Road Rash Ain't So Bad

There are certain life-changing elements in this world that so exceed their purpose, that lift up all things around them, that propel humanity to such great lengths, that I refer to them as “magic.”  These are the things that raise the proverbial “bar” so high, that to forego their influence sets back human evolution by decades.  Let me give you a few examples:  In food, those things that have achieved magic status are, roasted garlic on garlic bread, nutmeg in Fettuccini Alfredo, and peanut butter in chocolate chip cookies.  Don’t believe me?  Give it a try, and you’ll be taken to a place where you can’t help but wonder how you had previously lived your life in such relative despair.  In wound care, there are two items that have attained magic status.  These are Tegaderm dressing and PolyMem QuadraFoam.
 

I was introduced to these items a few years back after executing a dive so perfectly, it would make Greg Louganis’ own mother lament, “Why can’t my son do that?”  Unfortunately, my ‘dive’ happened to be a 30 MPH bicycle end-o while descending Mt. Hamilton.  

A few hospital visits, and copious amounts of bandaging later, I was completely sold on the value of proper wound care.Tegaderm looks like nothing more than clear plastic wrap.  However it is a hellava lot more expensive and works a hellava lot better.  After cleaning the wound (no alcohol please), all you do is apply this stuff just like you would a bandage.  Then you leave it alone.  It sticks to your skin, but doesn’t stick to the wound.  No more agonizing bandage changing.  Anyway, the wound never dries.  This lets it heal while minimizing scarring and avoiding all of the problems with peeling, sticking, and cracking scabs.   Don’t ask me how it does this, just accept it as magic.   

The only real ‘problem’ with Tegaderm, is that it leaks.  Sorry if I get gross here, but the puss, yellow crap, and any other kind of liquid that oozes from your sores will find its way out from under the Tegaderm and onto your clothes.  Enter QuadraFoam.

PolyMem QuadraFoam seems like nothing more than a pink sponge.  However, it is excellent at absorbing all the exudate (aka. ooze), and if you believe the manufacturer, it “provides a warm, moist, healing environment that promotes formation of granulation tissue and reepithelialization.”   I don’t know what that means, but I believe them.   

Road rash is certainly something we all would rather do without.  However, if you ride more than a few thousand miles a year, you are bound to accumulate your fair share of it.    Plan ahead people!  Get some Tegaderm at the drug store or on-line, and some QuadraFoam anywhere you can find it.  This stuff isn’t as cheap as a bandage, but doesn’t work like one either.  No joke people, once you try these, you’ll never go back.  They are Magic.

Free speed. Enough said.

This blog is definitely boring.  Neither funny stuff, nor ranting about the screwed up world is included.  But don’t give up on it.  This blog will enable you to get to the next level.  If you have Cat 4 talent, this blog will make you a Cat 3.  Cat 3 people will be capable of achieving the kick-ass status of a Cat 2.   If you are a Cat 2...well, I can’t help you.  You already know this stuff.

Those of you who have raced with me, know that I am a pretty good rider.  I won’t lie and say that I’m an  average Joe, but neither will I claim that I even approach the talent level some of the guys I race against.   I am pretty good.

That said, over the years I have been reasonably successful in races, despite almost never having the climbing ability to stay with the climbers, nor the sprinting ability to beat the sprinters.  Some of my best races are ones where I have been either dropped and clawed my way back to the pack, or have been ‘lucky’ enough to have been away in a break so I do not have even have to try and out muscle the sprinters.  I attribute my luck in these matters to certain core beliefs I have when approaching bike racing.  These are what I feel enables us pretty-good-guys to still have a blast on the bike, despite not having first pick from the gene pool.

Recently, I found this video on YouTube.  It is of Jens Voigt talking about the Tour of California.  Jens has always been one of my favorite riders; not because of his talent, but because of his riding style.  He doesn’t show up to a race to ride – he shows up to a race to race.  Here, he gifts us with a few words of wisdom.  Fear not, for the truth awaits.  Don’t pass it up.

Could I be a Pro?

On one of the cycling email lists that I partake in, one of the guys had done some calculations on how fast Levi Leipheimer could complete a local TT that we hold each year.   I started pondering, “What would it take for me to get on the podium with Levi?!  Dedication, hard work, and the right diet and fitness program, right?"

Immediately I ran over to my computer (actually, I was already sitting there, so there was no “running” going on), broke out my calculator, CyclingPeaks software, and the Critical Power calculator that I got from the Google Wattage group a few months ago, and began to envision free trips to France and hot babes bending down to kiss me on the cheek as I dawned the way-too-big yellow jersey.  The more I typed, the more my dream lost focus though.  Soon, the babes morphed into a cloud of numbers and math symbols.  

Lucidity returned as my kids started to fight over who is making faces at whom.  I continued to calculate. 

I now know why I am not an international pro. It turns out to get the same power-weight ratio as the elites, I need to increase my threshold power by 93 watts.  At my peak, I maybe can get 20.  Another 70 on top of that is surely out of the question.  However, there is still hope.  I could increase my power-weight ratio by losing weight.  As long as I can maintain my current power, and I choose only the real hilly pro-tour races, I could simply hide in the peloton on the flats, and then go with the climbers on the hills.  Good plan; now let’s run the numbers.

Since my race weight is currently a scant 117 pounds, this may be a challenge.  You see, I am already freakin’ hungry just trying to lose 3 pounds.   Turns out I need to lose 33!   Tough task…  At 84 pounds, not only would I look like one of the Olsen twins, but I would lose power in the process.  Technically, I would be in a coma.  I certainly could not maintain my fitness while in a coma. 

I think I’ll go play X-box with my son.