Final Decision...

Welcome to the Home of the14th Anniversary Seeley Lions Club Pre Fat Mountain Bike Race


After a long week of going back and forth on if I was going to race this weekend, I am going. I am looking forward to an intense race to get ready for the big show in a couple of weeks. It will be interesting though as I feel my body currently is not in the correct form.

I am also using this weekend as a nice get-a-way with my wife. No, we are not just going to another bike race. We are headed to cabin to spend the evenning with friends and family. It will be a knarly time. (I might even use the stream to recover my legs; I have heard it is cold.)

Off to spin my legs and then to the truck I go.

Good Luck Ben!

WOW....It's about time!

Time has finally hit me straight on the top of the head. I can not believe that the race season is as far along as it is, our Back 2 School sale is going on right now, and my wife has started her internship. This all means one thing for me; summer is almost over. I know that I have not blogged much at all, and I can't use the excuse of not having time so I don't know what to say, but something is going to change. With all that I have to say, I would be here for a few hours and I don't have a few hours. I would also assume, reading would get too long, so I am going to do it magazine style (like myself, I look at the pictures first) and then I go read the article. So have at it...




12 hour race race in La Grange, WI. Finished 3rd overall.



Camping trip wit the Williams family in Wisconsin. Very fun vacation, looking forward to next year!






















I have really enjoyed cheering my wife on at the many triathlons that she has competed very well in this year. I must say, it is nice being on the spectator side occasionally. She has had a wonderful first year and looking forward to next year, I THINK.
(Recently took 2nd in her class at the last tri. Way to go.)





Most anticipated event of the summer for me, National 24 hours of Nine Mile competing in the 12 hour solo division.








--> After 12:54 hours of riding!!! Just a little tired.










Finished 2nd overall at Nine Mile. Completed 144 miles. Very pleased with the outcome and only a few minutes behind first. Next year, 24 hour solo division. Thanks to Angela and my parents for their support at this race. Over the summer, Angela has dialed in my nutrition for these events to make transitions very quick. With her assistance, it has allowed me more time on the bike and I would not be able to do it with out her. Thanks for sticking it out the entire time Angela!



Thats all for now, check back soon, and I do mean soon this time.

Month of May- Where???

It's June already and I can't believe it. Seems like not that long ago that the skis were put away to make the shop full on bike season. Well, it is here. Bike season has been great in many ways. The shop is doing very well and we are definitely keeping busy. As for myself, training continues and I am eagerly awaiting the next race.
I do have to say that I am pleased with how the first race went overall, and I can't believe that it has come and gone already. Like other things, it seems not that long ago that my wife and I planted the garden, but it shows signs of growth already. That is really exciting!!
With a little time to reflect on my first attempt at the solo 12 hour discipline, I must say that I did very well. The many hours of training put in over the last 8 months and the nutritional experiments have definitely paid off in the long run (I mean the long rides)! The first race took place at the Reforestation Camp in Green Bay, WI. It's a great trail that really suits my riding style. For the duration of the race which consisted of 11 hours and 20 minutes, I covered 139 miles to finish fourth on the day. I was pleased with my result, but most importantly I am focused on what I need to do next time to better my result.
My Cannondale Team Scalpel was superb and so was my Cannondale Taurine. I had to start on my Taurine set up for the wet conditions and as soon as the rain stopped, then I was able to move over to the Scalpel of which I stayed on for the rest of the day. I must say that the bikes were dialed and a special thanks to my dad for making sure that everything ran smooth during the race. Great Harvest Bread Company of Waite Park, MN and Powerbar Nutrition kept me fueled for the entire day. Thank you very much, the day would have been a lot harder without your generous support.
(I also used my secret concoction a few times, RB:H20, ask me if you want the details.)
Over the last couple of weeks I have been taking care of a little overused knee. I guess that's what happens when you turn the cranks over 57,000 times. I will be ready for the next race though, which is now only 11 days out.
Check back soon... more posts and pics to come.

Nice and Short

I had this weekend off and I was going to make the best of it. I wanted to get some stuff done around the house most importantly, but I also wanted to get a good ride in with a good friend.
I didn't get everything done around the house that I wanted to, but I made use of the nice weather by getting some raking out of the way. (I think that I used some muscles that are not used on the bike because I am a little sore.) Before I started out with the house chores, I made my way done to Elk River to meet Horkey for a little mountain bike action. Wow for two reasons, it was great to get on the mountain bike and there were tons of people out. The trail was in great shape and I always say that I am going to drive down there more often, but I don't really care for driving to ride. Problem solved-- the North Loop Mountain bike trail received a little TLC today and it is open and looking great.
See you all out on the trail.

We're Famous...

There are many ways in which you could call us famous. The first one is referring to the Midwest as, " We are famous for having the w0rst weather!" I am sick of the snow for the first time this year. I would have welcomed the snow like other times this year, but I am in full bike mode along with the rest of the fellow cyclists in the area. Time to clean up the roads and the trails to dry out. At least clean and dry roads. The trails are going to be wet for a long time this year.

The reason for my title of this blog is that my wife and I are pictured in this months issue of Minnesota Monthly. So if you are sick of the cold and are curled up inside reading, page through the issue to find Mr. & Mrs. Schroden.

Training has been going pretty good. I still have not had a consistant amount of time on the bike. I had been skiing a lot up till last weekend and the skiing was great. The one thing about not being on the bike the whole entire winter is that I am really excited to get on the bike finally.
The last five days on the bike have been really good so hopefully this snow melts quick and I can get back on the roads.

Til next time....

How Travel Changes....

I have to say that I have been in bike mode since the Vassaloppet in early February. That means that I have been out on the bike a fair amount and enjoying the dry streets as we have had a little snow melt.

With a little snow in the last week, it spured me on to dig the skis out again. I thought that it was pretty nice to have a variety of workouts this early in the season so I welcomed the snow. With having a solid four days on skis and seeing a bunch of wildlife out on the trails, I was ready to get back on the road.

Well, that only lasted for one day and it was a good one, but good things rapidly came to an abrupt hault. Today Central Minnesota was in a severe weather alert meaning that we were going to be pounded with snow.

I chose to walk to work this morning; one of the ways that my wife and I are cutting back on gas consumption. Walking to work has been something that I have actually taken a liking to. It gives me time to enjoy a little piece and quiet and better yet, my coffee!!!

With substantial snow on the ground this evenning leaving from work, I decided not to walk in my tennis shoes home, so I chose to use a different mode of transportation. Oh yes, I skied home on the streets. Ready to go...

I have been wanting to ski to work or either ski home for a long time and I thought there was not a better time than now.

With only one little accident on the way home, I would consider the trip to be a success.

I guess the bike is going to be put away for a little while and the skis are coming out for another week. With more snow, that means more work to ski...the trails need to be groomed and I get to go enhale exhaust from the machines.

Here is a final picture of my final destination...HOME!!!

The end of the Weekend Update...

I hope that everyone had a great Hallmark Holiday this weekend. My wife and I voted to stay in rather than battle the crowds this past Saturday evenning. We thought that it could be more enjoyable to cook at home since it is one of our favorite things to do together. Off to the store to get some food. On the menu was jumbo shrimp and scallops cooked together with a garlic cream sauce served with asparagus. We had a few slices of bread on the side and a little sushi. Everything was perfect.
Eat your heart out because I sure did.




For dessert we did the real deal...Cold Stone ice cream. Since we were also celebrating my birthday, I chose to get the Birthday Remix combo. It was really, really good. Good thing that I rode 3 hours in the frigid cold that day for all the calories that I consumed.

Speaking of riding, I am in bike mode... not ski mode. This morning I checked out the snowmobile trails and they look pretty good to ride with the winter mountain bike. I love riding those type of trails because I am never really sure where I am going to pop out.

Tomorrow is going to be an early morning on the bike and then lifting before I meet the fellas for a little business talk over coffee, so I am signing out.