The 2011 World Police and Fire Games: A terrible disappointment

Here is a copy of my letter that is being sent throughout the WPFG organization, as well as to the Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management (a department in the NYC mayor's office):

To whom it may concern,

I am a professional firefighter/paramedic and competitive road cyclist that recently participated in the 2011 World Police and Fire Games that were hosted by the city of New York. To say that they were an atrocity is an understatement. This event saw nearly 17,000 registered athletes from around the world. I can honestly say that I have never been a part of an event that has been so disorganized and mismanaged. While it’s true that the weather (Hurricane Irene) had an effect on the games, the issues listed below are completely human in origin, and could have been either avoided or corrected if any attention to detail had been put forth. I am embarrassed to have been the hosting country for these events, and I have apologized to several international competitors on the behalf of New York City, although it is clearly not my responsibility to do so. This unfortunate outcome reflects poorly on the World Police and Fire Games organization, New York City, and the United States of America. I am personally considering not attending future WPFG events, and I can only imagine that international competitors are of the same opinion.

The credentialing system was a joke. Prior to the opening ceremony (for months), we were told that athletes and guests WOULD NOT be allowed to enter any WPFG venues unless credentials were presented. We were required to pay for guests’ credentials. NOT ONCE were we required to show them, and the majority of the time, athletes and guests were not even wearing them. Also, if the events are free and open to the public, why were our guests required to pay to be credentialed? It was a complete waste of money for us. We were also assured that by taking care of our credentials via the internet prior to arriving at the Javits Center, we would be “Fast Tracked” through registration. Some athletes waited as long as 4 hours to be “Fast Tracked”, and one of my teammates even had to return another day. This process needs to be fixed prior to the next games.

The disorganization was evident weeks, if not months before the opening ceremony. The cycling events changed venues and dates multiple times, and  the official schedule did not come out on time as promised. The WPFG Connect Platform  and the Facebook page were riddled with comments from competitors who had already paid a great deal of money, and then were finding out their sports had changed dates/times a mere two weeks prior to the start of the games (at the time, this had NOTHING to do with the weather). To compound the issue, volunteers had still not received their assignments or locations/times even as of the opening ceremony.

Once the opening ceremony was held, events began to be listed as “canceled”, understandably, due to the weather. After the storm had passed, slowly we received information about new dates and venues for events.  The time trial was the first cycling event to take place, which was held at it’s original location. This location was unsafe and unfit to serve as a time trial course. There were weeds growing out of cracks in the pavement throughout the course, and the turns had sand on them. Clearly, no attention had been given to preparing the course prior to having bicycles race on it. Start times were changed without notifying athletes, and the bus that transported athletes from the Javits Center to the venue was 2 hours late, causing an enormous confusion at the start. Expensive bikes were carelessly stacked onto a trailer, causing damage to several of them. To make matters worse, no official timing system was used, causing some athletes to either receive incorrect rankings, and one of my teammates was not scored at all. One of the event coordinators actually took an athlete’s personal time that was recorded using his own bike computer as an official time. The worst part of the time trial was the fact that there were NO restrooms present. ELDERLY SPECTATORS AND YOUNG CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO SQUAT IN THE BUSHES TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES. This is embarrassing for everybody and unacceptable.

During the criterium, we were notified the day before about the new venue. The event coordinator from the mayor’s office stated in a casual conversation that the WPFG knew about the change 4 days prior. This is a serious lack of communication, especially since the beginning of the race was delayed approximately 1 hour because the police force on Coney Island was not ready to secure the street for the event. Cars were towed from the course, although there was no signage or prior warning that a race would be taking place. This is not fair to the owners of the cars. Another frustrating issue concerning the criterium  is the fact that an “out and back” format was used for the course – different from any criterium that any of the athletes had ever been a part of, and certainly not a typical criterium course. Thirty minutes prior to the start of the race, the officials still did not know where the course was going to be. We even had a “false start” of sorts, when the officials began the men’s “open” class, but then the racers were forced to stop by the local police captain, because he was not ready to begin, which delayed the race ANOTHER 25 minutes. These delays and multiple starts are detrimental to athletic performance, as nutrition and fuel are very closely calculated to insure maximum performance. I would like to inform you that my teammates and I worked extremely hard during this race, and performed well, however, there have been no official results posted for that event.

The cycling road race that was held in Central Park on 9/2/11 was a complete failure. First of all (and once again), the race was delayed for over an hour while the organizers worked to secure the course. Secure is a loose term here, as the course was anything but closed (to begin with, the police officers in the park had no idea that there was a bike race that day, and thought that we were there to get in line for the Mary J. Blige concert. Who has the right mind to schedule these two events on the same day at the same venue??). The race was given a 0600hrs start time, but we were sharply advised after registration that the race could not begin until sunrise. If that is true, why would we be given a start time that is at least 30 minutes prior? To compound my frustration, I was nearly hit by a garbage truck that veered onto the race course, the fitness path users intermingled with the race packs, and there was a collision involving the racers and a pedestrian that resulted in injuries and damaged equipment. The road race started so late that the men’s “open” race was shortened 12 miles, which seems minor considering all the other issues, but it is still unfair to make that change at the last minute. Once again, my teammates and I worked very hard during this race, and to date, there are still incomplete results for this event.

After the chaos that was the racing on Friday, I decided to attend the cycling road race that was held on 9/3/11 as a spectator, to see if there were any improvements. Although the race started much more smoothly, I witnessed several activities that would be considered cheating, including racers using “aero” bars (a 9% speed advantage over drop bars), and male riders (not wearing bib numbers) pacing and “pulling” a female racer that was competing. Due to the lack of supervising during the race, these things went unnoticed, and are not fair or acceptable for any competition, especially for games of this magnitude.

To date, full results for the cycling events have still not been published. An email that was sent from the email address of the WPFG, stated that “we are not professional athletes, although some of us like to think we are”. This is an arrogant, rude, bold statement. This statement is clearly made by a non-athlete who does not know what it is like to train for 2 years for an event (also, considering there WERE, indeed, professional, semi-professional, and retired professional athletes in attendance). Athletes that attended these games trained and prepared day and night, through illness and injury, and spent a great deal of money not only in preparation, but in attending the events, only to have comments like the one above made. To not fully or adequately score an event is unacceptable. First, second, and third places are NOT the only ones that matter. Every athlete needs to know how their efforts have paid off, especially on an international stage. I personally feel that I wasted my entire competitive season in preparation for the 2011 WPFG, and at this point, I may never know how my performance measured against my colleagues from around the world.

I would also like to address the behavior and comments of Mr. David Somerville. He behaved and spoke unprofessionally and rudely each time that I encountered him.  At one point, while I was racing at Friday’s road race, he became involved in an argument with my wife. An act that my wife is willing to dismiss, but is still worth mentioning, as it is not the behavior that a representative of the WPFG should display. He also continuously made comments that undermined the importance of properly scoring an event such as, “I don’t know why somebody is bothering me about 15^th place” or “The hard part is done now, we’re only going to score first, second, and third place”. He also laughed at the lack of organization when it was mentioned by competitors , and refused to answer questions regarding the reasons that events were not being scored fully/properly. Clearly, Mr. Somerville does not take the sport of cycling seriously, and should not be included in future WPFG cycling events.

Overall, the 2011 World Police and Fire Games were a negative experience for me. The mission statement on the WPFG website stated  “to provide the best possible sporting venues combined with world-class officiating”. What a complete sham. I truly hope that you can understand my disappointment, as I targeted these events for 2 years, only to have them handled as a joke by those in charge of organizing them. It only takes a glance at the WPFG Connect Platform message board, or the Facebook page to see that the majority of the athletes that were in attendance, regardless of sport or discipline, were disappointed and are angry. The World Police and Fire Games and  the city of New York should be ashamed and embarrassed, and a formal apology is warranted.  A city that bid to host a games of this magnitude (and knew YEARS in advance) had plenty of time to prepare for it, complete with contingencies in place, and the WPFG organization should have overseen the operations more closely. Both parties KNEW and advertised that this would be the largest games ever, but treated it (and the athletes) as if they were unimportant and second-rate. I may never attend another WPFG event, and I will be more-than-willing to share my experience with others.

Sincerely,

Jason Stottlemyer

Firefighter/Paramedic

Athlete #3669

8/20/11- Another attempt at "The Great White Buffalo" route

A few weeks ago, a friend/teammate/training partner and I came up with a route that looked and sounded like a good ride. We took a ride that he has done in the past, that is very scenic, and winds through some of the nicest back roads in the county, then we added a loop that I ride sometimes, through some of the back roads in the southern end of our county. The total course is just over 60 miles. In theory, it's a great ride. I say that because, in 3 attempts, we still haven't been able to complete the route in it's entirety! During our attempts, we've amassed 2 flats, 1 crash (with a broken derailleur hanger), and 1 "bonk. Yesterday, I figured I'd give it another try...solo this time. I ended up running out of fluids around mile 47, and had to shorten the ride and head for home. So it still hasn't been finished!

Since I got my power meter, nearly a month ago, I've been collecting and evaluating as much data as I can. Slowly, I'm learning some of the more technical things, such as TSS, ATL, CTL, Intensity Factor, etc. Here's a few things that I found interesting from yesterday's ride (and my fitness).

Using PowerAgent software (which I LOVE and is FREE, downloaded from CycleOps website), I'm able to "segment" any part of my ride and save it as a new interval. I compared my last attempt (with a total group of 3 riders to share the work load), with my solo ride yesterday until the same spot where the crash occurred. Here is a chart with the interesting facts:

So, basically, in order to do the same work alone, my HR was nearly 20bpm higher, I had to maintain a higher average power (although I had some more powerful bursts with the group, as evidenced by my normalized power...which is what I think drove up my TSS and Intensity Factor). Just goes to show how much working as a group and drafting really does save energy. With a group of 3, my HR was 11% lower, and my Norm. Power was 4% higher. So, in short, I did more work with less energy.

I love seeing this raw data, because the numbers always tell the truth. I can't tell you how much material I've read about riding, racing, and training, but it's nice to see the numbers for myself...from rides that I personally did. I'm not sure when The Great White Buffalo will finally get slayed, but it's already proven to be a useful route.

Training with my Cycleops Power Meter and using PowerAgent software

Since starting my adventure into competitive cycling, I have read just about every bit of material in regards to training that I could get my hands (or eyes) on. I've also had many conversations with "elite" or "experienced" racers, and I've bought quite a few books. I even participated in a performance-cycling based study on caffeine, that took place in a performance lab, complete with blood draws and VO2 max testing. I knew, early on, that the ultimate method of training was with a power meter. According to many of the online forums and local cycling communities, you're simply not training efficiently, or to your maximum potential...unless you have a power meter. I think I made the common progression during my training, going from riding a lot, then adding a heart rate monitor, then GPS, then cadence, and finally power. What I didn't know, was how much of a difference it would actually make in my training, and how fun it would be to evaluate the data. 

When I first got my power meter (Cycleops Elite+ hub in a DT450 wheel), I linked it with my Garmin Edge500 (which was easy enough...just find the Garmin owner's manual online and follow the instructions) and got to work. My wife bought me the book "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" by Allen and Cogan, and although some of the material is quite scientific, I've managed to decipher a good bit of it. I immediately performed my FTP test (Functional Threshold Power), which basically tells you how much power you should be able to maintain over the course of an hour. It's an interesting number, but it doesn't tell the entire story. From that number, you can determine your power "zones" for training...you can also draw from it your LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate).  (I should mention here that I think it's important to train throughout the year using periodization, so that you have some meaning to your training, that is...a method to your madness). After that, it's necessary to determine your "power profile". This is interesting, because it's where you learn your average power outputs for various increments (15 sec., 1 min., 5 min., etc.). THEN, you need to go one step further and learn your power to weight ratio. First, convert your body weight into kg's (divide your weight in lbs. by 2.2), and then divide the average power numbers by your weight in kg. After doing this, I made a chart in excel. It looks like this:

This way, when I retest each month, I can see where I've made my gains. Knowing the numbers in your power profile is crucial, in my opinion, because I know where my strengths are, and which type of rider I am (all-rounder, sprinter, climber, TT specialist, etc.). In my case, this is a classic presentation for an all-rounder. You can see that my numbers aren't amazingly spectacular, but I've finished as high as 6th at the local Cat 4 races, which means that I've at least learned some tactics along the way. At any rate, knowing these numbers allows me to either exploit my strengths (for me, this would be my 5 min. effort), or work on my weaknesses (my sprint and 1 minute efforts). Working with power has also taught me to better push power all the way around my pedal stroke, and I'm looking forward to my next test. 

The next thing I'd like to mention is training software. I've tried quite a few. I have a Garmin, so I actually do like Garmin Training Center (which came with my device), and there's always Garmin Connect which is free online. It allows you to see the basics like average and maximums for power, heart rate, cadence, speed, elevation, etc. It also shows the map and distance for your ride, which I like. I've tried Strava, which I can't get the hang of, and doesn't seem to have the amount of displayable data that it's Garmin counterparts have. I've also toyed with mapmyride and ridewithgps, which I think are great for ride-mapping and route-finding, but little else. I had a trainingpeaks account for a while (the premium version) which was great, but it's tough to justify another monthly payment to use it. The free version of trainingpeaks works well, but there's limited features. A software that I have really begun to enjoy is PowerAgent, which is downloadable for free on the Cycleops website. What I've been doing for the past few weeks is downloading my training file into both Garmin Training Center (for the mapping, etc), and then into PowerAgent for the detailed analysis of my intervals, etc. What's GREAT about PowerAgent, is that I can look at a number that's called "Normalized Power". Average power is ok, but it's not completely honest. Sure, if you perform 500w (watts) for 30 seconds, then 1000w for 30 seconds, you average would be 750w. HOWEVER, because of the amount of work that you did to maintain the 1000w, you body may have done the same amount of work that it would take to maintain, say, 800w for that minute. Confusing? Think of it in terms of a car: if you drive your car around the city, there are many points of acceleration, cruising, braking, whatever. You may average 25mpg over the course of that tank of gas, but there were times when your car did more work and probably only averaged 20mpg, and then times when it cruised and did less work, maybe maintaining 28mpg. In the end, although you averaged 25mpg, you placed additional "wear and tear" on your car when you accelerated or stomped it through the city. So, "Normalized Power" is more valuable than average power, especially since it's impossible to maintain a perfectly steady output of power throughout your ride. Also, something that I recently discovered with PowerAgent, is the ability to "segment" or isolate a portion of your ride. If you click and drag on any portion of the detailed graph, the software will figure out your numbers for that section that you chose. Pretty awesome. This means that if I wanted to see my averages, etc, for a certain part of my interval, I can get it...even if I didn't hit the "Lap" button on my Garmin.  PowerAgent has far more data than I'll probably ever use, but it's nice that if I decide to learn it, it's there. And for free.

I can't wait to continue learning...and training. 

I increased my training, and all I got was this stupid saddle sore.

With the World Police and Fire Games just around the corner (8/26-9/5), to say that I've stepped up my training would be an understatement. After taking a 6th place Cat 4 finish at my last crit, I decided that my training has been working, and my confidence was starting to solidify. Following that race, I was left with a 6 week "build" period to get me ready for the games. I've added roughly 50 miles per week to my training, and I've structured my weeks much more than previously this year. My typical week, now, looks like this: Sunday- 3hr. Tempo ride, Monday- Anaerobic (superthreshold) intervals, Tuesday- Recovery Ride, Wednesday- Group Ride or Race Pace Ride, Thursday- Threshold Intervals, Friday- Juniors Practice, Saturday- Long Ride or Rest. 

The extra time in the saddle has been great for my legs, but unfortunately, not so good for my "nether" region. I've developed a small "saddle sore" that I think has the potential to be rather bothersome. Luckily, it seems like they are very easily treated. Basically, keep it clean, dry, and rub some Oxy10 on it. Maybe some chamois lube for the ride to reduce friction...and the best part of all...sleep in the nude!!! 

I've learned several secrets so far along the way during my cycling endeavors, and it looks like I'm going to have more soon.

2011 MABRA Age Graded Criterium Championships

Chasing up the hill

7/9/11 - Raced at the MABRA Age Graded Championships. I was a bit nervous for this race since I am a brand new Cat 4 this year, and this race was 35+ Cat 3/4. I  knew the field was going to be fast. Just prior to the start, after warming up on the trainer, I did a few laps on the course to keep my legs warm and to check out the turns. The course looked great. Nice and smooth, not many obstacles (potholes, sewers, etc), nice clean turns, and an uphill that seemed like it was going to be just steep enough to be tough.
From the start, the pace was high. The first 2 laps averaged over 27 mph. After having such a poor performance at the Tour of Washington County, my strategy was to sit in the pack as much as I could, and conserve energy.  With the speeds of the group, there wasn't much conserving going on, and my HR stayed in the 170's most of the time! I did manage to find a spot that didn't seem to move backwards often, and I managed to hold my ground fairly well. in the latter half of the race, on a tight left hand turn, one rider misjudged and hit the outside curb, cartwheeling into the grass. The pace quickened on the final lap (over 28mph average)...and my top speed hit over 37mph! After the final turn, I stood up and sprinted past a few guys and finished 22nd overall. After checking the results, I was the 6th placed Cat 4. I'm definitely pleased with that result.

Post-race analysis: recently, I've been focusing on my diet BIG TIME. After performing poorly at the Tour of Washington County, I was pretty pissed off. It seems the fruits and veggies, and increased protein intake is working well. Also, in the training regimen, I added more interval rides which have been awesome. Also, about a week ago, I tore my wheel hubs apart and cleaned and lubed the bearings (after about 4500 miles) as well as the bottom bracket, and it seems like I can truly feel a difference (maybe it's all psychological, who knows).

Looking forward now, it's time to set my sights on the World Police and Fire Games at the end of August. I'm going to stick with my current training regimen and diet, and hopefully continue to feel this good.

Memorial Day weekend/BikeJam 2011 (Patterson Park, Baltimore)

Well, despite how many crashes there were throughout the day of racing, despite myself and 2 of my teammates getting shelled off the back (for different reasons, but off the back, nonetheless...) and our 4th man getting wrapped up in a nasty little crash himself, our junior's team getting a flat, a crash, and a DQ for gearing...today was pretty awesome.
I know...I know....this is a blog about racing, but indirectly, it's because of the racing that the day was so good. If it weren't for going racing today, my son never would have had the chance to hang out with this guy, who gave him a hat, signed it, and gave multiple high-fives and even took a picture with him. Without going racing today, our juniors team wouldn't have gotten all those free Slurpees, made their own stickers, played on the moonbounce slide, watched the trials riders, or listened to the live bands. We wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to walk up in the pagoda at Patterson Park, and check out the 360 degree panoramic view of Baltimore, including the Inner Harbor.
And, without going racing today, I never would have parked behind a Marine Corp veteran of the war in Iraq. A veteran who I've seen on multiple occasions throughout the Mid-Atlantic circuit. A veteran who continues to race, despite having lost his leg during the second taking of Fallujah (read this...skip to the Iraq War 2003). A veteran who took the time to walk up to me, introduce himself, and begin a conversation. Of course, we began with talking about the day's race and what happened. He candidly joked about his prosthetic, and let me hold the "racing leg". And then he shared with me the story of how he arrived at the point in his life where he needs to wear the above mentioned prosthetic. The story, and his willingness to tell me (a complete stranger) about it, was amazing. In a 20 minute conversation, I learned that he was in the "passenger" seat in a humvee, as his platoon was leading the way, and that not only did they drive over the explosive device that took his leg (and  his platoon leader's life...in the same vehicle), but that they also were ambushed TWO MORE TIMES as they tried to evacuate themselves (and other wounded) from the city. Amazing. I didn't really know what to say. We made small talk for a few more minutes, and then I politely thanked him and we agreed that we'd probably see each other next weekend at the race, and we went our separate ways.
As I drove away, I thought about the conversation. I went over almost every word in my mind. I know it's memorial day weekend, and I've ALWAYS been a HUGE fan of our military (in fact, had I not been DQ'd during my entrance physical, I probably would have made it my career), but today really made me think about our guys (and gals) that fight for our country every day. Maybe they're fighting for our freedom, and maybe it's some political bullshit (or as Carlin would say a "prick measuring contest"), but it doesn't really matter. The fact is, that we have the bravest people on the planet fighting for and protecting the USA. It's a thankless job, and you can guarantee that our government doesn't show them the respect that they deserve. The guy that parked in front of me today get's to sport a Purple Heart license plate, but I wonder what else he got in return for his leg? I'll bet it wasn't much. And today, he continued to give...so to him, and everyone else that either is currently serving or has served in our armed forces....THANK YOU....seriously.

Fort Ritchie Crit 5/7/2011

Yesterday was the 2011 Fort Ritchie Crit in Cascade, MD. The weather was nice and sunny by the time the Men's Cat4 started at 3:30 in the afternoon. There was a little wind, but certainly nothing like what we saw at the Carl Dolan and Chantilly races. I haven't seen the race results yet, so I'm not sure how many started in the field. For our team (Capital Region Fire and Police Cycling), we actually had 3 of us there. It's not much compared to teams like NCVC or SynFit, but considering we're only in our second year as a team, I'm glad to see that we're getting out there. In the above picture, that's me chewing on my earphones cord (really, just keeping it out of the way of my hands), Dennis in the middle, and Steve on the far end. Dennis raced the 3/4 earlier in the morning and took 8th, and this is Steve's first year back racing after a few years off. Both are normally very strong. My strategy for this race was simply to keep touch with the pack. After getting completely dropped in Chantilly, I figured it was a good goal. Overall, the race was pretty quick-paced and the competition good. Of course, I could point out several guys that need to do some serious work on holding their lines, or having better spacial-awareness, but it wasn't overly treacherous. I managed to hang on throughout the race, sometimes finding myself sitting in the top five or so, and then going all the way to the back...but I never lost touch. Steve flatted maybe on lap 5 of the 60 minute race, and by the end, Dennis had nothing left in the tank (after racing earlier). I could have pushed a little harder and finished a little higher at the line, but with the Richmond crash still fresh in my mind, I'm still getting used to fighting for my position. It was a fun race, with music playing all day, and the occasional announcing by Joe. Next on the schedule is BikeJam on 5/28, followed by Ride Sally Ride, and the Tour of Washington County.

**edit** Just looked at the results, and I finished 26th out of the 40 that started. I'll take that at this stage of my Cat4-ness.