Lucky Days

Good cross weather for the weekend of two races above 9000 feet. Not that the altitude or the weather bothered most people, the courses were hard because the racing was hard. Saturday was cool and rainy on a very narrow course that even on the road stretch you didn't have a ton of room to get past others. Two guys on the same team on opposite sides of me at the start pinched me off and gave the team leader a clear window to take the holeshot that made for an absolutely horrible start that took me the whole first lap to make the front of the chase after one had already checked out (the team leader who pinched me) and had 15 seconds on us. Not wanting to be behind anyone I drove the chase solo to get him back. That broke down the chase enough to have it be one (me) trying to drag him back, certain parts of the course favored me and I took my time on him there only to lose a second or two where it didn't favor. Two laps to go I nailed the hard run-up and got the feet in the pedals perfectly, and just drilled it for as long as I could, Taking back a big chunk of time, I went around him at the bell and got lucky to drive thru the first corners of the lap cleanly and get a good gap that was just a matter of staying on the gas and not going down. Lucky days, 15 seconds at the line. Good course, pretty techy and a big field on a narrow track. I saw video of the race and saw that I had guys behind me who offered nothing in the chase but were content to watch me do the work, oh well, I got to the line when I wanted to, just closer to the others than I hoped. Sunday we woke to a few inches of fresh snow at the house butthe 15 minute drive to the race had the snow line midway there. 2 inches at my house and nothing but a bit of moisture in Frisco. The course here really suited me, great track that had a proper tarmac section to start on that funneled well into the first dirt stretch. Not like Saturday's mess that started on dirt and had a 90 degree rooty turn 50 meters from the start line also on dirt. A nice long 60 meter run up that was steep enough to cause separation but not too steep to cause slowing mid way up. I deal for an attack later on in the race. Good stuff to be in the first few off the road into the dirt and onto the run. 5 of us checked out pretty quick, leaving the race to thinned slowly. A few laps later on the bumpy and techy bits I turned the screw a touch whittle it down to 3 of us. Finally, a group to race with, not the marching off alone like the last few races with just one guy. Three of us kept the pace and the others were left to fight for 4th. Seeing my spots I tried not to show my hand too soon, Iwanted a god effort and to try to get the others to show their cards first. I gave it all I had on the second to last run up and got a good that second place held at 10 seconds or so until it ended. I got lucky to have the legs to go on the run and see that I had a clear shot at the last lap and a half, a few lappers and a woman warming up pissed me off a bit as I had to yell to her to move out of the way, odd this girl wasn't paying attention to the race coming around and she got a bit surprised to see me go by with only a word, "move." Two races at home in the County and two more good results, bigger fields than last wekeend and great courses too. That makes five cross races on the season, five of the same results. I like that. Racing at mid day suits me. That's it.

The View from Here

I took a walk in the woods before work with number 1, we played stick and enjoyed the midfall leaves on the ground while I got to think about how many bears and/or mountain lions have seen me in the woods over the years. I planned escape routes and how fast we could get away if the carnivore/omnivore decided we should be his next meal. The two of us walking in the woods made the day better to start and the sunrise made it better than that. Good coffee for a walk in the woods only sweetened an already great morning. The leaves are sunny side up and the trees are ready for the blanket to come. In this poem by Frost I see my fall training and the "silent sports"

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

Take it for what it is, nothing or something but think about it when you are in the woods next and if you see eyes in the trees and next time you'll wonder if you are being watched, subtle paranoia, or just a general reality of mortality. No rhyme intended, It just came out that way. Keep at it when it gets cold, avoid the gym until you really need it, outside is the best place for the work, even rollers are parallel to the gym for me, I'd rather have to wash the bike and get thru the laundary cycle than spend time inside better spent out. Getting on the bike made the morning complete I got to listen to a fresh show and think about the weekend's tests. I don't have to drive to either race, close enough that I can be like the Boulder Millionaires and ride my bike to the races. The weather will be properly chilly and maybe wet too. Perspective is faded at this point as I know what I need to do but lack the balls to go there, I hope it all pans out, I want more.

Whether

No hyperbole about riding in the cold, it's cold I could take the bus to work and not be concerned about training outside. I like it, getting the right gear together in the morning for the day, doing the work with the cold air in the lungs, it becomes my own "quiet sport" nothing but earphones and the wind. The silent sports are more winter but I guess they could be cycling, no? Solitary approach to my own favorite side of cycling, I cherish it all, solo or riding with friends. Better bones now than any other point in the year. The work will pay off in the end of the race, enjoy the cold air you know it's here, the warmth is gone. The ghosts are quiet since the noise died down, the peace rolls across the cold ground and lands right above my head. The silence adds more than the lack of sleep subtracts. I hope the ghosts let me sleep tonight. It's been nice to get the rest lately. Maybe it is the colder weather, better for the resting and then the sleep creeps in and it all melts away like so much soft cheese on my tortilla.

In Season

The weather on Sunday has made the weather this week more like January in Belgium than October at 2900 meters, rough to train if you aren't into getting wet or cold. Sweat on the inside, weakness on the outside. The season is here and if it means new parts for the bikes in December then that's the way it will be. Cross is all that matters, it is the one season I care what happens all the way thru, no more interest in one race over another, they all count. Still, A and B races exist, Boulder Series is the big one for the overall and then the USGP when it comes to town will be important for that weekend. The trick is the calories, more is better, never enough. I hope Brian takes a little siesta until mid-December. I can't have him eating more than I can take in. so far I feel good and the body seems happy about the training load, fewer hours but more high end, shorter and harder, faster, faster, faster, kill, kill, kill. It's here.

wknd

Two races on two of the best courses I have ridden, super fun turny grass saturday, never a straight line for more than 10 seconds. Bermed grass is pretty fun on a cross bike. Lots of skills-knowing how not to brake made the selection. Perfect start, sat second wheel until I jumped to get the first lap prime, I can always use another box of clif bars from there it was Karl and I, he didn't really want to be second, I would pull around to help and he'd surge, oh well, I'll just follow and watch to see where I can go later. With three to go I went around him and started to turn the screws a bit, small gaps would form and he would close them untill I got a few seconds and I pushed it thru to the finish. good race, I never mind having such a great rider off the front with me. It made the chase from an ex-pro (Brian Miller) unimportant, he didn't close to within more than 15 seconds. He was third, Karl and I were fighting it out for first. The course had constant accelerations that hurt everytime but never too much that I didn't recover. Good work on the skills made Sunday's mud that much better. It started to rain just after dinner on Saturday, and didn't stop all night, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mud. Sunday's course was one we have done a few times, the reason we came in the first place, Saturday's rollercoaster was a bonus. Long road climb to start to a muddy road and then the sharpest run up in the state. Beautiful. The legs cleared thanks to the gallon of water I drank on the overnight and at dinner with my beer of choice The trick to the course was not blow yourself out on the steep run because the smooth field after it was a great place to go fast, if you had the gas. I didn't. I slogged up the run and then slogged across the field and then slogged the up-down horseshoes that were where I got time on the chasers. I was told. I heard we all fell once, mine was early, I got it out of the way and dialed it, luckily. Miller hung for the first four laps nad was trying to make it a one horse race, He didn't want to be out of first wheel, Karl and I let him for a while until it was clear he wasn't up to up down horse shoe at speed, he fell and we got a gap, hoe didn't come back, I guess when he chopped my wheel on the second lap to lead into to the descent he was trying to set up an attack that never came. he was probably 90 seconds back at the finish. Karl was having trouble on the up-downs, I got enough time there that I could roll thru at a good clip for the rest of the course. The legs were fine and the lungs got a great workout, no lingering crap from Saturday ot slow me down on Sunday. The bike was perfect, unreal to have it so dialed after only the second weekend of racing. Three done, three results.

Shed

Warmer days and real rain made cross practice an actual cross practice, no dripping sweat and no shedding of the warmers. Working on the drift was fun, the bike responded and I didn't overcook any turns. High speed work and better to put the ghosts to sleep. Less haunting and more rest. Maybe I'm just not doing enough. I thought lowering the hours on the bike would help cross performance, maybe not if I stop sleeping.

Patterns

Another night of no sleep, I'd consider 24 hour races if I could guarantee that night I'd be unable to sleep. Lazybones and the eyes won't let it go. Too much of one thing and not enough, maybe I'll get Lunesta, mmmmm sleep help. Not enough work, bad legs weren't enough to rest today, now I can't sleep because I did too little high end work. The bike feels great I need less time and more quality time.

How far away is it?

Saturday and Sunday will be hot ones, I'm motivated by the prospect of riding the bikes on grass, that doesn't happen much out here. worth the trip to ride in that stuff. Floating across grassy stadiums is ample justification for a 200k drive. 2 races too!

Wet and Dry

Wet yesterday and not so cold and then dry and cold today, guesses have it at low to mid 20s...don't care it was cold. Cross bike was good to roll across in the rain yesterday, it fit the weather, today the road machine was gliding thru icy patches on the path with aplomb. Both rides were enjoyable in their own way, the rain yesterday would have been good regardless, it just felt right to ride in that. Today the cold put a chilled smile on my face. Two big ones this weekend, to get ready for the Crankbrothers in a few weeks. It's here, pack your bags. Bikes are ready, tire choices...

End User

Saturday morning I was getting coffee on the way to the race (I was bummed I didn't have my Peet's house blend) and I was stirring my coffe and looking at the stir sticks and thinking this piece of wood, may or may not have been recycled and may or may not be from a rain forest and may or may not be a good thing for the world, I felt guilty for using it, and this not being a new thought I was hoping that in the future I would not stir my coffee and not waste one of these maybe or maybe not enviromentally conscious pieces. I like to not stir that way the coffee is different all the way thru. The race was OK, legs aren't so good right now, I need to run more and the body just wasn't 100%, I hurt myself only late in the race b/c that was all I had to give. One of those days; able to follow but not able to pull away. We had a group of 4, pretty clean riding, but I'm always skeptical that the others are plotting against me, paranoia? Probably. I attacked on the elast half lap up the last longer run up, and gassed it to the finish only realize that the lapper in front of me wouldn't move out of the way, taking a crappy line thru an off-camber and sketchy fast turn pissed me off, he didn't give much just a shitty line that was rough with more rocks and more messy bits to deal with. Maybe he didn't realize the front had come back around to meet him but he should have payed attention. I know I'm an asshole. So, first cross race of the year in the books. Second win of the season. Not bad. I'll take it considering I had race with my head for how bad I felt in the meat of the race. Feels good to win more with the head, not legs. The running bits were my saviour, kept the other guys in the red and gave me recovery. The group was solid, with clean riders not chopping wheels or doing stupid stuff, I was sure they were plotting against me. I got lucky, pulled it out. The bike was great, pressure was fine for the variety of the conditions, hard turns on the asphalt were worth firming pu the tires a touch, I couldn't afford to go out there, a lot of the dirt stretches were bermed so that made tire choice and pressure easier to deal with. Hot too, the mix I had kind of tasted like throw up which matched really well with how I felt in the race. After sitting on the grass I was pretty sure I was going to crap my pants, first time for after a cross race for that one, 9 years of cross and I finally turned my own stomach doing it. I thought for sure green apple splatters...