Some day I'll update this thing again, starting with the 2011 wrap up that I started a month ago.
For now though... it's all about enjoying life, training, and having hairy legs. The last one changes in 10 days when I head south for some Florida base miles.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
USGP Derby City Cup
This past weekend (SORRY, THIS WAS HALF WRITTEN AND NOT POSTED FOR A WHILE) was the USGP Derby City Cup and guess what that means? This one weekend each year, we Louisvillians don't have to drive to the big race - the big race comes to us! That's right, just 4.2 miles from my front door! And guess what else?! The course is in the same park as the 2013 World Championships!
To get right to the results part - did I do it? Was I able to beat the Crossresults.com Race Predictor? Yes and no.
We begin with the Yes on Saturday. On the start line, excuse me, from well behind the start line in seventh row I was mentally and psychologically not interested in racing. My body felt fine with an easy-ish week after Cincy3. I lined up on the left after watching the Elite Men start at Java Johnny's the previous weekend and from the gun all that mental and psychological bullshit went out the window. Instinct took over and I stomped on the pedals picking my way through holes along the left edge to the front. Within 200m I found myself seventh wheel leaving the pavement and quickly moved up to the front group before the flyover a third of the way into lap one.
By the end of the lap it was a two man battle between Thatcher Hurt and me. We worked well together to extend our gap to Josh Prater over the next lap and likely would have played nice until the final half a lap had I not stopped thinking and overlapped his wheel in an uphill sandpit. That opened a small gap, but enough for him to pull away and end my hopes at the top step for the day. In all honesty, he was stronger in the straights while we rode together, so I'm not sure the results were changed any by the wheel overlap.
With one lap to go there was a sizeable gap up to Thatcher and what seemed to be a manageable gap back to Josh so I time trialed, that's what cross is right? Then with half a lap to go, Josh was catching me - but that was ok, I knew I just had to come onto the pavement with him and odds were in my favor. Only he wasn't alone - a group of two caught him at the same time and they pulled up beside me. I looked over, realized it wasn't Josh and thought, "Oh shit!" The game plan suddenly had a wrench thrown into it and I struggled to hang onto the group. Eventually I fought my way into the middle of the group, only to have one of the guys make a questionable pass with less than ten turns to the finish.
I knew the last three turns and final run up well and knew I had to make my move on foot. I made one pass over the hump before the run up and coasted up against the back of Josh and another guy as we dismounted. I dug in and instead of remounting at the top of the hill, I kept running - right past both of them and remounted into the penultimate turn where there was only one decent line. From there I just had to keep it upright through the last off camber turn and let it rip for 180m. And that's just what I did for my second consecutive 2nd place finish on a Saturday in a pretty stacked 2/3 race!
The predictor said 12th so I'm +10 places....until Sunday, when it said 13th.
I'M SO FAR OVERDUE, YOU GET THE ABRIDGED VERSION OF THE REST OF THE WEEKEND...
Sunday, the predictor was off by one place, and not in the direction I'd hoped. I got a decent start, and even managed to get within a few seconds of the front of the race (Jason Monk). At some point there was a small mishap in the rideable sand causing a dismount and (not sure if it was before or after) some issues with my rear derailleur. It got to the point that I couldn't stand out of corners not knowing if I was going to drop a couple gears or not, so I went in and had a clean pit exchange. As I exited, I began to wonder how I raced my B bike last year and loved it. It's too long and a good bit heavier than my race bike, and honestly I was thinking too much. Implossion. Mentally, physically, the whole deal. I slid from top five to almost 25 in a lap!
I got back on my A bike with just over a lap to go, refocussed and let it rip. I managed to take back a few places from friends, including Ian McShane (I could sense the grin on his face when he passed me earlier) and kept charging forward finishing 14th. It wasn't what I wanted for the day, but to finish back to back weekends and five races with four top fives, it was a dream weekend!
We capped the weekend off with a bottle of SRAM Force, as Myerson called it....
To get right to the results part - did I do it? Was I able to beat the Crossresults.com Race Predictor? Yes and no.
We begin with the Yes on Saturday. On the start line, excuse me, from well behind the start line in seventh row I was mentally and psychologically not interested in racing. My body felt fine with an easy-ish week after Cincy3. I lined up on the left after watching the Elite Men start at Java Johnny's the previous weekend and from the gun all that mental and psychological bullshit went out the window. Instinct took over and I stomped on the pedals picking my way through holes along the left edge to the front. Within 200m I found myself seventh wheel leaving the pavement and quickly moved up to the front group before the flyover a third of the way into lap one.
 |
| Rachel's Drop © Tom Moran |
With one lap to go there was a sizeable gap up to Thatcher and what seemed to be a manageable gap back to Josh so I time trialed, that's what cross is right? Then with half a lap to go, Josh was catching me - but that was ok, I knew I just had to come onto the pavement with him and odds were in my favor. Only he wasn't alone - a group of two caught him at the same time and they pulled up beside me. I looked over, realized it wasn't Josh and thought, "Oh shit!" The game plan suddenly had a wrench thrown into it and I struggled to hang onto the group. Eventually I fought my way into the middle of the group, only to have one of the guys make a questionable pass with less than ten turns to the finish.
I knew the last three turns and final run up well and knew I had to make my move on foot. I made one pass over the hump before the run up and coasted up against the back of Josh and another guy as we dismounted. I dug in and instead of remounting at the top of the hill, I kept running - right past both of them and remounted into the penultimate turn where there was only one decent line. From there I just had to keep it upright through the last off camber turn and let it rip for 180m. And that's just what I did for my second consecutive 2nd place finish on a Saturday in a pretty stacked 2/3 race!
 |
| Saturday's sprint for Second © Tom Moran |
I'M SO FAR OVERDUE, YOU GET THE ABRIDGED VERSION OF THE REST OF THE WEEKEND...
Sunday, the predictor was off by one place, and not in the direction I'd hoped. I got a decent start, and even managed to get within a few seconds of the front of the race (Jason Monk). At some point there was a small mishap in the rideable sand causing a dismount and (not sure if it was before or after) some issues with my rear derailleur. It got to the point that I couldn't stand out of corners not knowing if I was going to drop a couple gears or not, so I went in and had a clean pit exchange. As I exited, I began to wonder how I raced my B bike last year and loved it. It's too long and a good bit heavier than my race bike, and honestly I was thinking too much. Implossion. Mentally, physically, the whole deal. I slid from top five to almost 25 in a lap!
I got back on my A bike with just over a lap to go, refocussed and let it rip. I managed to take back a few places from friends, including Ian McShane (I could sense the grin on his face when he passed me earlier) and kept charging forward finishing 14th. It wasn't what I wanted for the day, but to finish back to back weekends and five races with four top fives, it was a dream weekend!
We capped the weekend off with a bottle of SRAM Force, as Myerson called it....
Thursday, November 10, 2011
USGP 2/3 Predictor by CrossResults.com
My goal for the weekend - beat the twelfth and thirteenth place results crossresults.com predicts...
I pasted it into a spreadsheet here.
I pasted it into a spreadsheet here.
42 races and counting
I'm not sure why I even added it up, but I'm at 42 races and counting for 2011...
20 Road Races/Criteriums
5 Louisville Short Track
2 Cross Country Mtb
1 DINO Short Track Mtb
14 Cyclocross
With two more CX races this weekend, one more next weekend, maybe three more the next, and on and on and on...
20 Road Races/Criteriums
5 Louisville Short Track
2 Cross Country Mtb
1 DINO Short Track Mtb
14 Cyclocross
With two more CX races this weekend, one more next weekend, maybe three more the next, and on and on and on...
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Cincy3
Even before the cross season began, the decision to
race 2/3's or the UCI race at Cincy3 and USGP has been discussed, considered,
and reconsidered. Finally the week before I decided to go with the 2/3's at Cincy3 after a solid, but not quite "ready" performance at Storm the Greens. The
main reasons - 1) There are a guys that routinely beat me registered for these
races, 2) Racing for a top ten sounded a lot more fun than racing not to get
lapped and 3) this is the best measuring stick to last year I could ask for.
Mentally I never checked into this race and before
I knew it I'd slid to seventh, made two PRO bike exchanges thanks to Dave and
Larry in the pits, and we only had one lap to go. I was used to racing an hour
and the shortened 45 minute race was certainly different. I dug in and started
fishing for the next guy up the road eventually catching Chris with a half lap
remaining and putting in one last attack to overtake him. The rest of the lap I
spent holding off a late charger from behind only to miscalculate the finish
and get beat in an uncontested sprint. He was in the U19 race though, so I
finished 4th with Monk on the top step.
Thanks to Mitch Graham and all of the crew working to make the Cincy3 CX Festival not only possible, but an outstanding weekend! We racers (and dabblers in promotion) appreciate your efforts and look forward to coming back next year!!!
So how'd it go? I'd say pretty darn well! I’ll get
to the racing in a moment. First, the team/weekend as a whole - was
awesome! I was able to get to know teammates Meghan and Dave and met Stephen for the
first time and got to experience a full on PRO set up. We made camp each day right
alongside the other top level teams and had a top-notch mechanic (Dave) tuning our bikes
and taking care of us in the pits! Thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters for making this possible, including Bob's Red Mill, Stevens Bikes/Sinclair Imports, Carroll Composites, Panache Cyclewear, Mad Alchemy, PrincetonTec, SquirtLube, Challenge Tires and Feedback Sports
Now the racing…
Now the racing…
Friday we raced the Darkhorse Stampede at Devou
Park....
I had car issues on the way up and didn't warm up
or preview the course at all; I simply knew the course was muddy. For obvious
reasons, I chose not to try for the holeshot and went into the first turn in
the top ten. Guys slid out all over the place, but soon there was order among
chaos with about six of us strung out on the front including Jason Monk (Main
Street Velo) and Chris Mayhew (JBV Coaching), two I knew to watch. I followed
wheels, hoping they knew where the course turned next and eventually we
finished a lap. There was plenty of mud and climbing and all the suffering I
wanted.
Saturday was Java Johny's in Sunset Park,
Middletown, OH....
This was, hands down, my favorite course of the
2010 UCI3 weekend. There's not much elevation change, but the small pitches
included are steep and punchy. It flows and you can gain time in every turn if
you're alert and it generally fits my power profile with very
few diesel sections and plenty of short duration, high power
sections.
 |
| Opening a gap in lap one (Photo by VeloVivid Photography) |
Preparation for the race was like night and day
compared to the previous day with plenty of course recon, warm-up, mental
readiness, and bike prep by Dave, our team mechanic (This gave a PRO feeling to
the day). I started in the first row and went to the front immediately,
building a ten second gap to the field in the first half lap. About 1.5 laps
in, Travis Mullen joined me and we began to work together, even though he
complained of marathon training eating into his bike time. He held steady until
Etheridge (Raleigh), Monk, and Hurt joined us when Mullen faded a bit. Etheridge slipped
off the front and built a minute gap – alone – in his second race of the day!
 |
| Holding an early gap (Photo by VeloVivid Photography) |
Around the midpoint of the race, I slid out in the
only muddy turn on the course and got gapped off second and third. As I came by
the Papa John’s camp, I heard Mandrola encouraging me to, “just give it 1500
watts one time and you’re back in it!” With two to go I mentally dug deep and
clawed back onto the back just in time to hear Gatch say over the loudspeaker,
“If Monk has anything right now, he’ll attack the group and drop Smith again.”
I cursed him under my breath until he began to give better advice like, “…but
if Smith has anything, or even if he doesn’t, he’ll fake it and go to the front
to set his own pace and recover a bit.” So I listened, and it worked. Somehow,
though, I got dropped again and as Monk and Hurt got the bell I was six seconds
down again and on the limit.
I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a game of
cat and mouse. Whether it was or not I’ll never know, but it gave me enough
motivation to push forward and latch onto the back with half a lap to go. The
pace was killing me; I wanted to move to the front but didn’t have enough to
make a pass so I just held on. Again, I heard Gatch over the loudspeaker,
“…this is going to be a battle to the end for second. So far today we’ve not
seen anyone come from behind after the barriers, it’ll be interesting to see
how this one plays out!” Thanks John, you were right! I didn’t hear anything
else over the loudspeaker the rest of the race, but I knew where I would make
my move.
We crossed the road for the final time and I sat at
the back, gas tank empty, waiting. In the last straight before the sweeper
leading to barriers Monk and Hurt left the window open on the right and I
jumped out with all I had. My breakfast almost got left in that sweeper as I
managed to recover and then push the pace through the barriers forcing a
mistake from Hurt. I landed on the pavement with Monk inches from my wheel and
adrenaline took over – I gave all that was left and some and managed to hold
him off!!! 20 more meters and I’d have been a step lower on the podium – 2nd
place after fighting back not once but twice was dubbed the “most heroic race
of the day!”
 |
| Leaving it all on the line (Photo by Jen Farmer) |
 |
| Second step with Etheridge and Monk (Photo by Jen Farmer) |
Sunday was one of the best-known courses in the
area at Harbin Park, also just north of Cincinnati in Fairfield, OH...
This course has it all – uphill sand, downhill
sand, power sections, mud sections, steep downhill sections, pavement, and
uphill barriers. Even in 2010 when it was dusty dry it was the heaviest course
of the weekend and this year was even more so. Nearly the entire course was
either slippery or soft and power sucking.
After two hard race days and digging deeper the
previous day than I ever thought possible, my legs were dead. After a preview
lap with a couple second looks I opted for an easy trainer warm-up to get the
blood flowing. At the start line I learned I’d forgotten to sign in (oops) and
had to give my John Hancock before taking another first row start. As we waited
for the whistle I had good feelings from the mental battles won the previous
day, but not so good feelings about how my legs/body would fare on the third
day of racing.
The whistle blew, I charged ahead and was the first
off the pavement. I quickly opened a gap on the field and raced my own race
without worry of someone crashing around me. The gap grew to around 15 seconds
until Travis Mullen (Shamrock Cycles) joined me at the front once again. Soon
Matthew Means (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes), Monk, and Etheridge joined us; Mullen may have even
gotten away by himself for a bit. While riding in a group of four, I managed to
find a root in the mud hole near the start line and ended up flailing to get
out from under my bike.
 |
| Navigating the sand (Photo by Marcia Seiler) |
A gap opened and from there my body had little more
to give. I sat fifth and even with the knowledge of the previous day’s chase in
my mind the gap wouldn’t shrink. Late in the race Mullen had a mechanical and
had to DNF and Zeb King (Appalachian State University) powered by me leaving me in fifth with a lap to
go. I managed to keep the gap to King in check, while he seemed to be gaining
on second and third up the road. There was a ten second gap when we entered the
last off camber technical section and only about two seconds when we came out.
At that point I knew I had to wait to jump with a few hundred meters of heavy
uphill remaining to the finish and with about 150 to go I emptied the tank and
grabbed 4th on the day. We always want more, but to be honest – if you’d
offered me 4-2-4 finishes on Friday, I’d have taken it! It was an awesome
weekend with easily three of my best five races lifetime!
Video from Harbin Park, I believe by one of the Roberson brothers.
Next up is USGP just a few miles from home –
hopefully the good form will continue and I can put together another solid
weekend!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Missing Iceman Cometh
Three years ago this weekend, my friend, Mar(io/k) and I headed north for our first ever Iceman Cometh Challenge. We'd gotten in via Kentucky Point Series standings at the last minute and he raced Sport, I Beginner. I don't remember a lot of the details from the race except the number of people! There were somewhere around TWO THOUSAND racers!! My biggest to date might have had a hundred. At the end, I got 5th in my Beginner age group and from there set a goal to finish top ten the next two years in Sport and Expert categories. It was a whimsical goal, but that's the way things go...
Oh, I forgot to mention - we slept in a tent and this is what our bikes looked like the next morning.
Two years ago we opted for a cabin and had more company, Mo, who raced the Pro Women's race and took a top 10! (She's a bad ass) and Mark J who won his Beginner age group. I managed to accomplish my first goal with a 7th in Sport age group and Mark turned in a solid time as well, though the time gap between us flipped!
Last year we registered early and by the time we left I wasn't looking forward to it - the race was messing with my CX season, and one of my favorite venues, Gun Club! This time it was Mario, Kiersta, Mark J, and Glypie in the caravan. Finally my two year goal had been accomplished - 4th in open age group (just as good as Expert)! Everyone had a solid race (except Glypie, who was our driver) and plenty of fun.
I decided to pass on the 2011 race shortly after getting home last year and now that it's only two days away, I'm sad not to be going. I don't regret the decision, as Cincy3 is going to be a blast - I might even get to race for a W for a change! Either way, letting a tradition pass is sad. Some day I'll get back up to Traverse City to accomplish at least one last goal - a Sub 2 Hour race time!!
Oh, I forgot to mention - we slept in a tent and this is what our bikes looked like the next morning.
Two years ago we opted for a cabin and had more company, Mo, who raced the Pro Women's race and took a top 10! (She's a bad ass) and Mark J who won his Beginner age group. I managed to accomplish my first goal with a 7th in Sport age group and Mark turned in a solid time as well, though the time gap between us flipped!
 |
| Our cabin on the edge of the course. |
Last year we registered early and by the time we left I wasn't looking forward to it - the race was messing with my CX season, and one of my favorite venues, Gun Club! This time it was Mario, Kiersta, Mark J, and Glypie in the caravan. Finally my two year goal had been accomplished - 4th in open age group (just as good as Expert)! Everyone had a solid race (except Glypie, who was our driver) and plenty of fun.
I decided to pass on the 2011 race shortly after getting home last year and now that it's only two days away, I'm sad not to be going. I don't regret the decision, as Cincy3 is going to be a blast - I might even get to race for a W for a change! Either way, letting a tradition pass is sad. Some day I'll get back up to Traverse City to accomplish at least one last goal - a Sub 2 Hour race time!!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Long overdue (Photo Edition)
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| Brookside Park: "The Stairs" (Photo by Chris Jones) |
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| Brookside Park: Start/Finish area (Photo by Chris Jones) |
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| OVCX Athletes of the Week (Photo by Doug Dobrozsi) |
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| Gearfest log hop (Photo by Kiersta Tucker) |
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| USGP Ft Collins: Prerace Sunday (Photo by VeloVivid Photography) |
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| USGP Ft Collins: The flyover (Photo by VeloVivid Photography) |
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| USGP Ft Collins: Barrier Run-up (Photo by VeloVivid Photography) |
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| "All Smiles" at BloomingCross (Photo by Tim Brown) |
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| Storm the Greens: At the Whistle (Photo by Doug Burton) |
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| Storm the Greens: BRM 1-2-3 (Photo by Marcia Seiler) |
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| Storm the Greens: Steps (Photo by Doug Burton) |
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| Storm the Greens: The Mud Pit (Photo by Paula Smith) |
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| Storm the Greens: My Cheering Section (Photo by VeloVivid Photography) (THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES!) |
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