As part of the MBA program I finished last month, I took a course called Operations Management. I didn’t know much about this discipline until a few weeks ago. Operations management techniques attempt to optimize resources to efficiently produce goods and plan for the future.
During one of our classes I commented that many of these approaches feel magical to me. The professor assured me that statistical principles lead the way in this field, and not magic.
We apply data gathered over time to identify efficiencies and put resources to optimal use, and we can also make predictions. Not predictions like a psychic would make, in case you’re wondering. No. Rather, these predictions are based on data and statistics. Personally, I find that approach far less exciting than magic, but to see the results play out in homework assignments has held my interest, which is saying something.
In between studies and work, Felkerino and I have been peppering in brevets so I had a chance to try my hand at applying operations management concepts to our bicycle riding. I didn’t see a chapter about operations management and randonneuring, but maybe they will include that in the updated version of the course like I suggested in my course evaluation.
I left the statistical models by the wayside in my brevet planning and predictions, and used years of personal data gathered over long rides gone by, including recollections of previous editions of the Shenandoah 600K. (Felkerino and I also came with bodies and minds toughened up by the earnestly hilly Pittsburgh 300K and 400K brevets, and those rides served us well on our Shenandoah 600K outing.)
A classic D.C. Randonneurs route designed by the late Lynn Kristianson, the Shenandoah 600K is a loop course that launches from Middletown, Virginia, rolls down the valley past Lexington, back up to Raphine, over hill and dale through Bridgewater, and returns back to Middletown with around 23,000 total feet of ascent.
Day 1 trends cumulatively up and Day 2 trends cumulatively down, but riders are generally working their way over lumpy terrain throughout. This particular edition unfolded under a first day that included a sudden onset of unseasonably toasty temperatures, and a second day featuring unseasonably cool ones with some drizzly conditions thrown in. Long story short, this hilly route pulsed the legs while the range of temperatures tested each rider’s layering system and pacing skills.
Now lean in and I’ll tell you the secret weapon that unlocked this ride for me: an obsession with Future Me.
That’s pretty narcissistic, you might be thinking. To that I say, welcome to randonneuring. I’m kidding! It’s not just narcissists out here.
No, friends, this was not narcissism or even randonneur magic. It was Operations Management in action! The data accumulated over years of riding long with Felkerino and the familiarity of the progression of our route served as the foundation of a successful plan for Future Me to complete this 600K.
Usually on rides like this, I’ve hearkened back to Past Me and indulged in fruitless comparisons of whether Current Me is living up to Past Me and I have never given Future Me sufficient consideration. This time I cast all the Past Me’s aside, and Current Me put all my energy into Future Me.
Still with me? Let me clarify.
Given all the previous data Current Me possessed about Past Me, I felt well-prepared to plan with Future Me in mind. Anyway, who has the time to think about so many me’s? It can be exhausting, confusing, and dispiriting so better to put the focus on just one me – Future Me!
What did Future Me need to pedal strong not just one mile down the road, but rather 100, 200, or 300 miles? Essentially, those three main elements were fueling, temperature regulation, and rest.
Fueling: The beauty of this course is that it traverses less-populated areas, but that also means that food options were limited and spaced out. We brought quite a bit of our own nutrition/food, but knew it would be impossible for us to carry everything necessary for a 600K route.
Felkerino and I use Camelbaks because it’s the only way we have found to carry sufficient water, and we also made the most of every stop we encountered to make sure we had enough food for the miles ahead.
Felkerino also packed a camp meal in our overnight bag that we ate the morning before heading out on Day 2. It was just dehydrated eggs and rice or something, but the nutrition in that camp meal totally set us up for a great second day.
It’s easy to want to push on without adequate fueling because the urge to keep moving can be so strong, but Future Me pays a serious price if Current Me takes fueling shortcuts.
Temperature Regulation: The 600K brevets in our region sometimes coincide with the first blasts of summer heat, and that can be tough to ride through when not adjusted to it. Combine that with the draft from the tandem captain (much welcome in winter, less so in summer) and you can be in the midst of an uncomfortable cycling experience. Way back in the day, I almost abandoned this 600K because of overheating.
Having looked at the forecast, we knew that Day 1 temps were expected to rise steadily along with the humidity. We also knew that miles 110 to 140 were ascending sections that coincided with miles of unshaded road blasted with afternoon sunshine. We took a nice break in the shade before taking on that segment, and rolled our way over the ascending miles at a deliberate, not particularly fast pace, knowing that a zippy descent into Goshen and some shaded miles by the river awaited. By easing up on our effort, we not only avoided overheating, but also set the stage for pleasant afternoon and evening riding.
In contrast, Day 2 started out comparatively cool and drizzly. Worries of overheating were a distant memory and getting chilled was the worry. Fortunately, Felkerino and I brought the necessary gear thanks to lessons learned from the School of Hard Knocks. Do you know this school? It’s the hardest school! We now live by the credo of “never leave home without a rain jacket no matter what the forecast says” and navigated the conditions with no issues.
Rest: The final resource that helped Future Me through was rest. As I said, we didn’t charge through hilly ascending sections during the heat of midday. Instead we eased our way along. Later, knowing that the last 15 or so miles into the Raphine overnight on Day 1 were a gradual climb, we stopped at a gas station for a brief respite and an ice cream sandwich (maybe not the best nutritional choice, but it did get me up that hill!). The break helped the legs rebound for the final push.
Felkerino and I also enjoyed a four-hour sleep stop before heading out for Day 2 and that felt awesome! I was rested and ready for the last 135 miles, even those grinders along 42.
It sounds so basic, right? Don’t just ride for the moment. Ride for Future You! But it’s not always so easy to execute. There are so many ways to fritter away one’s energy on brevets, and at one point or another I’ve practiced them all. Pushing on to save time in the short term only to blow up 10 miles down the road. Bad eating choices. Fruitless comparisons to Past Me.
Long events like a 600K benefit from mental tenacity, focus, good planning, and optimization of resources. Operations management!
I confess that Operations Management didn’t end up the high point of my MBA experience, maybe because it was more geared toward statistics than magic. Who can say? On the up side, the basic concepts undergirding it helped Future Me meet with success on our 600K, and for that I’m grateful.
See you in Paris.
Chasing Mailboxes 