Fair Hill XC

Yesterday was the first XC race of the MASS season and to till you the truth I'm glad it's over with. I've not written about it at all, but I've had a lot of questions about the season running thru my head the past few weeks. Everything from is my new 29er the right bike for this type of race, to should I even jump back into XC racing (I've been doing only endurance events the past couple years) to the obvious "am I gonna suck?" Not knowing my competition at all this was my biggest fear/question.

I changed to the endurance events in the first place because I found out they're more what I'm built for. I'm good (or at least better) at getting to my 85-90% level and just staying there for hours.....be it four, six or twelve. What I was never good at is the quick 60-90 minute all out sprints where if you're not pushing 110% you're done before you hit turn one.

That may have changed.....

I spent a few minutes figuring out the gearing I wanted at the starting line before lining up with the other 40 riders in my class (Vet 1 35-39.) All the Sport classes had very large turn outs, most "waves" had 35 plus racers....and the last thing I wanted to do was get stuck behind slower riders. I have another ways to lose a race myself, I don't want to add one more to it......plus I've never been good at working my way thru slower traffic.

Again, that may have changed.....

As I pushed off when the horn for my wave sounds what happens....I roll about an inch. The tacky mud I was standing in was not greatest place to start (note to self...check out the start line conditions too....not just gearing....jackass.)

Even with my "stellar" start I was only sitting in 7-8th place. The first half mile plus was on a gravel/dirt road that was meant to space riders out before entering the single track. Knowing this from my pre ride I wanted to enter the trail where I planned on finishing the race, (hopeful not last).....so I pushed myself a little harder then I wanted to at first and made my way to the front.

I was sitting in second as I had a mental debate with myself (that's a lose/lose battle) over how hard I wanted to push. Should I sit on this guys wheel and just pace myself or should I keep pushing myself and get around him before we enter the woods? Dude has a miss shift.......question answered, I pull around and enter the trail in first.

We very quickly start catching the Senior 2's that started one minute ahead of us and to my surprise I start making my way thru them very well. I even get a little gap on the others in my group as they get slowed by the traffic. This goes on for 5-10 minutes till I see one of my teammates (with a similar built in front of me) and I have a thought (rare...very rare) that if the riders chasing me did not get a good look at me they may think this guy is/was me and stop pushing if and or when they caught him. So again I make the pass and just keep pushing myself to keep things going.

The second half of the lap things stayed the same, catch someone make the pass, repeat. As I came in after the first lap I knew I had a 30-45 seconds gap on the second place rider....and also knowing I did not want to lose the gap I keep pushing myself to keep a nice steady pace.
On round two of the gravel/dirt road I see Matt (one of Senior 2's) a hundred meters ahead of me just before we enter the trail head again. Knowing he's one of the faster riders in his group I wanted to sit on his wheel and just pace myself on him....but what I did not know (till later) he was fighting a chest cold (still finished very well...huge props dude.) After Matt called me around I just keep the same thing going....catch, pass repeat. I did slow my pace a little because I did not want to blow up, but I keep getting egged on by things.

At the one "technical climb" (if you even want to call it that, just a short/steep climb with a couple roots in it and a ninety degree turn at the top) I took a inside line and passed two riders. As I by I hear one of the spectator yell out "now that's how you f*cking do it right there, f*ck yeah." How can you not get a little pumped after hearing things like that?

Then a minute later I made a pass on a guy that asked "you're a Senior 2 right?" I reply "no Vet 1"....he yells back "Holy F*ck, where'd the Hell did you come from?" Behind you dude, behind you.

I rolled into the finish knowing I'd won....even thou I was shocked I was pretty damn happy. But I was still asking myself why dude was so pumped up about seeing a Vet 1?

After seeing the results posted I think I figured it out. I passed all 32 Senior 2 that started a minute ahead of me and 29 of the Senior 1's that started two minutes ahead of me. That made me feel good too, but I also saw a couple things that scared me.

One I only won by 45 seconds over second place and two the guy that placed third had a second lap time that was over ninety second fast then mine. NINETY seconds faster.....to me that's a reason to worry.

And even thou I got this....
That ninety seconds is a reason to go get on my bike.

Crits, and date night...

The training crit Thursday night went more as planned. It was a good fast race as always, and I just sat in and got some speed work. In another week or two and I'll start "playing" a little more...but for right now I'm using it as a training tool for the first couple XC races.

Even thou it's just 30 miles (48 km for those in the land of OZ) long it's a great workout. Looking back at the numbers my average HR was 177 for the hour...and yes, it was tuff but I was not dying either. More so just a good fast push the whole time.....so I say now. During and just after that would not have been my feedback.

Yesterday was a short easy spin on the road just to keep the legs loose for Sunday, followed up by a little house hunting...long story.

But lastnights Mexican "date night" with the wife was better then normal (get your minds out of the gutter) because it was her last day at work. Just a job change, we did not win the lottery or anything....yet. She's heading to a job she'll "enjoy" much more.....and that makes things happier for all.

Looks like the weather they were calling for us to get went......who the hell knows where. It's not gonna rain so game on for the XC race Sunday, and that's all I really care about. Looks like it's going to be a large race too, I've got 27 in my class right now and more will join the day of I'm sure. Going thru the names that have signed up so far and looking at last years results it looks like I may have a fight on my hands.

T minus 26 hours till XC race number one of the season......think I'll sleep much tonight?

Triathletes......

Are Triathletes the anti-Christ? Yeah, after may ride today I think they may be.

I went out for a short 25 mile spin on the road bike this afternoon (just keeping loose for tomorrow) on some of my normal routes. A couple miles out I saw a rider down in their aerobars coming at me. So I do what I always do....throw up a little wave....the return? Nothing, nip, zero....kind of a prick move, but I'll live. I know triathletes are.......different people, "riders" sure....but different.

Less then five minutes later I see a second "rider" coming at me.....again laid out in their aerobars. Once again I throw a little wave out (thinking to myself it can't happen again) and once again....prickness in return. What the Hell.....we both like the same thing (well, "they" like it in a little more of a twisted and demented way...swim, run and then bike....sick I tell you) so why be a pick to other cyclist?

As I started heading back home I see "prick" number one turn off a side street a 100 meters ahead....and better yet, he's heading the same direction I am. I make it my mission to pass the tri freak. After getting hung up by a car cutting me off at a stop sign "tri freak" had 200 meters on me, but my luck was about to change. As I turned to follow him down this sweet mile long sweeping downhill a school bus cruise by.....and I jump in it's draft. With a couple of the kids yelling "go Kermit go" out the windows, I sucked up to my giant yellow lead out man smoking down the hill at 40 mph.

Within what felt like seconds we flew by "tri freak" like he was standing still.....go Kermit go.

Looks like weather could play a part in the first XC race this Sunday.....keeping my fingers crossed for no rain. Either way tomorrow is round two of the T-town training crit's....what happened last week is not gonna happen again.

Relay's, Birthday's and Friends.....

Both new and old on the friend front............. and I'm sorry, this will be a long post. Today was the first MASS event, being a four person team relay over in Marysville, PA.

The course was a nice little 16-18 minute loop thru the Mike Kuhn in-law (Oesterling's) family farm (thank you very much once again.) Where we had a birthday..... KIM!!!!!!

we also saw a couple old friends........with a daughter thrown in too..
and even a teammate...

well, there was about twenty teammates....but the computer is not working right now to upload more camera photos (maybe it's the operator and his........nevermind how many beers right now, sorry pops...no tequila) I'll work on more pictures tomorrow.

I also put a face with a new friend (sorry Matt I did not have the camera around.....and I could not really talk normal....... between just finishing a lap, getting cold and just overall being a retard.)

But today was great. The bike was sweet, the riders times were FAST and all seems ready for the first XC race next Sunday.

....and with that being said go ride your bike....because I am, and you better be ready.

...more pictures tomorrow..............drink up Team Utah....

The day after.....

After not sleeping much lastnight (thinking about my.....well, you know) and my "recovery" ride today, I thought about a few things. To cut to the long and short I'm ready.....lastnight was lastnight and today is today. The guys in the race lastnight are not my competition...well one is in the endurance races....but again , is not my competition.

I'm ready for a competition........I'm pist about lastnight (even thou I have no reason to be) but I what to stay that way.

In nine days I'm gonna drop the fucking hammer.......if you're in my class be ready, Nuff say.

See you tomorrow.

The speed of failure?

So what's the speed of failure you ask? -------- 23.5 mph

Yeah, 23.5 mph average....that was the "failure" speed of the day. Today was the first weekly "training" crit up in Lehigh. If you've read the book Ten Points you know a little about this event. To put it short it's a weekly training crit that on an given Thursday has 5-6 pro racers, 12-18 ex pros and even a National champ or two thrown in here and there just to piss me off......then there's the other 40-50 fat, out of shape want to be racers that just want to hold on for dear life......that's where I come in.

Long story short I lasted 17 laps, 17 F*CKING LAPS (each lap being a mile) of the 25 mile race. I did out lasted half the field (75 riders started) but that's all I had. Even thou I only had the goal of sitting in the whole race.......mission failed.

Pist, annoyed, disappointed, pist and more pist.....that's where I sit typing this. I knew I was gonna get my ass handed to me.....but I thought I finish the f*cking race.

Time to stop the fucking around......racing season started three hours ago....and I was not ready!

Unicons and Rainbows.....

Well not really....on both counts. Besides, why would I write about either one? I mean do I wear colorful skin tight clothing and.........I'll stop now, I see I'm going to lose this fight.

On the "unicorn"front. Our year old Shepard had a lump cut off his melon yesterday that we've been joking calling his unicorn (I more so think it was just one of his Devil horns coming out to play.) The little lad came home pretty much out of it between being knocked out and the pain pills.

Sounds like he'll live......but he's gonna have a kick ass scar to sport for the chicks.......

Gonna need to think up a good story for the little dude. The only thing chicks dig more then the scars is hearing a good reason for getting it.

And the rainbows.....nope, none of those either. Just two days full of rain/wind and dreary gray skies here in the Philly area. The temperature is heading north again thou, so I'd have no problem riding in it normally. But with the racing season kicking off in just over a week the last thing I want to do is go out and get sick. So in the house I will be...staying warm and dry.

What are you looking at......go ride your bike.