Strava + FishStix = Almost chip timing

I know, I know... the OVCX has chip timing at all the races this year, but here's another cool online feature you should check out, especially if you have a GPS! This is a segment (lap) of the Fisherman's Park race created by either Seiler, Wilson, or Goodwin.



See how it compares to raw chip timing here 

OVCX #1 - Fisherman's Park (aka FishStix)

If you Google searched for results and landed here, you can find them here or here.

If you Google searched for photos and landed here, you can find them here or here or here.

I seem to struggle with keeping race reports short, but I'll make another effort at it here...

First time gluing tubulars

Course set up on Saturday went great thanks to the guys and gals from Bikeclicks/Team Louisville and a handful of other local racers. The course was hard, hilly and dry - meaning my freshly glued Challenge Griffo's were going to get their first real test of the season.

Sunday began with rain and super slippery conditions, leaving me uncertain on tire choice. Since I was escorting the announcer for the day (she's still learning twitter), I was able to set up in a prime location near the start finish and basically relax under the canopy at my car while cheering, heckling, eating and hydrating. My mud tires were in someone else's car, so after the rain stopped, a couple hours before my race, I set out on a pre-ride on Griffos and decided they were the right rubber as long as it didn't rain in the hour before our race.

Taking the hole shot with quite a gap (Photo by Marcia Seiler)

Mitchell, Rob, and I loosely discussed a team plan and after a quick warm up on the trainer it was off to the start grid of 53 racers! I was nervous, not enough to feel sick, but definitely enough to be very focused. I got the second call up and while waiting at the line I could hear Rachel giving shout outs to those to watch. As she started in on the "hot blue kits of Bob's Red Mill" Mitchell's name was thrown out as one to watch, as expected, then she put the pressure on - revealing last year's nickname as the "Hole Shot King". It was OK though, that was part of the plan and the legs didn't disappoint!

Following Mitchell over the barriers, lap two (Photo by Paula Smith)

After the barriers, I settled in, but stayed on the front stringing out the field while making sure I didn't blow up. I could see Mitchell working through quickly and when he came to the front, he upped the pace ever so slightly. I followed and a group of about six opened a small gap. Surprisingly, the nerves were gone, legs felt good, and riding on Mitch's wheel was comfortable for a couple laps. Then, as I knew would happen, I had to let go of that group (which was down to Mitch, Erik Hamilton, and one other guy). BUT - I kept racing, keeping track of where the group in front and behind me were!

Sitting on Nevitt's wheel.

Eventually I was riding in a group with Mike McShane, Chris Nevitt, Lee Hauber, and John Francisco. We were working together fairly well (or at least as best as I knew how in a CX race - improvements to come). Then, with three to go the sun popped out and the temperature rose a few degrees, heart rate went up and I was hurtin! I reached down for a drink along the backside and a few second gap opened, I dug deep to close it, only to dig a pedal trying to pedal through a 180 and let it open right back up. At some point Luke Haley and Andy Messer came by and somewhere else Nevitt, McShane, and Hauber ended up in a pile in front of me. At one to go there was a again a few second gap and I was just able to close it going into the final punchy climb to the finish and wanted so badly to sprint, but my stomach said no way! The puke was coming and I wasn't interested in leaving it all on the line, not literally at least, so I coasted in for tenth of fifty-three.

A little anti climatic, but I learned a lot from the race - I CAN race with these guys, I need to do a better job of conserving fast twitch bursts throughout the race, I'm even more infatuated with my Stevens Team Carbon (thanks Sinclair Imports) and I must continue to get more comfortable riding on someone's wheel! This week, nutrition was dialed in a lot closer with two pieces of pizza, a serving of Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal with peanut butter, brown sugar, and honey, a granola bar, half a banana, a Gatorade, half a mountain dew and all the water I could stand throughout the day.

Finishing the day with cash money and a margarita with good friends!!! (Photo by Rachel Fagerberg)

2011 Huber's Apple Cross

Huber's Apple Cross: <n> 1. (2nd) Annual cyclocross event hosted by the Bob's Red Mill CX Team on the rolling property of Huber's Family Farm near Starlight, IN.

This year BRMcxLou partnered with Scheller's and the Radiotherapy Centers of Kentuckiana for a full weekend of fun, learning and racing. Ryan Trebon helped kick things off with a clinic at Eva Bandman Cyclocross Park, the home of 2012/2013 Master's World Championships and 2013 World Championship CX races. It turns out that he's not just fast, he's a pretty cool guy too! He managed to teach everyone from beginner masters racers to 11 year old kids something in two short hours with calmness and humor that aren't so apparent on race days.

Off the line

Next up was the Jude Clark Cup on Saturday and luckily all the parts arrived to build my new Stevens Team Carbon with SRAM Force goodies the week before. With one off road ride squeezed in while laying out the course the bike was all set. The bike handled great, looked great, and felt fast! During course layout we'd had steady misty rain, and it looked to be perfect cross weather, but conditions 'improved' and we raced both days in mid 70's and sunshine. As racers arrived and pre-rode the course, we (the course designers) got a few mean looks but after each race those same people sang praises. There were power sections and off camber sections and a double sand pit and flowy turns and really just about everything but mud!

Off camber

So how'd my race go? Not all that different from last year's Cat 3 race except for the part where I lined up a couple grid spots from Ryan Trebon (yes, the guy who took fifth at Cross Vegas last night!) I've always been a fast starter and generally a slow finisher early in the season. The whistle blew and what do ya know - I'm side by side with Ryan through turn one and on his wheel in turn two. He was smooth and was a good wheel to follow until the "run-up" that I knew the fastest way around. Then, without consideration for who I was racing, I passed him on the inside line only to think moments later that it was the dumbest thing I'd ever done in a race. Why on earth would I provoke him?! Anyways, I mixed it up a little longer in my first elite CX race until Ryan dropped a 1200 watt acceleration out of a turn and rode away from the field. From there I went backwards. I was missing either the lasting power or mental toughness to latch on to anyone as they came by and finished eighth of nine. Still lots to learn, but one positive to take away from the day - the speed is there, fitness can be gained.

From the whistle

Half way through lap one with some tall guy on my wheel

Out of the sand

Sunday's Oatmeal Cup course was the reverse of the previous day with a handful of changes and arguably a little harder. Thunderstorms were in the forecast but the clouds only got within site, never dropping rain. At the start line I was still undecided on how to approach the race - go out hard and hang as long as possible or start conservative and try for negative splits. The whistle blew, feet found the pedals and I went to the front - yes, I took the hole shot in my second elite race. I lead to the sand and rode through, only to get passed by Josh on foot. I retook the lead a couple turns later and kept the pace high but certainly wasn't trying to drop anyone. In the straights I routinely suggested that Ryan come on around and take over, but he seemed content with the pace. Riding the run-up was easy on lap one and soon we were back in the start finish area and I was still on the front. By now I knew my race was nearing it's turning point but the only option was to push onward as long as the legs would carry me and finallly Ryan came by just before the sand pit and rode away with Mitchell chasing him down for a bit. I went backwards again and finished tenth of eleven - not the end result I'd like but experience and added fitness were gained.

Noteable points from the weekend:

Riding the run up on my sweet new Stevens

• My Stevens Team Carbon is awesome - the fit is based on my BG road fit with a few minor tweaks and I don't think I'll change a thing (except lighter bars/stem)
• Helping with course layout for two days takes a lot of energy from the body, but it's a lot of fun!
• MUST work on long duration power - the hole shot doesn't mean a whole lot an hour later, but this is old news.
• It's going to be a great season racing for Bob's Red Mill CX Team. Thanks to Stevens Bikes, Carroll Composites, Challenge Tires, Panache Cyclewear, Princeton Tec Lights, and Mad Alchemy 

Thanks to Marcia Seiler, Patrick Owen, and Paula Smith for the photos.

And just a little more proof that I made it a full lap, this is the "run-up" about 80% of the way through lap one, thanks to Sherri Thompson.

Huber's Apple Cross AND Ryan Trebon Clinic

Wanta learn tricks of the trade from a NATIONAL CHAMPION CX'er? Register for the Ryan Trebon clinic!!

The clinic is part of the Huber's Apple Cross CX weekend and it's ONLY 9 DAYS AWAY!

You don't want to miss the first race of the season either - two days of apple orchard, twisty-turny, CX fun.

Register for both here:
http://hubersapplecross.yolasite.com/

Wanta sneak peak of the course? Maybe Monday.....

For Sale - Ridley Crosswind SOLD

This frameset has SOLD. Thanks for looking!  If you're by chance looking for a mountain bike, check out this 2009 Santa Cruz Blur XC Carbon for sale!

I've picked up a new team bike this season and need to make space for it. See below for more information.

Frameset - Ridley Crosswind 52 (fits more like a 54/55)

Wheels - Reynolds Solitude

F/d - SRAM Rival

R/d - SRAM Rival

Shifters - SRAM Rival

Crankset - SRAM Rival 38/46

Chain - SRAM PC 1050

Cassette - SRAM 11-26

Brakes - TRP Euro X (adjustable)

Bars/stem - FSA

Seatpost - Easton EA50 or Bontrager

Tires - Michelin Mud 2's (I'll throw in an extra Michelin jet for the rear during dry/fast races) 

The frame is a few years old but in very good condition and the components have one season as my pit bike - meaning they have less than a season of ride time on them)

Asking $1250 $1200, let me know if you'd like to take it for a spin. 

Indy Crit ---> A Week Off!

First, a race report - Saturday I drove up and raced the Indy Crit. It was H-O-T. The End.

Just kidding - though temperatures were in the upper 90s with heat index well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit! With a part time race day babysitting gig (practice for ten or fifteen years from now) I didn't get much warm up, but no worries with the heat. I hit the line with 82 other 3/4's and left my extra bottle at the start (bad idea). The start was pretty fast, but moving up wasn't a big deal in the longest headwind stretch and within a few laps I was mixing it up, but not going with any moves just yet. As we crossed the lap line, I reached for my bottle to get a swig of water. No bottle.!.!.! Rachel was watching from the announcer's stand and told me later that my face said it all.... mostly disgusted bad words...

Time to try some of these?

I tried to forget about water and went back to racing, but I got hotter and thirstier and started slipping backward in the field. Next thing I know, I'm not racing, I'm hanging on the back for dear life. I looked at the time and was only 30 minutes into the 45. Somehow I convinced myself to hang on for two more laps, planning to repeat this process to the end. Then, as if it were magic, a bottle of Accelerade or some sports drink appeared in my hand (Thank you AP)!

Then I had ten minutes to get my legs back and move up in the field and hope like hell the two guys off the front got caught - all at the same time. I moved up on the downwind side along the longest stretch each lap from 5 laps to 2 to go. At one to go I found myself on the front, the place I did NOT want to be (Lesson learned) so I pulled off and hopped back in about fifth wheel. With about 300m to go I saw an opening and tried to go on the left while a few guys tried to go right, which meant I took the last turn on the outside. From there I gained one more place, but simply ran out of steam and finished fourth.

Crossing for fourth (Copyright Truesport.com)

To have a pretty terrible day in the saddle and finish fourth of 83 starters - I'm ecstatic! I'm excited to soon make the next step into the 1/2/3's and head into cross season - but first, it's time for a scheduled week off the bike. Starting Sunday, I became a terrible golfer instead of a bike racer - for just one week.

With the heat and no races within several hours drive this coming weekend, the break is coming at a good time. Starting next week I'll begin to ramp things up again with plenty of volume, intervals and some late season crits and hope to have a solid start at Fisherman's Park and then build into November!

Bring on the cooler weather, mud and cowbells....

Bloomington Crit

I'm gonna keep today's post short and sweet. It's been a while since I've written here, mostly because I haven't done much racing and none to write home about until this weekend. Last Sunday was a long day of base miles, 130 actually with about a hundred solo! Followed it up with a massage on Monday and back to training as usual for the week.

Saturday was Bloomington Crit. This was the home to my second race on the road ever and first criterium last year. It was a horrible experience with crashes and yo-yoing and nerves and I was in over my head. Basically after getting pulled last year I wanted another go at it this year. There were two teams with huge numbers - Scholars Inn Bakehouse and Upland Brewery. Both are local Bloomington teams and I hoped that I could fly under the radar while they were busy focusing on each other.

My legs/body didn't feel quite good enough to really give it a go early in the race, but I was also comfortable in the pack, never sliding more than a third or half way back in the field. I went against my normal M-O and did not attempt to take any primes, partly because I wasn't feeling it in the heat and partially to stay under the radar. With five to go I started moving back up, but just floated in the 5-15 range. I noticed that Upland was setting up a lead out train with Scholars Inn nearby doing the same. I had no idea who Upland was working for, but was pretty sure SIB was setting up for Depasse. With two to go I was about 13 deep and wanted to be further up but knew I could take a few places as we got the bell and the jump on a leadout at the end. Going into turn three, bad position suddenly turned to outstanding position - the guy in second wheel washed out as the turn went off camber and took out 2-10!! The guy on the front took off, I squeezed by and there was one guy between us who basically towed me around for a lap until I jumped with about 200m to go, easily overtaking the guy who'd been in front of the crash for the WIN.

It happened so fast, I can't seem to replay exactly how I got through the crash, but remember consciously not locking up the brakes, just feathering and watching for holes on my left since all the bodies and bikes were moving to the right.

Here's some awesome footage from one of the racer's go-pro camera, mounted on his bars:

I opted out of the 1/2/3 race with a stacked 70+ guy field knowing I'd burned enough matches to make staying anywhere near the front a challenge, especially with the heat. Instead I watched with beer in hand and chatted with my team mate Ryan K and Matt K's lady friend Sarah. Then it was dessert and time to hit the road, but all in all a great day racing bikes!!

Bloomington Criterium Men's 3/4 Podium (Photo Ryan Kiel/Sarah Prendergast)

Careful, that cork will take your eye out! (Photo Ryan Kiel/Sarah Prendergast)