It's Been A Rough Few Weeks.

This will be short.  Since a lack luster Kensington 2 day CX, racing has been rough.  Grampian was a disaster and P2P even worse.  There is a glimmer of hope though.  This past Saturday was the Mad Anthony CX, a place that has treated me well.  I decided to do the 'A' race and see how things went.

I had a good race.  Not sure my placing but I raced for the full hour and was able to hang with some fast guys. I averaged 168 bpm for the effort and I'm happy with how 'training' is going.  Lake Orion 2 day this coming weekend and then the final XC race of the year.

Thanks again for all who cheer, heckle and make riding a bike fun.

Kensington CX 1.5 Day

It was finally time for my CX season to start and being at a new venue and not much racing this year I had the race jitters.  I knew J Osgood and Shawn Schaffert have been racing strong and I didn't know who else was going to be racing so I didn't have any real expectations for Day 1 but to get one under my belt.

DAY 1 - I started 2nd row against the tape and thought I was safe from getting pinched but that wasn't so.  Mark Caffyn got a wheel in front and I had to settle back.  The group seemed to hold together for a while and I was content to follow.  We completed lap 1 and the leaders were still 'close' so I remained calm but things soon changed. I was riding behind Andy, not paying attention and a gap had opened.  I couldn't seem to find a good place to get around and had to wait.  Late in lap 2 I make the pass and have lost major ground but have a clear coarse so I but my head down and go. I'm gaining ground on some and can see Shawn slowly coming back. Leading into Lap 4 I'm feeling good and know it's a matter of time before I reach Shawn but then on the back of the coarse my sidewall gives out and 'POP' my race is over.

DAY 2 - I started 2nd row again which had a similar result but today the leaders weren't waiting around, the pace was quicker and the race seemed to blow apart in the first lap.  I made similar mistakes to day one and had to fight again to make up any ground.  I clawed my way up to 6th and had Brian W in my sites but it wasn't going to happen. I couldn't close and that was it.

Not my best races but once again I learned something. Most know what it is so I won't go into detail.  I'll just keep working and trying to improve.  Next couple weeks are back to MTB with Grampian and P2P then back to CX with a place that has been very good to me Mad Anthony.

Great racing Adam York, John Osgood, Don Cameron, Brad Lako and Tom Payn.  Very sold 2 days!

Thanks to Tailwinds for another venue.  Thanks to Tom Clark for the companionship, to and from the race. each day and Thanks to all who cheered me on it helps a great deal. Finally to Shaun Welch for the pictures and offering his wheel.

Ronde van Stony - Tough

First day of fall and it felt like it.  Light rain, cool breeze and temps in the low 50's.  Having done this race last year I knew what the race plan was.  Make sure you're with the leaders coming out of the trolley trails!

It didn't happen.  Turning onto 26 Mile I'm about a tenth mile back (WTF) and the chase to catch is going to be tough.  Mt. Vernon, Washington, Winkler Mill and now Sheldon and still no help. Finally around Stony Creek I'm joined by 4-5 guys and we start working together.  The group ahead, is maybe a quarter mile away by now and we ride well down Snell and Mt. Vernon and are able to bridge back to a tenth mile.  Once we make the turn on 31 Mile that changes. A guy from O2 goes up the left and splits the group, I'm able to make the jump along with a guy from Haggerty? We ride together North on Dequindre, but the O2 rider is getting anxious and keeps surging hard to contact the group ahead.  Shortly after 32 Mile the O2 rider puts in another surge and I can't hold-on. The 2 guys ride away and I'm alone again.

I make the right on 33 Mile and I still see the group ahead, so I dig deep and try too bridge. I manage to get about 100 yds away but can't reach.  We make the turn on Fischer and the group starts pulling away. this is the closest I will get. I keep them in sight for the next 6-7 miles but at Parks and Dequindre they are long gone.  The carrot is gone and mentally I start falling apart, the legs start to feel heavy and weak. I begin talking to myself and trying to regroup. I'm able to keep it together until Stony Creek but once I hit the climbs most of my power is gone. I'm struggling to keep the pedals turning and a group of 3 guys catch, then go by. I try too keep pace but get popped again on Mt. Sheldon. I entire survival mode until I reach Sheldon and head for the finish.

Making the turn on Sheldon I can see riders ahead and new motivation. I manage to catch and pass one rider and roll across the finish a very tired and dirty guy.

I didn't finish with the leaders but I had a great, very tough race. I never looked back, sat-up or thought about quitting. Only finishing and racing the best I could.  Not being in the lead group(s) cost me a lot of energy but I was able to keep them in sight for a long time.  I'm walking away with my head up and knowing I still have a lot of hard work to put in over the next 3-4 months.  Let's see how the first CX races go this coming weekend at Kensington.

Thanks to Mike Franko.  Thanks to all who donated their time and products. Thanks to all the racers.

2.JMAK..whats going on?

WORK.......A four letter word for me this year.  I'm not bitter, just 6 days a week from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. or later.

I'm going to salvage something for this fall.
Let's wait and see how things go.

Stony Creek XC will be the first litmus test.