Trifecta of Pain
Yes I skipped the report out from Fall Fling stages 1 and 2. Meh. Not much to report. We had a lot of good numbers but only managed to get Tim in the top both days.
Fun races. Slow races. Maybe the two go hand in hand if you're a hack like me. At one point in the road race I was giving a sales pitch about my wheels to another rider. Yeah...race was too slow.
Everyone has been chiming off about Rob Kelley's relegation in the Masters 40+ race. Again...meh. Most of my comments on the matter have been taken out of context by people who don't know me.
In the end the one thing I wanted to get across is as follows: I respect the official's decision. Never disputed it. I think it is critical that everyone always support the officials and any decision they make. That's how I have always rolled.
At the same time I will not let anyone stand out there and poopoo one of the smartest, nicest, competitive, safety concious, talented riders I know. The fact that he's on the team makes that even more of a reason for me to speak up.
Generally as a team we are NOT an "anything goes" group when it comes to racing, but - unlike most of the other teams in this area - we are actually pretty tight knit and we don't back down from just about anything.
Speaking of the team - it is getting bigger. We are picking up some key riders. I need some 5's for next year. If you are willing to pay for the privledge of suffering then contact me. Pre-requisite -
1. No douchebags
2. Show up to race
3. No prima-donnas
Dues: Sweat, Pain, and having to listen to Haiduk go off on you if you even mention the word "Try"-athlon. ...and buy a kit or at least a jersey. If you can't afford one we might be able to scrounge on up to borrow.
We're not officially in the business of turd polishing, but a few have been buffed. Don't know how the I got through actually.
So....on to this weekend.
As some of you know I totally screwed up my thumb on Wednesday night's bandit cross. I was racing along side of Fat Tire jersey guy (dude...send me a mail so I know your name at least! 
). Wasn't feeling very spicy with all of the hard riding I have been doing lately so I had been sitting back. Even waited until everyone rolled out before starting. Anyway - next to FTJG and he and I have been racing pretty evenly the last couple of events.
I love that and we tend to push each other a little further. So he started getting me into it as he nosed ahead and then I would and then he would. Well this built up into some speed and we ended up taking a corner faster than we had up to that point.
FTJG was in front and I heard him slide a bit and then he took a wide line into the prairie grass. I half decided, "OK we're going too fast" at the same time I thought, "here's a chance to pass him". So I dove in shallow and went for an inside line.
*THWACK* front tire went out from under me and I slammed into the ground. Bars twisted and I jammed my thumb into the ground like I was making a hole to plant seeds with it. It hurt enough that I had a flash of light instantly with intense pain. Kind of like hitting your funny bone. I knew I was hurt.
I needed less tire pressure for sure and I knew that before starting. Went to the clinic and got it x-ray'd. Not broken. Really messed up though. Super swollen and stiff. Turning black and blue today. Sucks building wheels with it. Got a queue of about 15 to build right now.....
So...this weekend. Trifecta of pain. I have a TT on Saturday, Crit on Sunday and a Cyclocross race later that same day. Not sure how I am going to do it with the thumb. We'll see. I think the TT will be fine - except for my performance. Biggest concern there is that I did a sub-par re-glue job on my tubular front TT wheel - you always do the worst work for yourself it seems. Then the concern over whether or not someone will end up thinking there is a concession when they check me out overstuffed in my sausage suit. End of season weight gain ....boo...10 lbs but coming down again.
I have found that I naturally peak in the spring and the fall. Mid-summer is the worst for me. Meh. At least now I know. My form is coming back wuickly and I am feeling more powerful every time I get on the bike. Let's hope that eventually shows by way of results. If not....let the self loathing continue.
Rubber side down everyone.....even the d'bags.
Blues be gone
Every year/season I get "burnout" or mental fatigue with riding. It's normal and everyone gets it. Sort of seems like everyone has it now. Luckily I can have 1 or 2 weeks of this and then find myself head over heels back in love with cross...
...well it starts with a shop cross ride tonight that I am leading.
Then this - Sunday. 7am. c. ya. th3r3.
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Bandit Cross
A bandit cross race is on for tomorrow morning. I can not make it but I encourage anyone else who can to go...
Peak
Haven't blogged a lot lately. Very busy. Business is going well. Selling a ton of wheels.
On top of that we are in the start of the peak of the Chicago road season. This weekend begins the annual tradition known as Superweek. I like to call it Stupidweaks. Mainly because if you race it you're stupid. You will also end up weak, and the event is a series of races over close to 3 weeks.
If you are not familiar with it then consider youself lucky. I don't remember the whole history but basically it they had a week of races in Wisconsin that drew a lot of people from all over. Over the years it has gotten bigger, more dangerous, and expanded into the flatlands of Illinois.
On tap I am racing 8 races in 5 days starting on Saturday. I will be stupid weak at the end. I will follow that up with maybe another weekend race and possibly another day the following week and then maybe soldiers field and then two races at the Chicago crit. Then you get into downers, grays lake, Oakbrook, etc.
It is burnout time at the end of this. It happens to me anyway at the end of July. I am already talking about cross season.
For those who haven't heard there was a big wreck last Sunday in the 4's and a lot of guys I am friends with were taken out. RJB, SP from Verdigris, our own SK who won the 5's that morning and upgraded, and Lenski to name a few. By far the biggest loss was South Chicago Wheelmen's own MK. You might remember him better as last cross season's "Supergirl".
MK broke his frame (Colnago ouch!) and his wrist. He says that among a list of other things his season is over. He has been racing very well and personally I will miss racing alongside of him in the short term. He says he may even miss a bit of the cross season.
I think all the talk of that is what made MJH2 and I start talking ideas a out next cross season. I have decided I think that I might be going in-costrumeo. Thinking cheerleading uniform. What are your ideas? I'll take suggestions in the comments.
A little behind in my work
I have been trying to focus a little more on work, family, and of course...riding lately. As a result I have thoughts of tons of nice things to blog about but haven't gotten around to actually blogging.
First things first....Montrose wrap-up:
It was cold. this is what it looked like when we left that morning.
I did tear up my tights in on fo the wrecks I had. Didn't notice until later. I finally washed the cross bike yesterday. The season is now over for me. Poo.
In more exciting news we had a holiday BFNIC party that Colochange put on. He was nice enough to invite a bunch of us less desirables over to his house and feed up beer. I took him up on the offer...
Above L to R: Cycling Jester (thanks for the ride DD), Recursive trying to remember why he came, Cyclpsycho/Alien, Colorchange our host, Alien2, CyLowe97.
Recursive - that's how he rolls...
iab - the premise of the party was that you brough your bike and got your picture taken with it. Nice idea. Colochange got to work another one of his hobbies in. Check out the vintage steel that iab is spoting. I can pretty much assure that it is older than anyone actually reading this.
Alien - What Woulf Jens Do. I love this shirt. For those that don't get it google "Jens Voight". Throw a lot of German/Australian accented f bombs around and you might get close.
Above L to R: Voldemort, Recursive, Alien2, Scummer, SmokinMiles, iab and Alien Funky-Dunk
Sorry about the lack of updates. I'm in a funk. Mix of end of season blues, winter.
Ah, f' it.
My form of therapy for this is to go ride my ass off. I am usually so flooded with endorphins afterwards that you could shoot me in the foot and I'd be like, "Oooo...look at that hole. It goes clear through. Nice shot!" Thank you, mother nature, for making that an impossibility.
Any-whey
Cyclocross is over. Montrose. It was cold. I was wearing 2 layers of tights....seriously. My heavy winter ones to boot. Single digits out there. Hands were so numb I was certain I was going to end up with frostbite damage. They were so cold/numb I couldn't even feel that they were there anymore. No pain or anything.
I got a great start - 3rd in by the end of the starting straight. From there I just started to make mistakes. I let a few guys go by as we got to the hill the first time because I was thinking, "these guys are still going for points, I don't want to take them out from some stupid move, I'm going to pop if I push too hard right now."
From there began the comedy of errors. The conditions changed drastically - getting more icy as the race went on. I had too much pressure in my tires after changing it 3 times...and I was running like 32-34 in clinchers.
This race sealed for me the opinion that you do need tubulars for cross racing. At least when conditions get like what we saw on Sunday.
So....some missed remounts on ice, dropping my chain and having a hell of a time putting it back on with gloves on. For the second venue in a row I kicked my brake caliper into my wheel (under the rim and into the spokes). I had to stop and pull that out. I had to put a foot down and stop so many times it was pathetic.
At one point something happened on the second downhill into the bridge. I had to dismount and run down the rest of the hill, through the tunnel and up the hill over the next barrier. It sucked.
I was a defeated man. I didn't even want to be riding anymore at that point. For the first time I thought about quitting - not because I was physically beat - but because I had lost all my motivation and just didn't want to keep getting beat so bad.
Then Bob passed me. It was similar to the feeling I get those times when Little P doesn't want to give me a hug. No love.
At that point my race was done. I had no desire to do anything other than get the race over with. Someone else passed me somewhere. Then on the home stretch I heard someone moving up on me.
There was a section of pavement near the start/finish that I had wipped out on during a practice lap. I then watched tons of guys go down in the same spot in every race after that. it had a poor transition between the pavement and the grass and the pavement was slick and 100% ice.
I had taken it slow everytime through there just to stay upright and it had cost me about 1 position every lap. This time again I was coasting over that section as this guy was nailing it. I wasn't going to give this one up. He had about half a wheel on me and the momentum when I decided to sprint. I clicked up about 3 or 4 gears and just layed into it.
I realized I hadn't even dug deep at all that entire race. Sad. I had a lot in reserves and took him at the line. He gave me a "Nice finish. How many laps did we do?"
All I could muster was a, "I don't know....3 or 4."
Turns out it was 5. Who knew.
I finished 23/52. Blech. I gave it away. MJH2 got a 7th. Congrats man. Way to go into the offseason with a top 10. Way to stay vertical.
Cross is over. Winter is here. Trainer season has started at Bicycle Heaven. Between Tuesday night and Thursday night sessions there and spending time with my family I hope to remain sane.
The TT build is about 90% there in terms of parts. I tend to hold things off because I like to prolong it. I don't like the thought of having a build complete in December and not getting to ride it outside for months.
I may complete it earlier than normal though so that I can ride the trainer with it and do the indoor TT series on it this winter as practice for the next season's TT's.
Meh.
Double Meh.
Bah humbug.
Pic of Montrose from velogrrl...
I must be stupid
Hi. It's in the single digits out there today. Lots of snow. I'm just about on my way to go race my bicycle. I just spend about an hour digging for all those deep winter clothing items. Balaclava....last piece of the equation.
So...when you're sitting there watching the Bears play today just think that just a few miles away Yours truly will be riding his bike over frozen mud, and off-camber snow and ice at the Illinois Cyclocross Championships in Montrose.
It beats riding the trainer. I think.
Last weekend Race Reports
The man with the best seat in the house
For those keeping score that's me coming across the line at the end...ready to die....and before you ask - yes that's a girl who finished in front of me. I am sure someone will chime in about her palmares, etc. but ...it's a girl....and she beat me.
Now...I on sunday I was starting to not look forward to racing anymore. I was beat up so badly in Wisconsin that it broke my soul. That performance after Northbrook - which was a loser of a day as well - had me feeling like my season was truly over. I wasn't even sure I wanted to toe the line.
We stopped and ate at a McDonalds - yes...haven't eaten there in forever and it rocked - and I almost couldn't manage to get together enough will to get up from the stool to head out to the race.
Getting crushed at races is an expected thing when you start. It's also an expected thing when your form wanes. That doesn't change the fact that you still feel like a piece of poo when it happens. It just kills a tiny piece of your soul. Hurts. I was not looking forward to the pain
...then we turned the corner and I could see the course. Holy crap my mood did a 180. It was as flat as my first girlfriend (4th grade) and the only things that broke it up were the sandpit and 3 barriers. That's it. It was a grass crit. These things are made for people like me. If you're keeping score that means that it was made for short fat guys who can duck out of the wind and lay down some serious power....Wisconsin guys say it was an FIB course.
I did a happy dance in my mind.
It was still painfully cold though.
This is MJH2 and myself talking about the race/course with Ara who had just gotten done. You can see his wheel on the left hand side. Can you tell we're really f'n cold or that 2 days racing have started taking their toll already?
Here's Ara rockin the pit in the 1/2/3 race. Photo from link off Pegasus blog (Luke). Check out his other photos here
The race was pretty much what I expected. It came down to the start. I got a crappy one. You can see it in the video. I was second row right behind Bob from Beverly. We were all lined up on the left and the right side was the one that made it into the turn first. By the first turn I was right behind MJH2 and we were an easy 20 guys back. It sucked.
I couldn't find a groove early on. The 2 day's of racing had taken their toll. I just didn't have anything deep. It was the kind of course where you could put it in the big ring and ride 99.9% of it there. I was running the sand for sure. I tried to ride it early on in practice and just couldn't hit it at all. There was a barrier before the sand that was close enough to make it hard for me to get up enough speed to carry the sand.
I didn't bend to the crowd pressure and stuck with running. After the first lap I was wanting to quit. I have been feeling that way lately. Sad. I know enough about myself now to know that's just my body getting going. As long as I keep turning the pedals I will come out the other side of it. I gave up some spots. Flanman passed me at one point and I couldn't hold his wheel long. I gave up a lot of ground to others for sure.
Then on the second to last lap I started to feel it. My groove was coming on. I passed 4 riders at once, followed up by some other quick passes. At this point lapped traffic started to filter down through us. Don't know what it is about cross, but lapped traffic is a total PITA. In a crit it's no biggie even if they take the line, but in cross they really slow you down and get in the way. You never have any breath left to yell either.
I got cut off and run into a few times by lapped traffic. Shiz happens I guess.
I really hit a groove on the last lap. I was feeling good, and was actually hoping for another lap or two. This was probably because when I hit the pavement section I looked to see where the next rider was and saw it was Bob from Beverly and he was in the pit. There was no way I was going to be able to catch him before the line.
The pit was crazy. Rabid cross fans feeding on beer, brats and the energy of each other. Check the videos to see what I mean. It's weird because the rest of the course was dead silent with no spectators....then you entered the tunnel of sound. Yelling, bell ringing, people crowding the rout and in the way from time to time. It was crazy....crazy awesome.
I ended up finishing strong, but the damage had already been done. I ended up 20th. Poop.
Video from the Lansing race. You can see me and MJH2 lined up in the front row on the opposite side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtQ42Lt6qDg
Find more videos like this on veloist
Nemeses
Still no time to post race reports. I have some good ones though. Lots of people shot video. Beverly Bob sent me some via Ara that show MJH2 and myself running the pit.
I was checking out Chicago Bike Racing and they linked to Cross Results.com Messed up....weird place. Awesome idea. I especially like the Nemeses and Victims. Check out my profile on there...