  I had fun, but my “…bike was never good enough…” for me to do better or this reason or that reason.

    I carried that same attitude into every aspect of my adult life.  It was OK for people to walk all over me and it was OK if I wasn’t the best, as long as I tried (a little).  But at some point, that changed.  I started to find focus – in my work, in my life and in things that I enjoyed doing.  I found a competitive drive deep inside me that brought out a will to win.

    At one point, I got away from cycling and worked at a health club for a couple of years.  My high school graduation weight of 148 eventually went to 205 as I found something tangible and rewarding in working out.  I eventually returned to riding, and my weight settled in at 180, but I was a different person.  I put together a mountain bike that was too small from spare, used and borrowed parts, and I started riding like I never had before.  I felt an inner drive every time I clipped in to go harder.  I found a serious job that would support my family and I became very good at it.  I started a company and grew it into a successful business.  But over time I had stopped riding again.  I had lost that harmony that I was just starting to tap into in my 20’s.  So, on a beautiful fall day 5 years ago, I dusted off my old mountain bike and took a ride.  I was rusty and slow, but I felt the passion come through stronger than ever.  From that point forward, I made time for myself every day and I let that inner drive fuel me instead of defeating me.  3 years ago, I signed up for a few WORS races.  I didn’t do very well, but each time I raced I learned and I worked on getting better.  I had no excuses, and that felt great.  I owned the losses 100% and that felt even better.

    Fast forward to today – I love to toe the line at races.  My heart is beating like a lawnmower and I can’t sit still until the race gets underway.  I am racing to win and I’m disappointed if I don’t.  I expect to win now, yet I’ve never stepped onto the top step of any podium.  I have a lot of 2nd and 3rd place medals, which now represent “1st & 2nd loser” to me.  I still wrestle with the demons of mediocrity though, like Gaylord Focker with his wall of 8th place trophies.  I still want that recognition of a job done “well-enough”, but I know I won’t stop until I step on top of the podium.  I might be 80 when I do it, but I know deep down inside that it’s mine for the taking now.

     

  • Schlitz Park ToAD Criterium pre-ride report:


    So today begins the Tour of America’s Dairyland with a Pros-only race in Shorewood.

    Mere mortals like me will be working, picking up kids or mowing the lawn while some of the WORLD’S best and brightest professional cyclists scream around the streets of Milwaukee at warp speed.  I plan to do a few races (Masters 3/4), but I am way more comfortable on the WORS courses with fat tires and no derailleurs.

    Having said that, should I get the chance to do Tuesday’s Schlitz Park Criterium I wanted to at least ride the course a few times to get a feel for it.

    So, this morning I met some friends and did 17 relatively easy laps of the course.  It’s definitely a steep climb, I would imagine that if any breakaways go, they will happen halfway up 2nd street (at Vine).  The hill flattens as it crosses an intersection, then resumes at a much less steep pace for another block.  The 125-pounders will be able to accelerate like everyone else is going backwards at that point.  Probably a sweet spot to watch the action too.

    Don’t get me wrong, going up that hill for 50 minutes will suck (in fact – going up once will suck), but now that I’ve ridden  the course I am more concerned about the left-hand turn coming down the other side.  It’s a pretty steep decline that cranks through an intersection with older pavement and 2 manhole covers that just happen to be in the middle of the perfect line.  I would anticipate riders over-cranking that turn or getting squeezed and ending up on the sidewalk – hopefully all in one piece.  I blasted down it a few times trying to find a smooth line and was surprised one time by a car that almost rolled the stop sign.  Thank God for Dura-Ace brakes and rims cleaned with Simple Green or I would have been a Toyota Camry hood ornament.

    Either way – spectator or racer – I plan to at least make an appearance on Tuesday.  Good luck to all the racers, and to anyone else near Milwaukee on that day – come out and see some World Class action!

  • June 2011 Networking Ride report


    Welcome back cycling enthusiasts!

    This ride was started a few years ago as an alternative to golf networking, with the goal being getting like-minded business people together for a “chat” ride once a month.  Over the last 2 years, the ride has attracted stronger and stronger riders, and the pace has slowly crept up to the point of excluding many of the potential riders.  This was never the goal, so I have decided to be more proactive in controlling the pace of the ride and make sure we keep it reasonable for everyone.  I’ve talked to a number of people who are on the email list (now 350-ish strong) who’ve said they’d love to ride but “we’re too fast” for them.

    Yesterday’s route  averaged 18.9 mph – a very respectable pace for the weekend warrior, and a nice recovery pace for the more experienced cyclist.  Our average pace had been creeping up to 20 mph and sometimes more, and I found that we had really begun to alienate the core of “enthusiast” riders that this ride is for. I’ll do my best, and ask those faster riders, to try to keep the pace closer to 18 – 19 (max) from now on.

    Flats suck.  The only thing this picture is missing is Russell Jobs giving the finger.

    (We did learn while trying to find a tube to fit these deep dish wheels that Gary Johnson’s stem is the longest among all men – even if it’s only by millimeters…)

      I brought my single speed yesterday, and anytime I found myself spinning out of gear, I went to the front to draw the pace down.  All in all, I think we had a great ride – despite the (now mandatory?) missed turn or 2.   Not sure how many riders we had, but a decent sized group for sure.  Always good to see familiar faces mixed with new ones too.  All of the crappy weather blew over, so anyone who missed the ride for fear of getting wet missed out on a dry ride.

    We also gave people the option to climb or circumvent Glacier Hill (.65 mile long hill with a 3.8 % average grade) at the end of the ride .  Nice to have this option, depending on how you’re feeling.

    As advertised, Denny Yunk and the TOTAL Mechanical crew bought beers at Seester’s afterward.  The idea of a post-ride beer sponsorship is a big hit with everyone.  If you are interested in sponsoring, let me know.  I have a stand-alone website in the works for our group as well that will help with the networking piece.

    TOTAL Mechanical is southeast Wisconsin’s largest locally-owned, single-source mechanical contractor, offering services in heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and building automation systems. TOTAL Mechanical specializes in the design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, maintenance and repair of commercial, industrial and residential environmental systems. We’re online at www.total-mechanical.com. You can also follow us attwitter.com/totalmechanical and facebook.com/totalmechanical. For more information, contact Denny Yunk, TOTAL Mechanical’s Marketing Manager, at dyunk@total-mechanical.com

    See you all July 13th – and tell your friends to come back, we’ll keep the pace fun!


  • 1st Annual(?) Windy 500 ride: July 15-18


    Are you in?

    “The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, ‘What is the use of climbing Mount Everest ?’ and my answer must at once be, ‘It is no use’.”

    –         George Leigh Mallory, 1922

    The Windy 500: 125 miles a day for 4 days. 

    Mowaukee to ‘da UP and back. 

    Why?  Why not.

    No registration.  No fees.  No support.  No worries!

    As of May 25th, there are 4 participants.  If you’d like to tag along, all you have to do is say yes.  We’ll be making (cheap) hotel reservations soon, so unless you plan to sleep in a tent (which by the way is an acceptable option), let me know ASAP.

    jasonkayzar@mc2wi.com

    CASUAL PACE!!  This will not be a hammer-fest, we’ll match the pace of the slowest rider.

    Stopping to sample any local culture (aka: beer) that looks good. 

    This might be the last fun thing you ever do…

  • 2011 Bone Ride report


    “When the clouds, take the sky 
    Does the storm give you life?”

     – Led Zeppelin

    25th Annual Bone Ride.  5/18/2011.  Schuler’s house.  7:30am.  50 degrees and raining.  155 miles to go.  Awesome.

    Not sure how many riders rolled, but it was substantially less than last year’s idyllic conditions.  We were rained on for the first 20 miles or so, then the rain gave way to mist and wet roads.  Roads stayed wet for most of the day, and the sun decided to come out for 10 minutes when we were almost back, then it disappeared again for good.  I’m no Andy Hampsten, but rolling 155 miles in the grimy rain felt pretty cool – not unlike our own “Spring Classic”.

    I rolled out with the group and immediately felt the effects of my “over-hydration”.  With the low temps and no real sweat happening, all that water was just sitting in my bladder waiting to go somewhere. I spent half of the ride to Madison looking for places to stop and then bridging back up to the group.

    A delicious burrito in Madison with the Team, a group picture and then back on the road.  Since I was so hydrated on the way there, I neglected to drink much and found myself with empty water bottles halfway back.  Not good.  At 135 miles I started to feel like a raisin, so I ducked into Attitude in Pewaukee and slammed a Gatorade and rolled back to Schuler’s with a strong guy from Appleton.

    I had enough foresight to put a 6 pack of Anchor Steam on ice in the morning, and I handed them out to anyone standing around when I got back.  Success never tasted so good.

  • May Networking Ride ~ aka: “Cloosterfook”


    A wise man once told me “…don’t apologize for things you didn’t do…”

    So here’s my apology:  I’m sorry we got off the route.  It created some confusion for sure, but once we got back on track we were good.  If you ever see me at the front of the pack without a map, feel free to jam a pump in my spokes.  I have no business leading any route.  We had about 2 dozen riders yesterday, a few of whom were new to the ride – we usually do a much better job of sticking to the route.

    Now, the unfortunate stuff:

    • It’s unfortunate that the ride started with a confrontation with a douche-bag in a pick-up truck – not the best way to start any ride.
    • It’s unfortunate that the weather didn’t hold out.  Fortunately, it was warm and it didn’t rain too hard (until Andrew and I rode home).  Nothing like putting on soaking wet shoes at 5:30 for a ride this morning…
    • It’s unfortunate that we had 2 speeds: “Ridiculous” and “Ludicrous”.  Fortunately we didn’t hit “Plaid”.  We usually try to keep this ride at or below 20 mph, and yesterday we were going way too hot for a casual chat ride.  Some of us have no problem with that pace, for others it’s insanity.  This group is about riding, but it’s also about talking.  It’s hard for some guys to talk when they are choking on their hearts.  Let’s save the testosterone for Glacier Hill, and keep the ride speed reasonable.  I’d hate to lose participants because some guys are doing race training.  Again, I sometimes find myself in that group – so everyone needs to do their part to keep the speed casual and keep this ride slightly challenging but fun.

    The worst part about a group as a whole going faster than it should is that it creates a lot of danger.  From the back, our “peloton” looked like a pile of drunken sailors.  Last month the group flowed very smoothly, as everyone was riding in their comfort zone.

    OK – now the good stuff!

    • Beer sponsor… BRILLIANT! Thanks once again to Nelson Williams from Briohn Building Corporation for the idea AND the 1st sponsorship.  Nelson gave us a quick intro to Briohn while Andrew held the douche-bag trucker at bay before we took off.  Along the ride route, we passed quite a few Briohn–built buildings, I had no idea how big they are.  By the way, if you’re down with Nelson you know it’s pronounce “Brian”…
    • Did I mention the beers?  They were delicious as always and we packed that place.  The best part of the rides (for me) is getting to know everyone after the rides.  Seesters has our group on their calendar now, and the owner told me that she is going to let some of the soda stay warm in order to stock more Dos XX in the fridge for us next month!  So bring your thirsty friends next time.
    • The ride: It’s always a good day to ride your bike, even if yesterday was not exactly ideal.  I think the crazy route put us around 30-ish miles (?) for anyone keeping track.
    • No one suffered any severe sunburn! (OK, now I’m reaching a bit).
    I’ll see you ALL on June 8th!

  • WORS Iola report (finally)


    Once again, the 1st WORS race of the year has come and gone.  I saw lots of chatter about how people were just there to have fun, see old friends, not necessarily to race.  Huh?  I think that’s an easy way to say “…if I don’t do well, I can just say I was having fun…”

    I saw a lot of people racing, and a lot of people having “fun”, but I didn’t notice anyone stopping to take pictures during the race or check their email.  Despite the frigid temps, the racing was hot.  Iola is a favorite course among a majority of the WORS racers, myself included.  It has a little of everything and it’s the inaugural WORS race, so everyone comes to the line extremely amped up.

    This year was no exception – when Don yelled go, we blasted up the fire road on the backside of the ski hill jockeying for position.  I immediately felt the fact that my warm-up (if you could call it that) in the cold temps did little to warm me up.  I also immediately felt the failure of my activities the entire off-season.  Last year, I hit the gym quite a bit and continued to do some cold weather riding too.  This year I just rode, 2-3 times a week, throughout the winter – avoiding the gym almost completely.  That plan worked out pretty well in the 2 early season road races I’ve done so far, but it backfired horribly once I hit the hills of Iola on my single speed.  I have zero upper body/core strength compared to last year – those hills sucked the life out of me in a hurry.  I’ve become a much better climber over the years, many times making key moves on the steepest hills, but that was not the case in Iola.  It took everything I had to make it up the steepest hill on the last lap.

    Overall, I felt good and I felt like I left it all out there, despite having a much slower time than last year.  I placed a distant 3rd (last year’s finish had me 2 seconds out of 1st).  On the first lap I wanted to die and stop pedaling, by midway through the second lap I had found the groove and I used the last lap to wring out any energy I had left in me.

    Unfortunately, as soon as I crossed the line my stomach started to cramp up – which turned out to be some kind of bug that kicked my ass for the next 48 hours.

    Due to scheduling conflicts, my next WORS race won’t likely be until the end of July.  I’m hoping to make a few changes and add some horsepower before then.

  • “Cinco de Puker”: hill repeats for breakfast


    Just like a hungry bear waking up from his winter hibernation, a dozen or so guys showed up this morning to begin the ridiculous annual ritual we all know and love: the Puker.  Hill repeats on a .5 mile course at 6am on Wednesdays.  Why would anyone do something like this?  Because it’s there of course.

    Sunday I did the first WORS race of 2011, and I was really missing the Puker by lap 2. I have a lot of base miles in, but base miles don’t mean squat when you’re humping a single speed up a gravelly hill with your heart in your throat.  Last year with the super-mild Spring we had, we were able to get started with this training ride a lot sooner.  But the crap weather this year made doing fast laps in the dim morning light a little too sketchy.  I threw down 22 laps today and called it a morning:

    There are 2 rides I will do anything to make: solo laps at the Southern Kettles on a beautiful Sunday morning at sun-up and the Puker.  My climbing skills didn’t exist at all 4 years ago, and no other ride has done more to make me a better cyclist than this one.

  • Team Wisconsin Whitnall Spring Classic


    The Big Red Train rolls out!

    My first race in the new kit, hard not to feel fast in this gear!  This was my 2nd road race of 2011, and that means the 5th of my life.  Great time, but I still have a lot to learn.  12th overall in the Masters 4/5.  I’m just not getting up to the front on the last lap fast enough.  All on me.

    Team Wisconsin had a very strong showing, especially in the 3s where we took 1st and 2nd.

    Now onto Iola where the real season begins!

  • April “Networking Ride” recap


    Another ride in the books, and man what a day!

    70+ degrees and sunny brought everyone out of the woodwork.  The rider count was somewhere around 20 or maybe even  a few more.  Route was about 35 or 36 miles, and the pace was surprisingly up-tempo for early April – no better way to spend an afternoon.  A great group of “seasoned” riders, everyone knew how to ride in a group which is not always the case.  A few regulars, a few new faces and a few people I hadn’t seen for a while made for good conversation throughout the afternoon.  We capped off the route with a climb up Glacier Road (a favorite of mine), which had been skipped on the last few rides.

    Of course, Dos XX Ambers after the ride – sponsored by 2 very generous participants (thanks again) and then everyone headed home.

    Tell your friends – next ride is May 11th… see you there!

  • Training vs. riding – what are you doing?


    Most weekdays, my alarm goes off at 5:00am (4:30 on sunny Tuesday summer mornings).  I roll out of bed, throw on my gear and head to the ride of the morning.  I don’t wear a heart rate monitor, I don’t use a PowerTap, and I don’t even have a computer on any of my bikes.  I’m not using RPE, VO2 max or wattage (unless you count the wattage in my lights).  I’m getting up at that ridiculous hour to get a ride in before I start my work day, and I’m riding because I need to.

    I have always loved bikes, but we had a trial separation that lasted about 12 years or so when life got in the way.  I started a family, started a business, survived a horrible motorcycle accident and forgot about riding.  I put on some weight, and prepared to become “Middle Aged Man”.  At some point though, things started to change.  For some unknown reason, I got back on my 15-year-old mountain bike, and on a beautiful fall day I headed out to the Southern Kettle Moraine trails with my friend Mark.  I think we did 1 Blue Loop, which was enough for me at the time, and all the old feelings came rushing back.  As we exited into the parking lot a photographer snapped a picture of my fat ass for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  I was literally back in the saddle from that day on.

    “Then” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel picture)
    "Now" (www.xtrphoto.com)

    Fast forward some years, and I more fit than I’ve ever been.  I’m riding 12 months a year, putting on more miles than I ever have, racing mountain bikes, and starting to add road bike races to the 2011 calendar.  I built a cyclocross bike this winter which can only mean there’s at least 1 ‘cross race in my future too and I’m starting to ride with a lot of people who train now.  I’m starting to get questions about my training too.

     

    When exactly did my riding become training??

    As Mark will tell you, this is a dangerous spot for me to be in.  I would make the World’s worst poker player because I have a habit of just going “all in”.  He knows (better than I do) that if my riding becomes training, I will instantly suck all of the life out of my greatest passion.  I’ll begin posting Zone charts and uploading HR data and buying books about science and other crap I could not care less about.  Worse yet, I’ll start geeking out about bike stuff – relying on the latest high-tech garbage to shave seconds off my time, blah, blah blah.  Worst of all, I’ll start to hate all of the “work” I have to do just to get out and ride.  I’ll forget why I ever got back on the bike on that beautiful fall day…

    Thankfully, (and thanks to my friend Mark and others just like him) I know that I love riding too much to train.  If it means I lose a race because of it, or even skip a race to do a ride, then so be it.

     

  • 2011 ~ Race # 1 is in the books


    My idea of racing the Barry Roubaix for the first time this year seemed to fizzle out when my potential racing partners ended up with alternate plans.  So, against my better judgement I made a last minute decision to drive down to Illinois for the Super Spring Criterium.

    Weather was fantastic… for ice fishing.  24 degrees with occasional flurries and high winds.  Despite the winter freeze, the field for the Masters 4/5 was about 75 strong.  Since it’s actually a car racetrack, the course has about 3 inches of elevation change over a 2 mile loop, and the pavement is as smooth and crack-free as Whitney Houston in the 80’s.

    Dennis, bc and I all lined up together and then we were off.  Took a nice easy pace as everyone scoped out each other’s winter fitness or lack thereof.  I’ve been riding outside with bc and the Spokesmen all winter, so the temps were no problem and I settled right in with the early pace.  I have always been a mountain biker, and last year was the first time I ever spent so much time on a road bike.  I’ve always been a cycling fan, and I understand the dynamics of road racing, but my actual racing experience is pretty much limited to drinking PBRs and cheering at the Great Downer race every year. (mmmmm… PBR…)

    Everyone stayed fairly cordial until the bell lap, and then you could just sense the nervous energy ramp up to 11.  I stayed close enough to the front to monitor any breaks, but (stupidly) not really close enough to be in them if they did happen.  The pace ramped up throughout the lap but I could tell that no one was really going for it.  Now, hindsight being 20/20 and all, this is where I was supposed to jump, but I just sat there waiting for SOMEONE to go.

    Rounding the last corner everyone got on the gas and I heard someone go down HARD right behind me  (medical had to pick him up).  As we headed up to the finish I found a nice open space on the left side of the course and started hammering.  I was making up spaces quicker than I thought I would, and then I heard someone else go down to my right.  That guy knocked someone into me, and I was forced to ride into the grass to stay upright.   By the time I got back onto the pavement, my sprint speed was more like dial-up.

    So I rolled across the line in 13th, further testament to what could have been.  I’ve only done 4 road races, but each race I do I get a little more experience and each race I end up wishing I would have just aired it out.

    One of these times I’ll just pretend it’s a WORS race and FINISH IT…

     

  • Ride of a lifetime… and you’re invited


    When I turned 40 a few years ago, I imagined a ride across the U.S. to celebrate.  I had planned it in my head for a few years, but when it came right down to it, it was impractical.  As a married guy with kids and a business, I wasn’t gonna knock that one off the bucket list without ending up living in a van down by the river…

    So instead, to celebrate nothing but stupidity, this July 15th at least 2 of us will depart on the inaugural “Windy 500” . This ride will cover 500 miles in 4 days – Brookfield, Wisconsin to Iron Mountain, Michigan and back.   No support, no agenda (except 125 miles per day) and no worries.  We plan to eat cheap food, drink cheap beer and stay in cheap places.  We plan to travel as light as possible, shipping a change of clothes ahead and shipping grungy stuff back. Anyone and everyone is invited, in fact the more people we have, the more fun it will be.  Not quite the “ride of a lifetime” but certainly the “ride of the _____ (something or other)”

    If you’re interested, let me know.  We have 2 confirmed and a half-dozen additional interested riders so far.  Could be a blast, could also be a living nightmare, who knows?  There’s only 1 way to find out…

    Contact me directly if you are dumb enough to give this a go: jasonkayzar@mc2wi.com

    Stay tuned for additional route and ride details.

  • March Networking ride wrap-up


    1st ever “official” indoor networking ride: SUCCESS!

    11 of us hit the Compu-trainers and/or rollers at Attitude for a couple of hours yesterday.  Not a lot of conversation during the ride, but a lot of sweat and effort.  Post-ride beers for a few of us at Seester’s next door helped to properly re-hydrate.

    Based on the turn-out, I’m pretty sure that the cold weather months of the 2011-12 cycling season will mean this Compu-trainer ride takes the place of the outdoor ride that only a few people are normally willing to do.  Let’s hope the sun is shining on April 13th for our next ride!  See you all then.

    (sorry for the crappy cell phone pics…)


  • “Correct” sock height poll – VOTE NOW!


    With all the craziness in the world today, Republicans, Democrats and even Charlie Sheen agrees, it’s time we start to focus on the IMPORTANT matters in life and make the tough decisions that our children can live with:

    What is the proper sock height??

    Racing season is just moments away, don’t put this ground-breaking decision off another day!

    (don’t even get me started on color…)

  • 4 reasons why gears suck:


    All set for a lovely ride on my newly (but not new) cobbled together Fetish 1×9 CX bike this morning.

    24 degrees, clear roads – ready for action!  About 4 miles in, I started getting all kinds of weird noises out of the drive-train.  [Not to be confused with the ball bearing noise coming from my stem that the boy’s at Ben’s dropped in when they ran the cables for me (heee- heee- heee…).]

    After about 3 bizarre dropped chain incidents, I thought I just had some cable stretch and it was figured out. Tweaked the rear derailleur and attempted a hill climb:  then the al Qaeda Dura Ace bomb went off!

    This never happens on my single speeds…

    Number 1:

    Number 2:

    Number 3:

    Number 4:

    For Sale: Slightly used Dura Ace rear derailleur – some minor wear.

    Wanted: Used derailleur that can get up a hill or 2. Cheap.

    jasonkayzar@mc2wi.com



  • Drugs in cycling – AFFIRMATIVE.


    “Why is there so much controversy about drug testing? I know plenty of guys who would be willing to test any drug they could come up with”

    –       George Carlin

    Have you heard, they busted another pro cyclist for doping.  Yawn.  In an unrelated story, the sun came up today.  It’s not that I don’t care, but I don’t care.  Pro cyclists are dopers.  All of them.  So are NFL players, and MLB players and Olympians, etc., etc., etc.  Since when do we care so much about drugs, but ONLY in cycling?  In 1980 there were (3) 300 pound guys in the entire NFL.  In 2010, there were 532. That’s a 17,733% increase. I’m sure they all just eat more bacon now… that explains it.  When was the last time you heard about the Federal Government going after the NFL for doping?  Never?  So why cycling?

    I’m not defending these jack-wagons for doping, I think it’s ridiculous to train your body to be among the fittest athletes in the world, and then inject synthetic chemicals into your body to purposely push it beyond the human limits.  I understand that if “everyone’s doing it”, it’s impossible to compete if you’re not.  I understand the money that’s at stake, the fame, etc.  I don’t understand the witch hunt though.

    I will never be paid to ride a bike for a myriad of reasons, number 1 being I’m just not good enough (by a LONG shot).  But I will always ride.  I will never have a bad day on the bike, ever.  Cycling IS my drug, but that’s me.  Whether you think these guys are clean or dirty, what does it matter?  Do I think that my son will do drugs because Alberto Contador “ate some tainted meat”?  No.  Do I think the FBI will be visiting the set of 2 ½ Men to piss test Charlie Sheen anytime soon?  No.  Sheen’s an admitted drug user who is publicly spinning out of control, so why are we spending millions to go after household no-names like Yaroslav Popovych?

    I guess the only point I have is that Spring is right around the corner, and I’m excited for the cycling season to start again in earnest.  I will watch any and all television coverage I can find of the pros, and I will ride my bike anytime that I can.  If this year’s TdF winner is NOT involved in a doping scandal of some sort, I will consider that to be newsworthy.

    Here are some recent “feel good” headlines:

    Sports Illustrated “The Case Against Lance Armstrong”

    Sky may relax ‘zero tolerance’ doping policy

    Now let’s see some racing, jack-wagons!

     

  • Armstrong – douche-bag or hero?


    Say what you want about Lance, 2001’s “The Look” is still one of the greatest moments in the chess game that is cycling:

  • 2011 Accountability… Are You In??


    “Disappointment weighs heavy on the pride.” – Mike Howerton

    No New Year’s resolutions for me.  No mileage goals. No fad diets, no promises to do X, Y or Z this year.  That’s all crappy, crap-crap.

    Thought I’d put my “intentions” down in writing though, so I can remind myself daily:

    Keep riding… a lot.  More than 2010.  A lot more.  How much more?  A lot.  How will I measure it?  I’ll be stronger.

    Work harder.  At work, at home, on the bike, in the gym, on my relationships with friends, my wife and kids and my family.  I’ll know if I’m not.

    Eat better and sleep better.  Laziness is a great excuse to not take care of myself, but in the end there are no excuses.  I know the difference between right and wrong.  I know the difference between crap food and good food.  I feel better when I take care of myself, cut out caffeine, etc.  I’m the only one who can control this one.

    Get rid of stress.  I invite all the stress in my life.  People who say they are victims of stress are right, but you ultimately control how much stress you take on.  Stressed about finances?  Make the tough decisions.  Stressed about work?  Make the tough decisions.  I need to make the tough decisions and cut out the stress.

    “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” Epictetus