Spring Training Series - 25th Year

The Awakening
Tires are crawling out of their holes, metal is stretching out of its long layover of fatigue, carbon is...I'd like to say carbonating, but I have to say it's...expensive. And what does this all mean? It's time to tighten the cleats on those Sidis, replace that seedy looking chain laden with winter rust, and prepare for the first test of the legs this year for most of us. The Spring Training Series is a short way off. The teasing hell known as March--though so far it's been pretty nice--will lift its damp and dirty cloak, issuing in the warm and fickle winds of April.

The Beginning
STS crept out of the dawn of time with its first few one day attempts at racing on stone wheels with carefully carved ash frames. The races traversed the newly developed cobblemac (now known as tarmac) roadways around the land of "Runway," or thereabouts, because everywhere at that time was either a runway or a walkway (and we didn't mingle with the walkway crowd--far too slow).

The Evolution
That was a mere 25 ages ago, and Paul Alman has been fine tuning it from that first day until now. This is probably his final year at the helm of this great series of four Sunday races in April. It, along with its cousin the Spring Fling Waterford series running on alternate days, is one of the best opportunities for new racers to get into the mix and feel the exhilaration of riding with the pack and picking up the rudimentary skills of road racing. It's also a great venue for experienced racers to refresh their skills and get ready for the long leg crunching summer of racing ahead.

The Exterminator
I'm not saying Ray D is in here, but I'm not saying he's not either.
Though it's hard to believe that he jumped into this whole thing from the beginning, Ray Dybowski has ridden in every one of the 25 "ages" that the races have been held. And I thought I was old. I once got in a two man breakaway with "Big" Ray at Allen Park. I didn't know who the heck he was at the time, I just did a flyer and he came with me. For three laps he dabbled with me, kind of like cats do with a mouse they've managed to get under their claws. He won a preem in the process, while I ended up back in the pack, thankful for my release and the reunited comfort of a pack of maniacs with attitude.

The Pro
That's his wheel as he leaves us all behind.
At the Spring Training Series you also might get the chance to meet and even race with Frankie Andreu, a Dearborn native and nine time Tour de France racer. Frankie is a great guy and a savvy bike racer who shows up now and then. I rode with him in some of the A races in past years. On one occasion, I traded drafts with him near the front for a few laps until I was feeling the effort (read, shattered spent force). At the two lap to go mark he bolted past my wheel with all the energy I wished I had. I had to watch him and probably Blair Dudley and Ray Dybowski leave the group like an explosion of atoms in a superconductor. You can use me and abuse me any time Frankie. Did I say he was a nice guy?

The Info
So join us. It is a great experience and the thrill of the pack is leg cranking bad and that is so good. Go to MBRA.org for info on racing in Michigan. Then, click on the adjoining PDF file associated with the race you're interested in. In this case, the AAVC Spring Training Series. It will let you know the different race classes and the times for each. First race, March 29.

The Man!
P. Alman as a young lad. Entrepreneur that he is, he started his own team at the time.

Most of all, congratulate Paul for all the great times he's brought us through his administration and supervision of this series these past 25 years.

Word is that he'll be spending more time in Europe, further developing his team.

Many of the dynamic photos in this essay were taken by my friend and teammate, Brian Hayden, aka, T-Bone. These last couple were borrowed from P. Alman's personal collection.

Paul Alman

The guy has a stern and crusty demeanor. He's a bit intimidating right off. There's a gravelly grumble in his voice sometimes that hovers low, like small crumpled scraps of paper with a note tossed aside that you don't want to miss. And he doesn't hold back when he wants you to pay attention at the start line. The grumble becomes a shout. Bike racing is serious business, LISTEN UP!

My first road bike race ever (not including the Spring Training Series) was at Allen Park. I was racing Cat 5, nervous as could be, my legs unshaven, and apparently my number oriented in the newbie version of wrong side up--hey, it was probably upside down and inside out for all I knew. I pulled up to the line early with a few other guys and there stood Paul, officious looking, larger than life, and pacing back and forth. Then someone said something rude to him and a big smile came across his face and he had an instant comeback that reduced my tension immeasurably and totally trashed the other guy. It was a great moment. The whole group laughed.

Paul then zeroed in on my number and with only a quick comment that it was on wrong he was up along side me, removing the pins and reorienting it the proper way. He didn't even stick me as a reminder never to do this again. He just kept redirecting offhand comments that flew his way, a beam of a smile and a glint of wickedness never leaving his face. He likes this world of racers and action and bikes and life in general. It was all clear in just those few moments and I knew from then on that I liked Paul.

A year or two later I witnessed Paul's tenacity. It was the last race in the April calendar of his Spring Training Series out at Runway. You'd think the last race in April would be the warm one, leading into the heart of the transitional spring. You never know quite what you're going to get in April, but in a just world, anything close to May should be at least in the upper 50s to lower 60s. As we know, Michigan weather has nothing to do with justice. This race day began cold, bitterly cold, more like the 20s somewhere, and windy. The C race had a good turnout and they kicked off the morning with a good spirited crit. It was freezing, but the pavement was dry and if I remember right, it was partly sunny. (I just found some pictures, it was cloudy and the pavement was wet. I like my imagined version better.)

I did the B race. It started with deep dark billowy snow clouds moving in from the northwest. The wind picked up and it was the kind of wind that eats through lycra like a cougar goes for the bare neck. From the beginning a few snow flakes fluttered down from above. Our pack whizzed around the 1k park and up the gradual climb to the start finish line as the snow became thicker and thicker. The pavement was wet but rideable, but the snow was definitely coming down (I probably made this all up, too).

Joe Christy & Paul at Runway
It's at least 20 below in this shot.

And there stood Paul--and Joe Christy--through it all, making sure the racers were riding safely and fairly and that the podium racers got their due. It was bitter just to race and keep moving, much less stand there in that blast of icy air and let the cold run deep into your bones. But that was Paul.

Paul is passionate about biking. That's like saying Colnago makes decent frames, or Eddie Mercx was a pretty good bike rider. There just aren't enough ways to describe the level of his enthusiasm. He is bike racing as far as Michigan is concerned. He's spent the past twenty years or so as a--often the--driving force behind the road racing events here in southeast Michigan and throughout the state.

I don't think he can help himself. Roads talk to him in ways different than your average traveler. Where most people see ways to get from here to there with a big hunk of enclosed metal, Paul sees opportunities for great bike racing and a tarmac from which to get others as passionate as he is about the humming gears of pelotons, the glory of breakaways, and the sheer explosion of pack sprints.

David Myers, Mark Lovejoy & Paul Alman

I know that Paul talked last year about the challenges of his carrying the Spring Training Series at Runway. He didn't say he wouldn't do it, but he hinted that it's time for someone else to step forth. He's totally young at heart, but there's a time to move over and let others take charge of the reins that keep racing alive in Michigan. Great leaders need great successors or the the whole thing wanes.

I'm not sure who the successor of the Spring Training Series will be, yet. From what I hear, Paul's putting on one last year at the helm. These have always been the most fun road races of the year in my opinion. They're serious, yet still full of joy and light hearted banter. The only tension comes from wondering if you're in shape enough to stay in the pack for another year and/or how much more training you need to get there.

But in terms of the larger Michigan scheme of things, it will come as no surprise that one of the major successors of Paul's reign will be Joe Lekovish. Joe is just as passionate as Paul. He lives, sleeps and breathes bike racing and he's taken over at the helm of the Michigan Bicycle Racing Association. Joe is spirit and he's already doing a wonderful job.

I'm sure Paul won't be drifting very far from the scene. He's an in and among the action kind of guy. And he's probably the most intimidating (don't you believe it), caring, fun loving guy I know.

Thanks, Paul. You're great.