Vulture's Knob

Wow...honestly the last time I RACED a mountain bike was October of '05 out in Moab. The only time on trails since was last fall where I got in three trail rides. Soo....I decided this winter/spring I wanted to do the Mohican 100k. Which equals 62 and some change miles of craziness.
The way things worked out, my only trail time so far this year and what looks to be the only trail time before Mohican, was the race at Vulture's Knob this weekend. With little technical skills left, I decided it was best to ride the sport class. That was a wise choice, the bad choice was trying to "race" it. I was fine until I lost my water bottle less than half way into the first lap. Bad thing on a 85 degree plus day. I faded fast...it was 1st to 4th then I ended up 6th. But I felt like I was standing still out there. I actually took time to pick up my lost bottle on the second lap. But the technical skills are coming back and I atleast have the confidence I can ride for 62+ miles this weekend. The weather for this weekend looks awesome. Mid 70's and sunny. I won't complain. We're (my wife Mel, my son Easton, and my mother-in-law Kathy) are camping down there. It should be epic.

RUDY! RUDY! RUDY!

Nah..those aren't chants out of the famed movie about the Notre Dame football player...those are chants for the awesome Rudy Sroka. He's the guy you stand around the watercooler and refer to as "the man". He was involved in a nasty crash at RATL this past weekend...He has some complicated breaks in his forearm and wrist and could be in a cast for 2-3 months. Hopefully this is one of those cases where the docs are being ultra conservative and underestimate Rudy's healing time. I'm not sure what he's planning on doing about riding for the next couple of months..but he should be fresh for cyclocross season...I wish him the best and a very speedy recovery!!!!

Covered Bridge Race #2..as I saw it

I guess I missed a lot of the race. How..I dunno. I felt like I was a part of it more than anything. I spent the first lap getting the cobb webbs and the first race of the season gitters out. Near the end of the first lap a gap had formed and Spin and Stark Velo were sitting on the front setting tempo. So I thought I'd take my chance to see if i could bridge the gap...so at 1 1/2 laps into the race I started my run at it. I was able to bridge the gap about a quarter of the way through the 2nd lap. Mind you...there are 7 laps, 5 miles each, total. So their was 4 of us in the break...and I guess a couple more up the road a little farther whom we never saw again. We passed the start/finish line with 4 laps to go when we we realized Paul Martin and Sean Adams (my teammate) had started to bridge across to us. I felt ok at this point, but when Paul took a pull at 37 mph...I had my worries...I lasted a little more than a full lap after that point...leaving less than 3 laps to go...So I sat up and waited for the peloton...which in short order caught up to me. So I sat in and endured, even having to stop for the lovely train...I finished the race dangling off the back of the spread out peloton; which never really reformed after the train. I felt I had a great...hard workout and a good race. Next week should prove to be easier.

I'm not really sure how things in the Peloton played out while I was up the road in the break away. I heard my teammates did a lot of work and chasing. Which awesome. As a team we didn't so well, so hopefully this week we can be more organized in our attemptes.

Whats up??? The Tempeture!!!

Dang it got hot. In a freagin hurry too. At the early part of last week (on our way home from Boston) it was 40 something degrees. By fiday it was close to 80 and was 86 yesterday...ouch! This weekend was my first taste of racing for the '09 season. I'm happy with my effort. i bridged up to the break away which took roughly 2 1/2 miles to do...by myself. After 10 to 12 miles Paul Martin and Sean Adams bridged up to us. I knew I was in trouble when Paul took a pull at 37 mph near the church....I hung in there for about 5 miles before my legs cried uncle and said its better to live to ride another day. I'm happy with how hard I was able to go, knowing everyone else already has race milage in. Good signs!
I want to wish Rudy a fast recovery from his crash at RATL. He has a broken bone in his forearm and one in his wrist. We'll miss him on the road and will be looking forward to his return to the peloton.

hmmm..Team Columbus...

So...my good friend Patrick sent me this link (posted below) this morning about the infamous Tym Tyler and his Team Columbus now known as TacoRacing or something like that. I have been very out spoken about Tym Tyler and his races...he never pays out what he is suppose to..err...ummm what he says he's going to and a laundry list of other unsafe practices and do I mention his constant race date changes??

I'm still mixed about going to another one of his events. I don't want to penalize the sport...only the bad apple that is taking advantage of it. He allowed us to race knowing there was no insurance for the race..isn't that the main reason we pay entry fees? He then did not pay out his advertised payouts...again, entry fee? WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO??

I only have one of his races on my calendar this year....other than that I'm not going to race his events. Why should I? I'd rather support a responsible race promoter.

39x12andcounting

3-23-09...original huh?

This weekend included some great riding....I got in some race pace efforts which not only hurt but classicly felt good at the same time...the irony of cycling. We had our TLE training clinic on Saturday, and then a team ride on Sunday.

I was a bit worried though because of my knee..oh yes my knee. Last weekend it was nice out and my son Easton and I were out playing kickball...well one thing led to another and before I knew it I had "damaged" my patellor tendon. I rode the next 3 days...in pain. It felt like it was on fire. Then I took Wed and Thursday off completely and then rode Friday after work, it was just an easy ride, but my knee was pretty much pain free. So I'm ready to roll!!??

Today's the only day its really "bothered" me sense, it doesn't hurt, but just feels annoyed. What to do?? I'll see how tomorrow goes, if it bothers me, I'll take Wednesday off, maybe. I just don't want this to linger around all season...

(i stole the pic from Bill Marut)

Lake Effect colors run deep

Its been awhile since I've posted...nothing much going on except the day to day grind. I've been getting in some great miles and most have been outside. Yeah! Four days straight outside! Which leads me to my posting today.

The red and black of Team Lake Effect. In my mind as a racer, ever since I started racing, these colors have always brought butterflies to my stomach. Even while on opposing teams I know we always counted the LE riders in the peloton and kept a watchful eye...whether we could do anything about them or not.

Now that I am on TLE, for year 2, I still get those butterflies. Its different though. Its about expectations and the idea of knowing what goes through the other riders minds when they see us wheel the line. Its also the respect the colors give us as individuals. I'm not a great rider compared to some on the team, but I have had my moments. I see myself as one of those riders that nobody counts as a threat and that none of the cat 1 riders see me as significant...but I have a purpose in the peloton. Somehow...

But my experience last night on my ride made me a believer in the power of the Red and Black. Two words...Paul Martin. I was riding on the Parkway and he was going the other way sporting his old Texas Road House kit...but we exchanged waves and a nod. In general this is nothing big. To me, coming from Paul, this was in recignition of the colors I was wearing and representing, not so much me as the rider. I'm sure he has no idea who I am. But he knew the LE colors. I'm proud to be wearing this uinform. It has a long tradition of greatness. I hope to be a valuable member of my team.

oh yeah...
Here is my race calendar!

April:
4th Malabar Farms
25th RATL
26th CVCRTS – (covered bridge race)

May:
2rd RATL
3rd CVCRTS – (covered bridge race)
9th RATL
10th Chippewa
30th Mohican 100 MTB (tentative)

June:
14th State Road Race
21st State TT (tentative)
27th Raccoon Rally – Salamanca NY

July:
Westlake

August:
15th Shreve RR
29th – Valley City RR