Pack Fodder

Master’s C.

Greetings Readers!

It was a great day, and I surprised myself completely. I’m totally happy with my race today; I put in a good solid hard effort and had a great result.  I got a great start and I didn’t have the “Ol’ Gentleman’s Slide” that plagued me last year.

As usual I was a bundle of nerves at the start, jeez, lots of mental energy I’m wasting stressing at the start line with my stomach in knots. I was staged in the second row, but buy the 1^st turn I was in 3^rd place. “Shit! What the hell am I doing up here!” I was freaking out, I’ve never been at the front of a race before, so I just went like hell. I stayed with the leaders and after the 1^st full lap I was in 5^th place. I kept the pressure on and marked the guys in front of me; I burned the jerseys of the leaders into my retinas and just hung on. I was like a yoyo, I’d slip off the back of the leaders, then work my way back up to them.  This went on for 4 or 5 laps; I’d fall off thru the really rough stuff by the corn maze and then put in an attack thru the blueberry field to catch back on as we went thru the finish line. I actually hung on to the leaders for the whole race. On the penultimate lap (which I thought was the bell lap) I put out a huge effort on the back side of the course and went by about 6 guys, I thought I  had my first top ten! Only to be crushed to find out I had one more lap to go! I had used up several matches on that penultimate lap and I was spent. Somehow I managed to get around the course for our 8^th lap and had marked two guys that I was planning on catching on the approach to the line, then bad luck plagued me again and my chain popped off, then jammed into my derailleur. I was still about a fifth of the course from the finish, so the bike went up on the shoulder and I started running.  Thank goodness for all the runup repeats, and running in general, as I was able to get my butt to the finish, losing maybe 5 spots in the process. I finished 15^th. I can only speculate about where I would have placed had I not made the mistake of killing myself on the 7^th lap, and losing my chain to my derailleur on lap 8. Maybe I would have had my top 10? I would have been somewhere between 7^th and 12^th for sure.

My goal as stated in yesterday’s post for this year was a top 20, and I’ve already accomplished it. I need to stay on the training, and try to have some consistency in my results; if I can average in the top 20 to 30% of the field I’ll be thrilled. The Crusades will have a lot larger field of racers and I’m sure some more guys to give me all I can handle.  All I want to do is compete, and today I did. I’m feeling good about my season, despite my mechanical today.

Mom also had a great race today, her 1st ever. I was more thrilled for her than I was with my surprised ability to hang. Mom loved her custom Strong and said “it handled like a dream”. Here’s Mom at the start:

Mom railing turn #4…

Here’s Mom coming off the back side of the course, heading to the gravel section that lead the the blueberry field…

The start line of Master’s C…. I’m in the 2nd row.

Right off the gun, I’m in the black and blue jersey #603. It doesn’t look like a good start, but I was 3rd into the 1st turn.

Coming into turn #4, taking the outside line to get around another rider.

Coming out of the blueberry field heading towards the start/finish line. On the last lap, I was running at this point.

The lead group heading into the finish area, about a half dozen on us mixed in with some Master’s B riders.

Crossing the line on the Penultimate lap…

And finally, runnin’ thru the finish with a broken bike.

That’s all I’ve to post, I’m beat and must get some ZZZZ’s.

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

It’s good to have goals, big ones, little ones, you name it, we all need that carrot out front to chase. At the start of the year I had several goals,

• I wanted a 4000 mile year, and I wanted to average 1000 miles every quarter.
• I wanted to race cross and improve my average percentage over last year, including a top 20.

Today I hit my 3rd quarter goal 5 weeks early, and before my 1st race tomorrow even! 3000 miles aint much for a seasoned pro, or even a dedicated cyclist. But for me, thats a huge improvement over last year in which I pedaled 2428 miles for the entire calendar year of 2007. This IS Pack Fodder remember? I’m stoked, and I’m proud of myself. There’s no junk miles in there either, no adding up trips to the store or a mile here or there. That’s an honest 3000.  I’m confident I’ll make my 4000 mile year. It feels good to hit your goals, now if I can make my cross goals I’ll really be stoked!

This morning I did drills and runup repeats. My remounts are still not where I want them and I’m struggling to get rid of my stutter step. I did have some good power running up that hill and had plenty of gas to get back on the bike and go, something I struggled with last season.

It was great to see mom again out there pullin’ that runup, she’s going to have a ball racin’ cross.

Here’s a few pics of mom on the runup…

Myself, at the base. Then halfway up and at the top. I’ve definately worked on improving this weakness of mine over last year.

I’m running on my toes and not like Fred Flintstone, I like the runups and it would sure be great to open some gaps on my competition after a runup instead of having them opened on me!

Tomorrow is the big day, the start of the season. It’s not a cross race, but Krugers Dirt Crit will feel close to a cross racce and the 3 crits I plan to do will prep me for the intense effort I’ll face in cross. You just can’t simulate race pace in training.

I’m hoping for a great day tomorrow! BTW, I was @ RCB this afternoon checking out the new influx of tubbies for cross season and they had this custom pair of Challenge Grifo’s with a WHITE casing, Oh! those tiyas were dope!

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

It was wet today, rainin’ in August? Gets me all jacked for cross it does. I kept looking out the bay door at work: “Looks like cross weather to me” it’s getting hard to focus on work when the blog o’sphere is all abuzz with all things CX. Guys and Gals are dialing in their bikes, fitness, and fundamentals. Racers are jacked yo’.

There are two types of racers,

• Those who show up fresh off the couch and throw down,
• And those who fuss like hell over every damn little thing.

I ladies and germs, belong in the later. I’m a virtual stress case and I will be until the season is over. I stress over everything, and I do mean everything. My fitness, the bikes, tire pressure, my routine, my warmup, what to take to the races, when to recover, you name it, it’s on my mind. I know there are other racers out there like me, wasting precious mental energy on stuff I need not. Can’t help it, I don’t want to suck. I want to compete, as much as I’ve “got no goals, just smiles, sincerely” I still have that top 20 hanging over my head and I’d like to improve on the top 35% of the field that I averaged last year. Cross is like Crack yo’.

I watched mom the other morning while we were doing runup repeats and cross drills. She let out this guttural yelp as she was digging deep on the runup knowing I was on her heels and not wanting me to pass her. That is the basis for what she’s going to experiance in cross, “dig deep cuz your gonna get passed”.  Unless your the lead slead dog, the scenery never changes. Your gonna get passed. If my wife takes to cross I’ll be in trouble, two crack heads in the household is worse than one. Hard to say, she may take to it, she may not. Cross isn’t for everyone, the less than motivated just need not apply. Cross is hard, it’s physically hard and it’s mentally hard, you battle yourself, your competitors, the course, and the elements. Those of us who thrive on challenge come back for more, I can’t imagine racing cross and NOT coming back for more? So Go Figure…….

I’m trying to not stess, can’t decide what the next 3 days will be in my workout routine. I want to show up fresh for Sunday’s race, but have an important goal to hit beforehand, not to mention get drills practice in. I’m not smooth in my remount and I need to hit those runups with power to spare. Krugers dirt Crit isn’t terribly important to me, I just want the 45 min hard effort at race pace. I’d prefer to have a few races under my belt befor the Hood River opener.

In 4 days I’ll have the 1st race report of the season for you, the low down on how it went down. I’ll tell it like it is: if I suck you’ll know it, and if I do well I’ll pass that on as well. I hope to have some good race pics, but as I’m racin’ and not the one taking the pictures, I can’t promise on that. Stay tuned………..

Miles ridden today, 19

Miles ridden 2008, 2953

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

The Crusade schedule is up!

Good Grief I’ve been checking like 10 times a day, bout time! As with every schedy there is good news and bad, a double weekend at Astoria is bad, and having Barton is good. Everybody hates Barton, which means I’ll do well there, Not to mention the absence of Hornings. Looks like Wilsonville will follow Alpenrose, this will be a new course for me as I’ve not raced nor seen this course before. I’d venture to guess the final two races will be Estacada and Hillsboro, followed by the USGP on Dec 6th and 7th. My goal was to race the whole series this year as I missed Rainier and Astoria last year with oral surgery. The double day at Astoria will be a challenge, as now instead of my entry fee and gas, I’ve now two entry fees and lodging. The wallet will have to make the final decision, I may only be able to do one of those two races. I had hoped Mr Ross would have tried to stear the venues a little closer to the Portland Metro area, least we forget gas is still $4.00 a gallon and  there are a ton of racers from east county, not to mention Bend and Eugene that make up the Crusades. Back to back weekends at Rainier and Astoria is hard on the wallet yo’. Don’t get me wrong cuz I ain’t whinning, I’ll be there to get my cross fix, I ain’t been riding my ass off all year to let a drive to the coast impede my just rewards: just sayin’, yo’ Brad, a little closer to home will ya? Course, 1200 of the Mongol Hoard can do some damage to the venues *atmo, and there’s just not a lot of places willing to let their precious grounds be torn to shreds…… So I “get it” from that standpoint. I can’t imagine we’ve got a whole slew of venues knocking our door down to get there grounds thrashed.

The race calendar is starting to fill up, and I’ve added three crits to the mix to get ready for cross. So far I’m planning 14 races this year. With the exception of Labor Day weekend, I’m booked solid till after the USGP.

Aug 24th (we skip Labor day) followed by Sept 7th and 14th will be the Krugers Dirt Crit.

My 1st real CX race: Sept 21st, Hood River CCX. (my fav course) The following Sunday: Sept 28th, The Battle of Barlow.

October 5th marks the opening of the Crusades, which ends on Nov 16th. One more CX at Krugers Nov 23rd. We then take Thanksgiving off, (which will be in Bend for me) and End the season with the USGP on Dec 6th and 7th. Yikes!

That’s a crammed race calendar folks, racing every weekend outside of Labor Day and Thanksgiving weekend. I’m Stoked! I’m Stressed! How will I do? Will I be plagued with mechanicals, flats, bad luck? Or will I have a good season? Will I suck? Will I surprise myself and others with some solid results? I’ve had some promising workouts lately and I’ve best some personal times and speeds, so I’m totally clueless as to how I’ll do? I’m trying not to stress, as the miles I’ve ridden this year are what they are, I can’t do much more to prepare myself than I already have. Sufice it to say: “The day will end, and the end be known”. I’m gonna do as well as I’m gonna do. I’ve no doubt that tubulars are going to help my racing, but I’m still apprehensive and that won’t change till I get my mojo on. My Pal Ken (and security blanket) won’t be racing with me this year so I’ll be lining up on my own. No teammate to count on. Last year at Estacada, Ken was with the lead group and I was with the chase group, I was suffering like a dawg, my head looking down at my tire and body, dyin’. Ken yelled at me “Cmon Jim!” as he went past me on a joint section of the course. Damn straight, My head came up and I had that little extra to finish that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Ken gave me a huge lift that day, more than he’ll ever know, I’ll miss him for sure. Alas, I’m still gonna give’r. I just don’t know how it’s gonna turn out?

I’ve started to lower the duration of my rides and kick up the intensity. I started doing cross drills and runup repeats last weekend and will do them again tomorrow.

I’ve got to live by Keller’s words of wisdom, ” I need to be an opportunist this year. No goals but smiles. Sincerely.”

I’ve been waiting since December, I need to have fun and give’r. Race my heart out, smile, and let the chips fall where they may. This is a challenge for me as I’m competitive, want to do well, and hate to lose. I’m ready, bring on the cowbells!

Miles ridden today, 38

Miles ridden 2008, 2916

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

Good Grief, this bike is done up right! Seems there’s never a shortage of fine Crossers to ogle at whilst trolling the web….

Had to share yo’

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

I remember it like it was yesterday, the 1st time I was introduced to cyclocross. That my dear friends was the day my life would change forever. It was Scouters Mtn, Cross Crusade, in the fall of 2003.

Having all my cycling roots in Mtn Biking I love the dirt. It was the dirt were my love of the bike that was absent from my life for far too long was restored. As a kid I raced BMX and rode all over hell and gone. In those days that’s what you did, things were different back then. Once I turned 16 and got a car, the love of the bike left me for a long time. Girls just weren’t interested in going on dates while riding on my handlebars, And frankly, I was more interested in the hotties than I was in the bike. Know what I mean?

About a decade ago I took up the bike again, I was fat, out of shape and needed a change. It didn’t take long for me to realize, and rekindle, the love for the bike I once had as a kid. What a shame that I left it for so long…… Oh well, can’t cry over spilt milk. I quickly bought a mtn bike, it was a Gary Fisher Wahoo. That bike opened the door for many big rides and even more mtn bikes, each one I built myself with the intent to “out do” the last one. I’ve literally covered every mtn bike trail in Oregon and SW Washington with the exception of that stellar area east of Eugene known as Oakridge. Years of mtn biking lead to road riding, and I quickly discovered the thrill of speed that only 120 psi in 23mm tires could provide. I was hooked. The exact same scenario played out with the road bike that did with the mtn bikes. Each new bike I built myself, trying to better the last one. Many bikes have come and gone in the last decade, some I could part with, some I will take to my grave with me. I’ve somewhat aquired a stable over the years as once you’ve suffered with a bike and bleed together, it’s rather hard to part with, even if it’s not as comfortable, stiff, fast, or as light as the new one.

I don’t remember the how or the why; why I took that Sunday and drove up to Scouters Mtn to see what the deal with cyclocross was, but I’m forever grateful. It took no longer than an appearance into the parking lot, where I saw all these bikes on cars: “What the Hell?” Road bikes with knobbies? Oh bra, this is for me! Finally, my two loves mated together in an off road criterium! I was in awe, transfixed by all the stellar steeds with knobbie tires and drop bars. I’d flat out never seen a real crosser before. Mom, the moneypit, my pals Tim and John Hacking were all there. I watched in amazment as they dismounted and ran up a flight of railroad ties. What? WTH? They are carrying their bikes up those stairs! I would watch in amazement as the spectacle of cyclocross unfolded before my eyes. Holy Shit! This is for me! I knew, intrinsically, that this was to be my calling for the rest of my life. I was a 39 year old man that had just been blindsided by a designated hitter that took a swing for the fences and went upside my head with a baseball bat. I could not have been more strickin, more infatuated, more head over heals in love over the site of cyclocross that fall day in 2003. I left with a new lease on life and cycling that flat out didn’t exist before. 

It was the cruelest of fates, Health problems and sickness would prevent my rendezvous with cyclocross until the 2007 season. For several years I went to every race, stood on the sidelines (or sat in some cases) and soaked up every morsel. Every little nuance, every detail, and every stat,  I would digest it like food for a starving body. For those years I entrenched myself in all things cross, everything from A to Z and I neglected nothing, no matter how small. I was the most savy crosser you ever met, while still having never raced a lick. Cross was to be the carrot that drove me through the days of illness. I would race cross, and nothing less would be acceptable. In 2007 the stars aligned, and my health restored enough to allow me the priveldge, yes the friggin’ priveldge, to line up and give’r.

Dare I say it? That 1st race is like your 1st tail, male nor female, it matters not. That 1st race is where the gawds of cross sink that treble hook into your cheek and set it good. You are done. Fish on! That hook will be embeded into your body until you can’t get up a runup no longer. One race is all it takes, it’s instilled in you like the primal need for food, water, shelter. It’s a must have, there is no substitute. Cross is like crack, it’s as addicting as it gets.

There is no possible way for me to convey the thrill of last season. All that I have learned, all that I suffered, all that I fought. I gave every inch of my being and turned myself inside out for cross last year. I’m a crack addict. I’m just not going to be satisfied until my insatiable appitite for suffering is met at the highest level. I’m just not satisfied unless I’ve given everything I have, regardless of how I place, for the love of the race. Where everyday people just like me give everything, and I do mean everything, (puking is a common occurance for some racers) they have just for 47th place. I don’t know what it is about cross? The nicest people, so encouraging, so supportive, until the whistle blows, then it’s kill or be killed. Cross takes no prisoners. The same person who will give you hours of their time to coach you, and help you with your fundementals in getting on and off the bike, will put you into the hay bales without a moments hesitation. In all the sports I have played in my life, no group of people have given more, with absolutly nothing on the line, but competition itself, than cross racers. 

I thought I was the only one suffering; until I watched some tape of the guys around me. Everybody is killin’ themselves, and for what? 47th place? Cross my friends, is the true definition of sport. Most of us suck. We give our all, and I do mean our all for the sake of the sport, nothing more. We kill ourselves for the sake of doing so, for the thrill of competition, for the accolades of our families. Cross is more than I could ever put into words or descride in text, it is the purest form of competition I know. And the people who particpate are the COOLEST human beings you could ever want to hang with, bar none…. I ask you; who do you know, that would go out in the worst of weather, and turn themselves inside out physically, in the mud and muck for nothing? No glory, no accolades, no purse, no recognition? Crossers do it for the love of the sport, the respect of their peers, and the cheers of their families. Cross Rocks, that’s all there is to it.

I cannot wait, for the season to begin!

Cheers!  

Greetings Readers!

What is it? What is Passion? What is it about cross that grips us so? Why pray tell, do we spend an exorbatant amount of our discretionary income on cross bikes, parts, tubulars and what not? How in the hell, can we justify spending money on something that we’ll use 10 times a year? For most of us across the US, we race locally. There’s no national event to go to so we can compete with the nations best. For most of us, were just not fast enough, or we don’t have the means to go to nationals, or both. What this means (for most of us) is 10 to 11 races a season tops.

So I ask you; for 10 Sunday’s a year, is it worth the extra cost of say some Dugast or FMB’s, over say a set of Grifo’s or Flexus? Or over a set of Clinchers even? For some yes, For some no. There are plenty of guys who have a 2nd mortgage in tubular wheelsets and tiyas just for cross season. And damn well they should have. We crossers are a passionate bunch, we love our sport, obsessively so. It’s a shame that the season is so short, but cross in nice weather wouldn’t be cross, and the cycling season needs to end sometime. So for 10 weeks in the fall, our cherished cross takes over our lives. And take over our lives it does. We obsess over all the little details, tiyas and tiya pressures. The fine art of dialing in the perfect pressure, and a tubular to match the conditions is more ellusive than a top 5 in your class. Crossers bring multiple bikes, and even more multiple sets of tubulars and clinchers, to each race. Getting traction in the mud is paramount to going fast, and going fast is paramount to having a good race. We all want to compete, we all want to have a good race, regardless if were in the beginners class, or were mixing it up with the Elites, we want to have our best race. You’ve got to have confidence; in your tiyas that is, to rail the corners and hold a line. Playing slip-n-slide in the pig slop does not constitute going fast, or having a good race.

What does all this have to do with the price of your entry fee? Back in early June I did a post on Rhino’s. In that post I conveyed my stress and angst over buying some serious tubulars for the mud. I stated the pros and cons, and why I was in such turmoil. Sooner or later that angst was going to come to a head and I was either going to crack, and show up for Hillsboro sporting some hardware in the form of Dugast, or I was going to let “it” go. Given my love of cross, my desire to be takin’ seriously, and my need to compete, the former won out.

My beautiful Wife, who gets up at O’ dark thirty and goes to the races with me, stands in horrible weather taking pictures, and screaming her heart out for me and my buddy while taking care of ALL our needs including the pits, bought me a pair of Rhino’s for my birthday. (no, she is mine and you can’t have her)

Keep in mind I’m no Tire snob, nor am I a cyclocross tubular guru. But, my 1st impression is “WOW” handmade quality. I’ve a pair of Grifo’s and Flexus and neither can compare. The casing is just velvet smooth and good grief, are they gonna rock in the Mud. WorldClassCycles has the best deals on cross tubulars.

Do I (lets face it the $$ comes from the same place) have Buyers Remorse? Nope, I figure I was going to get a set of tubulars anyhow, so what’s another $34. It would certainly buy an entry fee and some gas, but I digress. Sooner or later, we’ll get some serious Mud in Portland, its really  just a queston of when. Will it be the early part of the season? Or will in come to a climatic end in Hillsboro and the USGP? Either way it’s coming. Only this year, I’ll be riding through the snot with velcro on my wheels and hey, I’ll take every stinkin’ advantage I can get.  I cannot wait, to roll 25 psi on some stinkin’ off camber greasy grassy slop on the best mud tiyas I can roll. Hell, if they net me one lousy placing, they’ll be worth every penny to me. If I suck, I sure as hell can’t blame my Tiyas.

Cheers! 

Greetings Readers!

After writing this post, I thought that maybe it was a fluke, I was just having one of those rare days when you just feel “it”, whatever “it” is. I kinda dismissed it, thinking that I’m not really that strong most of the time. Well, it happened again. Even more impressive was the amount of Beer I drank the night before, followed by the tiny amount of sleep I got.

I told myself after riding all week to work that I’d hit it hard this weekend on the cross bike. Instead of taking the road bike out for long mileage, I’d do a shorter, more intense ride on the CX bike at Forest Park. I didn’t realize just how hard I was going to go, or how well I would respond.

Back in the day I used to ride my mtn bike a lot at Forest Park. Climbing those firelanes can give you a heck of a work out. Back in 2004 I had my best year, but even then, on a mtn bike, I struggled with climbing Springville. I remember all too well how steep and hard that climb is: I had no idea that I would climb it on my CX bike. I started out just hammering on the Leif, back and forth, up Saltzman, then hammer the Leif some more. On my last trip back to Germantown I had the idea to try to climb Springville. I’d just hit it hard, dismount, shoulder the bike and treat it like a long steep runup. I could use the conditioning right? But as I was out of the saddle, (for extended lengths as the pitch is mighty steep for cross gearing) I started to play that little game in my mind: “YOU CAN MAKE IT JIM” I started telling myself that I could do it, and to my amasement, I did. I was all lathered up, and sucking wind at the top but I climbed it, without dabing, on my cyclocross bike.

Now I’m sure that Tonkin could do it, or Trebon, or most, if not all, the guys racing in the Killer B’s. But hey, I was feeling pretty good about my 45 year old, Master C racin’ Keester getting up that bugger of a climb. And with authority no less! I killed it!

Further confirmation that that ride on the 26th was no fluke. Not to mention how strong I’ve felt on the Single Speed. Yes, I’m begining to beleive, that I’m on good form. I’m smelling blood, and the season is just around the corner. I’ve done just what I’ve set out to do, be on my best form come Oct. I’m gonna give’r that I can assure you, no matter my fitness. I’d just prefer to give’r in my best shape. It’s early August and I’m going to be even stronger in 2 months.

My morale is really good right now, I’m tasting some success and it’s bitter sweet givin all the work I’ve put in this year. In a few weeks I’ll hit my 3rd quarter goal a month early, that is going to feel really good! I’m hitting all my goals and I’m ahead of schedule, I can’t wait for Cross!

Miles ridden today, 27

Miles ridden 2008, 2724. 

Cheers!

Greeting Readers!

Little Belgium is up!

http://www.littlebelgiummovie.com/

Cheers!