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)

Short track #4

The main reason for this post - Christina G, aka RedHeadedPhotographer took some awesome pictures this week (season) at short track and I wanted you to see them. Some of the best color and lighting I've ever seen. Check out her Facebook albums here and here.

Week 4 - climbing

Week 4 - through the woods

Week 1 - TwinSix Metal Kit

Brockman hot on my wheel week two or three

As for the boring race report part - I started mid pack, moved up to fourth behind Brockman and settled in. The body was good, but I was constantly fighting a mental battle to push through the pain that is lactic acid build up. Mitchell and Anthony left us again and I managed to keep Brockman in check until we got "one to go" instead of three due to Tornado Warning sirens. I caught him at the top of the climb, stayed close down the hill and passed him with a third of a lap to go. We're in a tight battle for third that should be decided by who wins between us next week with double points on the line.

Another State Champs weekend...

I owe a big thanks to my coach for having me ready for a big weekend of local racing...

I got to do this...

Jude Clark Memorial Criterium - Cat 3/4 Podium

And this...

KY State Road Race Championship - Cat 3 Podium

... on back to back days!!!

It was a great weekend of racing - there's no doubt about it! I have to admit, after a rest week a week ago followed by my worst half hour on a bike this year (Wednesday's STXC race) I wasn't all that optimistic.

Saturday morning the weather was awful. The 5's and 4/5's started in rain, but luckily it let up before our start and we only had a few wet laps. Early in the race a break of three got away that I knew I should have been in, but was just a bit late seeing it. The two danger men were Joel Eastman and Andrew Beckman of McDonalds and Clarksville Schwinn - both had 4+ guys in the field to block and their gap grew to nearly 30 seconds. In all honesty I was pretty sure we were racing for fourth, but thanks to a well timed field prime the field pulled the gap down, I took the prime but tasted the late breakfast of Papa Johns. Quickly a Clarksville rider, a McDonalds rider and I had a gap on the field and I knew if we could join forces with the break of three we'd be gone. No such luck, it all came back together. From then on I followed the right wheels and with 5 to go set up in the front six or so in the field and was comfortable, then somehow in the last turn I got pushed wide (by a shoulder) and came out about ninth. I didn't panic, and as the field opened their sprint to the left, I let it rip down the right side and took the W with about a bike length to spare!

Sunday's weather was no better in the morning but we rolled in, got ready and things cleared up. I lined up with 27 guys including two teams fielding five guys. The 1/2's were also combined with our field since there were only three of them. From the gun, McDonalds put a guy on the front and stretched it out. The occasional attack tried to go, but nothing got very far up the road. I was concerned about the climb, but after the first lap it didn't seem so bad. I put in a couple of small attacks but never fully committed and then on the final decent I decided to try and catch those that know me off guard and attacked with four miles to go. I got a gap, Slomo bridged across but the chase was on so we gave it up and geared up for the climb. I made it to the top second wheel and followed what I knew were solid wheels from then into the last turn. Bikeclicks started sliding up the right so I jumped on, then Slomo and Cornelius moved up the left so I jumped on there and opened up a decent sprint behind Nate to take second in the field and first Cat 3.

VeloVivid Photography got great shots of both days. Check out Jude Clark Crit photos and Head First Magazine/Waddy RR photos and support a great local photog!

And back to the beginning of the post and the Thank You - You've seen pictures, but never been officially introduced - my coach is Erik Fagerberg who works with Curtis Tolson Coaching. If you're interested in coaching services I'll gladly get you in touch with him. He has certainly made me stronger, faster and more disciplined while keeping it fun!

McDonald's Tri-State Criterium

I didn't get a lot of pictures, and it's been over a week so I'll keep it short and sweet.

The venue was AWESOME! It was a downtown four corner crit with better than average pavement and bars/restaurants/people scattered  all around adding a buzz to the course.

The payouts were HUGE! $1500 for the Cat 3/4 and $2500 for the Cat 1/2/3, you don't find that kind of money in a race often, thanks to McDonalds, Jeff's Bike Shop, and all the other great sponsors!

The field sizes were OK. For a first year race with a three day omnium, Mohican 100, and a state time trial all happening within six hours, the fields were actually pretty good but I expect this race will draw huge turnouts next year!

The 3/4 race contained a lot of familiar faces with a LOT of red and yellow McDonalds kits. Those guys played the tactics game nicely and got one guy up the road early, then another and then yet another while much of the rest of the field was content to let them go. I attempted to bridge a handful of times, but was too late and never made it across. With a lap to go the field was racing for fourth and Mr Sells jumped earlier than I expected, no one would chase so I went after him alone and finished fifth. Not the result I wanted, but the envelope still had a good amount of green stuff!

The 1/2/3 race was my first with the big boys and I had one goal - to hang on! The field was only 27 deep and while most of the favorites had fresh legs, about half of the guys were in a similar boat to me after racing either the 3/4 or the Master's. I stayed in the front ten or so for several laps, then saw the front (behind the break) for the first time about 18 minutes in, then until about 26 minutes in felt like I was going to die as the field began chasing the break. I kept drifting back spots in the straightaways until suddenly there was no where else to go - I was the last guy! This was the breaking point, either dig in and hold on for the rest of the race or pull the plug. I climbed back up a few places but still felt like hell when coach appeared and said, "Just hang on..." or something like that. A couple laps later, the field slowed a bit and I was able to recover and work my way back to the middle at least. Then with about seven lapping the field, I wanted to stay out of the way and let them do their thing. I had a little more in the legs during the last three laps getting in position, but again it was time to stay out of the way so I just sprinted from the last turn and held my place for 16th. Not great, but the goal of hanging on was exceeded - mission accomplished.

Since then I've had a couple more short track races, a lack of nutrition bonk at a five spot, and spent a weekend immersed in wedding festivities for the joining of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jones. Now things are ramping back up for the Jude Clark Criterium and the KY State Road Race this weekend!