Shortly after my race finished, the volunteers were organizing the start of the kids duathlon. Looking back on it, I am still a little surprised that I was even there with my girls…
I really need to back up to the day that I asked if they wanted to do this. To say Phoebe and I were surprised when Maggie said she wanted to do the run-bike-run would be the most gargantuan understatement. Maggie, who always answers NO when any sort of exercise is proposed?? So Phoebe and I were really surprised that she actually wanted to run and bike … and then run again. By the way, Maggie is almost 7 years old and has never even ridden a bike without training wheels. I figured I would be on the phone to the race director asking if training wheels were allowed when she announced that she would do the race without them. I really didn’t think that would happen but I offered to help her learn how. I honestly thought that would be the end of it.
But the next day she came home from school and asked when could we practice riding without training wheels. I told her it was raining so maybe another day and she said, “I don’t care about the rain. Let’s go!”
So, out we went. Maggie wanted to ride the “magic” bike (our neighbor convinced Maggie that it was magic and could teach any child to ride without training wheels). When I told her we didn’t have it and she would have to use Phoebe’s old bike, I was ready for the tears and argument. Nope…Maggie just shrugged and said OK (what have you done with the real Maggie??). So we got the bike out of the garage and I held the seat. I knew Maggie could do this but wasn’t sure she would have the confidence. I need not have worried. She started pedaling and on her first try rode around the cul-de-sac. I couldn’t even keep up running beside her! (Next I am going to work on the clipless pedals… 
).
I was still not sure either of them would actually participate come race day so I held off signing them up. They both tend to back out of things at the last minute. So after my race, I grabbed my phone to see if my ex-husband had texted saying that they decided not to. Just the opposite, they were there and registering right then and were both really excited. He said it was all they had been talking about all morning. He even took them to buy new sneakers for the event.
Again, Maggie surprised me. She actually had on sneakers and shorts and a T-shirt. I don’t think I have ever seen her ride a bike in anything but a dress and sparkly shoes. Phoebe looked her usual athletic self and was very nervous. I told her that all she had to do was go have fun. She said (in that teen-like exasperated voice she does so well), “I know mom…I just always get nervous.”
Phoebe’s group went first and then Maggie’s a minute later. Maggie asked if I would run with her and make sure she was able to start on the bike (something she had been having trouble with the day before). The “gun” went off and Maggie took off like she was being chased by a vampire (her latest obsession…but that’s a whole other story). About 200m in, she was at a slow jog…but she made it. I helped her start the bike but then she was off riding like…well maybe not quite the wind but at least like the breeze. Soon after I saw Phoebe ride by on her first loop of the bike looking strong and smiling.
Maggie finished her bike leg and, not having learned a single thing from the first run, took off again like a bat out of hell. She was so stinking adorable. When the wall hit, we jogged together to the finish. Maggie was so proud of her self. She got some cool swag including a hat and medal and wore them the rest of the morning.
My friend Becky and I hung out together waiting for Phoebe. She was only planning on doing one loop of the bike so I started to get worried when a bunch of kids had already finished and she was nowhere in sight. Just as I was ready to head out on the course to see if something happened to her, she came running around the bend. She flew by announcing that she and another girl decided to do two loops. I headed to the finish to update her dad. When I got there and turned around, she was already sprinting in to the finish. She looked like a gazelle with her long legs. That girl will be successful in whatever sport she falls in love with. She, too, had a big smile and seemed really happy with how she did.
On Mother’s Day, all the girls wanted to do was go outside and ride their bikes. Maggie and I went for a short ride around the neighborhood. Then Phoebe and I decided to try riding to her elementary school and back (picture BIG downhill then BIG uphill). She was once again really nervous but excited at the same time. When we were nearing the end of the ride (and the top of the hill) she told me her legs felt like wiggly noodles (but the smile on her face told me what I really needed to know). Later on, Phoebe and Maggie even went for a ride around the block…just the two of them.
Thank you to the race staff for adding a children’s race this year and especially Mary Jo Galletta for organizing it. We will be back next year…ready to race and help find a cure for DMD!
Since I have now raced twice since last posting, I thought it was about time I did a little writing. To ensure this post is not super long, I am going to keep the details to a minimum and just touch on the highlights.
First up was Rev 3 Knoxville Olympic. This was my first foray into the land of the Rev 3 and I loved it! Every volunteer, staff member and official was so kind and helpful. I homestayed with NZ pro Michelle Bremer and we had a blast. We had a super awesome host, Beccah Canada, who graciously agreed to have both of us stay with her even though she was also racing Sunday morning. Her boyfriend, Phil, played the role of chauffeur making sure we got everywhere we needed to be. I can’t thank them both enough!
Sunday morning, Michelle and I toed the line with 23 other pro women… WOW! This was one of the biggest fields I have ever raced against! I was anxious to see how I would feel after having a winter strewn with numerous health issues. I knew by looking at the start list and knowing the reputations these ladies have that I would not be anywhere near the front. I just hoped to have a solid race to see where I was in my training.
The swim was hard. No other way to say it. I was able to keep a girl in my sights the whole way but couldn’t catch her. I was super happy to exit the water and get on my new Trek. Endurance Monster really took care of me here…packing my bike and teaching me the ins and outs of rebuilding it. They outfitted it with some amazing carbon Bontrager wheels and had it running super smooth. Now all I had to do was ride the thing .
I rode hard and the bike felt great! I can’t believe how much faster this bike feels compared to any I have ridden before. Unlike last year, I was able to see and catch a few women on the bike. The course was very “rolling hilly”. Nothing massive but always either going up or down. I actually really liked it and would have been happy to keep riding through beautiful woodsy Tennessee but I had a run to do.
My run is not quite where it was last year yet so I was actually pretty anxious for this leg of the race. Because of this and really not wanting to bonk, I took off fairly slowly and within a mile was passed by 3 girls (yup – the 3 I passed on the bike…lol). The miles weren’t marked (my only complaint with the race but later found out that the mile markers were still stuck in customs from the Costa Rica race) so I had no idea what pace I was running and was still afraid to pick it up too much. With about a mile to go, I did manage to pass one girl and finished feeling strong.
After the race, there was a VIP tent for the pros (another Rev 3 perk) and Michelle (who had a solid race finishing 15th) and I hung out and chatted while we waited for Beccah to finish. She came in 5 minutes faster than last year and got 3rd place!!
When I returned from TN, I was reminded of the duathlon being held in the local park the next weekend. The charity it benefits is Two Smiles, One Hope raising money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This disease strikes children between the ages of 2-6 and is characterized by muscle wasting that eventually will affect the heart. When I explained to the my girls about the race and the charity, they both wanted to participate in the children’s race, too. With the forecasted weather to be sunny and warm, it seemed like a great way to spend Mother’s Day weekend! Even better, my fellow Eleonore Rocks teammate Becky was racing too.
My goal for this race was to just have fun. I had a huge training week leading up to Saturday including an endurance swim right before the race. And that is exactly what I did. It was so fun to be racing with the age group guys again and having so many friends and fellow athletes cheering my name. We were all cheering each other on and I can’t speak for anyone else, but I, at least, was having a blast! As I passed one of the athletes I coach, I was excited how really strong she looked and I realized how much fun it was to be there for her. As I came into the finish, I had a huge smile on my face glad to have won a little money that I was able to donate back to DMD.
Congratulations to Liz and Mindy, my athletes. Both had a solid race and are getting ready to rock it at Gillie Girl and Irongirl! I also have to congratulate fellow pro Jennie Hansen for a great win as well as Kira Novakowfski and Becky Bader for being the first 2 age groupers across the line. Kira is racing the long course duathlon championships in a few weeks and I know she will kill it!!! Finally, congratulations to Mike Corona and his NWT team. Those white shirts were everywhere!! You guys looked great!
But the best part of the day was yet to come…next up, Phoebe and Maggie’s turn! That race report will be in my next blog post
As always, a big thank you to my friends and family and, of course, my wonderful sponsors. Thank you Inifnit for fueling me, TYR for keeping me afloat, Karen (and Engineered Triathletes) for speeding me up (and calming me down ), My Wedgie and Woolsports for keeping me aero and comfortable, Rudy Project for protecting me and Endurance Monster for ALL of my triathlon supplies!!! These companies are the best of the best! Please support those that support me.
And consider helping a parent who has a child with an illness by giving to the Eleonore Rocks Foundation and Two Smiles, One Hope.
For the first time in … ever! … I went on a vacation for spring break. The girls
sand sculpture - a bed!
and I met my parents down in Myrtle Beach for 10 days of sand, sun and surf. Not only did we have great weather and quality time together but thanks to my parents, I had time to get in some extremely intense workouts too! A huge thank you to Chris, Steve, Eva and the rest of the staff at the Claire Chapin Epps YMCA. They were super friendly, patient and helpful with my plethora of questions . The facility has a 4 lane indoor lap pool so I was able to get all of my swim workouts in. There also is a 3.5 mile stretch of rarely traveled road behind the Y that was great for tempo paced intervals on both the bike and run…especially since, being spring break, the traffic was really heavy all week.
The only glitch for the week came on our 3rd day there when I was hanging out on the beach and somehow managed to hurt the joint of my big toe. After 2 days of biking and running in extreme pain, I decided to try and stretch it. I iced it and then started to manually move my big toe. Next thing I know…*POP*…and the toe immediately felt a bit better. I came to the conclusion that it had been dislocated. Since it was dislocated for 2 days, I am still having some pain and inflammation but thanks to ice and ibuprofen I am able to continue working out and am on the road to recovery!
Upon our return to Manlius, the weather shot up to a record high of 90 degrees. I was scheduled to do a ride on the 70.3 course and run a hill workout after that. It was very windy but I still had a great ride. Because of our mild winter, I have heard experts saying there will be a lot more bugs out this year. My ride proved this theory to be true. I was pelted by so many insects during the ride…including a bee flying down my jogbra and stinging me before I could get it out. *OUCH*
The 70.3 course is in beautiful shape and I had an absolutely awesome ride for my first time out on it this year. An unofficial 2:38 put a smile on my face as I recalled my 2:40 in the race last year. After the ride, I walked over to the lake and plopped right down for an ice bath provided by nature .
The run didn’t go quite as well. I made it through the hills but apparently did not rehydrate as well as I could have after the bike and struggled during the 15 minute cool down (I ran out of my Inifnit nutrition products and TOTALLY noticed the difference!! Glad my order is on its way). 
My vets office is located along the route home and I recalled their water fountain in the lobby. I raced in, narrowly missing a puppy hanging out by the door, and sucked down as much water as I could before heading back out for the final mile. Again, I took advantage of nature…Phoebe and I lifted the cover off the stair end of our pool and plopped in with a water bottle and 1/4 watermelon in hand.
In other news…
1) The Rev 3 series places posters of each pro athlete at their transition. I needed a shot in my Eleonore Rocks uniform so Steve from Steven Buttolph Photography did a quick photo shoot with me. What do you think?
2) Endurance Monster’s Brick and BBQ will be held Saturday April 21st. Come on out to Skaneateles for a workout in the morning and BBQ lunch at noon!
3) My first tri of the season is quickly approaching…Rev 3 Knoxville in 3 weeks!! I will be rooming with my friend and 2011 Ironman Western Australia champion Michelle Bremer!
4) After 2 weeks of outdoor riding in aero position, I am extremely excited to report NO neck pain or arm numbness!!! Thank you Julie at Mary Lou Corocoran PT!
5) I want to congratulate one of my athletes…Mike…who took a minute off of his sprint tri time in his first race this year and 2 minutes off of his 5K PR!!! Good luck to Sue, Liz and Mike who all have races in the next 2 weeks…can’t wait to see what you guys can do!!!
KEEP ROCKIN!
I am racing for the Eleonore Rocks Triathlon Team !
The mission of Eleonore Rocks is to make a positive impact on the lives of
sick children and their families by donating rocking chairs and providing
support to the impacted families. To learn more or to donate on my behalf, please click on the link below:
http://store.eleonorerocks.org/Kristin-White_p_66.html
Wednesday , March 21, 2012 in Syracuse , NY…
After another near perfect summer day in March conditions will continue to be very pleasant this evening. Today marked the 4th day in a row with record high temperatures. Skies will be clear to mainly clear with a light wind. Wind: VAR 0-8 MPH.
Truly, unbelievably perfect riding weather! There was a bit of a breeze and a whole lot of sun and warmth – it was an awesome day to bring the new Project One Trek Speed Concept out for its first Truxton loop (my favorite ride ever)!!! This 60 mile ride starts in Manlius, heads out to Cazenovia then Deruyter then picks up the 70.3 course through Cuyler and Truxton. After going through the back woods of Labrador Mountain, the ride veers away from the 70.3 course and ends up back in Manlius. It is a wonderfully hilly and beautiful course and I would ride it every day if I could!
Thx Rudy Project!!
Today, after a quick 3000 yards at the Y, I readied the new Trek (provided in part for me by the awesome folks at Endurance Monster…THANK YOU GUYS!!) with My Wedgie holding my water bottle filled with Inifinit Bike formula…clipped on my Rudy Project helmet and sunglasses and was off.
The bike was AMAZING! I can honestly say that I am now a bike geek. I never understood when people would ask me in the past “How do you like that bike?” I was always like…”It’s a bike. Whatever, it’s fine.” But the Speed Concept is different. I could tell right away how much more comfortable and smooth this bike rides. Hills that were tough in the past required much less effort to climb. Now I have an answer for when I am asked what I think of the Trek…wicked fast and super comfortable. The best bike I have ever ridden!
My Wedgie and My Trek!
As for the ride, for the first outdoor venture of the season, I feel I am in great shape for the year. I rode the course faster than I had all last season without really pushing it at all. The Infinit Bike formula was awesome. I love the mild taste and I also love not having any garbage to stash (ie from gel packets). My stomach never got queasy as it had last year and I had plenty of energy for the entire ride. It was easy to grab the water bottle right up from the Wedgie which also can conveniently store tools and tubes. I love these products …check out their websites to learn more.
After having the herniated disc issues as well as some other personal health problems to begin 2012, this has been a pretty rough winter. My times had all slowed and my excitement for the sport had really waned. Today’s ride, in combo with the weather, a great swim and some good track workouts recently has really lifted my spirits and gotten me psyched to go out and be competitive again this year.
Hey, a new bike doesn’t hurt either…
KEEP ROCKIN!
I am racing for the Eleonore Rocks Triathlon Team !
The mission of Eleonore Rocks is to make a positive impact on the lives of
sick children and their families by donating rocking chairs and providing
support to the impacted families. To learn more or to donate on my behalf, please click on the link below:
http://store.eleonorerocks.org/Kristin-White_p_66.html
Last week, Ken Hammond, race director for the Syracuse 70.3, asked me if I would be a guest with him on 9WSYR’s Bridge Street. Although I am not a fan of public speaking or anything like that, I really would do anything for Ken to help him promote the race in our backyard so I swallowed my crazy anxiety and said sure! I have to say, it turned out to be a lot of fun and was something I would definitely do again if the opportunity arose. Check us out at the link below (and be sure to sign up for the race if you have not yet…)
INFO about the show…
Bridge Street, with Chris Brandolino and Kaylea Nixon can be seen on NewsChannel 9 and 9wsyr.com weekdays at 10am. 
The show is replayed weekdays at 4pm and 10pm on Digital Channel 9.2 (Digital Cable Ch. 890 on Time Warner/Channel 470 on FiOS).
Shows are also replayed every Saturday from 6pm to 11pm.
A quick race report…I’ve been trying to get in some speedwork lately so Karen and I felt a few local shorter races would be a fun way to get that in. That combined with a bunch of fellow Wegmans employees running the race convinced me to run this race again this year (even though last year I never thought I would run the course again…it’s a killer)!!
After a week (again) of 50 degree weather, Saturday dawned cold and with a fresh few inches of snow on the ground. After a few thousand yards at the pool and some Infinit custom sports drink, I headed over to Tipperary Hill to meet up with my Wegmans peeps and run the race. I was glad to have my Woolsports socks and shirts to keep me warm for yet another winter race here in CNY.
My mindset for the race was just to keep a steady pace. Karen wanted it to be just a good workout for me. The race field was huge…over 3000 runners…and it was stacked for both men and women. It’s always awesome to see so many runners come out for a race in the ‘Cuse! I love seeing the talent come here to race in my town .
The gun went off and everyone started flying. The first mile is all downhill and no matter how hard I tried to hold back, I still hit the first mile in 6:02. After that, there are rolling hills with another steep downhill to complete mile 2. Mile 3 is all uphill. This is when I started focussing on trying to catch some women. There were a few women within sight so I felt like I had a chance of catching 1 or 2. There was some cat and mouse going on with passing and getting passed back. With about a half mile to go, the runners enter the park and the hills finally flatten a bit. They still roll but not as big!
As we entered the park, I passed two of the women ahead of me. I had absolutely no idea what place I was in and frankly, at that point, I didn’t care. I was hurting and just wanted to be done. The last 400 meters seemed to go on forever…made worse by one of the women passing me back and two others breathing down my neck. I was exhausted and my legs and lungs were burning. I just kept repeating to myself to hold it together for a few more strides.
When the finish line came in sight, the adrenaline finally kicked in and I put on my “death kick” as my ex-husband always called it and managed to out-sprint (yes, even at 40yo I guess these legs have a few fast-twitch fibers left ) three women and somehow end up in 3rd place overall (and another masters win in 26:22)! More results here…
After chatting with lots of fellow runners, triathletes and Wegmans peeps at the finish line, I had to duck out once again for Phoebe’s soccer. This week it was a double-header. With Maggie cuddling on my lap, we cheered her team on and once again proud to say the F-M Dominators won both games!
As I enter the 2012 triathlon season, I am tremendously excited to announce my newest sponsor, the Endurance Monster. Endurance Monster is Central New York’s premier Lifesports Retail and Performance Center located at 11 Fennell Street, Skaneateles, NY. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work in partnership with such a great company and amazing group of people. I have already had the opportunity to experience their bike fit process with David Dow and the incredible customer service given by Dave Sciacca when he ordered my new Trek (which , btw, has arrived and is being built as you read this )!!
“Endurance Monster is Central New York’s premier retail and performance center located in Skaneateles, NY. Endurance Monster is dedicated to serve all levels of cyclists, runners, swimmers, walkers and multi-sport athletes.
Our goal is to provide you with a balanced offering of products and services that best fit your individual needs, goals and budget.
Our retail store features full running, cycling and swimming departments, carrying brands such as Trek, Pinarello, Colnago, Brooks, New Balance, Pearl Izumi, TYR, Sugoi, Giordana, K-Swiss, Patagonia and many more.
The Monster offers a full service bike maintenance and repair center as well as one of the premier bike fit studios on the east coast. The fit studio is equipped with state of the art fit tools such as dynamic sizing bike and motion capture software. The fit process is designed to provide each cyclist with the ideal balance of performance, comfort and injury prevention.
Our Performance Center staff of certified Exercise Physiologists, Kinesiologists, Personal Trainers and Coaches provide a range of group, individual and class sessions both in our store and outside in the beautiful surroundings of Skaneateles, NY. Key services include personal training and coaching, VO2 max and lactate threshold testing, muscular structural consultation and biometric assessment, and sports performance, pain management and flexibility training, metabolic analysis and nutritional advice.”
Visit their website or call the store 315-685-6858 for hours, services and any other info you might need! Watch for announcements on my blog and their website for great training programs, group runs, swims, etc. Thank you all for supporting the companies that are generous enough to support me and our multi-sport lifestyle.
After finally fully recovering from a 2 week sinus infection that knocked me on my butt super bad, I have managed to pull myself together and get a race report written!
Race start at Onondaga Lake Park
This was the first annual (of what I hope is many more to come) Lake Effect Half Marathon held at Onondaga Lake Park. Two out and back loops. This race was awesome. It was the brain child of race director Todd Robertson of the Lake Effect Running Club and Vin Gleason of the run4life organization. Both gentleman are competitive athletes which showed through in their attention to detail in an unbelievably organized and well executed first year event.
Runners head out on the 1st of 2 out and back loops
After what has been a very mild winter in Syracuse, mother nature decided to blast us on race morning with high winds and blinding snowfall. At 8am I entered the Y for a quick swim before the race. It was misting out but the roads were clear. Thirty minutes later, as I left, blizzard conditions prevailed. The drive to the race was harrowing … lots of accidents, cars spun out, very slippery. I made it with only 15 minutes to spare. A quick jog from the car to the start was my only warm-up but I was OK with that. I didn’t really want to run in that weather any longer than I had to!
The local elite Stotan Running team
The race started on time. The footing was not too bad … slippery in some spots but enough blacktop visible to get traction. The first 3 miles were into what was reported to be about a 25mph headwind. I tucked in and tried to stay behind some taller guys. Since I was still fighting the sinus infection, my plan was to go out on the easier side and stay in control and try to negative split the race. After what seemed like a marathon, I finally made it to the turn around…AAAHHHH. The wind was at our back and I felt like I was flying (still only hitting about 7 minute pace but felt like 5 minute miles!!). I had pulled into first right before the turn and held onto that spot for the remainder of the race.
Gina Pauline - 1st timer
Because the course is 2 out and back loops, you got to see everyone in the race. On the way back, I had so many people cheering for me. How they could even see who I was with the snow blowing into their faces amazed me.
Meghan Leubner - 1st timer
It was awesome to have such great support – awesome running and triathlon community we have here!! I feel bad I didn’t cheer for all of my friends by name that were running but I couldn’t see a thing. And when I could, I didn’t recognize anyone with all of the cold weather gear we were all wearing (except for Kevin Collins who seemed to think it was a warm, summer day…lol)!
YMCA running coach Kevin Collins
After we made the 2nd turn around it was back into the wind. YIKES – the wind
and snow had picked up even more. Now the ground was super slushy and slippery. I joined with a group of guys and we worked together into the headwind. (Well, they worked and I drafted…hey, thank goodness it’s legal in running!!). It was BRUTAL!! The 3 miles took forever to run. My face was frozen from the snow blowing into it. (Click here and here to see more photos that capture the event).
Thank you auburnrunners.com for all of these pictures
Finally I hit the 3rd turn and it was “wind at my back” time for the next few miles…finally! The course has you run past the finish line and follow the path as it loops around and heads you back to the finish. Well, you guessed it…right back into the drifting snow and crazy strong headwind.
Thank you WOOLSPORTS for keeping me warm!
I crossed the finish line managing to run basically even splits…46 and 46. Considering the conditions, I was extremely satisfied (and hey, as the race director pointed out, I have the female course record…lol)! Phoebe had a soccer game starting in half an hour and I promised to be there. I found Todd and apologized for having to run out and miss the awards. I was also bummed I had to miss lots of my friends finishing the race…a lot of first-timers too (WOW – trust me folks … every race after this will seem easy)!
Congratulations to all the runners and a special shout out to some first-timers…Jackie Terrible, Michelle Sun, Gina Pauline, Meghan Leubner…you ladies ROCK!!
Thanks as always to my sponsors…I could NOT have gotten through this race without my Woolsports shirts and socks, my Infinit Sports Drink and of course Engineered Triathletes. Thank you also to continued support from My Wedgie, Rudy Project and the kick-butt Eleonore Rocks Team! Nor is any of this possible without my family and friends. Thank you!!
PS It was all worth it when I got to see the smile on Phoebe’s face as she scored each one of her FOUR goals! Congrats superstar
click on the logo for more information!
The Baldwin Foundation and Endurance Monster have teamed up to offer CNY another race option this summer! The Gillie Girl’s sprint triathlon will take place on July 22nd in Camillus, NY. This is a great race for first-timers as well as experienced triathletes looking for a lightning fast course. Register now – the race will close at only 325 participants and it’s filling up fast! Click the logo above for race web-site and further information.
Quick Facts:
- July 22nd
- 8:30am
- $65 individual, $125 relay fee before 4/15
- Gillie Lake @ Veteran’s Park, Camillus, NY
- additional prizes for fundraising
- The Gillie Girl’s Sprint Triathlon is located 2 miles off of Route 5 near West Hill Golf Course on Ike Dixon Road & Sands Road and Gillie Brook Roads. The course includes a 1/2 mile swim in the natural spring fed Gillie Lake, a flat 14 bike route and a spectator-friendly 5k run. This is a great event for all women, first time racers, seasoned triathletes and relay teams.
With a new season upon us, I decided it was about time I got a real bike fit. I have had what I refer to as the “sit and measure” fit that many of the local bike shops offer. This is a fairly quick process where the fitter ensures the rider is on a proper sized bike and an acceptable textbook position or geometry. Good, but not great because let’s face it…who among us is textbook!! So, I headed out to Endurance Monster in Skaneateles and met up with David Dow, the bike fitting guru there.
“The Endurance Monster Bike Fit Studio is committed to providing the right fit for each individual cyclist. The right fit results in an optimal combination of comfort, performance and injury prevention. There are a number of variables that make the fit unique or custom to each individual, including; the cyclists’ goals, riding style, injury history, flexibility, range of motion, equipment and biomechanics. The Endurance Monster studio utilizes a state of the art tools such as a dynamic sizing bike, high definition video capture and motion analysis, and power output analysis to provide you the optimized fit.” Read more…
The fit process actually started when I called the store to make an appointment. Because of the length of time involved in each fit (2-3 hours), an appointment is necessary (call 315-685-6858 to set up your appt). A few days later, I received an email asking me to fill out a questionnaire asking me about my health history as well as my cycling habits, goals, etc.
the SICI dynamic bike
I arrived at the store for my appointment with my race helmet, bike, shoes, biking clothes and nutrition. The first thing Dave did was measure various things on my bike. Then he set up the dynamic bike to match. We reviewed the questionnaire and then he proceeded to check my feet (mine apparently are on the wide side), my pelvic width (mine is apparently on the wide side…wth?) and then my flexibility (mine is apparently on the limited side…lol!). He explained the importance of these measurements (wide feet in narrow shoes=numbness…wide hips on a narrow saddle=wasted energy rocking side to side, discomfort and possible soft tissue injury (noone wants THAT!)…the better the flexibility=the more aggressive aero position that can be attained).
Finally it was time to hop up on the dynamic bike. Dave had me do a 10 minute warm-up to get my effort up to 75% of max. The computer was right in front of me and I could see LOTS of data. The numbers I understood were RPMs, time, power, mph and level. When I looked up on the big TV screen I saw…ME . Dave put some stickers on my leg and then started filming about 20 seconds of me cycling.
the green line being my original bike position
He had me take a break and pressed lots of keys on the keyboard and moved the mouse a lot with the result being the measurement of all different angles (ankle bend, knee bend, etc). Then as I cycled again, he came over and moved the bike position as I was cycling! I could immediately feel my cadence pick up as the effort seemed easier in the new position. More video, more measurements and more adjustments until he was happy and I was completely comfortable. What was really cool was that, instead of trying to get me in the position that matched the most aggressive accepted angles, he went with a position that matched my body’s mechanics and limitations (ie lack of flexibility).
After that, he discussed the various brands of cycling shoe that would fit me best. Then we swapped out at least a dozen saddles trying to find one that would be the most comfortable. He filmed me wearing my aero helmet…the Giro was not the helmet for me…stuck way up in the air defeating it’s aerodynamics so we tried on more helmets. Dave was awesome at suggesting without pressuring me into buying everything he thought I should change.
Lastly, he filmed me from the front to check how my knees tracked when I pedaled. There was some irregularities but after a quick adjustment of the cleat on my shoe, my knees were tracking perfectly.
The benefits of this kind of fit are unmatched by any other. It really is a service that EVERY person planning on spending any kind of time on a bike should have done…I know some people think it is just for elite athletes but I think it is even more beneficial for those of you (OK…us) that are getting on in age and are starting to deal with more aches and pains. It is so completely worth the money ($299) to prevent injury down the road and if a side benefit is bringing that bike split down a bit, hey, why not?!
After the fit I headed over to the Skaneateles Bakery and devoured butternut squash soup, beet salad and a taste of homemade hazelnut chocolate spread (omg…heavenly)! Definitely plan to eat there after your fit!!
