Manions CX 2013

Courtesy of Roger Harrison


Finally!!! My first cross race of the season has come and gone and again it was at Manions. I think I like this venue but also hate it...I think the hate comes from being the first race of the season and suffering on a higher level at a place that isn't conducive for my big ass to "do well"...I guess I shouldn't say "do well"...I did manage a 6th out of 18 loonies today in classic CX conditions....you know...wind, rain and MUD!!!!!

On to the race...The rain started early today which meant the mud tires I put on yesterday would be spot on and the worked well for the most part...anyway...The rain eased to a light variety and I set off to do my warm up. My traditional warm up was tossed out the window today due to conditions but I did do 2 recon laps and then headed to the road to get ready.

Sufficiently warmed up I head to the start line to keep my NO DFL rule intact...I was golden and got a spot on the front row!! When it was finally go time my new starting technique helped me grab the holeshot! I was totally not expecting that, it was a good thing though, because the first really technical turn became a bottle neck and the gaps started to open to those who were in the first 7 or 8 positions.

I think I led about 2/3rds of the first lap it was then the eventual winner rolled by me and set sail. A short time later Roger Williams comes rolling by on a freakin single speed only to ride away...oh well...I'm in 3rd and not blind yet. I stayed in 3rd for the next 3 laps I think it was then I started to suffer...and this eventually cost me 2 spots...back to 5th.

Still in 5th with 2 to go Josh Taylor was slowly closing the gap to me and just before we started the last lap he got by me. I was good with it at this point because the majority of the next few long sections were headwind and I was gonna sit on and hide. The ultimate plan was to sprint Josh for the position but that didn't happen...

We were wheel to wheel for about the first 1/3 of the track, then I bobbled, had to dismount to get gong again and kinda gassed myself a little do this but I did get back to his wheel. Shortly after that there was a super greasy off camber turn that I had been riding all day and this time I had all kinds of problems...Josh ran it and gapped me...this led to a downhill that I hadn't had a problem all day until now....I put a little more effort in to closing the gap on this section and was rewarded with being bucked sideways at speed and having to do a mach speed power slide to the tape to keep from wadding myself up and taking a mud sample...this was were it was over.

Would I have done anything different? Probably not. Am I happy with the result? Yeah because last year I had waaaaay better fitness going in to this season and finished 7th on a dry fast course. At this point I'm not sure if I will line up on Sunday...My bike is clean and I suppose I'm ready to go if the urge hits me...we shall see.

E

Cyclocross camp

Man...it's been a while since my last post!! I guess racing less this year means less posts...let's see...I did do a couple of crits...the Tour of KC and the Tour of Lawrence. Nothing special to write about there, I suppose that's why I didn't...I stayed upright and finished about 22nd in both races, although I was inside the the money going into the last turn in Larry town but a few knuckleheads in front of me decided to get close and personal and try to crash...which meant I had to check up and we all know hitting the brakes coming into the last turn of a race at 30+ equals going backwards quickly...so much for getting entry fee back...oh well.

Moving on...after those races it was time to look forward to cyclocross...which as I write this is still a month away. This year I decided that I wanted to attend a CX camp which I did, the Fascat CX camp in Boulder Colorado with Jeremy Powers and John Verheul of JBV Coaching. http://www.jbvcoaching.com/

Obviously if you're a seasoned CX racer you know who Jeremy is, on the other hand you probably don't know who John Verheul is. I'm not sure if it's widely known, but he is considered by those in the know to be the best CX bike fit/setup guru as well as being a top notch coach. Both of the guys were great to learn from.

I was crazy nervous about attending this camp and I'm not sure why...it's probably the fact that I ride and race CX on a 29er MTB frame and fork with a low rise flat bar instead of the traditional CX ride. I gotta admit, I did get a few sideways looks being the only flat bar out of 30ish riders, but once we got going and working on skills the looks went away....and I think it was because they realized I had skeeeeelz!!!

A side note, I did get the "why the flat bar" question 4 or 5 times...To the 10's of you that read this, you already know the answer to that question, but for those that don't, I don't believe a road bar offers any real advantage over a "flat" bar! Yes I know it's not traditional...but who cares?!

So the camp starts on Friday at 3:00pm. We meet at Fascat and ride as a group over to Valmont bike park to ride the 2014 CX nationals course. If any of you have been to this park you know how RIDICULOUSLY BAD ASS this place is, for those that don't know...this park is for every cyclist that likes dirt, it has a dirt jumping track, dual slalom track, singletrack everywhere, 2 permanent sets of CX steps with berms and small jumps throughout!!! Once we rode into this place I thought I died and had gone to where the gods of dirt tread!! I totally felt like a 12 year old...while we were riding the course as a group, I was catching air whenever I could...it made me giddy...TEEHEE!!!

Here's a few more pics I poached from the google.

The last 2 pics are of one the permanent stair features...CX races would never be the same around here if we had such a place!! I think this place is a must see.

Onward...Saturday and Sunday were spent working on CX skills. I have to be honest, I didn't think I would learn anything at this camp but surprisingly, I was wrong! My dismount is definitely improved and I learned a few little secrets about starting too, I did learn how to shoulder a bike properly which got me a lot black and blue on my right arm and shoulder. As for the rest, for me anyway, it was stuff I'm already good at, mostly bike handling stuff...I am an old MTBer and riding on a grass course is waaaaaaaay easier the going fast in the woods over roots and rocks while dodging trees!

Anyway...was the camp a good investment? Yeah I think so. I think any racer would come away with more useful knowledge to hone their skills with than practicing on you own sans a camp.

C'MON CX!!!

E

The Dirty Kanza 2013

Let's see...

Another year has rolled by and again I went to Emporia to get me some Flint Hills gravel. For 2013 the great peeps that run the Dirty Kanza decided it would be a good idea to do a half distance DK...110 miles officially. This made me happy, mostly due to the fact I've tried the 200 twice and for one reason or another had yet to reach even halfway let alone complete this 200 mile bout with the Flint Hills of Kansas, so sign up for the half I did and here's my story.



Anyone who has done this race knows the day starts early...for me it started at 4:30, get dressed, eat breakfast, down some caffeine, love me some caffeine, and be on the bike riding to the start by 5:30 at the latest!! On the bike now and wound up for a variety of reasons, I drill it to the start line...about 3 miles. You know what they say, the longer the race, the shorter the warmup...well...whatever I did worked because I never suffered in the first hour, and I was with the lead group out of town for the half....and we were flying!!



Moving on...The start was staggered 15 minutes and I'm sure some of the 100 riders rolled out with the 200...oh well. I started out fairly fast and a group of about 15 quickly formed at what I thought was the front of the 100. I felt within myself and wasn't worried about the speed at this point. We started a rotation, not a very good one I might add, the guys were taking 2 minute+ pulls, I limited mine to 30 seconds, this went on for about an hour maybe less.

Our group came to some GIANT mud holes, this is where the 100 and 200 came back together as well. My group disintegrated because it was a hike a bike...oh well...once I got through I started riding my pace which was faster than I had anticipated but no worries. A few miles later the course was pointed straight at Texaco hill.



Once to the top of this climb I stopped and took a look around for a minute...there's something about this part of the world...and I like it!! A handful of miles later the course split again, this is where the 200 went it's own way for good, well at least until the rolled into Cottonwood Falls. Shortly after this split there was a water station for the 100. I asked how many had come by and he said about 8-10, this was encouraging! I could see a rider about a half mile ahead of me at the base of what turned out to be about 4 miles of climbing, so I set out to catch up before we turned into the wind.



I got to the top of the climb and saw a rider that was in the early group was close so I waited for him and he and I started to work taking turns into the wind. We eventually caught the rider I was trying to run down on the climb and the 3 of us started to work which was nice because the wind was howling 20mph+ and we had 30 miles to go til the checkpoint. Eventually we shelled the guy I waited for and the two of us set sail...this is where the wheels sort of came off...somewhere between miles 40 and 50 we missed a right turn and didn't realize it until 5-6 miles later.



Once we figured out we needed to go back the way we came, we get rolling and a 1/4 mile later a farmer stopped us and said "you boys aren't lost, you're confused...you missed you turn about 4 miles back"...at this point he tells us the road we are on will eventually connect with the course so just stay on it and you will get back on track. This guy was awesome!! We would have eventually got back on track but it would NOT have been that easy!!! Thanks farmer dude!!! So we get rolling and something feels weird about my bike...ugh...the front tire is flat...leave it to me to find the one piece of wood on a bazilion miles of gravel that will give me a flat...talk about insult to injury!! A quick change and away we go.

Once back on course we were working again and my legs were getting tired, I was starting to worry a bit because I had been eating and drinking like I was supposed to so this wouldn't happen. We finally reach the right turn onto pavement which would be the last 3 miles to the checkpoint with a tailwind!! A good opportunity to spin out the legs right before a break. At the checkpoint I was at 71 miles and should've had 60....



I was at the checkpoint for about 10 minutes-ish...got refueled, loaded up with the stuff I would need for the next 50 miles and headed out. I looked for the guy I was riding with so I wouldn't have to face the next 25 miles of headwind alone but no luck...so away I went, solo.

I was feeling okay when I rolled out but after about 12 miles I was feeling good again and rode a sustainable pace into the wind and went as fast as I could when I was with the wind. I did stop 3 times briefly the first two to move turtles off the road, I wanted to make sure I had enough good karma for the last 50. The third stop had me stop and help a girl named Kimbal. She was running a tubless CX set up with only Co2's to refill and the bead had come off, which meant she was screwed because she didn't have a pump...I guess I needed more good karma because I more or less changed and aired it up for with the pump I WAS carrying...it was faster for me to do it anyway...she was fighting it. I got her rolling and away I went.

I finally reach about 25 miles to go and the course from this point on was tailwind or quartering tailwind. I had my computer on ride time so I would eat every 15-20 minutes. I put my head down and drilled the last 25 miles which took about an hour and 10 minutes...I was a man on a mission!! I covered the last 50 in 3 hours total and felt strong while doing so. I gotta admit I was a little bummed when I turned onto main street for the finish, due to getting lost on the first leg and adding about 50 minutes to this melee, but that quickly went away when the crowd that had gathered cheered me as I rolled to the to finish. That by itself is what made me want to do it again!!!



As I look back, I think about my first attempt at the 200 in 2011...I did everything wrong and suffered horribly, I honestly have never suffered that bad for that long. Last year, 2012, I might have been able to complete the 200 but it just wasn't meant to be. This year I trained for the half and my efforts were rewarded with a strong 123.5 mile ride...it was supposed to be 110 but apparently I need more Flint Hills gravel!!



Anyway...if this year went well I was considering attempting the 200 again next year with the goal of beating the sun...at this point I don't think I will do that but it's a year away and people change their minds. I will however, at the minimum, do the 100 again I absolutely had a blast!!! If you are looking to challenge yourself, the 100 will give you all you can handle and maybe more I GUARANTEE IT!!

Final numbers...9:03:34 total ride time for 123.5 miles...I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!



E

F'ing WEATHER!!!

Okay, Mutha Nature....we submit!!! We the cycling community have been tapping out for a month now...could we please get a week or two of nice dry weather?!?!?! F**K!!!!

The majority of you, including myself, out there ride trainers in the winter for a few months with the motivating goal of getting outside on a regular basis starting about the beginning of March...well...for some reason Mutha Nature has increased her hatred of cyclists this year and released her wrath several times along with cold, snow, rain, and overall shit conditions to train in with no end in sight...at least for the next 5+ days....LAME!!!!!

I'm thinkin if this spring is any indication of what's to come weather wise for the rest of the year...better stock up on mud tires for CX because we're gonna need 'em!!!

Moving on...I did line up for the Bone Bender...I thought I wanted to do this race but not really, after the fact I was looking at the list of races I picked to do and this one had a HUGE quetion mark beside it...the reason for that was after the 2012 version I decided that I wouldn't do that race again, just because it's a brutal place to do battle in the woods...at least from my perspective. Riding at Clinton lake is fun, racing at Clinton lake...not so much!!!



I was rolling along okay during this race, I was in 7th outta 28 after 1 in the 40-49 open...so I get to my cooler, reload and convince myself to do another lap. After the first section of single track I pulled the plug...I wasn't having fun and the thought of 12 more miles at Clinton wasn't very appealing and on top of that, at the time thought I was DFL...oh well. I like doing 3 hour races, hell, I liked doing the R.I.M. 6 hour, as a team, but still liked doing it. If the Bone Bender moves to a new venue I will probably line up again...if it's at Clinton lake again...I'm good.

Mutha Nature...you're a HO!!!

E

Random stuff and MTB racing...

As you can tell by the by the picture above, I have a new frame and fork. When I was pondering what color of new steed, I was thinking about an all black model which has a very cool "stealth" look to it, but decided on this color scheme instead, mostly because I have two black carbon bikes and didn't want another.

I got it put together the other day and of course the weather is going to be CRAP for the foreseeable future and when it does clear up the roads will be shit again because of the impending snowpocalypse...thanks Mutha Nature...HO!!!

Moving on...Tomorrow is supposed to be the 1st MTB race of the season...as of right now I haven't decided if I'm going...that's gonna be a game day decision. The great determining factor will be how much freakin snow is on the ground and how F'D up the roads are...I'm not too concerned with the course conditions as I will be racing my CX machine...which should be an advantage...maybe...

Winter in the middle of the country can go away ANYTIME NOW!!!

E

2013 race number 2...

There's not much to write about this one. I will say this, I'm getting tired of putting on every stitch of winter gear I own to ride or race!!! This past Thursday and Friday was a freakin TEASE!! I'll take it though! I was thinking going into this race that I would be going a little better, and as I have thought about yesterday I think I am, again, the results don't show it...oh well...I don't need to be flying right now...C'mon CX!!

Anyway, the field was decent sized, about 25ish in the masters race. At the whistle we take off and the pace goes up for about a 1/4 of a lap and settles down. On the 2nd lap I decide to go to the front and drive, making sure to ride in the gutter when it would make the field suffer. After about a lap and change of being on the front the field got itchy and we were racing...the next few laps had me nearly blind, my legs feeling like LEAD and close to coming unhitched from the field, fortunately the pace relaxed and life was good. I guess the pace was sufficient enough to shuck part of the field...I never looked back to see this damage but I do know we lapped a few small groups.

Moving on, the middle of the race was "normal". After the last prime was contested a small group of 3 riders decided to give it a go to the line. Initially the gap was manageable and I was thinking about going across because it was looking like a winning move, according to my gut, but I decided to watch and wait...in this wait and see period 2 different teammates of 2 guys up the road managed to get the field slowed long enough for the gap to become unassailable....LAME!! As I have said before, listen to your gut...IT'S ALWAYS RIGHT!!!!!!

With 3 to go I decided to give the finale a go, I had a good position about 10th or so which I maintained. Coming to the last turn the pace was high, we make the last turn and it's on. I'm following a wheel and when I get enough speed up and come out of the draft, I was greeted by a NASTY head wind and had to tuck back in til I got a little closer, this pretty much sealed my fate for an inside the top 10 finish...I'm not sure where I ended up, but probably about where I started my sprint....11th or 12th...maybe.

Oh well, that's racing and you can't be great every race.

E

It's officially on...

This past Saturday kicked off the 2013 racing season for me. So I headed out to the Spring Fling at Clinton lake in Lawrence to see what sort of fitness I had.

As I look back on the race, it went pretty good, I finished 11th out of 24. It wasn't a really hard race but not an easy one either. I tried to go with a move early on in the race, but the group was not having it. The early move had me suffering pretty good once we got reeled in but I managed to get recovered, so life was good again. I tried to go with another small move at about 5 laps to go and again it was shut down. Between those 2 efforts it was a "normal" crit...if there is such a thing.

After that the race settled down for the last 4 laps. I was in a decent position on the left side of the group about 6 back going into the last lap and maintained it fairly well until the backside. The right side swarmed up and across and I was pinned against the snow and surrounded so I had to wait until the last turn to gun it. I managed to pick off about 4 or 5 riders and was about a half a bike length from a top 10.

I felt pretty good on Saturday, waaaaaaaay better than this time last year!!!! I felt a little short on the top end but overall, I'm happy with how I felt. A better finish would've been nice, but a little tactical error on my part...stupid early season race brain!! Anyway...hmmm...Oh yeah, it's still winter and there's A LOT of racing ahead, so no worries!!

E