More USGP

Had some issues getting stuff up to Vimeo Last night. Here is a couple more, including the Bar-Cam from Saturday's 45+, Lap 1, just as the heavens opened.

45+ Saturday Lap 1 - The rain gods speak

45+ Sunday - Start

45+ Sunday at the Flyover (maybe lap 2??)

Big Time

Big time Cross racing in Colorado. But still the "wanna-be" rider can get in & mix it up. How cool is that?

The second stop on the USGP Cyclocross National Tour hit the Fort over the weekend. Big time racing, a BIG show, and great, epic racing. We even got our first dose of "real" cross weather on Saturday. Actually, the better description of the conditions for most of the day Saturday might even get to the "epic" area. Saturday went from marginal to "hardcore" DURING my 45+ race. DRIVING rain, wind, and rapidly changing course conditions. Sunday was nothing but Haul-Ass, hero traction, Velcro your tires to the ground fun.

More later, I'm basically fried from a killer weekend. Here is a bit of video. Sadly, it was NOT conducive to any photography-like activities on Saturday. Was afraid to get my camera out without a plastic bag. Just plain Natsty.

Sunday, SM35+ Open, Lap 2

Saturday, 45+ Open Lap 1 - Bar Cam.

Fried in Frisco

Ah, the true joy of racing cyclocross at 9000 feet above sea level.

Frisco was the first stop on the Colorado Cross Cup campaign for the 2011 season on Saturday. I chose to attend almost on habit, and on the VERY outside chance of picking up some cup points for the remainder of the cup races. Now, Frisco has always dealt up to me a bit of humble pie on extra large plate. Of course this year was NO different.

After a two week lead in that featured a nice head cold/Bronchitis outbreak and a fine DNS at Xilinx, I was in prime shape for a course that is as hard as that little bugger up there. At least I was no longer actively sick for this start. A beautiful day, with blue skies and great aspen gold everywhere, distracted you from the impending suffering.

Thanks to the officials removing all the upgraded folks, my 60-something-ish final result from Colorado Cross Cup last year allowed me to make the last of the call-up list, netting me a 3rd row start in a 70 ish rider field. Of course, with the route starting up a tour de france "beyond-catergory" climb, I knew any advantage would not last long, and it didn't. (OK, OK, it's really not that big of a hill, but it does not do any favors for watt-challenged folks like myself.....)

By the top of the start hill, I had accomplished 2 notable things. One, gone hard enough to be light-headed, dizzy, and not really sure where I was, and two, lost like 20 spots in the line. Pretty much my normal way to start at Frisco. My first 2 laps were a blur of light-headed gasping, as my sickness addled lungs refused to do their job. Every hill or power grass section was a blur of slow motion progress & random bodies riding by. Finally, going into the third lap, I started to feel more like my normal self, and arrested the pack-sliding, even starting to move back up a bit.

Got into an "epic" 3-way battle with Rich of Frites & Mayo fame, along with an ICCC guy, duking it out to fill out the top 50 spots. Spent the rest of the race in the following back & forth battle:

- Get passed like I was standing still on the paved climb by Mr. ICCC.

- Work myself into a hypoxic dizzy spell trying to remain vaguely in contact with ICCC guy.

- Fly down the "woodchipper" descent & catch Mr. ICCC.

- Hear Rich come back up to us on said descent.

- Pass Mr. ICCC before the loose drop into the softball field.

- Fight to hold any gap across the grass.

- Rich & I drop ICCC guy in lower technical bits.

- Rich comes right up on my shoulder on the run-up.

- AND Mr. Comes flying by on the climb.... again.

- Repeat

This continued long enough that we even got into talking about it on the climb....

Mr. ICCC - " Leapfrog again here..."

Me - "See you on the descent"

Anyway, the good thing for me was I had enough left to gas it a little on the last technical section and run-up, and into the pavement on the last lap, sprinting in for a blazing 49th place to "make the top 50" (out of 68 finishers...). my normal "performance" at Frisco. Only 30 places out of the points. Whee.

While I usually am pretty focused in a race, probably to the point of pure suffering tunnel vision most of the time, Every once in a while I might see or hear something in a race. One of my teammates has been known to "drift off" in his concentration in races, up to the point of asking things like "did you see that hot mom on the back side?" or some such. Usually I see nothing but what is going on right around me. THIS time, they managed to say something on the PA that broke right thru my mid-race haze of suffering. Apparently, hearing "free Beer" on PA can get my attention at almost any level of suffering.

The HPM team did a lot better than I did, putting 2 guys in the top 20 and the Cup points for the 35+ 4s for this season. Good ride there, on a HARD course. I decided to make SURE I blew all the junk out of my lungs, and get a hard day in before the USGP weekend, and TRIED to pull a double, racing the 45+ race as well. THAT did not go too well, and after battling my way out of DFL on the first lap, I actually quit a race, just because it was "too hard". I was beginning to feel my hip/back locking up, and with the leaders closing in with 2 to go, pulled the plug on THAT brilliant idea. Also was having the minor issue of getting so goofy in the last laps that I was not able to really drive the bike anymore. Crashing or re-injuring myself seemed like not a good thing at this point in the season, so I stopped by the officials and pulled myself early.

Next weekend is a week of lower level goals. Racing 45+ both days at the Ft. Collins USGP leads to only one goal for me.... Don't get Lapped. Shall see if that is realistic. Should be fun to see all the big guns up there, showing us hacks how it REALLY should be done.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, this weeks Video Collection.

SM35+4 - Seatpost Cam - all of Lap 1

SM35+4, Laps 1-4 in various places

SM45+ Laps 1 and 2

SW Open and SW35+

SM55+ Start and Lap 1

Colorado Cyclocross Videos

It seems like many bike racing blogs out there want to help tell you how to train, learn & be faster. Since endless mid-pack finishes are not much of a resume, I'll spare you all some training or race preparation advice on how to do well, and instead give you a guide on "how to DNS" one of your favorite cross races. This proven method will have you sitting on the sidelines, watching your teammates suffer in no time.

Pick one of your favorite races, say... well... The Boulder Series #2 Xilinx race on Saturday, shall we? Starting the week before, and try this:

Monday - Easy Ride in the afternoon. Start getting a sore throat in the evening. Is that a cold coming?

Tuesday - Wake up, Confirm the cold is HERE. Try to go to work, come home early. Sleep.

Wednesday - Stay home, sleep all day. Continue to feel worse.

Thursday - Feel almost human again, insure Head remains plugged up, work 1/2 day

Friday - Feel "better", insure crappy day at work, followed by 3+ hours of weed-whacking at Xilinx for race prep. Go to bed late after getting race stuff ready

Saturday - RACE DAY!!

Get up at 4:00AM, realize you feel like a piece of roadkill. String course tape starting at 5:00AM. Kit up, warm up. Realize you feel like the entire 35+ cat 4 field just ran you over. Remove Kit, sit down, start whining.

Guaranteed program. Works like a champ.

SO, Like it says, I DNSed at Xilinx. Bummed me out, as I really like that race, and since The Team was helping Lance & Tony at Without Limits Productions/Boulder Racing promote this stop on the Boulder Series, it REALLY makes it a hard one to miss. MAYBE I'll be good enough to make the jaunt up to Frisco this weekend. Nothing like ripping around at 9000 feet to make one feel "better" eh?

Seemed kind of dusty out there saturday. This picture says it all.

The Team had a great day, 6th and 11th in the beer-drinking-dads league, and 5th in the 45+. Maybe I should sit in the team tent more often...... Good ride guys, you make me proud!

SO, a bit of video, Lap 1 of the 35+ 4 race

And 2 parts of Lap 1 for the 35+ 3 race Early Lap 1

Later in Lap 1, 35+ 3s

Credit to Lisa Robinson for Photo & Video

ANNND they're off!

OK, got the first one in. Boulder CX Series #1 at the new Valmont Mountain bike park. Pretty cool course. Kinda flowy, lots of neat little berms & whoop-de dos. The BIG staircase, THAT I can do without, but all in all a good course and venue. Parking for a big race (Boulder cup...) is going to be a mess, that there is not enough of. Pretty good size fields, especially in the Juniors. 81 kids total, and 21 in the JM 13-14 alone. Hope that trend continues. 544 total riders came out. I guess about what you would expect for an early season, warm race smack in the heart of the bubble.

Dueled it out in the Beer-drinking-dad's league for my season opener. Not sure I much care for the early (9:25 am..) start. That alone may send me off to the 45s this year. My race came out about like most for me. good call-up, and faded from the 20ish range to my 36th place finish with 89 riders in the field. Top half, not too bad for a first effort. Not a lot of power on the fast parts, but did better on the hill than I usually do, so a bit of good stiff going in to the season. Just wish I could learn to run up those long run-ups faster.

Got a couple of videos for you, some "seatpost-cam" and a course-side for 35+ 4 and women's races.

35+4 - Seatpost cam - Lap 1

35+ 4 - Lap 1 at the "Belgian steps" the small staircase on the bottom of the course.

SW Open at the "5280 feet" BIG run-up.

SW 35+ at the 5280 run up.

Boulder Series 2 next Saturday, partially brought to you by the High Peaks Masters team, as we'll be helping the Boulder Racing Folks put this one on. We'll be out there all day for that one.

Oh, and am hearing that the other "not Boulder" race planned for Sunday, the Cross-Propz race at Rogers Grove has been cancelled due to "Unexpected Circumstance". Will be shortening up the race weekend, I guess.

Hiding

OK, my postings have been sparse. With Cross season HERE already, I should have been foaming at the mouth posting excited thoughts about the upcoming start to the season. While I AM quite pumped about my first foray for the year back into the joy that is racing around a field carrying a perfectly rideable bike, Life can sometimes put a dent in the creative writing time.

Had our first "real" Wednesday CX session up here in "not-Boulder" yesterday. a pile of 15 or so frothing folks, some of who had already popped their race cherry for the year. Good, fast fun in a cold drizzle. Makes you realize what's coming.

We even had the opportunity to speak to Officer Garcia about whether or not it's "OK" to ride a bicycle in a city park. Had a gentleman walking his dog who did NOT appreciate us being in the park, and informed us that you are NOT allowed to ride bikes on a sidewalk in said park. (This while his unleashed dog ran amok....) After finding that we were not immediately leaving after being informed that we "Can't do your F^&%ing Triathlon here" he resorted to the usual second step of the disgruntled dog walker. "I'm calling the cops!!"

Thus the nice chat with Officer Garcia. Turns out you CAN ride your bike in a city park. Who would have thought that? Strange, also seems like you CAN'T have your dog off leash in a city park. Wow....... Almost gives our lunch sessions the feel of legitimacy.

So, all tuned up, Psyched up, and if my bike quits breaking, ready for my season opener at Valmont Park Saturday. Now just to decide on Beer-Drinking Dads, or the old, fast 45s. Either way, THEN will be the time to see where one really stands. Lets do it.

T minus

Well, 4 days to Cross boys & girls.

At least the 90+ degree temperatures have gone away. Has been kinda hard to get in the mood for racing cross with the hair dryer hot days coming one after the other. Now, I don't think I'll be coming out for the opening day party. Might see about coming out Sunday to see where I stand in the early season pecking order, as I kinda like that Kiddie Prison course. I AM having trouble realizing it's time to get out & suffer already.

Have hardly done any CX practice, outside of a HPM team camp a couple of weeks ago in Fraser, so just not 100% "ready to cross" quite yet. But then again, the itch is there, and growing rapidly. For those of you fully chomping at the bit, and headed out... Go give them hell.

Rather than pounding out some cross hot laps over the long weekend, we opted to head up high with the big bike.

The American Lakes Cirque up by Cameron Pass makes for a great day trip, with great singletrack above tree line, and great scenery.

A great way to spend a clear, crisp fall day in the high country. Even get to share it with some of the larger locals.

A pretty sweet and relaxing way to "end" the summer, and get going on cross season. Guess it's time to start REALLY thinking cross....

One more thing on the ACA-USAC "debate". I think I get the Idea that not a lot of people care. In the last week or so, with over 100 blog visits here , only 9 people have cared enough to click on the survey. Less than 10% of visitors taking the time to click one or the other either shows that there is not much opinion, or probably more likely, the fact that no one cares that much either way. Interesting in it's own right. Either way, I plan on sharing that limited data wiht the ACA folks. Few more days to vote, if you care.