Q and A with the A-Train

So as we approach the Sophomore season for The MOTOR Cub, the street team reporter, yours truly,  had a chance to interview the A-Train last night after his training ride with The Diesel.  At first he was reluctant to a face to face interview but then agreed to a phone interview saying, "It would be a good way to pass the next 15 minutes while I sit in this frickin' cold water bath."

Q - So Mr. A-Train, how do you see this season playing out for the Club?
AT - Mr?

Q - Sorry, A-Train, how do you see this season playing out for the Motor Club?
AT - All I can think about right now is how I am going to do hill repeats on Friday morning after what just happened today.

Q - What happened today?
AT - What are you hard of hearing?  Yes, today.

Q - No, I am not hard of hearing.  I was just asking you wh....
AT - Man, I don't know what the hell he was thinking.

Q - I'm sorry, what are you talking....
AT - About today!  Ca'mon, stay with the conversation.

Q - You didn't know what who was thinking?
AT - Diesel!  Have you been listening to me?  Where did you get your journalism degree anyway?  Do you even have one.

Q - Yes I do.  I got it on-line.
AT - Jesus this water is cold.

Q - So you and Diesel went for a ride today and he said something that pissed you off?
AT - No, what?!  No, it was supposed to be an endurance day.  Extended saddle time to spin the legs but also get our butts reacquainted with being on the saddle for long periods.  150 to 160 bpms was the target.  We averaged over 170.  And then that stunt he pulled at the 3 hour mark.  We were 35 miles into an all single track ride, what was he thinking?  I mean okay, I was impressed but who does that?  He's never been able to put forth such an effort after riding for 3 hours straight but ca'mon....it's March for crying out loud!  Can I say something off the record?

Q - Yes.
AT - I think he was trying to drop me.  Don't tell him I said that though.

Q - Don't worry, I won't.  But why would he want to do that.
AT - Because of my white grips.  He can't stand looking at those things.

Q - Those won't stay white very long and....
AT - I like my grips.  So shut up.

Q - So what exactly did he do.
AT - Well if you'd stop talking about my white grips I could tell you.  Ca'mon, stay focused.

Q - Sorry, continue.
AT - So the plan was to do 4 laps at the Tree Farm.  Keep the heart rates down and pace ourselves to make the distance.  So the first lap he was point.  Was going well until he took a spill about 15 mins in.  He was okay but I took point.  I lapped us around and we came in just under 53 mins.  Second lap I could feel us moving faster....man this water is cold......and although I mentioned the pace a couple times he didn't seem to want to slow down.  We lapped through more than 2 mins faster than the previous.  We were both feeling okay but we had to roll by the cars to drop off empty bottles, grab some full ones and some more food.  We still had 2 more laps to go.  As we started the third lap I was point and made it a point to slow us down.  The previous week when I was point Diesel mentioned that I was pulling faster than him so I made a conscious effort to keep us in check today.  So this lap we took easier, because of me, but about 9 miles in I hit a thick patch of dead pine needles and went down.  No harm done. Bounced back up and off we went.  We saw more traffic on this loop but still came in at 54 minutes.  Diesel was to point the last lap so at the turn we made the switch and off we went.  Pace was good and we seemed on track to do another 53-54.  But about 4 miles in we came across a pack of 9 and had to wait for a clearing to pass.  It slowed us a little but we were in no rush.  A few minutes later they let us by and our pace stepped back up.  so the riding was going well, conversation was happening and then all of a sudden around mile marker 5, which after 3 and half loops actually put us at 35 miles (3 hours into the ride) Diesel accelerated.

Q - Were you in a fun section?
AT - Yes, and that's what I thought was going on so I revved it up a tad but did not match his pace figuring he'd slow back down.  But he didn't!  He seemed to go faster.  So I gathered myself, took one last deep belly breath and then went on the chase.  We did a little yo yo-ing through the tighter sections where he'd creep away a little but as soon as it opened up a little and I was able to get into a bigger gear I would quickly close the gap.  This went on for a good 10 minutes until be broke the pace and let off the gas.  Before I said anything to him all I could think of was that Diesel, the guy I have been riding with for 7 years, just attacked 3 hours into what was going to be a 3.5 hour ride.  I was amazed, surprised and pissed at the same time.

Q - Pissed?
AT - Gosh am I hungry.....yes pissed.  He attacked me....ME....on an endurance ride.  He has never had that kind of power after 2 hours of riding let alone 3.

Q - This is good for the Club though, right?
AT - Yes, and that's what kept me calm.  But I couldn't help to think he was going to mount another attack at the Trenches where it gets super tight.  But luckily he didn't.  With about a mile and a half to go he asked me if I had any drink to spare and I passed over an extra bottle to him.  I should have made him promise not to take off again before giving it to him but I could see he was spent.

Q - So he was done.
AT - No, no, no.  He finished strong and rolled into the parking lot just over the goal I had of 3.5 hours.  What an impressive ride by him.  He has made huge gains since last year and now has me thinking I need to step up my training a little.

Q - What's that noise?
AT - The drain.  Water is getting warm.  Time to take a shower.

Q - Well, thank you for your time.  Good luck this season and we hope to catch up with you again soon.
AT - Yeah, I better go 'cause if I drop my wife's cell phone into the tub she'll f...(pzzzzzzzzzzzzzt.) . . . . .

The winter that never was and maybe never will be

Nope, the Motor Club does not have a Spring Training facility in Florida like the Detroit Tigers...man would that take a lot more sponsorship dollars.  That my friends is the 7 day outlook for Metro Detroit....in March, before the first day of Spring.  What's funnier is this doesn't show the last 4 days we've had that were in the upper 60's and low 70's.  

Given the good temps the A-Train got a text from Diesel on Tuesday evening stating that they were going to be riding outside on Wednesday.  Normally in Michigan in March if you are outside you are on the road bike or doing dirt roads on your CX bike because the trails are thawing and are a mess.  But not this winter.  More than half the trails in Southeast Michigan are dry and rideable.  So after a few thumb wars it was decided that they would go to Island Lake to start the season and stretch our indoor trainer legs.  Not the most technically demanding place to ride but it can still be loads of fun.

Gearing up in the middle of March with just shorts and short sleeve jerseys seemed odd to them but no one in the parking lot was complaining.  Bikes were continuously coming off the trail without a spec of mud on them.  It was a sight to be seen.  But so were they....well not really.  It was just the Diesel and A-Train donning the Motor gear and getting ready to ride.  So after a 2 delay start time (due to A-Train having to swing by the Diesel's house after work to pick up his shoes because he forgot them and a case of A's magically disappearing keys going missing...happens at least once a year) they were ready to ride.

The plan was to do 30 miles at an average clip to learn how to pace themselves for the upcoming 12 solos they'd be doing.  The 30 miles would pose no problem.  The issue was trying to keep the restrictor plates on themselves.  The whole idea of pacing lasted all but 2 miles it seemed.  After that every 3 to 4 miles they'd switch up the lead out man and just kept tearing along down the trails.  It was hard not to after so many months in the basement on the trainers.  It was like a flashback in time, back to 2007 when the Diesel and A-Train were equal in speed and made for perfect training partners.

If this amazing ride in March, in Michigan, outside, on the trails taught these two anything....it was that it is going to be a fun year.  Not only will the races be fun but all the training rides will be a blast.  It will be interesting to see if the weather ever goes back to normal but even if it does this ride was a good indication of what is to come for 2012.  And that's riding trails and having fun.