End Of The Race Season

2010 Mileage: 5195

Sunday was Springfield Oaks CX, the Michigan State Championship CX race. Saturday afternoon I started feeling like I was coming down with a cold so it was home and early to bed Saturday night and I actually woke up feeling pretty good Sunday morning despite the snow flurries outside. I got over in time to pre-ride a couple laps of the course before the C race and it was a pretty tough course with a whole bunch of off camber turns, the barriers placed on an uphill section and a flyover (steep stairset followed by a quick ride down). It was actually a fun course which was an awesome change from the bloomer race. During the C race I cheered Kate and Andrew on (Kate took 3rd and Andrew crashed out) while I was getting ready for my race next. As soon as they were off the course I went out for one more lap to try and get comfortable on the off camber corners. It was amazing how muddy they had gotten during the C race and how everything else was frozen.

I lined up 3rd row and even had to push my way up to there. It is amazing how early people are lining up at these races. The gun went off and my legs felt pretty good. I was mostly passing people and although sketchy at times I was taking the corners with one foot out and was able to save myself. My legs felt pretty good and my lap times were actually getting faster each lap as I was able to take the tougher sections with more speed. I had worked my way up to around tenth place when I crashed in one of those slick corners and a recovery would have been quick but I had knocked my front wheel out of line and had to stop and knock it back in to place. I watched five people pass me as I fixed my front wheel. That (my fifth of six) was by far my slowest lap and it came at a time where I was really picking up momentum and working my way up. I made three of the spots back as my last lap was my fastest and I really felt like I left it all out there. I ended the day in 12th place out of 31 starters. The legs felt better than bloomer and even with the crash it was a better day for me. I then got to get bundled up and drink beer while I watched the next two races. Not a bad day at all.

That cold has now come back to hit me full force but that's alright, no races 'til March. Prep starts as soon as I shake this cold though and its time to start the long slow miles again and work on the base. Too bad Per won't be around to join me on those rides this year.

Feeling Slow (and riding slow)

2010 Mileage: 5032

Sunday I raced at Bloomer CX and I can confidently say it was my worst race of the year. The legs felt sluggish all week after New York last weekend with no time to really catch up on sleep and no car all week which put the commuting miles at around 200 for the week. Linz and I also had Kelli and Ryan over for dinner the night before the race which was a lot of fun, but 12 beers and two burritos later it was 1am and about 4 hours past the time I should have gone to bed. I woke up Sunday morning knowing I wasn't ready but hoping I could fake it for 45 minutes.

I lined up third row for the start and fell in about mid-pack for the race and that is where I sat for the next 45 minutes. The laps were pretty long at almost two miles and I remember thinking to myself as I finished my first lap that it was gonna be a long race (or at least feel long being it is only 45 minutes). There was a little shuffling around as a few guys passed me from behind and I made up a few spots on other guys. I actually felt good over the barriers and that is where I did most of my passing. I also burped my rear tire on the second lap and spent most of the race with about 20psi in the back and was washing out side to side on the long paved sections (which there were a lot of). The legs managed to keep turning and I pretty much maintained my position. For the last couple laps there were a couple guys within reach but I just didn't have the spring that is normally there to bridge up and make a move around them. I watched the same two guys stay 50 yards ahead of meand it just seemed like there was nothing I could do about it. I would bridge up at times and not quite be able to grab a wheel and then watch them slowly pull away again. I pushed my way across the line at just under 45 minutes for 6 laps and I finished 18th out of 36, dead center of the pack. My first lap was my fastest by far at 7:10 and then I got slower each lap until my last two, my final lap was my second fastest at 7:25. My slowest was 7:37, so I definitely need to work on some consistency.

The course had a couple cool elements with a downhill followed by a really sharp right turn right back up, a couple tight off-camber turns and two sets of barriers. It did have way too much slow back and forth 180 degree turns out on an open grass field that I could've done without though.

It was also Kate and Andrew's first cx race and it was great to see the two of them having so much fun out there in the C race. Ed Ramirez, a regular customer and friend also seemed to be having a great time out racing his bike again. They were all out there on mountain bikes with big smiles on there faces reminding me why I love 'cross.

So what it comes down to is that it was a fun day (isn't every day that I race my bike) but I definitely didn't perform as well as I would've liked. The B race field was definitely fast and the challenge was good for me so hopefully I show up a little more ready to race next time around. I am glad I have made the choice to move to B's because my first four of 6 laps would have put me in 2nd in the C race and that is using some of my slowest lap times. I was in the right race and am looking forward to improving on this result. Next on the schedule (and last race til March, I think) is Michigan CX state championships on December 5th.

2 weeks, 2 races and lots of driving

2010 Mileage: 4812

The last two weeks have consisted of out of town races and the parties that have gone with them. I guess I'll cover them one at a time here.

Iceman:
Headed up Friday morning with Kate for the four hour trek to Traverse City and got checked in to the room, picked up the race packet, checked over the bikes and hung out and had a few beers (my version of carbo loading) and went to bed early. We headed over to the start line right on time and everything seemed to be going according to plan. I encountered a slight hiccup when putting the front wheel on before the race I realized I somehow screwed up and my brake lever got bumped and my hydraulic front brake was destined to rub for the rest of the day. Oh well, still took the hole shot was first in my group to hit the singletrack. From there on it was a day of endless passing. I won't go too much in to detail because it will just sound like I'm complaining but starting in my age group unfortunately put me behind a lot of people that didn't belong in front of me. Oh well, it was interesting using a singletrack climb for recovery because there were so many slow riders on it that I couldn't go anywhere. I passed anywhere I could and had a semi-successful day. Finished the 30.5 miles in 2:07, good enough for tenth in my age group and a better starting position next year to hopefully improve on that time. After the race was when the fun started hanging out around the Kuhnhenn's beer tent with Linz, Kate and Andrew. I need to give my congrats to Kate too, taking 5th place in her age group in just her second ever mtb race. We warmed up and drank beer all afternoon as we watched the pros roll in and saw Stewy take out Simonson just before the finish line. A long afternoon made for a short evening and we went over to the bell's after party but didn't stay for long as we were all exhausted. Sunday included brunch in downtown Traverse City and then the drive home. All in all it was a fun weekend.

SICX:
This past weekend was a long one for me but well worth it. After work Friday I hit the rode (solo unfortunately, Linz had to work) at around 7:30pm bound for Luca's Place in Jersey City. I rolled in to his driveway around 6am and cuddled up on the pull out couch with Per for a couple hours of sleep before it was time to wake up, pick up Cassidy, Jeff and Nathalie (Cassidy's girlfriend) and head to Staten Island for my second year doing the CX race out at Wolfe's Pond Park. We were there in plenty of time to ride a couple warm up laps, watch the pros race and for me to realize how exhausted I was. I do have to say I was a big fan of the 2pm start time for Cat4s, it drew a huge crowd. The field was registered in full at 100 racers.
When we were gathering to start our race I was astonished to find out there was a call-up at a cat 4 race and then they lined us up by numbers, putting me at the back of the field. I spent the next 35 minutes chasing people and I passed all day and didn't get passed once so I guess I'll take the 11th place finish. I just wish I could have caught Per (he got one of those front row call-ups) but it was a fun race regardless. The course was a lot tougher than last year with much tougher single track and a crazy run-down/up in the woods and of course I need to mention the beach run right along the water. It was an awesome event and it was great racing with my old NYC crew, I definitely miss those guys.
I need to give a few shout-outs about the race too. Congrats Per on his 6th place finish, I'm gunning for you next year chief. Thanks to our cheerleader Val for keeping me going all race long. Thanks to Luca for the hospitality this weekend even if you wouldn't join Per and I on the pull out. Cassidy, sorry I gave you shit when I passed you, I was just kidding. Kyle, I hate you for making me take my first Jager bomb since college but it was great to see you. And Jeff and Mike need to get mentioned here too so thanks for gracing me with your presence guys, it was great to see you as always.
I guess my only complaint about the event was the sandbagging. I'm sorry but if you are a cat2 roadie you in no way belong in a cat4 race of any kind, i don't care if you're new to cx. The whole podium was cat2 roadies that had no business being there at all. I just wish more people would've given them a hard time about it. Oh yeah, and CJ really needs a beer tent there next year.
Post-race we headed in to the city for a much needed dinner at B-Bar. My favorite Jersey City based musician Mike Frensley met up with us there. From there it was over to NYC Velo for the SICX after-party which we didn't stay at for too long (they were out of beer) and then we headed over to Billy Hurricane's to pay Kyle a visit. At this point in the evening we all realized we were exhausted and went our separate ways with Per, Luca, Mike and I heading to a bar in Hoboken for a couple of beerst. We then ended the night with the rather steep climb up to Jersey City Heights and I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow, although I somewhat remember starting to watch Shrek. Sunday was breakfast with Per around noon and then in to the city to pay the old 47th street shop a visit. Hit the road around 4:30pm and courtesy of traffic and a detour off the highway in PA I made it home around 4am.

I am finally starting to catch up on sleep but the trip was well worth it. I really miss those guys. Next on the schedule is Bloomer CX this Sunday. There is no way it can be close to as fun as last weekend though.

3 Letters I Hate: DNF

2010 Mileage: 4475

Saturday's Mad Anthony CX Race down in Detroit was an awesome event with a great course and a descent size crowd. Too bad I didn't get to race much of it since I pinch flatted less than a mile in to my first lap. If you know cross, then you know there is no point fixing a flat so that was it for me, hence the DNF (did not finish). I was definitely disappointed (Linz can attest to this) since I had a really good start and was sitting fifth wheel and feeling great when it happened. Oh well. At least I pre-rode a couple laps because it really was one of the coolest courses I've ever ridden for cyclocross. After I was out of the running I cheered our shop rider Chris Fillmore on to an impressive 4th place finish considering he dropped his chain going over the barriers on the first lap.

I guess you can't win them all (although I'd really like to) and so this result puts me with two wins and a DNF on the season.

Saturday night was then filled with a wild time out at the Collins' for their annual Halloween party. It was our first time attending but Lindsay and I had heard a lot of good things about it and it definitely lived up to all the hype. Tim and Karey sure know how to put on a party and make sure absolutely everybody has a good time. I quickly forgot about my disappointment from earlier in the day once we got there and Linz told me after we left that it was the most fun she's had since we moved to Michigan. We were some of the first to leave departing at around 1:3o and I guess things were going strong until around 4. Everyone I talked to sure knew they had a good time the next day too since they had the headaches to prove it.

I'm trying to see if I can sneak out to Ann Arbor for a cross race this weekend otherwise next on the schedule is Iceman.

Peak 2 Peak

2010 Mileage: 4365
This past weekend Linz and I loaded up the new car and headed up to Crystal Mountain in northern Michigan to meet Kate, Andrew and my Dad to race Peak 2 Peak. It was a great time and a gorgeous fall day.Ending on the podium with the win in the sport class felt great too.I lined up not sure how I wanted to approach things since I have ridden very little single track this year but as soon as we were off that all changed. It was a really wide open start so it made jockeying for position going in to the single track pretty easy and I knew I didn't want to roll in first but close to it. I entered the woods in 4th position and was surprised when I had no difficulty at all with the pace being dictated by the leaders. As we hit an open section about 1/3rd of the way in to the lap some positions changed ahead of me but I remained in 4th. The guy that had moved up to the lead was pulling away a bit and I realized that the two guys right ahead of me weren't giving much chase so at the next opportunity I went around them and bridged up fairly quickly. As soon as I caught the guy I told him we had a descent gap and said if we worked together we could grow it. I then passed him expecting him to grab my wheel and instead didn't see him again for the rest of the race. I rode solo for roughly a lap and a half from there on out and managed to push myself to keep away. I had a mechanical just before the second ski hill climb (we did two laps) and got passed briefly but as soon as I got my chain back on I bridged back up on the climb and rode away with the win with a time of 1:31:10 for the 23.5 mile race.Lindsay also completed her very first mountain bike race (and only her second time riding mountain bike trails) and Kate won her class too.Next up is Iceman, although I think I'm might be more excited about the party after than the actual race.

Ronde Van Stony

2010 Mileage: 4171
I actually won something! And you can't go wrong with beer and ice cream (the gift certificate is nice too but its to a different shop so I feel a little weird about it).

The race was a blast and I placed first in Men's Sport age 20-29 and second in the sport category overall. I was really happy with the way that I rode. I pushed myself to my limits and was riding on will power alone at times but it felt great. I ended the race completely exhausted but with an average pace of just over 21mph for the 36 miles (not 33.5 like advertised) of dirt roads and two track I should have expected to be.

I'm not sure I know how to write a true race report because it all seemed to fly by so quick. It started off with a fairly easy mass start roll out behind a motorcycle on paved roads. This was nice because I didn't get much of a warm up so this made up for that. I made my way up to the front of the sport group (they separated us at the line) during the roll out and then when they let us go at the two-track I really hit it hard and started passing every chance I could. By the time we exited and were out on to dirt roads I realized I had passed just about everyone I could and could see one group (followed closely behind by a solo rider) off in the distance. This was still really early in the race and my legs were feeling the effort to make my way through the group but I knew that if I could just get up there I would be able to sit in and get some rest. I pushed myself close to my limits here and caught the solo rider, a nice guy named Tom, who told me he didn't have anything in him to catch the group so I continued my effort as he grabbed my wheel and we clawed our way up. Once we caught that group it was all a blur of dirt roads and turns at the front. The miles seemed to fly by at this point and I was amazed with both our pace and how well my legs felt. We even managed to grow our group as we reeled more riders in and avoided anyone coming up from behind. Then as we neared the end we headed back in to some more two-track and this was the only place that a cyclocross bike was not the ideal bike for this race. I was washing out through a lot of the corners due to the lose gravel and struggling to keep up. I felt cramps coming on a couple times but managed to fight them off. Our group split in this section as it seemed lots of people were having the same problem I was and I even saw a couple crashes. I chased the front group (front of the group I was riding with not front of the race) but couldn't quite catch them through the single track as I fought off cramping. As we headed back out on to the road I made up some ground but I couldn't quite catch them as I crossed the finish line solo. I rolled in for 29th in the overall (out of 118 finishers) and I was really happy with my performance and pain tolerance for 1:44:40. Full results are posted here.

The cross bike worked great and even with all the abuse it took I was amazed that I didn't have any mechanicals at all and the wheels even stayed true. I also was pleasantly surprised about the beer from Kuhnhenn Brewery. I won a growler of the Simcoe Silly and it was delicious.

Next race on the schedule is Peak2Peak up north at Crystal Mountain.

Always Learning

2010 Mileage: 4110

Well I decided that I was going to rebuild my sister's headshok the other day and it has turned out to be much more of a project than I expected. I really hate all of Cannondale's proprietary crap that they won't even put schematics for online. The good news is it looks like it should go back together without too much difficulty, although I probably just shot myself in the foot by saying that. I'll keep you posted on the rebuild.
Aside from the shock rebuild things are staying fairly busy at the shop. We have gotten the place really cleaned up and organized and we're in the process of revamping inventory a bit to get some really cool new product in (like these and these). Anybody who knows me knows I'm a sucker for 29ers so it is great to be able to sell them on a regular basis. In NYC only delivery guys and Brazilians on vacation bought mountain bikes, where as here in Michigan its a majority of what we sell. I'm also learning (and learning to love) the Specialized brand and considering this beautiful bike for myself for next season (although the wife doesn't know this yet).

This Saturday is Ronde van Stony, a 33 mile dirt road race that I am probably not ready for but I am still looking forward to it. I think Kate is going to do it with me too so another reason to be excited. Look for a race report (and headshok report) this weekend.

Still Adjusting

2010 Mileage: 4070

Settling in has been a slow process but I think we are finally falling in to a routine here in Michigan. We are both noticing that we rely more on each other here than we did in NYC and it has been good that we have had each other. We are coming back to something that is familiar yet so very different. I can just say that I am lucky to have an incredible wife to come home to every night.

Things are going well at the shop and it is keeping me busy which is always a good thing. The place looks great and I plan to post some pictures soon. It is also keeping me busy enough that I wasn't able to do the local cyclocross race this morning. I could have done the cat4 race but just couldn't justify racing for only 30 minutes and the 2,3,4 race started too late for me to open on time. Oh well, next week is Ronde van Stony, a 33 mile hammer fest (I hope) on dirt roads and jogging trails. I'm not sure if my body (my knees in particular with this stupid IT band problem) is up to it but I sure hope so. Hopefully Kate's program of stretching and glute exercises does the trick.

I Need Internet

2010 mileage: 4030

Posting has been difficult lately since Lindsay and I have been avoiding paying the absurd sum of money comcast wants for internet here. How did they end up with this local monopoly?
Anyways, the riding has only been consisting of my commute, but that is 20 miles each way. Also a little different than nyc, I spend about 1/3rd of it on a gravel trail that winds through the woods. I saw 3 deer the other morning. I'm enjoying all the work there is to do at the new shop and that too is much different than nyc, a lot more space and a lot less people through the door. I'm also missing the midtown crew. Any of you guys want a job in Michigan?
Lindsay went from wondering what she was going to do to working three jobs in the course of a week so needless to say she is staying busy too.
The house is slowing coming together but we dedinitely can't fit a car in the garage yet, too many unpacked boxes. Now it's time to go mow the lawn, another of the many things to get accustomed to.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A New Chapter

2010 Mileage: 3963

This post is a bit overdue since we have been without Internet but Lindsay and I are officially out of New York City as we said goodbye to our old apartment last weekend.


And moved in to our new house in Waterford, Michigan.

It has been a pretty big change but we are both adjusting quickly and enjoying it. I know I am going to miss the great friends I made more than anything else.

We also got a new kitten as a playmate for Leo. We named her Zoey and she is a total sweetheart even if she is a little wild for Lindsay's liking in the middle of the night.The unpacking is taking longer that we would like but I have managed to get in a couple of long rides this week. Took out the cross bike for 77 miles of pavement, dirt roads and gravel trails in the on and off rain on Thursday and it was a great reintroduction to Michigan riding. Then rode out to visit the shop I'll be working in on Friday and that ended up being 41 miles on the mountain bike. Two fun rides in two days and I'm discovering that the rail-trail systems have gotten a lot better since I was last riding them.

Now I'm just enjoying a relaxing weekend of hanging out on the lake and grilling until it is back to work (if you can call what I do work) on Tuesday. The most interesting thing could be the 40 miles a day I'll be putting in if I choose to commute by bicycle (which I am hoping I'll be able to regularly do.

CX (and beer) With Per

2010 Mileage: 3845

Tonight Per and I pulled out the cross bikes in anticipation of rain and an empty bridle path in Central Park. Unfortunately the rain held off and the one lap we did put in was a little overcrowded with runners. It was still nice to feel loose gravel under a narrow tire and got me excited for what comes with this time of year. It felt like fall, my favorite time of year. We followed our ride with a few beers over at his place. An evening of things that I'm going to miss.

So Little Time...

2010 Mileage: 3804

I have definitely been burning the candle at both ends, having to work and at the same time trying to fit everything in before we move away from the city. The departure date is officially one week away.

On Tuesday Lindsay joined me for that walk to work I was talking about. It was nice to take the time to take in what I have been seeing every day for the last 15 months.

Wednesday I went for a ride in Central Park with Per, Jeff and Cassidy. I caught an awesome sunset view on my way home from the park as I got to the Hudson River. After the ride Lindsay and I went to Heidelberg on the UES for some good German beer with Per, Johanna and Cassidy.

Then Thursday after work turned in to an impromptu trip to Hoboken with Mike. Per and Luca joined in the fun as we went to an outdoor concert on one of the piers with a phenomenal view of the city followed by a bit of drinking at a bar called DC's.Saturday morning I woke up way too early to go catch part of the Mengoni race in Central Park and then went for a River Road ride with Per and Cassidy. After the ride Lindsay and I went to visit Cassidy at Rapha were we found him sleeping inside the broom van at the cafe and we got Linz her first ever cycling jersey. We then headed over to the frying pan for a fun afternoon of buckets of Corona on the Hudson later joined by Mal & Lauren.

Feeling Like A Tourist

2010 Mileage: 3676I had another weekend of very little time (actually none in this case) on the bike. Instead with Linz's family in town I visited the places in the city that I typically avoid, namely Times Square and Little Italy. I also managed to talk them in to a wonderful detour to Zum Schneider on Friday night for some fine German beer. Lindsay's Dad and I seemed to be enjoying the beer more than the others and it was also showing on Saturday morning (at least for me). We also got a look at the rather incredible view of what is going on at the WTC site from their hotel room window at the Millennium Hilton. Like I said I typically avoid these places in the city and although I'm not really one for crowds it was fun to play tourist in my own city for a bit. It was especially cool to see how excited Andrea (Lindsay's cousin) got about everything since it was her very first trip to NYC. Makes me realize a lot of the incredible sites in this city that I sometimes have taken for granted. You probably recognize were Linz is at in the pic above and below we have Little Italy and the WTC view from her parents hotel room. I guess we decided to continue the theme of the weekend because after her family hit the road mid-day on Sunday we decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It is something that the two of us have been talking about doing for a while since we have crossed on bicycles before but never really walked it just to walk it and we really enjoyed it. We had planned on getting pizza at Grimaldi's Pizzeria over on the Brooklyn side but with the wait at what was looking like well over an hour we decided to just head back and eat at Harry's (always a good place for pizza).We took a minute to check out the merry-go-round that will be installed in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Playing tourist and snapping some shots yesterday made me realize that there are some sights that I am really taking for granted so I am vowing to take more pictures over the course of my final two weeks living here in the city. One day this week I am actually planning to walk my normal morning commute to get a different look at it and hopefully take some good pictures. My daily commute is only about five miles but I pass some pretty incredible sights on a daily basis that I suppose I will be sharing with you soon.

Now it is time to head to Dean & Deluca to pick up a few items to make dinner for the wife and I.

Keeping Things In Perspective

2010 Mileage: 3660

This post should probably just be about two things, my favorite Hells Kitchen burrito joint burnt down this morning and I went to a Rapha Cycle Club event tonight to "check out" bike snob. Both are very noteworthy as La Paloma was an amazing little Mexican restaurant run by great people that I got carry out from at least once a week and although the pictures don't do it justice this is what it currently looks like.And the building above.

I wish them a speedy recovery.

The bike snob event was fun although I did miss the reading which I heard was rather humorous. Through brief conversation he was also a lot nicer and less arrogant in person than I was expecting even though I I didn't want to get too close during conversation since we were both wearing plum colored t-shirts and somewhat matched. There was also about 1/10th the crowd I expected when I got there (a little late) which I guess was a good thing based on the crowd that can hang out at Rapha (and is the direction that this post is heading in).

With the place rather empty and the latest Mario Cipollini bikes video (that has been popping up on blogs left and right like this one) playing I managed to get in to a rather in depth conversation about carbon fiber frames with Derrick from Rapha. He had some good arguments regarding tube shape importance and builder experience, and my arguments were regarding the human element involved and the error that can occur due to that. It was never an argument but actually a rather civil conversation between two people who don't know each other well enough to argue. It was also cut rather short as I was realizing what I was discussing. Our conversation was regarding bikes that a majority of the public will never purchase and I was sitting in a cafe/clothing store that carries cycling apparel that I (a bike shop manager who spends way too much on this stuff) won't even spend my money on. I realize that I am not Rapha's target demographic but at the same time this helped me with a quick reality check. As someone who hopes to open their own shop one day I need to remember to see things from the right perspective. Understanding the intricacies of high end products is important (as well as interesting to me) but cycling is fun and needs to remain that way otherwise selling bikes becomes like selling used cars. I am not a salesman, I am simply someone who loves bicycles and is lucky enough to make a living selling them. I realize I am once again rambling and I have been doing that a fair amount in my posts lately but I hope you understand what I am getting at. The pure joy that can come from cycling is why I am so in love with it at the most grass roots level and I want to make sure that as long as I am in this industry I don't become jaded or feel above the normal consumer like I have seen so many people become. It is because of them that this industry that I both love and make my livelihood from exists.

On a side note Per got back from Germany today and I am looking forward to seeing him back in the shop tomorrow. We have a lot of hanging out to do over the next two weeks before I vacate the city. And by hanging out I mean riding and drinking.