It’s been nearly three weeks since Sea Otter - a seemingly short period of time, yet a lot has transpired since then. I raced the Lake Sonoma Grasshopper (a super fun, wet, and wild MTB race), rode Ted and Laura King’s finale Mill District Velo group ride (fueled by chef Matt Accarrino’s donuts), and got lost during Levi's Gran Fondo with Amity Rockwell (a blessing in disguise, as we ended up having a fantastic day). Looking ahead to May, and beyond, the race schedule is shifting to more long-form endurance gravel events: Belgian Waffle Ride, Gravel Locos, Rule of Three, and the culminating race: Unbound Gravel the first week of June. It’s the beginning of life on the road, and I couldn’t be more excited to kick things off tomorrow with BWR San Diego!
Win Tunnel Testing
After Sea Otter, I had the opportunity to spend a day in the Win Tunnel down at the Specialized Headquarters in Morgan Hill, CA. Aerodynamics is admittedly something that has largely been overlooked in gravel cycling. Apart from the much-contested aero-bar controversy, it seems as though aerodynamic considerations are mostly left to the tarmac - where speeds are much higher. Yet even though speeds in gravel are lower, extrapolating small aerodynamic savings over the course of a gravel race - which can range anywhere from 4 -14 hours - can make a huge difference. As we look forward to the largest (and longest) race of the season - Unbound Gravel - who wouldn’t want to save a few watts?
I’m admittedly someone who has not paid a lot of attention to small details such as aerodynamics when it comes to my bike setup for a race. With a natural tendency to overthink things, it felt daunting to open up a can of worms such as aerodynamics. Yet my experience in the win tunnel was anything but overwhelming. At first, I didn’t know what I wanted to test - but after getting the ball rolling, I was overcome with a childlike curiosity about the different factors that could have an impact on aerodynamics.
Positioning, without a doubt, is perhaps the biggest consideration. We kicked off the session by testing different aero positions on my bars, in an effort to find a position that is both fast and sustainable over the course of many hours on the bike. I also decided to test various number plate positions, different hydration packs, different handlebars, multiple wheelsets, and different kit options. I was surprised by the wattage savings that can be attributed to such seemingly small things - it was an eye-opening experience, and I can’t wait to share more about the tweaks that I’ll be making to my Crux setup for Unbound.
PS: I was not the only Specialized gravel rider in the Win Tunnel after Sea Otter. Ian Boswell also spent some time with the team, testing his gravel setup for Unbound. Check out this Breakfast with Boz episode to hear about his experience!
Professionally Interested
Meg Fisher - Paralympic Cyclist
After Sea Otter, I had the chance to meet up with Meg Fisher. Meg is an 11-time world champion cyclist and triathlete and two-time Paralympian with Team USA. She earned gold and silver medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as well as silver and bronze medals in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Meg is pioneering the creation of para-cycling categories in mountain bike and gravel events, which currently exist for road and track cycling. She believes the bike can be a tool for anyone, especially para-athletes, to explore and redefine their abilities. When she’s not training, racing, or advocating, Meg works as a Doctor of Physical Therapy at her clinic and coaches clients across the country. I wanted to catch up with Meg to talk about her experience at Sea Otter. Although this particular race has come and gone, continuing the discussion of inclusivity at events like this is forever relevant.
Mo: What scares you?
Meg: It’s scary to ask people for anything. We (I) want to be really self-sufficient, and also quiet and not disruptive. I’m starting my twentieth year with my impairment. Sports have been hugely empowering for me. Scary things this year have been asking people for things - saying “Hey, recognize this. You’ve got categories for age groups and trans/non-binary. What about recognizing a class of humans that are already recognized in many other sports?” It’s incredible how hard this has been.
Mo: At Sea Otter, you participated in a discussion around diversity and inclusivity in the cycling industry. What were some main takeaways from this? Outride posted about the discussion yesterday stating “They gave us all a call to action: Be aware of the people you aren’t seeing. We want to extend this invitation to all of you: Be an accomplice in this work. Make (and keep) space for folks across this community”. What does this mean to you, and how can racers like me do a better job with this mission?
Meg: I recognize that resources are always tight, predominantly resources of the race organizers - time and money, as well as manpower. But I think it’s really important that we do look around and say “who’s missing? Is there anyone of color here? Are there any para-cyclists?” I recognize that it will take time for things to change because oftentimes people of color have fewer resources and opportunities to gain the skills, equipment, etc. to get into the sport. With physical impairments, there are also many obstacles, a big one being healthcare. Recognizing what resources are there, and how they can be spread most equitably, is an extremely challenging exercise. But the starting point is that we need to view these athletes as legitimate. That begins with having extremely stubborn people like me in the sport. But it also takes people like you, shouting us out. Tag your trans/non-binary friends on social media and recognize when a race includes a category for them. Or when a race does not have a category, it would be awesome to see more people calling that out.
Follow along with Meg’s adventures @Megfisher & her website » GoMegFisher.com
Food Corner: On the Road Eats
I made a pit stop on way down to San Diego and spent yesterday in LA with culinary extraordinaire Biju Thomas and Allen Lim. Last night we hit Raffi's Place for dinner with a group of friends - my first time experiencing authentic Armenian food. We started off with some appetizers consisting of various eggplant dips, yogurt sauces, hummus, and flatbread, followed by multiple lamb and chicken dishes with grilled vegetables and lots and lots of rice. All shared family-style, of course :) It was the perfect meal to start fueling for the big weekend of racing ahead.
I wish I had known about Mo when she was writing these but I am happy to read them now. I am very inspired by Mo and will never forget her. She will continue to impact others through her legacy. She inspires me to go after my goals and never give up. I am thinking about her family this week.