After a week of being sick, I wasn’t feeling so hot today. I had this weird pain in my right lung, whenever I would run it felt like someone was stabbing me on the right side of my chest. Luckily it was a bike race, and except for a couple barriers there wasn’t much runnin. The course, though was a real bruiser. A lot of elevation gain with a big long climb. Normally I like climbing, but with my lungs feeling like they were filled with wet sponges, I wasn’t so sure about this one.
With the call-ups, I was on the front row, so that was somethin. I didn’t get a great start off the line, but quickly killed it up the hill and moved into 3rd or 4th. For the first lap and a half I fluctuated between these spots as Tim Butler was slowly riding away. Then the freight train of Trey, John Bravard and John McCafferty came flying by. I jumped on as the caboose until we hit that brutal hill at which point I dropped my anchor and started moving backwards through the field. It wasn’t pretty, and felt even uglier. Oh well, you can’t be fighting for the podium everyday.
I know, I can blame it on being sick all week. But I also can’t help but feel like I used that as a crutch during the race. As soon as I started to hurt I found myself thinking “I’m suffering from being sick” but I hurt in every race. It’s part of racing. Today I just had a nice excuse to be a big ol wuss. So enough with being sick. I done with it. I actually feel better after the race than I have all week.
I’m looking forward to next week, My ego needs some redemption, and I have two races to try and get some.
On a brighter note today, Margi had a great race, I think she finished 5th in the B’s. I knew she had it in her, and she showed what she can do today. It’s easier when her mechanic isn’t screwing up her bike.
Time to work on my costume for the Halloween race in Astoria, after I finish this beer.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
It’s hard to win a race when you’re out to get yourself. And that is what happened on Sunday. It was race #2 in the Cross Crusade Series, located on the site of the former Damasch Mental Hospital, back in the day it was a beautiful place in a way, flowing fields of grass, trees, birds and various wildlife. A rather nice place to get away from it all, or so I’m told. Since the good old days, the hospital and its grounds have been bulldozed to make room for some quality cookie cutter McMansions. Unfortunately (or is it fortunately?) with the current housing market and economic nightmare, construction is slower than a Clydesdale on a run-up. The resulting site is a pit where the hospital foundation used to be, and a lot of rough ground covered with ruts from heavy machinery, with a bit of road left over from the hospital driveway. On Sunday it probably looked much like it used to, a bunch if crazies running wild all over the place.
After trying to pre-ride the course, I can say I wasn’t too psyched to race. I had been feeling a cold coming on for a couple days, and I wasn’t too thrilled about the course. I think watching the live feed of the Superprestige race in Belgium had me looking forward to a classic Euro-cross course, and this couldn’t have been anything farther than that. Not in a bad way I guess. It just wasn’t what I really like. This week we were called up based on previous results, so I got a nice front row spot. Going into the first corner I was sitting about 4th or 5th. Tim Butler was in the lead, and I remember Tim Jones was there, as was Shane Fletcher and John Mitchem among others, with everyone else strung out close behind. I am pretty sure a group of 4 or 5 of us got some separation sometime in the first lap. I was going back and forth from 2nd to 4th, but was mostly concerned with us keeping on Butler’s wheel. I eventually jumped into the lead for a half lap or so, them Butler took it back. About a lap later I attacked again, trying to get past Butler and an A rider before a tighter stretch of the course so I could get some distance on him. It seemed to work, and I hammered it. For the next 3 laps or so I held the lead, maybe even opened it up some. I heard someone tell me I had 20 seconds on him. With two to go I was feeling confident……Until (there’s always an ‘Until’) I noticed Butler gaining quick. Real quick. A couple A guys I already passed came back by, and I couldn’t figure out why I was riding so slow. I didn’t feel like I was falling apart. But there was Butler, and still closing. Then going around a turn I saw John McCafferty close behind Butler. With the road stretch coming I felt I could open it back up, I put it in my hardest gear and gave it all I had only to have Butler fly past me! I had felt stronger than him on that stretch all day, I knew something was up. John got by me too, now I was in third. The victory I thought I had was gone. We came to the run-up and when I lifted my bike the front wheel came to a dead stop! My front brakes were rubbing! No wonder I felt slow, I was fighting my brakes, not the best time for some resistance training!. I tried to adjust the inline brake adjuster, which helped, but it was too late. I tried to at least catch John but he was flying. In the end I came in 3rd.
Why did my brake rub? Earlier in the week I had a bike fit to deal with some back
issues I was having. This resulted in changing seatpost, stem and handlebar position. Turns out I didn’t tighten my left shifter enough, and with such a bumpy course it slipped a little pulling the brake cable tight with it. Even funnier is that before the race I double checked all the bolts on the bike EXCEPT the shifters. Some would say lesson learned, sadly, a similar thing happened to me at Alpenrose last year when my right shifter was loose during the race, distracting me in the barriers leading to my now famous barrier crash thanks to Oregonvelo. What’s the old saying about teaching old dogs new tricks? That’s what I get for being my own mechanic.
Oh and speaking of being a mechanic. Not only am I my own worst enemy, but apparently Margi is sleeping with the enemy. I set her cross rig up as a single ring this year. On Sunday her race was ruined by having her chain drop multiple times, getting wedged between the inner ring and the outer guard ring. The reason? Yup, I put the inner ring on wrong, leaving too much space between the two. Nice one. Fortunately I am lucky to have a very understanding girlfriend. Right babe? Right?
The shifter is on tight and the chainring is on right. Hopefully it will all work out for the next race, Ranier HS, a really fun course last year (except for my broken chain).
Here’s a quick video of me coming through the barriers:
Thanks to Brooke Hoyer for the pics.
After trying to pre-ride the course, I can say I wasn’t too psyched to race. I had been feeling a cold coming on for a couple days, and I wasn’t too thrilled about the course. I think watching the live feed of the Superprestige race in Belgium had me looking forward to a classic Euro-cross course, and this couldn’t have been anything farther than that. Not in a bad way I guess. It just wasn’t what I really like. This week we were called up based on previous results, so I got a nice front row spot. Going into the first corner I was sitting about 4th or 5th. Tim Butler was in the lead, and I remember Tim Jones was there, as was Shane Fletcher and John Mitchem among others, with everyone else strung out close behind. I am pretty sure a group of 4 or 5 of us got some separation sometime in the first lap. I was going back and forth from 2nd to 4th, but was mostly concerned with us keeping on Butler’s wheel. I eventually jumped into the lead for a half lap or so, them Butler took it back. About a lap later I attacked again, trying to get past Butler and an A rider before a tighter stretch of the course so I could get some distance on him. It seemed to work, and I hammered it. For the next 3 laps or so I held the lead, maybe even opened it up some. I heard someone tell me I had 20 seconds on him. With two to go I was feeling confident……Until (there’s always an ‘Until’) I noticed Butler gaining quick. Real quick. A couple A guys I already passed came back by, and I couldn’t figure out why I was riding so slow. I didn’t feel like I was falling apart. But there was Butler, and still closing. Then going around a turn I saw John McCafferty close behind Butler. With the road stretch coming I felt I could open it back up, I put it in my hardest gear and gave it all I had only to have Butler fly past me! I had felt stronger than him on that stretch all day, I knew something was up. John got by me too, now I was in third. The victory I thought I had was gone. We came to the run-up and when I lifted my bike the front wheel came to a dead stop! My front brakes were rubbing! No wonder I felt slow, I was fighting my brakes, not the best time for some resistance training!. I tried to adjust the inline brake adjuster, which helped, but it was too late. I tried to at least catch John but he was flying. In the end I came in 3rd. Why did my brake rub? Earlier in the week I had a bike fit to deal with some back
issues I was having. This resulted in changing seatpost, stem and handlebar position. Turns out I didn’t tighten my left shifter enough, and with such a bumpy course it slipped a little pulling the brake cable tight with it. Even funnier is that before the race I double checked all the bolts on the bike EXCEPT the shifters. Some would say lesson learned, sadly, a similar thing happened to me at Alpenrose last year when my right shifter was loose during the race, distracting me in the barriers leading to my now famous barrier crash thanks to Oregonvelo. What’s the old saying about teaching old dogs new tricks? That’s what I get for being my own mechanic. Oh and speaking of being a mechanic. Not only am I my own worst enemy, but apparently Margi is sleeping with the enemy. I set her cross rig up as a single ring this year. On Sunday her race was ruined by having her chain drop multiple times, getting wedged between the inner ring and the outer guard ring. The reason? Yup, I put the inner ring on wrong, leaving too much space between the two. Nice one. Fortunately I am lucky to have a very understanding girlfriend. Right babe? Right?
The shifter is on tight and the chainring is on right. Hopefully it will all work out for the next race, Ranier HS, a really fun course last year (except for my broken chain).
Here’s a quick video of me coming through the barriers:
Thanks to Brooke Hoyer for the pics.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Alpenrose 10/5/08
The Crusade Begins
This past Sunday was the first Cyclocross race of the 2008 Cross Crusade Series at what has become the traditional kick-off venue of the Alpenrose Dairy, a favorite course for many. Making it extra special this year was the first real rain of the season. We had a good 3 days of on and off rain leading up to the race. Didn’t quite lead to any epic conditions, as the ground was so hard and dry, but it did soften it up a bit, and provided lots of slick sections, especially after nearly 1300 racers had a chance to tear up the course.
As normal, leading up to the race, I was nervous. I really had myself wishing I could feel eager and excited, instead it is more of a sense of nervousness and even a touch of dread. It really makes me wonder why I do this. I chatted briefly with Dean before his race and he echoed my sentiments, even wistfully wishing he could just retire from the sport. Hearing the same feeling from a guy who has been racing much longer than me helped to ease the pre-race stress, but only a little.
We were there plenty early to cheer on friends, and get in some warm-up laps, plus catch up with all those who we only see in the wet and muddy cross season. Being the fourth race of the year, I am starting to get my pre-race routine down again, but I am still feeling a bit unorganized and rusty. After checking out the course a couple times, it seemed like it would be a good one. For the most part it was rideable, but the slickness kept you on your toes. Pretty much the same course we’ve seen for the past few years, with a few small changes here and there, but nothing major.
After the warm-up laps, I got ready for my race and cheered on Margi a few times. I could tell she wasn’t happy with her race, she had that look of frustration, even though I thought she was doing great. In only her second year she was in the top third of the B’s with an injured shoulder. She’s gonna do great, and I think will be in the top 10 by the end of the season. As for me, my nervousness kept me from doing too much in way of a real pre-race warm-up. I did a loop on the road and a couple laps in the field, then went and hung around the start area. It is a funny dynamic. We all circle the start area ready to jump in and line-up, but no-one wants to be the first! It’s like the swifts at Chapman elementary, circling the chimney, waiting to see who will make the first move, then…Bammm! We’re all lined up.
I, unfortunately, was a bit slow, but still got a second row spot. We were lead to believe we would get called-up but Brad didn’t have a list so that was it. Not a problem. I was real indecisive about my start gear, and slyly kept checking everyone else’s choice. I settled on the 36-21. After waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, and then another two-minutes after the A Men started, we were off!
First, let me apologize to anyone line up behind me. The gear choice was fine, the ability to find a pedal…not so. I mashed on the pedals, got in a few turns trying to get my left foot clicked in. I got a little close to the wheel in front of me, then my left foot slipped off and I had to step down and push off right away, gapping me from the wheel in-front, and I am sure pissing off a person or two behind me, so sorry. When I was finally back on and moving I seemed to be in 20th place or so. Not so good. But I was pissed, which is good, so I just rode real hard. Pushed it more than I would through wet pavement turns and just killed it. I really don’t have any memory of the first 1/3 of a lap. I think someone crashed infront of me on the first muddy corner and was lucky to be the one of the last to sneak around it without slowing. From there I guess I moved up pretty well as by the time I got up to where all the team tents were lined-up along the road, I could see I was in 5th or 6th place (I heard some tell Trey he was 7th). Over the next third of a lap I managed to move up to 2nd. The only thing I remember from that is coming out of the infield at the track, I heard Trey Hendricks go down pretty hard after going wide onto the painted surface. Once things settled down it was me, John McCafferty and Tim Jones fighting for 2nd, 3rd and 4th, while trying to chase down Tim Butler. John and I went back and forth a few times, and, had I been thinking clearly, I should have suggested we work together to real in Butler, but in my blind competitiveness all I could do was try to get ahead of these guys and focus on catching Butler. We stayed close for a few laps, but it seemed like once we hit the riders at the back of the A race, things started to spread out. At the turns I was noticing that I was just as close to Butler as John was to me, and lap by lap that started to spread out even more. I think I kept up with Butler more than the chasers were keeping up with me, but it’s hard to tell. While I like to think I cut a little into Butler’s lead at one point, in the end he continued to pull away. With two laps to go I knew that without a crash or mechanical Butler had first locked up and I would be second. While some epic crash or mechanical allowing me to catch Butler for a sprint at the line would make for a good story, the last few laps were pretty uneventful and I took second. Not too bad.
Not a bad way to start the season, even though I hate getting beat by Tim Butler. Looking at crossresults.com, you would think I would be used to it by now. I guess that is why he is my nemesis. Tim Jones had a great race. I think this was his first race in the Master A field, after putting on a clinic in the singlespeed category last year. He’s gonna be a tough one this year. I do have to admit that I was a little bummed to see Benno, Bannik and Enderle racing Men A’s. They are all tough, and had they raced Masters yesterday I am not so sure I would have been 2nd, as they had great races. So I guess it is a bitter sweet thing.
Next week we’re racing in Wilsonville on the grounds of a former State Mental Hospital. This should be good. I’m gunnin’ for you Butler, and looking out for all the other fast guys that I managed to beat this weekend.
For some really awesome shots from yesterday's race check out pdxcross.com if you haven't already. Great stuff there.
This past Sunday was the first Cyclocross race of the 2008 Cross Crusade Series at what has become the traditional kick-off venue of the Alpenrose Dairy, a favorite course for many. Making it extra special this year was the first real rain of the season. We had a good 3 days of on and off rain leading up to the race. Didn’t quite lead to any epic conditions, as the ground was so hard and dry, but it did soften it up a bit, and provided lots of slick sections, especially after nearly 1300 racers had a chance to tear up the course.
As normal, leading up to the race, I was nervous. I really had myself wishing I could feel eager and excited, instead it is more of a sense of nervousness and even a touch of dread. It really makes me wonder why I do this. I chatted briefly with Dean before his race and he echoed my sentiments, even wistfully wishing he could just retire from the sport. Hearing the same feeling from a guy who has been racing much longer than me helped to ease the pre-race stress, but only a little.
We were there plenty early to cheer on friends, and get in some warm-up laps, plus catch up with all those who we only see in the wet and muddy cross season. Being the fourth race of the year, I am starting to get my pre-race routine down again, but I am still feeling a bit unorganized and rusty. After checking out the course a couple times, it seemed like it would be a good one. For the most part it was rideable, but the slickness kept you on your toes. Pretty much the same course we’ve seen for the past few years, with a few small changes here and there, but nothing major.
After the warm-up laps, I got ready for my race and cheered on Margi a few times. I could tell she wasn’t happy with her race, she had that look of frustration, even though I thought she was doing great. In only her second year she was in the top third of the B’s with an injured shoulder. She’s gonna do great, and I think will be in the top 10 by the end of the season. As for me, my nervousness kept me from doing too much in way of a real pre-race warm-up. I did a loop on the road and a couple laps in the field, then went and hung around the start area. It is a funny dynamic. We all circle the start area ready to jump in and line-up, but no-one wants to be the first! It’s like the swifts at Chapman elementary, circling the chimney, waiting to see who will make the first move, then…Bammm! We’re all lined up.
I, unfortunately, was a bit slow, but still got a second row spot. We were lead to believe we would get called-up but Brad didn’t have a list so that was it. Not a problem. I was real indecisive about my start gear, and slyly kept checking everyone else’s choice. I settled on the 36-21. After waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, and then another two-minutes after the A Men started, we were off!
First, let me apologize to anyone line up behind me. The gear choice was fine, the ability to find a pedal…not so. I mashed on the pedals, got in a few turns trying to get my left foot clicked in. I got a little close to the wheel in front of me, then my left foot slipped off and I had to step down and push off right away, gapping me from the wheel in-front, and I am sure pissing off a person or two behind me, so sorry. When I was finally back on and moving I seemed to be in 20th place or so. Not so good. But I was pissed, which is good, so I just rode real hard. Pushed it more than I would through wet pavement turns and just killed it. I really don’t have any memory of the first 1/3 of a lap. I think someone crashed infront of me on the first muddy corner and was lucky to be the one of the last to sneak around it without slowing. From there I guess I moved up pretty well as by the time I got up to where all the team tents were lined-up along the road, I could see I was in 5th or 6th place (I heard some tell Trey he was 7th). Over the next third of a lap I managed to move up to 2nd. The only thing I remember from that is coming out of the infield at the track, I heard Trey Hendricks go down pretty hard after going wide onto the painted surface. Once things settled down it was me, John McCafferty and Tim Jones fighting for 2nd, 3rd and 4th, while trying to chase down Tim Butler. John and I went back and forth a few times, and, had I been thinking clearly, I should have suggested we work together to real in Butler, but in my blind competitiveness all I could do was try to get ahead of these guys and focus on catching Butler. We stayed close for a few laps, but it seemed like once we hit the riders at the back of the A race, things started to spread out. At the turns I was noticing that I was just as close to Butler as John was to me, and lap by lap that started to spread out even more. I think I kept up with Butler more than the chasers were keeping up with me, but it’s hard to tell. While I like to think I cut a little into Butler’s lead at one point, in the end he continued to pull away. With two laps to go I knew that without a crash or mechanical Butler had first locked up and I would be second. While some epic crash or mechanical allowing me to catch Butler for a sprint at the line would make for a good story, the last few laps were pretty uneventful and I took second. Not too bad.
Not a bad way to start the season, even though I hate getting beat by Tim Butler. Looking at crossresults.com, you would think I would be used to it by now. I guess that is why he is my nemesis. Tim Jones had a great race. I think this was his first race in the Master A field, after putting on a clinic in the singlespeed category last year. He’s gonna be a tough one this year. I do have to admit that I was a little bummed to see Benno, Bannik and Enderle racing Men A’s. They are all tough, and had they raced Masters yesterday I am not so sure I would have been 2nd, as they had great races. So I guess it is a bitter sweet thing.
Next week we’re racing in Wilsonville on the grounds of a former State Mental Hospital. This should be good. I’m gunnin’ for you Butler, and looking out for all the other fast guys that I managed to beat this weekend.
For some really awesome shots from yesterday's race check out pdxcross.com if you haven't already. Great stuff there.
Monday, September 29, 2008
They call me MR. Flat
That about sums up my race at the Barlow race yesterday. After squeezing in one last warm-up lap, and showing up late to the line-up, I had a good start. Went from near the back up to the front 3rd of the group. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, that I, along with a lot of the other Master A’s, were racing with the young guys. So I was pretty happy with my start, and was right in with all the Master A’s too. The first three laps were extremely painful. The pace felt brutal. It was a pretty rough course without a lot recovery, especially after the run-up. At the start of the 3rd lap I felt like I was starting to settle in some. Went around Ian Leitheiser and then…..yup got a flat front tire. That stuff isn’t supposed to happen with tubulars, but then again I am not supposed to launch off some roots on a downhill either. I did get to experience the other benefit of tubulars, the ability to ride a flat to the pit. It wasn’t fast, and I fell all the way to the end of the A’s and the front of the Master’s race caught me at the pit. But it was still better than running it the whole way. Trying to keep looking on the bright side, I also got to try my new tubeless set-up on the pit bike. They worked fine, didn’t seem to loose any air. Granted I ran a higher pressure than the tubulars. At least I had something to run. I spent the rest of the race half racing, half riding. It was hard to feel motivated. I would fight off some guys as they would catch up and either drop them or let them pass and then go back to half-ass racing. I would have quit if my mom and sister hadn’t come out to watch. In the end it is probably good I didn’t. It was still some good training. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t totally taking it easy for the remainder of the race, and I am feeling pretty spent today. But I'm probably feeling a bit better than had I not flatted. Looking at the results, the Master A’s that were in the A race all finished between 15 and 20. That is right were I was before I flatted. So in my mind I’m a top 20 finisher. We don’t need to talk about my ability, or lack there of, to keep that pace past three laps, but I guess we will see next week at Alpenrose when we are all back in the Masters race. Add in the guys who won the official Master A race yesterday plus a couple guys that weren’t there and it looks like a really strong field this year.
In the women’s race, Margi had her first race of the year. She has upgraded to the B’s, and she showed why. Taking 4th place, even with a crash and a dropped chain. She’s one heck of a racer.
In the women’s race, Margi had her first race of the year. She has upgraded to the B’s, and she showed why. Taking 4th place, even with a crash and a dropped chain. She’s one heck of a racer.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
2008: A new season begins
After months of anticipation and counting the days until the start of the Cyclocross season, I suddenly find myself wondering how it got here so fast. Has it really been over nine months since that cold wet December day at PIR? Apparently so. It is also amazing to me how quickly I forget what I need to do before a race. By the end of the season I have a routine down. I can wake up race day morning, and without even thinking, get to the start line ready to race. How nine months can wipe the mind clean.
This past Saturday was the un-official start to the national Cyclocross season with the legendary Star-Crossed race at the Marymoor Velodrome in Redmond WA. It originally looked like I was not going to be able to race, as we had a wedding to go to in Seattle that night. But since I am one hell of a lucky guy to be dating Margi, she let me go race instead of attending the ceremony, and only show up at the reception, AND it was even her idea. I am Lucky indeed. For some reason I didn’t check the forecast for Seattle, and as we drove up, or should I say sat in traffic, I watched in disbelief as the rain fell. Normally I am a fan of racing in the mud. Not because I have superior bike handling skills (I don’t), but because I truly enjoy racing in nasty conditions. The nastier the better. But for the first race of the season? With a rear tubular that was pretty worn down? With no rain gear? And with a bike I had to keep in a hotel overnight? I was not prepared in any way. Well, after finally making it to the race venue, I found myself aimlessly wandering around. Trying to decide what to do first. Get dressed? Register? Check out the course? I felt like the amateur I am. Long story short, I managed to register, get dressed and get in a lap on the course. I then proceeded to freeze my ass off riding in circles waiting for to line-up. Speaking of line-up, I was ‘randomly’ assigned number 366 (3 blocks down from the devil). With call-ups beginning at 300 that put me 67th (more or less). Either way I was in the second to last row. Sweet. The good part was that it eliminated any expectations for results, so I felt pretty relaxed. As for the race, it went pretty well. I did ok in the start, avoiding the crash to my left, and Feldman dropping his chain. I surged up a bit and held my ground duking it out with some guys. The first lap was pretty scary, guys were crashing into everything. Each other, fencing, poles, or just the ground. It was obviously the first muddy race of the year. After a lap or so, I remember thinking that I felt like I was just cruising along. I was not being aggressive at all. I picked it up a bit, and started moving my way up. I passed Davinney who looked like he was not having a fun race. Then saw Ian Leithheiser and Bravard. I spent a lap chasing down Bravard and as I caught up to him, he pulled into the pits asking for a front wheel. Suddenly I was pretty much alone. Leithheiser was 10-15 seconds back, and the next guy was equally far in front. It gets pretty hard to keep the effort up when there isn’t a wheel right in front to chase down, and I could feel my effort waning a bit. I think I moved into 20th when I passed by Bravard, and picked off a couple of guys in the two remaining laps to finish 18th. Not bad. For the first race, my bike did ok, I kept it upright and moved up the whole race. I think only a couple guys with a higher numbers finished ahead of me. For the start of the season, I can live with that. The telling point for things to come is that Tim Butler finished 2nd, Bannik was 4th and Patrick Wilder was 11th. Those guys were fast, and unfortunately luckily I’ll be racing these guys all year long in Portland.
After the race I managed to wash off the bike in the pits, and get back to Seattle, gear unloaded showered and to the wedding reception before dinner was even served. And it was a lot better meal than I would have had anywhere else on my own. The downside was that we were staying at the Ace Hotel in Seattle. It’s located above a bar with loud music, and has beds for people that want a Little Pony category for cross. To say I had a good night’s sleep would be like saying I had a good starting position at the race.
Sunday brought drier weather, and race 2 of the season. Racing twice in less than 24 hours is one heck of a way to start the season. The second race, the Rad Racing Grand Prix, was at Steilacoom park in Lakewood WA. This course is best known for the Knapp-Time Run-Up, an 80 meter long run-up that just kills you. It’s named after Dale Knapp, a legend in Cyclocross who also races in my category. After registering, I got number 233, and getting in a couple warm-up laps, and having to rush to get my second bike to the pits, add air in my tires and throw down some gel, I got to the start just in time for the call-ups. My place was a bit better. While still in the second to last row, I was closer to the front in a smaller field. Despite pulling out of my left pedal on that start I had an ok one, hanging on to the back of the main group. Knowing I wasn’t too far off the front I was more motivated at the start and began to move up, attacking whenever I could. The main group was quickly splitting and I was desperately trying to get on the main chase group but I seemed to keep getting caught behind some slower rider in a tight situation and I’d lose contact with chase group. After a couple laps I was just outside the top 10. There were two off the front followed by a group 6-8 and a couple stragglers. The two off the front were Feldman, former national champ, and Doug Reed, races in a Veloce kit and won the night before. Tim Butler, Patrick Wilder and Dale Knapp among others, were in the chase group. A couple times, at the top of the run-up I would get so close to that group, but I would seem to once again get caught behind someone that would let the group get away. With about 2 to go Tim Butler fell off the lead group a bit and I was determined to chase him down. Just before the end of the penultimate lap I got around him. By now the chase group had splintered some with a group of 3 about 15-20 seconds in front of me, with Dale Knapp being the closest to me. I have always wanted to beat Knapp and gave it all I had, but that guy is just too strong and I didn’t gain much on that final lap. I still had a great race, finishing 8th and close enough to watch the finish go down and see Doug Reed beat out Feldman. To show how strong Portland is at Cross, there were four Portland bike shops represented in the top 10, Veloce, Cyclepath, Sellwood Cycle and River City. Not too shabby. Ok, ok, the winner who raced for Veloce really lives in Seattle WA, but obviously still represents. And since he killed us all two nights in a row, I am glad he lives up there.
Overall it was a good weekend for me. I had a great time. After nearly nine months of training, mostly with a focus on cross, you occasionally start to wonder if it is worth all the effort. After your umpteenth interval you forget how fun ‘cross is and question your motivation. I can’t say I wouldn’t have as much fun if I had spent the past 9 months training for the Clydesdale category instead, but at least I can convince myself it was worth it.
Next weekend is the Battle at Barlow.
This past Saturday was the un-official start to the national Cyclocross season with the legendary Star-Crossed race at the Marymoor Velodrome in Redmond WA. It originally looked like I was not going to be able to race, as we had a wedding to go to in Seattle that night. But since I am one hell of a lucky guy to be dating Margi, she let me go race instead of attending the ceremony, and only show up at the reception, AND it was even her idea. I am Lucky indeed. For some reason I didn’t check the forecast for Seattle, and as we drove up, or should I say sat in traffic, I watched in disbelief as the rain fell. Normally I am a fan of racing in the mud. Not because I have superior bike handling skills (I don’t), but because I truly enjoy racing in nasty conditions. The nastier the better. But for the first race of the season? With a rear tubular that was pretty worn down? With no rain gear? And with a bike I had to keep in a hotel overnight? I was not prepared in any way. Well, after finally making it to the race venue, I found myself aimlessly wandering around. Trying to decide what to do first. Get dressed? Register? Check out the course? I felt like the amateur I am. Long story short, I managed to register, get dressed and get in a lap on the course. I then proceeded to freeze my ass off riding in circles waiting for to line-up. Speaking of line-up, I was ‘randomly’ assigned number 366 (3 blocks down from the devil). With call-ups beginning at 300 that put me 67th (more or less). Either way I was in the second to last row. Sweet. The good part was that it eliminated any expectations for results, so I felt pretty relaxed. As for the race, it went pretty well. I did ok in the start, avoiding the crash to my left, and Feldman dropping his chain. I surged up a bit and held my ground duking it out with some guys. The first lap was pretty scary, guys were crashing into everything. Each other, fencing, poles, or just the ground. It was obviously the first muddy race of the year. After a lap or so, I remember thinking that I felt like I was just cruising along. I was not being aggressive at all. I picked it up a bit, and started moving my way up. I passed Davinney who looked like he was not having a fun race. Then saw Ian Leithheiser and Bravard. I spent a lap chasing down Bravard and as I caught up to him, he pulled into the pits asking for a front wheel. Suddenly I was pretty much alone. Leithheiser was 10-15 seconds back, and the next guy was equally far in front. It gets pretty hard to keep the effort up when there isn’t a wheel right in front to chase down, and I could feel my effort waning a bit. I think I moved into 20th when I passed by Bravard, and picked off a couple of guys in the two remaining laps to finish 18th. Not bad. For the first race, my bike did ok, I kept it upright and moved up the whole race. I think only a couple guys with a higher numbers finished ahead of me. For the start of the season, I can live with that. The telling point for things to come is that Tim Butler finished 2nd, Bannik was 4th and Patrick Wilder was 11th. Those guys were fast, and unfortunately luckily I’ll be racing these guys all year long in Portland.
After the race I managed to wash off the bike in the pits, and get back to Seattle, gear unloaded showered and to the wedding reception before dinner was even served. And it was a lot better meal than I would have had anywhere else on my own. The downside was that we were staying at the Ace Hotel in Seattle. It’s located above a bar with loud music, and has beds for people that want a Little Pony category for cross. To say I had a good night’s sleep would be like saying I had a good starting position at the race.
Sunday brought drier weather, and race 2 of the season. Racing twice in less than 24 hours is one heck of a way to start the season. The second race, the Rad Racing Grand Prix, was at Steilacoom park in Lakewood WA. This course is best known for the Knapp-Time Run-Up, an 80 meter long run-up that just kills you. It’s named after Dale Knapp, a legend in Cyclocross who also races in my category. After registering, I got number 233, and getting in a couple warm-up laps, and having to rush to get my second bike to the pits, add air in my tires and throw down some gel, I got to the start just in time for the call-ups. My place was a bit better. While still in the second to last row, I was closer to the front in a smaller field. Despite pulling out of my left pedal on that start I had an ok one, hanging on to the back of the main group. Knowing I wasn’t too far off the front I was more motivated at the start and began to move up, attacking whenever I could. The main group was quickly splitting and I was desperately trying to get on the main chase group but I seemed to keep getting caught behind some slower rider in a tight situation and I’d lose contact with chase group. After a couple laps I was just outside the top 10. There were two off the front followed by a group 6-8 and a couple stragglers. The two off the front were Feldman, former national champ, and Doug Reed, races in a Veloce kit and won the night before. Tim Butler, Patrick Wilder and Dale Knapp among others, were in the chase group. A couple times, at the top of the run-up I would get so close to that group, but I would seem to once again get caught behind someone that would let the group get away. With about 2 to go Tim Butler fell off the lead group a bit and I was determined to chase him down. Just before the end of the penultimate lap I got around him. By now the chase group had splintered some with a group of 3 about 15-20 seconds in front of me, with Dale Knapp being the closest to me. I have always wanted to beat Knapp and gave it all I had, but that guy is just too strong and I didn’t gain much on that final lap. I still had a great race, finishing 8th and close enough to watch the finish go down and see Doug Reed beat out Feldman. To show how strong Portland is at Cross, there were four Portland bike shops represented in the top 10, Veloce, Cyclepath, Sellwood Cycle and River City. Not too shabby. Ok, ok, the winner who raced for Veloce really lives in Seattle WA, but obviously still represents. And since he killed us all two nights in a row, I am glad he lives up there.
Overall it was a good weekend for me. I had a great time. After nearly nine months of training, mostly with a focus on cross, you occasionally start to wonder if it is worth all the effort. After your umpteenth interval you forget how fun ‘cross is and question your motivation. I can’t say I wouldn’t have as much fun if I had spent the past 9 months training for the Clydesdale category instead, but at least I can convince myself it was worth it.
Next weekend is the Battle at Barlow.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Who you callin a Cream Puff?
Sunday, June 29th was the 2008 version of the Cascade Creampuff 100, a 100-mile Mountain Bike race in Westfir Or. This was my first time racing the Cream Puff, and my first 100-miler, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but from what I have been told from others, this is one of the hardest 100-mile races around. I was also told by many of the race veterans and regular volunteers that this year’s course was one of the hardest. I think in the end it was 106 miles with somewhere between 16-18,000 feet of climbing, over 50% of that on single track.
All of this begs the question of why in god’s name I would choose to do this race?
While the race takes place on Sunday, it is really a weekend long affair. This year they had taken over the Westfir School, allowing free camping Fri, Sat and Sunday nights, plus access to the school’s showers. With a mandatory pre-race meeting at 4pm followed by a racer dinner at the school, I headed down Saturday afternoon. I’ve been to a couple running Marathons and countless Ultimate tourneys, and attended the meetings and all that. So I thought I had an idea of what to expect. Let me tell you, the Cream Puff is not like anything else. Some one seriously needs to make a documentary of this race. Think Best In Show meets bike racing. No kidding, the entertainment value here is high. But in a good way. The folks who put this together are pretty amazing. It really is a community effort. Even the mayor of Oakridge was there serving dinner. I won’t try to explain it all, you just need to go check it out.
With a 5:15 am start time, and a promised 4am wake-up call from the Race Director, the campground was quiet awful early. The only sounds were the occasional freight train and over-hydrated riders getting out of tents to go pee all night, myself included.
4am came early, and I found myself wandering around aimlessly, trying to figure out what I needed to do. Put on cycling clothes, no wait eat breakfast. That’s right, food, must eat lots of food before 12 hours of riding. That one hour went pretty quick and it was soon time to ride the 2miles to the race start. Yeah, besides riding 106 miles, we also were riding another 4 to get to and from the race. In my book it was the Cascade Cream Puff 110.
Anyhow, the race got going soon enough. I actually started the day with arm warmers as it was a little chilly following some thunderstorms that passed through overnight after a scorching 95 degree day. That would change soon enough, and we all knew it. The race was roughly set-up as a 53-mile “figure 8” loop that we were to do twice. Starting at the bottom of the eight, we rode counter clock-wise up an 8 mile climb to the crossing, to where the famous Aid Station 2 is located. Due to the remoteness of the course, we then did the upper half of the course twice (counterclockwise) finishing with a loop and a half of the lower section. I know, sounds confusing, what can I say, you had to be there. I’ll save you all a mile by mile recount of the race, and since I have blocked some sections out of my mind and others have all melted together, I couldn’t do that if I wanted to. I will say that the single track on this course is absolutely amazing. The work the locals do to maintain these trails is quite envious. We had some incredibly long stretches of just pristine single track, winding through and around old-growth trees, open vistas and fields of wildflowers. Essentially the race went like this:
Neutral” 2-mile paved start
8-mile gravel climb
Aide station 2
Long long long stretch of descending single track with 3 brutal climbs/hike-a-bikes
Aide station 3
11 mile gravel climb
Aid station 4
6 more miles of gravel, mostly climbing
Aid station 2
Long long long stretch of descending single track with 3 soul crushing brutal hike-a-bikes
Aide station 3
11 mile gravel climb baking in the sun
Aid station 4 (thank god)
6 more miles of gravel, mostly climbing in the cursed sun
Aid station 2
Long descent on Alpine trail
Aid station 1
2 miles on riverside trail
8 mile climb sizzling like bacon
Aid station 2
Long descent on Alpine trail
FINISH!
Check the course here
My whole game plan and objective for the race was to pace myself. I really didn’t want to go out too hard and then have hours of suffering to finish the race. I wanted to have some fun. Overall, I think I did a good job. I kept my effort low for the first two climbs and was feeling great. I knew the second time on the long climb from Aid 3 to Aide 2 was going to be the crux of the race. And sure enough, about 4 miles out of aid 3 I started to unravel. My speed dropped to 3-4 mph. as I crawled up the hot muggy valley. Watching guys I had passed early ride by me. I had to be about 6 or 7 hours in by this time and bonked hard. I had a hard time drinking and my stomach wouldn’t let me eat anything. I forced myself to eat a bar and kept trying to drink. It was rough, I could barely see straight, and the theme song to the Odd Couple was caught in my head, it was miserable. I felt as though I was crossing the river Styx and back. But then like a light switch I felt good again, until my hamstrings cramped a mile later. So I walked for a bit until they loosened back up and I was able to ride at a decent pace to Aid 4, which was like an oasis out there. I also found a few of the guys that passed me recovering in chairs, looking as bad as I had felt a short time ago. After cooling off and getting some more food in me, I felt real good (relatively speaking mind you) and rode a good pace up to Aid 2, then had a blast going down the Alpine trail to Aid 1. By the time I got there it was the hottest part of the day. They told me it was about 87 degrees, and the valley was just muggy from the rain the night before. But I knew I had some energy left and some of the guys that passed me while I bonked were up the road, and I figured they would be hurting now. Sure enough, I passed over 5 guys on the final 8-mile climb, which had to be the longest 8-miles of my life, especially miles 2-6. They were just miserable. And it seemed to take forever. By the time I got to aid 2 again, I could barely talk. The folks at the aid station were asking what I wanted for food and water and all I could do was bend over and try to recollect myself. Luckily I knew all I had left were a few short efforts on the Alpine trail and I would be done. Some awesome volunteer put a cold wet towel on my neck and I started to feel human again. Found some food I could stomach for the last 40 minutes, grabbed some water and headed out. I made it all the way to literally the last switch back, and while trying to take it easy I screwed up and crashed for the first time. As I got back up I looked back up the trail and this guy I had been going back and forth with all day was barreling down the trail! With another rider behind him! I grabbed the bike and let ‘er rip for the last 10th of a mile. Literally at the end of the trail is a short 5 foot steep up, and the guy on my wheel broke his chain! I started to look back, heard the other guy go around and tell him to just coast it in, so I kept going and held them off through the finish. I did it!
Even though it was the hardest race I have ever done, I also think it was one of the most fun. Even with all the pain, I had a great time. The single track is amazing, bar none. No matter how tired I was, it put a smile on my face. The support for the race was also amazing. I had heard this before the race, but until you experience it, you just can’t know it. My second time through Aid 2, I had Matt Slaven and Brad Ross taking care of me. They took my bike, lubed the chain, someone gave me bottles, someone else pulled a bunch of GU packs from their pocket and gave them to me. It was great. It was described to me as being similar to a NASCAR pit stop. You roll in and a whole crew runs up and helps you out. Pouring cold water you, and getting you refueled, and then cheer you on as you roll back out. You gotta do it at least once.
It’s not say that the whole thing ran perfectly. After I sent in my registration, I never heard a thing back from the promoter. No e-mails or nothing. I only knew I was in when I saw the check was cashed. The website was also lacking what I would consider timely updates. We didn’t know what the official course was going to be until a week before the race. Granted there was, and still is, a lot of snow from a record year, and he had to do a lot of re-arranging this year, but it would have been nice to hear more about it. But that’s also part of the Cream Puff. If your looking for a fancy race with all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed, stick to Leadville. But if you want some small town fun and lots of single track, check out the Cream Puff
Will I do it again? I’m not sure, but probably. Rumor has it that Scott has a one-loop course planned out for next year. I also overheard someone say it was 140 miles. Uphill the whole way. Count me in!
Oh, that’s right, how’d I do? I am not sure, but I think I was around 25th at just under 12 hours. I can live with that.
All of this begs the question of why in god’s name I would choose to do this race?
While the race takes place on Sunday, it is really a weekend long affair. This year they had taken over the Westfir School, allowing free camping Fri, Sat and Sunday nights, plus access to the school’s showers. With a mandatory pre-race meeting at 4pm followed by a racer dinner at the school, I headed down Saturday afternoon. I’ve been to a couple running Marathons and countless Ultimate tourneys, and attended the meetings and all that. So I thought I had an idea of what to expect. Let me tell you, the Cream Puff is not like anything else. Some one seriously needs to make a documentary of this race. Think Best In Show meets bike racing. No kidding, the entertainment value here is high. But in a good way. The folks who put this together are pretty amazing. It really is a community effort. Even the mayor of Oakridge was there serving dinner. I won’t try to explain it all, you just need to go check it out.
With a 5:15 am start time, and a promised 4am wake-up call from the Race Director, the campground was quiet awful early. The only sounds were the occasional freight train and over-hydrated riders getting out of tents to go pee all night, myself included.
4am came early, and I found myself wandering around aimlessly, trying to figure out what I needed to do. Put on cycling clothes, no wait eat breakfast. That’s right, food, must eat lots of food before 12 hours of riding. That one hour went pretty quick and it was soon time to ride the 2miles to the race start. Yeah, besides riding 106 miles, we also were riding another 4 to get to and from the race. In my book it was the Cascade Cream Puff 110.
Anyhow, the race got going soon enough. I actually started the day with arm warmers as it was a little chilly following some thunderstorms that passed through overnight after a scorching 95 degree day. That would change soon enough, and we all knew it. The race was roughly set-up as a 53-mile “figure 8” loop that we were to do twice. Starting at the bottom of the eight, we rode counter clock-wise up an 8 mile climb to the crossing, to where the famous Aid Station 2 is located. Due to the remoteness of the course, we then did the upper half of the course twice (counterclockwise) finishing with a loop and a half of the lower section. I know, sounds confusing, what can I say, you had to be there. I’ll save you all a mile by mile recount of the race, and since I have blocked some sections out of my mind and others have all melted together, I couldn’t do that if I wanted to. I will say that the single track on this course is absolutely amazing. The work the locals do to maintain these trails is quite envious. We had some incredibly long stretches of just pristine single track, winding through and around old-growth trees, open vistas and fields of wildflowers. Essentially the race went like this:
Neutral” 2-mile paved start
8-mile gravel climb
Aide station 2
Long long long stretch of descending single track with 3 brutal climbs/hike-a-bikes
Aide station 3
11 mile gravel climb
Aid station 4
6 more miles of gravel, mostly climbing
Aid station 2
Long long long stretch of descending single track with 3 soul crushing brutal hike-a-bikes
Aide station 3
11 mile gravel climb baking in the sun
Aid station 4 (thank god)
6 more miles of gravel, mostly climbing in the cursed sun
Aid station 2
Long descent on Alpine trail
Aid station 1
2 miles on riverside trail
8 mile climb sizzling like bacon
Aid station 2
Long descent on Alpine trail
FINISH!
Check the course here
My whole game plan and objective for the race was to pace myself. I really didn’t want to go out too hard and then have hours of suffering to finish the race. I wanted to have some fun. Overall, I think I did a good job. I kept my effort low for the first two climbs and was feeling great. I knew the second time on the long climb from Aid 3 to Aide 2 was going to be the crux of the race. And sure enough, about 4 miles out of aid 3 I started to unravel. My speed dropped to 3-4 mph. as I crawled up the hot muggy valley. Watching guys I had passed early ride by me. I had to be about 6 or 7 hours in by this time and bonked hard. I had a hard time drinking and my stomach wouldn’t let me eat anything. I forced myself to eat a bar and kept trying to drink. It was rough, I could barely see straight, and the theme song to the Odd Couple was caught in my head, it was miserable. I felt as though I was crossing the river Styx and back. But then like a light switch I felt good again, until my hamstrings cramped a mile later. So I walked for a bit until they loosened back up and I was able to ride at a decent pace to Aid 4, which was like an oasis out there. I also found a few of the guys that passed me recovering in chairs, looking as bad as I had felt a short time ago. After cooling off and getting some more food in me, I felt real good (relatively speaking mind you) and rode a good pace up to Aid 2, then had a blast going down the Alpine trail to Aid 1. By the time I got there it was the hottest part of the day. They told me it was about 87 degrees, and the valley was just muggy from the rain the night before. But I knew I had some energy left and some of the guys that passed me while I bonked were up the road, and I figured they would be hurting now. Sure enough, I passed over 5 guys on the final 8-mile climb, which had to be the longest 8-miles of my life, especially miles 2-6. They were just miserable. And it seemed to take forever. By the time I got to aid 2 again, I could barely talk. The folks at the aid station were asking what I wanted for food and water and all I could do was bend over and try to recollect myself. Luckily I knew all I had left were a few short efforts on the Alpine trail and I would be done. Some awesome volunteer put a cold wet towel on my neck and I started to feel human again. Found some food I could stomach for the last 40 minutes, grabbed some water and headed out. I made it all the way to literally the last switch back, and while trying to take it easy I screwed up and crashed for the first time. As I got back up I looked back up the trail and this guy I had been going back and forth with all day was barreling down the trail! With another rider behind him! I grabbed the bike and let ‘er rip for the last 10th of a mile. Literally at the end of the trail is a short 5 foot steep up, and the guy on my wheel broke his chain! I started to look back, heard the other guy go around and tell him to just coast it in, so I kept going and held them off through the finish. I did it!
Even though it was the hardest race I have ever done, I also think it was one of the most fun. Even with all the pain, I had a great time. The single track is amazing, bar none. No matter how tired I was, it put a smile on my face. The support for the race was also amazing. I had heard this before the race, but until you experience it, you just can’t know it. My second time through Aid 2, I had Matt Slaven and Brad Ross taking care of me. They took my bike, lubed the chain, someone gave me bottles, someone else pulled a bunch of GU packs from their pocket and gave them to me. It was great. It was described to me as being similar to a NASCAR pit stop. You roll in and a whole crew runs up and helps you out. Pouring cold water you, and getting you refueled, and then cheer you on as you roll back out. You gotta do it at least once.
It’s not say that the whole thing ran perfectly. After I sent in my registration, I never heard a thing back from the promoter. No e-mails or nothing. I only knew I was in when I saw the check was cashed. The website was also lacking what I would consider timely updates. We didn’t know what the official course was going to be until a week before the race. Granted there was, and still is, a lot of snow from a record year, and he had to do a lot of re-arranging this year, but it would have been nice to hear more about it. But that’s also part of the Cream Puff. If your looking for a fancy race with all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed, stick to Leadville. But if you want some small town fun and lots of single track, check out the Cream Puff
Will I do it again? I’m not sure, but probably. Rumor has it that Scott has a one-loop course planned out for next year. I also overheard someone say it was 140 miles. Uphill the whole way. Count me in!
Oh, that’s right, how’d I do? I am not sure, but I think I was around 25th at just under 12 hours. I can live with that.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Haven't done this in awhile....
Dang it has been awhile. After the Two Month Storm of December and January, the weather really dried up. Normally in times like this I hit the single track and get in some Mt Biking. Not so much this year. The heavy snows at low elevation managed to leave most of the local trails under snow. I did head out to ride the Wilson River Trail a couple weeks ago. Let’s say I learned that hiking a half mile in snow is not very fun in a pair of Mt Bike shoes with a huge hole in the toe. Oh and wearing socks with holes in the toes doesn’t make it any better.
Last weekend we finally got a decent amount of new snow. I managed to get up for a day and get in some good turns. AND I had the helmet cam with me. If you’re bored, check out my first ski movie.
The above inspired me to go back to some footage from earlier in the season and put together a prequel of sorts. This one, Multopor Mt, is what we ended up doing after getting skunked by a scouting mission on the back side of the Mt. It looked good on Google Earth, but there just wasn’t enough openings in the trees. After a morning of exploring, possibly the first winter ski decent from the summit of Multopor and a practice search and rescue of a ski pole, we came back and took advantage of some closed runs at ski bowl. While not your traditional backcountry experience, thanks to the sno cat grooming the run next to us, the snow was fine.
Unfortunately the weather for the upcoming weekend looks a little poor. We’re finally getting the precip, but it looks like it may be too warm. This is the time of year when everyone else is all happy about sunny 50+ degree days, while I get all grouchy wondering when we will get some more snow. We have already cancelled three trips to Mt Baker, so all I can say is it better snow for our Wallowas trip at the end of the month. Until then I guess I’ll just ride my bikes.
Last weekend we finally got a decent amount of new snow. I managed to get up for a day and get in some good turns. AND I had the helmet cam with me. If you’re bored, check out my first ski movie.
The above inspired me to go back to some footage from earlier in the season and put together a prequel of sorts. This one, Multopor Mt, is what we ended up doing after getting skunked by a scouting mission on the back side of the Mt. It looked good on Google Earth, but there just wasn’t enough openings in the trees. After a morning of exploring, possibly the first winter ski decent from the summit of Multopor and a practice search and rescue of a ski pole, we came back and took advantage of some closed runs at ski bowl. While not your traditional backcountry experience, thanks to the sno cat grooming the run next to us, the snow was fine.
Unfortunately the weather for the upcoming weekend looks a little poor. We’re finally getting the precip, but it looks like it may be too warm. This is the time of year when everyone else is all happy about sunny 50+ degree days, while I get all grouchy wondering when we will get some more snow. We have already cancelled three trips to Mt Baker, so all I can say is it better snow for our Wallowas trip at the end of the month. Until then I guess I’ll just ride my bikes.
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