If you are not a Dallas Athletes (DA) member, please join us for a workout or two to see if the organization is right for you! Our Wednesday night and Saturday morning rides have ride leaders who will make sure you don’t get dropped! PLEASE keep in mind that workouts may change due to weather. Check out our Weather Policy below for specifics.
David was selected by Dallas Athletes members as the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Male Member of the Year! He was also voted by readers of Competitor Magazine as one of the top cycling coaches in Texas for 2008. And for good reason! David is reliable, organized and PASSIONATE about cycling. We think you’ll find David’s #1 concern is safety for all riders. Keep an eye on his cycling page. He is active with updates!
Feel free to contact David to talk shop about cycling or Dallas Athletes! He is a wonderful resource! david@dallasathletes.com
February 20, 2012
Another Saturday ride washout! Wow it has been a tough winter season. Hopefully we will soon end this cycle of nice weather on Friday and then too cold temps for Saturday morning! A lot of people missed it, but once it became clear the Saturday weather was not going to work, I arranged for an indoor trainer session for us. As I always say, watch this space for updates.
My first training session of the year for a 100 mile rally has kicked off. The Shiner GASP is May 5th (see info below). My 12 week training plan will get us ready to tackle this 100 mile, into a headwind the whole way, rally. DA members can participate in this training plan for free. Just send me an email so I can get you on the distribution list.
The Wednesday Night Standridge Ride will kick off it’s 10th year in just a few weeks. For those that have joined us in the past you know this is our speed workout for the bike. Only a few weeks left to get ready for the hammerfest. Join us at the ExxonMobil loop on Wednesday nights until Standridge starts up.
For the rest of the winter, the Sunday morning ride from Minnow Point on Lake Grapevine will vary depending upon weather and other weekend activities. Look for updated ride times in Tom’s weekly club email. Tom will generally be the leader on this ride.
Check out the Monthly Rally Series schedule for 2012 below to keep track of our upcoming away rallies. Not all dates are set by the ride organizers yet (some don’t even have an updated website!). I will continue to update this list as we go through the year.
Also for 2012, I am going to bring back the Weekly Tip. Look for a little nugget of cycling wisdow here each week.
Let’s be safe out there!
David
Stoplight Etiquette:
This happened all the time. Riding in a group, just as the first rider gets to the intersection, the light turns from green to yellow. Clearly we were not all going to make it through before the light changed to red. Too late for the first rider to stop. What do you do. As mentioned before, we cyclist have the same rights and RESPONSIBILITIES of a vehicle on the road. Drivers at the cross street are expecting other cars to stop when they get a red, they should expect a cyclist to do the same. Though we are riding in a group, we are still individual vehicles. That means each of us must make the decision as to when to stop. In a group ride situation, you are making that decision for everyone behind you. My advice is be conservative – better to stop and wait then get caught in the middle of an intersection on a red. When you make your decision, COMMUNICATE it! Call out STOPPING clearly, and repeatedly so that those behind you can react. Once someone in front makes the decision to stop, please do not go around them and zoom through the intersection. If you would not do it in a car, please don’t do it on a bike (see last week’s Cycling Tip re: safety/stupidity in numbers!). This approach also applies to stop signs. The intersection may be clear when the first rider goes through, but if another car comes to the intersection, we must stop and take our turn.
February 5, 2012 – GDB Super Bowl Ride - Riders from all over the Metroplex converge on the West End for lunch. Multiple starting points around the Metroplex. We will start at Andy Brown Park East. Coppell, TX.
March 24, 2012 – Ride Ataxia - This is a new rally for us. Ride is out of Denton, which is also a new start point for us. Always looking for something new and different! Denton, TX
April 28, 2012 – Muenster Metric Century - Known for its hills and its beer, what more can you ask for! Muenster, TX.
May 5, 2012 – Shiner GHASP -Great fun. This ride is 100 miles from Austin to Shiner, ending at the Spoetzl Brewery. And if we are as lucky as we were last year, we will have a headwind the whole way! We will be doing a training program to prepare for this relatively early season century ride. Austin, TX.
May 16, 2012 – Ride of Silence -Join cyclists worldwide in a slow-paced ride in honor those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. This will be the fourth year for the Coppell edition of this ride. Distance of 10 miles at a pace of 12 mph. Coppell High School north parking lot.
June 16, 2012 – Tour d’Italia - It only sounds European. Actually a rally in Italy, Tx. Still great fun with some great scenery. Distances of 42, 50, and 60 miles. Italy, TX.
July 28, 2012?? – Goatneck- Rolling hills in the heat of the summer! This is a good tune up for the big daddy, Hotter ‘N Hell. Distances of 41 and 70 miles. Cleburne, TX.
August 25, 2012 - Hotter’N Hell Hundred - This has become an annual event for us. We will be doing a training program to prepare riders for this 100 miler. We will also have team accommodations and carb loading meal on the night before. Wichita Falls, TX.
September 22, 2012?? – Autumn in Bonham - Change of scenery with a variety of distances. Bonham, TX.
October 6, 2012?? – The Paluxy Pedal - Features a hill known as “The Wall”! How can we resist?. Glen Rose, TX
October 13, 2012 – Disco Bike Rally - DA’s own bike rally. 100K ride out of Gainesville. Great rolling hills, stunning scenery, and of course the famous Dallas Athletes post ride/race festivities. Gainesville, TX
DA Winter Loop -Lighted road loop for winter night riding (Bike). ExxonMobil Loop in Irving. Las Colinas Blvd south of Royal Ln. Park on the north bound side of Las Colinas Blvd, south of Customer Way (not in the Neiman Marcus parking lot!).
MAP
Standridge Stadium- Carrollton-Farmers Branch Natatorium (Swim-Bike)
1334 W. Valwood Parkway, Carrollton, TX 75006
MAP
Coppell Aquatics Center-Andy Brown EAST (Swim-Bike-Run)
234 E. Parkway Blvd., Coppell, TX 75019
MAP
Lake Grapevine, Sand Bass Point (Swim-Bike-Run)
MAP
Mondays
Monday Night Recovery Ride (during daylight savings time)
When: 6:00 pm
Where: Bicycles Plus in Coppell
Description: 18 mile recovery ride at a very max of 17 mph. This is a real recovery ride, it is all about spinning and relaxing. Lead by Bicycles Plus.
Wednesdays
DA Women’s Ride
When: 9:10 am
Where: Parking lot of Coppell Aquatics Center
Description: A typical ride is 90-100 minutes at an average pace of 16-17 mph.
DA Wednesday Night Ride
When: 6:00 pm
Where: ExxonMobil Loop, Irving, TX
Description: The speed workout for the bike. Open riding around “The Loop”. No specific ride leaders this time of year, so make sure we know if you are new to the route. Headlight and Taillight legally required for riding on public roads after dark. Park on the northbound side of Las Colinas Blvd, just south of Customer Way.
Saturdays
DA Bike Ride
Where: Andy Brown Park EAST
Description: We have 3 groups that go out on Saturdays. Please pick the appropriate ride for your skill level. Start time for all groups is 8:00 AM.
Alpha Ride, 40-50+ miles at 19+ mph: Leaderless ride on a variety of routes.
Intermediate Ride, 35-40 miles at 17-18 mph: Ride leaders assigned to guide you on one of our many routes out of Coppell.
Beginner Ride, 30 miles at 15-16 mph: This is our No-Drop Saturday ride. Ride leaders will make sure you know the route and come back with the group. Please note that we do not have specific rides leaders during the winter so be sure we know if you are new to the DA ride and we will make sure you covered.
Saturday ride times are subject to change based on weekend races, weather, etc.
Changes are sent via e-mail to members on a weekly basis.
Sundays
DA Bike Ride
When: Ride at 8:00 am (time varies depending upon the sunrise open water swim time)
Where: Minnow Loop (just west of Sand Bass Point) , Lake Grapevine.
Description: This is an open-ride for cyclists of all levels. No ride leaders at this ride! Sunday ride times are subject to change based on weekend races, weather, etc. Changes are sent via e-mail to members on a weekly basis. Expect smaller groups during the winter months.
Of course everyone needs to use their own judgement based upon their comfort level and experience, but general guidelines for group rides:
DA Cycling route maps are available on MapMyRun.com. Do a keyword search on DAAC to see what is available. I have built a set of basic routes then added additional maps that show extensions or alternates to those routes. Some however show a starting point of our old location. Be sure you check the schedule above to know where the ride start is.
Road cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. Knowing and understanding these rules will help us be safe out on the road.
Disclaimer: Each rider is responsible for his or her own safety on our training rides leaving from DA, Inc. DA, Inc. assumes no responsibility for accidents that could happen.
