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ChiliMan Crowned

ChiliMan Podium (well, sorta)

To spice up the winter training blues, a somewhat "out there" throw down challenge was presented to the local cyclists who ride all winter and might consider throwing on a pair of running shoes on occasion.  The "challenge" included an informal group bike ride for 1.5 to 2 hrs followed by running in the Chilly Chili 5k right after.  The first person who (having rode earlier) to post the fastest 5k time would be crowned the "CHILIMAN". 
So, at about 9:45 am this past Sunday (Jan 24), a few brave souls began filing into the Caz High parking lot for the unofficial ChiliMan Challenge. Temps were single digits with a slight, yet sharp wind from the north.  There were a few laughs as the ChiliMan challengers compared their options and techniques for staying warm (or at least trying on some level).  Needless to say, it did not look like a mid-July club ride.  There were downhill ski helmets, Carhartts, duct tape, goggles, all sorts of mittens/gloves/over-mitts/liners, hand warmers, toe warmers, hats, face masks, balaclavas, neck gaiters, and general layers of this, that & you name it.  It looked like part mountaineering expedition, part bike ride and all just a bit questionable from a sanity stand point.  
The ride headed south out of Caz with 5 "official" ChiliMan candidates and a sixth rider who, well, was just looking for more saddle time having already been out for a while.  Once to New Woodstock, we turned east towards Erieville over the rollers and then were rudely reminded that there was a north wind as we zig-zagged north & west back towards Caz.  The irony was you wanted to push the pace a little to get the furnace going and produce some body heat while on the other hand, each mph faster hurt exponentially as the wind was downright painful in its bite.
We rolled back into Caz after about an hour & 50 minutes with most sporting frosty eye lashes and/or other frosted facial hair or face coverings.  We started the process of changing from "ice-cyclists" to runners and refueled with munchies & liquids. 
We lined up for the Chilly Chili 5K and wiggled, jumped, and fidgeted all over trying to stay warm like the entire crowd.  The gun went off and the runners went sweeping through downtown and then northward up what seemed like all gradual uphill for the first 2 miles - with a bit of a kicker in there as well.  When the dust (or frost) settled, the first ChiliMan challenger to cross the line was Randy H.  Many of us who know Randy realize he's a pretty strong cyclist but he isn't exactly a slouch of a runner.  The dude finished 9th overall .. like 9th of 800+ entrants.  And it's probably quite reasonable to assume that not many of the folks he was racing on the front end of it all had just ridden for nearly 2 hours.
With his first place in the ChiliMan Challenge, Randy was ceremoniously presented with a 750 ml bottle of Belgian style recovery beverage (aka Three Philosophers) and the coveted ChiliMan Talisman/necklace.  Second went to Team Ommegang - Syracuse Bicycle newcomer Dave B who was top 30 overall.  With second, Dave claimed the "single-serve" size of a Three Philosophers.  Third was presented to Skinny Phil  but a protest by Jeremy B indicated he did actually finish 3rd.  Actually he didn't protest, we just couldn't find him after the race until we had already had the awards "ceremony".  (So Skinny Phil owes Jeremy a PBR pounder.)  Lantern Rouge honors went to Drummroll whos legs and knees simply wondered why.  While uncertain of Dave's and Randy's pre-race prep, Skinny Phil was on the bike Sat am for some decent saddle time on the backroads while Jeremy B and Drummroll were spotted at Highland at a snowshoe race the day before. 
So the first ChiliMan challenge is in the books.  No frostbite, no flats, two snowplows, and lots of makin the best of what's out the door here in CNY. 
Chilly Chili Results & some pics here:  http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2011/01/results_from_the_cazenovia_chi.html

2011 OMMEGANG LIMITED EDITION BEER RELEASE SCHEDULE

http://newyorkbeer.blogspot.com/2011/01/brewery-ommegang-2011-beer-release.html

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, 7% ABV, Belgian-Style Stout 1/6 bbl draft and 750 ML bottle. January-March 2011

Gnomegang, 9.4% ABV, Belgian-style Strong Blonde Ale 1/6 bbl draft and 750 ML bottle. April-June 2011

Q3 Tart beer, ABV tbd, Belgian-style ale 1/6 bbl draft and 750 ML bottle.
July-September 2011

Ommegang Adoration, 10% ABV, Belgian-style Strong Winter Ale 1/6 bbl draft and 750 ML bottle.  October-November 2011

2 New Years Resolutions

(1)  Go see William Nicholson play.
 

 In fact you can do it this week
Click the link below for more info:
Happy New Year - a little SOLO
January 20 - Cafe Ole

359 S. Warren St.

Syracuse, NY

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

 

(2)  See these caps?  Try these brews!

Brasserie D'Achouffe

Duvel

Maredsous

These are Brewery Ommegang's cousins.

http://www.duvelmoortgatusa.com/

Learn more & explore. Some truly amazing brews!

ChiliMan Challenge Update

http://ommegang-syracusebicycle.blogspot.com/2011/01/unofficial-winter-throw-down-team.html

Gnomegang

Lots happening at the brewery ........  http://beernews.org/2011/01/brewery-ommegang-to-close-temporarily-gnomegang-coming-in-april/

Unofficial Winter Throw Down: Team Ommegang - Syracuse Bicycle ChiliMan Challenge

Forecast -- Cazenovia, NY  -- Sunday(1/23):

A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 8. Calm wind becoming northwest between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

High of 8 ? ! !... ummmm, dress warm!

** January 13, 2011 Update **

All details are tentative and subject to change, even during the event, (mainly because we're winging it and making up the rules as we go along) but here's what we're thinking:

Ride Start Time/Place:  ready to ride at 10am sharp from the Caz High School parking lot off of East Lake Rd.  This is where the Caz based OCC rides usually leave from.

Ride Route:  So we don't have to put too much thought into this, we'll "borrow" a route from OCC.  We'll do the 31 mile Caz-Hardscrabble ride -- see link:  http://onondagacyclingclub.org/maps/pdf/Caz-1.pdf

Prize List: A 750 ml Three Philosophers (1st place), a small 3 Phils for 2nd, and some PBR for 3rd to share with everyone else. First place will also be given a coveted ChiliMan talisman as pictured above.  We're also considering adding a Ladies division if in fact any are interested.

Registration:  To register, just say "I'm in" under the comments section of the post.  You ridin or hidin?

We're sure some of ya have heard of and/or may have ran in the Chilly Chili.  While admittedly yes, it is a non-cycling event, it is a good time that you should try to attend (yes you can run a 5K).  Last year's event saw a surprising number of local cyclist lacing up their running shoes with some putting in some pretty darn respectable times.

OK, if you're still not convinced, we believe there will be lots of chili sampling and beer sampling at the post race festivities.

So we're thinking that to "spice" things up a little bit (we're talking chili here), we're going to throw down an informal challenge .. the unofficial, informal, loosely formatted, casually structured Team Ommegang-Syracuse Bicycle ChiliMan Challenge.  Ya ready ... weather permitting (and it will have to be real bad), we will plan on riding for probably 2 hours or so BEFORE the 5K.  We'll finish the ride 45-60 minutes before the 5K and then participate in the 5K.   The person who posts the best 5K time that also rode prior will be the winner of a highly coveted 750 ml bottle of Three Philosophers as well as the hard earned bragging rights as the ChiliMan.

Info on the 5K is below.  Registration for the Team Ommegang-Syracuse Bicycle ChiliMan Challenge is well, -- all you have to do is show up at the bike ride portion and you're entered.  Details on the bike ride portion will be posted at a later date -- stay tuned.  Please remember this is meant to be an informal, fun twist on a basic training ride and is not officially affiliated with the 5K event.

http://www.chillychili.com/

An Interview With Georgia Gould

Nah, we didn't talk to Georgia but the good ol' Rooster (aka Mike W.) did.   After all, Georgia grew up right down the road a bit from where Mike calls home.

Check it out at his blog/website ...... http://www.catskillscycling.com/

Mike, with his big smile and friendly word, has been a great ambassador for Catskills area cycling scene as well as the general region as a whole.   Check out his website from time to time and do not hesitate to drop him a line should you find yourself headed down to the Catskills.  He's a wealth of information and he'll get you pointed in the right direction be it a bike shop, a flat route, a fishing hole, a hiking trail, a hilly route, dirt roads and even where to have a post ride meal or your favourite Ommegang recovery beverage.