Every phrase, statement, and action is unfortunately spot on. It’s a satirical look at ourselves. As I have read the comments and thoughts on forums and YouTube, people chime in with their own additions, but there is one angle that has not been addressed — the different personas.

I cannot take credit for the observation, our Service Manager and Mechanic Steve brought it to my attention. It made me appreciate and find this video that much more hilarious and true.

The Cycling Personas:

The Snob

All about Euro-chic, would rather talk about riding than actually riding, loves boasting about himself, goes with the trends, and thinks he’s really important. A “Yuppie”?
“I get paid to wear this.”

The Know-It-All

Likes to ride, attempts to act like a know-it-all and lets you know it, really loves relaying buzz words to his supposedly less versed riding buddies, everyone lets him ramble on.
“Do you have ceramic bearings?”

The Fred / Excuse Guy

Idolizes other riders, spouts off names, buzz words, or anything that has been mentioned in a magazine, uses the latest technology, seeks approval, makes excuses, every ride seems to be a ‘Recovery Ride’.
“I’m just.. I’m just doing an easy day today.”

The Clueless Guy

Doesn’t know any better, asks questions to ask questions, comes into a shop to just pass time, they like riding, but are more caught up in the products.
“Is this organic?”

It is also interesting how you can view these individuals from two different perspectives:

• The first is that this is one guy and how he acts around different people.
• The other perspective is that these are the different types of cyclists we encounter.

This video should be a fun (yet frightening) reminder about how we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously.

My favorite persona? The riding buddies. They just focus on the ride, enjoy to ride their bike, and let their legs do the talk.

I hate to cut this short, but I gotta go… I have a 4,000 kilojoule recovery day ride awaiting,

Zane

Let me say, I think Strava is very cool and innovative. The concept and technology is great. I am in no way hounding the technology — it’s not potentially at fault. It will help keep riders motivated and push themselves those extra few watts harder in a given section/interval. Plus, if you like bragging, then this is your Nirvana.

The Question

Do you foresee a higher volume of riders suffering from burn out or over training trying to win coveted Strava KOM spots/points or beating their peers?

If your current saddle is uncomfortable or if you’re in the market for a new saddle there are three points I want to add to cyberspace:

1) Before you do anything, have your sit bones measured. This will help guide you in narrowing down saddle options. When I first started riding, no one ever asked to measure them. As a result, I fumbled along during my saddle searching excursions. I was never truly comfortable on any of the saddles I tried. (I’ve ridden a lot). If you go to your LBS (local bike shop) and they suggest saddles without measuring your sit bones.

2) Make sure your saddle is properly fitted. Sometimes just adjusting the angle, fore/aft position, or height can resolve a nagging problem. Don’t be afraid to play around with it, but avoid the extremes (i.e. 45 degree saddle tilt!)

3) Higher price does not always mean better. The best saddle I have ever had was an Orbea OEM saddle (I was devastated when it got destroyed). The thing probably didn’t cost more than $15. I’ve ridden some $180+ saddles that I couldn’t stand.

I’m not going to try to re-invent the wheel, so here’s a small collection of bike saddle resources:

Bicycle saddles by Sheldon Brown
Bicycle Seats Explained by Jim Langley
Bike Saddle Buying Tips – What Bikers Do Not Know by Bikerati
Guide to Bicycle Saddles by ebicycles

Brief Background Summary

Thousands of triathletes (approx. 70,000, Ironman.com) compete every year for the opportunity to qualify for the World Championships in Kona (Hawai’i); the Holy Mecca of Triathlon. In the past, these lusted spots have been distributed via athletes winning their respective age groups in qualifying races, selected via a paid lottery system, locally born and raised, physically challenged, or purchased charity spot donations. Effective for 2012, there has been a reorganization:

REWARDING LOYALTY

For:

It’s a dying practice. When it costs more money to acquire new customers than current customers, one would think showing some love to current customers would be as simple as that. I’ve been banking with one bank for fifteen years and they’ve never given me anything other than a lousy interest rate. Ironman athletes invest tens of thousands of dollars to race in their lifetimes. Following the Loyalty Plan, an athlete does twelve races at around $550 a pop, (that is $6,600 in entry fees alone, MINIMUM). It doesn’t include TRAVEL expenses, any IM-branded gear they buy (I’m looking at you IRONMAN COLOGNE), and family commitments they may neglect miss. (Wait.. we have TWO kids?) and they are entered into this program.

Against:

You’re no longer driving to be the best. Competitive nature is not as strong as it should be. Is there a flaw with having a mental attitude of “I need to do x-amount of races to make Kona”? Some may say they still are, but are they really? S/He may start off really motivated, but the “I’ll endure” mindset may creep in. For the competitive natured folks, they want to work hard, kick your butt, and earn it. Maybe they’ll make it, maybe they won’t. While loyalty is being rewarded, read some of the forums, they say that “loyalty” is diluting the caliber of competitors. It’s not like the WTC is hurting for athletes. Their own stats say 70,000+ are vying for a few spots.

PHILOSOPHIES:

“As the popularity of the sport continues to grow, qualifying for the Ironman World Championship becomes more difficult,” stated WTC CEO Andrew Messick in a statement. “More than 70,000 athletes are competing for only a handful of coveted slots [and] the Ironman Lottery provides another way for athletes to enter the race and cross the finish line on Ali`i Drive….Messick said that the program was designed to reward the loyalty of the athletes whose dream it is to compete at the birthplace of the Ironman.”

FOR:

With the boom of triathlon, more and more people are flocking to the sport. It is fantastic. Everyone from little kids (have to be 18+ for Kona) to eighty year old grandpas are doing these races. It is going to be extremely difficult for some people to ever win or place high enough in qualifying races to make it. Part of the Ironman brand is the experience. Ironman needs to deliver that experience to everyone, not just the super competitive die-hards (but do they need to deliver the Kona experience?)

AGAINST:

Life.Is.UNFAIR. We can’t get everything we want in life. One of my favorite phrases is “The American Dream has no snooze button”. It’s a simply mantra: If you want it, you have to dedicate every ounce of your being to it. No one should be giving hand-me-outs; you shouldn’t expect anything from anyone. To be successful and reap the rewards of your hard work is making that dream a reality. However, let’s repeat — life is not fair. This is like the ever-growing “Participant Trophy” little league players get. We’re guiding society into the belief you’ll eventually get it. But you say, “Zane, every endurance event gives out finisher medals!” True, but this race is the Holy Mecca of Triathlon. It is an event you QUALIFY for (see random thoughts later). “The better team won, but here’s a trophy anyways” belief is pathetic. Where is the COMPETITIVE DRIVE?! You lost. Get over it and start working for next year. We’re no longer fueling our competitive nature. When did it become that we all deserve to be there?

Lottery

The lottery began in 1983 thanks to one of the Ironman founders, John Collins. He wanted to “provide athletes ranging in ability the opportunity to qualify for the world’s most challenging one-day endurance event” (Ironman Press release).

For:

Not everyone can afford to travel to multiple Ironman branded events. It could make someone’s dream a reality. For non-pros, we need to realize, this is a life experience. Being the top dog in your age group shouldn’t be the be-all.

AGAINST:

Athletes that train and commit to the lifestyle have fewer spots to compete for (but still the majority). They are everyday athletes too. They are spending the cash-money! Their abilities vary too. Heck, I’ll act like a worried mother for a moment and say safety issues could emerge (I don’t like acting like a worried mother and creating a nanny-state, but insurance costs worry me for race directors). The landscape of Kona is brutal, trained athletes should be competing. With the growth of triathlons and “couch to Ironman” training programs, it’s a nightmare. However, that is why the WTC weights the number of years an athlete has been entering more now. Finally, I see my peers’ tweets, emails, blogs, and Facebook updates about racing all over the country. They are very good, but the elusive Kona spot is still a sought after carrot. I hate it for them, but their drive is never wavering. If anything, their motivation prospers. HOWEVER, I would hate to win a lottery spot and tell them….

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Wrapping Things Up:

I know why the WTC did this. It makes sense. They provide an experience. It rewards loyalty, commitment, and huge financial investments/sacrifices by athletes. It makes some people’s dreams come true. It’s my bank rewarding me with a $20 gift card to Chili’s. However, for myself, I feel the competitive drive in me would be forever tarnished if I did not earn it via qualifying. I may never be good enough to qualify for Kona. Sure, it stings my ego a little bit, but I will do my damnest to make myself better and maybe, just maybe, one race, the stars will align and all of my hard-work, sacrifice, and determination will pay off to qualify. If not, life’s unfair and I’ll move on. I’m still going to race my a$$ off.

Thank you for reading,

Zane

This is a hot topic among many athletes. What are your thoughts?

P.S. Click here to see our Hawai’i inspired triathlon bike gallery by a 19x Ironman finisher.

Assorted Links to News of the Programs and References
Ironman Corporate Qualification Info
Ironman Corporate Official Press Release
Slowtwitch.com WTC CEO Interview:
Slowtwitch Brief Overview
Triathlete Magazine
“The American Dream Has No Snooze Button” quote by Krish Dhanam

The Incident

I was riding my bike down the road and saw three dogs sprinting from the back of their yard. At this time too, the owner of the house was leaving his driveway via his car. As his dogs ran into the road, I yelled to scare the dogs to make them hesitate just enough so I could pass.

When I passed the owner in the car, he shouted, “Get the *#&$ off the road!”. Once again, like the previous incident, I turned around and wanted to address the supposed issue. This time though, I was not going to let any sort of anger seep into my body language and more importantly, my language and tone. I defaulted to my “Do we have a problem, Sir?” statement. He said go ride on the bike path (there are no bike paths for five miles), you’re not allowed to ride here and that it’s for cars. He pays taxes to ride on the roads. I informed that I pay road taxes too. I had every right to be there (What is with motorists thinking we don’t own cars and pay taxes too?!). He then spouted off about me clamoring at his dogs. His dogs were attacking me. I let the guy know I was only protecting myself and that there were leash laws. He couldn’t comprehend that if his dogs do not remain in his yard, then they needed to be on a leash. Here is where I began to kill him with kindness.

Instead of bragging saying that my bike costs more than his car and would sue him if I got hurt, that wouldn’t have helped the situation or our image as cyclists. As cyclists, let’s leave the showboating about our gear to each other. It is lost on everyone else. As a result, I put it all on him.

I tried to get this message across:

One of the reasons I shouted at your dogs was to keep them on the side of the road. What if a car was behind me and they got hit? I would hate to see them get hit. I’m sure you care very much about your dogs. I don’t want to see them get hurt. There are leash laws in place to keep your dogs, you, cyclists, and cars safe. I just want to keep your dogs safe.

I barely said anything about me. I wasn’t important there.

He really did not expect what I was saying. He ended the conversation with “Just get out of here.” — So I was on my merry way and that was it. He probably won’t change anything, but at least I planted a seed about protecting his dogs.

Cyclists and Egos

Boy, oh boy, do egos run rampant in these communities. We’re all guilty of it at one time or the other — some more than others. Here’s the thing — We need to get over ourselves. We have to use better judgement. I would love to spout off on some misinformed individual, but it ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING. It actually makes matters worse. Sure, we can boast to our friends how we “put them in their place”, but at what cost? We have now made ourselves look bad. That person now hates ALL cyclists. That person thinks were a bunch of snobs who wear spandex and spend way too much money on bicycles. More importantly, who knows what they could do to a fellow cyclist down the road??

The first half of this Bike Snob NYC post sums it up rather bluntly. It may sting, but it’s ultimately true..

Cycling is really no different, and as much as we like to think it’s some rarefied pursuit that transcends everyday life that’s really not the case–even when it comes to competitive cycling, which, for all the power meters and coaches and electronic equipment and “weird style diktats,” really just comes down to this: Go that way, really fast.

My challenge to you:

Next time a motorist is in the wrong and thinks they’re right, kill them with kindness. Take the higher road. Avoid swearing or raising your voice. Don’t make the situation about you. Put everything on them. They’ll be caught off guard and won’t know what to do. Then, post your story in the comments!

How have you dealt with issues like these?
What is it going to take to take the high road?

Zane

Here are my thoughts on whether I think this stuff works, if it’s a placebo effect, or if you’re mindlessly spending your money.

Preconceived Notions:
I only knew of this product by what the label said. I did some quick research to make sure I wouldn’t die if I took it.

The claim: “Beta-alanine works by increasing muscle carnosine levels, buffering lactic acid that builds up during high-intensity exercise, which can reduce muscle burn and fatigue. Designed for endurance, team, and strength athletes, these beta-alanine tablets are formulated to help enhance both high-intensity training and performance.*

Instructions: Take two tablets twice daily during the first 4 weeks, and then two tablets once daily thereafter.

Results: Typically seen in about 4–8 weeks.

Key Features (from website): PowerBar® High Intensity Sustained Release Beta Alanine dietary supplement:

Are Magical Legs in Here?

It comes with a 112 tablets. A serving size is 2 tablets and contains 1,600mg of Beta-Alanine.

A little background on my diet and fitness:
I work out twice a day typically six days a week. I do not drink soda, snack daily on mixed nuts and seeds, eat lots of lean meats, fruit recovery smoothies after hard or long workouts, occasionally eat fast food (1-2x a month), have a few beers on the weekends, and take a multi-vitamin, omega 3, and B-vitamin supplements. My point is I keep my pretty healthy and pretty “from the land”.

I started Thursday, August 11–

Weeks 1-2:
During the first week, I did not really notice anything. It was sort of a pain getting into the rhythm of remembering to take the pills twice a day. Going into the second week, I was working up in Burlington, Vermont for the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, so I had a lot of driving and work distracting me from my normal routine. However, on 8/21, I did 50 miles of constant climbing in VT. I notice a difference in my anaerobic tolerances. I was expecting myself to be dead during these climbs since Jacksonville, NC has ZERO hills, but that was not the case. I felt great. It was at this time I noticed I was pushing myself more easily. I also started to feel a little tingly at times, which I would later read, may occur. It’s a good tingly too.

Weeks 3-4:
After getting back from USAT Nationals, I eased back into training and found my flow again. It was during my fourth week of training I set personal bests in swimming and cycling. I never felt a strong build up of lactic acid. There were a few group rides where I pulled at 30mph. I had never done that before. It was pretty awesome. If you’re doing the math, you know the bottle has 112 tablets, which going off of the recommended dose, would be four pills/day for 4 weeks and I’d be out now. I realized this ahead of time and I cut down the dose to two pills/day around week three.

Weeks 5:
Week five was a recovery week (7 hrs) and I had to do some traveling so I missed a couple quality workouts. I was taking one pill in the morning and one at night.

Week 6-7:
Week six was a regular training week (12+ hrs) which flowed into my taper week. This was an interesting week. I didn’t have a lot of motivation to work-out and my body felt a little tired, so I took more days off than my work out plan had scheduled. More rest is better than working out during a taper. I didn’t dwell on it.

Race Day:
I felt like an animal the entire time. I was well prepared. My Augusta 70.3 Race Report is here (opens in a new window).

My Thoughts:

• Start using it five to six weeks out and only use it when training for your A-race. It’s expensive.
• Placebo Effect? You could be putting your money elsewhere, but even if you just benefit from the mental strength, it’s worth it. The mind is a powerful tool. I think it’s worth it for an A-race.
• Before I started this review, I wish I had taken more preliminary numbers so I could measure my improvements. However, for the things I did track, my hard effort swim times decreased (6-10 seconds) and my bike speeds increased during hard intervals (4-6 mph). I could keep pushing.
• A very important note: I embarked on a very structured training plan, which I had never done before that certainly brought the improvements I was experiencing. I know that significantly helped.

Wrapping things up:

If you read numerous internet forums, people will slam this segment of supplements. If you read “scientific research”, it says it works. However, PowerBar is a brand I really trust. I love its products and I trust its research is sound. If you have the money, I say go for it. With a combination of dedicated training and focus, PowerBar High Intensity is only going to help.

I recently read a detailed article in LAVA Magazine about First Endurance products and I was impressed. They are next on the testing block.

Have you used it? Something similar? What’s your take on this?

A collection of other links for you.

Here’s a scientific article from the PowerBar site
Here’s what Bicycling Magazine had to say.
Runner Space

Since I organized these links for you (and weeded out all the supplement store links), share the love and share this review if you think it’s good.

I was reading this article on Slowtwitch.com and it raises a great point about default component packages on bicycles. It inspired me to write our addition to it — DON’T SETTLE for having to accept ‘standard’ parts. It goes like this:

The Typical Process:

• You find the bike you want to ride
• Fine-tune size and fit
• Choose (typically having to accept) the color/paint scheme
• Settle for the factory-sent components/gruppos
• Purchase the bike
• Learn later that your “Dura-Ace” bike has an Ultegra chain or cassette
• Begin upgrading to all the parts you want, depleting your funds more quickly than your sodium levels on the race course.

You just invested $2,000-$6,000+ on your bike and now you are spending on upgrades and swap-outs?! Ouch. That costs you more in the long run. Even worse, that is race-entry-fee money blowing out the door.

Triathletes experience this more than Roadies do, but the feeling is the same — extremely frustrating. Our sport is already expensive and now we have to buy things we do not want?!

The Ideal and Perfect Bike Buying Experience:

• Find the bike you want to ride
• Fine-tune sizing and fit
• CUSTOM DESIGN your bike: Select the colors and the paint scheme. (Secretly, you want it to mesh with your gear. We all do whether we admit it or not).
• Build and select, from the ground up, all of the components you want
  – We’re talking gruppos, aero-bars/base-bars, handlebars, brakes, tires, wheels, stem, water bottle cages, cable housing, seat post, etc.
  – STOP the PAINFUL and SENSELESS spending on parts you do not want.
  – Be a SMART buyer
• Purchase the bike
• No upgrades or changes are needed because it was built to your specifications
• Fit not just right? Call or email with your questions. The staff EMPOWERS you to become more in tune with your body and a better cyclist as you make changes yourself. Essentially becoming one with your bicycle.

Doesn’t this sound pretty simple and liberating? Well, I just described the Jack Kane bike buying experience. Not only are you getting a fantastic custom designed and painted bicycle, you are not spending anymore money than you have to. It is built up and spec’d right the first time. Oh, and if you’re afraid that we’re not in your local shop? Check out our Testimonials page.

Total cost of ownership.

It is probably one of the biggest factors a lot of cyclists and triathletes do not always consider when buying a bike. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars in my life time already on my bikes/gear/parts/etc, so when there are options to ensure I invest my money wisely, I’m all over it… guaranteed. Wouldn’t you want to do the same?

Email us, info[at]kanebikes[.]com, and start designing your next bike. Or, if the box on the lower right hand side of your screen is illuminated, click it and chat directly with me right now.

Zane
Brand Marketing Manager

Instructions:

Nighthawk SL

Battle Axe SL

K Team Ca SL

K Team Racing SL

K Team Ca Krono

K Team Krono

K Team Track

This piece is not about doping, I’m going to stop you right now. Doping is a big contributor for why some sponsors pull out, but we’re focusing on the other aspects in this piece. Companies sponsor cycling teams for a multitude of reasons: increasing brand awareness/exposure, re-releasing themselves (RadioShack — The Shack), having products tested by the pros for feedback and marketing, and some are aficionados of the sport willing to take a chance. However, regardless of the goal, a return on investment (ROI) is expected. What are we going to get for our money? There are loads of goals businesses are trying to achieve. Thus, it is up to the team to have a firm understanding of them and do their best to make them happen. Curious to know who does this well? NASCAR and triathletes.

NASCAR and Triathlon are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to monetary support (amongst other things). However, regardless of the financial backing, they’re giving verbal press to their sponsors. Dare I say cycling is the red-headed step-child or are they simply more refined?? Money is never going to be superfluous in cycling. Yet, we don’t want bicycles looking like NASCAR cars either.

It’s comically tragic that stellar cycling teams can be completely run on a fraction of a pro NFL or MLB player’s salary. Undoubtedly, this is unfortunate, but we have to work with what we have.

Should Cyclists be Doing More?

In almost all of the interviews I hear and read, cyclists rarely mention their sponsors. Next time you hear a NASCAR or triathlete victory interview/speech listen to it — loads of sponsor shout-outs. NASCAR and triathletes understand this point: sponsors want exposure. Yes, it’s almost too much at times. It can (and needs to) be done tactfully. Sounding unenthused or forced does the opposite for all parties involved. The best product shout-out I’ve seen to date was when Mark Cavendish won a stage, held his hand to his ear like a phone, and pointed to HTC. That was golden.

Is there an appropriate shout-out for Liquigas…

Taken from Cycling News

When I was racing on an amateur team a couple years ago, I tried to use all of our sponsor’s services. I supported the team bike shop even though there was a closer shop. I went to the sponsoring physical therapist’s office for PT. Yes, I received discounts on some of the services, but not all. Here’s the most important piece of that sponsorship: I recommended these places to my peers when the opportunities presented themselves and it wasn’t fake either. I was using their services.

Guess what? Businesses aren’t giving teams money because it is cool. They are giving teams money because they are trying to grow. It’s up to the team to do their part and help, not be mooches.

FYI, I am not saying everyone on Leopard-Trek has to go out an buy Mercedes.

Yes, the cost per impression is fantastic. Visuals are very powerful. Team blogs need the shout-outs to their sponsors too. Simply having a Sponsors Page with a link to them is no longer sufficient. Social media makes this easier than ever! Stories about using their sponsor’s products, pictures, etc. More and more athletes are getting the hint, but need to get to it — double-time.

Cyclists shouldn’t be used car salesmen, but should they be “out there” more?

YOU are not off the hook either. Concerned about sponsors leaving the sport? We all need to do our part. Are you purchasing these companies’ products? Are you trying to raise awareness for them? Of course, we have to be realistic — I know people in the U.S. cannot purchase Liquigas products, not everyone can afford Mercedes, not everyone wants to ride the same bike as Contador or Farrar, nor be a complete fan-boy, but see my point.

My favorite sponsorship to date for a team was Chipotle Mexican Grill. I gladly supported that sponsor. Your favorite?

Nothing like a half serious half humorous post,

Zane

4:00 am came way too soon on Saturday. At least this morning we did not have to take a ferry ride. We stayed only eight minutes away from the race site. Our biggest problem was there was no coffee shop open! Plus, our GPS lied to us about the location of a Dunkin Donuts!

We arrived at the race site and unfortunately we had to park a decent ways away. We had to take quite a few trips. All of Jeff’s tools, 4 bike frames, 4 complete bikes, bike and repair stands, a table, and a chair. Eventually we set ourselves up under the Endurance Films Racing Team tent. If you were following us on Facebook (Please “Like” Us), you had the opportunity to see loads of photos.

Eventually, our Jack Kane side-kicks showed up with coffee, donuts, and muffins.

Oh, the sweet nectar that is DDs.

…Subsequent quote, “Another 1000 if it looks like you know what you’re doing” – Scott, Endurance Films Racing Team, rang so very true. We’d like 3000 Facebook friends too! PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

While Jeff was out saving the world, I was working the Expo/tent area. Similar to the inside expo, we had loads of traffic. We had more bikes out this time and caught many more people’s eyes. Additionally, we were right across from the food tent. Subway and Jack Kane bikes— A match made in heaven. We even have a clip of Subway Jarrod looking at our bike. We also had Senator Scott Brown from Massachusetts stop by our tent. He was curious about our bikes. (See the gallery at the bottom)

What a Pair!

When there were slow moments, I had a chance to shoot brief Jack Kane bike highlight videos. If you’re not working, you cannot be successful! (You have got to check out the Endurance Films bike one. See what happens when I spin the front wheel!)

One of the big stories we were present for was Diane’s qualifying for Team USA that will compete in New Zealand. This was (and is) awesome. We have video of it, so I don’t need to say anything.

As the Endurance Team trickled in, some were happy with their results, some were not. Nevertheless, all of them were super pumped about being on a team and coming back and talking with each other. These athletes barely knew one another and yet they were like best friends. Another reason why triathlon and its community is so superb.

Once the last energy gel had been guzzled and last toe-nail punished from the pavement, the crowds faded away and we began the take down. Not to mention picking up the trash of others…. just saying. It was a general consensus, we wanted some beers before the awards ceremony. It was our lucky day too, the host hotel had a Vermont beer sampler.

FAST FORWARD to Sunday.

Two epic events occurred.

1) My first “Michigan”. Two words: “Boo” and “Ya”

2) I like climbing hills. Jacksonville, North Carolina (where I live) doesn’t have any hills. Even inclines are a rare occurrence. Plattsburgh, NY (where we were lodged) does. This made me happy. Fortunately, we were able to re-acquire my brake pads so I didn’t drive 1000 miles and not be able to ride. We enjoyed a great fifty mile ride and it was great to ride up some gradients. Just in case you were concerned, the Michigan didn’t interfere with the ride.

After the ride, I did a little organizing and packed up the car. It was then I realized I was a killer. (You’ll see in the gallery at the end)

Fast FORWARD to Monday

And so our two heroes drove off into the early morning sunrise. Withered and drained from days of hard work, lots of travel, and supporting one heck of a triathlon team. They drove back to the Motherland; the South where sweet and un-sweet tea rule and some people say “y’all”. They snapped a few photos on the trip back so they could remember what mountain and hills looked like. They took a chance and drove through the netherworlds of Washington D.C. traffic right around 3:30pm. A stretch of tarmac where automobiles enter sane, but may not come out quite right ever again. They were victorious, but cut it oh-so-close. (Note to those that try to take advantage of the car pooling lane after 3:30pm, the police scan all the cars at the exit and pull you over if you violate. It was funny to watch)

They reached their destinations later that night and were quick to pass out. In all: a driving legend emerged; 2,015.8 miles of being the sole driver. (But he’ll be the first to admit he’s no Siphiwe Baleka). A team mechanic survived the throngs of transition area triathletes. A van was saddened to be cleared of beautiful bicycles. Even after all this, a normal work-day was expected Tuesday morning…

Oh, the life of working in the endurance sports industry.

In all seriousness, thank-you for reading this multi-part series. I hope you enjoyed it, laughed a little, and learned something. Jeff and I had a blast on this trip. A huge thanks to Eric and Danny of Endurance Films for letting us be a part of this. It was great meeting all of the Endurance Film athletes and doing everything we could to help them perform to the best of their abilities that weekend. If you had never heard of Jack Kane bikes until USAT AG Nationals and now you follow us, thank you. Every single one of you can play a critical part in our success. If you want to see true grassroots growth and partnerships, continue to check us out.

Ride smart. Ride hard. Have fun. Is it time for the 2012 Age Group Nationals yet? If you raced this year, how was it? How’d you do? Any questions for me?

Zane
Brand Marketing Manager

Part II: Dawn of a New Day
Part I: Drive, Expo, Ride

[Show as slideshow]