Off the Couch Slow

It's the new new thing

2011-07-28T13:35:00.000-06:00

Everyone's going to have one. Do you?

2010-02-21T19:07:00.002-07:00

My awesome wife wrote me some Haiku for my birthday

Dad Haikus
By Rebecca Teasdale

Bell Lap Blues

Mud and thick sand,
Gravity and goat heads conspire,
Seventeenth and first not finding me on this lap.

At Breakfast

Composure and patience
Not outlasting her commitment
To making an ordeal over cereal.

Heart Time

A missed call-up for forty-five
Plus, years for bike and body only.
Yet meaningless in real person and heart time.

When is a win a win?

2010-01-18T12:06:00.005-07:00

Ok, so there were only about 12 people who lined up for the B race yesterday up in Fort Collins at the New Belgium Brewery for the Skyler T. fund raiser event, and all of the usual suspects were missing, but a win is a win. Or is it? Regardless, the course was a blast and had lots of mud, snow, and ice. Props to the folks for putting on a great January race.

T-Bone

2010-01-15T16:35:00.003-07:00

I was listening to an interview with T-Bone Burnett on NPR the other day. He was talking about how he was working with some actors who had parts in movies that required them to sing. Singing parts that were a real stretch for these folks. Put them in a real uncomfortable place. He talked about help getting these people to the place where they were just "being" the thing they were working so hard on. A place somewhere in between not trying hard enough and trying too hard. A place where they were just doing. What a beautiful place to be.

The Lance Effect

2009-04-03T13:25:00.005-06:00

Before I rode bikes, I was a runner. I’m not sure why I was ever a runner, because I rarely enjoyed it. I could probably blame my wife, who wasn’t my wife yet, as she was a runner when I met her. Like most guys trying to make girlfriends into wives, I did things that I thought would impress her and I became a runner.

Since I have serious OCD problems, I just couldn’t run for exercise or to simply impress my future wife. I had to start running in races, training harder, etc. I got a little faster and at one point clocked some 6:29/miles in a 5k race, which qualified me for the AA wave at the Bolder Boulder one year. Now I don’t want to sound braggy, but being in the AA wave at the Bolder Boulder in kind of a big deal, even if you don’t actually deserve to be there. The best part about being at the front of the Bolder Boulder is the sound of thousands of thundering footsteps of each successive wave as they catch you and drop you. I’ve gone backwards in a cyclocross race many times, but it’s nothing like the humiliation of going backwards in the Bolder Boulder.

So I did this running thing for a time. Sometimes I would enjoy running, but mostly I didn’t. Then I got married and thought less about trying to impress my wife. At the same time I discovered, thanks to my wife, the Tour de France and some guy by the name of Lance Armstrong. It wasn’t long before I bought my first road bike and stopped running entirely.

Yes, I’m a proud product of the “Lance Effect.” I just happen to be in Lance’s hood on spring break, but don’t have a bike. So, I decided to go for a run, not because I like it, but because it’s good for cross. For those familiar with Austin, I ran along the Bull Creek Greenbelt trail from about 2222 to Spicewood Springs Road. It’s an oasis in the middle of an urban jungle.

Camera phone photo dump:

And you know what, I enjoyed it!

Are you Superstitious?

2009-03-29T18:29:00.009-06:00

Like most bike racers I'm superstitious. Well, I'm not really a bike racer, but since I'm pretending to be a bike racer, I must be superstitious as if I really was a bike racer. There are the standard race day rituals. Eating certain foods in a certain order, packing your race bag, etc. However, there are two big things for me.

The first is what coffee cup I drink my pre-race cup of coffee out of. It goes without saying that the coffee in the cup has to be the same, but I HAVE to drink out of the same cup.

You would think that any of these would do the job and normally they do.

But on race day, it has to be this one.

Don’t ask me why because I don’t know why. It just is what is. But trust me when I say that the psychological damage that can be done to my psyche on race day if I don’t have this cup to drink my coffee is untold. It’s even gotten to the point that I’ve started taking the cup to travel races. I did, however, forget to take it to cyclocross nationals last year and this would clearly explain my lackluster performance.

The second is what pair of socks I wear on race day.

Again, you would think that any of these would do the job.

I must confess that my superstition with socks is not quite at the level of with my coffee cup. There’s a couple pair in there that will work, but when push comes to shove and it’s an important race, only these will do.

The only known negative to these socks are that they’re black. It is well known in the European peloton that it’s not cool to wear black socks. However, I’m not in the European peloton and it seems to work for me. That is if being pack fodder in the local race scene is the definition of what works.

So, yesterday I was getting settled into my pre-race routine and rituals for the Koppenberg Circuit race. However, we had this big snow storm the other day. They like to call it a spring blizzard, but where I come from (Colorado) 10 inches of snow doesn’t meet the litmus test for a blizzard. Anyway, the snow made the dirt part of the course turn into mud and they had to postpone the race.

So instead of racing today, I just went for a ride. Here’s the gratuitous self-portrait. Bonus points to those who were on the ride AND read my blog (that’s one person) if you can tell me what’s wrong with this photo.

So, we headed up to Carter Lake and Bret and Chad made me hurt a few times today. This is really not the gentleman thing to do, but all is fair in Love and War.

Here’s a shot of Bret and Chad as they laugh amongst themselves after dropping me on the dam road climb.

All in all is was a good ride, but in retrospect it might have served me better to drink my morning coffee out of my favorite mug and don my favorite socks. There’s always next time.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

2009-03-22T15:51:00.005-06:00

I went out for a ride with my old girlfriend Celeste today. You see, I haven't seen her for a while. She used to be my number one gal, but then someone else came along and took her place.

So, we went for a ride.

We stopped by all our all old favorites.

Mr. Cowboy

We road some on the pavement and some on the dirt roads.

And some of our other favorite dirt roads.

Things were going along just fine. And then it started to happen. It started with the seat. It started twisting and slowing slipping down. That's strange I thought. So, I stopped to check it out. And that's we it really went bad. You see, I was twisting the seat and trying to get it to come back up to its proper position and my back goes out! Seriously, my lower back just seizes up.

You see, Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

Somehow I got myself back on the bike and got home. I had time to reflect on what I had done. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I treated you. How I just walked away without even saying goodbye.

Sometimes breaking up is hard to do.

Koppenberg

2009-03-20T14:33:00.003-06:00

So, I woke up this morning and much to my surprise Sonya Looney had commented on my blog post from yesterday. You see, Sonya Looney is a local mountain biker who's living the dream. I don't personally know Sonya Looney, but I have seen her out on the road and bike path a couple of times and she has always been courteous enough to wave. From reading her blog, she seems like a real cool person and I admire the amount of work she puts into being a professional mountain biker. My cross bro Mud and Cowbells likes her, so she HAS to be a good person.

In some ways it makes up for the fact she doesn't follow me on Twitter. You see, I started following Sonya Looney on twitter a few months ago, but she didn't follow me back. Of course, I was hurt at first, but I have managed to get over it. But just barely. PSA - this is the start of the guilt and shameless plug - I think she could completely make up for it by agreeing to race our UCI Cylcocross race, the Blue Sky Velo Cup, on October 31st, in Longmont.

So anyway, I got together with a few Blue Sky folks at lunch today and did another Top Secret training ride out at the Koppenberg. The climb is in top notch shape and will most likely wreak havoc on the peleton. Predictions of some precipitation early next week would do the course some good.

For me, my expectations of doing well this year are fading. You see I’m pretty fast. And on top of that I’m a real good climber. That is until I go out and ride with folks who are REALLY fast and REALLY good climbers. It’s not like I didn’t try. I put some extra effort in over the last couple of months in order not to lose my entire cross fitness.

Don’t be sad. I will give my best. And this year I will hopefully be sprinting for something better than 64th.

Climbing Sticks

2009-03-19T16:40:00.004-06:00

After hanging in my garage for the last nine months, I finally got the Felt F55 down off the meat hook and took her for a spin. She was awkward at first and it took awhile to get those old sensations back.

Met up with Pale Power for some top secret training.

Here's Pale getting his climbing sticks out.

So much handsomeness it's hard to look at. Or is it just the glare?

Here's his Sonya Looney "E'" face.

Watch out come cross season folks. Pale is on a mission. He even told me he did 70 sit ups the other day.

In Earnest

2009-01-06T09:57:00.006-07:00

I shaved my legs this morning. Not really out of necessity, but out of habit. You see, I started shaving my legs a few years ago when I became a bike racer. Because if you don't shave your legs, you're just a bike rider. So they say...

I fondly remember the first time I shaved my legs. It was stressful and it took me what seemed like a half hour. A half hour per leg. I'm much faster these days (shaving my legs that is), and on any given day my legs are likely to be smoother than my wife's. She says that she doesn't mind, and it's probably true. She's used to being the man of the house.

So, last Saturday we strapped it on for one last time this cyclocross season. It was an experiment of sorts having a cross race in January. I can't say that I didn't like it. It was less formal. Less stressful. Hollywood won the plate of cookies prime that Mrs. Prieto baked, but he didn't share. Pale power got interviewed by the Mountain Flyer. I didn't get girled, but I did get geezered. I guess that's what happens when you race with a national champion. All in all it was good day.

So, the end is here, for a time. I may shave my legs less often, but I probably won't. I like them smooth, even if it doesn't help me go any faster.

Off season is officially here, in earnest.

New Years Resolution Countdown - Part Three

2008-12-30T10:25:00.004-07:00

I must confess that I'm not a monk. Not a Zen Monk, nor a Buddhist Monk. I suppose that I'll never be a monk, nor will I ever be with a monk. But there is something compelling about how they live their lives. How they devote their lives to being present in everything they do, to being dedicated and to serving others.

I think one of the good things about the economic recession is that it forces us to pause and think about what we really need in our consumption driven society. To take inventory of what we have, what we really need, and how we can live more simply. I find this especially true with my children. They are masters at collecting stuff. And they are blessed with an abundance of stuff. And with the influx of new Christmas presents, it was time to take inventory. It was time to think differently about our stuff.

So, we got a couple of boxes and each of my children had to fill it with some of their stuff to give away to charity. It was very painful process, and it took some time to complete it. Hopefully the process was not lost on their young minds, even if it didn’t feel good for them.

There is just so much in our lives that isn’t necessary. And it’s not just our physical stuff. It’s also the stuff of our thoughts. I spend a lot time inside my head in what I like to call it the introverts trap. Thinking. Sensing. Judging. I get lost in my thoughts. Thoughts of the past and thoughts of the future. I fondly remember the time my wife and I were having an important discussion. She was talking. I was thinking. And then she said to me in an urgent tone, “you’re not hearing what I’m saying!” I paused for a moment and then dead panned, “that’s because I’m not listening to you.” Start PSA - saying you're not listening to your spouse is closely related to saying whatever to your spouse and is not recommended - End PSA.

I wasn’t present. And when you’re not present, you’re not there. Not there for your friends, your kids, your spouse.

New Years Resolution #3 - Be "Present"

New Years Resolution Countdown - Part Two

2008-12-27T08:22:00.006-07:00

My wife is really smart. I'm not just saying this because she occasionally reads my blog and I want to impress her. She doesn't read my blog, so she won't even know that I said it. I'm saying it because it's true. Well, it's mostly true. She did marry me, so she does have the occasionally lapse in judgement. But it's not really her fault because I tricked her.

I think when each guy is born they're allocated one of what I'm going to call a "girl trick" card. Guys don't really know they have it, but on instinct when they find the girl of their dreams they play their "girl trick" card. It's kinda like a cloaking device, like the one made famous by the Romulans as a way to camouflage or hide themselves from Captain Kirk and the rest of his clan.

Applied as the "girl trick" card, one is able to camouflage or hide oneself from their true identity, and thus become something to their future wives that they find appealing and thus trick them into getting married. I know this to be true, because my wife is smart, and I'm not, because if I was, I'd have some prestigious title like Fellow, which I don't. And she did marry me.

So, anyway, my wife is really smart and always looking for ways to get smarter. Recently she's been getting certified in a new "tool" as the folks her in line of work like to call them. This most recent "tool" (no, not me) is the Insights Discovery profile. You could spend a lot of time reading about it here or the cliff notes version is that it's a "tool" for self-understanding and development. Part of getting certified means that I become a guinea pig and get profiled, which last time I checked was against the law.

Going through this process is pretty cool as I'm into self-understanding in a non-understanding kind of way and am always open to development as long as it will help me become a better cyclocross racer and what better way to come up with some cogent new years resolution. So, here's the little gem I pulled from the report.

"Can have difficulty working effectively with spontaneous creativity"

New Years Resolution #2 - Be "Spontaneous"

New Years Resolution Countdown - Part One

2008-12-26T07:58:00.012-07:00

2008 is in the books and a new year is on the horizon. Whatever, right? I mean does anyone really care?

I remember growing up and using the the flippant version of this powerful word. You used it with your friends as often as the Federal Reserve cranks up its' money making machine. Bam, there goes another trillion dollars! But I digress. Timed right, "whatever" is a very effective tool in a sardastic bag of tricks. But every good tool not used properly has it's bad side.

I remember the first time I said "whatever" to my grandmother. My grandmother didn't hit, well except for the time she tried to spank me with a ruler and it broke and I started laughing, but that's a whole different story entirely, and I'm sure it was the last time I ever said it. OK, it probably wasn't the last time I said "whatever" to her, because kids really aren't that smart, even if your kids already think they're smarter than you.

So we grow up and become less sardastic and maybe a little more sarcastic and use "whatever" less. But even when we grow up and get a little smarter, we're still really not that smart. This can be evidenced by the first and only time I used "whatever" with my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, and quite honestly jeopardized the chances on making my girlfriend my wife and then what would have been of my two children? It's kinda like a sliding door experience. You say whatever and your girlfriend becomes your ex-girlfriend or you don't say whatever and your girlfriend becomes your wife, you have kids, and live happly ever after.

Warning - the video below has suggestive content. You probably don't want to show your kids, but you may, at the right time, want to show your wife. Just don't say whatever when she says no.

Somehow I repaired the damage of the atomic bomb I dropped that day, got married and passed on my sardonic genes. Your kids, who think are smarter than you (because they are) will think they're smarter than you, even at age 7, and tell you whatever! START of PSA - for those of you who don't have kids or your kids are too young to tell you off yet, they will and don't be surprised when they do it. Also, don't spank them with a wooden or plastic ruler, because it will break, they will laugh at you, and this will make you really mad - END of PSA - and so continues the circle of life.

And so where are we going with this? Since I'm not that smart, or funny, or creative, and everything I talk about or write about for that matter has to do with biking, here comes the tie in.

This is me trying to get my game face on at the start of a cross race.

And what is really going on in there (that being my brain) is some version of whatever. It's not a sardastic or even a sarcastic whatever. More like a whatever happens whatever. And as we've have discussed, this is not good. It's not good for relationships, and is not especially good for cyclocross racing.

New Years Resolution #1 - No more "Whatever"

P.S. - I don't really know what the word sardastic means. I think I heard my wife say it once. She's really smart, so I thought I'd use it so that I sounded smart too. You can look it up in the dictionary like I tried, but you'll find, like I did, that it's not in there.

Going Backwards - Going Forward

2008-12-21T07:21:00.004-07:00

Have you ever obsessed on one of the those 1000 piece puzzles. You spend days or even weeks working on them. You probably have help from the family and everyone bonds together to get the job done. And when your done there's a sense of accomplishment. But what if it's one of those puzzles where you get to the end and one of the pieces is missing? You turn the house upside down trying to find it, but it never turns up.

You probably feel frustrated as you've no doubt put in a tremendous amount of work and you can't put that final piece into place. You can see the picture in all it's detail, but you don't really feel like you got the job done. It becomes a hole that will never be filled.

If you go fishing and never catch a fish is the time spent lost? Do you even really need to catch a fish? Does it become an emptiness that somehow needs to be filled?

Or is it simply about the process? When we focus all of our energy on what we think we want at the end, do we somehow miss something far more important? Do we miss what's happening along the way?

Sometimes the puzzle will have a missing piece, but does it really matter?

Choice

2008-11-26T07:03:00.004-07:00

I've been mulling over the last couple of days of what to say about last Sunday's cross race. It was a pretty good race for me. Not spectacular as I was laking a little snap in the legs after pacing Podium Boy up to Jamestown the day before, but a good measured effort non the less.

I've also been thinking about a lot of different things related to cyclocross lately and why I do it. As mentioned in the past, it's Dan's fault and I put all of the blame of my cross addiction squarely on his shoulders.

Cyclocross is just a microcosm of life. A lot of hard work that results in some good days, some bad, and others somewhere in between. However, one thing that remains constant is that each time after I go out and suffer, I always try to end with a smile on my face.

To my partners in crime, THANKS for bringing cross into my life and your continued energy in making it what it is today.

Photo's courtesy of THE GLOVER.

4th Anniversary

2008-11-16T19:09:00.012-07:00

Yesterday was the final race in the Boulder Racing CX season and represented my 4 year cross anniversary. Yep, the addiction started four years ago on a muddy day in November at the Louisville Rec Center. And yes, it started on a mountain bike, my wife's mountain bike none the less. And like for many of us, it was Dan's fault. I remember being terrified I'd get in someones way and I did as the leader of the 35+ open race lapped me. He said on your left and I moved to my left. Whoops! There were less than 10 starters in the 35+/4 field that year.

Louisville 2004 - Working the mud

Then I grew up, shaved, got some contacts, got on a team, and bought a real cross bike. I really did love my Bianchi. Yep, that's Mr. Love on his mountain bike trying to chase me down so he could put a knife into the back of my kit.

Louisville 2005 - Trying to shake the Love man

Two years in and a complete addict. Time to get serious and get to the front of the race. Worked a plan for the first time and did well most weeks and even put a W up on the board in 2006. The reward? Welcome to the 3's.

Louisville 2006 - Me and the Boyz working the front of the race

The transition year was next. Most of it in the 35+ open getting my ass handed to me. No pics from Louisville in 2007 to document the pain, but Dan-O did win it in the 35+/4's.

And so the 4th anniversary began with a bang. One rider down and then a whole bunch follow. I narrowly escape the disaster and get onto the back of the split in the field. Feeling good and moving up, and winning some battles and losing others. Get caught by a group with a few to go and just can't hang on. Catch a few others with one to go and get a gap. Almost catch two more sleeping at the line, but run out of track. Pics courtesy of Mrs. Coverted and Marty.

A new hill in the course and a battle lost to Rocky Mounts.

Working the barriers

The catch and pass up the run by Mr. Converted. Yep, that's his handsome calf.

Bringing it home

Cross or Crit?

2008-11-09T17:07:00.008-07:00

Went down the Golden today for a cross race and a crit broke out. The question wasn't if it was going to be fast or not, that was a given, but if you could out last the goat head mine field.

They were everywhere and the reports from the earlier races were not good. After a couple of warm up laps on the A bike I had my own. While Bob the Builder worked on getting my tire sealed, I got on the B bike and stayed on the pavement for the rest of the warm up.

Warmed up and ready to roll I got myself into the second row and was quietly confident that the course would suit me. Instruction from the ref and the gun was off. I got my self in good position going into the first turn onto the dirt. Things were going a little slow, so I jumped into the right lane and worked my way up to 6th wheel. Soon I joined up with Mr. Converted and we worked together (mostly him working) for a couple of laps. We reeled in the number 4 guy and as we came back onto the pavement and through the start/finish area Mr. Converted attacked. Our companion sat on my wheel and was content to let the move go. I turned to him a couple of times and told him that I wasn't going to chase down my teammate, but he wouldn't pull through. In the meantime, Mr. Coverted got a huge gap and was gone for good.

For the rest of the race I worked hard to hold my position. I'd move up only to be caught and dropped by a few. As the chase was persistent from behind, I had to dig deep. I just kept repeating to myself, "calm and strong, calm and strong, calm and strong."

In the end I held on and finished in good position. It was a good mental recharge from the disaster known as Boulder Cup Day 2. More sky is in place and the puzzle should be completed just in time for this.

Props to Mr. Converted who just keeps bringing it!

Photo's courtesey of Mrs. Converted

No Rabbits in the Hat

2008-11-02T18:32:00.007-07:00

Boulder Cup Day #1

Day one of the Boulder Cup was back to the reservoir and that means only one thing -- SAND! Today was a day to be aggressive during staging. BCR call-ups and then the free for all. I was able to get myself into the second row. I had a good start and had good position going into the first couple of turns. With the first couple of laps of chaos behind us I settled in just outside the top 10. I was working hard to hold my position, but was feeling good. With three to go my rear tire was feeling a little squishy, but I thought I was going to be ok. With two to go, it was flat! I rode it into the pits and got a pro bike change by the Mavic boys, but it was all too late as the damage was done.

Getting the game face on.

One sand section down, one to go.

Chasing Mr. Converted

Boulder Cup Day 2

Day two was in Boulder at base of the foothills. All grass all the time. This course should have been my friend, but it was not to be. Less than 60 seconds in I could tell is was going to be a long day. 90 seconds in I was making the call to the engine room, but there was no answer. On lap 3 I took a digger in the sand and my sternum and handle bars decided to become friends. What breath I had left, was now gone and what was going to be a very long day become a very short day. Some days are like that.

The preferred method

Not so much fun

Painful memories courtesy of Mrs. Converted

The Sky is the Hardest Part

2008-10-26T18:41:00.007-06:00

The hardest part about having a plan is being patient. When others are going fast and you are not, it's hard. But the framework has to be built, before the picture can take shape. The puzzle pieces are slowly falling into place. Each week the picture is becoming more clear, but details remain. And the sky is always the hardest part.

Today was the rez. I have a love/hate relationship with this place. Good memories of times before. Bad memories of the sand run up. The sensations, as the say, during warm-ups were not good. The sand run up seemed even longer than usual.

My start was not good and as we made the first u-turn and I could see how many were ahead. I almost mailed it in, but something kept my head in the game and I just kept plugging away. I was moving forward and moving forward fast. I hitched up the back-end of The Converted's train and hung on. Every time up the sand run-up I would get gapped and have to spend extra energy trying to get back on. Eventually I fell off the group, but was able to hold on to my position for the rest of the race.

UCI races next weekend. And some more pieces to the puzzle.

Do it Well

2008-10-22T21:51:00.004-06:00

My wife has always told me that the work flows to those who do it well. And with less than a weeks gone by since the Blue Sky Velo Xilinx Classic, the requests are already coming in.

I am flattered, and our club should be proud, we should also be grateful and keep things in perspective. Keep things in balance.

It has occured to me, strangely enough, that as the glow of the Big Show is fading into the background, that it is time.

It is time to start racing my bike with the same passion that I put into the bike race. I will see you at the rez this Sunday, but I do not plan on being in the background any longer. And allthough my legs and lungs may not be where my head is, it's time for my head to be where it should be.

Blue Sky Velo Cyclocross Classic

2008-10-19T21:24:00.003-06:00

It has consumed my life for the last nine months, but I got this today from one of the pro riders and it made it all worth it. A big thanks to those who came out and raced, and an even BIGGER thank you to all my comrades at the Blue Sky Nation for your tireless assistance in making our first foray into race promotion a HUGE success.

"I just wanted to send you a quick note saying thanks! The race yesterday was one of the most well put on ones in Colorado that I have ever seen. It is even more impressive that it was one of the first cross races your team has promoted. The online registration (including the fee cover) was awesome, race promotion was great, one of the best Xilinx courses to date, the venue was setup well and the prize list was impressive. There are not many races done as well as yours. Hopefully you had a good time and were as satisfied as I was. "

Oh, and I raced too. Not much zip in the legs after two days of getting the course ready, but all is good.

A Cyclocross Racer is Born

2008-10-17T04:44:00.003-06:00

The Converted have blessed us with one of the next generation of cyclocross racers. Behold Adian!

This boy clearly has his HUP HUP on. Congrats Isaac and Jenna!

Good Sensations

2008-10-11T17:20:00.002-06:00

Xilinx today. No, not OUR Xilinx, but the other one. Cold, rain, and mud were on tap and a good course with lots of turns and twists to keep the roadies in check. Had a good start and was feeling pretty good. Then I rolled my rear tubular and had to run to the pit. Got on the B bike but the tire pressure was too low and had to stop on the next time around for some air. Not all is lost as I can feel the form moving forward. Plan the work and work the plan.

AND make sure you check the tire pressure in the pit bike!

Freakshow - Pronounced Frisco

2008-10-09T12:21:00.004-06:00

This past weekend we headed up to the hills for two days of some hot cross action at the Frisco Nordic Center. Saturday was pretty much a disaster. Sunday was less of a disaster. Mr. Converted writes it off as another piece of the larger puzzle that I'm putting together for later in the year and he's right. Even though it's early October and results are not what matters to me right now, it still stings to get your ass handed to you so bad.

No rest for the weary. Went up and did Sunshine Canyon hill repeats on Tuesday on the cross bike. Start at the Poorman's junction and go up the steepest pitches until it rolls over. Do it again times four. Yesterday was was some race pace up Flagstaff to the summit with some intervals along the way. Today it's 10 second intervals in the grass...

Next week is the big show. Is it OK for the promoter to give himself a special call up? Come on out and race or watch. Good times will be had by all.

A day in the Grass

2008-09-29T21:46:00.003-06:00

About 80 guys (and a couple girls including Georgia Gould and Kelli Emmett) lined up for this weekends race at Interlocken. I had a decent start, but it was pretty chaotic as we snaked our way around the grass before we hit the sidewalk for the first time. I was able to avoid a couple of crashes and had to close the door on a guy when he tried to take me on the inside of a corner. After all of the chaos of lap 1, I was finally able to settle into a pace on lap two. I felt pretty good and was able to go with some small groups that were moving forward. Hooked a ride on with a Velonews guy and made my way up Dan-O. We worked together for a few laps and I tried to make a move forward. I kept the boyz at bay until the last lap when I just ran out of gas. Dan-O started racing again on the last lap and caught me sleeping at the wheel as we approached the finish. Point taken!

Photos provided by The Converted

Going Slower is Going Faster

2008-09-25T20:14:00.003-06:00

This week has been a recovery week. I used to dread recovery weeks. Going slow is no fun and certainly a waste of good legs. Now I enjoy going slow. I look forward to it and savor each pedal stroke. I imagine the hard work of the previous weeks being baked in as another layer of the foundation. The foundation that will support the house to come. It's unfortunate it has taken me four years to figure this out, but going slower is going faster.

Blue Sky on Green Mountain

2008-09-23T21:29:00.004-06:00

Blue Sky Nation headed down to Golden for some Green Mountain Cross this past Sunday. Lot's of boys and girls racing throughout the day. We had 5 boyz line up for the 3's race with Harber making is 2008 debut. It was good to see him out riding with us. Good showing with 4 of us busting the top 20 (would've been all five with a little more air in the converted's tire). I started in the back and worked my way forward for most of the race picking off 30 or more guys. All is good as it's still September and the form is slowly, but surely coming along.

Game On!

2008-09-14T22:58:00.005-06:00

First cross race of the season was in Breckenridge today. Felt pretty good for the first couple of laps until the following sequence of events took place.

I lost a lot of mo jo and it took me a couple of laps to get my game face back on.

Special props to the Blue Velo road crew for their wins in the springs!

Trailer Work

2008-09-07T19:32:00.004-06:00

Spent the weekend getting the first phase of the trailer buildout completed. So far I get can five bikes in with the plan being for a total of ten. Will work on the other side this week in preparation for the maiden voyage down to Colorado Springs and Brek for the first w/e of cyclocross. I'm thinking that I might have to give preferential treatment to team Blue Sky Ridley's.

P.S. -- For those of you who don't have one of the new team ridley's (and you know who you are), you need to get down to Blue Sky Cycles and order one!

Embrocation

2008-09-05T15:30:00.005-06:00

A cold front has moved in and given us a taste of the Fall to come. That, of course, only means that the first cross race is close at hand. As I dressed for today's spin, I took the opportunity to dig out my supply of Freddy's. The smell! Oh, that smell as I poured some into my hands and rubbed it into my legs. Yes, cross is close. The real season is very close.

The machine is dialed and ready to roll. Good training is in the bank account. Everything is in it's proper place and now only time will tell.

Another Addition to the Family

2008-08-29T21:05:00.004-06:00

Stepping it up for Blue Sky Nation. See you at the CX races!

A new girl in town

2008-08-06T20:10:00.003-06:00

I brought home the new baby today. 17lbs and change with the "training" wheels on. She's going to rock with the ES's . Took her for her maiden voyage this afternoon. SE repeats in the grass. I think we're going to get along just fine.

I Apologize for the poor quality of photograph. It was hard to get a good picture in between the Tornado Warnings, then the Flash Flood Warnings, etc.

Raspberries

2008-08-04T14:23:00.004-06:00

Hot week of training last week. Not hot in terms of the training, but hot in terms of the temps. Ended the week with a nice three hour endurance ride and an abrupt stop for a taste of some wild raspberries.Yum, raspberries!

Nothing

2008-07-31T06:38:00.002-06:00

I made the call down to the engine room last night at STXC, but there was nothing there. "Can you give me more power" I asked. But, the response was a resounding, "NO." I had to shut it down to all but the most basic systems and ride tempo for the entire race. This, by the way, does not translate into a high performing STXC race. I so desperately wanted to pull out, but hung in for the duration. I'd like to blame it on 99 degree temps, but I think it had little to do with it.

Focus

2008-07-28T16:19:00.002-06:00

Another good week of training in the books. Racing, A LOT of rest, and some base work. So many tempting distractions out there that are testing my focus by my fellow Blue Skyers. "Spirited" group ride on Saturday. Weekly lunch hammer ride in Boulder. Dr. Abraham's Powerful POWER loops. Someone is even trying to start up a Wednesday night cross ride. Ugh! For those who want to peak for the September cross races have at it. For me, I will continue to have to pass, even though the group ride hero inside of me so desperately wants to show up.

Boulder Short Track

2008-07-23T21:07:00.006-06:00

Short track has been off the menu for most of the summer as I focused on some Crit and TT work, but tonight it was like being reunited with a lost love. A little tentative at first, but once things settled down I got myself into a good rhythm. I spent most of the race in no mans land behind the lead group of riders of ten or so, with the nearest group to me probably close to thirty seconds or so back. I spotted Bryan G. with about three laps to go a tried to pull him back, but wasn't making too much progress. Then, Mr. Mud, who was warming up for the A race, got behind me and started yelling at me. "Get out of the saddle and SPRINT." "OK, recover a little here and get ready to go again." "GO! Get your teammate." It was very motivating and I almost caught him, but ran out of track. Good times!

First Week and Leanin'

2008-07-20T19:54:00.005-06:00

Photo courtesy of The Dancy's

The first week is in the books. Basic stuff with a couple of hard efforts thrown in for good measure. Power work in the grass. One of my favorite work outs. And a crit. The Leanin' Tree crit. Had a nice hill in it that had me a little worried before the race. Felt good. Especially on the hill. Great intervals for the real season to come.

Grass

2008-07-17T14:44:00.002-06:00

Power sucking grass.
Strength creating grass.
For grass like Interlocken.
Focus on the grass.
Focus on the powerful pedal stroke.
On then off.
Do it again.

And so now it begins...

2008-07-16T21:20:00.007-06:00

It's time. Finally, it's time.
I've been waiting since December.
Patiently waiting.
And so now it begins...
In earnest.

Teton Panorama

2008-07-01T14:55:00.001-06:00

South Fork of Snake River

2008-07-01T09:49:00.002-06:00

Today is prep day for our rafting excursion of the South Fork of Snake River. This afternoon we'll be heading into Jackson Hole to pic up our raft at Leisure Sports. Then we'll load them up on Dan-O's trailer and he'll lug them over the pass and into Idaho. Some last minute food shopping and we'll be ready to go.

Jackson Lake Lodge

2008-06-30T16:00:00.002-06:00

Today we made the drive from Lander to the Grand Teton National Park. The relatively short drive was interrupted by the summer construction on Togwotee Pass.

We'll be basing out of the Jackson Lake Lodge for the next two days before the start of our rafting trip down the South Fork of the Snake River. Some great views of the Teton's from the deck of the lodge.

On the Road: Day One

2008-06-29T22:00:00.000-06:00

Packed up the family and headed out for the Fourth of July trip. Day one involved driving from Longmont to Lander, Wyoming. We set up for the night at the Holiday Lodge.

We dined at the hip Gannet Grill and had hamburgers and mac and cheese for the kids. Afterwords we headed to MD's for milkshakes for a reward for the kids.

Fathers Day Crit

2008-06-15T21:13:00.001-06:00

Look here for the report.

Boulder TT Series #6

2008-06-11T21:56:00.001-06:00

I would've rather been at STCX, but check here for my Boulder TT report.

Bugs

2008-06-11T07:21:00.001-06:00

For some reason I just couldn't stop laughing while reading this post by Fat Cyclist. Enjoy!

Blog Slacker

2008-06-10T15:15:00.005-06:00

Got called out on Mud and Cowbells today for being a blogger slacker. And deservedly so. I just haven't had that blogging feeling lately.

Got in the local press today. Well, at least I got my picture from last Wednesday's STXC race in the paper.

You can read the full story here about the latest news on the design of the Valmont Park.

Will be jumping in on the Boulder TT Series tomorrow night and heading up to Gleenwood Springs on Fathers Day for some crit action.

Good times!

Boulder Short Track

2008-05-30T07:24:00.001-06:00

Get it here http://www.cucyclingshorttrack.blogspot.com/

Primus Mootry Criterium

2008-04-28T19:05:00.003-06:00

The first race of the season is in the books. If it would have been in Denver, there is no way I would have gone, but I decided to jump in on the action yesterday for no other reason than the close proximity to home.

The race, a criterium, was held around the Thule building just outside of Boulder. The course was oval shaped with only one 90-degree turn and about as flat as they come. With no technical turns or hills, there wouldn't be much to break apart the pack.

Coach Kevin has been pounding into our pea brains the importance of riding as close to the front of the race without sticking our noses in the wind too much. I was determined to heed his sage advice and lined up in the front row. Blue Sky Velo teammates Dave K., Dave T., Kevin G., and Steve C. lined up close behind.

Coming from cross, I'm unaccustomed to calm starts, but this one was just that. We rolled away from the start line and everyone was looking at each other waiting for someone to make the move and stick their nose into the wind. About a quarter of lap in, a guy jumped the right side and got things rolling. I quickly jumped to third wheel and sat in the slipstream of the rider in front of me. The first 15 minutes of the race pretty much stayed this way.

I think boredom was starting to set in as people started to try their hand at taking a flyer. I had thought about the merits of such a move before the race in terms of trying to animate things, but after watching three or four folks try to get away and how quickly and easily the field brought them back, I decided to hang tight and conserve energy.

As the race wore on I started having to spend more and more energy trying to stay close to the front. Because the road was so wide, it was easy for the group to swarm from the sides. One minute you'd be in front and the next you'd almost be at the back. I only spent one time in the back and it was enough to motivate me to get back to the front as fast as possible.

The last couple of laps really heated up and I had enough to stay with the group, but there was nothing for the sprint. Kevin G. even offered to get me set up for the sprint, but I just didn’t have enough to get on his wheel. It was nice to get out and stretch the legs and see where my base fitness is right now. It was good experience being at the front of a crit for the first time, but I still need to work on protecting my position while expending the least amount of energy.

A Fine Dressed Man

2008-04-20T11:14:00.003-06:00

Have you ever been out on a ride around Boulder County and looked at people and the way they dress for a bike ride? So UN-PRO I think to myself. I'm not practically proud of it, but I tend to judge how fast they are by the way the dress. These people who are so BADLEY dressed are, of course, the same people who show up and the weekend race scene and kick your ass. I know better, but sometimes I let that fact that I have a cool new BSV kit get into my head. I think that I'm better than I really am.

I never should have made fun of the way my good friend Adam dressed a couple of weeks ago. So UN-PRO he is. But, the fact is he kicked my ass yesterday on our ride. And it hurt. It hurt my legs. It hurt my lungs. And it hurt my ego. But, it was a nicely timed gift. A reminder that in order for me to meet my goals this year, I'm going to have to work harder than I ever had before.

Thanks Adam. Thanks for the mouthful of humble pie. It's just what I needed!

More Goodies

2008-04-18T20:46:00.003-06:00

Picked up another piece to the Cross build puzzle today at Blue Sky. The 128g carbon fiber arm TRP950 brakes are just what the doc ordered.

Get down to the shop today and order yours! That is, if you want to be one of the cool cats.

In other news, it looks like we're doing another kit order. Capo has graciously agreed to fleece lined long-sleeve skin suits. The order window has only been open a day and we've already hit our minimum. Sure will be nice come late in the cross season.

Longmonts Warehouse District

2008-04-07T20:55:00.004-06:00

This past Saturday night we secured the services of a babysitter and went down to Mike and Laura's warehouse, aka worldwide headquarters of 24x7 Restoration, for a night of rock and roll. The party didn't start until 8p, which for old folks like us, is already past our bedtime.

Mike and Laura did an awesome job converting their shop into a nightclub for the evenings festivities. First up was the warm up band, Room for Cream, or at least that's what they were calling themselves this night. Mike, Dave, and Ari rocked it out.

The main attraction of the night was the Big Squid reunion. I guess these guys were real BIG in the area back in the day. My poor old man ears could only take so much of the volume and we bagged out at 10:00. A late night these days... :)

Embrocation

2008-03-31T18:32:00.003-06:00

Just got my issue of Embrocation in the mail this weekend. Great pictures and a good read. Although it's a little steep at $19, it's a great tribute to cyclocross and it's just the right thing to support anyone who supports our sport.

My favorite quote is from Adam Myerson -- "I don't race cross for "fun." Fun is f**king my girlfriend or dropping into a bowl at a skatepark. There are so many other things you can do that are more fund than 'cross, primarily because they're less painful or require less effort." "I race 'cross because it's not fun; because there's joy, satisfaction, and redemption in striving and suffering, and because you only know sweet when you have bitter too."

Great work guys. Can't wait for volume 2.

Went to a Road Race and...

2008-03-30T08:56:00.002-06:00

...a cross race broke out. Well, not really, but that's the way it would've ended up. The Koppenberg was supposed to be today, but it got cancelled due to the wet and cold conditions caused by an overnight snow storm. Guys coming back from pre-riding the course on their road bikes were reporting that the "hill" was not ridable and their brakes and derailleurs were covered in frozen mud. I was a little bummed as I had come prepared with both my road and cross bike. Think they would've cancelled a spring race in Belguim due to bad weather??

The Good Things

2008-03-25T19:12:00.005-06:00

Went down to the shop today and put down my deposit on the new cross rig frame. The custom paint job is going to be sweet!

Putting my favorite philosophy (gradualism) into action, I picked up my first component for the bike. All 83.5 grams per pedal of the Egg Beater 4ti. Hot Stuff!

Special...

2008-03-25T07:37:00.003-06:00

This is our friend George. Not a friend like Adam. George is clearly on medication. I've been convinced for some time that he's lost it, but I didn't realize that he's been sedated.

I clearly need to start riding my bike more.

Dressed for Success

2008-03-23T20:26:00.003-06:00

I don't know what to really say. This is Adam. Adam is a good friend. He's a great guy. You know, the kind of guy that would do anything for you. But, he has trouble dressing himself.

You'd have to admit that the white socks are a nice touch.

Happy Easter Everyone

2008-03-23T08:37:00.002-06:00

1....2....3!

2008-03-21T20:52:00.003-06:00

I apologize in advance if you're a fan of this method, but one of my pet peeves is when parents do the count down with their children. I'm sure you've seen it. Maybe you even use it. Little Johnny starts to misbehave. The parent responds with something like this.

Parent - "Little Johnny, if you don't stop (fill_in_the_blank) you're going to get into big trouble.

Little Johnny - Keeps on doing what he was doing.

Parent (a little more forceful this time) - "Little Johnny, I said if you don't stop (fill_in_the_blank) you're going to get into BIG trouble.

Little Johnny - Keeps on doing what he was doing.

Parent (even more forceful this time) - "Little Johnny, I'll give you to the count of three and if you don’t stop (fill_in_the_blank) you're going to get into BIG trouble.

Little Johnny - Keeps on doing what he was doing.

Parent (with firm voice) - 1....2.....2 1/2.....3!

Little Johnny - Starts to pay attention to his parent.

And so it goes. During the whole time all Little Johnny hears is, "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, 3"

That's because the parents have taught their children via the counting game is that they aren't serious until they get to 3. Everything they say up until that point is meaningless, and the children know it.

Children are smart. They learn quickly and know where their boundaries are. Say what you mean and mean what you say. And, please, don’t count!

Seduction Zone

2008-03-20T16:43:00.003-06:00

So, it's finally officially spring. I've been dusting off the cob webs from my long winters nap. I’m starting to ride a little more consistantly, albeit mainly for fun. Weight lifting has been going well and I can feel the improvements. The chat on the e-mail lists are starting to heat up. "Anyone doing the crit this Saturday?" "How bout some TT practice?" "Registration is filling up fast!" It happens every year. Even though it's technically my off-season, all of the talk starts to pull me in. The little voice inside of me starts talking to me, seducing me. "Why don't you join the rest of your team for that crit up north?" "Hey, isn't the Koppenburg coming up soon?" "I bet you could hang in that race." "Don't worry about the fact you haven't ridden much since December, you're strong!" And so it goes on and on. Of course the voice of reason try's to fight it off. It says all the right things, but it's so dang hard to listen to it. It's right, of course. But, will I listen? Only time will tell.

Perception

2008-03-11T20:05:00.002-06:00

I remember the first time I went on a group bike ride. It was four years ago and about this time of the year. I was 39 and had just recently got caught up in the hype of Lance Armstrong winning his 6th Tour. I went out and bought myself a road bike and started riding every day. Eventually I joined a bike racing team and was excited about riding with a group of people, and learning how to be a better bike rider.

I showed up to my first ride and was instantly terrified. There were 20 or so folks decked out in their fancy kits. I felt like an outcast and not one person said hi to me. The ride finally departed and we headed for Carter Lake. The ride was a complete disaster for me. I didn’t know how to paceline and was terrified of drafting the rider in front of me. I stayed at the back and was eventually dropped. Thankfully, I hooked up with a few other stragglers and one rider in particular showed interest in me and helped me get back to Longmont.

I went home and told my wife about what had happened and told her that I thought most of the people on the ride were a bunch of arrogant jerks. If it wasn’t for the one person who was nice to me, I probably would have never returned.

But I did, and slowly but surely I got better. And I got to know more and more people. And they weren’t jerks. Well, most of them weren’t. And the rest as they say is history.

Perception. In the end, perception is all that matters. We can think we're right about something, we may even BE right, but perception will always prevail.

My fellow bike riders, be gracious. Say hi to your fellow teammates. Invest in them and show them the way. Be mindful of the perception you’re presenting to the world. And when others are critical, agree with them and apologize. EVEN if you know you’re right.

Wind and Water

2008-03-05T06:54:00.004-07:00

Surprise, surprise, the wind came again yesterday. It's been a windy winter. At some point you need to stop complaining about it and just embrace it. So, I just decided to make the best of it. Built in intervals around Lake Mac. 1/3 of a lap into a 30-40 mph head wind and 2/3's of a lap with it at your back. Just for grins I kept it in the big ring the whole time. You know, intervals with SE work tossed in. Put \Steve Miller's greatest hits on the I-Pod and just flew like an eagle.

Got this off race.cx. I think he was right when he said Bruce was talking about Cross. Think about it....BE like water.

Seri is fwee (three)

2008-03-03T10:14:00.001-07:00

Monday was Seri's 3rd birthday. We had the big bash a day early on Sunday, so it ended up being a two day party.

Another One in the Books

2008-02-21T17:56:00.007-07:00

Did my annual ride up flagstaff at lunch today. The weather report was for snow/rain mix, but it ended up being sunny. Took it nice and easy and enjoyed the views.

On the way back to work I stopped and took a look at some work Rebs had done in the cememt by the Bear Creek bike path back in 1997. Back when she was still a McKenzie...

Presidents Day Ride

2008-02-18T17:01:00.003-07:00

So I go into work today to find no one around. I'm sure I missed the memo, but apparently today is a work holiday. Cool! So, what to do with all this free time? I met up with the Blue Sky Boyz and did the Masonville loop. Nice weather and a nice pace. No knife fights or anything. It's been a VERY long time since I've put 3:30+ hours in the saddle, but it felt good!

Bad Things Come in Threes

2008-02-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

First there was Podium Boy and the freak golf cart accident that led to damaged ligaments in the foot. Out for six weeks.

Then there was Euro Boy and the freak cylocross world championships fall down and seperate the shoulder incident. Out for six weeks.

That's when I started to worry that something was going to happen to me. I knew it was coming, but I just didn't know when. Would it be snowboarding this past weekend in Winter Park? Nope. Would it be driving over Berthud pass on the icy roads? Nope.

Well it finally came while working out on Monday. Third set of squats on the 8th rep and I felt a twinge in my lower back. Yikes! Later that night I can barely walk. Went to the back cracker yesterday. Some ice and Ibuporfen have me on the mend. Should be back in the game next week.

Don't Mess with Texas

2008-02-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

The relations from Austin came up to Colorado for a weekend ski trip.

Here's Rob and Bill's rendition of the 80's classic 867-5309/Jenny.

Bill showed us how he beat out the cheer leaders and won the talent show contest back in the day.

A man of many talents, Bill does Mick Jagger.

Boarding

2008-02-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

Traded in the bike for a snowboard today. Five inches of new pow pow overnight at Winter Park made for good powder conditions.

So handsome it's hard to look at!

Working the Weights

2008-01-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

Finally drug crutch-boy out of his cave and into the gym today. He was actually able to do some leg extensions, leg curls, and some upper body work. As you can tell from the picture he's still got that pouty face going.

We ran into Mr. Comeback while we were there. Dude was racking it up on the leg press machine. Be on the lookout for him contending for the sprint this coming crit season.

A Ride

2008-01-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

I rode my bike today. Nothing special, just a spin around the bike path system in Boulder. It's the first time I've been on the bike in more than two weeks. I haven't wanted to ride lately and that's OK. In the past I would've ridden anyway, but this time I listened. This morning when I woke up I could tell it was time. So I rode and it felt good. It felt the way it should.

The Running Man

2008-01-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

You know the dude, the one who you always see running around Longmont and Boulder County roads. The white gloves and the arms that stay at his sides while he runs. Don't you wonder what his story is?

Perspective

2008-01-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

Went over to Crutch Boys house last night...

and while he works his way through the stages of grief...

we should all keep perspective on what really matters.

KCCX

2008-01-26T20:59:00.001-07:00

I found this picture from kccx while surfing around on the big bad web. I like it because it captures the essence of what it was like tying to ride the frozen ruts at nats. Good times!

Off the Chart

2008-01-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

When we’re driven more by our fear than by our purpose, we make fundamentally different decisions. This, in turn, impacts our performance in a negative way. We start to act based what we’re against (e.g., not getting hurt) rather than what we’re for (e.g., winning). We hold back and we become overly cautious and risk averse. Remember to stay focused on what you’re for, your motivating purpose in your biking, and don’t let your fear own you.

Courtesy guest blogger - Rebecca Teasdale

CX Worlds

2008-01-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Our man Euro Boy is live on the scene in Treviso, Italy, and yes folks, it looks like he's found the beer tent.

Podium Boy in Cast

2008-01-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

So, Dan-O can make it around this on his bike for 45 minutes after it freezes and snows four inches without falling down once.

But, he can't make it around 18 holes of this...

In one of these...

...without screwing up his leg.

Doc says damaged ligaments and a cast for six weeks. Bummer!

World Championships

2008-01-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

With less than a week away from the world cyclocross championships in Italy, it looks the US is taking big hits before the racing even starts. Velo News is reporting that, "Trebon withdraws from world championships" as a result of ongoing back and leg problems. Of even more concern are the reports that Katie Compton is suffering from what she calls a “muscle tetanus episode” that prevented her from racing last weekend in Hoogerheide, and has her worlds preparation (and perhaps participation) in doubt.

What's for Dinner? -- Soylent Green

2008-01-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

For some reason I was thinking about the movie Soylent Green last night. Maybe it was because when I looked into the fridge all I saw was processed food. Maybe it was because Annalise was complaining about the dinner options and I replied, "then we'll just have some Soylent Green", to which she replied, "what's that?" Maybe it was the Lou Dobbs article on how "Our leaders have squandered our wealth" and the talks in Washington about a 150 billion aid package and the fed lowering rates 3/4 of a point with another 1/2 point likely. What a bunch of morons! But I digress.

For my younger readers who weren't born when this classic futuristic movie came out and have no idea what I'm talking about, you can watch the entire movie here. Only 15 more years!

Another Political Bumper Sticker

2008-01-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Spotted this one at lunch in The Republic of Boulder...

State Championships Video

2008-01-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

Looks like these guys have produced a 30 minute video of the 2007 Colorado State Championships that will show on Comcast's CET channel.

Here's the trailer...

Priceless

2008-01-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

Foot Update

2008-01-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

The x-rays are in and the good news is that Mr. Podium Boy did not break any bones and should be back on the bike soon.

Here's Dan getting a wheel chair ride.

Ouch!

Dirt Derby

2008-01-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. Looks like I need to get down to Austin and visit the relatives and do some winter cyclocross training.

It's Always Fun Until Someone Gets Hurt

2008-01-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

Breaking news out of Phoenix is reporting that Mr. Podium boy may have broke his foot. First hand accounts are saying that Dan was racing golf carts and in true Cat 4 Crit fashion tried to take the inside corner. Unfortunately, it was closed down and his foot got trapped between the golf cart and a cement wall. Rumour has it that he could be heard yelling, "inside, inside, inside" just prior to the accident.

In other news, The Converted were spotted doing top-secret training for the '08 cyclocross season.

Burney Cross Tips

2008-01-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

From Simon Burney's Blog

Brooke Hoyer suggested on a post a few weeks ago that after Portland I should come up with a top 10 list of things that I noticed from that weekend, which would help the lower category racers improve, so here goes:

1. Keep dry and warm. In weather like that experienced in Portland, its vital that you keep as warm and dry as possible, before and during the race. In the race dry is impossible so it has to be wet but warm, otherwise you will simply freeze and stop fuctioning. Read about Lynne Bessette falling in one of the deep puddles? She froze and had to stop.For your pre-ride use as many layers as you think appropriate and top it off with rain jacket and pants, and overshoes. Plus always something under your crash hat...Then as soon as you are done with the pre-ride take all the wet stuff off and replace with dry. Don't start the race with anything that is wet and cold from that pre-ride, which means dry gloves, socks, shoes, base layers and skinsuit/bibs, jersey. I appreciate this means a lot of kit, so put it on your christmas wish-list!I saw riders warming up in shorts, racing in t shirts, wearing cotton gloves... the list is a long one, and its so uncomfortable. Watch the Pro's; Trebon in full legs, Wells and Craig in waterproof gilets over their skinsuits, cotton caps under crash hats.

2. Line selection. A lot of riders I saw were riding with their heads down looking at the few feet in front of them only and had no "big picture" view of the course, which was changing every lap due to the extreme conditions. Look in front every few seconds and make a fast decision about which line to take; watch other riders in front and if they stall switch lines, don't follow them blindly.

3. Shortest is not always fastest. The racing line around a corner in bad conditions is not always the fastest. It is the line which gets the most traffic so becomes the most cut up and rutted, and because its the tight line it means you can't pedal round it, but because its slow you can't freewheel, so you stall. Go very wide, its likely to be less used, so firmer, and on a sweeping arc you can continue pedalling.

4. Keep your bike clean. When its very muddy and sticking to your bike, like saturday at Portland, you need to keep your bike clean especially if you only have one and can't take advantage of a bike change in the pits. On saturday Adam Craig was going off his racing line to ride through a deep puddle on the start/finish road section to clean his bike. Ride through standing water where possible and consider running slow, muddy sections which although rideable, will add mud to your bike. A down-side of modern lightweight componentry, especially derailleurs, is they only have a limited ability to function when clogged with mud. Watch the World Cup from Spain on cycling.tv and see the race leader snap his derailleur and have to run a road section, then see Bart Wellens lose 2nd spot on the last lap with the same problem. Todd Wells did it at Portland... You have to pay for your stuff so look after it, even during the race!

5. Dismount early. On saturday at Portland there was a barely rideable climb, and too many people tried to ride as far up it as they could then stopped, unclipped, slid back a foot or two, struggled to get off and then had to start pushing or running from a dead stop. Great entertainment for the crowd but bad news for your finishing position. Its not a sign of weakness to dismount early.Remember, momentum is your best friend.

6. Carry don't push. Way too many people were pushing their bikes instead of carrying them, and that mud was thick.

7. Tyre pressure. 80% of the tyres I pushed were too hard! If you run tubulars and don't have a pressure gauge stand over the wheel with both hands on the tyre and put all your body weight through them. If you bounce hard you should just feel the rim. Do the same on the front but let a bit more out as you dont have so much body weight over your front wheel but this is the one that washes out when its slippy. If you use clinchers then you need to do the same but they should feel harder (if you feel the rim its too soft). Clinchers "fold under" when too soft which tubs don't, you also risk pinch flats with a soft clincher.

8. Think ahead, change gear. A lot of people were approaching an obstacle (hurdles, hill, corner) and not changing into the gear they would need to exit it, so way over-geared. In mud you have to be on top of the gear so if you slide off a line you don't lose speed or time getting back on it. Think ahead, change gear more often.

9. Be a stalker. Warm up behind a Pro; see which lines they use, which gear they are in, when they dismount. They will be faster and stronger than you but usually on early pre-ride laps they are going easy just checking it all out. You will learn a lot, I guarantee!

10. Learn from your mistakes. Think about your race when it is done and you are back home, warm and dry. Think about where you lost time, where you were good, and learn from the experience for the next weekend.

11. Go to the after race party! Hang out, enjoy yourself; you are doing a great sport with like-minded people, have fun and don't take it too seriously.

Ratatouille

2008-01-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

Our cute little cat, OC, is a professional mouser. It probably comes from the fact that he lived by himself out in the fields behind our house for the first year or so of his life. He had to be good at it in order to survive.

OC, being a contributing family member, likes to share with the rest of us. Sometimes he brings his kill back intact. Upon Seri's observation of the deceased, she said, "Is he taking a nap?", to which Annalise replied, "Yes, he taking a forever nap."

Other times all we get are the innards. We feed him cat food, but I guess it's in his DNA to hunt, kill, and eat.

The real downside to his habit of eating raw Ratatouille is that he has the worst Ratatootie. Anyone know a good fumigator?

Sunrise

2008-01-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

I've always been an early riser. I love getting up before the wife and kids, make some coffee, and just enjoying the stillness. It's my time. A time of silence and a time to ponder. Most mornings I'm rewarded with a beautiful sunrise out the back door and this morning was no different.

Putting the Pieces Together

2008-01-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Annalise and I have been working on puzzles the last couple of nights. This one was a Christmas present from Grandma and Uncle Chris. They had the neighbor take a picture of them and their dog Lady. Then they sent it into some company who made it into a puzzle. Pretty cool.

Last night we did the solar system puzzle. It's the first round puzzle I've ever done. It was only a 100 pieces, but it was harder than it looks. Too bad Pluto isn't a planet anymore.

Headed over to the Longmont Athletic Club West for my second weight lifting session of the week. A little known fact is that in my early twenties I used to be a "weight lifter." Because of my OCD personality, I had to be super serious. So series that I even entered a couple of weight lifting competitions. I can't believe how incredibly week I am compared to those days. Anyway, getting back into the gym has already really opened my eyes to the importance of strength training for cycling.

Working out Longmont style...

When you get a chance, check out this blog post about a discussion within USA Cycling about moving Cross Nationals out to January to line up with other countries. Not sure where I line up with this one yet.

Weakness EXposed

2008-01-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hit the Longmont Athletic Club west location after work tonight for my first lifting session of the year. The place was packed with the after new-years resolution crowd. Worked on keeping things simple with low weights and high reps. The most pathetic part of the night was that I couldn't even do 3 sets of 15 rep sit ups! Core strength WILL BE a big focus for me this off-season.

Zone ONE

2008-01-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Rumour on the street is that yesterday's BSV group ride was a death march out to Masonville in the wind. I'm glad I skipped and went to Eldo with Annalise. I'm determined to stay in Zone 1 and 2 this time of year and going on the group rides ALWAYS turns into a knife fight at some point. I, of course, don't have the discipline to drop off and stay out of it, so the only thing I can do is to stay away.

Got out today for a couple of hours of LSD. Headed out to Lyons and did the loops. Picked up Mr. Podium Boy on the way back to LongMonty. Then I gathered up the family and went back to Lyons for some Blue Grass at Oskar Blues.

Shred Betty

2008-01-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

Took Annalise up to Eldora today and signed her up for an all day snowboard lesson. She was a natural and picked things up real fast.

As you can see from the next picture, she even picked up on how to look cool while carrying her snowboard.

I was going to take a skate skiing lesson, but ended up hanging out and taking pictures of Annalsie. Ran into Rocco. I didn't know before, but he's a snow board instructor on Saturday's.

More Lake Mac Snow

2008-01-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

Jumped out of work early today and took a sunset cyclocross ride around the lake. Temps were in the 50's and a chinook wind started blowing on lap 3. Worked on technical skills again. Focused on looking to where I wanted to go instead of zoning out on what was going on two feet in front of me. It's such a simple thing, but for whatever reason it's not part of my muscle memory.

Also stopped by the Longmont Athletic Club and got my membership set up. It's great to have our sponsors step up and provide the type of support needed to help us become better. Plan is to hit the weight room 2x a week starting next week.

I've seen people try to change,
And I know it isn't easy,
But nothin' worth the time never really is.
Norah Jones - Not too late

Old School Cross

2007-12-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

I think we need to incorporate this into the Blue Sky Velo cross race next year.

Cross - circa 1932

There's an article about Tim Johnson in the Boston Globe. My favorite quote is by race announcer Richard Fries - "It starts out like the running of the bulls, becomes a boxing match, and then a marathon. It's the best spectator sport in bicycling, bar none."

Into the Wind

2007-12-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Against my better judgement, I went out into the cold, wind, and snow and rode my cross bike around the lake. It was hard-packed and choppy from all of the people walking on the path. It reminded me of KCCX. I worked harder than I wanted to, but the only way to get better riding in the snow is riding in the snow.

Reflection on Commitment

2007-12-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple of weeks since Cross Nats and I've had time to reflect on it and the '07 cross season. First off, I had a blast in Kansas City. I'm thankful for the opportunity to pursue my passion with teammates and good friends. My racing was below my expectations, but I came away with many new lessons about myself and what will be necessary to bring about the appropriate change in order to meet my potential next year.

I've tried to have honest reflection. Not the type of reflection that turns to negativity, but the type that is honest and open. The bottom line - I was not committed in '07. Sure, I trained hard and suffered along the way, but I was not 100% committed. There were things that needed to be done and more importantly not done. There were limiters to shore-up. I knew them, and I ignored them. I wasn't mentally tough. Then on top of it I hid behind the excuse that it was because I upgraded and was racing against really fast guys. BS!

So what now? I started with a simple exercise that you may want to try. Ask yourself what are three specific things you could do that you aren't doing now, which if done, would contribute to personal improvement immediately? For me it was very easy to come up with three things. What is it for you? Is it eating better and losing weight? Is it getting into the gym and lifting weights? Is it putting down the beer bottle? Are you committed to reaching your own personal greatness, whatever that looks like?

Look inside and take inventory because you are a reflection of everything you put into your body and mind. Start today! Commitment is a 365 x 24 endevour.

See you in '08!

House at Christmas

2007-12-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with the new digital camera

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T18:39:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas All!! Hope you had a special day with special folks.

Snowboarding on the new sled

Mom taking a turn

Grandma Bounds and Seri
Carving up the turkey with the crewTaking lady for a walk

Cross Nationals

2007-12-13T14:48:00.001-07:00

Follow nationals at

http://blueskyvelo.blogspot.com/

CX States Recap

2007-12-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I big THANK YOU to everyone who braved the weather on Sunday to come out and cheer! Truly EPIC conditions and all season long the Blue Sky Velo cross crew has really stepped it up. Blue Sky Nation was in full effect at States and I can't tell you how motivating it was to hear the cheers at different points on the course and especially through the WALL at the playground. I was always able to dig a little deeper each time through knowing that you all would be there.

A Special thanks to:

My Bride and Family - Thanks for putting up with me and my passion! I know with without your continued support this would not be possible. You all are the best!

Mr. Podium Boy - Thanks for showing up to countless training rides and pushing me and keeping me honest. See you in the 3's next year sand bagger!

Blue Sky Cross Team - You guys ROCK! Thanks for coming out and representing -- especially the newly coverted ROAD geeks!

Oskar Blues Brews and Bikes - Thanks for bringing the awesome brew to the races and being a

part of Blue Sky Nation.

Mud and Cowbells - Thanks for your passion, Wednesday Worlds, and your cheers on Sunday! Kick some ass in Belgium!

Blue Sky Cycles - Thanks for keeping my rig running and race day support!

As for the race, it was nothing but good times. Mr. Teton set up a challenging course. The start was especially critical with only two ridable lines. It was chaos and those early season bump drills really paid off. The new Tufo Flexus hooked up in the snow nicely and I was able to keep the bike upright the entire day. Not easy on this day. Mostly I tried to stay calm. The legs and lungs felt good and everything seems to be lining up for Nationals.

Pics by Jenna Dancy

In the playground

Surfing the ditch

States

2007-12-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Colorado State Cross Championships. Enjoy the video! Race report to come.

Start of the 35+/4 Race

Dan Farrell in the barriers

Rob Love working the single speed.