While exercising try a heart rate monitor. I use one often whether its on the bike or running. There are different types of monitors/computers as they can be a wrist-watch or computer that attaches to your equipment, with many different features as they grow in price.

A simple heart rate monitor is cool to take ones exercise to the next level. Check out the heart rate monitors on sale at some of our affiliates.

Here is one that I like and found at a good price:

Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor


Don’t forget Backcountry.com gives free shipping on all orders over $50!

-DSheek
Remember when your left arm goes numb your pushing too hard, get a monitor!

I recently decided to take the plunge with the big boys and start racing expert in my local series. It has been interesting as the group I usually ride with will do two laps while the experts/semi-pros/pros all race three laps. So, needless to say my body was shocked and my first expert race, Rim Nordic #1, was a complete disaster. I cramped in my second lap and I could barely make it through the third, after stopping three times to adjust my shoes, dry heave, lay on the ground convulsing and stretching. I moved from third to last, but I finished because it drives me nuts to give up.

Now in my second attempt I decided I would document the event just in case my body decided to blow up like it did the first time. So, with almost the same course, elevation, and heat I was ready for round #2. It started Saturday night with a late drive and arrival to Rim Nordic, in beautiful Running Springs, CA, only after sitting through two accidents on the 91 freeway (I am sure it surprises no one). I went for a quick tour of the course with another racer/friend John Hunter of Team Hamm.

With our late start it sent us riding off the course prematurely in the dark and lost from the trail markers. SMART CHOICE! We rode back to our cars to change and set up camp. It was great, we ate bad pasta, watched 24 hour solo (on my mac), and drank a couple beers in the parking lot. Oh yes, I forgot to mention they made us camp in the parking lot at Snow Valley so I decided to sleep in my Subaru rather than set up my tent and tear it up on the gravely cement. Smart Choice 2!

After a rough nights sleep from constant cars driving by, families stopping to take pictures with the Snow Valley sign at 3am (what the hell), and not being able to really stretch out in my car, I felt pretty darn good. It took a little while to wake up but John and I managed with a little dinner dinning in Running Springs with Flow as our server.

With runny poached eggs in my belly, peanut butter crackers, a forty of Dean’s Driver Juice (Past post: The Best Driver), and an hour or so of stretching on my camp mat in the parking lot I was ready to go. Loaded up the water girl (Thanks again Daisy “The Freedom Writer” Farias), my jersey with my gels, bonk breaker bar, and the Turner (Turner Nitrous best bike I have ever owned) to start warming up.

At 11:34am we were off and this time I set a pace. It was looking good until I had a little mechanical problem in the first set of hills, where my derailler and chain seemed twisted with my cassette, but it was nothing I couldn’t fix as I got off the bike to put it all back in place only loosing about a minute. Calling this a breather I headed back out and continued with my overall goal beat my last race time.

Before long I was on third lap and having my smoothest lap of the race. I caught a few riders and passed them in this lap but I knew there were others I could catch. Pushing it harder I finally caught the third place rider, stayed back, waiting for my time to attack, but when my time came my body stopped. I cramped again. I went from feeling fine to having throbbing legs that quivered with each stroke. I had to back off and just pedal without having my legs lock up. In this painful last mile I was passed again and saw the third and fourth place racers cruise by on my quest to grab fifth.

So now it is back to the drawing board on how to get faster, ride longer, and stop cramping…

Enjoy the picks:

-Sergeant Sheek
Watchout For the ARMY!

The new Oakley Radar is RAD! I never thought that I would be saying I love wearing large funky shaped glasses such as these but for sport specific activities they are amazing. I have been riding my Radar’s about two months now and continue to be amazed. The hydrophobic lenses really help with shedding water and sweat which are key for me when riding. There is nothing worse then glasses that fog, spot, and collect moisture which then turns into mud from dust and dirt on trails.

Hydrophobic™
Oakley Hydrophobic™ is a permanent lens coating that prevents water from leaving streaks and sheens, which can compromise vision. Whether it’s rain, sweat or splashing runoff, H2O can’t get a foothold. And that’s just half the story.

They pretty much make me faster!

-Sergeant Sheek

What a day. We did two long loops, totaling about 25miles, ate lunch next to the warm springs creek, swam, played with evryones dogs, starred at amazing women, and had a good night out on the town. We would like to thank the two ladies that invited us back to their place for some amazing Oregon beer and homemade berry Cobbler. I was wrong not all the women in Ketchum, Idaho are overrated as they fed us drinks, food, and drove us back to our bikes to ride home.

More to come with pictures as soon as Dean finally emails them to me.

-DSheek
Outside All Day

“Mr. Sheek, do you like shave your legs or something?”

Walking across campus on my way to lunch I heard this comment from a student. I started laughing and thought how do I explain my hairless legs to an inner city student that does not ride bikes for anything other than transportation. Well, you know I tried to explain but all I received was laughs.

It was hilarious!

-DSheek

Dave and I have an ongoing battle. Dave is in the build it camp. He builds his bikes from scratch and is constantly working on them. Frankly, he is a little ADD/neurotic with it. I prefer to buy my bikes already built and ready to go. I don’t have the time to fidget and fuss with parts and components like him and I feel like I can ride almost any bike where as Dave is much more picky. In the last 8 months Dave has purchased 5 bikes. It feels like build it guys are always buying new and better and buy is guys are more content with our one time large purchases.

Which camp are you in? Do you build it or buy it?

Andy B
outsideallday.com

After years of large credit card debts in winter, I finally figured out when the best time to buy base layer products are, for when the temperatures begin to drop again… It’s now! All the affiliate retailers we are working with have great deals in the warm months, Summer, on all those fancy material base layer warming products that you wanted, had , or ruined during the colder months.

Check out the summer sales on these types of products:

-DSheek

About a week ago I received my first order of Bonk Breaker bars, YUM! Check out these wholesome little Peanut butter and Jelly (PBJ) bars, which contain no dairy or wheat. They are tasty and will remind you of the little PBJ sandwiches mom made when growing up with the crust cut off.

Click here for more info.

-DSheek
Outsideallday Sergent

It was not HOT because I was riding with Brazel, but because it is about 2000 F at his local trail, O’Neil Park. I was happy to have a couple bottles with my favorite fluid replacement fuel, MOTOR TABS. These little circular tablets, that look like you should drop them in the back of the toilet bowl, rule! Drop one tablet, of your favorite flavor (orange, lemon-lime, or fruit-punch), in a bottle and the effervescents work their magic, without leaving a cruddy residue in your bottle or hydration pack. The tablet dissolves in four minutes and leaves a tasty, sodium and potassium infused, drink.

For more info on Motor Tabs click here.

-DSheek
Outsideallday ARMY