Outdoors FanHouse http://outdoors.fanhouse.com Outdoors FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Outdoors FanHouse http://outdoors.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Lance Armstrong Lives Strong, Laughs Strong, Returns Stronghttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/17/lance-armstrong-lives-strong-laughs-strong-returns-strong/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/17/lance-armstrong-lives-strong-laughs-strong-returns-strong/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/17/lance-armstrong-lives-strong-laughs-strong-returns-strong/#commentsFiled under:

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Lance ArmstrongSeven-time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong is getting back on a bike after taking three years off. In this exclusive FanHouse video we hear from Lance, his fans, and Lance's close friend, actor Ben Stiller, who says that going to lunch with the sports icon is not as cool as people might think. We also find out how those yellow wrist bands we are all so familiar with came into being, and what Armstrong really thought about them at first.

Check out the video after the jump.

Lance Armstrong Lives Strong, Laughs Strong, Returns Strong originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>lance armstrongLanceArmstrongElie SeckbachTue, 17 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST 55-Year-Old Mountain Biker's Secret? 'Get Coached'http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/04/55-year-old-mountain-bikers-secret-get-coached/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/04/55-year-old-mountain-bikers-secret-get-coached/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/04/55-year-old-mountain-bikers-secret-get-coached/#commentsFiled under:

Sal Ruibal is 55. This year was his best ever in mountain biking. He won the 55-and-older category in the prestigious and grueling "24 Hours of Big Bear Lake' in West Virginia, coming in 13th overall in a world-class field that included elite riders like Tinker Juarez and John Stamstad.

Forget his age; Ruibal is getting more skilled, and faster. His secret? "I got a coach," he said. He advises all serious weekend warriors to do the same. "I think that if people want to succeed in a sport, they should get a coach."

Ruibal, who began mountain biking in 1995, explains that he was stuck in the middle of the pack, "Trying to figure out what I needed to do to be a better rider and get closer to winning, to be with the fast guys at the front. That was important to me."

He first worked with Chris Carmichael, who is Lance Armstrong's coach. Carmichael runs an online coaching service called Carmichael Training Systems, for cyclists, mountain bikers, runners and athletes in numerous other sports. Ruibal said all athletes, from elite to novice, need a structured training plan. "When you have a coach who is your teacher and (training) organizer, then there's an order, a progression, and progress."

He adds, "The coach that made the biggest difference in me was Jason Tullous. He's almost psychic in terms of what I need to do in my training." Ruibal brings up an important point: finding the right coach is essential. There must be a shared energy as well as a beyond-words kind of communication between coach and athlete to make it work. There's also a discipline involved with learning from a coach that helps make anyone a better athlete.

But there's more to making the podium than just hiring a coach. "If (you are) passionate about a sport, you first have to be realistic about your willingness to suffer," Ruibal said. Working to the limits of your endurance in any sport, whether it's climbing a long hill in cycling, or dealing with burning thighs in a ski race, means being able to deal emotionally with the pain. "Your brain has a tendency to panic with pain and want to do something to stop it. You have to do what you know will let you get through it instead of freaking out over it," Ruibal said.

He offers another important piece of improvement advice; "Try to get with a group of people who are better than you. Train with the people you want to be like, not so far ahead of you that you can't keep up with them, but people with whom you will be last for a long time. You can observe what the better riders do, how they handle things."

His passion for mountain biking is also part of his career; Ruibal is an editor and reporter at USA Today. He reports on mountain biking and the culture surrounding it; as well as about other sports. While the research he does as a reporter may give him an edge, his career gives him no breaks as an athlete. He only wins from what he pulls out of himself. In a race, it doesn't matter who he works for.

In 2007, Ruibal was inducted into the Mountain Biking Hall Of Fame as a journalist. In his acceptance speech, he said, "I'm glad to be going in as a writer, but I think I also deserve to be here as a rider, because mountain biking is a sport I feel in my heart more than any other."

55-Year-Old Mountain Biker's Secret? 'Get Coached' originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonSun, 04 Jan 2009 10:03:00 EST Stretch Your Traininghttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/stretch-your-training/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/stretch-your-training/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/stretch-your-training/#commentsFiled under:

Arielle Martin is one of the top female BMX riders in the world. At her level, the sport requires incredible conditioning, with finesse being just as important as strength and quickness. But BMX is a summer sport, hard to do on snowy terrain. How does she stay in competitive shape during winter?

"I snowboard. I can ride anything, I love challenging terrain, and I'm not afraid of speed. I can shred," she says, laughing. She adds that snowriding, whether skiing or snowboarding, is good cross training for any kind of biking, especially the adrenaline jumps of BMX. "I think there's a little bit of cross over as far as fear factor goes. But mostly it's good for the legs."

If you can't get to the slopes, Martin advises going to a gym for a spinning class. She says, "You're still spinning pedals, and you're keeping your legs used to the sensation of pedaling. Spinning is also good for conditioning."

But one of the biggest parts of staying in shape is something that many athletes and weekend warriors skip during winter- stretching. Martin, whose muscles are naturally tight, says that every active person should know how important it is to stretch regularly.

"Stretching is an integral part of any sport. A lot of people think of stretching as staying loose, but it really helps prevent injury. When your muscles are tight, there's a greater chance of you pulling things out of joint. The most common injury is tearing, tearing a muscle or tendon because it's too tight," she explains.

A muscle that hasn't been stretched out tends to instantly tighten even more if extended past its limited range of motion. That makes a serious tear or painful pull even more likely.

Martin, who is sponsored by Formula Bicycles and Action Sports Depot; a distributing company for BMX equipment, says, "I always feel tight, so I'm always stretching. I don't spend an hour a day stretching, I'm always stretching for two or three minutes at a time. I like to stretch out my back a lot. If I'm standing at the counter and doing dishes, I'll take a few steps backward and bend at the waist, holding on to the counter top. The whole upper body is elongated doing that, and it stretches the whole back."

She also recommends a standard quad stretch for any active person whose sport requires a lot of leg strength. To do it, bend your foot back and grab your ankle. Slowly and gradually bring your heel up to your butt. This stretches out all the muscles in the front of the thigh.

Most athletes on every level know they can't allow their conditioning to lapse during winter. But Martin, an Olympic level athlete, says that when it comes to conditioning, stretching is one of the most important things you can do.

Stretch Your Training originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonSun, 28 Dec 2008 13:48:00 EST Cyclocross Nationals Go Offhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/17/cyclocross-nationals-go-off/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/17/cyclocross-nationals-go-off/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/17/cyclocross-nationals-go-off/#commentsFiled under:

If thousands of racers come to the Cyclocross National Championships and big media doesn't cover it, did it really happen?

You betcha! It took four solid days of racing for every class to get their turn on the steep and twisty course in Kansas City's Tiffany Springs Park. It was the largest Nationals ever. The only thing missing was mud.

Cyclocross is a type of bike racing that combines the toughest aspects of mountain biking, road racing and BMX. Riders must be agile enough to constantly dismount and get back on their bikes, and strong enough to carry their bikes, which weight between 17 and 22 pounds, over deliberate obstacles such as "stairs" -- steep rocks and cliffs, or "barriers" -- upright boards about 18 inches high. Snow and mud are such an accepted part of cyclocross that this year's nationals were notable for not having wet and muddy course sections.

"This sport is exploding. A good example of that would be that the Utah Cyclocross Series had a 40 percent increase in participation this year over last year," said nationally ranked rider Bart Gillespie, 34.

The top elite men's rider was Ryan Trebon of Bend, Ore., who completed his laps in 1:00:04.00. Katie Compton, from Colorado Springs, Colo. was the elite woman's winner in 37:05.00. Gillespie explained that cyclocross has standard race times and each course is designed to fit those times. "The average course is only seven or eight minutes long. Men do about a one hour race and women do about 40 minutes. When they start the race, organizers determine how fast they are going, and then figure out how many laps everyone has to do," he said.

Trebon earns quite a decent living as a cyclocross racer. But it's only part time for Gillespie. He's a physical therapist in his day job and is mainly a mountain bike racer for Monavie Cannondale Cycling Team.

Gillespie's finish in the elite finals disappointed him. The three earlier days of racing had been almost balmy by cyclocross standards, up in the 40's. On Sunday, the temperature dropped about 20 degrees, down into the teens. Gillespie's back acts up painfully in the cold. "I just ran out of steam in the last half hour, but that's racing," he adds. He finished in 25th place out of the 74 elites who completed the race. Over 60 men did not finish. On the women side, 73 elite finished with 25 who did not.

The biggest surprise in the elite field was James Driscoll, who took second place. The 23 year-old had the race of his life. Gillespie said, "No one would have ever picked him to be in the top three."

Though cyclocross is almost ignored by media in this country, it's the equivalent of NASCAR in Europe. Top racers easily earn more than a quarter million dollars worth of Euros a year. Weekly races are watched by more than 20,000 fans and racers are paid start money just to show up.

Cyclocross Nationals Go Off originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonWed, 17 Dec 2008 13:34:00 EST Recreational Drug Dooms Riderhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/15/recreational-drug-dooms-rider/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/15/recreational-drug-dooms-rider/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/15/recreational-drug-dooms-rider/#commentsFiled under:

Tom Boonen's name is familiar to any cycling fan. But the rider from Belgium is now in a world of drug trouble, and not because of steroids.

Boonen, who always has passed every test for performance enhancing drugs, came up positive for cocaine in an out-of-competition test performed last spring. Though cocaine is considered a recreational drug, any drug taint at all these days will doom an athlete, but most especially a cyclist. The 28-year-old rider may even be facing jail time.

Boonen is a former world champion, winner of the Tour of Flanders and other stage races. He will be told on January 6 whether he will be charged and tried over the drug test, and if so, faces between several months and five years in jail, plus a fine of thousands of Euros. His coke escapade comes at a particularly unfortunate time. Officials all over Europe are looking to make an example of anyone in the sport of cycling, because it's been so tainted by drug use. Ambitious prosecutors could be looking at the Boonen case as a career maker. Boonen's own lawyer claims he is not being treated fairly, and that if he were any other citizen of Belgium, the issue would have never even been a court case.Meanwhile, Boonen's career has tanked. Organizers of the Tour de France banned him from riding in the Tour, and Boonen's team, Quick Step, was forced to replace him. No other team will sign him because of his drug problems; it doesn't matter how good he is.

He tried to gloss it over by admitting that he used cocaine and issuing a heartfelt apology, but cycling officials and fans have not been forgiving, and there are at least two reasons behind the rejection. Boonen is alleged to have also been using the drug ecstasy; plus hair samples tested by prosecutors showed that his cocaine use was not a one-time thing, but that he had been a heavy user over a period of months.

Recreational Drug Dooms Rider originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonMon, 15 Dec 2008 11:12:00 EST Champion Cyclist Injured While Playing His Wii http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/12/champion-cyclist-injured-while-playing-his-wii/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/12/champion-cyclist-injured-while-playing-his-wii/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/12/champion-cyclist-injured-while-playing-his-wii/#commentsFiled under:

Mark Cavendish has set a lot of British records. He won four stages of the Tour de France this year, the best ever results by a British cyclist. He's won gold medals at numerous European races, including the World championship Madison, the Commonwealth Games Scratch Race, and won two stages of the Giro d'Italia this year.


But put him on a Wii platform to play a snowboard game, and he becomes a danger to himself -- and any furniture that happens to be nearby.

Cavendish was playing the snowboard game (no reports on whether it was Shaun White's new game), when he got a little too into it. While rocking with his feet and thumbs, he sliped off the platform substituting for a snowboard, fell and injured his calf muscle.

Now that takes some doing! The injury hurt a cyclists most important muscle (though in any kind of bike riding, all the muscles are important). But for road racers, the calf is used hard in every pedal stroke, both pressing down and pulling up.

Cavendish was supposed to go out and train on his bike after the game; but the calf injury meant he couldn't ride. This is not a good thing, because even in cycling's off season, riders on his level can't allow one smidgen of their fitness to evaporate by slacking on their training. He rides for Team Columbia, and the team has scheduled a training camp in Majorca for later this month. Cavendish, fairly new to the elite peleton and Columbia's top sprinter, will be expected to attend.

"It's a bother," he said, downplaying the injury. But he expects to get the best sports medicine care and be back in the saddle by Christmas. However, for the rest of his life, Cavendish will be known as the guy who got hurt playing Wii.

Champion Cyclist Injured While Playing His Wii originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonFri, 12 Dec 2008 13:55:00 EST Armstrong Will Race in Tourhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/06/armstrong-will-race-in-tour/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/06/armstrong-will-race-in-tour/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/06/armstrong-will-race-in-tour/#commentsFiled under:

Lance ArmstrongIs it a big deal or is it not? Lance Armstrong, perhaps the most drug-tested athlete in the history of road racing, has come out of retirement, is training with his new team, Astana, and announced he will race in the 2009 Tour de France. European newspapers are headlining the story. Tour officials are saying it's no big thing. Armstrong has won the Tour a record-setting seven times.

But there's already controversy. The French are outrageously emotional, even hostile about this race, so much so that Armstrong recently expressed fears for his safety and concerns about spectator violence. It's an open course all the way, with no barricades separating fans from racers. In 1975, cyclist Eddie Merckx was on his way to a sixth Tour win when a French spectator sucker punched him in the stomach.The Astana team itself is controversial. Two years ago, the entire team was withdrawn from the Tour after one of its riders won the time trial and then tested positive for drugs. Astana was banned from the 2008 race by ASO Sports, which owns the Tour de France. Tour officials claimed the ban was because of Astana's problems the previous year, but insiders knew the ban was part of the political war between ASO honchos and Astana team manager Johan Brunyeel, who is Armstrong's mentor and friend.

Resentment is already rearing its head. As recently as October, the new president of ASO said that Lance Armstrong had "embarrassed" the Tour de France, causing Lance to blast back. But before it could go any further, ASO realized it needs help. International interest in road racing has dropped because of drug scandals, sponsors have withdrawn their support, and the race isn't big news anymore. ASO knows Lance could save their collective butts. The guy who made the "embarrassed" comment has been backpedaling so fast, he could have scaled the French Alps by now.

Lance's first big race will be the Tour Down Under, an Australian stage race January 20-25. Armstrong is 37 years old. He recovered from metastized testicular cancer after being given only a 40 percent chance of survival. Road racing experts are saying that if he wins an eighth Tour de France, it will erase and redefine the limits of human performance.

Everyone is hoping Lance does just that.

Armstrong Will Race in Tour originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonSat, 06 Dec 2008 19:23:00 EST Aitken Riding to Recoveryhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/aitken-riding-to-recovery/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/aitken-riding-to-recovery/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/aitken-riding-to-recovery/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mike AitkenStar BMX rider Mike Aitken, seriously injured in a crash at the beginning of October, got on a bike last week and rode around a parking lot, doing a wheelie over a speed bump.

This is the guy who was in a coma in October, who was on a ventilator, couldn't talk and didn't have movement on the right side of his body. This is the dirt rider who is now amazing his doctors and physical therapists with how far he has come since his accident. He's walking on his own, eating solid food, talking and using his previously paralyzed right arm. In the middle of November, he even went to a Utah Jazz game in Salt Lake with his wife, with no problem getting to his seat or following the action.

That isn't to say that Aitken is back to his old self, but to have recovered this much in two months is a good sign that the old Mikey isn't that far away.

Like most of those with brain injuries, he has no memory of his crash. But when he watched a video of the 360 that ended in disaster, he analyzed the cause. His head (he wasn't wearing a helmet) slammed into the ground because, he said, he over-rotated with his weight shifted a little too far to the right. His sister Carrie, who updates his blog daily at mikeaitken.com, wrote, "Details so small have had such a large impact on his life, and all that love him."
Because BMX dirt riders are considered too risky to insure, Aitken had no insurance, so friends, fans and BMXers are donating money and auction items to help with his enormous medical bills. To help out, go to 5050bmx.com.

Meanwhile, while he's not using all his time to compete on the circuit, Aitken is making one of his long held dreams come true. According to Carrie, he's wanted to start a clothing company for years (isn't that what all stars do?).

Soon his many fans will be able to buy the clothing line's first item: hats. The name of the company is "Vigilantia," which is part of the Aitken family history. First, this is a very old family; a Scottish clan actually, with a heraldic crest and a motto of its own.

The motto on it, "Robore et Vigilantia," means "With Strength and Vigilance," which certainly describes how Aitken is dealing with his situation. But there's no way a hip clothing company could have an ancient heraldic crest for a logo, or the Latin family motto, so the name of Mikey's clothing company takes just part of the saying: "Vigilantia."

Both his mental and physical power continue to improve daily, but it takes constant work and concentration. But don't ever count this guy out. Even his advice to others shows his driving force. On his blog, Aitken says, ""Thank you to everyone who has been here for me through this. It's a (expletive) situation to be in, but I'm in it, and I just want to say thanks. Remember that anything could happen to you at anytime, live fast and ride harder."

Aitken Riding to Recovery originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonWed, 03 Dec 2008 15:58:00 EST Mountain Bikers Get Sick From Dirty Mudhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/mountain-bikers-get-sick-from-dirty-mud/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/mountain-bikers-get-sick-from-dirty-mud/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/mountain-bikers-get-sick-from-dirty-mud/#commentsFiled under:

Before you take that expensive biking trip to the UK you may want to ask, "How clean is that mud?"

Turns out not all mud is created equal. Last July, 161 mountain bikers fell ill after racing in the Builth Wells Mountain Biking Marathon. The culprit? Sheep droppings (apparently).

Riders reported vomiting and diarrhea after ingesting the mud (hopefully by mistake), which was filled with the bacterium campylobacter courtesy of some sheep.

All this and more can be read in a nifty report named "The investigation of an outbreak of diarrhea illness in participants of the Builth Wells Mountain Bike Marathon: Final Report" that was published Monday by the National Public Health Service for Wales.

There were two suggestions made by the authors of the report: One, for riders to eat food from wrappers (as opposed to food sprayed with mud, I suppose). Two, it was recommended that race routes avoid areas that may be filled with sheep feces. Novel idea.

Mountain Bikers Get Sick From Dirty Mud originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregWed, 03 Dec 2008 14:02:00 EST Star Riders at BMX Nationalshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/star-riders-at-bmx-nationals/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/star-riders-at-bmx-nationals/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/star-riders-at-bmx-nationals/#commentsFiled under: ,

The two-wheeled world rode into Tulsa, Okla., over Thanksgiving weekend for the ABA BMX Grand Nationals -- the annual testing of champions. It was the largest field ever for the yearly race with over 3,400 riders competing in motos.

The pro field was so tough that Olympic silver medalist Mike Day, in his first race since Beijing, could only manage fifth place in Men's Pro and second in the AA Pro Grands. Britain's Shanaze Reade, looking to redeem herself after crashing out in the Olympics, took first place in Girl's Pro (BMX's governing body, the ABA, still refers to all women as "girls."). Josh Meyers won Men's A Pro, while Kenth Fallen took Men's Vet Pro. The National Age Group titles were won by Nic Long for men and Taylor Wolcott for women.

Three Olympians besides Reade and Day raced: Redline Bike-sponsored riders Damien Godet, Maneul DeVecchi, and Robert DeWilde.

The motos were a stunning field with action that left the crowds in the stands hoarse from screaming. The indoor dirt track was traumatic with wild jumps and frightening berms. In fact, one of the berms took out the year's rookie pro before he ever got a chance to race. During a heated practice moto, Denzel Stein was heading for a one of the radical berm jumps, but pulled back at the last minute. Unfortunately, he couldn't change his bike's line in time and went over the back of the berm, dropping down 10 vertical feet. As usual in BMX falls, Stein landed on his hands, slightly fracturing one wrist and spraining the other.

Shanaze Reade, one of the world's most compelling riders (she's outspoken, rides like a guy and is one of the few minorities in the sport), wore her rainbow striped international top ranking UCI jersey in Friday's Race of Champions (ROC), going up against the best American women, including the new sensation from Arizona, rookie rider Dominique Daniels. Despite a full moto (eight riders) the two were the only ones on the track. It's a tribute to Daniels that she was able to hang with Reade, or at least to her back tire, all the way to the finish in the ROC.

The Golden Cranks, the academy awards of BMX, went to Mike Day for pro rider of the year, Denzel Stein for the rookie pro title, Intense Bikes as bike of the year, and Intense/Phantom/Ontrac was awarded team of the year. Olympic bronze medalist Jill Kintner, unable to ride after knee surgery, was presented with a check for $5,000 for finish in Beijing. Day and Donny Robinson (bronze) had been given their checks earlier.

You will eventually get detailed moto results at the ABA Web site. Just don't expect them to make sense because the entire race format of the ABA is totally confusing. There are 26 "Nationals" throughout the season, then the "Grand Nationals" which have been held in Tulsa for the last decade and will continue through at least 2014. Then, at the Grands, there are a bewildering number of categories, and as of this writing, the results for the mains still aren't posted on ABA's non-user friendly site.

But if you want to get just the top rider results, go to FatBMX and click on "BMX Racing".

Tulsa is still overwhelmed by the weekend's events. The BMXers spent over $7.2 million while they were in town, and funky old Tulsa got a lot of positive publicity. But it wasn't a new thing for US Olympians Day and Robinson. They have come to Tulsa for the Grands for the past 10 years.

Star Riders at BMX Nationals originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonWed, 03 Dec 2008 13:03:00 EST Track Ready for BMX Nationalshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/track-ready-for-bmx-nationals/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/track-ready-for-bmx-nationals/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/track-ready-for-bmx-nationals/#commentsFiled under:

It took 54 loads of dirt in dump trucks to build the track for the ABA's BMX Grands -- which is the U. S. National Championships that features an international field of BMX riders . They've built a serious track, with raging jumps that already have people deciding to watch from the sidelines or predicting that they will be "moto'ed out" long before getting to the main. There's even a berm jump. Ambulances will certainly be standing by.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been turned into BMX world for the four day event in Expo Square.
BMX star Arielle Martin is racing to land the title of top U. S. women's pro, but she will have major competition. Britain's Shanaze Reade, in her first race since she crashed hard in the Olympics in August, is riding, and so are other pros who competed when BMX debuted in the 2008 Games; Damien Godet, Manuel DeVecchi, and Robert de Wilde. It will be the final race for star rider Kim Hayashi, who will retire after the Grands, so the women's pro field will be harsh and exciting, especially the hot battle between Reade, who crashed out and Martin, whose crash before the Games knocked her out of even going. Jill Kintner, who won the bronze medal in Beijing, will get a special recognition award Friday evening, but she will not race in the Grands.

Thousands of riders have been in Tulsa, all week, watching the track take shape. Every hotel room is full. Riders are sleeping on floors, one hand over their bikes.

While there are a few preliminary races, mostly to test the track, the official start is Saturday. Motos will be posted at 6:30 a.m., and any rider placed in the wrong moto will have only until 7:30 a.m. to correct it. Racing starts at 9:00 with the pro classes. On Sunday the motos will have been winnowed down and the final riders will race the "main" for age class and overall titles. Some amazing schwag has been gathered to give out, including full ready to ride bikes in both BMX and cruiser classes.

With BMX now in the Olympics, the Grands has taken on much more importance. Sponsors will be looking for upcoming talent, so will coaches and national team officials. Even the tiny mini-riders, barely past toddler age, realize that BMX is big news now. The 2008 ABA Grands has more riders than the annual race ever did before. But it's only the same number of riders who will be crowned national champions at the end.

Track Ready for BMX Nationals originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonSat, 29 Nov 2008 22:40:00 EST Unchain Your Bikehttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/21/unchain-your-bike/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/21/unchain-your-bike/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/21/unchain-your-bike/#commentsFiled under:


Trek Bicycles has come out with the next big thing in bikes. The company that designs winning cycles for Lance Armstrong is now making bike chains obsolete. Trek's new invention is a carbon fiber belt which replaces the standard, and troublesome, chain.

A bike chain has hundreds of moving parts; all those links with a connector at each end, which means hundreds of things can go wrong. The chain can stretch and sag. It can get caught on a gear and refuse to move over. It can snap. It needs constant cleaning and oiling and it gets your hands dirty when you have put it back on the gear sprockets, which is always annoying whenever it happens.

Trek's new belt is one long piece of flexible carbon fiber with little bumps on the inside that catch the gear sprockets. It offers a smoother and quieter ride, without that little jangle and click when you change gears. But the best part is that the belt is fine on its own, it doesn't need the maintenance of a chain. In fact, it doesn't need maintenance at all. That's good news for people who ride in mud or snow, because there are no little chain holes that crud up with stuff and build big balls of snow or mud that force you to stop riding and pick your chain clean.

Trek will bring out two new belt-driven models just in time for Christmas, which is one of the biggest bike-buying times of the year. Both bikes will cost just under a thousand bucks, which is not an entry level bike price, but for the money, you get bragging rights about having the newest thing on two wheels.

One model is the "District," a single speed with luxury touches like a leather seat and grips. It will retail for about $930. The other model is the "Soho," with eight speeds. It changes gears with a hub inside the gear system, rather than by using a derailler. Since deraillers can be picky and tricky, getting rid of them with a belt drive system is an added bonus.

Trek's two new belt drive bikes are mostly for commuters or casual riders; mountain bikers and cyclocross racers will have to wait for their own models in the future. Whether the innovative company will build a chainless model for Lance to use if he comes back to the Tour de France next summer remains to be seen.

Unchain Your Bike originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonFri, 21 Nov 2008 10:20:00 EST Dave Mirra, Travis Pastrana Win Rally Honorshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/mirra-pastrana-win-rally-honors/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/mirra-pastrana-win-rally-honors/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/mirra-pastrana-win-rally-honors/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dave MirraIn the last few years, it seems more and more familiar faces from other action sports keep showing up in rally car racing. A few years back, freestyle motocross riders Travis Pastrana and Kenny Bartram made the transition, with success. In fact, Pastrana has conquered the sport with the same intensity that made him a FMX superstar.

Pastrana won his third straight Rally America Championship this season, edging teammate Ken Block (founder of DC Shoes) and cementing his place among the best of the sport.

Joining Pastrana and Block on the Rally America Championship series this season was BMX rider Dave Mirra, who juggled his rally racing with BMX contests. Still, Mirra performed better than any other rookie driver this season and was honored as "Rookie of the Year" as a result.

The first of the 2009 season's nine stops will kick off on January 30 with the SnoDrift Rally. Visit the Rally America site for more.

Dave Mirra, Travis Pastrana Win Rally Honors originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregThu, 20 Nov 2008 13:22:00 EST Keep Your Biking Legs in Winterhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/keep-your-bikings-legs-in-winter/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/keep-your-bikings-legs-in-winter/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/20/keep-your-bikings-legs-in-winter/#commentsFiled under:

Kevin RobinsonIt's the season when bikes begin to gather dust. Even serious bike commuters hesitate when it starts to get freezing outside. But for those who compete, either in local bike races or elite contests like the Dew Tour, there's no room for slacking. Stay in shape or end up in the back of the pack.

One of the best BMX riders in the world knows this. Kevin Robinson is a well-known Dew Tour champ, which is surprising considering the fact that A: he's 36 years old, and BMX is a young guy's game, and B: he's big; 200 pounds of solid muscle with about eight percent body fat, and he flips his bike around in the air like it's easy. Obviously, Robinson knows how to work out to keep his body in elite shape. "I work out year round, and lift weights five days a week in the off season," he says.

Most riders know the traditional leg exercises: squats, lunges, adductor and abductor work. But Robinson says that the upper body must be worked as well. He spends two days on chest, shoulder and traps. You can adapt his routine for your own body to make sure you're first through the finish at every one of next year's races.He starts each hour-long workout with a warm up consisting of 25 reps of the exercises he intends to do that day, using very light weight, sometimes less than 10 pounds. "That gets the muscles full of blood," he explains.

For chest, Robinson starts with straight bar inclines. He sits on an inclined bench, with his upper body leaning back, and lifts a standard bar, which weighs 45 pounds. Those who want to do more or less weight can use dumbbells. He does five sets of 8-10 reps, but advises those using dumbbells to do only four sets. He follows that with three sets of lifting the bar on a decline bench, with his upper body lower than his hips, then does to sets of weighted dips to failure - meaning he can't do any more. Weighted dips are where a weight plate is hung from a weight belt by a chain; ordinary dips will work fine for most athletes. He finishes with three sets of cable crossovers.

On shoulder and trap day, Robinson starts with eight to ten reps of seated military presses on the smith machine - nearly all gyms have this machine, which forces the user to lift the bar in a straight up-and-down range of motion. For military presses, sit so the bar is in back of your head, resting on your shoulders, then lift it overhead until your arms are extended.

Robinson follows his military presses with three sets of dumbbell raises, both to the side and to the front. Then he works his backwards range of motion by sitting at a pec deck machine facing the padded back, pushing the handles so they are in front of him, then resisting the weight as he brings his arms as far back as his torso. This is a very advanced exercise, so start out using the lightest weight possible if you do it.

Because BMX requires quick upper body reactions, and the trapezius is one of the largest muscles used, Robinson does a specific superset exercise to improve the speed and coordination of his traps with the rest of his body. He props up two weight plates at the foot of a bench, sits on the bench and does eight to ten shrugs with dumbbells, puts down the dumbbells, leaps to his feet and then to the front of the bench, grabs the weight plates by the center hole, then does another set of shrugs.

His grueling workout keeps him at the top of his game. You can lighten it up for yourself, but the big thing to remember is to constantly keep at it. Robinson's personal mantra can be summed up in one word: perseverance. It works for him; it will work for you as well.

Keep Your Biking Legs in Winter originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonThu, 20 Nov 2008 13:15:00 EST X-mas Guide to BMX Shoppinghttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/18/x-mas-guide-to-bmx-shopping/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/18/x-mas-guide-to-bmx-shopping/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/18/x-mas-guide-to-bmx-shopping/#commentsFiled under:

BMX
It's that time of year when visions of shiny new bikes come to mind. On Christmas morning, many new wheels will be parked under decorated dead trees, waiting to surprise new owners. But Eddie Buckley, former pro BMX rider and co-owner of famed bike shop 5050 in Layton, Utah, says there's one huge mistake made by a lot of buyers. They don't buy the right size bike.

"Don't get a bike that's too big so your kid can grow in to it. It's better to have too small a bike than one that's too large. If it's too big, it will be hard to control and dangerous for them to ride," Buckley said.

A bike is near the right size if, when standing over it, the rider's feet can touch the ground without the top bar hitting the crotch; and the rider is not too stretched out when balancing on the bike. A bike shop tech can accurately size a bike for a rider, whether a child or an adult. If the wheels are to be a surprise, most techs can judge the right size from a description of the rider.

When shopping for a bike, Buckley advises starting out with a set budget in mind, so you don't give in to temptation and end up paying more than you intended. He also warns, "When buying a bike for a kid, analyze how serious the kid is going to ride, because there's some 11-year-olds who are totally passionate about it, and you want to get the right bike for them. In BMX, there are classes of bikes, cruiser or BMX (the 20-inch model) entry level, expert, pro and racing. For really young kids, there are the same classes in minis and micro minis as well."

He says that for a child who loves to ride, a freestyle BMX bike is the best model, "Because if a kid then decides to race or go to the local skate park, he can use that bike." Buckley adds that it's wise to get a quality bike from a bike shop, not a toy like the kind sold by some major retail stores. A brand from a bike shop will last, proving more economical in the long run.

As for cost, Buckley suggests spending between $200-300 for an entry level BMX, cruiser, mountain or road bike. For a good adult commuter bike, expect to spend about $300. For more info on various BMX and cruiser bikes, go to 5050.com.

He also advises avoiding the garage wall syndrome -- where the bike ends up leaning against the garage wall, waiting and waiting for dad to patch the flat tire. Kids, and moms, too, can easily patch a tube, it's not a hard job. All that's needed is an inexpensive patch kit and two tire levers to free the tire from the rim. Buckley says, "You can look up detailed instructions on your computer, or have a shop tech show you how to do it. By the time a kid is 11 or 12, they ought to be able to fix a flat tire themselves."

He has one final bit of advice for bike buyers: "Support your local bike shop."

X-mas Guide to BMX Shopping originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonTue, 18 Nov 2008 10:21:00 EST ESPN Doesn't Have Juice With Action Sports Athleteshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/15/espn-doesnt-have-juice-with-action-sports-athletes/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/15/espn-doesnt-have-juice-with-action-sports-athletes/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/15/espn-doesnt-have-juice-with-action-sports-athletes/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you know anything about ESPN, you probably know that it's based in the relatively isolated hamlet of Bristol, CT. For many sports buffs, this could be considered a utopia and, if your ESPN commercials are to be believed, you trip over athletes like Derek Jeter and LeBron James on a daily basis.

However, it looks like action sports athletes don't have much interest in visiting the capital of sports. In fact, when ESPN went calling to try and find skateboarders and BMX riders to help christen a new $500K skatepark opening in the town this weekend.

"We did make an effort to get some action sports athletes here, but were unable to do so," said ESPN spokesman Rob Tobias. "Their schedules are pretty tight."

No doubt if the skatepark was being opened in a place that wasn't hours from civilization, those tight schedules would open up (I suspect I have at least half-a-dozen pros in my cell phone who are doing nothing this weekend).

ESPN (home of something called the X Games) did try and make up for its inability to bring in anyone of note by donating some safety gear and skateboards that were used when Bristol hosted the X Trials (a prelim comp for the X Games)... back in 2001. I guess no X Games decks were left over from this year's thousands that were given away and sold at the event...

ESPN Doesn't Have Juice With Action Sports Athletes originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregSat, 15 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST Teva Mountain Games Changes Handshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/13/teva-mountain-games-changes-hands/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/13/teva-mountain-games-changes-hands/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/13/teva-mountain-games-changes-hands/#commentsFiled under: ,

Every summer, thousands of adventure sports fans descend upon Vail to watch hundreds of athletes participate in the Teva Mountain Games -- a multi-day event covering everything from Climbing and Mountain Biking to Fly Fishing and Kayaking.

A staple in the area since 2002, the Mountain Games have now been acquired from Untraditional Marketing by the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation. The VVF puts on a variety of events in the Vail Valley, including the American Ski Classic and the Birds of Prey World Cup Race.

When the Games launched in 2002, 252 athletes took part with barely more than that in terms of spectators. Now it's grown to drawing 35,000 spectators and athletes to last summer's event.

More than $100,000 in prize money is awarded each event, which includes seven sports and 21 disciplines. In addition to the competitions, the Games also incorporate nightlife and art in the event.

"I have huge expectations for what the foundation will deliver for the Mountain Games, and I truly believe this move will enhance the event's future," Untraditional Marketing President/CEO Joel Heath said of the deal.

The 2009 edition of the Teva Mountain Games will take place as scheduled from June 4-7. For more about the games, visit the official site.

Teva Mountain Games Changes Hands originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregThu, 13 Nov 2008 08:08:00 EST Cyclocross Regionals in Full Swinghttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/cyclocross-regionals-in-full-swing/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/cyclocross-regionals-in-full-swing/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/cyclocross-regionals-in-full-swing/#commentsFiled under:

It's a muddy hard slog, and that's the way cyclocross riders like it. Cyclocross bike racing starts in fall, when it's cold and wet. Courses are set with gnarly obstacles that require racers to frequently jump off their bikes and carry them. Many riders even have their own pit crew ready with a spare bike, because gears and chains can get so gunked up with mud that the bike wheels stop. Riders will drop off one bike to be washed and take off on the spare.

Right now regional contests are sorting out the season's best riders. One of them, Sarah Lukas of Wisconsin, competes in everything from dual slalom to cross country, but she has an extremely interesting blog about her cyclocross efforts.

So why is this cold and uncomfortable sport getting so huge? One reason is because it tests so many skills. Racers must be able to ride like mountain bikers, lift like body builders, judge the best spot to get over an obstacle, and test their endurance in a survival mode of bad weather and worse terrain. Compared to a typical cyclocross course, the clean roads of the Tour de France are easy.

Cyclocross has become so popular that there are even cyclocross bikes; which are a cross between a mountain and a road bike, with wider tire clearance to allow for course mud buildup, and a more upright riding position. In international races, disc brakes are not allowed.

The sport doesn't get much p.r., so most people are still unaware of how popular it is. But the national championships are in Kansas City, December 11-14, and maybe some cable network will decide to show it. When the audience sees all those mud-spattered, goose-bumped athletes with big grins, maybe cyclocross will at last get the attention it deserves.

Cyclocross Regionals in Full Swing originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonWed, 12 Nov 2008 18:39:00 EST Gearing Up for the BMX Grand Nationalshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/gearing-up-for-the-bmx-grand-nationals/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/gearing-up-for-the-bmx-grand-nationals/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/12/gearing-up-for-the-bmx-grand-nationals/#commentsFiled under:

If your BMX buddies are all out of town over Thanksgiving, it's because they're stuffing themselves on dirt instead of turkey. The American Bicycle Association BMX Grand Nationals are in Tulsa, Oklahoma over the holiday weekend, November 27-30.

The Nationals are a madhouse of rabid riders, where hotels have to actually put up a warning to competitors not to do wall hits in the halls. It's bike heaven, where BMX'ers will take over the town of Tulsa as welcome guests spending welcome money.

Those who have never been to the Grands will be stunned. This isn't like your local little track where you get a race trophy even if there's only three riders in your moto. No paved corners, either. The comp will be on pure packed dirt, and there's no need to worry about the weather; it's inside an arena, Tulsa's Expo Square. Stands will be packed with fans and families.

But experienced racers offer an important warning: never, never leave your bike unguarded, not for a moment. Don't leave it in the back of a pickup, don't even leave it locked up in the back of a van. Bike thefts are so common at the Grands that there's a story about a pro rider who left his bike by the door of his team trailer while he nipped inside for just ten seconds to get his gloves. When he came out, his bike was gone. Bring a cable and a lock and use it. Better yet, bring two of them; a double locking system may deter a thief. If you're bringing kids, warn them not to take their hands off their bikes, even with a lock.

Don't arrive at the Grands expecting to find a room. Everything is getting booked up fast, so have advance reservations. Give yourself at least one extra day if Tulsa is in a different time zone, and drink enormous amounts of water on your way there. Keep hydrated; travel, especially air travel, is very dehydrating and lack of moisture causes your muscles to move slower -- not a good thing in a race.

For great information on hotels, the location of Expo Square, the schedule of events and everything else you need to know about the BMX Grand Nationals, visit the ABA Website.

And if you or family members are racing, good luck!

Gearing Up for the BMX Grand Nationals originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonWed, 12 Nov 2008 18:03:00 EST BMX Star Making Amazing Progresshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/10/bmx-star-making-amazing-progress/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/10/bmx-star-making-amazing-progress/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/10/bmx-star-making-amazing-progress/#commentsFiled under:

Mike AitkenThere's an old saying, "Nothing is impossible." BMX star Mike Aitken is proving that to be true.

Aitken crashed hard over a month ago, when he over-rotated a 360 and came down on his head. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and the impact slammed his brain and broke bones in his face. He was in a coma and non-responsive. Tests showed bleeding in his brain and damage to his brain stem. No one knew what the outcome would be. Some people in that condition remain so brain damaged that they are never truly alive again.

Aitken's sister, Carrie Patterson, began tirelessly updating Mikey's blog on a daily basis. Through it, his legions of fans all over the world learned of Aitken's efforts to move his right arm, his struggles to speak, remember things and recognize friends. Patterson detailed the ambulance flight back home to Salt Lake, where Mikey was placed in a trauma one hospital. Daily, she read him all the hundreds of "get well" emails and letters.

His progress amazed his doctors and physical therapists. In fact, what Mikey has managed to do with his own determination has made medical history. He is walking. His feeding tube has now been removed and he can swallow on his own. He can lift his right arm above his head.On November 9, Patterson wrote: "He is now hopping a little on one leg! Mike's speech is improving bit by bit as well. He still struggles to find words as he's speaking, but each day his voice becomes a little louder and he is more and more able to hold a conversation."

And if you get teary-eyed easily, reach for a tissue. Mikey was able to leave the hospital for three hours over the weekend to attend his oldest brother's birthday party. Before his accident, the star rider had been talking about buying a pug puppy to keep his bulldog company. When he walked (yes, walked) into his brother's house, he was presented with a 10-week-old pug pup. He happily watched his son, Owen, giggle as the little boy played with the new addition to the family. Then he went outside to sit on his new snowmobile, purchased shortly before the accident. He started it up. One can only imagine what went through the minds of Mikey and the entire Aitken family as they realized that he would actually be able to drive that snowmobile himself, and spend his life as a functional person, not as someone severely brain damaged and needing constant care.

And total props to Utah's youthful governor, Jon Huntsman. Patterson writes on the blog, "Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, apparently a bit of a BMX fan, took some time out of his busy schedule yesterday to stop by and sit down with Mike. The governor offered his well wishes and the two discussed the love of two wheels. Mike and the Aitken family were very humbled by the visit; the governor is a very genuine and kind man."

She closes the day's good news by once again thanking the entire BMX community, which has donated several hundred thousand dollars to pay a small part of Mikey's medical bills, for their love and prayers. When you think of the contributions flowing in from all over the world, the overwhelming efforts of this young rider to recover from a devastating injury, and the unstinting love of a close knit family, there's only one thought that comes to mind: this story could be one of the most inspirational films ever made.

Help Mike Aitken by donating at 5050BMX.com.

BMX Star Making Amazing Progress originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonMon, 10 Nov 2008 12:35:00 EST