Hibernation: Over

Since my last blog post a lot has happened.  This isn’t really a surprise considering it’s been 3 months. 

The Bike Racing Front

CX racing was fun and hard as I worked through a knee injury and inconsistent riding, much less training.  I did start to get some form back and got to the front of the Boxing Day CX race in KC KS and got a win.  I felt both really good and really bad about the experience.  After a couple laps it was clear I didn’t belong in that cat 3 field.  I should have been trading blows with the KCCX guys in the 1/2s.  So after that race I applied for my cat 2 upgrade.  I don’t think I’m actually cat 2 cx material but staying in the cat 3’s doesn’t seem like the right thing to do.  I suppose I shouldn’t feel bad about winning handily – it’s not likely to happen again.

Pretty big gap on the second lap.  Sandbagger!
Photo Credit: Roger Harrison.

Road racing is looming and I’m behind on training.  Speaking of behind – I gained a bunch of weight this winter.  Maybe it was the lack of XC skiing?  Perhaps it was all the booze and fried foods?  Regardless, I feel ever more pigeon-holed as the f(l)at crit boy.  Fortunately I’ve got lots of beautiful rolling hills here in CoIL to ride and the winter temps have been very mild.  Oh, and my powermeter broke.  Again.  I know I don’t need to train with power but it is so much easier to have numbers to fit pedal pushing against.  Sorry Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan, looks like I’m rolling old-school for the season.

The StL cycling scene should be an exciting one in the 1/2 ranks this year.  The Dogfish behemoth is as strong as ever but there are several smaller, new teams looking for results – mine being one of them.  I think it will make the racing aggressive and interesting.  Plus we’ll have some out of towners stop in to collect scalps.  Just check the Hillsboro pre-reg *cough* NUVO *cough*.  I will do my best at Hillsboro but don’t expect a repeat of my 2011 placing!

My Day Job, My Daughter, and Analogous Knowledge of God/Anthropomorphism and God

My 4yo asked me about my work the other day.  She has limited computer usage experience and is ignorant of terms like “program”, “code”, etc.  So I explained:

If you had a recipe for bread that called for 2 cups of flour, but it was written as 2 cups of sugar, you would see it and know its wrong, no?  You would then bake your bread with 2 cups of flour and fix your recipe card, right? Well, in this computer, the recipe for its work was wrong like that, so I fixed the recipe and everything worked.

This reminded me that my daughter has no idea (yet) of the complexity, beauty, challenge, and possibilities contained in the computer platform.  The analogy of a bread recipe is understandable but code is currently beyond her.  Then I think about myself, how I am very childlike in my knowledge and wisdom, and I consider:

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

2 cups of flour, not 2 cups of sugar.  I can understand that.  Treasure in a field.  I can understand what that would mean.  As Calvin pointed out, God accommodates his self expression to our human capacity for understanding.  Let your imagination dwell on that for a moment.  Imagine what 2cups of flour = a code change extrapolates to with regard to your understanding of God and the universe.

The Child Rearing Front

Not sure what’s going on with our 2yo, but it seems like every night the bedtime routine is WWIII!  It’s interesting how traits that I will celebrate later in my children: determination, strength, hard work; when applied now to things like staying up later are discouraged.  Schoolwork?  Stay the course my son.  Bedtime? Give up!  Resistance is futile!

Podium Café VDS (now FSA DS)

This is my second year playing the “fantasy” cycling game.  You pick your roster and then sit back and watch the points come in (or not!).  Its pretty fun and you learn more about the PROs and find yourself rooting for/against certain riders and teams simply because you “own” them. I think it adds a layer to the PRO racing. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t pick Stijn Devolder this year and call my team “Stijn of the Times.”  Alas.  Do check it out. Hurry, picks are due by midnight PST.

 Think your picks will beat mine?  Pick a team and post the team name in the comments here.  We’ll see!

I hope you enjoyed the chiastic blog post.

Bubba Opening Weekend

The three weeks between Dogfish Hermann CX and the Bubba opening weekend did not go as planned.  The first long ride on the cx bike (5 hours) produced knee pain that forced me off the bike – not cool!  

So the Bubba opening weekend races were at Queeny park on the west side of StL.  The knee behaved leading up to it so I decided to give it a go.  I’d never been to Queeny so I made it out early on Saturday to ride a few laps before dark.  The course was quite bumpy and featured two barriers, two steep ride-ups, and one scary descent into the parking lot.  A few extra turns were added on Sunday.  The barriers seemed really tight (not a complaint, just an observation) such that at speed (which, if you saw me you’d call it “slow”,) I could only take one step before jumping over the next barrier.  I guess I should be thankful I had that moment of feeling like Ryan Trebon.

Saturday’s race: I got a third row starting position which was just average.  I moved up into fourth before bleeding a bit when the back locked up and I had to slow.  One thing I don’t understand is how guys lined up on the first row and then ran the steep ramp on the first lap.  If you can’t ride it, why are you in front of everyone else?  Know thyself!

Sam Moore rode away with the race, having strength and skillz.  I was doing battle with Rich for a while and after recovering a bit on his wheel I came around and hoped to ramp it up.  Unfortunately I caught a tree branch with my eye on the 180 leading into the barriers.  Oh well.  I finished 7^th which was respectable and consistent with my Hermann results.  This, despite ribbing from my roadie compatriots, shows I belong in the ‘B’ race.

How to Blow a Turn... Photo Credit: Mike Dawson.

I should mention that with the mid October evening the temps were cool – mid 50’s, which is well into knee warmer territory for me.  I used Enzo’s Embro Stick (Medium) instead, and it worked great.  This was my second race using the product and I’m pleased with performance.

Sunday the heat was hot, my mouth was dry, but the air was full of sound – or something like that.  My teammate Nick showed up to watch and watered me every time through the pit.  I started out going pretty well but by lap three the heat (80's!) and my back got the better of me and I was toast, going from trading first place with Sam to eventually 15th.  I finished in 14^th after gaining a place back from Sunny.  The race was one giant tactical mistake on my part.  I thought I’d have the gas to keep going when I saw the front but I lost my cool.  Just foolishness!  Know thyself!  I guess during the race I figured that I was fast, but I’m not – yet.  

Finally, after the chain drop imbroglio at Hermann (my own fault), I adjusted the chain keeper and guess what…it kept the chain on, even on that sick bumpy section near the s/f.

Nuetella sponsorship?  Photo Credit: Mike Dawson.

The family joined me for Sunday’s race and got to see daddy get all red-faced and dusty.  The kids seem to have more fun at CX races with the constant viewing opportunities, ample cowbell, and the local drive times.  Now if we could just get mommy on a cx steed…

Monday I got my back and legs taken care of by Kurt Fletcher who has a massage therapy business in StL.  He took second in the A race on Sunday so he knew how everything ached after the race weekend.  I strongly recommend the extra recovery massage affords.  I also should point out that with all the bumping and jarring of the Queeny Park course, I have zero chaffing or saddle sore issues thanks to Enzo’s Chamois Cream.  It’s not just for road season!

ABD Sunrise Park CX & Campton CX 2010

Monday morning I rise with a slow burn. I’m not sure what it is, but after a bike race it seems your body is intent on continually burning fuel, producing an elevated temperature for some time. Is it an immuno-defense mechanism? The body rebuilding and repairing? Not sure, but it’s cycling’s afterglow.


The last two weekends I’ve raced cyclocross in Chicagoland. Here’s how it went (in agonizing detail):

Sunday (10/24/10) the wife dropped me off in Bartlett, IL to race the ABD Sunrise Park Cyclocross Race. This was the sixth stop on the Chicago Cross Cup circuit. It was my first race in the Chicago series and my fourth cross race ever. For all intents and purposes, I’m counting this as my first “official” CX race. My first three races were done in soccer shoes, in 2008, so the jump to clipless pedals in 2010 was only surpassed by the use of tubular cross tires. Oh my, how those things are magic. After training on the Kenda small block eight clinchers, the Challenge Grifo tubulars are heavenly. Bumps are suppressed yet you have more traction and better control. No pinch flats. Glorious. Forget about fancy frames and such; put your money into a tubular wheelset. Single biggest equipment benefit in CX (according to this novice!).

The Course and Conditions:
Overcast with intermittent drizzle. Temps in the high 60’s for most of the day. Not quite proper cross weather, but good enough. A fair amount of wind (10+ mph) was gusting over the course and made the “power sections” well, that much more power intensive.


The Field:
73 (according to results) guys and gals lined up for the 4A’s and 4B’s. The A’s had 2/3 guys who looked like racers, while the 4B’s had about 1/3 that looked like racers. I’m not making judgments here - everybody should be there - it’s just an observation.


The 4(Z)A race:
Starting from the third row (we lined up 30 minutes prior to the race, just silly!) I witnessed a crash in the first 100 meters. I rode over a guy’s rear wheel (not a Zipp, and by accident) as he went down right in front of me. It was bedlam. My teammate (who handily won the 1/2/3’s!) told me I took the first corner outside of the top 35. I jumped out of every corner and booked it through the straight-aways, working my way up to the top 10 by the start of the second lap. At this point I was competing with the guys who got call-ups. A little gassed from the efforts so far, (cat 2 teammate) Razzle Dazzle/Jason goaded me to move up and keep it smooth. I really appreciated it. Perhaps my calling out splits and encouragement helped him earlier? Well, I kept jumping during the straight-aways and while my back was tightening up pretty bad I worked my way into third place. I couldn’t shake the 14 yr old (Lombardo of Verdigris) off my wheel and when I washed out the front on an off camber 180, the kid took leave of me. I got back to his wheel once or twice but he was much better technically and I was running out of steam. I bled one more spot before the final twists and turns leading into “heckle hill” where I was promptly reminded from the bullhorn of my cat 3 road compatriot (and cat 2 crosser) Jason Knauff (Burnham) that I was beaten by a junior. It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last, I’m sure! Crossed the line in 5th a little disappointed at missing the podium when it was within reach. I still had a blast. It is so good to be back racing after coaching soccer.


The 4B(aggin’) Race:
After washing down a hammer gel I jumped in the grid for the 4B race. Seeing how I had to drive 3 hrs to get there, I was not leaving after 30 minutes of fun – and besides, it still says 4 on my license for CX. (Guilty conscience?)

I felt kind of bad hoping in there but I thought that the previous race would tire me and we’re all out there to have fun anyway, right? Well, I stopped feeling ashamed when CAT 4B CALLUPS started. Guys that take series result callups in the 4Bs? That is shameful. Now the guys in costume or the guy that youtubed his post race hurling from his helmet cam – those guys should get the 4B callup. Anyway, when I see homeslice on a full carbon Ridley/SRAM Force/Carbon tubie setup getting called to the front row of the killer Bs, I don’t feel so bad about beating him.

No start gate crashing in the B’s, and coming around the first turn in 20-30 something I worked my way up to start the second lap in 1st place. I attacked into the wind on the open stretch before the pit and opened the gap up to about 1:16 by the end of the 3 lap race. Disgusting? Perhaps. But not as disgusting as the hot dog, donut hole, and twizzler I consumed during the race via “Heckle Hill Handups.” It seems the 4B’s race is always a spectacle. Granted I was ridiculed as a dirty rotten sandbagger by a couple dozen folks, it was still worth it. But I won’t do it again. Regardless, between the 2 races I got an hour of racing in, and that’s why I came out. 1 hr of going hard, learning how to drive my bike, and all of it great fun.


(10/31/10) First Cat 3 Race:
Costumes got a callup since it was halloween. I wrapped myself in the lamest costume ever perpetrated on a cross race: white shorts, white base layer, 50 cotton balls taped to the front of the baselayer, black arm-warmers, white helmet w/ 2 black paper triangles taped to the sides. What was I? I was going for “lamb” but I would tell everyone that I was a wolf – in sheep’s clothing. Cue: groan.

The field looked much faster than the 4’s, mainly because they were. Guys that have been eating my lunch on the road all year were lined up around me - I was a little nervous.

I rode hard and got into the top ten on the first lap, even passing Whipple (Tati) and Luke (xXx-Athletico) [who had enough breath to yell “sandbagger” as I passed!]. But like most cross races I was all “fly then die” and by the second lap I needed a tourniquet I was bleeding spots so badly. Goodbye top 10 - it’s been great. There were countless passes and repasses, miny duels that make CX unique in cycling. (Perhaps some track events are like this? I don’t know.) I crashed once, in traffic, during the off-camber heckler packed section. Needless to say I was appropriately mocked. Rob (Psimet) laid it on heavy throughout. I’m pretty sure he heckles because he loves us.

By the end of the race I finished 12th out of 50 some riders, my back cooked and my mouth parched from the smoke. Did I really expect to line it up with the 1/2/3’s in an hour and have anything to put to the pedals?


(10/31/10) First 1/2/3’s Race:
Warming up I caught a chat with Liam (xXx-Athletico) and then introduced myself to Barry (Kona). Both are nice guys. Both are faster than me. I asked for tips since it was one of my first CX races, Wicks’ words: “go fast and have fun.” Good advice indeed. I was looking for barrier hopping tips or something bike-ninja-esque, but “go fast and have fun” seem like things I should strive for out there.

Since there were only 26 of us in the race it wasn’t too hectic at the start and while my goals coming in were: 1) don’t get lapped and 2) don’t get pulled, when the whistle blew I forgot about those goals and cranked on it. I even worked my way into the top ten I think, passing Jason (Burnham) after a bit of braggadocio between us. But per the usual, the blood loss began until I was even passed by a triathlete. Oh the shame! We dueled for at least a lap where one or the other would take the lead. Eventually I blew myself up and drifted backwards.

Bryan (ReCycling), a cat 1 on the road then caught me – but not before calling out: “I’m reeling you in!” I said something like: “you’re a cat 1!” while sprinting out of each corner. Who knows what I actually said as I was pretty crosseyed at that point. He passed me after a barrier and opened up a gap. On the last lap there was a technical section (4 or 5 off camber up and down the hill-side deals) that I rode better and better as the race went on. Bryan had to dismount and run them and I heard him yell: “I left the door open!” Forget the technical misstep, those words were his chief error! My confidence soared and I ignored the pain in my lower back, standing to close the distance. I caught him on a climbing section and took him on the inside of a 180 (something a MTBer did to me in the 3’s race earlier!). We headed downhill, left, into a super-technical 180. The surfaces changed from grass to pavement to sand+rock to grass then to loose gravel. Oh, and the sandy/rock part was a bridge over a creek. Yeah – scary pour moi. Surface changes are not my bag and this one was always a really slow corner for me. Bryan didn’t accelerate around me coming out of the previous 180 since the downhill was kind of a “recovery section.” Knowing this I got in front and moved him to the left side while coasting. Since we had to enter the turn from the right he was “pinned” where I wanted him and I could rest before swinging out to make the turn. It’s a small thing, but I’m pretty proud of it. I guess you had to be there. I survived the turn and held him off to the finish.

Another interesting (to me, ha!) point of the race was following Barry Wicks (Kona) for a bit. Barry’s bike was acting up and the single speed he was killing us on kept droping the chain. When the chain was on, he would ride away from me instantly. Then I would pass him while he was stopped on the side fixing it. Anyway, entering the “single track” wooded section, he was blocked by slower riders in front. This gave me the opportunity to take his wheel and see how the section aught to be ridden. The realm of the possible expanded. The first thing I saw was the whoop-de-doo after entering the single track. If you went over it in the standard way you came out aimed at a tree on the right and had to brake or hope you didn’t slide out banking hard left. Barry made the line straight by ramping over the much higher dirt pile/vegitation on the left, something nobody else was doing (based on the absense of tracks, etc), maybe caught some air, and carried way more speed through the section. It was smashing. I copied his line thenceforth. I also saw how he rode the roots, finding clean lines when during the entirety of the 3’s race I was convinced there weren’t any. Again: copy cat. Afterwards the wooded section was one of my fastest – something I didn’t realize until I was stuck behind 2 other riders thinking: c’mon grandma, let’s go! I even passed a guy on the whoop-de-doo taking the high side!


I finished 14th of 26, beating PRO road racer Alex (Team Type 1) and PRO Barry Wicks. To be fair to Barry, his bike did most of the beating. But lest you think it’s Kona’s fault, my Kona didn’t drop any chains. Woot.


Epilogue:

The last two Sundays of racing were awesome. The events are extremely enjoyable (both the races and the people) and they were great workouts. If I can just figure out how to push through the back pain some more I might be able to hold position better (is the answer to buy a Stevens carbon frameset? Lol). Currently I’m nursing my war wounds, but I hope to get back out there asap. I can’t wait to get to the next CX race.

Special thanks go to Nick Dornick who continues to lend me his front EA70X tubular with Grifo. It is perfect bro! Thanks also to my wife for letting me play bikes!


Hup Hup!