Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - Mild tension fills the air as more and more teams put forth their best hopes of capturing this year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia sponsored by Big Chuck's Drive-thru Economic Stimulus Service and Pizzeria. Many men have sacrificed precious time staring at the start list of this year's Giro in an attempt to divine the winning combination of grit, stick-to-it-ivness, and pharmacological acumen (or lack thereof) that makes up a truly competitive fantasy cycling team.
The start list is shaping up nicely, but there is still room for more. A reminder that you may enter up until noon tomorrow. Always remember: You must speculate in order to accumulate!
See you tomorrow morning for the Cycle to Serve Metric Century. Don't forget post ride food and libations plus bike washes by Jeremiah Dyer (proceeds will help fund his attendance at the USA Cycling regional junior development camp).
Lenoir, NC (LC Press) - Utter amazement shook the fantasy peloton as it became apparent today that Shawn Moore, Director of the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia, admitted he had nearly forgotten his own event was approaching. "It just kind of snuck up on me...", Moore commented. But after his slip up, Moore was quick to point out that this year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia sponsored by Big Chuck's Drive-thru Economic Stimulus Service and Pizzeria will be bigger and better than ever before.
While the format remains the same, the competition will prove to be fiercer as many of last year's director sportifs return a year stronger and wiser. This edition of the race will feature a prize list that may include a double date with Mario Cipollini, a pink Ferrari, and Luna Cycles branded merchandise. Many will enter, only one will win.
All entries are due in by noon, Saturday May 9th.
Don't forget: Cycle to Serve is this Saturday. Don't miss it! And don't forget to support Jeremiah Dyer's post ride bike wash fundraiser! Jeremiah is raising money to go to the USA Cycling junior training camp. The kid is a total motor and I look forward to seeing him get better and better. Get your bike washed to support his racing future!
I recently sold an old mountain bike frame of mine. I have to admit that I am hopelessly attached to just about every bike I have now or have ever had. Given that bit of knowledge, this bike was special. The bike frame in question was a Kona Hot, a handbuilt Reynolds 853 steel hardtail from 1997. Only 100 of these frames were made each year and you got to choose your paint colors and scheme to further the mystique of uniqueness.
I rode that bike everywhere from the Mammoth Mtn. downhill course to sky island singletrack in Patagonia, AZ. It's amazing to think about all of the trails in all of the places that I rode that bike. All of the adventures that I had on it, all of the sights that I saw and friends that I made while riding it.
For a long time, I have thought about building this frame up as a single speed mountain bike, but that never seemed to pan out. Then I started riding bikes with disc brakes and full suspension and all kinds of new equipment and technology and the steel hardtail frame started looking more and more dated. Finally, I had to admit that I probably wasn't going to be building it back up and that it needed a new home with someone who would have adventures of their own on it. It's still sad though, but at the same time, passing the bike on to someone else has brought up more memories and recollections about riding it than it ever did hanging from a hook in the basement.
There are some bikes that I just can't fathom getting rid of. I still have my first "real" bike, a 1986 Trek 760 road frame. This was the bike that started me down the road to hopeless bike geekdom that I have been traveling all this time. So much racing and riding. I held on to this frame through thick and thin. A hay bale in a Wilmington criterium trashed the fork, the wheelset and tweaked the derailler hanger, but I still held on to it. It lived with my parents for a few years and has traveled around with my various moves over the years as well.
I have begun resurrecting the Trek recently. First thing was to get a steel fork made for it. I took the advice of a friend and had Justin Pogge of Old Field Cycles in Tallahassee, Florida to make a beautiful lugged steel fork for it. Now my efforts turn towards paint and perhaps a lugged steel stem. I don't feel a need to build it up "original" or make it some kind of restoration project, but rather a way to update and breathe new life into something.
Despite rambling on in a questionably sane way about strong attachments to inanimate objects, it feels good to publicly declare one's geekhood. I sincerely hope that everyone develops the memory sense that comes from such a deep bond of attachment. And now I wait not only to rebuild the Trek of my youth, but to build up the new Surly touring bike that is on its way to the shop. New adventures await!
As part of the ongoing Moore family experiment in pushing the limits of a 2 1/2 year old child, we embarked on a journey to Tallahassee, FL Wednesday night. We left Lenoir at about 8 pm and headed south, confident in the hope that Owen would soon succumb to sleep. Alas, this was not to be. If he had had access to toothpicks, Owen would have shoved them into his eyelids like tentpoles in an effort to stay awake. He sang songs at the top of his lungs, asked for all kinds of snacks and drinks, "read" books to himself and burned through his second, third, fourth, and fifth winds before finally, mercifully falling asleep.
I drove through the night, stopping for gas, food, and caffeine. Finally, I reached a point where I needed to grab a nap in order to keep going. I pulled over, layed the seat back, and curled up for a cat nap. Boom! Owen was up, awake and clamoring for mobility. No rest for the wicked or the weary, apparently.
We made it to Tallahassee at about 7 am, safe and sound albeit pretty knackered. A little nap and we were off to the races. We had gone down to visit our good friend Chris and he had a whirlwind tour lined up for us. We headed off for the Tallahassee Jr. Museum where we saw all kinds of wildlife, including Florida Panthers, red wolves, black bears, and alligators among others. The next day, we headed to the coast to the aquarium in Panacea, FL, a little fishing (where we were joined by a wild alligator, but no fish), a trip to Cape St. George for some beach time and a lighthouse visit for Owen to add to his collection. We ended up in a little town on the gulf for some Appalachicola oysters (very nice) and a seafood dinner. The food was excellent, but everybody was getting tired and we had a long drive home until we could hit the bed.
The next day we headed to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. We headed by bike from the visitor's center to the point, through swamps and grassland marshes. We saw tons of birds (including red-winged blackbirds, blue herons and white herons), more alligators, a big snake, and a cute, fuzzy, brown guinea pig sized mouse (the snake was probably looking for him, too). We saw another lighthouse, did a short walk out on a levee, and then rode back in. We had a nice, simple dinner at Chris' house and turned in for our last night.
An early start, an all day drive and Bob's your uncle, we were home. It's a tough thing when your vacation wears you out and then you have to return to work, but it was all worth it.
One terribly interesting note of caution if you are going to visit Florida: don't even think about smuggling in plants or produce...
What better way to win Roubaix than soloing for the last 12km after all of your competitors fall by the wayside? Boonen put on a display of pure power stomping the pedals, his upper body rocking from side-to-side as he tried to eke out every last watt he could. Pippo Pozzato chased valiantly, but ultimately conceded seconds to Boonen with each passing kilometer. Despite decent weather, this Paris-Roubaix was another legendary one.
Boonen now sits tied with many of the greats like Merckx, Moser and Museeuw, with 3 wins in the Queen of the Classics. Only one man, Roger "Mr. Paris-Roubaix" De Vlaeminck, has won 4. Could Boonen be set to equal, or dare I say surpass, this venerable record? One thing is for sure, the record for fastest Paris-Roubaix doesn't look to be under any threat. Set in 1964 by Peter Post. Compare Boonen's performance yesterday with its average speed of 41.343 kph to Post's '64 record of 45.1 kph, a difference of about 3.8 kph (or 2.3 mph)! But then again, Post and a few others were fuelled by hatred for a former teammate. Even more remarkably, Boonen's performance yesterday still falls short of the second fastest Paris-Roubaix in history, a pace set in 1948 when Rik Van Steenburgen won with an average speed of 43.6 kph! That is still faster than Boonen by 2.3 kph (or 1.4 mph)!
In two days, Paris-Roubaix will start and finish. Approximately 165 riders will depart the small village of Compiegne and if it is a true Paris-Roubaix, i.e. rain, mud and generally horrific conditions, less than half of the starters will actually finish at the velodrome in Roubaix. Much has and will be written about this archaic throwback of a bike race, but dammit this is the race that made me want to be a cyclist.
I can still remember being 15 years old and glued to the tv watching everybody get destroyed by mud and cobbles. Sean Kelly whipping his domestiques into a frenzy to catch the breakaways. Rudi Dhaenens hitting the deck multiple times while wearing no. 13. As soon as it was over, Jason and I were out riding and imagining our own Roubaix, killing it into the headwind and listening to Phil Ligget poetry in our heads. Roubaix will always be the race I love most dearly above all others.
Everyone is asking for picks for victory, so here goes. George Hincapie will not come through this or any other year as the victor. I wish it were otherwise, but I just don't think he has it. His best shot came when Tom Boonen was his domestique on the U.S. Postal team and that ended with a cartwheel into a ditch. My feeling is that Quickstep may just pull a Mapei and have 3 guys (Boonen, Devolder, and Chavenal) in the final move and will absolutely work over the unfortunate soul(s) that are unlucky enough to be caught up with them. Boonen is the odds on favorite, and for that reason alone I don't think he will win. My tendency is toward Chavenal or Devolder with a heavy lean toward Chavenal. No matter what, it will be exciting. The forecast is for a bit of rain and that will make it a grand race to watch!
Since spring has decided to give way to winter again, my ratio of reading to riding has swung in favor of books lately. A Dog in a Hat is the autobiographical memoir of Joe Parkin, recounting his years racing as a Belgian-based, American professional cyclist in the '90's. Parkin was a workaday domestique who embraced Belgium, vlaamse, and the entire Flemish cycling mindset.
The title refers to an old flemish saying: een hond met een hoed op, which means "a dog with a hat on" which refers to seeing something that shouldn't be there. The book recounts many tales from Parkin's career, some good, some bad. There are tales of drugs, payoffs to breakaway companions for victory and other gritty stories, but throughout Parkin's love of cycling and Belgium comes through.
The one down side to this book is that it was such a fast and easy read. I found myself at the end far too soon for my liking. This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in professional cycling.
The past few months my focus has been devoted almost exclusively to finishing my National Boards Teacher Certification. If you don't know what this is, it is a monstrous amount of work that involves about 60 pages of writing, video taping and collecting student work. The reason I even mention this is because the deadline to turn all of this work in was this past week and now I can get on with the business of living outside of this closed little box of focus that I have been living in!
Sadly, my attention has been so diverted that I have almost missed my favorite part of the cycling season. Today was the Tour of Flanders (or Ronde de van Vlaandren) and for the second time in as many years, Stijn Devolder (Quickstep) has won. With three dangerous men in the race (Devolder, Tom Boonen, and Sylvain Chavenal), Quickstep definitely brings guns to the knife fights of the Spring classics. Boonen now seems to be taking the role of diverting attention from Devolder and Chavenal. While everyone watches Boonen (and rightfully so!) Chavenal is free to take the early flyer, while Devolder can play the spoiler if the opportunity arises. The deck is truly stacked against all of the teams with only one clear danger man amongst their ranks. The depth of Quickstep reminds me of the old Mapei team of the late '90's (GB-MG Bianchi before that) when it wasn't a matter of who would win a classic, but which Mapei rider would win.
Yesterday, Jeff, Todd and I had our own little test in the crucible of cycling as we competed in the 6hrs. of Warrior Creek mtn. bike race. Jeff and Todd competed in the solo category, while I teamed up with Megan Carmody from the Boone Bike and Touring team to compete in the coed duo category. Jeff and Todd layed it all out for 6 hours of off-road racing and looked wrung out post race. Megan and I pushed as hard as we could while still having fun and ended up in about 8th place. The one thing that we all discussed after the race was how could anybody do a 24 hr. race! Look for a Luna Cycles team competing in the Burn 24 hour race at Dark Mtn. this May!
Finally, many of you received the April issue of the Luna Cycles Newsletter in your email inbox. If you didn't and would like to receive it in the future, please sign up for our mailing list using the box to the right in the sidebar. Our newsletter includes information on all aspects of cycling, information about store specials, and web only coupons! We will never share or sell your contact information and we will not overwhelm your mailbox!
The sight of Lance Armstrong holding his right elbow in the international sign language sign for "I have broken my collarbone" was not a pleasant thing to see. It is a bad break (pun intended) for Armstrong in his return to the european peloton and could point to his loss of status as the "Boss" of the peloton after his absence the past 3 years. Or it could be just wrong place at the wrong time. The end result though is that there is now a seed of doubt in Armstrong's participation in il Giro d'Italia. Since this would be his first time in the race, it would be very cool to see him tackling the Giro; a race that has a different character from the Tour de France. Hopefully, Armstrong will mend well enough to participate.
Less fortunate is Tyler Farrar of Garmin who seperated his shoulder and now appears to be out for the classics season. Farrar had huge promise given that not only is he the only man so far this year to not look silly in a sprint against Mark Cavendish, but actually beat Cavendish by going past him in a sprint finish to take a win in the 3rd stage of Tirreno-Adriatico. Talk about something to watch for in the classics! Another bad break for an American rider.
Here on the homefront inconsistent weather, too much stuff to do, and a heavy workload have conspired to keep me off the bike. No whining or whingeing, just a statement of fact (and regret). My short term goals are to finish up all of my National Boards Teaching Certification stuff by Friday (deadline is next Tuesday) and try to hit the Uwharrie mtn. bike race on Sunday. Should be a great way to show how out of shape I am AND be a real motivator for the 6 hrs. of Warrior Creek mtn. bike race on April 4th. Fear not dear friends! Despite my lack of time on the bike in reality, I have been maintaining a brutal regimen of positive visualization and active rest that should prove the key factor to these early spring races. That coupled with copious amounts of landscaping work might just add up to a bit of Belgian farmboy fitness for me.
Turn some cranks for me and I hope to see you on the roads and trails soon!
Apparently, I was pretty out of it when I wrote last night since I put Contador on Team Discovery Channel. But seriously, now that Lance is back it seems like the only thing different is the shade of blue. Astana has risen from the ashes of the Vinokourov fiasco and looks to be the most potent stage race team of the bunch. My bad.
I don't think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder or anything, but it would be impossible to express how happy it makes me to have sunlight well into the evening. Finally, riding during the week can take place outdoors! The tuesday/thursday shop rides are in full effect and depart from the shop at 5:30 pm. The saturday group ride will now be leaving at 9 am, so we can squeeze in another hour on the bike before dispersing to the four corners of the county to do all of the things we need to accomplish on the weekends.
My posts have been very sparse as of late and I would like to offer an explanation. March 31st is the deadline for the completion of my portfolio for National Boards Professional Teaching Standards certification. To say that I am writing a lot right now would be a severe understatement. I will emerge from the seclusion after this month, but expect to see me out on the group rides as I need to turn my legs to try and slow down the wheels in my head.
A little shop news to give you a heads up on: the Specialized Spring Break Sale will be from March 13th - 22nd. Loads of free stuff when you buy certain Specialized models. Make sure to check the shop website for more details!
Paris-Nice just got a whole lot more interesting today as Sylvain Chavenal took the stage and the lead from Alberto Contador. A late in the game, audacious break seems to have worked. Can't believe that Discovery would fall asleep at the wheel on something like that, so even greater kudos to Chavenal. Regardless of the final outcome, Sylvain looks set to pick up where he left off last season and continue his winning ways. He said of his ride today, "I saw the Rabobank riders gathering in the front," the Frenchman explained. "I took my jacket off - I was ready for the war." Nice to see a frenchman doing well in a big race on home soil. Friday's mountain finish looks to be the make it or break it stage. don't forget you can follow the action live on velonews.com and cyclingnews.com.
As the crocuses start to peek out of the ground, one is tempted to herald the coming of Spring. But the forecast for wintry mix on Sunday would lead the pessimist to feel otherwise. I find myself firmly in the optimistic camp that Winter is almost over and warmth and green are about to replace cold and dead. Think positive thoughts and hope for the best.
In the high stakes, competitive world of school bus driving, drugs have begun to creep in following the drivers as the salaries and sponsorship deals have grown to astronomical proportions. In an effort to get in front of this lurking problem, school systems across the country have instituted drug testing programs to try and level the playing field and send a strong message that cheaters will not be tolerated in a sport with the storied purity of competition that competitive bus driving has long enjoyed.
Due to some recent stellar performances on the road side of Bus driving competition, I found myself visited by the anti-doping control squad for an unannounced out of competition test. Not to brag, but I have been finding strength in both the extended backing up competitions and in the road course/slalom competitions recently and I viewed my visit by the "vampires" (or more accurately the "urine drainers") as a sign that I have arrived!
In an effort to try and show the future generations of competitive bus drivers that performance enhancing drugs have no place in the sport, I would like to formally announce the launch of my new anti-doping organization, DriveClean. The DriveClean movement seeks to encourage all current and future competitive bus drivers to compete with their natural gifts and talents, honed by years of practice and to not try and take the easy way to victory by using PED's. Together, we can make a difference!
You may or may not have noticed, but the biggest deal in North American Men's Professional Road Cycling, the Amgen Tour of California (or AToC for those desperate for initializing) began on Saturday. This race marks the return of Lance Armstrong to his first US race, Floyd Landis to his first post-suspension race and Ivan Basso to his post-suspension era as well.
It struck me as odd that in a week dominated by the performance enhancing drug revelations of Alex Rodriguez, that no fewer than 5 professional cyclists who had served suspensions for drug violations would be in California. They include the aforementioned Landis and Basso along with Stage 1 winner Francesco Mancebo, Tyler Hamilton and Oscar Sevilla (all of Rock Racing - a supportive, half way team that eases those coming off of suspensions back into the rough and tumble world of the pro peloton with all of its temptations and pressures). Couple this with convicted party drug imbiber Tom Boonen (cocaine) and everybody's favorite man in grey (the area between legal and illegal), Lance Armstrong and you just know somebody is going to have to say something. Paul Kimmage, former pro cyclist, journalist, and author of the tell-all drug expose Rough Ride, confronted Armstrong in a press conference and really told it like it is to his face. Armstrong's reaction was to be expected, but his recent dropping of his much touted and publicized self-testing program under the direction of Don Catlin, doesn't exactly make for a strong defense in Armstrong's corner.
What is even funnier is the American public's seeming desire to really, really, really want to forgive A-Rod and move on from the whole drugs mess, while cycling just keeps devolving into a sordid, soap opera like series of scandals and bitter recriminations. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the year that nothing much happens in cycling and the rest of the sports world gets its share of cheaters and dopers exposed.
I suffered my Short Track Mountain Bike racing debut yesterday. Going into it, I wasn't to hopeful about how I would do and in retrospect, that was probably a pretty optimistic outlook given the reality of my race. Short track, for those of you who don't know, is a mountain bike race that is raced by time (like cyclocross) and features a short course with some technical mtn. biking and some wide open, power sections.
This race started on a sidewalk, went into a parking lot, turned in the parking lot and then dove into a singletrack trail in the woods. There were lots of high speed berm turns, which are not my forte, and a little bit of climbing. So how was my race?
(spoken with heavy southern drawl a la NASCAR) First off, I want to thank all of the Fiets Maan Racing and Luna Cycles Crew for getting my SRAM/Crank Brothers/Rock Shox/Specialized Epic Expert bike in perfect condition for today's race. Things were looking purty good... I came off the line good... hit the woods in about 6th position... and then the bike, she got a little loose in turn 2... I came off the berm funny... slid a little bit and got right into a tree. I'm just glad all the other racers behind me were able to get around me clean. I guess that's racin'.
I got back in it after putting my chain back on, but I was tentative from then on. I was way back, so not much hope of doing anything, but I stayed in it for the training effort. I didn't finish last which is both gratifying and surprising, but I'll take it.
Yesterday, Jeff and I set out to do a training ride for the upcoming 6 hours of Warrior Creek mountain bike race. Our plan was to do 4 laps without the myriad stops and breaks that are the hallmark of group mountain bike rides. Just the two of us in a not quite race simulation ride.
The weather was nice and warm, but inexplicably, the trails were greasy to peanut buttery for long tractionless stretches. Right off the bat, precious watts were exerted to essentially go nowhere. Forcing your weight onto the rear wheel proved futile as I was still spinning it while nearly pulling a wheelie. Our plan looked questionable as we made slow, energy sapping progress.
We got out of the truly sloppy portion of the trail and were greeted with decently tractionable stretches of trail broken up here and there with more glop and goop. The first lap was finished and we were on the second lap as we realized that the trail was tacking up the riding was getting much better. For me, the second lap was when the demons started to work on me as I toed into the uncharted waters of more endurance type mountain biking than I am used to. I pushed through the dark moments and made it to the finish of the second lap, convinced that I had reached my limit and would not be riding further.
We sat and ate, took stock of our physical state and took off for another lap. At this point, we were 2 laps and 3 hours into the ride. Physically, we were getting somewhat sore and fatigued, but not unbearably so. I kinda got alittle concerned about our plan when I noticed that the sun seemed to be going down at a decent rate and the air was getting cooler.
It is weird how fatigue magnifies little mistakes and you find yourself crashing in really stupid circumstances. I started to walk the short power climbs that were greasy, rather than waste the energy trying to ride them. Concentration seemed to waver at the wrong moments and it becme a game to try and snap back to attention in time to keep upright and pointed down the trail. It was nice to come to the end of lap three. Despite the myriad problems on each of the three laps, average lap times were pretty close to each other. I was pleased to note that I felt like I had another lap left in me, but was equally pleased to head to the car, get out of the chamois and head home for some food.
Now the question remains: should we do another shakeout ride and push for 6 hours prior to raceday? or just keep training and save it all for the race?
Some time back, Kaibab decided to blow both of his rear ACL's. In September, we got the worst one operated on and he recovered nicely. In fact, he has been very sweet and appreciative of being in full blown house dog mode.
At the end of January, we took him in to get the second ACL repaired. I went in to the vet to visit him after his surgery and there he is, resplendent in a party hat. Apparently, he decided to start gnawing at his stitches as soon as he regained consciousness. I brought him home, party hat and all. We would take it off of him to give him a break and BOOM he'd be gnawing at his stitches like they were going out of style. So, we left the hat on from that point on. He started to use it like some kind of weapon, ramming you with the plastic to push you out of the way. It also served as a kind of funnel/target for Owen to throw food at Kai from the kitchen table. Lovely.
Friday was the day for Kai to get the stitches out, so Thursday night we decided to take off the party hat and let him chill out for the evening. When we were getting ready for work Friday morning, Golden asked me, "does it look like his stitches are all gone?" I looked at the 7 inch incision on his knee and sure enough, zero stitches were present. Seems Kai decided to remove his own stitches Thursday night. It isn't really a big deal, but if he was going to do the follow up medical procedure, I wish we could have given him a shot at performing the initial surgery on himself. We could have saved a lot of money that way...
It is truly hard to be happy when the temps drop to the teens at night and the wind is brisk and biting. I am starting to lapse into daydreams of fun in the sun, sitting in a garden in full bloom with a glass of ice cold white wine (don't ask me, I'm not sure why it's popping up, either). One of my colleagues at school took off this afternoon for a week in Puerto Vallarta. I'm stuck in the arctic. The bad thing is that it is cold, but there is no snow. No way to engage in fun but fleeting winter sports like snow shoeing, skate skiing or the like. It's just cold and it is starting to drive me slightly bonkers.
I just got a heads up on a review of the new Fuji D6 tt/tri bike. We saw this bike at the show and it was more than a little revelatory. While Fuji makes a solid product, we were really surprised to see such a well thought out, highly engineered and in many ways, revolutionary bike from them. And while the idea of a time trial is enough to give me the heebies AND the jeebies, I have a deep admiration of the equipment. This new bike from Fuji is being hailed as a legitimate challenger to the heretofore unchallenged Cervelo P series. Check it out: Fuji D6 Review
This weekend should (fingers crossed) be warm and great for another long base pace ride. Talk of a scenic tour of Lake James is in the air. Hope to see you there! I'll be the guy with really pasty white legs poking out of his shorts. ON second thought, I'll be the really good looking guy with really pasty white legs poking out of his shorts. The other pasty legged guy is Max "ghost faced killah" Dyer...
Beautiful weather today on our Cycle to Serve loop ride. Several of us actually stripped down to shorts halfway through! Four of our team riders from Charlotte made the trip up to join us, swelling our group to about 10. The pace was just right for base miles, the sun was shining and the conversation was convivial.
It was great to get out and do a nice, long ride. Lots of climbing has made it impossible not to remember today's ride for the next few days. My legs are certainly not used to long road rides, but some chocolate cake and soy milk are helping to ease the pain.
Remember that line from The Shining? Stuck in that big, snowed in hotel with not much to do, but go crazy and talk to ghosts. I'm starting to feel that way myself. As Homer said in The Shinning, "Don't mind if I do!"
The cold is getting to me. The wind isn't helping and skies that seem to not vary much out of the grey color scheme are doing me in. I feel like the whole world is in a funk. Sure, the economy is bad and getting worse, but having a dull, leaden sky crushing down on you day after day with temperatures that make it too cold to do anything outside are just exacerbating the situation.
There are some bright spots. Tomorrow will be another day for a shop trainer ride. Although riding outside is best, riding indoors with other people is at least better than slogging away in the basement by yourself. Sunday, the temps are supposed to go up a good bit and some of the Luna crew from Charlotte are going to come up and join us for a base mile ride of the Cycle To Serve loop at 9:30 am. Remember that base pace means slow and steady, convivial conversation, that sort of thing. Come discover how smart your riding partners are by engaging in actual conversation! Past group ride conversation topics have included: "Dogs: a critical analysis of the predatory response with respect to breed" and "The dos and don'ts of on-the-bike action photography". If 9:30 isn't a workable time for you, there will be another group taking off in the opposite direction to meet up with us at 1pm. I'll post more details later.
Other good news in our little world this week: although one of his classmates had them, Owen managed to not get lice this week. All of his stuff was in a bag for us to, I guess disinfect or burn or something and he was pretty surly at me looking through his hair for like the 50th time that day, but he was louse free! And then, he turned around and got something called Fifth's Disease which resembles the 72 hour Leprosy, but adds a kind of cold/cough action to the mix for added fun. At least it wasn't Monkey Pox.
If you ever get bored and are looking for something to do on a Friday afternoon, drop by the shop and join in the fun of the Luna Cycles Ninja Challenge World Cup of Upper Body Strength. There are several categories to choose from, but the competition is stiff! Only in a bike shop would the winning mark of 7 pullups be an unbroken record for the 4th straight week. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we cyclists are gifted with the upper body strength of a T. Rex, but that doesn't stop us from trying to unleash our inner power lifter!
With temps forecasted in the mid-50's, tomorrow's ride is NOT going to take place indoors but in the great wide open! We will be hitting the Cycle To Serve loop at base pace. Plenty of cutoff points if you aren't up for the whole ride. 10 am start.
It is not the easiest thing in the world to stay excited about riding a bike when the thought of being outside is enough to cause frostbite. Sadly, we are deep in the throes of the coldest part of winter; the very heart of darkness (and despair). Temperatures that flick above 40 degrees feel like a veritable heat wave right now and it is that magic range of the upper 40's that inspires us to get out and ride.
Jeff, Golden, Peter and I headed to Warrior Creek on Sunday to do a little mountain biking. We decided to ride the loop counter-clockwise this time and both Jeff and I thought that it flowed much better in that direction. Temps were cool but not freezing and once we got moving everything was fine. This trail is complete and now the work is turning to some reroutes of old trail sections and buffing the trail to perfection. BMCC will be doing trail work days every Sunday for the next month or so in an effort to get this trail done and ready for the race there in the Spring. Check out the BMCC website to get further info on volunteering! I'll see you out there this Sunday if you can make it.
We wrapped up Warrior's Creek, jumped in the car and drove the 10 minutes to the Overmountain Victory Trail. Jeff and I took off and immediately noticed that it was a good bit colder on the OVT than it had been at Warrior's Creek. A few other intrepid souls were out riding, but we largely had the trail to ourselves. Towards the end of the trail, we both started feeling the effects of cold weather mountain biking for 3+ hours and were glad to get back to the car and its promise of warmth. The only thing lacking was a coffee shop within a short distance, but life can't be too perfect.
Not sure what the weekend is going to bring weather wise, so a mtb ride this weekend is up in the air. I plan on heading out to do trail work with Owen and Golden on Sunday, so at least I will get out in the woods one way or the other! Don't forget shop trainer rides will be on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm for the near future. Bring a trainer and fight the good fight with others! The Saturday group ride may or may not be indoors this weekend. Once I have a clear idea of the weather I will post the call.
There is something truly awful about riding the trainer. I think it is the stationary part, the not going anywhere that heightens the torture of riding indoors. We started the Saturday morning trainer rides at the shop today due to the fact that it was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cold to even think about riding outside. Charles the Taller and Peter met me at the shop at 10am and we started setting up. I brought the trainer and the rollers, just in case somebody showed up without a trainer. Charles and Peter got started, I turned up the AC/DC and we got underway.
I decided to ride the rollers. I don't know why, but the rollers seem like the lesser of two evils to me. I guess it is the constant concentration to avoid the imminent doom that lurks at the edges of the spinning drums that keeps the mind occupied enough to not dwell on the stationary part of the indoor riding session. The key to riding rollers (I think) is to be in a relaxed state of concentration. Relax to much and the bike is zigging all over the place. Tighten up on the bars too much and you are zagging like there is no tomorrow. Hit things just right and it is almost like being on the road.
You have probably heard the war stories about trainer crashes or been scared witless when you realized how close to the edge your wheel was. I have honestly never had a bad incident on the rollers, but then again I don't try to ride no hands or fart around like I'm Joe Pro, either. Rollers are to be viewed as being a quiet kind of cool. It is cool to ride rollers well, but it is not cool to break them out at your local crit and show off your no hands-back stretching-while riding rollers technique. However, it is cool to show how good you are on the rollers when warming up at the velodrome, but you better bring your A game to even warrant a glimpse in your direction as there are some serious bike riding skills going on in the fixed gear set.
With all of that out in the open, I managed a 45-50 minute ride on my Roubaix rollers (the drums are really lumpy so it is sort of like riding on a very bumpy road). Peter kept breaking out the one legged drills on the trainer, swearing up and down that they made time go by faster. Sure. Charles sweated along and aptly reminded us that suffering now was the best preparation for the season. It's funny that we suffer now so that we can suffer more once the weather is warm. Seems perverse to train by suffering in order to compete at suffering. Oh well, no one ever promised that life would be logical.
It is about 8:30 am and it is cold. Not just a little cold, but a significant, bone-cracking kind of cold. Don't ride outside! Come by the shop at 10 am, bring your trainer and we'll do an indoor group ride. Anytime between 10 and noon will be good. I'll have tunes and a heater.
What if I were to tell you that I had a fabulous, can't lose investment opportunity and that if you act right now you would be on the ground floor of this exciting investment opportunity? Shades of Bernie Madoff, you say? No, says I!
Well, friends, I am prepared to let you in on the secret to cycling success! This has been the closely guarded secret of the pros for decades and now, right now, I will give you this training secret FREE OF CHARGE! But wait, you are probably asking yourself, "What's the catch?" Fair enough, I won't lie to you, friends. This investment is an investment in yourself; an investment in the season that will be; the season that lies before you like a wide open road of possibility. But this investment will require privation, less than ideal conditions at times and one of the most precious of all commodities: time.
Yes friends, if you want to fly up the hills like an angel, sprint like a cheetah or just try to not be the slowest buffalo in the herd, then you must get out and ride your bike now. Yes, now! In the winter! When the chill drives the timid into the house for another round of Wii tennis and hot cocoa, you should be bundling up and coming out for the Saturday group ride! Come out for some good old-fashioned LSD (long slow distance - NOT the other stuff!). Be prepared for slow, social miles and GASP! talking with other people while riding.
So, my friends, if you want to be "Better, Harder, Stronger, Faster" this season, NOW is the time to make the investment in yourself!
*while riding your bike in the winter time is a good idea and does usually result in increased performance and overall improvements in ones athletic ability, your actual results may vary. If, after a reasonable time period, you have not experienced improvements that you may define as "reasonable", you are probably not doing something right and should consult your local bike shop for the requisite scowls of disapproval and taunts of being a "whiner". This is a limited time offer, Winter doesn't last forever, you know, and before you know it your first (race, cookie ride, long ride, mtn. bike epic, etc...) will be here and you will be lamenting missing out on this sure-thing investment opportunity.
In closing, let me say, "I'm gonna get you Shaw Brown!"
True to form here in the foothills, the weather is taking a nice downturn temperature wise just in time for the weekend. The timing is uncanny. Despite the chill, I'm gonna get out on the new mountain bike and do a little Wilson Creek exploration ride. Jeff and I both want to encourage anyone who wants to come join us for a little fun in the dirt to definitely come ride with us! I'll let you know when and where to meet up for this Sunday's offroad fun. Don't worry about your skill level, your ability or your fitness, we just want people to ride with! Don't have a mtn. bike or wanting to update the one you have? We have several demo mtn. bikes from Specialized! For a small fee, you can take out one of our demo bikes and rip around on the trails to get a proper feel for how the bike performs. And the best part is that if you decide you can't live without a new mtn. bike, you can apply your demo fee to the purchase price! It's win-win!
I have this new habit. Actually, it is more of a procedure... a self-administered procedure. When I first started cycling, the occassional bike crash was something that didn't really faze me, unless I was significantly injured, i.e. knocked unconscious or severely concussed. When I seperated my shoulder during a mountain bike race, I actually completed the lap and then headed out and completed the next (last) lap. True, by the end of the race I was unable to move my arm, but I nonetheless thought that I had some minor injury that I would easily recover from. It seemed that a bike accident had to actually alter my brain waves in order for me to pause and consider what was happening (or in the more significant instances: HAD happened).
Not now, though. Now, I touch the floor or, lately, the dirt, and I am extremely aware of my physical state. I still hop back on the bike as quickly as possible (a feat that is taking longer and longer as I get older), but now when I start riding again, I am running self diagnostic checks like some Terminator robot on holiday. But unlike a real doctor, my internal doctor is not very well trained and seems determined to overlook or blow off symptoms. So far, my internal doctor is proving to offer no better medical advice than, " Awww, that's nothing. Just keep riding, the pain will work itself out." The one benefit is that my internal doctor is free AND he is a great proponent of the healing properties of beer and mexican food. And chocolate.
My latest gravity encounter saw me get tangled up in my mountain bike on a greasy slick muddy descent. I ended up trying to see how much lateral movement my knee was capable of withstanding and landed squarely on my IT band. This sent a shockwave up my quad to my hip, somewhat akin to striking your funny bone, but much, much worse. After being cleared by the internal doctor, I decided to seek out a second opinion. Bad move. Never get a second opinion if you are perfectly happy with the first one. Shelli, my second consultant, prescribed IT stretches and some sessions with the dreaded foam roller. Not the prescription I was looking for. While she is probably on to something, I'm going to see what my dog thinks and go from there...
I don't want to write about the passing of the year or my promises to myself for the next. Instead, I want to share some philosophical insight that may or may not be of interest to you. Keep in mind two figures: 80% and 1%. Both of these numbers come from a book that I read a few months ago (well, devoured, actually) called "Let my people go surfing" by Patagonia founder and owner, Yvon Chouinard.
80%
Justify your desire to do multiple things well with the 80% rule. Work at something, devote time and dedication to its perfection until you are 80% proficient at it. To be 100% proficient, to be the best in other words, requires a single-minded devotion to the pursuit. But with 80% proficiency, you have enough skill to be truly good at something, to enjoy it and include it in a quiver of skills and pursuits that you can joyfully participate in without the monk-like asceticism required to reach that 100% point. I can enjoy cycling, running and other sports and devote time to them as I like and enjoy them at this level. It's an interesting notion and one worth exploration this year.
1%
This one seems simple, but why does it seem borderline revelatory? This idea stems from the organization called 1% for the planet where businesses set aside 1% of their sales for charitable giving. Chouinard dubs it a self tax, whereby you can determine how your tax money is spent. My goal is to take 1% of my pay each month and give it to a different charitable organization. Whoops, that sounds suspiciously like a resolution. Oh well.
Here's to continued health and happiness for all in the new year! Now go ride your bike!
We are listening to Fiona Richie's "The thistle and the shamrock" celtic music show on NPR and I swear that Fiona just said the above quoted line as a description of a song she is about to play. Apparently, I am not living up to my scottish heritage as I only kiss under the mistletoe. Something to work on next holiday season.
Big, fun offroad ride happens tomorrow at Kerr Scott Reservoir (located on HWY 268 outside of Wilkesboro)! We will meet at the Over Mountain Victory trailhead at 1pm for the first group mountain bike ride of the season. All skill levels welcome! If you haven't ridden this trail before, it is a great one to ride for beginners and experienced riders alike. It is an out and back trail with several natural regrouping points, so please join us for a good, dirty time!
You've built up a serious store of calories as you have eaten your way through the holidays. Don't try to lie, you know I'm talking to you. Well, this weekend will be the perfect opportunity to put those extra calories to work! Saturday morning shop road ride will meet at 10 am. Sunday, we are looking to do a group mtn. bike ride at Dark Mtn. Tentative meeting time is 1 pm. I'll post a firm meeting time as soon as I know it.
So, we met up with an abbreviated crew this morning for the Christmas Eve Day Dirt Road Epic. Noticeably absent was the rides original organizer, Paul, who apparently got his days mixed up and despite telling everyone that the ride would be today, did the ride yesterday. Bad form. So Jeff, Todd, Chuck, Max, Eric Sandifer and I met up at the Hard and Flossie Clark Park at the overcast grey time of 8 am. Despite the forecasts and predictions to the contrary, the weather could best be summed up with one word: effin' cold. We bundled up and took off for what we intended to be a 3+ hour dirt road ride.
Within 10 minutes of riding, my hands were essentially useless blocks of wood. Then it started to rain. You know it is bad when within the first 10 minutes of a ride you start figuring out where it ranks in the pantheon of stupid crap you have done in your life. This ride was headed for my top ten and we hadn't even really begun. I pulled up beside Jeff and just gave him a look like, "we aren't seriously gonna push through this are we?" We had gone from cold to wet and cold pretty darn quickly and everyone was pretty eager when a reroute was suggested.
We turned onto Johns River Rd. and started heading back to the car, but we were hell bent to maintain our new tradition of mid ride tea time. We pulled over at the coffee cup house (a house completely covered in coffee cups in case you were wondering) and began pulling out our tea time fixin's. Todd, incensed by my act of one-upsmanship at the last tea, pulled out all the stops as he layed a lace napkin out on the ground and proceeded to light candles and place them on the cloth. Tea, cookies, chocolate and ritz crackers with peanut butter dipped in white chocolate (hey, we were burning LOTS of calories just maintaining normal body temperature) were layed out and tea was poured into everyone's cups. Civility was rampant. Not to be outdone, I have a big surprise for the next epic ride tea service.
Merry Christmas and Happy Sir Isaac Newton's Birthday! No epic ride tomorrow, but lots of mtn. biking this weekend! Owen will be tearing up the greenway on his new Hotrock once he wakes up and sees it under the tree! Is the world ready for him to be on a bike with pedals?
On particularly difficult rides or rides where conditions degrade and the general consensus terms a ride as an "epic", a peculiar mood strikes the group. There is a certain point where everyone settles down to the business of getting the work of the ride done, where everyone punches the clock and accepts the grim business of accepting that the more pain one endures, the sooner the end will come.
Today, we headed out for the slightly longer than 3 hours Maple Sally dirt road ride. The temperature steadily dropped over the course of the entire ride until finally, feet and fingers were no longer felt or functional. The pace turned up as an unspoken desire to get back to the cars and the warmth that they could provide was realized by everyone at the same time. We got back to the cars, loaded up and headed for home.
In an attempt to maintain civility on the ride, Todd and I both packed flasks of hot tea to be shared at the midpoint of the ride. Todd went with a Black Chai, while I went with the classic Earl Grey with a touch of soy milk. Todd produced several metal demi-tasse cups from his bag, but I one-upped him with an assortment of Dutch Butter Cookies. We are both contemplating how to up the ante for the next ride. I'm thinking scones with a bit of creme fraiche at the very least, but the idea of having a camp stove and a stove top espresso maker isn't entirely out of the question, either.
Once we were back to the cars, the realization of how cold I was made me yearn for the warmth of the car, but this was a hollow dream. I have a 1987 Mercedes-Benz Turbo Diesel station wagon. Apparently, the heating system on this car is a hold over from a Nazi design as it functions like some sadistic experiment. It primarily blows cold air for a vast majority of the journey, no matter how high you turn up the thermostat. But then, at some point, the heat cranks up to an unrighteous degree. You want to turn it down, but this does nothing. You turn off the heater - nothing, it still blows horrendously hot air. You roll down the windows and get a mixture of cold air and desert wind swirling around inside the car. Alas, our trip home wasn't long enough to even put a toe into the hot zone.
Please stop by the shop this Tuesday beginning at 4 for a bit of holiday cheer. This Wednesday will be the Christmas ride leaving from Hard and Flossie Clark Park in Collettsville at 8am. This will be a dirt road ride with 3 and 6 hour options. Mountain and 'Cross bikes are welcome! Bring a snack! Call the shop for more information.
Finally, school is at a brief break and the week is at a close. Stress at the holidays is compounded for teachers as they must juggle to keep students engaged and ultimately entertained for the week that runs up to Christmas break. It ain't easy as you know (and have had yourself) to control those daydreams of flung open doors and young bodies hutling out into the light of freedom that lies just outside the school. And who blames them? I, too, am ready for that brief respite that comes with the holidays. A chance to relax and recharge. And a chance to ride, run, eat and be merry.
There are several holiday rides in the works and I will announce all the information that I get. There will be a dirt road ride on Sunday (time TBA) and a dirt road ride on Christmas Eve Day (time TBA). Both will be casual affairs. We will also embark on some dirtier excursions as we will be looking to hit the trails at Dark Mtn. for the next several weeks. Most importantly, there will be a trail building day tomorrow at the new Warrior Creek trail near the Dark Mtn. trail system. The announcement is as follows:
HO, HO, HO!
No, that's not what you will find at trail day but come on out
anyway. Listen up. WE, myself included, need to get out and support
the faithful few that have been trudging forwards in the muc and mud
at Warrior Creek to bring us the sweetest single track yet. Here's
the deal:
Saturday, December 20
9:00 am @ the Warrior Creek Campground gate house
we'll stop whenever, you can stop when you want - we're all
volunteers
There's plenty of work to go around. If you've thought about coming
out, now is your chance.
If you're coming late, come on through the gate and drive until you
see our cars. Walk towards the sound of the Ditch Witch. We'll be
close by.
If you can make it, this is a great opportunity to help build one of the best trail networks around! If you can't make it this time, there will be other days in the future, so stay tuned for more information.
Lastly, Tuesday the 23rd will be our informal Holiday get together at the shop. Come by anytime after 4 to share in good cheer(s) and healthy libations!
Other notable results: Bob Pugh 28th (B Men's 40+) and Chris Behrman 19th (B Men's 30-34). NC riders are doing well with several top 5 finishes in the various B Men's and Women's fields and the Junior races. Get full results and follow the action live at cxmagazine.com!
My head no longer hurts, my neck is no longer tweaked, and I have ripped the fickle tires from my wheels in an effort to make a clean break from the cyclocross season. All in all, I had a great season and was able to more than accomplish all of my pre-season goals. Further, I now have a willing and good-natured nemesis to harrass, cajole and plot against from now until the first race of next year's 'cross season.
Jeff, Chris Behrmann, Bob "the guru" Pugh, Jeremiah and Sonni Dyer have departed for Cyclocross Nationals in Kansas City. Good luck to everybody headed that way to race! Keep it upright and kick ass!
Special thanks to everybody who hung out to cheer for the Brown-Moore Salisbury Throwdown. Sorry it wasn't more of a battle. Thanks to Marty for the fresh, back of the pickup brewed espresso shots pre-race and to Jack for my post-race recovery beverage.
While you have been coddling yourself, keeping your legs elevated and channeling the advice of a cycling coach who last had success in 1984, I've had this bottle in the refrigerator as a reminder of what tomorrow is all about. Today, I annealed my strength in the snowy crucible of Bristol, TN and channeled my inner flauhute, Bart Wellens.
A freezing cold race was made all the better with the onset of snow midday. It is really coming down now. True Belgian 'cross conditions in the mtns of TN!
Congrats to Todd Braswell for his 2nd place in the Master's 35+ and a big win in the singlespeed race in the worst conditions of the day!
After trying to both spark a friendly rivalry and provide a bit of face-saving anonymity for my adversary, Shaw Brown (owner of Boone Bike and recent voluntary foe in the Brown/Moore Throwdown in Salisbury), Mr. Brown has fired a none too subtle shot across my bow with his taunting remarks about my being a "smelly pirate hooker" and that he will be beating me in my fancy new Luna Cycles kit.
Well Mr. Brown, you sir have taken things right to the gutter. I will remain far above the fray and will refrain from making any remarks with regards to your freakish size or what some may regard as a severe crack problem. No sir, I consider those sorts of things to be off limits and beyond the realm of good taste. I will let my legs do the talking and can only hope that you will not be so quick to call someone else a smelly pirate hooker in the future. And as for my shiny, new Luna Cycles kit, we made the back of it very interesting for people who find themselves in the position you will find yourself.
The kits are here and they are super pimp! If you have spoken for a kit, please get up with us ASAP as our stock is limited and the demand is high. If you have spoken for a kit, but want to hold off for now, let us know so we can fulfill someone else's wishlist. Give us a call at the shop - 759-1990 one way or the other.
"Stan" has accepted the challenge I have laid out for the final CX3 race of the season! I accept the consequences of this challenge knowing full well that his crew will be in full heckle mode, but I suspect my crew will be able to hold their own on the sidelines as well! As for the Shawsquatch's contention that we should be racing 35+ - oh, I'll be doing that race, too! and Bristol the day before! This should be the blowout ending to the NCCX series. Rumor has it that there could be certain Belgian libations on the race course proper, but keep that under your hat...
In other news: Luna Cycles kits are expected to be in our hands this Thursday! Talk about your serious pre-christmas stocking stuffer! Look for a grand unveiling and review here in the very near future. In the meanwhile, practice your cowbell ringing, horn blowing and rude comment yelling for this Sunday's ultimate test of pack fodderdom that will henceforth and forevermore be known as The Moore-Brown Throwdown - 2008! Bring it Big Boy... Bring it!
I find myself lamenting and looking forward to the end of 'cross season. It is weird because I have more than accomplished all of my preseason goals, so rather than thinking about what should have been and trying to salvage what is left, I'm pretty much satisfied and yet there are still races left to be raced. In order to stoke the furnace for the final push to the end of the season, I have come up with a simple motivational tool. There is a certain bike shop owner of a certain bike shop in Boone with whom I have a very friendly rivalry. We have both had good race seasons, both have upgraded to CX3 and are both pretty evenly matched. Currently in the NC Cyclocross series, I am 2 points behind, let's call him Stan. Now in the Hendersonville races, I finished 2 places behind Stan both days. On day 2 I passed him twice, and came to grief within seconds of each pass. The first time I rolled my tubular, the second time I crashed hard into the plastic barrier at the base of the run up and Stan jumped over me.
The point of all of this. I know, get to the point. Here it is: I propose I friendly wager with "Stan". If "Stan" finishes higher in the NCCX CX3 point standings for the season, I will buy him the beer of his choice. If I beat "Stan", then he will do likewise. What do you think? Fair and friendly? Motivational? If you know "Stan", how about running this modest proposal by him for me. A nonpartisan mediator may be the best approach.
A group of us met up at the still unbelievably named Hard and Flossie Clark Park in Collettsville to do the Maple Sally-Mortimer-Brown Mtn. Beach-Adako Rd. loop. The route is about 90% dirt roads and goes through a very undulating series of wooded climbs and descents, dumping you out onto Brown Mtn. Beach Rd. where you rip back on a mostly descending road through Wilsons Creek Gorge. It is a beautiful mini-epic ride.
It started off downright cold, but after a short bit the weather warmed up a bit and the ride was very comfortable. At about the midway point, Jeff, Chuck and I stopped and I whipped out my flask of Earl Grey and shared some nice, hot tea and ate my pbj sandwich. Ah, the civility of social rides! Next time, I will endeavor to have scones and jam, maybe a bit of ham and cheese... At the end, Paul Sullivan of Winskins, started talking about a Dec. 24th EPIC ride that he and Sonni Dyer of Studio 7 have dubbed the "Zig Zag loop". This ride figures to be 80% dirt roads and features several significant climbs. Not sure of an estimated length, but bringing a couple of meals would probably be in order. I'll let you know more specifics as I get them so you can come join the fun!
A little something to help you through this 'cross-less weekend:
This weekend will be the NC Gran Prix UCI - C2 races on Saturday and Sunday. Perusing the list of pre-registered elite men online has revealed the potential for a very exciting and competitive race amongst the big boys! The lowdown on the weekend's players thus far:
Jonathon Baker-(Vitamin Cottage) when not ripping the legs off of competitors in Colorado, he likes to do little things like top 10 at this year's 'Cross Vegas and race select World Cups in Belgium and the Netherlands in preparation for his run at this year's Elite Cyclocross World Championships.
Bart Gillespie (MonavieCannondale) - Bart is on the way to his 6th consecutive Utah Cyclocross Series Championship and looks to be able to bunnyhop barriers like nobody's business!
Meanwhile, my hope for a top 20 finish in the 2/3 race looks pretty good given that only 18 riders are preregistered at this time. If it stays like this, I'm liking my odds at that top 20....
A big weekend of results for the Orangemen of Sledgehammer Charlie's! In Bristol, Jack Brown finished 4th in the CX4's, Jeff got 2nd and Todd ot 4th in the Master's 35+ and Todd finished on the podium in the singlespeed race. On Sunday, the boys headed to Sandhell for round 6 of the NCCX series. Jeff "Pou Pou" Welch finished 2nd in the Masters 45+ race, Jack Brown found the top step of the podium in the CX4 race and Chris Behrman erased the bad luck he's had with a strong 3rd place finish in the CX3 race.
My upgrade was approved today thanks to the very quick work of Vicki Lyons, USA Cycling ref. Thanks, Vicki! I am already preregistered for this weekend's throwdown in Hendersonville. Two days of racing on a stellar course and getting to see the big boys chasing UCI points will be a great pre-Turkey Day treat. Can't wait! Now, we just gotta get Jack to upgrade...
Today, I once and for all relieved myself of the inability to push through and win a bike race. Having finally realized that I was beating myself more than anyone else was, I resolved that today would be my last race as a CX4 and that I would go out with a win.
I had this great, well though out strategy of what I was going to do and how I would execute a win. Like every good race plan, this one was renedered null and void within 10 seconds of the word "Go!". Two jokers rested in today's deck of racers as some of the Lees-McRae guys showed up. These guys are no slouches and I knew once I spied the green and gold kit that they were the ones to watch and worry about.
My race plan was to make the lead group (duh) and then with 2 laps to go, to attack and try to hang on for the finish. In previous races, I waited until too close to the finish to attack and slight screwups (i.e. attacking the ground with my body) were magnified into the difference between a win and an also ran. I wanted this time to be different and so I was mentally preparing for all of the strategy necessary to accomplish my goal.
The ref said "Go!" and we all took off down the long opening straight in a grassy field headed for the tight, twisty technical section that lurked beyond the first turn. I got the hole shot and headed into the technical section. Because the course doubled back on itself several times, I was able to get a good look at the race behind me and how it was unfolding. I saw the Lees-McRae guys stuck in traffic, saw that I had a gap and thought "Now or never". I attacked right then knowing that I was trying to go clear from the gun and hang on to the end. And sure enough, it worked. For the first two laps, I had a 10 to 15 second advantage over a hard charging group of chasers. Constant encouragement from the sidelines by Jeff and the Braswell clan let me know exactly how I was doing and what I needed to do to maintain. Once the gap hit 30 seconds, I knew I just had to ride smart and the win would be mine. More than anything, a sense of relief washed over me as I put my arms in the air and crossed the line.
Thanks to everyone for all of the encouragement; I couldn't have done it without you.
Fatigue has set in and I can't seem to actually get energized. Sure, I can muster little bursts of excitement, but sustainability is definitely lacking. Not sure what is going on; I just hope I can snap out of it. I'm banking on this weekend being the breakthrough that I am searching for.
Bristol is going to be my last race as a CX 4. I will be upgrading following the race. Jeff has been none to subtle in his insistence that I should upgrade, but I have some pre-season goals that I am trying to fulfill. Going into the season, I wanted to podium a race and I wanted to win a race. So far, I have 2 podiums, 8 finishes in the top 10, but no win. Bristol is my last shot at fulfilling this goal as a CX 4 after that, I readjust my goals for my debut in the CX 3 class. Unfortunately, my first 3 race will be the Hendersonville UCI race which is a 2/3 combined field. Nothing like a good trial by fire to sharpen the senses and keep you aware of your fragile mortality. Now that it is all out in the open, I feel much better and maybe Jeff will stop calling me a sandbagger...
Check out these great photos from the Dobson/NCCX State Championships (make sure you turn your sound up!). See you Saturday!
Tthere are about a million things that have to go right in order to be in a position to win a bike race. When the stars align, you know it is your time. When they don't, you engage in an epic struggle with luck and fate, and that deck is stacked against you.
Today Jeff finished an impressive 3rd after suffering a flat and having to work his way back through slower traffic.
I did not feel the good sensations prior to my race, but once the referee said, "Go!", I realized this was a good day. Running up the barrier/run-up section in the lead group I realized that my front wheel was loose and in danger of falling out of the dropouts. I stopped to fix it and was passed by what felt like 100 or so racers. I drilled it, passing everybody back and making it to within 10 meters of the lead group. They dangled there, just out of reach for the next 20 minutes. I was ultimately pipped for fifth, finishing a hard fought 6th place.
This marked my last race as a CX4 in NC. Would have been nice to win, but sometimes Fate as other ideas.
There are contenders and there are pretenders. Which one are you? Jeff takes time to file his tires to prepare for tomorrow's NCCX state championships. See you there!
The Lenoir Cyclocross race was today. A large turnout of racers plus some really warm weather made for a great day of racing. The course was fast and not too technical, lending itself to some great tactical racing. The Orangemen of Sledgehammer Charlie's Racing were in force in many of the days races with the most impressive lineup in the CX 4 race. Jack Brown, Max Dyer and I punched it from the gun opening up a gap and driving hard at the front for 3 laps. One non-Sledgehammer ramora fish got a good tow around the course until he decided to capitolize on his fresh legs. Our hopes of a 1-2-3 finish were slightly disrupted and we finished 2nd (Max), 3rd (Jack) and 6th (me).
The big news of the day was Jeff's breakout sprint victory over Randy Shields in the 45+ race! Big props to Jeff on a big, big, well deserved W! Congratulations also to Nicole Thomas and her 3rd place finish in the Women's CX4 race!
The true madness on the day lay in the ability to do multiple races. Scott Staley and I both did the Masters 35+, CX4, and CX3 races! That is about 2 hours of 'cross racing! Bob Pugh rode the 45+ and the CX3 race, Jack Brown the CX4 and CX3 race and Howard Hesterburg rode the 55+ and CX4 race!
Now, I'm eating rice pudding with my feet up, trying to stay awake a little bit longer.
