“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”

Dear Friends,

Its no big secret that I'm training like an animal to ride my bike from San Diego to Taos, New Mexico this June. Most everybody reading this has heard me whining about training in recent months or suffered with me through extended climbs, brutal intervals or even downward dogs in yoga class. However, I am so much more needy than you think.. I need even more of your help! Lets start with race updates:

OVERALL:

My race entry is FORWARD MOTION in the Race Across the West, a 1034 mile continuous event from Oceanside, California to Taos, New Mexico. There is a time limit of 92 hours, a route touching five states and a start at 12 noon on June 17, 2009. This is a race and (borrowing from my NASCAR heritage) plainly: We Are In It To Win It.

FORWARD MOTION? You mean the FOUNDATION? I am so pleased to introduce you to the Forward Motion Foundation, which is dedicated to giving recovering alcoholics and drug addicts the opportunity to experience and learn about the natural beauty of San Diego from the seat of a road or mountain bike. FMF exists to provide these people with an opportunity to see a different side of San Diego, to expand their understanding of what they can personally achieve, and to make personal connections with the natural world (continue reading more on FMF at the bottom).
Help support, Donate TODAY! All funds go directly to our charity!!! http://www.active.com/donate/forwardmotionraw
Are you on Facebook?? Join our Cause! Tell your friends! http://apps.facebook.com/causes/253405/39608389?m=e5767d02

WE HAVE CREW CHIEFS BUT WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! THIS MEANS YOU!!!!

We've landed our crew chiefs but we need volunteers for the road crew! What's that mean? We learned a great lesson last year from a great competitor (Shanna Armstrong) that a race is only as fun as the people and the positive attitude of the van & crew. So we're going to make the "on the road" experience as absolutely fun as possible from now on... Music, disco lights, the best friends.. And a new plan:

We're going to keep you fresh and fun by going full Race Across America style with having a day crew and a night crew swapping out shifts. So, you'll have the opportunity to run off to a hotel to rest and shuttle back into the rolling party extravaganza. Crazy? Maybe. Fun, definitely. Where we really need help is fielding the additional 6 - 8 crew persons to keep the show on the road all the way to Taos.. Please email me today about joining the Forward Motion team!

PRACTICAL DATES FOR PLANNING:

What's needed? Pretty easy really, we need you from the 16th of June (Tuesday) to the 22nd of June (Monday). Starting in San Diego (or somewhere in So Cal where we can retrieve you) and back to San Diego / So Cal on 23rd June (Tuesday or possibly earlier). We can also deliver you to Albuquerque if you need a quicker flight on Monday.

SO...
That’s it. I won't bother you again about crazy cycling. I appreciate your support in crazy things like this. I'm going to borrow a quote from John Lennon, “a dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” Thanks for dreaming and believing with us. We're going to have an epic ride and an unbelievable experience while raising funds and awareness for a great local cause!

All the best,
Mike Wilson

p.s. I would really like to thank our wonderful sponsors and supporters! Hammer Nutrition (hammernutrition.com), Nuun Active Hydration (nuun.com), Mavic (mavic.com) and the Trek Bicycle Superstore San Diego (treksandiego.com).

Read about the Racer!
http://forwardmotioncycling.blogspot.com/

Check out our foundation!
http://forwardmotionfoundation.org/

Read about the Race!
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org

MORE BACKGROUND on the Forward Motion Foundation:
Forward Motion Foundation believes that their positive, physically challenging, educational road and mountain bike outings, can make an unquestionable difference in the lives of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts by opening their minds to new possibilities, arming them with greater self-esteem, and giving them a chance to achieve demanding goals.

Since I first dreamed of entering in the Race Across the West and qualifying for RAAM, I have been searching for a charity who shares my commitment to life changing decisions, hard work in the saddle of a bicycle and a deep abiding love of San Diego. I am very pleased to be working with Tony DiLorenzo (also a decorated double century rider!) and his entire group of passionate, committed and caring board members in our mission of raising awareness about Forward Motion and the good work being done by the group.

I intend to use every media opportunity from participation in ultra cycling to convey the strong message of the Forward Motion Foundation. Every dollar we raise together goes back to helping our community in the greatest city in the world, San Diego.

Now Playing: RAW Training

Just a quick note to let everyone know that RAW training is going exactly to plan. Exciting news about our new charity to be announced in March (in fact, many new announcements)! Stand by.

Do your worst and we will do our Best.

"You do your worst and we will do our Best." Winston Churchill - 14 July, 1941


A lot of things went into a great race this year. Some people would say luck and I wouldn't disagree, but I attest that luck is simply preparation plus opportunity. In finishing the race last year, I will eternally celebrate. This doesn't mean a 41 hour time was what I was looking for. Truthfully, I was both looking for any time less than 48 (legal finish cutoff) and the course record. When I realized how tough the race really is, surviving seemed enough.

So in finishing this year with 35:15:37, I have been inundated with the question, "How in the world did you take off 6hr 29min from your previous time?"

So here are my answers:

1. Major changes in calendar training.

In 2007, I focused on climbing, climbing and more climbing. While my physical build lends itself more to flats, I invested in hills and mostly the ones 6% or steeper. In 2008, I focused way more on long flats and individual time trial-ing training. I still did climbing very regularly, but far fewer climbing intensive events. We also changed our weekly ride schedule to include tons of 125 mile single day rides. Many weekends were 250 plus (one day spinning, one day long/fast and one day climbing). I also continued the tradition of zero drafting from July 1 on.

2. Equipment, Equipment, Equipment!

There is no substitute for a triathlon/time trial aero bike. There is no substitute for a pure climbing bike. Trying to ride a hybrid for the whole course is silly. In 2008, I spent more than half of the 508 on a Cervelo P2C tri setup and it paid off big time, even more so with tail winds (32 mph plus plus). Also, I wouldn't have traded my Madone for anything on Townes or Sheephole, priceless. You have a SAG van, use it for a bike swap..

3. Psychological training

As previously mentioned, I sought out a skilled sports psychologist who helped me prepare in depth for the mental adversity involved in racing 508 miles non-stop. I cannot put a price on preparing in advance for the mental stuff that comes late and with fatigue. You cannot just train your legs. I promise you (again) an upcoming post specifically on the topics we covered for mental prep. on adversity.

4. Late season peak & build up method

2007 was event based. I did doubles and triples. I did long rides on one or two days a week in preparation. I also did hard, intensive, short climbs. But after a huge event, I usually took the rest of the week off with big miles in the bank. This year I followed Arnie Baker's advice and used my weekly mileage as the goal, meaning rather than do all the miles in a couple days, I rode 5 or 6 days of the week and knocked down progressively higher mileage with more and more elevation gain. So one week was 250 miles with 10k climbing. Next week 300, next week 400 and so on. Eventually I got to the 500 plus mark with 30k climbing in a week. This was especially valuable as the build up to this point assures you fight off IlioTibial band frustrations and other overuse injuries. Stacking too many miles or feet of climbing too fast will cut your season off fast and send you right to physical therapy. Not getting your legs ready for a ride of this magnitude can hurt you for six months, easy..

5. Course previewing & historical weather patterns

I knew a ton of the course in 2007. A ton meaning some of Mojave and everything from the 395 east to Baker. Everything else was a mystery, including how the weather plays normally during both the day and night. Duh. So this year, I took the time to preride some tougher than tough sections (of course, I did pre-ride Townes last year) - however 2008 included Kelbaker and Sheephole, which are both critical sections. I also drove the entire course from the 395 to finish and participated in a double century tester around Joshua Tree earlier in the year. All of this ensured I knew the terrain and wind patterns for both day and night far better.

What does this mean? If you ride fast enough in the first 100, there are tailwinds to seize that can deliver you to Townes early. Yes, getting into DV early will cost you as the south winds won't die until midnight.. but the gain is much bigger than the loss. The same is true pre-dawn to Baker.. Big time savings if you can avoid hypothermia.

So thats my big "one to grow on" for 2009 racing. Temperature control and layering for both day and night. I got real cold coming south of Shoshone after 4am. Baker was within reach at dawn and this was my fastest section in 2007. I got cold, so I got sleepy. Systems shut down and hurt came in. Before long I was laying on the side of the road shivering in a sleeping bag. Dying to sleep and not even being close. Thanks forever to the boys for giving me just enough and getting me back out into the fight. I could've ridden faster but I was riding. Then the sun came up and the tempo picked up.
All for now
Mike

The Devil will have his Due

Its funny (well, funny to me that is). There is so much info about the Creek race these days. Its a huge tribute to the competitors, the age of information and probably the spirit of helping future competitors out. You can surf around the blogs and find recap after recap on each stage of the race, nutrition, weather, sag support.. Pretty much anything you can think about, except maybe the most important thing to me. The mindset of the racer.

You'll either find 1. a successful recap of the race and its components 2. a reason for a DNF. And I understand the DNF, however I will forever side with Floyd Landis (on not finishing). "Everybody wants to say, 'I couldn't win because of this or that,' " he says. "To my way of thinking, it doesn't matter if your gd head fell off or your legs exploded. If you didn't make it, you didn't make it. One excuse is as good as another."

Which is why I say the devil will have his due. I realized very early in my rookie race that 1. I didn't know how mental ultra races can be 2. I had done a ton of physical training and zero mental training. I finished that race, albeit by turning myself inside out and totally disregarding my health and well being.

So what I'm trying to say: These races damn near kill you. They are hell in the making. The pressure of making time checks (maximizing the most of weather in your favor and/or minimizing its adverse side).

And it will be equal slices from your hyde, mind and spirit. 500 miles is a long way to race. 100% weather exposure. 100% your ass to get the job done. No excuses. Most rides leaving me mentally proclaiming my retirement from the sport all the way to the finish line.

Almost two weeks later and I'm still so tired. Mentally unfocused. Beat. I ride with the boys and the most basic training leaves me so drained. No good deed goes unpunished. No ultra will go without the "backside beating".

So my point, and a huge focus in returning to this race in 2008. First thing I did was seek out a sport psychologist, and what a gift she was. A former pro racer who consults with a ton of pro bike racers (although I think this was her first experience with ultra racers). She helped me a ton with crafting defense strategies against the tricks our minds play on us. I'll take time in my next post to articulate some of my strategies that really helped in preparation and execution of this year's performance.

THANK YOU!

Gang,
Just a quick note to say a huge THANK YOU!!!! to all our friends and family, supporters, coaches.. everyone!

FC508 was just incredible this year.. All cylinders fired from the start. Flatland speed, tempo climbing, liquid nutrition & supplementation, hydration. All things added up to 6 hours 29 minutes faster than 2007.
35:15:37 total time.

All the calls, messages and notes during the race were a huge encouragement! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Mike

FC508: It takes a village

Hey Guys,

I just wanted to post a quick note to thank everyone for your support of Furnace Creek. I couldn't possibly be more excited about returning to this event in a few short weeks. I don't need to tell anyone the hours of training, scouting, planning and all out beating I've been putting on myself in preparation for this year's return.

This last week was a tough one. Many of you are aware I was hit by car while returning home from a training ride. I'm not going to post many details here, other than the basics - a car made an illegal maneuver and blocked my entire lane of passage. I got hit. I took a huge shot in the rib cage, head and right arm. No bones were broken (to the surprise of everyone), although I had a concussion that left me super fuzzy in the membrane.

Even as I found myself broken, laying in the road - I was already checking my collarbones and arms to make sure I would be at Furnace Creek in 2 weeks. It is a sickness, this race and, oh yes, the Cervelo was cooked.

Never wavering, we march forward to Santa Clarita. I would like to thank my good friends and SAG team Russ Boelhauf, John Palan and Doug Wiederholt so much for committing to the Wild Turkey team van this year. I'd also like to thank Nuun active hydration, Hammer Nutrition, Polar and the Trek Superstore in San Diego for all their support.

The end result is returning to FC508 with better conditioning, better equipment, better mental preparation, corrected vision and an unstoppable commitment to complete the 25th Anniversary edition of this race. I'll be sending more complete information about final planning, organization and event tracking in the next week. In the meantime, enjoy some photos from last year and last weekend to set the tempo.

Race progress:
http://www.the508.com/2008web/index.html
Totem:
Wild Turkey

Thank you so much!
Mike