Wolf River Race # 11

Shawano, WI

This is the first year for this race and very unlike myself I decide to skip pre-riding to stay home and get some stuff done around the house. (which I still can't decide if it was worth it yet, I'll tell you why later)

Aimee and I got up early on Sunday morning, packed some food and gear and we took off for Shawano, WI. With a 3 hour drive behind me I was pretty much a nonenergetic rider at the start. The course sounded pretty boring from several pre-ride reports from some of my friends. The most challenging part was going to be riding through a small culvert that went under the highway, we had to ride through it twice. You can check out the pictures of that on my photo site.

Don counted down and yelled GOOOOO!!!!!! like he aways does and we were off. I quickly realized I had a bad cleat on my right shoe, which was causing my right foot to constantly come off the pedal. This plagued me all race. Then about a mile into the race the dude in front of me puts his bike into some bushes and I rammed my front wheel right into his rear end! That took me a good 20 seconds to get untangled from and the leaders were gone...out of sight at that point!

Next was riding through the culvert, I made it with no problem. Than on to the 4 laps that I hadn't seen prior to riding at race speed. The first lap I had to take it a little easy since I didn't really know what to expect. I was still feeling sluggish from the drive up also, but by the beginning of the third lap, I was feeling great. I started to catch people and pass them. I followed the guy that ultimately finished behind me for the entire third lap. On the final lap I really kicked it and took off, I really felt good.

I had no idea that the guy who finished thrid was less then a minute ahead of me otherwise I would have done a few things differently and maybe I could have caught him at that finish.

It was a cool overcast day, the trees were changing and the competition was light, and I pulled a 4th place finish out and received my first medal in Comp Class. Not a bad day! (If I had pre-rode I could have a least had third)

Kenosha Road Race 7/25...In the Money!

Wow, what a day filled with all kinds of unexpected events!

Have you ever heard the saying about what assume means... how it makes an ASS out of U and ME, well I ASSumed that because the last two Super Week Races were 15 laps so would this one. Boy was I WRONG, or in this case an ASS!

I though going into the race that is was 15 laps, not really listening to the official at the start explain that it was a 50, yes 50 lap race, I jumped up front right off the gun! Well, at these races they have lap counters, and they count down from the max lap to zero laps. I was working up front to push the tempo hard and drop some of the weaker riders off. I lost track of the laps in my head so on the next lap I check the count........45 laps....WHAT! Next time around 44 LAPS....you've got to be kidding me! So, I settle into the pack and start thinking to myself, (self) "I have a mountain bike race on Sunday, do I really want to do the entire 50 Laps. (Self thinks for a few laps) "Sure what the hell, it's only 50+ miles geezzzzs!"

At this point we are down to 30 laps to go and I just want to sit as close to the front and go with any big breaks as I can, basically doing the least amount of work as possible. I managed to do exactly that for 28 laps. The final two laps is where the game really begins, as a single rider with out teammates you have to really watch what the other teams are doing. Are there riders from teams in the group making single breaks without their teammates? You can let them go, they are only bate for others to chase and get tire for the final sprint. Are there small groups of the same team blocking, meaning three or more guys for the same team sitting up front while the stronger of the team sits back and waits to sling-shot around his three teammates and the rest of us have to fight to get around the three amigos!

Well all that was going on, I had the XXX team sitting up front ready to block, there were some other teams sending guys off to see if any one wanted to chase. I just made sure I was up front and tried to stay clear of the blocks. As we turned the final two corners I knew if I was right up front I had a chance of a good finish. On the last two corners I knew I could go on the outside of the turns wide because everyone else was cutting them on the inside and that I could end up ahead of many riders. So I took the outside and ended up fighting for the final sprint to the end with a big group of riders and finished 18th.

And, this time the payout for the race was 18 deep, meaning I WON $20 bucks, my first winnings of 9 years of racing, I can't wait to see that Money!

Pictures from the Subaru Cup MTB Race

The Hand Off!

RR 2008 - Evanston 7/20

Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Grand Prix of Cycling

What can I say, other then I finally had a good Road Race (RR)!

I didn't feel all that great in the morning, and if you ask Aimee, she will tell you that I was a little pessimistic.

The race started pretty close to on time, and one thing I wanted to do was get a good spot on the start line. I was riding laps to get warmed up and was planning to stop on the start/finish at the first sign of the race actually starting....Well when I came around there were the 75 racers all lined up! Damn it! Well, I kinda weaseled my way up to the middle of the start shot. The air horn sounded and we were off!

I quickly got around the not-so-talented bike riders that couldn't quiet clip into their pedals. (The 4/5 category is for the beginners but COME ON!) A small group of 5 riders got off the front right away. I did all I could to get in the group of about 20 riders chasing the 5 riders down. Once I pulled myself to that group, I sat in the draft and recovered for a couple laps. Then as I started to make my way to the front of the group of 20, the race was stopped for a crash. On the restart they gave the 5 riders a 30 second head start then the entire remaining field would take off. This was a little unfair I felt since the remaining 70 riders were not all together at the time of the crash, so some people that were in the hurt got back in the race.

No fear though, I made sure I was very close to the front of the main group on the restart. Once they sounded the air horns I again shoot around the not-so-talented riders and was again in the front chase group. I felt real good, I pulled the group around the 1.08 mile lap and then settled back in about 5 or 6 riders back to rest and get ready to attack on the final lap.

On the final lap and the final corner, I was sitting pretty good, I felt like I could really go for-it on the 5 city block sprint to the FINISH! I made the corner with about 5 guys ahead of me, and we all took off for the finish. Man, I have never sprinted on a bike so hard, I felt my calves, thighs, and abs all ready to explode! Only one guy got around me!

And that is my greatest Road race YET!

14th out of 75!

Road Racing 2008 - Waukesha

I have finally completed a couple road race this year! I was beginning to wonder if I would get one in before the year ended.

Waukesha, WI -- July 19, 2008 I showed up for the race scheduled to start at 9:30 with plenty of time to register and get warmed up. I didn't wanted to race if it was raining or if the pavement was wet, just to risky for my taste. The crew setting up the race parked the truck with all the barricades, banners, etc in the middle of the course and lost the keys to the truck. Well, they had to get a tow truck in to move the truck and they had to carry all the equipment around the course in a pickup. Which the pickup belonged to a good friend of our families, Kelly Papenthien, I BIG thanks to Kelly for helping set up a great race.

Once they figured that out we started our race about two hours late. Even though I wasn't going to race if it was raining I had so much time already wrapped up in waiting I decide to just go for it even though it was raining pretty good when they started us. It was slick out there, I watched 7-8 people crash right in front of me. I was pretty much out of the race on the first corner, I was in the back of the start and all the fast people got around the first corner while I was steering around bodies and bikes that had piled up in the corner from all the "not-so-talented" riders. I eventually was pulled from the race in 22nd place.

No Race Last Weekend Becus....

Aimee and I were out hiking in the Mountains in Idaho!

I decided trail signs are helpful when hiking in the woods.

Super Weeks in the Midwest!

It's that time again where all the US Pro-Cycling teams converge on the Milwaukee and Chicago area to do some of the best Road Racing there is to see (in the US) in a 16 day span! Between July 11 to July 27 there is a Road Race every day. (TO BAD I HAVE A JOB!)

I am Signed up for four race right now, the first is in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Carl Zach Cycling Classic presented by Couri Insurance Agency on July 19th. I am not sure of my start time but once I get it I will post it here. The next race is on Sunday July 20th in Evanston, IL. Looking forward to a day of racing and drinking! The Evanston Northwestern Healthcare GrandPrix. Should be a great weekend!

#5: Reforestation Ramble

So, it was a beautiful weekend and the Stadium Bike Team put on a excellent Race again this year.

My weekend started out in a little panic though. Saturday morning I was putting the rear wheel on my bike when the break pads fell out. I attempted to put the pads back in place and they were just to used to be placed back on the the bike. So, then I was on phone to every bike shop between Kenosha to Green Bay to find new break pads. After about 20 minutes on the phone I found a shop in Racine and Green Bay (Stadium Bikes) that had what I needed! I finished packing and was off to the bike shop!

The shop in Racine had my pads and my panic level dropped. I was off to the pre-ride. About an hour in to the drive I started searching for my WORS handbook to check the directions to the Race, when my panic level went back up. No handbook meant no directions. I get on the phone to call a couple teammates for directions and even Aimee to read off the website, but no one is answering. I finally stopped at a gas station for directions and a local map.

After all that drama I arrive at the race and there is NO PRE-RIDE! Luckily a few of my teammates are there and planned on camping too. I throw done the tent and Scott, Jason and I went for a short road ride to get a little time on the bike.

Sunday morning and race time. I personally was not looking forward to the race only because the race is scheduled to be 16 miles LONGER then normal. I get to the start line and ended up in the back of the starting line. At the word GOOOOOO I am in the back. I set into a good pass and felt good for the first 20 miles. (which is my avg distance) After the 20 mile mark, I started to fade fast, and before I know it I see guys in my age group passing me up. Which is how I ended up 13th out of 16 in my age group. 36 miles is just not my strong suite.

Back to the drawing board for the training plan, I seem to be going backwards.

Nine Mile

Second race last Sunday and I first want to thank all my friends from Stadium Bike team that help out with water hand ups and cheering. And for making room at the campsite for me, thanks.


I felt good Sunday but many say that is a very bad sign for racing. I started out strong, pretty sure I was in the top 5 in the first lap of three. But my the second lap I really started to get tired. I slow my pace way down and started to lose spots slowly. It was a pretty warm day for racing and by early in the last lap I felt the cramps coming on in my hamstrings. With about 3 miles left a guy in my age group passed me and I decided to pace with him to see if I could out sprint him at the end.


I stuck on his wheel all the way to the last couple turns and I thought I was close enough to the finish line that I could take him.......I was wrong, I cramped up with about 100 yards to go and he pulled away took 9th and I ended up with 10th.


So, I guess they are right, feeling good the day of a race might not be such a good thing.


cya

First Offical Race

OK, after a really bad season opener at Iola, I have recovered from that nasty stomach virus I picked up in southern Illinois. This weekend was the big race at "The Grand Geneva", the skiing might suck but the hills are step and there are plenty of them. The word was 600+ Feet climbing per lap. (4 Laps x 600.....you do the math!)

I felt good coming into the weekend, I had a really good stretch of training and a couple recovery days leading into the race. I still don't feel 100% but I feel 110% better then two weeks ago. The weather was very mild, cold and breezy with overcast skies. I was pretty nervous since this really felt like the first race of the season for me.

I started out pretty fast but this place will slow you down real fast since it starts out right into three big climbs. That took my breath away! I settled in and started cranking the miles off, while my teammates (that started 2 minutes behind me) started to slowly reel me in on the second and third laps, as they went by I stayed on their wheel for as long as I could. By the last lap, I was still feeling pretty strong, right up to when my legs started to cramp, DAMN-IT! I thought I was ready for this race, must need more sodium.

All-in-all, it was a great start to the season (Not counting my DNF last race), I finished 5th in my age group and 45 out of 112. Good day, I am going to drag my jello legs to bed now.

Stay tuned for pics once the team photographers post their pictures, I will put the links up or just add some for me.

Until next race, cya!