Team Blog

It's time for the Classics to begin in Europe, and this year we're going to have a friendly competition for MBRT members. For the Ronde van Vlaanderen on April 6th, all MBRT members are invited to try to pick the top two riders of the race. We'll give a box of Clif Blocks (assorted flavors) to the MBRT member whose top pick does the best in the race. If we have multiple people picking the same top rider, then their second pick will be the tie-breaker. If people choose the same riders for their first and second picks, well, then you're going to have to share. To enter your picks, MBRT members must post their first and second choices to this blog via the "comments" section. Please give me your name, and then list your top two picks, and please identify which rider is your top pick. Any post after the race begins will not be considered. Anyone can post their picks, but we're only going to give the Clif Blocks to an MBRT member.

Webmaster.

MBRT racer, Kadria Milani, is offering a Pilates class for MBRT members and friends of the club. For those of you who aren't familiar with pilates, or if you're wondering how pilates can help a cyclist, please read Kadria's description below:

Core Strength Class based on Joseph Pilates method will strengthen the Transversus Abdominis, a deep muscle in the belly that wraps around to the back. That muscle is responsible for stabilizing the spine and the pelvis. Sports that require major force to be generated by the lower limbs, soccer, football, cycling and running (the list goes on) stress the back muscles as they try to keep the pelvis and spine from being pulled out of alignment. Pilates movements isolate the deep abdominals while inhibiting the over use of the hip flexors usually typical in cyclists, while stretching tight hamstrings and tight back muscles. Strengthening the erector spinae and multifidus ( back muscles) is achieved with controlled and precise movements. Also, because of overuse and the principle of overcompensation the body becomes imbalanced, back pain and chronic fatigue are the symptoms. With Pilates that balance is restored and correct muscle firing patterns are re-learned. The result is no back pain a very strong and stable core which allows for more power output by the hip flexors and hamstrings and quadriceps (all major leg muscles). Class will be offered at Energia for six weeks, once a week on Monday nights. E-mail me directly to sign up. Time and start date to be determined.

Kadria Milani

Now that MBRT has a website and a blog, I'd like to encourage team members to add photos and videos to the Photo Gallery and/or the blog. If any MBRT member would like posting privileges to the blog, let me know and I'll get you set up. If you'd like access to posting to the photo gallery, then you'd have to contact either Lance or myself (we're the only ones with website access for now).

thanks

Gregg Olson

Even though the Central Coast is probably not going to see much more rain this year, after getting a new team Ridley bike, I decided to change my 4 year old Fondriest to a rain & winter bike. I wanted to put on full-coverage fenders which was a problem since I was using a race bike with no fender eyelets and campy record brakes calipers. I used Planet Bike Cascade fenders, which needed to have some fabricated attachments due to the tight clearances of the frame and wheels. The entire setup was purchased and installed at Joselyn's Bike shop in Monterey by Jason (one of their helpful mechanics). The fenders have about a half centimeter of clearance from the tires, but there seems to be no fender rub as of yet. Also, since I didn't have to change over to long reach brake calipers, the record brakes should still give me plenty of stopping power, even in wet conditions. The fenders themselves have great coverage. I'm thinking the extended mudguards should keep the crud off my feet, and also provide some spray protection to anyone riding behind me. I'm not sure if we'll have any more rain this year to allow me to test these fenders in real wet conditions, but I'm sure we'll have some of that wet, drizzly central coast fog. Either way, I'm hoping to test it out on wet roads pretty soon.


submitted by Gregg Olson

The central coast is home to a great Cyclocross series, the CCCX, run by a local rider and his friends. It offers outstanding racing with little hassle and almost no traveling for those living on the peninsula. This season, MBRT members Jose and Doug took part in the Masters 35+ B events. This was Doug’s first season of cross racing and it was a steep learning curve, he started off the season getting lapped and crushed by the field, but managed through hard training and some practice, to place 2d in one of the later season races and finished the series in 11th place overall through seven races. Jose also showed the team colors and placed a solid 28th after missing a few of the late season races. Cross is all about pain and intensity, but it really is a lot of fun for racers and spectators alike. The MBRT members had a great time and look forward to improving next year.


submitted by Doug