Blogging Break Continued

Still taking a break from blogging so please disregard this post, as it doesn't actually exist...

But if it did I would enjoy a nice memory from the 2009 Old Cap Crit as the remnants of the Cat 3 field follow me up the hill.  I wonder who upgraded from Cat 3 to Cat 2 this year?  I know the 2010 Old Cap Crit Cat 3 race will feature a couple of laps that include me charging up the hill, so will it be the same guys behind me, or will they be warming up for their Cat 1/2 race?

H1N1...OHNO(bronchitis)...Iowa Rider of Year Cat 3/3rd...

Crap, I've got some sort of flu... I had recieved regular flu shots so thought it was H1N1, but researching on webmd, seems to be acute bronchitis... that takes 2 weeks to clear. That might put an early end to the cyclocross season...

I was happy to have recieved a trophy for 3rd place in the 2009 Cat 3 Iowa Rider of the Year series. I had quite a few missed opportunities in 2009 as far as road races and crits go, but was solid as a Cat 3 in the Time Trial, Cyclocross and Roller Race events on the IBRA calendar that I entered  Maybe 2010 things will go my way in all the disciplines... or maybe I will cough up my infected lung, curl up in a ball, and die so as to avoid this achy feeling.

New ride... sort of.

Well, with the Hawks ahead by 10 in the first quarter Saturday, I headed out for a 60miler on my new set-up, assuming that Iowa would easily beat Northwestern to keep their perfect record.  Speaking of perfect, the weather was sweet, especially for November.  I had no choice but to put some miles on my new 2010 Madone Red set-up...

Due to a warranty situation, I ended up getting hooked up with a 2010 frame to replace my 2009 that had cracked a bit.  Trek made plenty of improvements for 2010, like being 1/3 pound lighter, stiffer (more power transfer), and improved vertical compliance (less bumpy).  The cabling is more internal creating sleek lines.  I also like the duotrap speed/cadence sensor option that is built into the frame, not too mention the ability to utilize Shimano's Di2 electronic shifting.

Well, this set-up will give me the most advantages at criteriums that involve accelerating and cornerning, or road races with climbing and break-aways...but I can say that I had a nice ride.  Can't wait to tear it up next spring.

What I am good at and why...

Why don't I get ever really get into cyclocross the way I do road racing?  Can't help but to wonder about this, as I have yet to register for Jingle Cross Rock, just simply not feeling connected to this discipline.  So, perhaps a simple self-exploratory exercise will help... (feel free to try this as well).  Make a list of your 6 or 7 major competitive cycling disciplines, in order of satisfaction/enjoyment, with a brief explanation.

1) Roller Racing - I know, WTF?, right?  I appreciate the focused efficiency of indoor training.  No weather or vehicular distractions.  Just down and dirty training.  I set goals and enjoy analyticaly charting my results.  There is a 'science' to cycling fitness, and indoor training can be a precise way to target results.

2) Time Trialing - Most of my bike riding is done alone, so I essentially am always conducting tempo/LT workouts which are perfect for improving races against the clock.  I guess an odd 'perk' of being a solo-type rider. 

3) Road Racing - During the spring and summer, I do have great tuesday and thursday night road race simulation ride options in Muscatine and Iowa City.  These workouts combined with solo rides and racing  produce a respectable level of road fitness that I find rewarding.

4) Duathlon - Nice to take great bike fitness and then lay it out there against multi-sporters. My running is always weak, but I can usually finish first or second overall using my bike speed... it is fun to win.

5) Criterium - Not so good, the only time I get any practice at this discipline is during a race.  Ok, perhaps a bit when I sprint for stop-ahead signs.  I wish there was some sort of weekly crit training event... I spend way too much time pedalling a straight line. Criteriums that are basically road circuit races, however, are great fun.

6) Cyclocross - I have no group training options, so at a disadvantage that effects my results and motivation to train.  I have a low cold weather tolerance as well.  Races always go down the same way... I start pedalling, some people go faster, some go slower, I try and stay upright, slog through sand/grass/mud,  listen to my brakes squeak, talk myslef through the pain, collect my $10 prize,  feel good about entering, go home. 

7) Mountain Biking - Have to drive to Iowa City/Davenport to train.  The races/trails seem to always be rained-out.  Sort of fun to cross train on a mountain bike, but probably won't ever get into the single track scene.

Ok, how did my list compare to yours?  I feel better now that I have put cyclocross racing in perspective for myself.   I think the cyclocross racing in Iowa is awesome, and fortunate to have this discipline available as a way to maintain my fitness, yet just wanted to vent a bit. 

On the other hand, Coach Dave Ertl suggested in a recent post that November is the start of the pre-season training for spring racing... Now we are talking... that helps me justify this Cyclocross stuff... great training to put into the 'fitness bank' for next year.  Game on!

Psychlofest 2009

Well, I am still racing around a bit this fall, just sort of notched things down a bit to allow for a busier fall semester and training focus shift.  My newest fitness goal involves achieving a more well rounded physique, so I am hitting the weights pretty hard, keeping just enough bike fitness to be somewhat competitive. 

I don't have many local group training options, so I have re-constructed my basement into an elaborate pain-cave for workouts.

I did attend the 2nd Dice cyclocross event (results/info).  The guys that compete in cross seem to be pretty strong at it.  I surmise that cross has been around long enough, at this point, to have filtered out the roadies and mountain bikers who have tried it, but opted to take the season off due to dissapointing results.

 My results are sort of disappointing, however I thoroughly appreciate the training aspects of the races, so will continue to race a handful of times each fall.

There is a three way tie for 2nd in the Master's 30+ DICE series, so I am hoping to be able to enter the other two races in the series, and break the tie in my favor. 

This Psyclofest race is always unique. This year it included a very muddy and steep run up that brought most of us to a slippery crawl toward the end of the race.  Here I can be seen right after the terrain/grade forced me to dismount and begin slogging up the slope.

Vandecross - DICE Cyclocross series

Well, I think I had a good time at the Vandecross event in Moline, IL, not sure.  I can say I was completely wiped out afterwards, which, oddly enough, is reward enough to justify my attendance.  I always feel good after a hard race effort.

I decided to try to see how I could do in the Master's 30 + series this year, having gotten 3rd overall in the Cat 3/4 last year.  Watching the cat 3/4 race, I was sort of relieved, because the lead guys seemed to be really tearing it up.  Ron Bridal, Kevin McConnell and Jeff Bradley took the first three positions.

Cyclocross is a great workout and a very refreshing change from the road season.  Having said that, it can be discouraging trying to compete against some of these guys who just seem to be competing at a completely different level.  This might explain why only 4 people lined up for the 'A' race... the Cat 1,2,3,4 open.   This race paid out the most and was the most presitgious, yet maybe no one really felt capable of competing against the likes of guys like Brian Eppen.  Depending on who shows up, the top three paying places are usually taken by cyclocross phenoms, leaving the other 95% of the cyclocross racing population to ride around hoping to avoid getting lapped.  Well, that race paid back 5 spots, so they all got paid just for entering... nice.

Well, I ended up 4th out of 5 (masters 30+) and 6th out 10 (masters 30/40+).  The Cat 1/2/3 guys started about 45 seconds ahead of us, and the masters 50/60+ guys started about 45 seconds after us, so the results are a bit confusing.  Steve Bullerman won the Masters 30+, Bruce Grell won the Masters 40+ and Brian Eppen won the Open event with Nate Kullborn in second.  The guys in my race were in great shape and good competitors, so the series will be every bit as challenging and rewarding as I had hoped (ok, maybe a bit more challenging, but oh well).

mountain biking or cyclocross?

Not really a tough decision for 'roadie' types, including myself.  The Sugarbottom Scramble, which was slated to be my mountain bike racing debut, was unfortunately cancelled last week and moved to this Sunday.  Much to the dismay of the organizers, this conflicts with an already scheduled psychlocross race that is part of the DICE series...Old Towne Vandecross, in Moline, Ill (just across the river).

This scenario reminds me of why I have never taken to racing a mountain bike.  I would have to drive to a trail system just to ride, and the trails are often closed to preserve their integrity.  It also seems like a huge advantage to be familiar with the race course, a luxury that I would only have for the sugarbottom event. Having said that, I will plan on racing the sylvan island stampede next spring, just to see what racing a mountian bike is like.  Who knows, maybe I am good at it.

Well, I am contemplating not racing cross this season and doing other training , but don't think I have the inner will power to literally sit at home knowing others are jumping over hurdles, riding through mud/sand, and running their bikes up hills.  So, most likely I will be pegging it at the park this Sunday.

The main question for me is Cat 3/4 or Master's 30+.  The Cat 3/4 is 15 minutes shorter and pays out better, but is usually  filled with Cat 2/3 roadies who can't stand the possibility of being lapped (including myself), so they enter this shorter event, which also doesn't include some of those regional cyclocross phenoms that spoil the event by being virtually impossible to beat. This year that seems to be names like bailey, eppen, nichols, fitzpatrick, kullborn, etc.

Sugarbottom, DICE Cyclocross or bench presses in my basement...  hmm?

Fall workouts

What is up with Lance lately?...

He must be doing some major upper body cross-training.  I guess that sort of reminds me that this is a good time of the year to get back to the ol' push-up and circuit training routines.  It can be frustrating to try and maintain the same amount of outdoor mileage as in the spring and summer, so mixing in some upper-body work and indoor cardio routines is great for the mind and the soul.

Well, most likely doing the sugar bottom scramble mountain bike race this Sunday near Iowa City, IA.  No pressure there, as I have never raced my Mountain Bike before.  It is old and will probably rattle apart by the end of the race (my bike not my body).

Iowa Cross Season has begun.

I ventured up to the Capital City Cross Race in Des Moines on  Saturday.  I am glad that I went as I got some good training and technique tune-up. 

The course began with two barriers that resulted in a run-up situation.  I couldn't believe how winded I was from just walking up this hill during my warm-up...  There was also a sand trap area... if you hit the line just right you could breeze through it, but if you wavered (as I did every time except once) you ended up really having to grind your way through the last portion.  Then a really quick grass downhill that ended with a 180 degree turn onto pavement, that really got the brake pads warmed up (based on the burning smell I noticed almost every lap).

This part of the course ended up being my downfall, as my chain proved to be on its last legs and couldn't withstand the abuse caused by the power grind that was necessary immediately after that corner.

For my first race, the CX 3 event, there was a pretty noticeable gap of about 4 riders right from the start (Kyle Sedore, Mario Hernandez, Steve Robinson and Jim Cochran).  This was definately discouraging, however  with cross racing you never know what might happen, so it is best to just keep your head focused on riding as efficiently as possible.

My chain popped off  to the left of the front sprocket during an early lap after that 180 degree downhill switch back.  I tried pedalling it back on but it actually then went up and over the other side.  Crap... I lost a bunch of places, but got back on and tried to regain my position.  I exhanged positions with guys like Pete Basso, Lane Anderson, Matt Gumm and Chad Vandelune throughout the race and ended up finishing 5th out of 13.

Cat 1,2,3
My lower back was extremely sore from carrying my bike up that hill, but for an extra $5, why not see how things pan out in the 'main event'?  Ok, I could think of about 100 reasons, but I lined up anyway, as I was contemplating staying in town to race again on Sunday, and didn't have anything better to do.

I suppose this race was just about getting more experience and training as guys like JJ Bailey, Tony Nichols, Nate Kullborn, etc  were going to be next to impossible to beat out for the 3 paying positions.  I figure just get out and race, support the cause, give the crowd someone to heckle, etc.

This race started fast, and by the time the first lap finished there were about 5 guys establishing a serious gap(JJ, Tony, Nate and also Ryan Jacobsen and Paul Deninger).  Fortunately, I was still up for a great battle as Jerome Rewerts, Bryan Moritz, Lane Anderson & Matt Gumm were racing within my grasp. 

The crowd was getting into it, especially around the run-up portion of the course.  Bryan Moritz took advantage of an early beer hand-up, as I believe he might have been a little weary from attending the Dave Matthews concert with Chris Hansen the night before.

Unfortunately, after only a few laps,  my chain malfunctioned again on that 180 degree turnaround.  This time it locked up.  It took forever to 'fix' it.  Nope, it wasn't fixed, it kept slipping and locked up again just past the start/finish.  It took quite some time for me to get it back on.  All of the cheers of encouragement changed to sympathetic booze offerings, and suggestions on ways to cut the course to get back into contention. 
My chain was completly warped... it's time had come.. so I decided to drive home as I wasn't really thrilled about watching others race as I sat their with my chain between my legs. 

I am glad I went, as my body, mind and bike needed this event to set the stage for the rest of the season.  Unfortunately, I can't really race many more of those central iowa races, however the DICE Cyclocross Series is a great production, and going to be my focus.

Harvest Hammer Duathlon...Victory

I am happy to report that I prevailed victorious, winning the 2009 Harvest Hammer Duathlon in Morrison, Illinois.   This event included a 5k run followed by a 21 mile bike segment. The bike leg was 2 laps with rolling terrain, including a couple out-of-the-saddle inclines...RESULTS.

I tried to add some running workouts into my routine about a month ago, however knew that this was still going to be the weakest part of my race. As the run progressed, I kept my sights on the apparent duathletes, and even counted the gaps from time to time, basically hoping to limit my losses until I could get on my bike.

With about half a mile left in my run I saw the first cyclist whiz by me, Bryce Mead of Team Jelly Belly. Luckily, he was in the team competition, as this would have been hugely demoralizing otherwise. I tried to mark the duathletes as they passed me on their bikes while I was still running. I actually was having an OK run, so there ended up only being 3 competitors ahead of me as I got on my bike.

It takes quite a few miles to get adjusted from the running effort to the cycling effort. Basically, your heart rate is already pegged near max from the first pedal stroke, and the goal is to allow it to slowly lower back down to Lactate Threshold (sort of backwards). Once it eventually did, it was game on, as I was finally in my element.

I passed local Muscatine duathlete, Tim Armstrong, early on, however didn't see anyone else for quite some time. Nothing really to do at this point, except execute a solid time trial effort. Eventually I saw some small figures way up the road.

I passed Brian Parker next (who had an amazing 5k of around 17min.). It wasn't until the second lap that I overtook Steve Meek for the lead. This is where it got a little wierd, as he began to draft me. This isn't an officially sanctioned race, so this wasn't technically illegal, just sort of odd, considering the nature of the event. He wasn't right on my wheel, just sort of bilking a little relief within my wake from time to time, not a big deal.

I couldn't shake him until many miles later during the head wind section. I went to the far left of the road, and he respectfully stayed to the right. With a widening gap, things were looking good. Unfortunately, I didn't really know that I was the individual leader at that point, so I couldn't enjoy the moment.

Then the unthinkable began to happen... cramps. My calves completely locked up and I couldn't pedal. You have got to be kidding me? I did panic, then realized I could still pedal a bit if I kept my feet flat and slid back on my seat. I figured Steve would overtake me and began to adjust to being the 'first loser'. Miraculously the cramping subsided and Steve was still no where in sight.

I pedalled to the line and grabbed my popsicle stick. It had a '201' on it, which was a good sign that I had indeed won the individual event. Mission accomplished... I have been meaning to race this event for quite some time, and glad that I not only entered it, but was fortunate enough to have the strength to win it as well. Thanks to the organizers and city of Morrison for promoting a great event. (addt'l photos by www.mattucker.com)

Super-smoooth sneaky slog slope attacks

Iowa State Gravel Road Championships:

I decided to get the fall racing season started by trying my hand at some gravel road racing near Cedar Falls/Waterloo, Iowa. Racing on gravel is sort of an odd concept, considering there are perfectly good roads to ride on, however I wasn't feeling like a solo training ride, and knew gravel road racing was a gauranteed leg burner (slogging through gravel mile after mile really takes it out of you).

Bike gear plays a big factor in a gravel race. In fact a lot of people had two bikes with them, or at least two wheel options so they could make a last minute decision based on the gravel conditions and what their competitors were lining up with. I only brought one option... my cyclocross bike with cyclocross wheels, as I wanted to get some training on it.

This was a good choice for the 6 lap and 4 lap events (Cat 4, 5, women, single speed, masters, etc.) as most of them had traditional cyclocross set-ups, however everyone in the 8 lap event (Cat 1/2 and 3) had more of a super-hybrid set-up going on, with durable road wheels, even a set of zipp tubulars.

Ok, the turnout wasn't great, there were only four competitors in the first wave: Paul Deninger (Zoom Performance), Dave Lippold (All9Yards), Jared Osterloh (All9Yards), and myself. So, I ended up being the only Cat 3 that showed up to take on the gravel. The ref indicated that if I made it at least 10 feet, I would have the Gold state championship medal wrapped up... Ok, that shouldn't be a problem.

So, now the task was to see if I could have some fun mixing up with the other three riders. There were some rollers on the backside of the course, and huge slogfest of a hill at the finish each lap. After some attack/counter attacks by all nine yards, I could tell we were in for a long hard race. Paul didn't help matters by executing his patented uphill 'super-smoooth sneaky slog slope attacks'. They are so slow and gradual you can't even see them happening, however he slips further and further up the hill, and you can't do anything about it.

The dynamics changed when Jared's chain broke. That left three 'Time Trial Types' who potentially thrive in slogging situations that drain the power out your legs, to battle it out. I noticed Dave stalled a little bit on one of Paul's sneaky slog attacks, so when Paul hit it again on the never ending finish line hill I went with him and we had a good gap.

It seemed like me and Paul were going to be able to work together to take home some Iowa 'East Coast' glory, but Dave rocketed past us, a few miles later, using the slight downhill slopes to catch back on.

Lesson learned, as the rest of the race was painful, but attacks escaping seemed futile, considering the nature of our riding strengths, so we all basically just kept each other in check the rest of the race.

The race finished with all three of us hitting the hill together, and then it slowly strung out with Paul winning, then Dave, and then myself.

Man, that gravel eventually gets your bike very dirty:


That was a good workout, and I feel better prepared for any future events I may or may not enter this fall. I am still holding onto to just enough time trial fitness to try my hand at the Harvest Hammer duathlon next weekend. I really haven't been able to run, so the trick will be to see if I can catch up with everyone on the bike leg. That will be a fun occupation regardless, as I know having targets up the road will push my pace beyond what is usually possible.

East Village Criterium Report

The golden globe of our State's capital shimmered brightly, as it guided me to the start/finish area of the East Village Criterium. I was impressed by the course that basically circled around the park directly in front of the capitol building. I was torn between lobbying for some new bike laws and racing, as it was tempting to go inside and start drafting some legislation.
The course really made for a dynamic event as there was a 2-block multi-gradient hill that led up to the final half-block downhill sprint. There were a few calm trips up the hill, but for the most part someone was always pushing the pace. The event also featured an announcer (JJ Bailey), Hy-Vee Catering, inspirational music (except for a couple of country songs), open containters, a decent turnout of racers and spectators, and a HUGE cat 5 race that made me nervous thinking about the potential for crashing on some of the corners.
The master's 30+ race was at 9am. There were 24 starters, some really strong, some not so much. Anyway we tore around the course, I was quick to find my grove as I feel really confident with my bike handling these days(finally). There were a couple of really painful attacks on some of the laps. Lane Anderson (All9Yards) put it in a viscious early attack, but it didn't stick. He hung low for a bit as riders like Paul Deninger and Clark Priebe also sunk their teeth into the gradient. Stategically he launched another attack on the hill that formed a break and ended up finishing 1st (30+) with Clark Priebe getting first (40+) as well.

By the time things ultimately shook out, there ended up being about 4 riders up the road as we made our last trip up the hill. Tracy Thompson (Bikes2You) unloaded his tank, and led us up the hill, around the corner and over the line. Daniel Galles(colorbiotics) was dangling ahead, and I was right on Tracy's wheel. I finished 4th in the 30+, which was 7th overall. Not bad, as I felt strong the whole race and had an enjoyable experience.

CAT 3 Race -

20 Cat 3 riders lined up for this race that paid back 15 places. The joke at the line was that we just needed to shell 5 guys to get 'in the money'. There weren't really any slouches in the group, though, as Cat 3 riders are always competitive, so this wasn't going to be an easy task.

The race started a bit faster than I was prepared for, but after about the third lap, I was in the driver's seat and spent the rest of the race in the top 5 positions. I feel stronger in Cat 3 races, as opposed to those master races, so I took up the task of launching up the hill from time to time, hoping to get a split. Colorbiotics had three guys, and they took turns, during certain laps trying to get a guy up the road. Dominic Moraniec (who also raced in the morning with me), made a couple of hard moves up the hill as well.

The downhill section was fast, straight and long... allowing riders to catch back on. I always ended up going around most everyone on this section, as I wasn't willing to use my brakes (and/or I am getting fat). It seemed like me, Jerome Rewerts (All9Yards), Derek Cassady (DICE) and Rich Wince (Rasmussen's) spent a lot of time at the front, maybe keeping an eye on each other (pictured below).At many points solo riders dangled off the front. I even tried to bait some riders to bridge up during one of the laps, hoping to get a breakaway going. Ultimately, it was Ryan French (All9Yards) whose solo gap stuck. Jerome policed the move, with Rasmussens and Colorbiotics having the most numbers to potentially bring it back. However, there wasn't really any good place on the this course to work as a group as there was always a hill or corner.

Ryan's gap stayed at around the :30 second mark for quite some time as the announcer called out Rasmussen's to bring it back (sort of a team rivalry). They didn't respond. That doesn't mean we sat up, per se, Ryan just put the hammer down and never looked back.

I was in great position on the last lap as we were sprinting for 2nd place. As the hill started, we all charged up with everything we had left. I got to the top in good order but lost a couple of spots on the downhill. I finished 9th overall, which is good, but seems to not reflect how strong I felt comparatively. Derek Cassady won the sprint, and secured his Cat 3 Iowa Cup. (Sprint pictured below)

RESULTS

Big Creek Road Race

I ended up participating in the Big Creek Road Race Saturday. I have mixed reviews of the race, and I believe it has a lot to do with the fact that this wasn't actually a USAC event. There weren't any officials present so the race just had a different feel.

Great field of over 20 Cat 1/2/3's racing for 7 spots. We were supposed to be doing 57.5 miles. Unfortunately, there were some math issues so we only ended up doing about 52 miles. This was sort of discouraging, because it wasn't clear to me how many laps were left. Also confusing was the fact that after about 2 laps of our 8 (or maybe it was 9) lap circuit the other races were mixed in with ours. This kind of made it hard to keep track of breaks, though was strategic to some of the moves as they could 'hide' in front of the other races.

At some point, a break of about 7 eventually got all together. Some of the riders were Lou Wagamon, Sean Walker, Bryan Moritz, Ryan French and Clark Priebe. That left quite a few riders in the peloton with no reason to chase as they were protecting their teammates.

Dewey Dickey, Paul Deninger and myself took charge of bringing back the break (Rich Wince eventually helped out as well), though we seemed sort of hesitant. I wasn't convinced that those sitting in weren't going to lauch off the front, taking advantage of their fresher legs. And, of course, if I had truly given a maximum exertion to insure things got back to together, I would have been toast for the inevitable counter attacks.

We were really just screwed. The phrase I overheard 'well this will be a good leg opener for tomorrow' became the theme of the peleton as this reality sunk in.

I saw the lap card read 2 laps, as we swung around. Unfortunately I was delusional. As we neared what I thought was the start of the bell lap, Will Greenwood, Andrew Fagersten and Rich Wince went down, Dave Lippold of All Nine Yards started driving the pace (in retrospect this was a lead out) and some guy in orange started attacking (again, this turned out to be a 'sprint'). As we crossed the line, I prepared to go right to start the last lap. Nope, that was our sprint, I guess.

Sort of a bummer. I verifed that my spedometer read only 52 miles, so we were indeed cut off by one lap. NOTE: the other riders weren't as confused about this, so no big deal. Since each race was doing a different number of laps, it turned out that we were supposed to be keeping track of our own laps. This is understandable, as I can see how the lap 'ref' wouldn't really be able to keep track of which race was which as we pased him.

This is a laid back race, and caters specifically to beginners and women. It is put on by the female all-nine-yards team and set up so you don't need a license to 'give it a try'. They did a fine job, as is evident by the large turnout for the other races and all the smiling faces and post-race bantering. The Cat 1,2,3 field was competitive so the race was ultimately a worthwhile event. A simple fix would be to run it as a USAC event. The organization would be better and appease my sense of logic and order.

I have nothing but praise for Sunday's East Village Criterium as it was truly the 'main event' of the weekend. I will post on my races after I get the results and some pictures. Congratulations, however to the Iowa City Cycling Club for their success at the Cat 1/2 event. Adam Price (pictured above on the right at the 2008 Jingle Cross Rock), having ridden off the course into a ditch at Saturday's race, won this event, having been in a two man break with Clark Priebe for most of the race. I decided his misfortune Saturday might have saved his legs for Sunday, and actually been a blessing in disguise. His team mates Dewey Dickey and Jeff Barnes also made the top five.

Des Moines Racing

Ok, might as well go tear it up in Des Moines this weekend. I do question, however, my form, as I had a terrible ride Tuesday. My legs ached and felt heavy. I believe it just my body adjusting to the run and mountain bike workouts I did over the weekend. I imagine there are a lot of roadies whose form is tapering down. Most likely, the guys who really get into cyclocross are building up to a fitness peak around this time. Should be interesting.

Saturday is a 58 mile Pro, 1,2,3 race near Big Creek in Polk City. Then Sunday I will enter two events during the East Village Crit. I believe there is some sort of hill that might change the dynamic as opposed to flat course, but still six corners of crit-style racing. I think I will enjoy hanging out in the heart of our state's capitol.

Not sure what to expect, but I will report back on the experience once I return. At the very least I am going to get some good training and enhanced fitness, but there isn't any reason why I can't bring back some noteworthy results as well. I will have fun trying either way.

Dirt Training

The skies have cleared and I can see the light... and that light has told me to embrace the dirt beneath my feet by riding my mountain bike over it.

I have ran out of excuses not to try a mountain bike race, so have put the Sugar Bottom Scramble (Oct. 4th) on my calendar. Maybe I won't end up being able to compete, but I am going to train for it none the lesss, as I feel it is a refreshing change of pace and strategic to cyclocross preparations.

I went to SugarBottom on Sunday and tried to rehearse the route that the race uses. The race organizer (Thomas Sulentic) gave me the general idea,mentioning to go east from the shelter and then just basically follow the main trail including the secondary loop. I am a bit confused because that would mean we start with the 201 trails, but then not sure if we swing back and do the 101 trails. The loop I created took about 70 minutes. Based on the 2008 results, however, it seems that the faster competitors are doing the laps in around 50 to 60 minutes, so hopefully I did some extra sections.

I could never get up 'cyclocross hill' and completely understand why 'hell's trail' is named as such.

Mountain biking is intense. I am amused that my arms are sore today,not my legs, as much energy is used trying to keep the bike upright. I enjoyed this new challenge and felt like I have some measure of skill (we shall see).

I actually entered a 5k running race on Saturday. I figured pegging my heart rate for just under 20 minutes and reviving some of my dormant running-specific muscles would have a good training effect for the off-the bike portions of cyclocross races.

I am still thinking about going to Des Moines this weekend for the Big Creek Road Race and East Village Criteriums. I can admit that I have lost a bit of my road-racing focus, but that might actually become an advantage, as I will be relaxed and interested in merely enjoying the events. It is great to still have some road events to look forward to, as there is plenty of summer weather still left to enjoy.

I asked for it, I got it...not quite

In an earlier post, I claimed to be hoping to contract 'Male Pattern Vaginitis(MPV)'...Well, as fate would have it, I did indeed contract a disease-type ailment, and it even is specific to my genital area...

Not to go into great detail, but let's just say that the first question the doctor asked when I told him about my condition and why I was there to see him was "Were you peeing in the woods?". My answer was 'yes'....You guessed it, poison Ivy.

Trying to find a silver lining to this predicament, I remembered a conversation I had with some fellow riders at the Dirty Road Races earlier in the spring. They were mentioning how doctors prescribed steroids for severe poison ivy, and the potential performance enhancing effects.

So I headed to the clinic to get juiced up. I was a little taken back when the doctor asked if I wanted him to look at it. I imagined us high-fiving with the somewhat shocking sight... 'man, that looks really funky!, Awesome!', then a high five as he injected steroids into my veins. Well, not quite. The pharmacist did mention as she handed me the prescription, "this will make you ride like the energizer bunny".

I don't have any racing this week, so I won't get to take advantage of my temporary hormone induced strength advantage. I do, however, have plans to roll around in a poison ivy patch right before the 2010 Memorial day weekend races. (In case anyone else wants to try this out, below are some of the plants you should try to find).

Hmm, I guess I can now relate to what female vaginits actually feels like. Remind me never to tempt fate like this again, the irony is just too itchy.

2009 State Time Trial Recap

I just got back from competing in the State TT Champs in Nichols, IA. The turnout was pretty good, considering that their was a 100% chance of precipitation forecasted during our race. Sure enough it started raining right about 8am and continued throughout the race. Thankfully, it never broke into a full on downpour. I imagine my water logged skinsuit and shoes might have weighed me down a bit, otherwise the rain really wasn't much of a factor, maybe even cooled things down a bit.

I really didn't know what to expect for my results, as my times have been all over the place. I was determined, however, to at least have a focused ride that represented a solid effort. As the cycling update website descibes us... there were plenty of the usual 'magnificant time trialing bastards' warming up. This is good, in that there is more glory to be gained if I faired well comparatively, but, of course makes getting a high overall placing just that much more difficult.

Results - Top 10 Overall
1 0:52:33.99 Paul Denninger (cat 1/2 – Gold)
2 0:52:38.33 Jeff Barnes
3 0:53:35.37 Chad Bishop (cat 3 – Gold)
4 0:55:21.82 Greg Duethman (masters – Gold)
5 0:55:32.62 Dan Shaffer
6 0:56:05.85 Joe Hetrick
7 0:56:23.95 Mark Sorenson
8 0:57:07.13 Dan Reasoner
9 0:57:37.92 Sean Walker
10 0:57:55.50 Adam Price

The race played out a lot like last year's, except Paul was here, so that ended up bumping me to third overall. There weren't any other Cat 3's, so I did get the Gold medal.

I am thankful to have pulled off third overall, as I really didn't train on my TT bike this year until after the reality check at the DICE 40k in Mid July where my fitness proved to be much lower than the month before. I made a lot of adjustments in my training which helped me get back into solid form. I think if I would have started LT training just a couple of weeks earlier, I might have been able to break my self-imposed 53 minute barrier. Then all I would need is to have Paul and Jeff not show up, and bingo, state tt champ. I wouldn't mind putting that feather in my cap one of these years, we'll see if I can keep my head in the game long enough to realize that ambition.

I have one more peice of aero gear that I may purchase next year that will improve both my body position and bike aerodynamics. Combining that with a slightly adjusted summer training regimine should make me a TT contender again in 2010.

The season shifts...Well, I believe I am going to Des Moines to race around the Capitol at the end of August, as a wrap up to the 2009 road/crit season. However, I am still planning on shfiting my training focus starting this week. I will be riding some on gravel roads and mountain bike trails. This will get me ready for the cyclocross season, but mostly just provide a new training routine. I also need to run a bit, as I have one more event that I get to use my TT bike for, but it is a duathlon, so I will have to get some sort of running base over the next month.

Congrats to all of the medal winners at this years State TT Champs.

Almost time for Cross (training) & MPV Update

I am excited to announce that after this weeks State TT, I will be adding running to my training regimine. Why? You may ask... well I have a top secret race that I am training for that involves running and cycling. More on that later, but I can say I have a good chance of winning that event overall, in the individual categoy, if I can get my 5k run time down to a respectable level. I have over a month to get ready. This is also a great build up to any cyclocross racing I may do. (Below... 2008 Spooky Cross)
I should be ready for this Sunday's State Time Trial Championships. Not the most glamorous of events in that there aren't any spectators, cash payouts, trophies, daring tactics, team glory, dramatic finishes etc. In fact, they hand out the medals next to a big pile of salt as we all stand around, avoiding mud puddles.

But the glory of setting and realizing goals, not to mention having an accomplishment to hang your hat on the rest of the year, makes it all worth it.

I like racing Time Trials, because of the amount of control I have over the results. It's all about training, VO2 Max, sustained power, nutrition, aero gear, mental toughness and genetic capabilties. And, of course, having a powerful TT engine does come in handy from time to time in criterium and road races (not often, but sometimes).

I sort of focused on crit racing this year, which didn't completly workout according to plan, however I believe I have set the stage for a great 2010 season, as I have now become a very well rounded cyclist.
------------
Well, I field tested my MPV aspirations (Male Pattern Vaginitis) and was sort of getting some odd reactions from the females I explained this to. I realized talking about Vaginitis to a female is sort of like talking about getting kicked in the nuts to a male. Both are topics, respectively that each gender sort of cringes upon.

Hoping to Contract the Disease... MPV

MALE PATTERN VAGINITIS (MPV).... Yes, if you are a male competitive cyclists you have probably heard of this ailment and most likely have contracted it to some degree. This is a condition that infects male riders preventing them from racing and/or training as often as they would like. Essentially, a female disease carrier attaches to the male host, and then proceeds to replace this cyclist's passion for racing with an unwitting aspiration to spend quality time listening, understanding, communicating and cuddling.

Being free of this disease, (as I am) however, isn't as great as one might imagine. Without MPV to distract me from my racing/training, I find that I really don't have much of a life outside of these ambitions. That isn't such a bad thing, until you begin to race obsessive/compulsively, seeking to fill the void left from being disease free. I believe that was the case over the weekend, as I elected to race both a 40k time trial and a Cat 1/2 crit on the same day.

IOWA CITY TT #4-
Hoping to see how my fitness was lining up for the Iowa State Time Trial Championships August 16th, I entered this 40k event in Nichols, Ia. that actually occurs on the same course. Warming up, I noted that this would be the most dramatic wind shift I had encountered in a TT race. Going out, their was a head wind of about 14mph. I soft pedalled at around 19mph. Then I turned around and was exerting the same effort but going well over 25 mph due to the tailwind.

So, 20k into the wind then 20k with a tailwind. I did some math to calculate what I would need to do to set a PR (always worth taking a shot at beating the clock), and was still optimistic as I approached the turnaround. My time was way off, but I figured I could average about 6mph faster going back.

As I turned around, I was elated to find that I was able to hold a speed well over what I needed to set a Personal course record. Then I started to slow down. I couldn't figure out what was going on, but reluctantly admitted to myself that I must have went out too hard, and simply didn't have the power to build on last year's successful Time Trialing debut.

I still kept battling, but was losing ground mile after mile. With about 3 miles left, I looked up to see a flag that indicated I was indeed battling a headwind. This was a great realization, because it meant my slow pace wasn't compelely due to my fitness. Battling a head wind over 35 kilometers is exhausting, so having a slower time would be understandable.

I started laughing when I saw that my time was going to be over 58minutes (much slower than I do when I train on this course). I let up a bit thinking about my race later that day in Grinnell, and realizing that my time was doomed because of this freakish wind shift. The wind shifted at around 9:30am, so the earlier you started the less of a disadvantage this gave you. I was one of the later starters, unfortunately.

Based on the results, however, Paul Deninger is in great form to potentially win this year's TT championships. He won the event with a time just over 56 minutes (still much slower than his usual pace). Greg Duethman and a guy named Elmer (from Dubuque Free Flight), also had great rides that were much faster than mine. Jeff Barnes, who won last year, is also a favorite to repeat for Cat 1/2 gold. I am still hoping, however to have a great ride this Sunday, maybe setting a PR, but at least finishing high overall, and in the Gold of the Cat 3 category.

GRINNELL TWILIGHT CRIT
I went home from the TT and tried to rest and recover for a Cat 1/2 crit that Bikes2You/World of Bikes team was hosting. It was technically a Cat 1/2/3 race, but no one was including the Cat 3 part within their dialogue, so I am going to suggest that Cat 3's are really just included to create a larger field for the main event. I would rather race a cat 1/2/3 event then a cat 3/4, so I am not complaining.

The course was right through the downtown area and around a park. Six flat and mostly smooth/wide corners. The Bikes2You team had about 8 guys, All Nine Yards had 3 or 4, and the rest of us were racing solo (about 19 total). With 8 guys in the field, Bikes2You had a lot of cards to play.

The race started out neutral for about 50 feet, and then Sean Walker turned up the tempo. I was having trouble holding his wheel, though I was opting to stay near the front of the race until I got a feel for the corners.

People were going around me, so I was always struggling to fill in holes that were created because I didn't have the snap in my legs to hold the wheels. About 2 or three laps in I thought my race was done. Thankfully, the pace let up just enough to allow for me to continue competing.

After the next gap formed up ahead, I realized I wasn't able to respond, and succumbed to just trying to hang with the pack. This wasn't happening either. Eventually, I was in a chase group with Will Greenwood, Sean Walker, Tim Campbell (all of the hosting team), and then Jeff Bradly, Chris Eastburn and some other guy in red. Well the guy in red wasn't intrested in chasing, and the Bikes2You guys weren't going to chase down their own teamates, so Jeff, Chris and I took up the chase, sort of, by taking turns at the front.

Jeff pulled off, perhaps realizing the effort was futile. Well, that was a serious blow to my morale. Tim must have smelled blood, and attacked the remaining solo riders, sensing that we were weak. Will bridged up, leaving Sean back in the chase group. Now basically in the third chase group, I found that I still couldn't hold the wheels.

I edged off and reluctantly abandodned. Amazingly, it was only about 20 minutes into a 65 minute race... sort of embarrasing, but mostly just frustrating, because this would have been a great race to be competitive in. Good course, well organized, great field, good primes, descent payout etc. As I was loading up my bike, I noticed that Sean had rejoined Will and Tim, however the other two solo riders were gapped off as well.

I skipped town, hoping to maybe get back in Muscatine with enough time to head downtown to try and contract Male Vaginitis. You see, I had an opportunity to go to a reception Friday night but decided I should rest for the full day of racing Saturday. I also had an invite to go to a birthday party at a bar Saturday night, but rather elected to race around Grinnell.

With this approach I will reluctantly be free of Male Pattern Vaginitis for the rest of my life. This isn't actually good for my race results, as there is such thing as overdoing it. I really did throw myself under the bus by competing against such a strong field at the Twilight Crit in addition to that morning TT. Logic would follow that I would have done one or the other, and perhaps had some sort of alternative activity for the remainder of the day.

(Note: Upon researching Vaginitis, I have been informed that it actually is a disease that females with bacteria issues can contract. Hmm, it seemed like a made up word when I was introduced to it a couple of weeks ago as it was used to explain why a certain member of a team opted not to show up for the state RR. I might suggest that we come up with a different term to use to describe male rider's who are suffering from interpersonal, opposite gender-related racing conflicts).

For now, I will keep training. Even though my results are less than desirable, bike racing is keeping me relatively sane and happy.

2009 Iowa State Road Race Recap

Another great State Road Race champs is in the books (Results). I didn't quite have the strength at a key point in the race to make it into the top five, but I can also credit some highly trained fellow cat 3's for making this an extremely difficult endeavor.

46 Cat 1/2/3's (25 Cat 1/2's, 21 Cat 3's)lined up in West Branch to start the 108 mile race. I had learned a lot from last year's race, and had put in a few longer training rides in hopes of avoiding the late race cramping that seems inevitable within a 4.5 hour race. I also had a very over thought out approach to the feedzones.

The first of 4, 27 mile laps was somewhat neutralized with an average of around 24 mph. I don't think anybody was interested in working in a break for 4 hours, so nothing major transpired.

Later in the race, a break that seemed to have all of the key teams did form, and stayed away for quite some time. I didn't think there were any Cat 3's in it, however, so I didn't concern myself much, rather tried to conserve energy that I knew would be needed later.

Heading into the third lap, the break started to dissolve. As Bikes To You/Bike World Rider, Bryan Moritz came back to the group, I heard someone say, 'that's a good sign', implying that the break would ultimately get pulled back.

This third lap was a bit faster, I believe, as there were still riders up ahead. Bikes2You, for example could be seen at the front off and on working hard, as they were no longer represented up the road. Unfortunately, towards the end of this lap was also when the remaining riders were starting to get a bit sketchy, having road over 75 miles. An acceleration caused a delayed reaction in the pack, and I could see Garrett McAllister, Wheaton Franciscan, and Brent Mitchell, Rasmussen's, go down... hard. I had to veer off to the right and ride over the curb. I witnessed Brent screaming in agony... it wasn't a pleasant sight.

By the time I got re-positioned on the road the pack was way up ahead. I got a bit angry about that, fearing that my race was about to be over. I unloaded a full on chase, and thankfully caught back on as they sat up about a mile down the road.

I went to the front to get to the feed zone first allowing me ample time to slow down and take two hand-ups. I felt really good about my chances in the race at this point. Unlike last year, the riders seemed to let up a bit to allow everyone a chance to get a hand-up and regroup. Much improved situation, my compliments to the field.

I guess I was a little too confident, because as we turned right, heading out of West Branch to start the last lap, a huge attack transpired. This was the crosswind section, so perfect timing to make a 'selection'. Riders that were toward the front were in perfect position to hang on, however anyone mid-pack or further was going to have to earn their position in this break.

The field cut in half with me ending up in the middle. Some guys had the strength to power around me to catch the split, and others fell back into the chase group. Ultimately, I kept pedalling hard and formed a group between the lead group and the chase group that included Geoff Perril, Tracy Thompson, Will Greenwood, Daniel Galles and Clark Priebe (who had fallen back after being in that first break).

We were hoping to fend off the surviving riders behind us, and possibly catch back up to the front group that now contained about 15 riders. 5 of those riders ended up being Cat 3's, so Geoff, Dan and myself were currently only racing for 6th place, just out of the money.

The fourth lap of this race is always challenging. The cramping starts to set in a bit, and rider's overall fitness and/or efforts made earlier in the race start to become a factor. At one point Tracy let out an unexpected shout... cramps. He dropped back a bit, leaving Dan, Geoff, Clark and me still rotating through (Will had to drop back a bit earlier).

Clark dropped back about 10 miles later leaving Dan, Geoff and me (all cat 3's). I had begun to have some cramps a few miles earlier, so was hoping that the others were in pain as well. Unfortunately, near the end of the race, on one of the steepest climbs, Geoff's pace pushed my legs over the limt, causing a cramp that forced me to slow a bit. After I got over the hill, I was fine the rest of the race, and kept Dan and Geoff in my sights, but could never make up any ground as they worked together to insure I wouldn't complicate their finish. We didn't know for sure how many Cat 3's were ahead of us, so I understand why they didn't let me catch back on.

The last stretch was a headwind. As I saw my odometer read 106 miles, I was eagerly awaiting this ride to be over. There wasn't anyone within sight behind me, as I rolled across the line. I was 8th out of 10 cat 3 finishers (21 started) and 18th out of the 28 finishers within our Cat 1,2,3 field (46 Started).

Great race, everything basically went according to plan, I just wasn't quite strong enough to hang onto that 4th lap split. Congratulations to those who did (not to mention those who finished, and even those who had the courage to start a 108 mile road race). I am already thinking about how I might be able to squeeze out just a bit better result next year.

The three medal winners for the cat 3 race have been riding strong all year (Jerome Rewerts, David Paquette and Carson Christen) so it was very fitting that they earned top finishes. Also, Jeff Bradley, Trek, Davenport, IA (former Tour De France particpant) winning the race overall seemed appropriate and added to the honor of being a part of this great race of strong Iowa competitors.

Thanks to my Mom and Joe Mann for feed zone support.

Iowa State Cat 1,2,3 Road Race Preview

The 2009 Iowa State Road Race Championhsips will take place this Saturday, August 1st, in West Branch Iowa. The Cat 1/2's will be racing for 10 places and $1200 alongside the Cat 3's who will be vying for the top 5 positions and their share of $600. Of course, the real 'glory' is to get on the podium so as to win one of the three medals available to Iowa riders.

I previewed the course Sunday and was reminded that this route always seems to be 'rolling'. The gradient is rarely flat, either heading up or down. There isn't any one hill that stands out, rather a wide variety of gradients that will drain rider's energy over the course of 108 miles. Hmm, 108 miles... that means this race could aproach the 5 hour mark for some riders, that is a lot of saddle time. How many Iowa amateurs cyclists (especially Cat 3's) really train for that sort of distance? Hopefully no one, at least that is what many entrants will be hoping. We will all suffer together, with the Cat 3 race most likely coming down to a 'survival of the fittest'.


- 2009 State Road Race Contender Rundown -

Iowa City Cycling Club/Mercy Specialized:
I feel that Brian Eppen and Jeff Barnes will be their main contenders. Any question of Brian's form this year was put to rest as he nearly won all three events he entered in the Iowa State Criterium championships. He finished 5th last year in the Road Race Championships. Teammate Jeff Barnes finished 3rd last year, and has a very respectable racing resume. Joe Hetrick and Adam Price should be very present throughout the race, rounding out this talented Cat 1/2 squad. Not sure if Duane Dickey or Ryan Nenninger will be entering, but if they do, then Iowa City is going to have some massive talent.


Thier Cat 3 team doesn't have a very large roster this year, however Brendan Keely is always competitive and Jimmy Carrico is an excellent junior.


Atlas/Ecolips:
Jim Cochran seems to be their main man for the Cat 1/2 race. He seems to have a knack for timing late attacks/sprints. Veteran Cat 3 rider, Ryan Jacobsen will be entering this year's event as well. After not feeling he had the training necessary to be competitve at the 108 mile distance last year, he has made adjustments and will be a major player for the Cat 3 podium.


Bikes2You/World of Bikes:
Sean Walker has been having yet another successful year, and needs to be considered one of this team's strongest riders. He is leading the Cat 1/2 Iowa Cup series, and will be looking to maintain his advantage with a top placing in this event. Bryan Moritz has also been delivering impressive results. In fact he is currently 4th in the Iowa Cup series. He had a technical issue in the 2008 race and couldn't finish, so is most likely even more driven to cross the line with the field (or ahead of the field) this year.


This team has so many possible tactical options, however, due to the strength and talent within it's roster... Tim Campbell, Will Greenwood, Lee Venteicher, Finn Kolsrud, Tracy Thompson, Andrew Fagersten... all guys who will definately animate the race if not pull off a top placing. Johan Bruyneel would have a field day orchestrating this team's game plan.


All9Yards/Bike World:
Jared Osterloh and Lane Anderson have been having great seasons. Most recently, Lane won the BBQ Blues Criterium and Jared won the Master's 30+ State criterium after his team proved it could work together to set up one of their strongest riders.

Bad news for Cat 3 riders, however, is that Jerome Rewerts has been achieving success in virtually every race he enters. I would be very surprised if he isn't one of the top 5 Cat 3 finishers. Ryan French and Steven Robinson should also be ackowledged as factors in the Cat 3 race.

Rasmussen's Death Squad:
I believe Lou Waugaman is their only Cat 1/2, however, he will be backed by many strong Cat 3 riders. Most notably, Rich Wince, who recently won the BBQ Blues Road Race (just ahead of Lou), seems to have some of the best fitness in the state (a key for a 108 mile race). Kris Kunze is also riding well, and Brent Mitchell and Pete Basso won't go down without a fight.



HBA Racing:
Carson Christen stands out, having recently placed 2nd in the Cat 3 BBQ road Race, and actually won the famous Snake Alley Cat 3 criterium. He hasn't been able to race quite as often as he may have liked, however he seems to be training hard and effectively, with his sights set on some State Road Race Glory.

Colorbiotics:Daniel Galles and Justin Schnee seem to be ever present on the Cat 3 results, with Daniel having posted a nice Cat 3 result at Superweek in addition to his Iowa racing.

Dice Cycling:Derek Cassaday is without a doubt a criterium racing prodigy, however hasn't quite had the overwhelming success in longer format road races. Considering his Cat 3 dominance this year, though, I would have to still suggest that he will be a noteworthy factor..

Miscellaneous Soloists:Paul Deninger of Zoom Performance, Clark Priebe, myself, etc. I couldn't mention everyone, but can say that there are definately quite a few more 'contenders' not listed here. I also predict that there will be some out of state riders interested in taking some of the cash and glory. Matt Bushe (Nova Cycle Sports, WI), for example, won this race in 2008.


We had 45 starters for the 2008 Cat 1,2,3 event, however, only 25 finished. The mileage was intense, but the extreme heat and feed zone issues were also a factor. As a successful second year event with milder weather predicted, I feel the 2009 event will have an even larger and stronger field.

Anybody else have any thoughts about this Sunday's race? I have opened up the comments to all readers, however please keep any postings positive and respectful.

Superweek Sports Bra Sightings

I accomplished another thing on my cycling 'to-do' list by competing in two races at the Superweek Pro Tour.

Whitnall Park Criterium-
This was a 1.1 mile loop in a city park. The course felt alot like the Melon City Criterium, with a steep uphill and a 'sling-shot' decent. The finish was fairly straight with a downard slope. About 37 guys lined up, with Mark Howe (who has been winning many of the Cat 3 races) being heavily marked.

This course wasn't really technical, and the hill wasn't big enough to break things up, so picking the right moves was going to be crucial. I say this in hindsight, as I missed the 'right move' as a group of about 8 formed early in the race. Many of the guys in the field were keying on Mark, who wasn't in it, and it seemed a bit early.

I decided to go to the front and see about pulling the group back. After a lap of pulling, a couple riders attacked instead of pulling through. I was redlining the next lap trying to hang on after my effort and decided that I would just sit-in, as it felt like riders who pulled were being punished and/or taken advantage of.

I was primed and ready to sprint for 8th with the field of about 24. I realized I had a massive amount of energy left in my legs and nailed it up the hill on the final lap. I had a huge gap, but decided the group's momentum around the 'shake and bake' section would close it, so I slowed down. I still was firing well, and charged out after the first wheel made the move. I was able to finish 4th out of this group for 12th overall (Results).

I went to Cedarburg to watch the Pro 1/2 race. The town really got into things, with all the neighbors outside having cookouts, drinking wine/beer, etc. Riders from many different countries attend this event. Garmin/Slipstream, Rock Racing, Team Typ 1, Fly V Australia and Bissel were some of the noteworthy Pro Teams.

Milwaukee -
I then headed down to Milwaukee to scope out the historic Lake Front Road Race course. Bradford beach was alive with volleyball/bikini action which distracted my recon mission a bit, but I was having fun exploring the city. The hills weren't as long as I imagined, but the course featured great views of the lake as it traversed through the heart of Milwaukee.

40 Cat 3's from all over the midwest lined up to take on this 75 mile course. We made 18 loops, so 36 sharp hills and 36 descents. A break of about 7 formed early on, but the field was controlling the gap, letting them dangle. It got out pretty far, and I believe everyone was getting a bit nervous.

Eventually it was pulled back in, and I started getting ready for my move as it seemed like a perfect time with those seven guys now hurting a bit. A guy from burnam racing went on a solo flyer. He sat out there for quite a few miles, as I was literally licking my lips, riding at the front. Just at the base of the second hill I hit it hard, flying up the hill. I was joined by another rider as we bridged up to the solo move. A burnam teammate took over for the guy who made the solo move, and the three of us started working together.

We were very pleased to be joined by a guy from Team Leadout, who had guys to block. The four of us worked it well for the next six or seven laps. I felt that this move was going to work, and began to smile just a bit.

Unfortunately, some guys from the pack were trying to bridge up. This was lifting the tempo of the chase group. They caught us after about 25 miles. Ok, things aren't looking too good, as I used a lot of strength trying to make that work.

Two guys snuck up ahead a lap or two later and everything slowed down (why couldn't they have ridden like this when we were up there?). I still felt strong, but definately at a disadvantage because of my earlier efforts.

The pro 1/2 field passed by us at one point. It was fun to be sort of riding with guys from Ouch/Maxxis, Fly V Australia, Garmin/Slipstream, Jelly Belly, Rock Racing, etc. This famous race course brought out some of the best pro/ams. Superweek, in general, seems to attract people from all over the world.

The highlight of the race was when all of the sudden I hear all of the guys in the field start hooting and hollering. I looked over to see a very fit girl in a white sports bra jogging along the beach. We had turned into construction workers, for some reason, but this was a beautiful creature, and I think we were all sort of light headed from the accumulating mileage. Luckily, Bradford beach was closed down due to this race, because if we would have had too many more 'sports bra sightings', I am sure there would have been some accidents.

Anyway, a couple more guys slipped off the front over the last two laps. I tried to follow, but my mind was telling me it would be too much. We were sprinting for about 9th place. The finish was wide and on a 1 mile straightaway, so you could really set yourself up how you wanted. I should have tried my luck punching it early, but I just went with the standard 200 meter sprint, which resulted in a mid-pack finish.

Great experience, I plan on doing part of Superweek and the tour of America's dairyland in Wisconsin again, as I enjoyed the fields, challenges, courses and scenery. I will be more determined, as a 'veteran' to bring back better results. But, ultimately, bike racing is more about the journey than the destination, so I try to enjoy the ride.

Stay tuned for my State Road Race pre-game reports. I may even turn back on the anonymous posts for this topic.

American Bike Racing Weekend Review

Mississippi Bluffs RR - Sometimes I mention that my race was over before it ever started... well, this race was over because I NEVER started. For reasons beyond my control, I couldn't make it to the start in time. My bike was loaded and I was pre-registered so this was a sort of a traumatizing situation.

Man, another blow to my season and mentallity. I will admit to being depressed this weekend.

Cordvova (Dr. Craig Schulz) 40k TT - I haven't been riding my TT bike much this year, but still figured all the road racing/group training would keep me competitive in this discipline. On the other hand, I was very depressed and the negative thoughts were suggesting that I was headed for upset. Sure enough, my TT form has taken a backward slide. My time of 54:45 wasn't horrible, but it indicated that I was losing ground on my fitness. I finished 4th overall, and didn't get one of the top 3 trophies. This is a race against the clock, and the clock won, so I basically finished 2nd out of 2 competitors... aka Dead Last! Ouch, I was almost down for the count.

Ok, the whole season has really been anticlimatic. This is the time when some competitive cyclists may opt to sell all of their equipment, and 'spend more time with the family'. This constant barrage of dissapointment has become a bit overwhelming.

Alas, though, this is also a good time to remind myself of the benefits I recieve from this sport, aside from competitive success. Things like excellent fitness, good muscle tone, low body fat, good friends, increased vitality, mood enhancement (usually), more fulfilling lifestyle, something to blog about, group affiliation, an inspiring hobby, limitless goal realization opportunities, etc.

It was also helpful to remind myself of Levi Leipenheimer's misfortune in the Tour De France... we all go through ups and downs in this sport, and in life. For a rider to really be 'strong', they must be able to mentally persevere through periods of doubt. Physical fitness is only one aspect of what allows some competitors to rise above.

Not really so sure about my TT form for the upcoming Iowa TT champs, however I do plan on adjusting my training focus in hopes of improving my result.

Now off to Wisconsin for two Superweek races. Tuesday is a 1.1 mile Cat 3 crit in Whitnall park. There are 'rolling hills' but no real sharp corners, as it is in a park, not city streets. Then Wednesday is the Lake Front Road Race, in Milwaukee. Right on Lake Michigan, this race is 70 miles long. The loop is about 4 miles with two steep hills per lap. The national Road Champs have been on this course 7 times in the past, so it must be a well-received race.

Bicycling BLUES (the race report)

Well, I got to BICYCLE , I ate some BBQ and definately got some BLUES at the Clear Lake Bicycle, Blues and BBQ Weekend. I still have a foot print on my butt from getting my ass kicked, unfortunately, it wasn't from the other racers, rather my own.

Saturday was an enjoyable day exploring Clear Lake's state parks and enjoying their City Beach. The ratio of attractive people per capita is higher than in Muscatine, so it was a nice change of scenery. One can't help but to consider purchasing a summer home along the lake, because it truly is a great vacation town.

I lined up for the Cat 3/4 criterium around 5pm. The course was being described as very technical and fast. 8 corners within a fairly short course that took just under 2 minutes per lap. The straight finishing stretch had a slight incline to it that usually inspired accelerations.

My race was over from the start as I chose to line up in the back with the mentality to ease into the race until I got a feel for the corners. Nope, not gonna happen. The guy in front of me started sketching trying to get clipped in, which caused me to start to stall out trying to get clipped in as well. I hit turn one of lap one in dead last place, which was a deal breaker.

Former Cat 2 Brandon Krawczyk of Speedfix was setting a blistering 1st lap pace that never let up. Combining that with the nervous Cat 4's at the back and my tentative cornering ultimately put me out of the pack. I got sort of depressed and unmotivated during the middle of the race, but then Tracy Thompson started heckling me about not pedalling, which oddly inspired me to go into turbo mode. I recovered 6 or 7 places to finish 12th out of 28. This was basically a horrible result, as I had to use so much energy pedalling around by myself.

The main event, Cat 1,2,3 race was next. Ok, sure, I was exhausted from the first race, however I now had a feel for the corners and knew to hit it hard from the start... Bingo! This race went much better for me. Sure it was probably faster, but much easier, because I stayed with the group. I bridged a gap once, maybe even led for a few seconds, but for the most part, I was just focused on finishing with this group of talented racers. I came in 13 out of 22 starters in this race. The race also featured Evil Kneivel as the pace motorcycle and some hot chic with a revealing black dress handing out the awards, not too mention a great view of the lake.

Finally, the race I have been looking forward to all year arrived, as I lined up for the 81 mile Cat 1,2,3 Road Race. It was a cool and cloudy day, and a mostly flat course. The start was at the famous Surf Ballroom, where Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens played their last concert before their tragic plane crash.

FEED ZONE BLUES

The feed zone was at the 46 mile mark. Still traumatized by the issues I had at the 108 mile state Road race feed zones, I was focused on getting my Mom to the feed zone to insure I didn't lose because the other racers had this strategic nutritional advantage.

The race was going smoothly, a little hard in the cross wind sections as we were all single file, but then let up in the head winds, as Iowa City riders were doing the work to keep the 5 man breakaway in sight.

I started trying to drink faster to make room for the the hand-up as we approached the designated feed zone. I decided to only throw out one bottle in case I missed the hand-up for some reason, in the chaos of the feed zone.

As we entered the feed zone town, I was getting nervous because I didn't see my mom nor any other team helpers. Then, as we turned the corner, I almost crapped my Livestrong chamois to see that my Mom and son Chase were the only ones in the feed zone. Wtf?

I had to make a split second decision... the group seemed to be speeding up, so I couldn't really slow down as much as I needed to get the bottles. Ok, I decided to make a grab at it, but I was going too fast the and bag was too heavy, so I dropped it rather than lauching into the ditch. I looked up the road to see the field was quickly advancing. Your kidding me, this corner/feed zone inspired an attack/chase? I am confused about feed zone etiquette... aren't riders supposed to sort of chill until the field gets through them?

I put the hammer down, first seeing 27 mph, then 31 mph, then 32mph... yeah, the field was riding faster than they had all day. I could see 5 green jersey's rotating at the front and riders at the back standing up to try and hang on to the pace. I got to within maybe 100 yards, but slowly faded away over the next several miles.

I couldn't (and still don't) believe that no one else took a hand-up. If even just one other person would have slowed, we could have most likely worked together to get back on. I really didn't even need the hand-up as it was a very comfortable day, and the course was flat, but I just assumed taking a hand-up could be a competitive advantage.

Well, great, now I get to ride about 35 solo miles at my lactate threshold. I hoped maybe the race up ahead would become hard at some point, and I could advance by overtaking dropped riders. Unfortunately, over the miles only 6 riders lost contact with the group before I finished, so I ended up 24th out of the 30 starters.

This was so annoying. You would think having support at the feed zone would have been to my advantage, but it ended up costing me a shot at winning. A bit of bad luck that no one else took the hand-up combined with the field's inadvertant accelarations at the exact moment that I was slowing down.

Oh, what fun it would have been to sprint it out with the group. Instead I had to settle for sprinting against Lee Venteicher of Bikes2 You. We were both tired (for different reasons, as he was in the early break), but he asked if I wanted to sprint it out for the workout and I obliged, blasting away at the 200meter banner.

I didn't bring home any glory from the weekend (Results) , but the races were well organized and the venue was entertaining and relaxing. I did bring home a bit more fitness and wisdom, so maybe I will get to cash it in one of these days. Either way, this is a great hobby and I am happy to be healthy enough to take part in it.

The season continues...

I thought I would post this picture from the 2009 Hummer Hammer. I think it is a great picture (by mike moritz). Especially noteworthy is the presence of Jeff Bradley (in black). Apparently he is a former pro cyclist from the 1980's Seven Eleven team (other notable teammates included Bob Roll, Chris Carmichael, Davis Phinney, George Hincapie, Lance Armstrong, etc) and on the rather short list of Americans who have competed in the Tour De France (he was one of the first ever). He has won several national championships as well, not to mention having won the Race Across America two times. Anyway, I have been seeing him around a lot this year, and aftern researching his past, now I understand why some guys have been marking his wheel.

Might as well throw in a picture of my racing set-up...

I will admit, it took me awhile to get the feel for this new bike and especially racing with deep aero wheels. The bike is smaller, stiffer, lighter, narrower, etc than my old ride. Definately faster, assuming I can keep it on the course. Aerowheels add speed in some conditions but the trade off can be bike handling. I feel comfortable now and ready to race.

Off to the BBQ, Blues and Bikes event in Clear Lake Iowa this weekend. I am most excited about the 81 mile road race on Sunday. This is a distance sure to test the limits of the Cat 3 field's fitness and training. The organizer's recently decided to have the Cat 1/2's race with us (but scored seperate) which means it will not only be a long race, but aggressive as well.

Thanks for reading.