my post are few and far between. its the new year and I am newly motivated to train. The past three years really have not seen me training so much, I ride a lot and race, but have not been up to doing the type of training that you need to do to stay on top. Maybe this year will be different, it is starting out different anyway.
I have a setback today and will affect the next few days, but its raining today so I wont worry so much about it.
New bike sponsor this year. We are all excited to be on good bikes this time. The old bikes were good - 5 years ago, but just were not on par with the competition. The new Giant Anthem frames are light and fast. We should be able to drop over 1.5 lbs from the bike weight easily now, and the bike rides much better.
So much still going on that I am super busy.
1/24/10
8/3/09
SERC finale
Another muddy serc win. Fontana seems to be decent and rideable wet or dry, although it likes to be wet there. It rained all night before the race. We got to pre-ride in fairly dry conditions, but the race was muddy. The beginner classes raced in the morning so they churned up the soil for us to make it extra sticky. They got rained on, but it stopped and our race was rain free at least, sounds good but that means that the mud is drying the whole time and as it drys it gets more like peanut butter and sticks and slows us down.
I felt very good. On the first climb I looked back and saw everyone walking what I just rode so I pushed the pace slightly and got a gap that would not be closed. I race expert so now my goal was to catch the pro class ahead of me, 4 mins head start. I did catch Robert who was in 3rd, who I also said I was going to catch, lol. Then my goal was to have a competitive time with the pro winners as I used to beat those guys anyway. Racing alone is different that racing another fast guy, so it would be hard to get too close to guys racing each other and attacking and working off each other. My pace was comfortable and easy. If training goes well next pre-season I may just do more pro races.
I felt very good. On the first climb I looked back and saw everyone walking what I just rode so I pushed the pace slightly and got a gap that would not be closed. I race expert so now my goal was to catch the pro class ahead of me, 4 mins head start. I did catch Robert who was in 3rd, who I also said I was going to catch, lol. Then my goal was to have a competitive time with the pro winners as I used to beat those guys anyway. Racing alone is different that racing another fast guy, so it would be hard to get too close to guys racing each other and attacking and working off each other. My pace was comfortable and easy. If training goes well next pre-season I may just do more pro races.
ORAMM
Todd talked me into doing this race the week before. I was free that weekend so went and did it. Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell.
Its a 64 mile race with about 12,000 feet of climbing. It takes me about 5.5 hours to finish when I dont have all my bottles. There are 5 rest stops, and these are key to having a good race. you dont need to stop at every one but do need to have supplies sent ahead. I sent two big bottles and one gel flask to stop #3, the one just before the 9 mile climb, but when I got there could not find my bag. After about 2 or 3 mins gave up and filled the little bottle I had from the cooler and went on. This led to a bonk where I had to slow down to a crawl until I could get to the next feed zone and take on more water in my one little bottle. I got passed by the guy previously in 2nd place and never caught him back, finishing 6 minutes back in my class to take 2nd.
It was a fun race and the trails in the area are so much fun to ride. My bike is set up perfectly for that type of terrain so that made the ride more fun than the last time I did it.
This race usually overlaps other races that I have to be at, so am hoping I get to do it again next year.
It was a fun race and the trails in the area are so much fun to ride. My bike is set up perfectly for that type of terrain so that made the ride more fun than the last time I did it.
This race usually overlaps other races that I have to be at, so am hoping I get to do it again next year.
7/20/09
Nats
Well, first off I got 2nd in XC and 4th in Super-D.
I'm not too disappointed with it all, but would have like to have a better run event to compete on.
Seems like everything USA Cycling touches is a disaster. I don't know if that is by design or incompetence. For our XC race USAC did not even show up, it was only the UCI guys there and usac were supposed to mark out legs with numbers to identify which class racers were in. There were a ton of classes racing at the same time and only starting 2 minutes apart.
The age groups 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, singlespeed were all classes in front of mine. I tried my best to memorize who was in my class and recognize them, but when we got mixed into the back (and then the front) of these other classes it was hard to know anything. I lost the lead early on as I had to ride my own pace. the altitude was the biggest factor, at near 10,000 feet it was hard to breath and supply O2 to the muscles. I was breathing so hard that my diaphram cramped. After the first climb, which only took 25 minutes, I was able to settle in and ride a strong pace and catch most of the 6-8 riders that had dropped me. The guy who was leading the last time I could see was who I had to assume was still leading. I caught him on the bottom of the 2nd of 3 laps and passed him doing about 33 mph, and could not ask if there were any others in front. He turned out to be in 2nd at the time, and I thought I had a good chance to be in the lead.
My support on the sidelines and feeders also had absolutely no idea what was going on in the race as the number plates were not organized according to class, nor was there any way to distinguish between race classes. I pushed hard mainly to keep the followers at bay.
Lap traffic became an issue at times as usual, but I guess everyone had to deal with that.
At the end of the lap I could see a large group of women racers just ahead, and the guy that beat me must have been in that group, probably at the front. I could have easily closed that 12 seconds at that point had I known I needed to.
O well. I am not beating myself up over it. This is typical for usac and any race they get involved in, so I never expect much anyway.
It was a fun race I guess, but not a great place to race.
Seems like everything USA Cycling touches is a disaster. I don't know if that is by design or incompetence. For our XC race USAC did not even show up, it was only the UCI guys there and usac were supposed to mark out legs with numbers to identify which class racers were in. There were a ton of classes racing at the same time and only starting 2 minutes apart.
The age groups 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, singlespeed were all classes in front of mine. I tried my best to memorize who was in my class and recognize them, but when we got mixed into the back (and then the front) of these other classes it was hard to know anything. I lost the lead early on as I had to ride my own pace. the altitude was the biggest factor, at near 10,000 feet it was hard to breath and supply O2 to the muscles. I was breathing so hard that my diaphram cramped. After the first climb, which only took 25 minutes, I was able to settle in and ride a strong pace and catch most of the 6-8 riders that had dropped me. The guy who was leading the last time I could see was who I had to assume was still leading. I caught him on the bottom of the 2nd of 3 laps and passed him doing about 33 mph, and could not ask if there were any others in front. He turned out to be in 2nd at the time, and I thought I had a good chance to be in the lead.
My support on the sidelines and feeders also had absolutely no idea what was going on in the race as the number plates were not organized according to class, nor was there any way to distinguish between race classes. I pushed hard mainly to keep the followers at bay.
Lap traffic became an issue at times as usual, but I guess everyone had to deal with that.
At the end of the lap I could see a large group of women racers just ahead, and the guy that beat me must have been in that group, probably at the front. I could have easily closed that 12 seconds at that point had I known I needed to.
O well. I am not beating myself up over it. This is typical for usac and any race they get involved in, so I never expect much anyway.
It was a fun race I guess, but not a great place to race.
7/4/09
ramblings for no reason
I've been so busy lately that I don't know what to do with a day off. I did a short ride today because I am racing tomorrow - had to ride early before the heat hit, so I have had the day easy. Trying to still work on things but am just moving slow.
Sponsors for the team next year are looking good. I am working with others now. they are helping with sponsors and I stick to the athletes is hopefully how it will work. Is what I have been needing for a long time. One of the helpers is actually a sales rep for a bike company so that can be good and bad, only bad that he will have the company's interest first before the team's.
This team will be much bigger deal than before. We want to go big now and have a full-blown U-23 pro team and an elite junior team to add to the CycleYouth program.
Dave is taking the reigns on the CY Devo program and that will help a lot.
I am trying to share a little without sharing too much at this point. It is exciting anyway, I just am hoping the economy will be strong enough to support racing next year. Personally I do not expect the US economy to ever recover. I see the things that are going on and where the powers are taking us, but I also know that the World will have to still turn or there will be no power to grab for them, so I just keep moving forward with all I can do.
Haha, I would get on a soap box, but don't want the abomination to come after me. Be wise and study what is going on.
Sponsors for the team next year are looking good. I am working with others now. they are helping with sponsors and I stick to the athletes is hopefully how it will work. Is what I have been needing for a long time. One of the helpers is actually a sales rep for a bike company so that can be good and bad, only bad that he will have the company's interest first before the team's.
This team will be much bigger deal than before. We want to go big now and have a full-blown U-23 pro team and an elite junior team to add to the CycleYouth program.
Dave is taking the reigns on the CY Devo program and that will help a lot.
I am trying to share a little without sharing too much at this point. It is exciting anyway, I just am hoping the economy will be strong enough to support racing next year. Personally I do not expect the US economy to ever recover. I see the things that are going on and where the powers are taking us, but I also know that the World will have to still turn or there will be no power to grab for them, so I just keep moving forward with all I can do.
Haha, I would get on a soap box, but don't want the abomination to come after me. Be wise and study what is going on.
6/28/09
CAMP
I'm almost exhausted. Camp was last week, this is a camp I manage and run for usa cycling. I had three other staff members to host a week long junior mtb camp. Everything went well and had a lot of fun. I probably could have got more sleep, and say that every year.
A great group of racers attended and this was the most skilled bunch of the four years I have been running it.
This was located at a new venue close to DuPont forest so we had great access to those trails and the Pisga trails were a short drive away. Thad and Shey were back on staff and new this year was Tristan who in recent years attended this camp himself as a junior. T was our athlete alumni and is interested in a career in the coaching realm so I was glad to give him opportunity to work.
I really need to branch out and do camps for senior racers as they would enjoy it as much as I do.
A great group of racers attended and this was the most skilled bunch of the four years I have been running it.
This was located at a new venue close to DuPont forest so we had great access to those trails and the Pisga trails were a short drive away. Thad and Shey were back on staff and new this year was Tristan who in recent years attended this camp himself as a junior. T was our athlete alumni and is interested in a career in the coaching realm so I was glad to give him opportunity to work.
I really need to branch out and do camps for senior racers as they would enjoy it as much as I do.
6/9/09
GT
Got a new frame. I was at the Massanutten race and talking/ hanging out with Louis at GT demo. Anyway, I ended up being offered a frame and fork at a deal I could not turn down. I was riding an 08 khs frame with mix of old and new parts, mostly last years parts fixed up - the 08 frame was new in Jan 09, but still an 08. I put new parts on if needed, but my bike was running good. I am used to getting a new bike every year, and have done that since 1995 at least.
I have been too busy Monday and Tuesday to even get close to building it up. I washed the old bike really good as I have to transfer the parts over to the new frame. I have a few new parts for the new frame so it will be more like a new bike when done.
I'm a little excited now, this will be a way better frame than the ones I have been riding, I am looking forward to see how much better I will be racing now that I have a competitive bike.
well, got to go shower now, then work some more tonight... haha there is a facebook IM, that will kill more of my precious time...
I have been too busy Monday and Tuesday to even get close to building it up. I washed the old bike really good as I have to transfer the parts over to the new frame. I have a few new parts for the new frame so it will be more like a new bike when done.
I'm a little excited now, this will be a way better frame than the ones I have been riding, I am looking forward to see how much better I will be racing now that I have a competitive bike.
well, got to go shower now, then work some more tonight... haha there is a facebook IM, that will kill more of my precious time...
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