Crystal’s AeroCat R509
Thanks to the fine folks at AeroCat - our new Bicycle Sponsor for the team - a new R509 showed up for Crystal. Combined with some smoking SRAM Red and some new PSIMET 50mm Carbon Clincers I predict this rig may become the envy of the women's fields. BB30? Check. Tapered head tube? Check. Full carbon fork? Check. Internal routings? Check. Full carbon ass-kicking device? Check.
New AeroCat Team Bike for Crystal
I'll post some pictures and build info once I get it finished. Sorry for the iPhone pic. One of our Cat 4 killers also picked one up and is going with a similar build that is being built tonight. Another (the aluminum version) will also be built up in the next week or so.
I said a lot has been going on. People should know by now that PSIMET doesn't sleep.
Reluctantly crouched on the starting line
Whether I like it or not the season is upon us. The kits are all ordered. The team has been assembled. Races have been registered for. Some early season team rides have already occurred. These should be good things.
Alas - I find myself looking at pictures from our team party last weekend and noticing only 1 thing - the thing I knew was there but was trying to sweet talk myself into thinking it would disappear....my fat.
Those of you who have been around a while know this is a perennial problem for perpetual Cat 4 racers. Turns out when the mercury - alright alcohol, I mean let's face it thermometers haven't had mercury in them for a long time - dips below freezing and the night rides are too dangerous and too much of a hassle we tend to find solace in holiday cheer (food and booze).
Then as we emerge from our winterly slumber to once again throw a leg over our carbon and aluminum contraptions we are faced with hauling an additional uninvited guest up each hill. We know how it happens. We know what it takes to stop it from happening and what ti takes to remove it and yet every season it seems to be the same.
So once again I find myself sweating for hours at a time on a torture device called a trainer. Swearing once again that I will never let myself get to this point again - and yet knowing deep inside it will most likely happen next winter. I am putting in more hours at this time of year than I ever have thanks to my coach. My legs are feeling like rocks - similar to how they feel mid-season and yet I am still down a bit on power. The thought of actually completing Hillsboro and Leland is amusing to say the least. At this point I can only hope for a few nice people to ride OTB with WHEN I get dropped.
Right now I find myself yearning for the short intensity of crit racing. I miss the chatter, and the yelling. I miss the lively nature of the scene as everyone runs around getting ready, warming up, or standing in line for the horrid porta-potty. I miss that uneasy tension you feel towards the end of the instructions where you start to realize that the race is on, about to start and you are questioning whether or not you are ready.
My wheel queue is stacked. Deep. There are 4 bikes on my list to build this week or next. Coach has me on the highest number of hours to date. To top it all off the weather looks like it will be good this weekend. Hello 2010.
Congrats!
2 races. 2 victories.
Congrats to Scott on winning the second Cat 3 indoor TT in a row.
Congrats to Raviv, Arron and Joe as well for great placings! This season is off to a killer start.
My apologies for not bloggin enough recently but the shop - IS - SWAMPED! Between trainer time and builds its amazing I sleep - oh yeah I don't. The season is upon us.
Noice
It begins.
With a flurry of mouse clicks and keystrokes the 2010 Chicago racing season began. Once again the cat 5 spots filled up instantly. Cat 4 was at 115 last I checked - within an hour of registration opening.
Honestly, I think something should be done. What would that be? I don't know. It just seems that coming off winter training and knowing that many new people to the sport decide to give it a try next season that the number of new racers that end up with a bad taste in their mouths about missing out on reg seems to be increasing.
Meh. - I've got a lot of thoughts about that topic in general - without trying to seem inflamatory I'd propose that its the 3/4/5 crowd that drives the sport. With that in mind I think provisions should be made to work more cat 5's (or even 4's for that matter) into the big early season races. I understand the logistics. I'm not sure how it would be done either. I understand that the rules stipulate only 50 5's in a field - for good reason, etc. I'm just suggesting that wouldn't it be possible to run a second cat 5 heat right behind the first one - separated by 10 minutes or soand wearing different color numbers? It might take 15 minutes to fill all the spots instead of 5 if that second heat existed. Just sayin...
Training is the meh. I've been putting in decent hours for me - which isn't saying much - but doing it at killer intensity. Good thing is coach says my ftp has definitely increased already - meaning my form is coming back much quicker than I thought it would.
I hate this time of year. Hours of time spent on trainers in basements staring into the depths of insanity as you watch time click off second by second knowing you have at least 1 more HOUR at the present intensity. It's worse then having to travel to some inane conference for business that includes you spending near 24 hrs a day with a "team" you were assigned to where the tasks include role playing and "touching base" with what was just covered to make sure it has sunk in. Both seem to be fundamental in personal development but both can also make you appreciate the whole psychiatric profession.
In other news I would like to welcome the following sponsors to PSIMET racing!
Tradesmithe - General Contractors
Provident Clinical Research and Consulting
Here's to 2010. Rubber side down.
2010 ABD Indoor TT #1
Raviv in post TT glow - number 1.
Well the Saturday before last saw the first "event" of the 2010 season. The ABD Indoor TT series is back once again in an attempt to allow us Midwestern trainer jockeys to come out of the concrete and sweat covered basements to brave the elements in hopes of seeing friends we haven't seen in months....so we can try to beat them.
We are indeed a twisted lot.
More importantly this year was the fact that this was the first real event in which our new team would be racing. Now I don't know about you but I personally have found I have made significant progress during this winter out-pacing my previous year's efforts at gaining weight and losing form. I have been so successful with this that I decided that I didn't even need to bother with entering the event as it was apparent what the outcome would be.
There were 4 PSIMET Racing team members who were in fact participating. Raviv, Scott, Joe, and Arron. This was Arron's first event of this type so I decided to do what I do best in these situations - stand next to him and call him names in hopes that it would result in him taking an extra step or two into his own personal pain cave - even if the batteries to his flashlight were dead. Is that even an analogy anymore?
Raviv did a double - 4's and 30+.
Arron Before
Arron After. See the difference?
Arron During the TT
pain
Arron's Stats. Nice job.
Joe getting ready to crush souls
Joe throwing down some power
Joe and Raviv During the TT
Raviv During the TT - Nice form.
Joe and Raviv's Final numbers. Joe with the win but Raviv following closely.
Final tally put Joe in 2nd in the cat 4 overall with Raviv and Arron both in the top 8 as well. Probably the biggest news of the day though - and with no pictures because this idiot had to leave - Scott Knoepke won the cat 3 TT. He crushed it. He's an animal and we all know it. Not only was this Scott's first event win in cat 3, but it was also PSIMET Racing's first victory as well. 1 race - 1 win. I like that. Thanks Scott!
Now it's to the basements we once again return. Trainer tires mounted. Fans plugged in and humming. Music set loud still can not drown out the voices in our heads which scream for the torture to end just as soon as we begin to turn the pedals.....
....there was sunlight this morning though - at a time when there hasn't been any. Can't wait...
PSIMET Racing Team 2010
Please help to welcome one of the newest teams in the Chicago racing community - PSIMET Racing.
http://www.psimet.com/team.html
Multi-diciplined team focusing on teamwork, fun, family, and integrity.
I have a booth at the Chicago Swap - hope to see you there. Stop by and say hi and/or to learn about the team.
Hold On
Lots of news and information to covey. Not enough time to do it. Soon...I promise.
Customers who have been awaiting responses - thanks for your patience. I promise I am working on it.
Keep your eyes peeled.....
Pretty please?
Someone please buy this for me....
http://chicrossphoto.com/
Yes I am still around. Wheels are flying out the door like crazy, been very sick, lots of family things going on.....oh and I've been getting fat(er). I am off next week so i am sure I will have a few blog posts to entertain.... 