The Rest of December

...has been amazing! Lots of riding! Including first tracks on a trail here in Omaha that finally got snowed over. Strapped on a Maxxis Minion DHF on the front and a Michelin Grip'R on the rear- tubeless at about 16-17psi- and thats been working pretty good in the 4 inches or so of snow on the ground. More fun than I thought it'd be without a snow bike! At 4" the rail is completely rideable- even without enough other riders to pack it down. Each ride creates a new track in the snow so the luggier tires really help in the powdery stuff.

Other than that, Colorado Christmas vacation included ski days at A-Basin and Breckenridge and were amazing as well. Skiing those mountains just rocks- that Colorado Pass was well worth the investment. Colorado's climate is so sweet too...Christmas week I also spent 3 hours on two separate days riding Heil Ranch on the Mountain bike in 50 degree weather. It is SO hard to leave that place.

I pulled the trigger on a membership to Lifetime Fitness too. Wasn't sure about that one at first. But its been pretty sweet so far. Its helped expand my options for crosstraining when I just really dont feel like going outside at 2 degrees to workout. I'm having a lot of fun with the workouts and TJ's been setting them up great! Consistent hard training more than in full force...

First Night Rides and First Race

Night riding is fun! I've never really done it before- hiked with head lamps to the top of mountains and ridden probably too late into the night on trails sometimes with no lights- but finally riding into the night with a headlamp on the trail. It does take some getting used to!

Saturday evening I went out for a few hours at Tranquility Park so I had the confidence of riding that trail A LOT- I still nearly wiped on a few corners- those pesky ones with the cupped inside edges! Really fun stuff though. Riding in 15-20 degree weather with the winter gear and the headlight a few times reminded me of riding a snowmobile deep through the woods...of course with no snow here yet though...yet...

Consistant training has definitely started in full force again. And I think I found my first "non-sanctioned" race of the season on January 9th at Hillside Park in Elk River, MN- The Cold Bear Challenge- Yeppers! In da snow! First of a three race series- the next on January 30th and then February 20th. I don't have a snow bike but hopefully the Superlight with some meatier tires will do just fine. Should be a killer time regardless!

"Respect the Mountain"

Last week over turkey day break I went to Colorado, and after some regular, consistent workouts finally coming along I was pretty excited! The weather was going to be a mix of cool and warm depending on the day so I loaded up the Jeep with ski's AND the mountain bike- just in case...and I'm glad I did!

Cross trained Wednesday; with some family and friends I stuffed myself to the gills on Thursday; and Friday I got out to A-Basin Ski Area and shredded the mountain for about 5 hours. Snow was falling for most of the day and temps around 20 degrees- it was perfect. (except it made the pics turn out real dark!) I'm finally getting comfortable on the skis again and able to hit some of the sweet parts of the mountain.

Bumps and moguls are coming around and skiing them with more natural movements...I successfully avoided hitting 'most' of the trees I ski'd through. I crashed multiple times pushing myself but nothing that injured. On the way up the lift after about five runs, I sat with a guy that claims 'several' surgeries and says he's finally learning how to respect the mountain. So, like my mantra of "smooth is fast" on the mountain bike during a race..."respect the mountain" comes into my mind just when I start thinking things like "that cliff isn't THAT tall" or "I really need to start thinking about getting more air on those rollers."

Saturday I got a good ride in but was really feeling the skiing of Friday. So kept the ride short as I sort of had a plan for Sunday. I needed to test the fitness level so I parked in Boulder and rode the mountain bike through town and up Flagstaff Road. I was pleasantly surprised that I made it to the top keeping a good and very challenging pace- tough enough that I did have to drop into the small ring for a short section getting close to the end, but finished in the middle ring. This was pretty exciting and really cranked up the motivation to keep on training.

TJ's got some great workouts lined up and for the first time I'm amped up and motivated to keep training hard all through the winter! And on that note I also can't wait to get back to Colorado...with my season pass good for Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, A-Basin, and Keystone some sweet skiing coming this year!

Cheers!

First day back...

...riding that is. After some much needed time off, I got enough cold weather gear to get out and brave the elements...well actually just 'element' cause the only thing is that its cold. NOT a fan of riding on the open roads with crazy winds at these temps (need even colder weather gear first) but the trails sure were fun! 2 1/2 hours today...probably 2-3 more tomorrow. As of now still shooting for the first race to be one of the two ProXCT races in Southern Cali in March! 4 months!

Leadville 100 entry

So with my Leadville 100 entry sent....my fingers are now crossed that I get past the lottery system for the official entry! It would be a crazy grueling race that will test everything I've got but it sounds awesome!

There has been some off and on excercise over the last few weeks but nothing consistent. Just working out when I feel like it. Keepin it fun! Hope everyone is enjoying the off-season! ...if you have one...

Hmmm...off season?

Well I had bigger plans for the fall with riding but it just hasn't happened. All the stuff I put off over the summer builds up and explodes in the fall. The joys of working a full time job that I'm trying to get ahead in and at the same time training full time for bike racing...that I'm trying to get ahead in! It can get really tough, and its hard to keep going with both sometimes.

Every fall I try to stay on the bike and fill my head with ideas that I'm just going to train year 'round and come out strong enough to start at the next level in whatever the spring opener might be. I do this so much that when the rest of life catches up and I have to take time off to get it caught up I get that "uggghhh, I've been off the bike for two weeks- not planned, I'm sure I've lost everything" feeling...and its discouraging! Year's past I'd get back to some mediocre training...then fall off almost completely December through February or March. This year feels different.

I have been off the bike for almost two weeks...in that time I moved into a nice sized two bedroom townhouse and bought a really nice 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The townhouse really makes me feel like I live in Omaha now...which I sort of have mixed feelings about. But I feel settled at least for now. This is good for the training mindset, AND I have a basement that I can get training equipment into.

I'm looking to get back started again this week with a fresh and different look on the fall with no pressure on myself. This time of year is actually my favorite because I love the three holidays!! But...I need some cold weather riding gear for bike workouts- never really had anything for it. I love all sports so creative cross-training to keep the fitness will be huge coming up. I'll post updates on the 'fun' stuff I find to do...other than riding ;)

I had an amazing season, and that fire is still burning...USA Cycling chose Sun Valley, Idaho for the next two years to host the Nationals...I'm still really excited about that announcement- definitely the biggest "A" race on my calendar for 2011 to peak for.

Race Report: St. Cloud - Singletrack Escape

This race went about as expected. Due to issues with getting my house rented in Coon Rapids, before I went out for the 20 minute pre-race warm up it had been 8 days since I'd been on the bike, should be well rested!!

The start of the race was perfect!! Nobody attacked...and the whole group took off very slow- couldn't have asked for anything better! ...well except fo maybe a pre-ride. I was in 2nd about 100 yards before we dipped into the woods, only I thought it was another half mile up the ski trail. All of a sudden the wave dropped the hammer behind me and they jst had too much momentum and I couldn't accelerate hard enough to hold off....I dropped to about 6th or 7th and as those of you that know my riding...the singeltrack was not the place for me to be that far back. I was held up through most of it and my legs still hadn't come around powerwise to sprint pass in the short ski trail sections.

The second lap came and I felt so rusty and not very smooth- riding was ok but breathing and rhythm was rediculously out of time. Struggling. Towards the end of lap 2 Rebecca Sauber (who had already won the Pro Womens Singlepeed Championship that morning) re-passed me when I mentioned the next girl was about 30 seconds behind nad I was not getting faster.

I was however able to keep on her wheel to the start of the third and final lap. Into the first singletrack I started to feel myself come around and I was able to finally get control of my race. Rebecca kindly let me by a few hundred yards into that section and I took off hard. I found "the zone" and raced smooth and fast- all focus was where its supposed to be...on the course...I know I passed lots of people cheering as I went through rock sections but I don't hardly remember them. The bike was handling so well just bouncing around and sliding and doing its thing perfectly underneath me when all I needed to do was pedal hard and look down the course. Nailed every technical feature (that wasn't cluttered with a fallin rider or two anyways) and the lap felt almost effortless! I went by several riders that had passed me earlier and as I came through the finish I REALLY REALLY wanted another lap!! I wonder who else I could've caught!

Anyways...finally after 4 previous attempts I had a great St. Cloud race and it wasn't a win but I did get on the podium with 3rd place and a big push from it to keep training.

Race Report: Psycowpath Series Branched Oak Lake

Realized its been a little while since my last post! Life's been busy and full of surprises lately. Going back to September 11th I raced in Nebraska's Psycowpath Series just north of Lincoln. This is a fun course and one that I took first at during one of the weekly series in August, so I was excited to be back.

Well I definitely scared some singletrack gobblins away in Colorado over Labor Day because I really was thowing the bike into the turns. I gained a lot of time in these sections but lost some of it in the open fields...which unfortunately made up more than half the race.

I was gaining ground at the end on the leaders, but a 'mix up' in the woods with a fallin rider lost me some time and allowed a couple others to pass. Note: if you crash in front of another rider...you no longer have the right of way and should not stand up in the middle of the course causing the other rider (me) to lock handlebars with you sending both into the woods. He insisted it was my fault...I said I was racing and don't care what he thinks...I sprinted off and he finished 3 minutes behind me.

This race was longer too! Finally! Most of the CAT 2 races seem end with leaders around the one hour 15 minute mark- way too short in my opinion. This race added another 20 minutes on to it and I loved it! CAT 2 riders should be able to race for that long...plus you get a way better ride and workout.

In the end it was a solid race, even with the little mishap with Professor Crash. I ended up in 8th overall for CAT 2 ou of about 40 or so; and not far behind the leaders time-wise. I was more stoked than anything about getting my singletrack skills and confidence back.

I'll get caught up to the St. Cloud Jail Trail's Singletrack Escape tomorrow night....and the results my first 'open house' event for finding a renter for my house in Coon Rapids.

Riding Walker Ranch and Four Wheelin!

Over Labor Day weekend I did some other riding. On Sunday, the day after the race I went four wheelin with Dad again up in Central City, Co. Awesome stuff there! Nice trails and a realy fun ~1 mile section of trail that had steep grades and loose rocks the whole way ranging from softball to microwave sized to climb over. This was a challenging ride up on the 2WD I was on but with the right momentum and balance I got up pretty quick without stopping. Standing on the foot pegs, using the handlebars, and not using much brake I felt like I was riding a downhill bike on some trial at a ski area on the way back down again! AWESOME!! I wish I could ride this stuff more often!

That Monday I went back to where my accident happened in June 2009. The accident has been plaguing me mentally in the technical stuff since it happened and I haven't been as fast in the singeltrack sections of the races as I normally am. I ended up riding past that spot three times...twice downhill and once uphill. I gotta say I feel a lot better! It gave me a big boost in confidence in that type of terrain again...some weight has been lifted.

Race Report: Winter Park, CO

Last minute plans to race at 9-10,000 feet are always fun coming from about 800. All I really wanted was a good solid race again - and for the most part I got it. The course was absolutely awesome - long service road climbs, long technical rocky climbs to keep climbing balance skills in check, sweet fast and rough gnarly descents and switchbacks, and fast big ring flowing slingletrack! Awesome stuff! I knew I would have my work cut out for me though because Winter Park has its own summer series and more than half the riders at the line raced in those events, I didn't get to preride...that and I got SICK!

I woke up Saturday morning with nose completely plugged (started on Thursday). Always seems to happen this time of year to some extent! But I did what I could to make the best of it before race start at noon - I was not going to throw in the towel on this one.

Started on a nice steady sevice road climb for about 15 minutes and about halfway through the wave of 15 riders split in two groups- the chase group about a minute behind the lead already...and I was just off the back of the lead group about 15 seconds. With my breathing problems from my cold I knew the gap would grow wider from them...but I also noticed my gap on the chase group was growing also! That felt good and gave me some extra ambition to keep pedaling hard and steady and maybe some of the lead pack will start to drop.

Most of the race I could see some riders from the lead group but just couldn't close the gap that had grown to about 90 seconds. I did what I could and was able to muster one pass a few miles from the end in some soft singletrack and opened that gap on some downhill switchbacks (which are my favorite!).

One lap consisted of 14 miles and ~2,300 feet of climbing. And in the end, I finished right in the middle in 8th place. Was hoping for a top 5 at least, but all things considered, I'm happy with that. It was a solid run- the new Fox fork and Kenda Karma's made this race an absolutely awesome time riding.