2014...A new Beginning...

All pics courtesy of Roger Harrison!

So this year I decided to leave the Bicycle Shack and ride for Boulevard again. There are a few reasons but the main one is I needed a change in scenery. Also Boulevard isn't dedicated solely to the road scene...they also like to play in the dirt, mud and sand, also known as CYCLOCROSS!!!! Which I'm all about these days...as if you didn't already know this.

Anyway, the first race of the season has come to pass and this year it was on my birthday, which would normally mean cold and crappy conditions, but not this year!! By the time I had left it was 60+ degrees and sunny, an epic February day to say the least!!

Moving on, when I arrived at the venue it didn't really hit me or bother me that I was racing on a different team...that came when I was warming up and really got me when the race started...I gotta say it was a bit unsettling to say the least.

On to the race...there's not much to say about it. I'm not targeting any particular race to train for until CX season rolls around, that being said, my fitness was okay and I didn't suffer horribly...anyway...As I was warming up 2 riders from a Team Undiscovered were warming up and I say to my long time racing buddy, "one of those 2 guys will win today" and of course I was right.

The race was pretty hard from the gun as the aforementioned riders took turns beating on the field. Each time they would attack a small group of 4-5 riders would from behind and he would sit up...I bridged up to a couple of these moves early in the race only to find that the anchor had been tossed out on the road and we would be reeled back in soon thereafter.

After about 20 minutes of continuous attacks, one more went and it was then the rest of the field was good with racing for 2nd...I have said this before...I don't understand why this is a good thing...the field could have easily brought this guy back...but no. I guess I shouldn't complain because I didn't take up the chase, but would have gladly helped if it came down to it...oh well...that's racing.

A parting shot flying the Shack colors during my warmup...

2013 in the rear view mirror....

Let's see...I haven't posted anything for a bit. So an update first...After the GP HPT was the Lost Trail race, this was the beginning of a crappy stretch for me...I scored a DNF...LAME!!!

Next up was the Penn Valley race...when I got to the venue at the usual time I found the course still being set up and ended up helping...this cut into my warm up time which did not help!!! Oh yeah the course was either up or down...not good for me...to say I had a bad day on the bike is an understatement!!! I suffered horribly and pulled the plug for another DNF shortly before I was to be lapped by the machine known as John Jones!

Up next was the Epic holiday race...I finally got back on track and landed on the podium again in 3rd, I had a good ride this day and managed to keep a hard riding Paul Aldeguer at about 10-15 seconds for the entire race...he kept me honest the whole way!!!

And finally, the New Longview race...I was having an okay ride in 2nd and picked up a thorn or something...another effin DNF...I still haven't cleaned my bike and found the culprit...mostly because that was my last race of 2013. I kinda wanted to do the last race of the year but that's not going to happen because my give a damn is in hibernation and I'm good with it.

Moving on...the 2013 season for me was okay, not great but not bad either. Unlike 2012, my give a damn broke in August...I kinda knew it would but was hoping it wouldn't. See the 2012 end of season write up...I guess starting in January and staying focused through December was a bit more than I could handle!! I had a few good rides and managed to get on the podium a few times with one being the top step!! Based on how my training went I was surprised to get on the top step!!

I'm looking forward to 2014 and will probably start with a few early season crits and a mtb race or two...after that it's full on focus for the DK Half again! Beyond that is up in the air for now, but I do plan on racing another full season of CX with a few big races in there, mostly for the experience but also to be in fields more than 20... There's a ton more I could babble on about but won't.

There you go, now you know...2013 is ready to be kicked to the curb and 2014 is poised and ready to being anew!!

E

Gran Prix HPT CX

I've been looking forward to this race for a while. Last year I planned on doing it but for some reason I can't remember I didn't get to...not the case this year though!! So I head to the coffee nazi's house and we set sail to Topeka.

We Arrive at Heartland Park with plenty of time to sign up and do a proper recon of the course. During this recon we found a course that I thought was well balanced. A good dose of power sections and technical sections to keep the roadies honest!

On to the race...as I sit at the start line Josh Taylor rolls up and asks me about the new start technique I've been using. I think about it for a second, whether I should share this secret and decide I'll throw him a bone. I tell him to start from the saddle. Like I used to and he still does, he starts standing...Starting from the saddle makes it easier to hit the pedal on the first try making hole shots that much easier.

Courtesy of Joe Houston

Moving on...at the whistle I get another great start, refer to photo above, so much so that I was surprised when I looked around and I was alone heading down the start straight. Shortly after that the field catches up and it's on. I lean into the first turn in 3rd or so...as we lean into the second turn Micheal Smith proceeds to bank shot off of me.

A little rant...I know that rubbin is racing and I don't have a problem with that...but...to start banging bars a hundred meters into a local masters race is a bit much...if that would have been the last lap, so be it, we can bang bars all day long. I've been racing a long time and in my experience when riders have bumped me they, more often than not, bounce off and I maintain my line which as I recall is what happened to him...I gotta say, I lost a bit of respect for Mr. Smith for that one...

Anyway, we are racing along on the dirt track and the pace isn't very high at this point and then Tyler Henson comes charging by shortly before a downhill off camber left which was sketchy loose at best. He leans in and proceeds to lose the front but doesn't go down, he scrambles to save it and does but at this point I'm out of the saddle charging to close the gap and it becomes the OH SHIT moment of the race for me...I look up in time to barely skirt by him at speed...I'm talking inches here folks! The shot of adrenaline from scaring me had me laughing as I squeaked by!!

By the way, I decided to use some faster tires for this race...I was having issues with this until I settled down and realized I know how to ride all I have to do is do it!!! Sometimes easier said than done...

Pic By Roger Harrison

We roll through the infield and I'm in 4th and content with the situation...as we ride up the dirt embankment to the long straight I stand a bit early to put the power down and the front lets go causing me to dab at a really inopportune moment...I get squared away and have to sprint to get back to the train I was in...not too bad yet...now on the outside of the dirt track we are rolling along fairly well and I stat to cramp under my ribs....WTF!!! I had to ease a bit and slid backwards to 6th...now 1st through 4th have set sail and Josh Taylor was 4 or 5 seconds ahead of me. I get rid of the cramps and reeled him in.

On lap 2 I decide to take over the pace making and drive for about a lap...as we get to a set of stairs I do the dismount run the steps and remount...this remount about killed me...I landed on one of my plums...I was like WTF!!! First cramps and now a flattened bean...I wanted to puke and cry at the same time...needless to say it took a little wind from my sail...and once back on the dirt track Josh came back around and took up the pace making.

Courtesy of Joe Houston

From then on the race was he and I for 5th and 6th...I gotta say he has a good poker face and was constantly putting digs in to try to dislodge me but after the initial skecthy riding and the ball breaking I was having a pretty good day on the bike so he wasn't going to get away.

Last lap...now I have to decide where to attack...each time I came up with a place Josh would put a dig in and squish that idea...so in the end I decided I was going to sprint him for 5th. As we approached the last hill I decided I would give it a go and at that time Josh's legs gave up on him and that was how it ended.

I had a good day but small mistakes and smashing manly parts do NOT help!!

E

2013 Boss Cross 1and 2

Courtesy of my girlie!

Boss Cross 1...

The above pic kinda speaks for itself, but it really doesn't tell the tale. There's not much to say...I had an okay ride and had a decent amount of luck on this day. Oh yeah...and I forgot my freakin bibs!!! Fortunately my girl likes me enough to drop what she was doing and bring me a pair, thanks babe!! Like I said...LUCK!!!

After the Cross Out Cancer race I saw a video of the first lap of that race posted here http://jdoug-ocd.blogspot.com/ It was then I realized I needed to ease back a bit after the start and not try to ride away like I have a motor...

Courtesy of Roger Harrison

On to the race...with the new mindset at the start line I get a good start and slot into 3rd wheel while we drag race to the first section of grass. I stay with the lead 2 thinking there were riders behind me, but no, at the first tree was a quick chicane to get around said tree...there was 2 potential lines, the most direct had you bunny hop a root and the smooth "easy line" was to skirt around the root with speed. Apparently the rider in 4th hit the root at speed and flipped in front of the rest of the field bringing it to a halt creating a HUGE GAP to 4th!! The race was now between me, Tyler Hennson, and Scott Stevens. It pays to get good starts!!

Tyler is riding well these days and on the hill he gapped us and set sail...no worries...I will fight it out with Scott. After the barriers, which were on the hill, Scott goes to remount and totally blows it and takes a dirt sample. I go by and drill it to the sand pit and created a good size gap for myself. Scott chased for a lap and then pulled the plug on the race...I asked him after the race what happened and it turns out he was sick and probably shouldn't have raced. That sucks I was looking forward to doing battle with him...oh well he'll be back and we shall race again!!

With Tyler gone and a huge gap to 3rd all I had to do was keep the rubber side down and time trail to a 2nd place finish.

My girlie again...phone cam pic.

Boss Cross 2...

Again...the pic speaks for itself. The course on Sunday was GREAT!! I thought it flowed well with a good mix of technical and power sections.

On to the race...At the gun I slot into 2nd behind Josh Taylor until we get to the barriers that were right after a 180 degree turn which meant you were starting the dismount before the turn. Josh starts his dismount and proceeds to take a dirt sample...yep, he fell over...So I go by, run the barriers and start driving the pace a little.

I didn't wanna drill it yet, we were only 3 minutes in. I think when Josh falls, his bike bounces back to its wheels and rolls down the course, slowly, patiently waiting for him to remount...it's crazy...he was back to my wheel straight away!!

Anyway, I push the pace a little more and create a gap...I think to myself, man it's early in the race...surely he will ride back to me....I'm feeling good today, screw it keep going!! So I keep the pressure on and the gap gets bigger.

The great Roger Harrison once again!!


About 3 laps in Josh has been overtaken by Doug Stone and my gap starts to shrink a little...damn this mid race bad patch!!! I see this and it's time to dig!!!

Now that I'm going blind my gap is growing again so I keep on keeping on riding smooth, hitting the marks in the turns and it pays off with a clean set of wheel to the line!!

I love racing my bike!!!

E

Oakley Night Cap CX

I heard about this race from John Jones at the 360 Cup a few weeks ago and didn't give it much thought...about a week later I saw the flyer and decided it was a race I needed to do.

Fast forward to the week leading up to this race...I caught some freakin ICK and managed to ride 30 minutes the entire week...I was not happy!!! The Saturday of the race I still felt about half beat up. I had decided I was going sick or not...I would either come back and be "healthy" or be right back where I was...EFF IT!!

The course had A LOT of turns that were linked together by a 3 long straights, 2 of which were head wind...did I mention the wind was HOWLING!!!! Anyway, I looked at this course a different way this time...as in where can I rest and where do I need to be on the gas. Looking at it this way, there were 3 sections of turns/switchbacks where you could rest and between theses sections were the long straights where if you weren't on the gas you got shucked!!

On to the race...I asked the official about 30 minutes til the gun if they were gonna do call ups, he said no...no worries I just need to be at the line early...I got there 15 minutes early and was on the front row!! A minute or 2 later and I would've been in the back of 25-ish in my race...NO DFL FOR ME!!!

Right before the gun the official say all classes are starting together...I was shocked at this move, because the start chute was narrow and there was 50-60 total masters racers in that chute, but no worries for me cuz I'm on the front row!!!

GO!! I get another great start, thank you very much Mr. Jeremy Powers for sharing your awesome start technique!!! I slot in to 5th and quickly realize that being off the bike for a week is gong to make this SUCK!!! I hang on to the lead group for the first lap and had to wave goodbye...I was dying!!
I rode in no mans land for about a lap before the second group of 4 caught me...I raced with these guys for about 3 laps before my lack of fitness struck again...slowly but surely they rode away from me...

Now in 10th I put my head down and try to go fast...eventually this has me reeling in one of the racers that was shot out of the second group...with 3 to go I get back to his wheel and this is where I stay. He would gap me a little on the straights but I would close it down in the turns...everyone can pedal but not everyone can RIDE!!

On the last lap I was going blind and eventually he gapped me and I couldn't get it back...I finished 10th out of 23 officially. I was happy with that effort and had I not gotten sick and been off the bike for a week I think I could have battled for a top 5 or better.

I think it was a good thing to get out of my comfort zone and race adn this was a good one to do that at!! I think I will give it a go again next year!

BOSS CROSS up next!!

E

Cross out Cancer CX

Courtesy of Richard Hu

Initially, I didn't plan on doing this race in favor of a race on Saturday, Olathe Lake CX which never materialized for one reason or another. With that race out, Cross out Cancer was in. I had not done this race before mostly because I had never heard anything good about it...I have to say those people were wrong! The course was laid out well and wasn't crazy bumpy, although it did have it's moments in that regard, but not bad overall.

On to the race...I woke up Saturday with my head feeling like it was in a vice and Sunday was no different...I decided to give the race a go anyway. I had a decent ride despite feeling like my head was in a vice! I finished 6th outta 18. This particular race had the masters categories 35, 45, 55...so I had to line up with some not so old racers...

I've been getting these great starts as of late and this race was no different. I drove the front of my race for about 3/4 of a lap and started my slide back where I eventually stopped in 4th. A lap or 2 passes and I slip back to 5th...I got into a good battle with what would end up being 5th and 7th which went back and forth between the 3 of us a several times.

While in 4th I had to slow a bit to recover a which allowed 5th, Josh Taylor, to come by. I needed a break out of the wind anyway to get recovered. 6th, Scott Stevens, was lurking about 15 seconds back and slowly but surely gaining. I finally got recovered and say to Josh we gotta go! So I take up the pace making to try and stay away from Scott but he was riding well and finally passed both Josh and myself. Once by he put in a good dig and gapped us...I think he may have gotten about 12 seconds up.


It took me about a half a lap to bring him back and once there I sat on him to recover until we hit the 2nd set of barriers which is where I decided to go again. I passed Scott and drilled it, quickly openening a good gap of about 10 seconds. The course eventually climbed a small hill and turned into the headwind for about 1/4 mile, the gap was still about 10seconds after a lap, but another rider(InaTub) had caught Scott and they started to close.

About one lap later the gap I created had dwindled to about 5 seconds when I hit the small climb again...once at the top and pointed into the wind they both jumped and went by me...I gave it a go but it was more than I had at that point. The guy that pulled Scott to me dropped him shortly after. He was once again about 10 seconds up. I started to reel him in again on the last lap but a pedal to the ground trying to go faster kinda sealed it for me....little mistakes...they will kill you!!

There you go, now you know. Up next is the Oakley Night Cap Cross in Des Moines Iowa. It sounds like a great race and a good time on top of that...YOU should go!!!

E

360 Cup 2013

Courtesy of Foto Matt Cunningham

This past weekend was the 360 Cup and for this year I had decided to race both Saturday and Sunday, mainly because I like the venue and I had a good race there in 2012 so why not!! I gotta admit, I was a little nervous going into this weekend and I think it was due to my fitness not being where it was this time last year, that being said I have been out doing what I'm supposed to be doing to get it to come around...and based on the results...I think I'm on the right track!

I wanted to make sure I got a front row spot so I registered online...those racers got called up first! I didn't really know how big the masters field was and I didn't really care, I just wanted to get a good start...which I did! The new starting technique works well!!

Courtesy of Roger "The Great" Harrison

GO!! I take off hitting the pedal on the first try and ride as fast as the guy next to me...we were shoulder to shoulder heading to a small bridge so I grab a gear and proceed to get there first. Not long after this, the eventual winner and 2nd place go by me...I latch on to 2nd and keep him close for a couple of laps but eventually lost contact. At this point my efforts produced a gap of about 10 seconds to 4th, Josh Taylor...he managed to keep this gap pretty steady for the next 3-ish laps it was about this time where he decided to push the front wheel and go down...I gotta say it was pretty cool seeing his front wheel throwing roost as he was going down...this gave me a little more breathing room, very little!!! I was starting to go blind!! Thanks Josh!!!

Courtesy of Roger "The Great" Harrison

I'm thinkin he bounced off the ground and landed on his bike at speed because the next time I saw him he was maybe 3 seconds further back...D'OH!!! Back to the gas for the next 3 laps...he kept me honest fo sho....which is good....I didn't really need to ease up for that long. I was riding the barriers until about halfway through the race...I cased the rear and came to a stop...I ran them the rest of the race after that I made sure to hit the my marks and kept it clean to the line for a solid 3rd.

Courtesy of Foto Matt Cunningham

Day 2

All pics Courtesy of Roger "The Great" Harrison

What to say....I had a better race, but ended up on the same step as Saturday...3rd! Once again I got a stellar start and lead to the first turn...the hole shot is crucial some days...not so much here. Once again John Jones came by shortly after a sidewalk section and I decided to try to hang on to this freight train and I did for a while...I think I surprised him a little because he kept looking back and I was still there but it wouldn't last.

He started to inch away here and there and I made a couple of small mistakes...oh well this effort had me in 2nd with a good gap to 3rd...this too would not last.

I kept the hammer down and managed to defend my position fairly well...that is til I started to go blind...my gap dwindled quickly and before I knew it I was in 4th. When 2nd and 3rd rolled by they immediately created a gap of about 5-8 seconds...it was time to ride into hell. For the next half lap I turned myself inside out and got back to the wheel of 3rd....unfortunately 2nd had already set sail...

As we turn into the first "technical" section I am on his wheel. As we get to the barriers, we both dismount and this is where 3rd came unglued. I ran the barriers and I'm pretty sure he walked. I remount and drill it creating a gap he would never close...and this is how the race ended.

The weekend was good overall and I'm glad I dug deep to get my spot back on Sunday.

E