This is my 10th year of commentating professional bike racing and boy did it start out with a bang. My season of commentating (spring/summer/early fall) is always a delicate balance between the TotalCyclist Training Center in Charlotte, coaching athletes and being a dad and husband. This year proves to be as big a challenge as any.
New Year’s Revolutions
It really is cliché to say that a new year brings new beginnings. Why is it that everyone wants things to begin on January 1? Most cyclists probably are mixed on this. We all know that the cycling season doesn’t start until February or March (cyclocross notwithstanding), but the preparations often start as early as November. Still, as cliché as it is, a lot is new this year.
I spent the majority of last weekend watching, analyzing, thinking and well feeling the rumble of high powered engines in the pit of my stomach.
Watching athletes perform at the highest level is pretty awesome. Regardless of what sport. Homestead Florida was the site of the final race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Championship and two drivers had the final say. Edwards and Stewart were in a tight battle.
The Fall version of the 2011 DivaCamp was simply spectacular...in so many ways. What started as whim of an idea (DivaCamp) has no grown into a viable concept to train/prepare/wine/dine female cyclists.
The Camp got its roots back in 2010 with the original (Twitter handle coming) @divastourfrance. I met them in Atlanta, Ga during the 24 hours of booty and well, we hit it off. So, they encouraged me and my staff to put together a women's only (Mostly beginners to intermediate female cyclists) cycling camp. The genesis of DivaCamp in Beaufort,SC was born.
The fall camp was located in picturesque New Castle, VA. Spectacular weather/views were the backdrop for this location. All the Campers were noticeably impressed by the absolute beauty.. but...were also a bit intimidated by the terrain.
Do we look intimidated? NAH!
The first day was a bit wet....but the sun peeked through just enough to give a brilliant view of what was to come for the next 4 days. Sunshine and beauty.
Day two was special because it featured one of the favorite routes of the Fall DivaCamp. Bookended by two beautiful hills/mountains we rolled through the valley. We worked on cycling specific drills to make the ladies better cyclists and to reduce the intimidation factor.
Day 3 was what the athletes called "epic". It was meant to challenge them and pull together as one. Today the staff and the athletes of DivaCamp really shined. 10 kilometers of climbing! The objective was to give everyone an hour of climbing. If the clock struck one hour, then you turned around and went to the bottom. The thought process was, "Let's get everyone SOME climbing but not have a terribly long day in the saddle". Well, the Campers smacked us right in the face and CLIMBED the mountain. Speed, intensity, duration all did NOT matter. They all wanted to crest that mountain.
Words of encouragement from each staff member and the Diva's were awe inspiring and well...thought provoking. Each athlete that made it to the top drew more cheers from the ones who had already conquered. There were many teary, heartfelt moments on that day. Many were captured by Diva Helene Barrette. Powerful stuff.
The camp has us buzzing at TotalCyclist. WE also are super happy that our Big Sponsors came through. The Campers LOVED them! Hats, socks, food, chocolate and surprises.
Our Fall 2011 Sponsors
More pictures
I have become passionate, over the years, about sports that involve variations in altitude or depth, and that are not confined to a measured field or arena. Forget flat-terrain, line-confined sports like baseball, tennis, hockey - nothing wrong with those sports, but they don't appeal as much to my increasing passion for the great outdoors.
Scuba-diving and mountain climbing have allowed me to go deep, and to reach for the sky, if you'll pardon the easy puns. Achieving my diving depth record (140 ft), and altitude record (19,931 ft) were two milestones that meant something to me, and I can tell you when and where they happened. It is honestly not about trying to impress anyone else - although I'm not shy about mentioning them, clearly.
USA CRITS Series Recap - Chad's Take
USA CRITS Race Announcer Chad Andrews interviews Theresa Cliff-Ryan following her win at the 2011 Terrapin Twilight Criterium.
Photo: © B.D. Andrews Photography
Team Mountain Khakis p/b SmartStop’s Luke Keough and RideClean p/b PatentIt.com’s Erica Allar showed that it really pays to be consistent. They always seemed to find great results regardless of the situation. Luke battled hard in West Chester, PA at the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium after successfully hiding the fact that he was hit by a car during the lead-up week. The Mountain Khakis p/b SmartStop Team proved to be great shelter for Luke on a very important weekend. Get Luke through the race!
Erica was equally impressive, especially after a last lap, last corner crash on the wet, slippery parcours at the second USA CRITS stop in St. Louis for the Tour de Grove. Consistency and production are what catapulted Luke and Erica into the final winner’s jerseys.
I was really impressed, when they could race, with the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team. They seem to have a plan each race that went something like this: 1) send a strong rider up the road or have a strong rider bridge across to a breakaway; 2) drive the breakaway; 3) force teams to chase; and 4) if the breakaway was caught, get on the front with a gnarly leadout train for Jake Keough. This plan worked...virtually to perfection. Easy to commentate, easy to watch, brutal on the peloton!
The 2011 USA CRITS Series offered a few surprises, with the weather causing the most mayhem – raining for three days at the Tour de Grove, Hurricane Irene bearing down on Binghamton, NY cancelling the Chris Thater men’s race, and Charlotte's Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium held in blistering, oppressive heat.
All in all the 2011 season was very exciting and criterium racing in the US keeps taking steps towards a world-class stage. The 2012 race season will surely be interesting with USA Cycling creating a National Criterium Calendar in tangent with the USA CRITS Series. Team Mountain Khakis p/b SmartStop will be back next season and will certainly be the team to watch, as all 2011 members will be returning for 2012.
Chad Andrews has been the official race announcer for the USA CRITS Championship Series since 2007. He is the president and founder of TotalCyclist.
September 5th, 2011
The 2011 Sunbrella Labor day Omnium is in the rear view mirror. Yeah I worked on Labor day weekend......but can I really call this work? I love what I do. I love watching our athletes race, I love commentating. I love all things cycling. My family occasionally is disgruntled. Especially on Holidays. But they are forgiving!
I did get home late Sunday night, so as I sit here and type my wife is reading, and our daughters are well..doing what 8 and 15 year olds do.
This weekend was unique because I am starting to branch out more and more in my emceeing. Sunday night there was a great concert for Anderson County. (After commentating the Omnium)
Sweet funky Jazz and great attendance proved a great backdrop to Celebrate Anderson, SC.
Thanks to Anderson, Swagger and the Sunbrella for a great weekend!
My view waiting to do Introductions and welcome everyone! Click for more pictures.
August 25th, 2011
Today started with a "no chain" ride for 2 hours. Knocked it out before 715am. While riding back it invariably has me thinking about work or other things. Today was different. I started thinking back to my high school days. Our football team at Raleigh Sanderson was dreadful so soccer was what drew most fans. Our rival back in the early 80's was South Mecklenburg High School. I rode right past it today. Today is my daughter Kaitlins first day of school at South Meck High. It brought a great sense of pride of the past and dreams for the future. Kirbi, our youngest, starts school today too.
Daddy is proud of her girls. You brought me back full circle.
Ride on.
Chad
August 23rd 2011
I was finishing my typical 5:15am world championships today...other wise known as CoCac (corner of Colony and Carmel in Charlotte). The ride leaves promptly at 5:15am and I usually pick them up around 5:25am. The ride was spirited and the weather was a glimpse of fall. Finally.
Today I was thinking about bike racing, something that is a luxury for me lately! I realized just how far 50 feet is to the wheel in front of you. If you are drilling it, the gap may never be filled. If..I..could..just...close...this..gap! Painful, arduous. 50 feet..ugh!
However, every day that I bring the ride to a close I see a elderly couple...about 75 years old walking. Just as the sun is coming up. The wife is always about 50 feet ahead of the husband. Always. It seems that they are blissful, happy, out to get exercise. When I pass them they always smile and wave. Hmmm, maybe 50 feet isn't so far after all.
Ride on.
Chad
Friday August 19th 2011
Wow...is all we have to say.
I want to personally thank everyone who has helped TotalCyclist on this great journey. We started in 2005 with Per4mance Training and 800 square feet. We now have close to 3000 feet of Training Facility, Amazing Cycling Camps, a great client base and above all else...we've had a ton of fun doing it.
TotalCyclist has been through it's growing pains. Are we doing "right" by the local, regional, national and international endurance (Cycling et al) scene? We would like to think so.
TotalCyclist's staff has been amazing. From mountain bike racing to road, cross, triathlons, Nascar, motocross, epics, paddlers...we have seen it all come through our doors. I am sure we are to see much more in the years to come.
We look forward to being a integral part of the cycling and multi-sport community whether here in Charlotte or some foreign..off the beaten path location.
Many thanks to all of you who have helped us become the best darn Paincave in the country!
Highlights
We hope you enjoy the new site!
TotalCyclist President/Founder
Chad Andrews
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