Sloane Anderson

StemCaptain

2012-01-12T21:27:00.000-08:00

Just received the new thermometer stem cap from Stem Captain . It's clearly registering the temperatrure accurately so far, it's dead on with my home thermostat temps. The temperatures here in Bend are hovering in the 30's so I'm not sure I will be getting outdoors for a ride soon, although I am curious to put the stem cap to use.

Here is a photo of the thermometer I received.

Once I get in some test rides with it outdoors I will post a full review. I have to say that I am impressed with the construction of the cap. It was delivered in a secured plastic case and with full instructions how to install.
Head on over to Stem Captain and find one for yourself.

New product sponsor

2012-01-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of Stem Captain? If you haven't, head over here to check them out. I was fortunate to come in contact with the owner, Mike, and he was generous enough to offer sponsorship. This is one of the coolest bike accessories I have seen in a while. They offer clocks, compasses, picture frames (you know you like to paste a photo of your loved one or children on your bike) and even thermometers to replace your stem caps with.

No longer do you need to look at your wrist or push some buttons on your cyclometer to see the time or temperature. How cool is it to know the temperature while riding/racing. Located in Colorado, their products can be purchase directly from their website, www.stemcaptain.com, or through QBP. They are a locally owned and operated small business offering a price point of $15 - $25, this is one addition to your bike you should make. Your friends will be jealous. Worried about it getting ruined in the rain? No need to worry, they are sealed waterproof. I should be getting a thermometer soon and will post a photo and share some feedback as well. Stay tuned.

Final thought of 2011

2011-12-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

As the hours and seconds begin to tick away from 2011, I want to leave with you one lasting thought...

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride" - John F. Kennedy

The final countdown

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Once again it's getting close to that time of year, yeah you know, the time when you begin to reflect on the good and bad things that happened during the year. I have learned over my years of Blogging that I have actually had much, much more good things happen to me than bad things.

For instance, I have survived several health scares over the past few years. I consider myself to be very healthy (exercise regularly, eat a healthy balanced diet, get quality sleep, and have good BP and cholesterol levels), however, without any warning I was having to have surgery to remove a thyroid tumor and parotid gland tumor. What? Just like that my life slowed down. Fortunately, the tumors were removed and I continue to live an active healthy lifestyle. My point is that you have to enjoy what life throws at you; whether it's a fastball, a curveball, or even a slider (although maybe not a knuckleball :-) make the most of it and have fun.

Life is way too short to reflect on the bad or negative things that happen to us. Trust me, if you put your energy towards things that make you and others happen you will live much longer and probably much healthier.

So as 2011 comes to a close, reflect on the good things that have happened to you or a loved one throughout the year. Be thankful for something (your health, your marriage, your success in business, a new child, etc) and as we roll in the New Year, set some goals that you want to achieve. I'm not sure why we wait until the end of the year to begin thinking about setting goals. This is something we all should be doing throughout the year.

Here is a simple idea: Each month set a goal. It doesn't have to be BIG, just something that you want to accomplish or achieve (and one that is realistic) and make it happen. In order for this to take place, you have to write them down. Grab your 2012 calendar (or smartphone) and for the next 3 months write your goals for Jan, Feb, and Mar. This will hold you accountable, something all of us need, and will set you on your path to a successful year. It can be as simple as signing up for an event, registering yourself for a continuing education class, meeting a sales quota, losing "X" amount of weight, learning how to ski, climbing a mountain, or proposing to your girlfriend.

Whatever it is, MAKE IT HAPPEN. So what are you waiting for, you should be jotting down some notes as you read this. By the time you are done reading you just might already have your first 3 months' goals.

I hope I have inspired some of you to think a little differently about life. As I said earlier, life is too short. Before you know it, something might be gone. Tell someone they did a good job, pat someone on the back when they do something new, smile don't frown, and last but not least, eat your veggies.

I bet you are smiling already.

Happy Holidays and a safe New Year!

Another reason why YOU should be using TRX

2011-12-03T15:02:00.001-08:00

Photo: © Bettini

If you need more reasons why you should be using the TRX during your strength training, just let Ivan Basso (Liguigas/Cannondale) show you. He is shown here during the Team Training Camp doing a hamstring curl and single leg squats. This is one of the most useful pieces of equipment you can put in your "tool box". I personally use this during all phases of my training, as well as utilize this while training my clients.
Don't just get stronger for competition, build a strong core for everyday activities.

Big wheel video

2011-12-02T08:47:00.001-08:00

Check out the Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29er ripping video. I'm a believer of big wheels.

Good news!

2011-11-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

Ironically as I am typing this I just noticed that it is 11:11am on 11/11/11...creepy.

Just got word last week that ProAir will once again be renewing my contract and remain as my Title sponsor during the 2012 season. I was elated to hear the good news. I don't know all the details as of yet, but I couldn't be happier to continue to represent a company who believes in supporting an active and healthy lifestyle. "ProAir® HFA: Rescue inhaler for asthma, EIB, and COPD". ProAir HFA is designed to keep people active and will provide the user up to 200 doses.

Watch this video to learn more about the ProAir HFA difference.

TRX Training

2011-10-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

Once again, I cannot emphasize how much I enjoy using TRX to strength train in the "off-season". The thing I most enjoy about it is that you can take it anywhere (inside, outside, on a boat, etc). In addition to cross-training by hiking and running, I have begun incorporating some strength exercises. Each time this year I get stoked; time to build some muscles again. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these guys who likes to bulk up (obviously), I just enjoy working muscles that have been immobile or "stationary" during the cycling season.

While it is very important for me to maintain strength during the "in-season", most of that strength is focused on the lower body; mainly quads and glutes. So during the fall and winter months I like to gain some muscle mass in the upper body as well, but just enough to maintain functional strength, power, and performance...I guess it doesn't hurt to look good in the mirror also :-).

Let me back track a bit and reiterate what I just said, "functional strength, power, and performance". This is why I choose to use the TRX in my training and why YOU too should start or continue to use it. The use of this piece of equipment allows the user to engage all muscle groups during a single movement, targeting muscles that are used during daily activities (such as vacuuming floor, shoveling driveway, painting a wall, or simply getting in and out of a car/truck). In as little as 20-30 minutes you can get in a solid workout that will leave you exhausted...another bonus. Most of us don't have a lot of time, nor should you be spending lots of time, in the gym wasting time. Hear what other top trainers say about TRX.

If you want to improve performance in a sport, look and feel better, or get an efficient workout in, give TRX a try. Better yet, come to my "TRX Unleashed" class at the Athletic Club of Bend (ACB) Wednesday nights at 6:30pm. The class is from 6:30pm -7:30pm. Even if you are not already a member of the ACB, let me know and I may be able to get you a guest pass to join the fun.

This may sound like an advertisement for TRX, and it should. I have been using TRX for almost 4 years and I have honestly seen improvements in my cycling performance (better core strength - abs and low back, stronger and more powerful leg muscles, and better speed) as well as a more balanced body. No longer do I have a dominant side. Performing exercises in all planes of motion (frontal, sagital, and transverse) has helped me eliminate any weaknesses in strength and stability.

"Make Your Body Your Machine" - TRX

Hiking the Central Oregon Cascades

2011-10-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

Now that my season has ended, the bike has not seen much action the past few weeks. In fact, it hasn't seen any except a few miles while leading a youth cycling clinic a couple weeks in September. I needed a break from the bike and with all the outdoor activities available in Central Oregon it's pretty easy to find alternatives.

September and October are the perfect months for venturing into the Cascades to either camp, run or in my case hike. No crowds, hardpack dirt, temperatures in the 60's, and beautiful scenery make for the perfect recipe. The past 4 weekends I have spent my time in the Cascades hiking Jefferson Park, Obsidian Trail, Broken top and Mattheau Lakes. By far my favorite of these hikes was the Broken Top hike.

Jefferson Park is roughly 10 miles and begins off the North Santiam Hwy (approx 60 min. from Bend). The hike ascends 1800 feet through old growth Douglas fir and offers views of Mt Jefferson (Oregon's 2nd tallest peak). However, the day I hiked this trail there was lots of low clouds and I wasn't able to soak in any views. I only saw one other couple hiking even though the parking lot was packed with cars. I was able to get in a solid 3 hours of hiking, and not without eating lots of huckleberries, bonus!

Next weekend I joined Jenny and some friends who had a permit to access Obsidian Trail (there is a limit as to how many people can enter this area at a certain time). Jenny and the others ran while I chose to hike the 8.5 mile loop. The weather was much better this trip so I was able to catch a view views of the peaks looming nearby.

Mt Washington

The trail was in great condition and the temps were in the 60's. Again I only saw one other group of hikers during the 3 hour hike. Lots of steep sections, (both up and down) combined with rocks and roots, and a few shallow creek crossings kept things interesting. There was even a waterfall to add the the scenery; which is always a pleasant site to see.

Obsidian Falls

I missed one of the turns and ended up logging an extra 2 miles (mostly on lava fields, ugghh). With so many trails interesting each other, I was having the group mark an arrow on the ground in the direction of the loop we were doing. I wasn't carrying a map (mistake). Nothing wrong with getting an extra 2 miles in, however, the party I went with began to get a little worried after waiting nearly 40 min before I returned. Wildflowers were abundant and there were more huckleberries to be eaten.

Wildflowers

Next was the trip to Broken Top. This is the quintessential hike in Central Oregon due to its up close views of Broken top and varied terrain (thick pine forest and wide open high country). The hike begins at the Todd Lake and heads west for a total of 8 miles.

Todd Lake with Broken Top in the background

You can even make an all-day hike out of this by including the nearby Green Lakes hike. I decided to stay on theBroken top trail and soak in the amazing views. The temperature felt like 70 degrees and there was nothing but blue skies. Upon reaching the high country, Broken Top mountain never looked so damn good. It's too bad I didn't bring along the camping ear and make an overnight camp out of it.

Broken Top

Mt Bachelor

Rounding out the month of hiking was the Mattheau Lakes hike. I have done this hike once before but it was a very cloudy day and there were no views of nearby Three Sisters mountains. I was hoping I would be able to view them during this trip. This is an easy 6.8 mile hike with very gradual climbs and a smooth trail.

There are two (2) lakes to visit along this route (North and South Mattheau Lakes). The south lake is a very small lake that offers some prestine camping sites, while the upper north lake is a bit larger and offers up some views (not sure which mtn.). The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is part of this hike and goes past both lakes, so there is the chance to run into some "thru-hikers".

South Mattheau Lake

North Mattheau Lake

I decided to add a few extra miles and hike part of the PCT and Scott Pass trails. The temperatures were in the upper 50's and lower 60's but there was just enough clouds to prevent me from seeing the Three Sisters again. I started the hike around 8am with hopes to catch a good view of the Three Sisters with the sun just coming up, no such luck. As with the other hikes, I only saw 2 other hikers the entire time.

I'm hoping the weather cooperates the next couple of weeks as I am planning on tackling more great local trails. In the meantime, my bikes will continue to be stored away and collect a little extra dust.

Are you one of the fittest athletes?

2011-10-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a good article from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). It talks about who the fittest athletes are. Although I may be a bit judgemental in this area (no athlete is as fit as someone who can compete and finish the Tour de France...clean...2500+ miles in 3 weeks over mountainous terrain and varied temperatures/weather, and at the speeds they do it in). However, the article took more than just endurance and power, and mental strength into account. In fact, several factors were taken into consideration and the results were a little surprising.

Click here to read the full article.

Rubberball Photos

Here is a sample of one of Todd Durkin's (owner of Fitness Quest 10) workout's for some of his fittest athletes that he trains. Are you up for a challenge?

by Jim Gerard
How the Fittest Train
Now that we’ve reached educated conclusions about the fittest athletes, you may be wondering what kind of training it takes to become one. Durkin, who trains many pro athletes, gave us a detailed look. In the off-season his charges will do a 45- to 60-minute high-intensity interval workouts three to four times a week. As the season approaches, they’ll work out longer (up to two-and-a-half hours a day), working both the upper and lower body, incorporating weights and on-field sport-specific activities. A typical weekly breakdown is:

Monday and Thursday: lower body and core
Tuesday and Friday: upper body
A peak workout for the lower body consists of some combination of squats, lunges, side lunges, plyometrics, single leg Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell swings and lateral band walks (for the hips), using a Superband. Core work includes exercises using the TRX Suspension Trainer, Swiss balls and BOSU balls, push-passes with a medicine ball, total gym knee tucks and rotational training work for the hips and core on the TRX Rip Trainer. “We’ll do four to six lower-body exercises, plus five to 10 sets of core training,” Durkin says.
The next day, the upper-body work consists of four to six exercises (two to four sets of each) from among the following: balance-board push-ups, stability ball dumbbell bench press, TRX rows, Total Gym pull-ups, TRX movements for the shoulder and back, and one-arm rows and other traditional strength-training exercises on machines or with free weights. He also uses relatively esoteric equipment such as fat bars (which are thicker, harder-to-grip barbells) or rice buckets (to strengthen fingertip grip).
Some days Durkin adds 30 to 40 minutes of agility drills that replicate moves on the field (with a 1:2 or 1:3 work-to-rest ratio; that is, 20 seconds of work, 40 seconds of rest) using cones, ladders, hurdles and Superbands.
If those weren’t enough, he adds supplementary exercises for the neck, feet and ankles.

So, if as Chang says, “the fittest athlete is in the eye of the beholder,” anyone who can survive Durkin’s workouts can probably claim the mantle.

Images from the 2011 season

2011-09-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

This is ugly

2011-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

I happened to stumble upon this photo the other day and it makes me cringe every time I look at it. Probably one of the scariest "cycling" crashes I have ever seen; whether it be in person or a photo.

Marathon Nat's...and the winner is

2011-09-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Adam Craig!

With high school and colleges beginning classes recently, it was fitting that Adam "schooled" the rest of the field during the 52 mile Marathon National Championship race in a time of 3 hours 10 min. Adam's former Giant Factory teammate and training partner, Carl Decker, was the only rider to match the speed finishing a close 2nd.

The race began with a neutral roll out on pavement for 2 miles and then continued down the road for another 3.5 miles before ducking into the first singletrack/doubletrack section. This section of trail was a taste of what was ahead for the next 45+ miles. DUST! and lots of it. This photo says it all, just look at the layers of dust covering my face. (nice V on the forehead)

Alot of the early fireroad riding was similar to riding in Moab (like on a beach). Typically this time of year in Central Oregon the trails are soft and dusty, but this seemed to be the worst I have seen the trails. Not sure if it was due to the fact that so many riders have been riding them lately (with the 24 Hours of Bend race last weekend and Marathon Nat's this weekend). I guess I needed to ride faster to avoid the dust clouds.

After 3+ more miles of fireroad riding, we entered a new singletrack section (Steve Larsen Trail...built in memory of the late Steve Larsen) which was pretty sweet. Lots of rolling switchbacks with a few technical sections thrown in. By the time we reached the bottom of Funner Trail, Brig, myself and James were riding together sitting in 14th,15th and 16th respectively. By the time we grunted and grunted some more and reached the top of Funner Brig and I had put some time on James and had passed several other riders. While grabbing a much needed full bottle of fuel from Jenny in the feed zone. Brig and I rode together through some of the sweetest singletrack riding in Bend, the start of the Tiddlewinks descent. This section of Trail includes lots of tight singletrack switchbacks while riding through tight trees, and the trail is much more packed down.

Adam leading Carl through feed zone #1

We then reached the Dina Moh Humm Trail; which was a 12 mile loop in between the feed zones. This section is relatively new and is another example of the excellent work that COTA does building trails. Brig and I caught and passed a Sportsman and Ski Haus rider, and slowly brig began to open the gap on me. Knowing that there was a 6-mile fireroad section still ahead leading back to the 2nd feed zone, I didn't want to be caught in no-man's land riding solo. Well damn it, that's exactly what happened. Shit! With a huge grin still on my face from riding the singletrack, it quickly turned to a frown because I found myself alone on the fireroad fighting the wind. I could see Brig up ahead with 1 or 2 other riders and they were working together trading pulls opening up a bigger gap on me. I looked back and didn't see anyone behind me. Then after 4 miles and just before we turned left up another fireroad I noticed the (2) Sportsman and Ski Haus riders right behind me. Ugghhh. We entered the 2nd feed zone together and once again I received a much needed full bottle of fuel from my support crew (Jenny and Robyn).

The three of us rode together as we now began the Tiddlewinks descent again, this time riding it all the way down to Storm King. This is where I think Adam and Carl were able to put lots of time on their competitors. Adam and Carl are probably the two best XC downhill riders in the country (both do many Super D races and win; hence Downeville Classic 2009, 2010 and Super D Nationals this year in Idaho).

I'm not the best descender, however, I was able to pull away front the Sportsman and Ski Haus duo on the descent and even catch another rider before reaching teh start of Storm King; which would be another 6 or so miles of mostly downhill. By the time I popped out onto Conklin Rd. my forearms were burning. All that was left was a 5 mile pavement section and a few singletrack sections thrown in towards the finish; enough to just piss you off. Funny thing is, I didn't even know some of these trails existed. I could feel my energy quickly beginning to evaporate from my body and that was evident when 5 riders passed me on the pavement. I did notice that 4 of them were all on 29'ers. Just before we turned in on a trail that went behind the Athletic Club of Bend, I noticed that one of the Hammer riders and James were now behind me. They both eventually passed me too adding insult to injury. We all three crossed the finish line with the other 2 duking it out in a sprint, while I crossed the line deflated.

finish line!

I had a good race, but much like the Masters Road National Championship race, I would have liked to finish things off better than I did. I was hoping to be able to pull out a Top 15, but unfortunately ended up 24th.

Congratulations to Adam. It was good to see the Stars and Stripes jersey stay local and go to a Bend rider, stripping JHK of his chance to 3-peat. Nice job Adam.

The season finale

2011-09-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

The cycling season for most has already come to a close or is near it's end soon (of course unless you are a 'crosser...aka: cyclocross for those of you who don't know the slang). For me it is within a few days. On Saturday (9/17) the MTB Marathon National Championships will take place in Bend, OR. Racers form all over the country are flocking to this small, hip, outdoorsy town once again. Just two weeks ago "roadies" were invading our little town to compete in the Masters National Championships (you can read my Blog report on that here).

It's been a long season but it's always a bit sad when it's over. I am, however, looking to partake in other outdoor activities and do some high alpine camping. Cross season has already begun locally and nationally, and kicks in high gear come November-January. Cross-Vegas just happened yesterday which usually attracts many top 'cross racers.

Since Masters Nationals I have taken things pretty easy as far as volume during training. With only two weeks apart from each other I have been able to maintain the form while fine-tuning some of my intensity work. My body feels well rested and my weight is right where I want it to be. Controlling the nutrition is always key to keeping your form. We've been fortunate to have been given lots of local fresh vegetables from friends and co-workers. Keeping the fridge stocked with tasty, fresh, organic produce can be quite expensive. Thank you all!

The BMC is dialed and ready to go. I made a few minor changes in the setup, but otherwise it is the same. It's definitely not the lightest setup (25lbs) I could have, but I am opting for more durability. Even though there are several miles of pavement and fireroad, there are also many rocks on the course. The course distance is 52 miles, so I'm guessing the time to be around 4 hours to complete. I was hoping we would get some much-needed rain this week, but mother nature has other plans. Although the temperatures have dropped significantly in the past few days, the trails remain dry and dusty. Start time on Saturday is at 9am, and the expected temperature at that time is supposed to be 45 degrees...whoa nilly!

With the Colorado duo of Wells and JHK (last years' winner), they have to be the early favorites. So far, Wells has had his best season, taking the 2010 Cyclocross National Championship in December, the XC National Championship race in June, and then Leadville 100 in August while placing in the Top 10 at several World Cup XC races. Alex Grant is also a threat as is Hall of Famer Dave Weins. The local Bend riders looking to challenge for a podium spot include Adam Craig, Carl Decker, myself, Brig Brandt, and James Williams. Here is the complete list of riders .

Stay tuned for a full report on Sunday or Monday.

Prepare yourself

2011-09-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest videos I have seen, the announcers add to the excitement!

Masters National Championship Road Race Report

2011-09-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

With about 118 riders lined up today to compete for the 40-44 Masters road race, it was sure to be a slug fest considering we were only going to race for 54 miles and the talent that was competing. As mentioned the course consisted of lots of rollers, 1 steep short climb and lots of flat sections. As with most days in Bend, the wind was a bit of a factor blowing around somewhere between 15-20mph.

The first part of lap 1 began pretty mellow, and then about 3/4 through I tried to get away with three other riders (2 of which were good TT riders). It didn't mount to anything and was quickly brought back. Then on lap 2 another group of riders tried to get away, and the same result they were brought back.

Temperatures were hovering around the 90 degree mark at the start of our race, so this would eventually play a critical role during the race. There was 1 feed zone about 10k from the finish. I started with 2 bottles thinking that that would be sufficient enough if the race only lasted 2-2.5 hrs. I think I errored on this one.

With about 5k to go on the 2nd lap, I got into a breakaway with 5 other riders that quickly grew to a 30-sec gap, then 45-sec and as high as 1-minute 10 sec. We were all working together well. I was running out of fluids 1/2 way around the last lap and knew this was going to cost me. With 10k to go a rider behind me (Jason Boynton - Folsom Bike) clipped my rear tire and he crashed and hit the ground pretty hard. I wasn't sure what happened (after the race he told me he reached down to grab a water bottle and lost control and hit my rear tire). I looked back and he was alright and got back on his bike (not without totally trashing his nice Zipp wheel). He wasn't able to catch back on the lead group but still finished strong (13th I believe).

Once we hit the final climb up Archie Briggs (the only steep climb on the course), I felt the effect of cramping coming on and my energy getting zapped out of my body. I tried everything I could to stay attached to the lead group to the top of the climb but was slowly fading back. By the time we crested the top I was 10 sec back. At this point I knew I wasn't going to be able to bridge the gap and catch back on, so I cruised the rest of the way to the finish. I was completely out of gas ("bonked" as we say in cycling).

It's frustrating, however, I gave it everything I had and wasn't going to settle for a field sprint at the end. I did everything I wanted to except finish it off. Sometimes the result doesn't turn out the way you would like it to.

Time to rest up and prepare for MTB Marathon Nationals in 2 weeks.

Masters Road Nationals

2011-08-31T06:59:00.000-07:00

Riders from all over the country are beginning to flock to Bend this week in preparation of the Masters National Championships. All disciplines (TT, Crit, and RR) will be offered with each category in increments of 4 years; ie: 30-34, 35-39, etc.

I have decided to only compete in the Road Race with the hopes of a podium finish. With the 40-44 age category only covering a distance of 54 miles, it will surely be a tough task for anyone to attack and stay away. There are no significant climbs on the course, just lots of rollers with alot of flat sections. The wind can always be a factor, as can the final 1-mile run in to the finish. It's a bit of a twisty, roller section that includes 2 round-abouts, so positioning will be critical upon approaching the final mile. Having the legs to finish things off with a good sprint will most likely be the deciding factor.

The action gets underway on Thursday with the Skyliner TT. There are a few local favorites hoping to take home top honors; including Scott Gray and Andrew Boone (30-34), Mike Larsen (40-44), and Eric Martin (45-49). The 40-44 road race will happen on Sunday morning; this is by far the largest field of riders with a total of 115 riders.

The weather the past week was very smoky due to several fires up north. Going out to exercise was a little difficult and hard on the lungs. It seems to be improving but there is still some smoke lingering. Temperatures have dropped significantly and are currently in the 70's (believe it or not the low's at night are in the 30's). This weekend however, they are supposed to rise again back up to the high 80's. Typical Bend weather, you just never know...

How to race your bike without pedaling

2011-08-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

The Omega-Pharma Lotto cycling team shows us a new way to race your bike. Some have better aerodynamic than others...

Photo: © ispaphoto.com

To do or not to do

2011-08-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

That is what I have been pondering with this Race. One of my favorite riding areas (Capitol Forest) down near Olympia, WA hosts a 50 and 100-mile race. Now in it's 2nd year, the # of competitors speaks for itself. If you enjoy riding singletrack, this is one of the best locations for that. Pure bliss on hard packed dirt (with the occasional clay...well ok more than occasional) and roots.

Just look at the rider testimonial page and you will see there is not one bad thing mentioned about this race. The race is nearly sold out, so I will have to decide soon if I am going to make the trip north to my old stomping grounds. Who knows, I may even run into a few familiar faces as well...and give last years' winner Van some more competition.

What's your addiction?

2011-08-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

All of us at some point have been, or are currently, addicted to something. Some addictions are considered life threatening; smoking, using illegal drugs, etc. Are you addicted to something? Are you asking yourself right now, "Am I addicted to cycling?".

Some of us ride our bikes because we want to lose weight, or because we are training to compete in a specific event, or are fortunate enough to ride our bike professionally for a living. Those are not necessarily reasons to be considered an addiction, just because we love to ride our two-wheeled machine.

However, this guy has an addiction.

Gearing up for Nationals x 2

2011-08-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

As the summer peaks and slowly begins to fade away, there are still 2 priorities left on my race calendar. Over labor day weekend, Bend, OR will play host to the first of two consecutive Masters National Road Race Championships (2011, 2012). I will compete in the event in the 40-44 age group. As mentioned in a previous post, the course will be identical to the Cascade Cycling Classic course held just 2 weeks ago. Should be a fun-filled weekend.

Then just two weeks later Bend will again play host to the MTB Marathon Nationals (also 2011, 2012 seasons). This will be my biggest priority of the season and it's what I have been training for for the past 6 months. Jeremy Horgen-Kobelski is the current Pro Marathon National Champion, winning the event held in Colorado in 2010. It will be a tough task to dethrone him of his Stars and Stripes jersey, but I know there will be a lot of Bend-ites ready to take on the challenge. It's gonna be a good couple of weeks to be a Micro-Brewery owner in Bend.

Some hard training the next couple weeks then it's time to start the taper and let the body rest up.

40, Forty, Cuarenta, Vierzig, Copok, 四十, σαράντα, Czterdzieści

2011-07-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well that is about all the different languages I know. Actually, I had a bit of help translating the number "40". Why the number 40 you ask? Well it's gonna be hard for me to say, and type, but it's the number of years I will have been alive next Thursday. That's right, on August 4th, I will turn 40 years old...I mean young. I was born in Waukegan, Illinois at 2am.

So, on August 4th, I want all of you to wish me a Happy Birthday. Jennifer Aniston already has.

Stage 3 - Crit (Video)

2011-07-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting the CCC Crit video, but I had trouble formatting it for some reason.

Enjoy!

Stage 4 - Awbrey Butte Circuit Race

2011-07-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

The final race of the Cascade Cycling Classic was a preview of the Masters Road Nationals course that will be held early September. The race starts/finishes at Summit H.S and consists mostly of rolling hills on the backroads of Bend with 2 short steep climbs (one that climbs out of Tumalo State park, and the other up Archie Briggs Rd.). Completing 4 laps for a total of 67 miles makes for a difficult race.

The pace was pretty high the whole time, with a few attacks each lap. The team of Iron Data/ThirtyBear Cycling; which has a rider in the leaders jersey, did a good job of pulling back attacks and keeping the yellow jersey safe.

Going into the final lap I had to try at least once to get away. Knowing that I won;t have a chance in the sprint, I made my move on OB Riley Rd about 1.5 miles before the Archie Briggs climb. I figured if I could stay clear to the top of that climb that I would have a good chance of holding off the peloton. When I hit the climb my legs felt like lead. By the time I reached the top of the first steep section I was caught. I had to do everything I had left to stay with the lead group to the top of the climb. Once we crested the climb we descended Mt Washington Blvd. which finished with a few small rollers and 2 round-abouts before making the right hand turn into the High School for the sprint. I was sitting in good position, and if I could finish a sprint I might have had a chance to win, but I cannot sprint for the life of me.

After a hard day in the saddle, just under 3 hours, I finished in 11th place. There were 18 of us in the lead group which had a 1-minute gap on the chase group. I didn';t move up in GC as most of the riders in the lead group were all in front of me in the overall placing. I finished 12th in the final GC standings. There was a few other Bend riders who cracked the Top 20; including Ben Thompson (11th), Kype Wuepper (14th), Mike Larsen (17th), and Bart Bowen (18th).

With Nationals just a month away, I;m sure most of the riders in the CCC will be on hand competing for a chance at the Stars and Strips jersey. Hopefully by then I will have improved my sprint :-).

Stage 2 - Skyliner TT

2011-07-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned several times in previous posts, I never look forward to the individual TT. I think if I actually trained in an aero position or bought some aero equipment, it might not seem as hard. I give credit to those who can drill it and overcome the self-punishment of a TT. I still do not know exactly how to pace myself, and I sure don't have the big muscles to push a big gear.

Today's course was 12-miles, with the first half a gradual climb followed by a descent to the finish. I have the say that the descent felt harder than the climb. I borrowed a set of clip-on aero bars to help give me every advantage possible. I don't know how many seconds they saved me, but it made me feel like I was riding faster. I always know how I am doing by how many riders pass me. This time I was passed by 2 riders on the climb (both of which finished in the Top 5). I was able to hang with them on the rest of the climb, but as soon as we descended, they were gone.

I finished with a time of 28:02 and succumbed over 2.5 minutes to the winner. I also dropped a little In the overall GC. I now sit at 2:34 behind, so with the Crit and Awbrey Butte circuit race, it looks like the circuit race will be my only chance to make up time. Pulling off a stage win would be nice.

Remember to check back for some action-packed video form the Crit tonight.

Maillot Jaune

2011-07-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

All hail Cadel Evans!

After coming close twice to an overall victory in the toughest race in the world, Cadel Evans will finally be able to stand on the top step of the podium and collect his (and Australia's) first ever Tour de France win. By doing so, he will wear the infamous Maillot Jaune (French for yellow jersey) as he and the rest of the peloton ride into Paris along the Champs-Élysées (France's prestigious Avenue).

Stage 1 - Cascade Lakes RR

2011-07-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Stage 1 is the Queen Stage of the Cascade Cycling Classic. Starting at the Wanoga Snow Park up towards Mt. Bachelor, the stage includes several rolling hills, one long climb, and lots of scenic views along the way. The cascade mountain range (Three Sisters, Broken Top and Mt. bachelor) were picturesque with snow capped peaks combined with clear blue skies.

The race went well, however, I didn't stick to my plan. There were no significant attacks until roughly mile 60, where about 6 riders got away. The final 4.5 miles consists of lots of climbing and that is usually where the race is decided. My plan was to be with the lead group up the climb and attack near the top. Everything was going as planned and when we began to crest the top I bridged a small gap to 3 riders and instead of attacking I continued to ride at a tempo. At this point I was feeling very good. The final 3k is mostly flat with one right hand turn into the parking lot of Mt. Bachelor to the finish. With the lead group all together turning into the parking lot, I knew I had no chance of winning a sprint. So, I tried to attack immediately but wasn't able to accomplish anything. So as riders began to sprint toward the finish, all I could do was hang on to the nearest wheel and settle for 12th. A little dissapointing, but that's road racing.

One thing to point out...and probably the biggest reason why I don;t do many road races. It seems every road race I do, there is always 1 rider who feels the need to tell you how to race. I can understand big teams arguing with each other, but when most of us are racing individually, it cracks me up when I hear someone tell me what I should be doing. Dude, I'll race the way I f_ _ k_ng want to race, worry about yourself.

Stage 2 is the TT this morning followed by the Crit in the afternoon. I am planning to wear my helmet cam during the Crit, so stay tuned for some exciting video posted later this evening.

2011-07-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Cascade Cycling Classic (CCC) Stage Race is happening this weekend in Bend. This is one of the largest and longest running stage races in the USA and it usually draws all the big US Teams. This year in particular it has been given an NRC (National Racing Calendar) ranking of 2.2; which means that there will be more point awarded to top finishes in several categories of the race. It will also help attract even more Teams.

I, however, will be competing in my first Masters category race. Masters consists of riders who are over the age of 35. Don't let that fool you though. Most of the established and elite riders are in the mid 30's and also have the experience to go along with it. Several former Olympians and World Champions are still racing as Masters. Since the Masters Nationals race will also be held in Bend this September, many riders will be in town for the CCC to get a sample of what to expect in September. The same courses held during the CCC will be used in Nationals.

The Masters race consists of 4 stages over the course of 3 days. The stages include:
1. 71 mile Road Race
2. 18 mile TT
3. 40 min Crit
4. 67 mile Circuit Race

The weather for the week looks exceptionally nice, with temps in the high 70's to high 80's. With Mt. Bachelor still covered with lots of snow, the Cascade Lakes Road Race on Friday should make for some very nice photo shots. Lots of action going to take place in the next several days. Young local phenom, Ian Boswell, will be looking to score a high GC placing as his Trek LiveSTRONG Team is in town as well.

Stay tuned for race reports.

Favorite training tool

2011-07-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Need some motivation to add to your training

Hands down TRX is one of the best training tools any athlete can add to their "tool bag"

Six Pack Abs

2011-07-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Who needs a six pack when you can have an 8 pack.

HD Omnium RR

2011-07-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today's road race was anything but exciting. For the first 10-15 miles we were "cruising along". When speeds began to pick up and some riders were "surging" it actually felt like a race. There were several attempts by a few to get into a breakaway, but nothing every succeeded. The course is a power course where there are some rolling hills and lots of flat sections. As I said earlier, lots of surges but no real attacks, just enough to piss you off. I attempted twice to join a group in an effort to get into a break, but same story.

It wasn't until the final climb to the finish that a move by Trebon would last. He attacked with about 3K to the finish and was successful taking the win. My legs felt like lead at that point and all I could muster was to hang on to the wheel in front of me to finish 14th.

These are the kind of road races that drive me nuts. No one seemed to work together, none of the "teams" seemed to be doing anything to establish a break, and no climbs to break up the peloton. For a 60-mile race there at least needs to be one long or very steep climb. It would just be nice to have something to make the race exciting. Crap for that matter today was no different than the Tuesday night hammerfest, actually it was...the Tuesday night ride is free. Oh well, life goes on.

Crit and TT

2011-07-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

Damn, I forgot how hard racing in a crit was. Competing in my first crit of the season was both fun and hard as hell. The constant bursts of acceleration combined with speeds of 30mph+ for 60 min. while your wheels are inches away from other wheels makes for some real action.

There is a local crit race every Tuesday night in Bend but I have not been able to attend any this season, so my crit skills were a little rusty so to speak. However, I still had a good race and avoided any crashes...which fortunately there were none. Here are the Results

Hold your line!

Leading the chase in the 2nd group.

The TT this evening, as mentioned in my last post, was going to be used to gauge how hard to push it during the TT in the Cascade Cycling Classic. The course is very similar, same course just shorter, and I DO NOT ever practice TT riding. In fact, I do not have a TT bike. I always feel like the outsider when I show up for a TT with my road bike and not even aero bars. Yeah, I'm THAT guy. Considering I only do 1-2 road races per year, there really is no reason for me to have a TT bike. I mentioned earlier that the wind was minimal in teh morning, well that all changed for the TT. It was blowing frickin' hard (~25-30mph) and it was kind of a cross wind; which I always think is the worst kind. Even though I was only riding tempo, it still felt super hard with the wind. I hope the legs feel better for tomorrow's road race, because they sure didn't feel that good during the TT tonight.

Racing on tap this weekend

2011-07-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend Bend will play host to the annual High Dessert Omnium Stage Race. It's not by any means a "big" race but it is a great tune up race for the Cascade Cycling Classic (CCC) Stage Race. It's a mostly local race with a few Washington and Idaho rides makng the trip over as well. The TT and Road Race courses are almost identical to what will be in the CCC, so I will be using the TT course in the HD Omnium race to gauge the power output/HR to use during the CCC. I will be opting to use my power tap wheels vs. super light wheels even though the course consists of a 4.5 mile climb (3-6%) to begin and then 4.5 mile descent to the finish.

Today consists of a criterium and TT race and Sunday will conclude with the 60-mile road race. I may decide to wear the helmet cam during the crit today to get some sweet footage. Could be risky, however. Stay tuned to find out what I decide. Should have today's results posted later this evening.

Weather looks great for racing with temps in the high 70's and lots of sun. The wind seems to be minimal at the moment , but that could change quickly.

Chasing shadows

2011-07-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

I Joined in on the fun for the Tuesday night Hammerfest ride this week. It's a weekly ride (aka: race) that leaves at 6pm from Sunnyside Sports Bicycle Shop. Great group ride to mix it up and get in some good hard efforts. The route is a mixture of rolling hills, windy flats, and a moderate 4-mile climb back into town.

Here's a short video from the ride last night. You'll notice that the shadows of the riders are chasing us.

4th of July celebration

2011-07-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

With the holiday this past weekend, there were many events happening in and around Bend. As for cycling events, the Bend Super D was the highlight. Decker continued his domination of Super D's with the win followed closely by local stud Timmy Evans and Portland native Matt Slaven. The course utilized the Funner/Tiddlewinks trails(same as Pickett's Charge course) as well as some of the lower sections of Storm King (some of my favorites).

Saturday's group ride was changed from it's normal route of Hwy 20 out to Horse Ridge and back. Instead, Mike Larsen organized a ride up the roads to Mt. Bachelor and beyond to Elk Lake. There was a select group of riders so the pace was relatively high. My goal was to get in several hard efforts, and with Scotty Gray setting an early pace it weas perfect. I chased him down and then we traded pulls before we were joined by Larsen towards the summit. Over the 25 miles it takes to climb to the summit, I was able to get in 30 min of high tempo/LT efforts.

As we waited for the other riders to regroup we then headed down the mountain towards Elk Lake (roughly 9 miles). Once at Elk Lake we chilled out about 10 min grabbing some refreshments and food before heading back to Bachelor and back down into town. There are many rollers on the way back from Elk Lake followed by a steady 4 mile climb from Sparks Lake up to Mt Bachelor. I pulled the group along from Elk Lake to the base of the Sparks Lake climb at a good hard tempo. Once we began to climb other riders moved to the front only to fade back again. Larsen, Martin and Seguin (Team Bend Broadband) eventually led the group up the climb. Around Todd Lake most turned around to do another repeat of the climb. I, however, continued up to Bachelor and then back down into town. I had the in-laws in town so I didn't want to be out for too long.

In the afternoon Jenny, myself and the in-laws drove out to Smith Rock to go for a hike. Again, with the holiday the number of climbers, hikers, runners on the trails was immense. Just about every climbing route had a climber on it. That made for some good sightseeing. The weather was very warm and not much of a wind. Once we got back to the car a nice cold refreshment (Deschutes Brewery - Twilight Summer Ale) was awaiting. Ahhh, it never tasted so good.

Crooked River snaking it's way through Smith Rock

Challenge yourself!

2011-06-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a big advocate of TRX (Total Resistance Exercise). I've been using the TRX straps during my off-season training for the past 2 seasons now and believe anyone looking to take their performance to the next level (regardless of sport) needs to give it a try.

If you want to challenge yourself and have access to the TRX straps, try this TRX metabolic workout (scroll down towards the bottom of page). Trust me you will be exhausted by the time you are finished. Nothing better than getting in a solid 30 min. workout.

If you really weant to take your training to the next level, combine TRX training with a trip down to one of the Athletes' Performance facilities and work with one of the many excellent fitness specialists there. I was hoping to get down there this past February but was unable to do so...maybe next year.

Pickett's Charge report and Video

2011-06-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

Lots of people (over 250) showed up for the Pickett's Charge XC race on Sunday which also served as the RiverCity Oregon XC Series Final. The trails on Sunday were quite dusty and dry which made it difficult at times to see the trail when riding behind someone. By the end of the race everyone's face was covered in dust and it sounded like a hospital where everyone was caughing. Good times!

Check out the race video. This is on Funner Trail during the first lap. I was curretly in 4th at the time.

The race unfolded early with Sheppard attacking early during the start loop with myself, Ben T., Brig B., James W., and Brennan W. chasing. Brig and Ben would each suffer a flat during the descent on the first lap. At the bottom of the descent James, Brennan and I were joined by a charging Matt R. We traded leads for the next 30-40 min. before James eventually dropped back. Matt and I continued to push the pace trying to catch Sheppard but it was too late. We crossed the line 2.5 min behind Sheppard for 2nd and 3rd place followed by James W. a few minutes later.

Click here for full results

Next up on the calendar...

2011-06-25T06:57:00.001-07:00

Pickett's Charge XC held in Bend, OR. Last year this race changed courses and moved to the new trail system built by COTA (Funner and Tiddlewinks). The new trails connect with the Wanoga Sno Park area and make for some really sweet riding. I would have to say these two trails make for the perfect race course. It a combination of steep technical climbs, mixed with some technical rocky descents that is all 100% singletrack. There are also several section of "passing lanes" where riders can choose to go right or left depending on skill (one side is longer but less techy, and the other side is shorter but more techy). Check out the Race Flyer for full details.

The weather is supposed to be perfect (high 70's). And I'm guessing there will be an all-star lineup of local talent considering most are in town this weekend.

I will have my helmet cam on during the race so I will have some good footage to share. Check back on Tues as I will have updates.

Since we're on the topic of videos...

2011-06-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already seen this, it's pretty entertaining and worth watching. With the Marathon MTB World Championships this weekend in Italy, those who are attending will all be chasing rainbows (hence the colors of the World Champion stripes).
Can you name some of the famous riders who are included? I could only name 2.

Riding trails near home - video

2011-06-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the opportunity this season to ride many trails near home, so when I got the chance I chose to ride some of the local favorites; Storm King, Funner, Tiddlewinks, and COD. Here's a taste of COD!

One more video from TSE

2011-06-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

Here is some more video from my helmet cam during the Trans Sylvania Stage Race.
Click HERE to view it.

More footage from TSE - helmet cam style!

2011-06-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

Check out my Helmet cam video - TSE Stage 7 from my Contour HD camera. This footage is from the midway point during the stage.
Make sure you click on the "Fullscreen" button on the bottom right after playing video so you can get the full effect. Enjoy!

Something new in Bend

2011-06-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Bend, OR to come up with a cycling event that is different form most but seems pretty damn cool. Check out this link for all the details...should make for some interesting action.
My cards are on Adam!
I wouldn't be surprised to see Mark Weir show up to contest for the title either; if it came down to the pint of beer to be drank he would surely have the advantage :-).

Another cool video from the TSE

2011-06-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

This unique video was taken from Jason Sager's (TeamJamis) bike. It's from Stage 5 and during this stage there were 4 "mini-xc's". The total mileage of the stage was only 28 miles, and each mini-xc lasted on 2-4 miles. In between each mini-xc we all rode at a casual pace (usual for about 4-8 miles). The mini-xc's were each extremely technical and rocky that consisted of a short climb followed by mostly descending. Each one lasted anywhere between 6-12 minutes.
Sager had his Go Pro camera mounted behind his seatpost and it really gives you a great perspective of the intensity of each racer behind him. Each mini-xc start was a mass start format and it was an all out (120%) effort.

TSE Video - Stage 6

2011-06-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a cool Video of Stage 6 from the Trans Sylvania race compliments of Colt at Cycling Dirt.

TSE Report

2011-06-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

After a grueling week of racing on trails near State College, PA the Trans Sylvania Stage Race is over. WHEW! I think my body is bruised from head to toe, my head is completely congested, my lungs are burning, my farmers' tan lines are even more noticeable, and my bike is need of a overhaul; especially my fork. Yeah I think that just about sums it up.

The race consisted of 6 Stages and 1 Prologue. As soon as I arrived at the race venue on Saturday I knew I was in for trouble. The temperatures were reaching into the 90's and the humidity was 100%. The temps in Bend haven't been over 65 degrees all spring, so I wasn't sure how my body would respond to the heat and humidity.

As predicted my body didn't bode well with the heat and by Stage 3 (100 degrees) my body was shutting down. I tried to settle into a high tempo rhythm early on but that didn't seem to work either. By around the 2 hour mark, I had lost the ability to power the pedals. I was completely shutting down and getting passed by many riders. When I reached the final Aid Station with about 12 miles remaining, I contemplated pulling out of the race. However, after talking with the Race Medic and dowsing my head with a gallon of water, felt inspired to keep moving. After more riders passed and time elapsed, I finally reached the finish line nearly 4 hours after starting. Unfortunately, my agony was not over. My body had been so depleted of electrolytes that just about every muscle in my body began cramping. I had to keep moving to minimize the discomfort. After 10 min. I got back to our RV and changed clothes and ate some food. My issue with cramping (especially in my feet and hamstrings) would last all night long and prevented me from trying to rest and recover. It was the most uncomfortable night I have experienced in a long time. Four hours after finishing I finally had to urinate; which was a good sign because my body was beginning to feel a little better. The race medic had called that evening asking if I had thought I needed to receive an IV. I decided against it and continued consuming fluids with electrolyes and by 10 pm I was finally able to lye down and go to bed.

I was able to recover by the next day as the temperatures had begun to drop and the next days' course was mostly in the woods sheltered by shade. That was the trend the rest of the week and about 1 hour after finishing the final stage wouldn't you know it it began to rain. Unseasonable temps all week made the event even more challenging than it already was. I believe nearly 30 riders (out of 105) had DNF'd.

Jeremiah Bishop lead the race from the Prologue with Sneddon and Sager keeping things interesting each day. Flat tires and slashed tires, along with broken chains were quite frequent with most of the Top 15 riders. I don't know of many that didn't suffer some sore of mechanical all week. Myself and a few others were unfortunate to have suffered several flat tires (I had 4 flats and 3 slashed tires - 2 were UST Tubeless), but I also saw Wicks and Bishop having trouble with their chains and derailleurs.

It was a great week of riding on some of PA's best rocky/technical trails. I understand these are the same trails that are utilized during the Wilderness 101 race in July. We don't get this kind of riding out West, especially in Bend, so it was fun to test the skills against the terrain. I can say, however, that I am looking forward to riding Phil's Trail for a few days to allow my muscles to heel :-).

Mike Kuhn and Ray Adams (TSE organizers) know a thing or two on how to truly run an amazing event. In only it's 2nd year, this race nearly doubled in size and drew one of the strongest Pro field of any Stage Race that I know of (other than Cape Epic). There weren't any flaws during the week, plenty of volunteers and food at all the Aid Stations, lots of photographers along the courses each day, and plenty of entertainment after each Stage including photo slideshow, and a video from the guys at Cycling Dirt. I believe I even saw Mike and Ray out on the course during each Stage encouraging riders or helping out in the Aid Stations.

Click HERE for all the results:

Preparing for the TransSylvania MTB Epic Stage Race

2011-05-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

In just under a week the 2nd Edition of the TransSylvania Epic Mountain Bike Stage race will begin in State College, PA. The race is a 7-day stage race (May 29 - June 4) and features some of the best singletrack the east coast has to offer (at least that is what I have been told). Jerimiah Bishop won the event last year besting a relatively strong field. However, with lots of media attention and word of mouth from racers, this race has gained momentum heading into 2011 and now has attracted some of the best riders in the country; oh yeah and Bishop is back as well to defend. Will anyone de-thrown him of his title? Below is a list of riders competing in the Pro/Open category. My goal is a Top 5 finish.

Pro Men open # Rider Name (Team)

1 Sloane Anderson (ProAir HFA)
2 Christopher Beck (TeamCF)
3 Kip Biese (Big Wheel Racing/Old Town Bike Shop)
4 Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale)
5 Joseph Castle (Twin Six)
6 Ben Cruz (WTB/Cannondale/Shimano/Fox Racing Shox)
7 Michael Cushionbury
8 Jonathan Davis (Trek Bike Store Boulder)
9 Drew Edsall (Super Cool Bike Shop / Firstplaceracing.)
10 Mike Festa (Philadelphia Cyclismo)
11 Alex Grant (Cannondale)
12 Justin Lindine (BikeReg.com / Joe's Garage / Scott)
13 Matt Miller
14 Jason Moeschler (WTB/Cannondale/Shimano/Fox Racing Shox)
15 Josh Patterson (Dirt Rag)
16 Nathan Ruch (Evolution Racing)
17 Jason Sager (Team Jamis)
18 Ross Schnell (Trek/SRAM/Easton/Giro/Pearl)
19 Kris Sneddon (kona)
20 Adam Snyder (Team Jamis)
21 James Spurk
22 Rich Straub (BikeFlights/NoTubes/FTC/PerfomanceLabs)
23 Mark Weir (WTB/Cannondale/Shimano/Fox Racing Shox)
24 Barry Wicks (Kona)
25 Michael Wissell (B2C2/ Boloco)

Visit the official TS Epic website for more details and course descriptions. The race will feature a few unique stages; including a Prologue in Stage 1 and several "Mini XC's in Stage 5. You can also "Like" the TS Epic Facebook page to follow along and get updates during the race.

Weather looks fairly descent for the race in State College as of now with temps in the 70's and cloudy/sunny skies. If the rain comes, it could make things very interesting. I'm ok with either, as I tend to do about the same no matter the condition.

Stage 4

2011-04-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

The final stage of the Tour of Walla Walla was a 91-mile road race around the backroads of Waitsburg, WA. This was probably the hardest road race I have done. The combination of speed and high winds made this race extremely difficult. For the first time in a road race, I got dropped. After 78 miles, on the final lap of 3, I could no longer sustain the speed and constant accelerations of the peloton. I haven't hurt that bad on a bike in a long time. Looking at the number of DNF's and the total number of riders that finished this race vs. the number that started is a good indication of how hard it was. This was a battle of attrition.

The Tour of Walla Walla race has certainly become a priority race for some big teams. The last time I did this race was nearly 7 years ago and I don't remember it being such an important race. However, the number of Canadian teams that were in town for the race definitely meant something.

With about 13 miles to go, I was slowly losing sight of the peloton and knew it would be a dog fight back to the finish with the high winds ahead. I was caught out in "no-man's land" for about 4 miles before catching up to a few other riders that had been dropped. A few more miles and we were catching more riders. The 10K to go sign came and it seemed to take for ever to see the 1K sign to the finish. After crossing the line my body had been completely zapped of energy, however, I now had to ride back to the staging area for another 4 miles...ugghhh!

Considering this was only my 2nd race of the season, I know that this will only make me stronger for the season ahead, so overall it was a successful race for me. Sometimes getting dropped and having to suffer alone can make you mentally stronger as well. It's always good to find out your limit. Now it's time to rest up a few days and let the muscles adapt and recover.

stage 3

2011-04-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the crit stage, a 55-min hammerfest held on the streets of downtown Walla Walla. It's one of the more challenging courses consisting of a 1.1 mile lap with 8 corners. The constant accelerations out of each corner begin to add up over time. The streets were rough with several holes (some of which were on the corners) making it critical to choose a good line. It was a safe race tonight without any crashes and another good hard race for me. Legs felt pretty good during the crit, so hopefully they will be ready for tomorrow's big day.

Stages 1 & 2

2011-04-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

The first two stages of the Tof WW are complete but not with some drama. Stage 1 kicked off in Waitsburg, WA on Friday with a 63 mile road race. With a neutral roll out up the major climb on the course things started off mellow. About 1/4 the way to the top the race was on. Within 2 miles of descending, and rain falling, there was a major crash (not sure what happened) that took a few riders out of the race. When the race was over and I was back at my car, I overheard someone say that a rider had severely messed up his face along with breaking a collarbone. The weather wasn;t supposed to be a factor, but within an hour of the start it was evident that it would. Temps continued to drop into the low 40's and the rain began to fall very hard. Everyones hands wer numb and it was getting difficult to see at times; rooster tails were flying everywhere. I stayed up near the front as much as I could, the pace of the entire race was very fast, and felt pretty good. However, before the start of the race,. my quads both seized up with charlie horses. I;m not sure what happened but it was very uncomfortable to pedal. I thought it would eventually go away but it never did. It was an unpleasant race from that stand point, however, I am surprised my legs were able to hold up as good as they did. The finish was on the main climb and that is where the race was won. About 1/2 way up the climb riders began attacking; I stayed with the main group but eventually fell off the pace and finished 1.5 min. behind the winner. All in all a very hard race but another successful race for me. My goal for these first two races (King's Valley, and Tour of Walla Walla) was to race hard, get some race miles in the legs and have fun...mission accomplished. At the end of stage 1 I immediately changed clothes and turned the heater on in the car. It took a while before my body began to feel warm again. I think everyone suffered a little today. These are the kind of races that you will never be able to simulate in training alone.

Stage 2 was the TT, and for me all I try to do is race at my threshold level (325-330 watts). I don;t expect to do that well considering I have no aero equipment and don't train for TT's. If I could I would just skip the TT, but unfortunately I wouldn't be able to start the other races then. The TT course had 1 small hill and the rest was mostly flat, but the wind was blowing pretty hard so riding in an aero position helped considerably. I think I was passed by 4 riders and ended up 4 minutes off the winning time. For the 9.6 mile course I turned in a time of 24:17.

The crit is tonight and then Sunday is a 92 mile road race which has over 5500 ft of climbing. Should be another good hard race; the good thing is that the weather looks to be much better. More info to come later.

Wine country

2011-04-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

Heading up to Walla Walla, WA (well known for it's superb wineries) to compete in the Tour of Walla Walla stage race. This is a 3-day, 4 stage road race that includes 2 road races, a crit and TT. I'm using this race to again prep the legs with some race miles for some bigger upcoming races. The road race stages include 65 and 91-mile distances. My goal for this race is to hopefully get into a break in one of the road races for a high placing, and get a good gauge of my threshold watts during the TT.

For more info on the race check out Tour of Walla Walla

In the books

2011-04-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

Yeah that's right, the first race of the season is officially in the books. I'm very happy with how my body responded to not only racing but my first group ride and effort above "tempo". I have been training specifically for multi-day endurance events, so much of my training has been at or below tempo pace. I am using the King's Valley RR and Tour of Walla Walla races to get in some speed work. It felt great to not hold back and just let the legs loose.

I was a bit surprised how fast the start of the race began. Literally right from the gun I went from 0 watts to about 530 watts for several minutes. The pace didn't let up until about 15 minutes in. King's Valley RR was a 75 miles (4 lap) rolling hills course. Road conditions were very good and the weather was clear skies with temps in the high 50's; a nice change from what I have been used to in Bend.

For the first 2 laps I decided to play it safe and just hide out in the middle of the pack. Not knowing how the legs would respond, I didn't want to blow up before the finish. By the start of the third lap I was feeling pretty good, and decided to hang out near the top 10-15 spots the rest of the race just to keep an eye on any breaks that might look good to get in. Nothing ever materialized until the final lap with only 1/2 lap to go. I missed the break and continued to stay near the front. The final 1K is a gradual uphill finish and going into that I was roughly in 8th position but my legs didn't have any left to sprint to the finish (as usual) and lost many sports the final 500 meters.

Not concerned about my result, however, I am very happy with my overall fitness right now. My body weight is very close to where I want it to be and my legs have responded well to everything I have thrown at them. Now it's getting close to see if they will respond when I REALLY need them.

Tracking my rides

2011-04-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

With the use of a Garmin Oregon 550t GPS device I am now able to keep track of all my training and racing log profiles. This GPS is very useful and simple to use. With all touch-screen buttons, it's easy to navigate thru each setting while riding.

This is from a ride I did out on some singletrack near Bend, finally able to get on the trails. Still lots of snow above 4,000ft and even in certain areas below that are not exposed to the sun.

Technology

2011-03-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

Just purchased some new technology that will add some flair to my Blog. Keep an eye out for some new stuff soon.

Upcoming Event

2011-03-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

In two weeks I will compete in my first race of the season. I have opted to race on the pavement rather than dirt to get in a few more race miles in the legs. The 2nd race of the Oregon Cup Series is the King's Valley RR held near Philomath, OR has a great course (lots of rollers) and a total length of 75 miles. Looking at past results suggests that there will be a relatively strong field for the event. The objective for the day will be to get in some hard riding without killing myself. In other words, a controlled race-effort. Ideally I would like to get in a break early to keep the HR/Power in the tempo zone. Sitting in the pack all day will not accomplish this. I am hoping to have my Power Tap wheel in time for the race to be able to look at the data and analyze the results.

For information about the race click here.

Progressing

2011-03-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Training is coming along very well, as planned. I've been starting to ramp things up a bit as far as mileage considering I started training later than normal. With the winter-like weather hanging around here in Bend it takes a bit more motivation to get out and put in the time in the saddle. Temps continue to hover in the 30-40's and winds average 20-30 on a daily basis...ugghhh!
I have continued with strength training two days per week and will soon taper down to only one-day a week. Main focus has been legs and core, and using the TRX makes it easy to isolate those areas and still feel like I am getting a full-body workout.
With the added miles and strict diet lately I have reduced my weight down to near race-weight. Training intensity will soon kick into high gear and the focus will not be to lose weight, but rather make strength gains. Looking back on past training logs, my weight is down a few pounds. I will be doing a LT Test later this week so it will be good to see how my power stacks up with the lower body weight. As most cyclist are aware, increasing ones power-to-weight ratio is the ultimate sign of performance (at least in the lab). No matter what the numbers show, it still takes some luck and smarts on the bike during the actual race to be successful.
Spring has officially arrived and that means one thing; "The Classics" are beginning. If you are fortunate enough to have the Versus Channel (or steephill.tv on your computer) you will want to watch these one-day European races. By far the most exciting!

Choice of music

2011-03-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

Add this to your ITunes list and take with you on your next epic ride, it will surely get your HR up to Threshold

Riveting

2011-03-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

Went to go see this last night with the wife. It was our "date night" . It reminded me quite a bit of the days racing 24-hr solo mtb events. This a dark look into the reality of competing in one of the toughest US events. Well documented and some amazing scenery along the way. If you are considering competing in this event, you might want to watch this trailer or see the movie in one of the select theatres first. It is definitely an eye-opener, and gives you a good perspective on just how lonely it can be riding your bike for that long.

ENJOY!!!

Thinking of visiting Central Oregon?

2011-03-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

If you plan to visit Central Oregon (Bend, Sisters, Sunriver, etc) then look no further than GoOregonGo.com
You will find short videos along with a map and website link for all your immediate needs (hotels, restaurants, bike/kayak rentals and much more). The city of Bend offers many sporting events each year that offers many options to the sport-minded individual. If you are planning to come to town for either the Cascade Cycling Classic, Masters Road Noationals, or MTB Marathon Nationals I highly encourage you to check out GoOregonGo.com
If you like micro-brews, you'll want to check out the breweries category. You will have plenty of options to choose from but I would suggest heading on over to Deschutes Brewery or 10 Barrel.

What a joke

2011-03-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

Just got this in my email Inbox the other day.

We regret to inform you that we are unable to accept your application for the
2011 Leadville Trail 100 MTB race. In order to offer the nation’s highest quality athletic
experience with the utmost degree of safety, medical care, and racer support, we are
unable to accommodate every interested rider. We do not offer a waiting list, and are
unable to accept entries for 2012.

Not that I am overly disappointed (considering the lack of technical terrain) but it's funny how some (you know who i am talking about) get in at the last minute and others are rejected when registering the day the lottery opens. Is this really a "lottery". I don't know, but I have heard conflicting stories.

This was going to be my one shot at Leadville, so I guess now I can check that one off the list. Much like the hyped up 24 Hours of Moab, these races don't do it for me. I prefer the low-key, racer friendly type events. You know, the ones that REALLY care about the quality of riding for the riders. The ones that aren't really out to make money, but just put on a great race. A great example is the Mohican 100 race in Ohio. Probably one of the toughest 100-mile races, this event ranks as one of my favorite all-time events.

So no hard feelings towards Leadville, it just sort of makes me laugh. Have fun Levi, Lance, etc

Hold on there spring...

2011-03-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

winter is not going anywhere just yet. We here in Bend, OR were teased back in late January and early February with spring-like weather. Everyone seemed to have that "buzz" that spring was just around the corner. Well guess what padna, we were all fooled. Unfortunately for some, and of course, fortunate for others, we have been getting several inches of snow for the past few weeks. This has caused havoc among us cyclists of course, but has brought new life to those who call themselves skiers or boarders or "knuckle-draggers, or ... The ski resorts have hope again and it sure seems like coffee sales have gone up (I just made that one up :)
Beginning in February I began my "official" training for the 2011 season. Structure on the bike and more focus on the type of rides began to factor in. I was even able to log several back to back to back 5 hour rides with a few 3 hour rides thrown in for fun. However, it's time to put the bike on hold and begin a long overdue craving and do some skate skiing. I have not yet been up skating once this winter and I have been itching to get up there. So considering how the weather forecast looks this week, I am hitting the XC trails and enjoying winter while it lasts.
I'm ready to log more miles in the saddle, but I can certainly wait until the weather has warmed up. Besides, I enjoy being active in more activities as I grow old and there will definitely be enough time to get ready for the cycling season. It will be a long season, no need to burn out in March ehh.
Now I just have to remember how to stay up on my skis.

Quote of the week

2011-02-10T06:09:00.000-08:00

"Anything is possible. You can be told you have a 90-percent chance or a 50-percent chance or a 1-percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight".

by Lance Armstrong

In your spare time

2011-02-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

check this out...Or, if you happen to live in one of the cities the movie is playing at go see it at the theaters.

Quote/s of the week

2011-01-27T09:48:00.000-08:00

I felt it was appropriate to include both of these quotes in this Blog. They both relate to having a positive attitude, and being confident in your own abilities.

"Wellness is the key to a long and healthy life. Many people have the wrong perception of it. Wellness is from the neck up, and fitness from the neck down. Too many people work out every day, but go around with the worst attitudes, which just wastes all their physical efforts."
by Unknown

"If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win."
by Carl Lewis

The perfect night-riding outfit

2011-01-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

courtesy of Chico Racing

Pics from AZ

2011-01-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

Here are a few snapshots taken during our recent trip down to visit my parents in Arizona. These were taken during our hike up to Vulture Peak; which is near Wickenburg, AZ.

The possi after completing the trek up to Vulture Peak

Vulture Peak in the distance

Seeing a deer running through the cacti' just seemed weird

Quote of the week

2011-01-14T08:20:00.000-08:00

"To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep-down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly-Winks."

by Scott Martin

TRX Lunge with Bosu and Medicine Ball

2011-01-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

One of the coolest new pieces of exercise equipment that I've been using for training is the TRX Suspension Trainer. If you haven't already seen it, I've put some videos on YouTube. Here's one of the leg exercises that I do. This video was taken while Jenny and I were down in Arizona visiting my folks.

2 Quotes of the week

2011-01-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

In the absense of last week's "quote of the week", you get two quotes this week. Think of it as my holiday gift to you. Happy New Year all!

"Pain is a big fat creature riding on your back. The farther you pedal, the heavier he feels. The harder you push, the tighter he squeezes your chest. The steeper the climb, the deeper he digs his jagged, sharp claws into your muscles."

- Scott Martin

"What makes a great endurance athlete is the ability to absorb potenial embarrassment, and to suffer without complaint. I was discovering that if it was a matter of gritting my teeth, not caring how it looked, and outlasting everybody else, I won. It didn't seem to matter what sport it was--in a straight-ahead, long-distant race, I could beat anybody. If it was a suffer-fest, I was good at it."

- Lance Armstrong

Quote of the week

2010-12-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

"We don't stop exercising because we grow old. We grow old becasue we stop exercising"
by Dr. Kenneth Cooper

Quote of the week

2010-12-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

This is a quote from Johan Bruyneel, Lance Armstrong's Team Radio Schack's Director.

"Strength and weakness live together, inside each of us, and we are fools if we do not see both when we look at someone else".

This quote is in reference to the 2001 Tour de France when Lance was faking his weakness during one of the first mountain stages. Bluff when you are weak - and when you are strong. Lance faked his suffering so that Jan Ulrich's team would drive the peloton through most of the stage and hills before finally reaching the final climb (the infamous Alpe d'Huez). While Ulrich and his team began to fatigue, Lance bolted form the back of the lead group and straight past all the leaders, including Ulrich and the race leader who was nearly 7 minutes ahead up the mountain. It is one if the most famous "bluff" moves in cycling and one that will not be able to be repeated again. With the masterful mind of Bruyneel and the brute strength of Armstrong, it worked to perfection and launched Lance in to an even larger margin of over his nearest competitors.

If you would like to read more about the mastermind behind the winningest Tour Director, read "We Might as Well Win" .

Images from Cross Nationals

2010-12-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

Tim Johnson's sweet ride

J-Pow fightin' thru the mud

Trebon laughing at the hurdles

J-Pow hammering up the only steep section on the course

Compton on her way to yet "another" Victory

Compton riding strong through the mud puddle with Gould close behind (well 30 sec)

Gould doing everything she could to try and catch Katie Compton

Quote of the week

2010-12-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Another answer to the question "Why I ride". All of the quotes I list in one way or another have been a similar experience for me, and I;m sure you too.

"Because it's hard. When I think back on my most memorable rides, they are 80 and 100-mile singletrack forays into the backcountry. They have monster climbs, explore new territory, and sometimes end with heavy, cold mountain rain. But I survived. I dug deep, and stayed on my bike and thrived".

This was a quote form Jenn Dice who lives in Colorado.

Quote of the week

2010-12-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

This is a quote from Swiss mountain bike racer Thomas Frischnecht on why he rides a bike.

"I ride because that's how and whre I organize my complete life. I solve my problems on my bike. I live on my bike".

I can defiintely relate to this quote. Every time I head out for a ride on my bike (road or mountain) I seem to cmoe up with new ideas or solutions to an earlier problem. I can't explain why, but maybe it's due to the fact that my mind is most at ease while riding and it can focus much easier.
Have you had a similar experience?

Qoute of the week

2010-11-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

Here is one of my favorite Quotes. It's a quote from Jens Voigt, a professional cyclist for the new Luxemburg professional cycling team that was established for his former teammates the Schleck Brothers. He has ridden for Team CSC alongside Ivan Basso as well as Team Saxo-Bank helping Andy and Frank Schleck. He is one of the few "true" workhorses in the pro peloton, and has split apart many pelotons during his career. He has sacrificed himself numerous times and has helped put several riders on the podium at some of the world biggest cycling events...not to mention standing on the podium many times himself.

"If you try to win you might lose. But if you don't try, you will lose".

Quote of the week

2010-11-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

I would like to start posting a "Quote of the week". I am going to begin but it would be great to hear some of YOUR favorite quotes. the quotes do not necessarily have to be cycling-related...although it would be preferred.

So here is the first Quote. This is actually a Quote from Doug Bradbury of Crested Butte, CO. The Quote was posted in a recent Mountain Bike magazine on the topic of "Why I ride".

"Riding is life. It's new every time, even if I ride the same trail forever: the way the light plays, texture of the trail, moisture, or not, in the dirt, temperature, the time of day, the time of year; how my legs feel, my reactions, speed, power, endurance, I never, know til I go! It's such a great legal, free high. It's the ultimate Tao, too; my mind reacts to the next rock, it doesn't think about it. The biggest reason? I'm smiling at the end of every ride".

Share your favorite Quote and I might post it.

Time to switch gears

2010-11-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

We've been pretty fortunate here in Central Oregon with the weather during the fall. I can only count the number of really bad days on 1 hand...and maybe just using 1 finger. The colder temps mixed with sunny skies have made for some pretty epic riding days. I haven't done a ride over 2 hours since September, but the time spent on the bike has been bliss. However, all good things must come to an end. And for Central Oregon, that looks to be this weekend. While other states across the US have been getting their share of snow, our time has finally come.
I will embrace this with open arms though. Yes, it has been frickin' nice to be able to continue to ride on dirt with knobbies, but I am ready for a break from the bike. It's time to refresh the mind and transition to my new favorite off-season conditioning sport...skate skiing. I used to log many miles on the trainer/spin bike from December-February, but after learning how to skate ski I can't imagine doing that now.
The next big bike ride I will be involved in will be Cross Nationals...as a spectator. I tried to give 'cross a go this year but realized I don't have the mental focus to continue to ride my bike seriously beyond October. More power to those who can.
Well enough chatter, it's time to get the skis waxed.

November

2010-11-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

November is here and so is the cold temperatures...well not quite yet. It has been unseasonably warm in Bend that past few weeks, but I'm definitely not complaining as it has allowed me (and others) to continue to enjoy perfect trail conditions for rippin' it up on the singletrack. This time of year in Bend, OR is always questionable whether or not the weather will be good or really bad. We are supposed to be in an El Nino year, so I'm sure that the nice days will end soon.

I have also begun to hit the weights now that we are in November and will be doing a completely different training regimen this off -season. I've used a certain protocol the past 3 years for my training program, but am looking forward to changing things up this year. It's going to be pretty intense and focus more on power. Let's hope come April this pays off. I have some tentatively big races on the horizon for early 2011 and will use these to help get me into cycling condition for the reamainder of the season and able to peak for the priority races in August and September. One of those priority races will be the Leadville 100, which open registration this Thursday. It's not an easy race to get into, (I guess it's a lottery system) so we'll see if it happens or not.

2011 could be the pinnacle of my racing career. I am still waiting to find out if I will have support from my Title Sponsor (ProAir/HFA) of the past two seasons. In the meantime, I will do my part and make sure I am in the best possible condition when the snow melts. Oh yeah, skate skiing is just around the corner!

Bend's Big Fat Tour

2010-10-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

It's been 10 years since the last time I did this ride (it's not a race). I was living in Seattle at the time and read about this ride online that was down in a town I had never heard of before (Bend). I talked one of my friends to come down with me and check it out. We drove down, spent the night in his Toyota 4-Runner, and woke up at 5am do get shuttled up to Mt Bachelor. What the hell were we thinking. We had no idea of what to expect other than what the description said on their website..."come ride Bend's Epic". When I did the ride that year it was called Bend's Epic and it was only a 1-day 60 mile ride. I did the ride again the following year with the same friend and my girlfriend at the time who was a strong rider. I had a blast both years and thought that Bend, OR was a pretty cool town and thought maybe one day I would want to live there.

Flash forward 10 years and wouldn't you know it I live in Bend and was doing the same ride, only now it is called Bend's Big Fat Tour (BBFT) and you get to choose between 2 or 3 days of riding. The "Epic" is the 3-day and the 2-day is called the "Recreational". I chose to ride the Epic since two of the days' rides were on trails I have never ridden before, and the fact that I like to ride my bike as much as possible. The BBFT is not just a ride around Mt Bachelor anymore either, the routes change each year and this year we went to the Ochoco National Forrest, Mt. Bachelor, and Scout Lake. There were roughly 75 riders testing their abilities to do the 3 day epic ride. People from all over came to Bend, OR to extend their mountain bike season a little longer.

This year the event organizers decided to put a clue on each of the summits we climbed and offered up a prize to the person who's name was drawn from all that got the corret answer to the question. Some of the clues required an extra bit of climbing just to get to.

Day 1
I would have to say riding in the Ochoco's was probably my favorite of the three days. It was a 34 mile epic ride that would have us climbing almost 6,000ft. The weather was perfect (high 50's) and scenery amazing. During one section of singletrack climbing it felt like climbing up L' Alp d' Huez. Between the steepness and numerous switchbacks it was the mountain bike version of the infamous French climb. When there is a lot of climbing, that can only mean one thing...that there will also be lots of descending. The final 8 miles or so were pure bliss; fast, smooth-flowing singletrack that popped out right by the parking lot.

views form a top Vista Butte on Day 2

Day 2
This route was similar to the one I did 10 years ago but the total distance this year was 70 miles (instead of 60) and we actually rode some freshly built trails. Again the theme for the ride was "climbing". I'm not sure of the total amount of feet climbed but it seemed like a ton (and all on singletrack :-). The ride started around 7:30am and I finished about 1:40pm. There were about 4-5 Aid Stations fully stocked with food and drinks and each were definitely appreciated. The most tasty bit of food were the chocolate chip brownies, I'm not sure how many of those I ate.

A rider relaxing by Scout Lake before the start of Day 3

Day 3
The final day of the Epic had us riding out by Scout Lake. This was another area of trails I have never ridden so I was anxiously looking forward to it. The ride started at 11am and temps seeemed warmer than everyone thought. Lots of vests, jackets, arm/knee warmers were getting taken off quickly after the initial climb. I'm not sure how the first section of singletrack was discovered because I could hardly even see the trail. It took some serious focus to keep track of the trail. After several miles riding singletrack and a broken chain, we hit the fire road climb to the summit of Cache Mountain. The climb was a gradual 5-6 miles and rocky at times. Once we reached the top the views were amazing. Crystal clear skies allowed riders to soak in some of Central Oregon's best views (The Sisters, Three Fingered Jack, and Mt Washington).

The only thing left now was to descent 5 miles to the parking lot. It was a pretty sweet way to end a great three days of riding.

Once again I had a blast riding the BBFT and would highly recommend this to anyone looking to check out the town of Bend and sample some of the best trails in Central Oregon with lots of support along the way. Just be prepared, the weather in Bend this time of year can be unpredictable, so come prepared for the worst and hope for the best...as we experienced this year.

Thrilla series race #4

2010-10-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

Last night was the final race of the WebCyclery Thrilla CX Race Series. All four races in the series used the exact same course, with one steep run-up, and 2 barriers. There was a good turnout for the finale with roughly 200 riders.

Since the last cross race I did nearly 2 weeks ago I haven't touched the cross bike; instead riding the mountain bike taking advantage of the great trail conditions in the higher elevations. So I knew before the race started that it was going to hurt, and hurt alot. By the end of lap 1 I knew it was going to be a long night of racing (actually only 45 min) because I was breathing pretty damn hard already. Sitting in 5th position behind Thompson, Peterson, Wodtli and Schmitt I tried to settle in to a rhythm. Once we finished lap 2 I was beginning to drop back as had to back off the throttle a bit. The legs an lungs were screamin and I knew I had to conserve some if I was to finish. So on the third lap I rode about 80%, which kind of backfired because I got passed by about 4 riders. Then the final 2 laps I tried to gain back what I lost but was unable to do so.

The run-up section kills me every time; it's steep and very soft and about 20 yards long. It takes all of my energy just to make it up the damn hill. Ahh, the pain we inflict upon ourselves...priceless

Great race series once again by WebCyclery. Starting this month is the popular CrossCrusade race series held over near Portland. From what I hear the first rce in the series draws nearly 1800 riders. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make the race but hope to be able to do at least 4 of the races.

A new cross venue with spirits

2010-09-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Grand Opening of the new location for the Bend Distillery. Now located off Hwy 20 in between Bend and Sisters. Jim Bendis, owner of Bend Distillery, is an avid runner and always one to throw a good party...at least so I hear. So, for his Grand opening, he decided to host a cyclocross race (Men's Women's) and a cruiser race.

He set up a 1k course that included 1 long straight away, a mud pit, a steep but short climb, and several little bxm-type burms. To be honest the course was not very cross specific. For one, their were no barriers or obstacles to run over, and second it seemed as though there were too many flat tires (at least 8 that I know of). However, that doesn't mean I didn't think the course was fun and challenging...which it was both.

With severall other big cross races going on the same weekend (StarCrossed in Seattle and Double Cross in Hood River) I didn't anticipate there being a big turnout for the race. Considering that it was only 7 miles from Bend it was a great alternative for me. As I began to get my race clothes on, the trio of Rocky Mountain riders showed up (Sheppard, Thompson, and Petersen) so I knew this wasn't going to be an easy race. Race length was for 45 min. Sheppard put the hammer down early with Thompson close behind, while Cody and I battled for 3rd an 4th. After nearly 20 min. I suffered the first of 2 flats on the day. With no wheel pit, I went back to my car to retrieve a spare wheel (which was actually my friends who decided not to race). I jumped back in the race where I left off and realized that Ben Thompson had flatted shortly after me. Then after 3-4 more laps it was Chris Sheppard who flatted (using tubular tires nonetheless). So now it was Cody Petersen at the front and his race to lose. He was using Stan's No Tubes and was fortunate not to suffer a flat and walked away with the victory and the $250 1st place prize (not bad for a $10 entry).

The best part about the race was afterwards all racers (21 and over) received a wrist band that was good for 5 Free Samples of the Bend Distillery spirits. Good times!

Crossing over

2010-09-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe but cross season is already upon us. WebCyclery has kicked off the season with its weekly Thursday night Thrilla CX Race Series. This year they decided to move it from its original location by the Cascades Lakes Brewing Company to Northwest Crossings. The new venue allows for more mileage per lap, more passing options, and much less dust (although there is still quite a bit).

I've decided to give cyclocross a run this year to maintain my "high-end" fitness through December, as well as have some fun in the mud and cold. I haven't yet gotten a cross bike (essentially a road bike with wider tires) so I will be riding my mountain bike for the first few races in the series. I wasn't the only rider choosing to ride the mountain bike for the first race.

Photo credits: Cascade Event Photography

The course at Northwest Crossings is almost more suitable for a mountain bike, with the exception of one tough sandy run-up. The new course consists of dirt roads, gravel trails, tree-lined singletrack, a big run-up, barriers, a few blocks worth of pavement, and a steep descent and climb back up on a dirt road. Each lap seemed to take about 6-7 minutes. The section that really hurt was the steep run-up. Although the BMC FS01 may be a light mountain bike, it is by no means a light cross bike. The race was for 45 minutes so I think we had to run up the climb 6 or 7 times...5 times too many for me.

There were roughly 25 racers in the Men's A category with Trebon leading the charge. Right form the gun the pace was insane and it took me 1 lap to get into a good rhythm. For only racing for 45 minutes, this was ecrtainly an eye-opener as to what to expect for the next 3 months.

Bend, OR will host the US National Cyclocross Championships again this year, so I definitely have my work cut out if I want to be competitive. Would like to make it down for this extremely competitive race, but not gonna happen.

A BIG thanks

2010-09-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year I like to remind those who make it possible for me to race my bike and allow me to go to some amazing events across the country. Without the support of my sponsors none of this would be possible.

First and foremost I would like to thank my Title Sponsor, ProAir/HFA. ProAir/HFA has been the driving force behind my racing the past two seasons. ProAir/HFA has allowed me to choose the equipment that I feel gives me the best chance at reaching my full potential as an athlete. I cannot say thank you enough for everything ProAir/HFA has given me. I'm honored to be their billboard on the trails.

Second, I would like to thank BMC bikes. Although I am not a factory rider for BMC, I have been riding the BMC FS01 the past two seasons and have been extremely happy. I wouldn't want to ride another brand.

Another important sponsor has been Spiz. I have been using Spiz for nearly 5 seasons and the nutritional ingredients provides more than enough energy to keep me racing at full strength the entire time. It doesn't matter if I am racing a 24-hour event or a 2-hour xc race, my energy stays at optimal levels. The product is easy to consume and doesn't have any sugary/sweet taste. Give it a try, I'm sure you will like it to. Besides, Randy (the owner) is a very cool dude.

Next I have to thank all the bike shops who have provided unparalleled support. It's not easy to find a shop that you truly enjoy taking your bike to for a tune-up or just simply advice. All of these shops have given me some advice, wrenched on my bikes, and provided support when traveling to events across the country.

Here is the list of shops I would like to thank:

Pine Mountain Sports
Sunnyside Sports
Roll:
PureEnergy Cycling

Finally I would like to thank my coach, Ben Ollett (Ollett Coaching) for all the work he has done to improve my overall cycling fitness. I started working with Ben this May and because of his knowledge, he was able to determine what my limiters were and schedule workouts that targeted those areas. I honestly can say I have noticed a difference in my racing ability this season, and how fast I can recover from a hard workout or race as well.

Here's to looking forward to another successful season together in 2011!!!

Volunteering my time

2010-08-30T21:49:00.000-07:00

During the summer months (June - August) I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Bend Endurance Academy as a cycling coach for 8-12 year old kids. This was a chance for me to help young athletes learn more about the sport of mountain biking and to teach them some new skills. The program that I was coaching was called The Mighty Bikes.

I didn't know what to expect for the first group ride with the kids. However, I was very pleased with my experience and hope to be able to do it again next season. There were roughly 10-15 kids that showed up each session (Tues and Thurs) for 2 hour rides. Besides myself, there was usually 1-2 other coaches to help split up the kids into two to three separate groups. This allowed the coaches to keep the kids matched with similar riding abilities. I was amazed at how skilled and fearless these kids were.

Each session I had about 6 kids in my group, and all were very eager to ride more technical trails than the previous sessions ride. We met at the same two locations each week, so the trails we rode were limited. However, there were still plenty of trails to show the kids. Some of the skills that we worked on included:

   **how to start on steep ascents and descents
   **how to ride over obstacles (such as logs)
   **how to balance your bike for 5 seconds
   **how to position yourself on the bike for climbs and downhills
   **how to properly use the front and rear brakes, and when not to use the front brake

Most of the kids had clipless pedals so they seemed to have already grasped how to clip in and out of the pedals pretty easily. We taught them proper etiquette while riding on the trails and even how to fix a flat (more than once). It was fun to see them really paying attention to what I was telling them and to see each of them progress each week. The Bend Endurance Academy provided "skills cards" for each rider that the coaches used to track the progression of certain skills. Most of the kids in my group completed every skill and will be ready to join the Development Program; which utilizes both mountain biking and road cycling.

A look back on a busy month

2010-08-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a look back on the past 5 weeks of what I have been up to.

Beginning on the weekend of July 10, I competed in the local High Dessert Omnium race. This race has three stages (TT, crit, and RR) over the span of 2 days. I was using this race as a tune up for the bigger upcoming Cascade Cycling Classic that would be held two weeks later. The HD Omnium Crit and TT were on Saturday and the RR was on Sunday. I got into a break with 8 other riders during the Crit and we were chasing down 2 riders (Boswell and Miller) who had a descent gap on us. I was able to pull out an 8th place finish out of a field of 38 riders. I exerted a lot of energy, so I wasn't expecting too much from my TT performance later in the afternoon.
As expected my TT time was not all that great, something I need to work on if I am going to try to be competitive in road stage races. Without the use of any aero equipment, I was already at a disadvantage but I still have not yet figured out how to ride a solid TT. The course was identical to the one used during the Cascade Cycling Classic TT only 4 miles shorter. A 4% uphill during the first half and all downhill the second half. My time for the 9 mile course was 21:03, 1.5 minutes behind Carson Miller who pulled out eh victory just ahead of Sean Passage and Ian Boswell.
My plan for the road race on Sunday was to get into a break early as there wasn't much steep or long climbing on the course, just lots of rollers and a 1 mile climb to the finish. Around mile 10 (race was 60 miles) I got into a break with 8 riders; including Ian Boswell, Chris Sheppard and Carson Miller. We had a strong group and were all working together to keep our gap and even increased as teh race went on. Around mile 40 Boswell and Sheppard attacked and no-one could go with. So there was now 7 of us chasing those 2 for the next 20 miles. We stayed close but couldn't quite catch Boswell. Once we hit the final climb to the finish we caught Sheppard who looked tired, and it was all out to the finish. I was able to pull out a 6th place finish while Ian Boswell had won the stage.

After the HD Omnium race Jenny and I headed up north to Chelan, WA where she was competing in the Chelan Man Triathlon. This was her first Tri of the season so she didn't have too high expectations. The weather was very hot and very windy. The day of the race, the lake actually had white caps making for an extremely difficult swim segment. Unfortunately, there were lots of athletes getting pulled out of the water due to not being able to reach the turn-around point. Jenny was able to finish the swim but she said later that it was the hardest swim she had ever done. Jenny's sister and her husband were also doing the race so it was good to see them and their son Benjamin. I had a great time cheering them all on and taking some photos. We stayed in a remote cabin on Lake Pateros that was just big enough for the two of us. We had some killer sunset views and a nearby fruit stand that we were able to get some fresh fruit from. Photos...

Lake Pateros

Benjamin

Jenny, Tim, and Patty

Our cabin for a few days in Chelan

After Chelan Man, next up for me was the Cascade Cycling Classic Stage Race on July 23-25. Four stages over 3 days and good competition made for an eventful race. Stage 1 was the penultimate stage, a 71 mile road race that went around Mt Bachelor and finished in the parking lot at over 6,000ft. I knew that I would have to put in a solid performance on this stage and maybe try to put a few minutes on the other GC contenders because of my past TT performances. I was hoping to be able to get into a break, but that didn't happen. The pace was pretty high the entire race with very little slow periods. Anytime a group of riders would try to attack and get a gap they were quickly pulled back. So my strategy had now changed to how I would approach the final 5 mile climb to the finish. I moved towards the front of the peloton as we approached the climb to make sure no other riders attacked, and if they did, I was able to jump. The pace slowly began getting faster and all of a sudden the group of 20 or so riders was now down to about 8-10 riders. I wanted to attack but didn't quite have the confidence with the pace being so high. A Hot Tubes rider attacked as we began to crest Sparks Lake and no one could go with him. As we approached the final turn into the parking lot with only 400 meters t the finish I was positioned perfectly. Not having pre-ridden this part of the course I didn't know what to expect. There were cones that marked the course, and the final left hand turn was pretty sharp and I got boxed in a little causing me to lose one position, but I was still able to hold onto 7th place. I didn't put the time on other riders like I was hoping to, so now I needed to have a good TT in order to maintain my overall placing.

The TT didn't go as planned and I ended up losing nearly 2.5 minutes to the winner. This caused me to drop significantly in the overall GC. One of these days I will focus on riding in the TT position and purchase some aero equipment, but for now it was all about saving energy for the Awbrey Butte Circuit race in Stage 4 so that I could try and make up some time. The Crit was to be held in the afternoon the same day as the TT and as long as I stay towards the front I wouldn't lose any time.

Crit racing in downtown Bend during Cascade Cycling Classic

Crits can be dangerous and exciting, depending on which side of the road you are on. For me crits are exciting because the pace is almost always high, positioning is critical and good bike handling skill splay a role. You have to always be attentive during a crit race; one wrong move can cause a 20 rider crash very easily. The race went pretty smooth as I stayed towards the front most of the time and tried to conserve as much energy as I could. Unfortunately, there was one crash during our race which involved local rider Brig Brandt. He was sitting roughly the same position as me in the overall GC and would have been a good ally to have for the Awbrey Butte Circuit race the next day. He was taken out on a turn and ended up suffering a slight concussion, so he was not able to start Stage 4. Watching the Pro Crit is always exciting because you can really see the strong teams work to get their rider/s in position. United Healthcare was definitely the strongest team out there.

Stage 4 was on Sunday and consisted of a 4 lap circuit on roughly a 12 mile course with lots of rollers around Awbrey Butte. I was planning to attack on the 2nd lap, but again the pace was so high that anytime someone tried to attack it was quickly brought back. By lap 3 I attacked with 2 other riders and opened a small gap before the climb out of Tumalo St. Park. I thought that if we could make it over the hill and get out of sight that we might have a chance, but that didn't happen. So on the final lap, everyone began to get antsy trying all sorts of attacks which increased the pace even higher. Going into the final 5k it was a little sketchy with all the round-abouts, but I stayed clear and towards the front and was able to finish in 19th place; not what I was hoping for.

This was a great tune-up race for Trans Rockies which was in 2 weeks. With the exception of longer easy rides on the weekends, my training from now until TR was going to be short and high intensity with lots of rest. Making sure the BMC FS01 bike was dialed and ready to endure the Canadian style riding at this point was a priority.

Trans Rockies was an event I was looking forward to all season as this would be my first (but not last) mountain bike stage race. Since the TR race was one of the original stages races (along with Trans Alps) I figured it would be safe to do this one. I have heard of some horror stories about logistics in others. The meals that were catered for the riders and support staff was amazing. Each morning and evening there would be enough food so that each rider could make 3 trips to fill their plates. Keeping the body fueled with carbs was the ingredient for a successful race.

Jenny and I arrived in Fernie, BC Canada on Friday Aug 6th. By the time we drove in to Canada across teh border, it began raining and didn't stop raining the whole trip. It rained really hard Fri, Sat and Sun morning, just enough to add an extra element to the race; especially Day 1. I didn't quite bring along "muddy" tires, just the Race Kings and Mountain Kings. I decided to swap out the Race King for the Mountain King on the front tire due to the wider spacing. The Race King was all over the place in the rear as it was difficult to get any traction on the steep slick trails. Day 1 was typical east coast riding; with lots of off-camber roots and short very steep climbs. This was probably the hardest day of racing I have done in a long time. The course was only 19 miles, but it was brutal the entire time. Day 1 was similar to a TT a riders went off individually. Non-UCI riders went off early in the morning and UCI riders started later in the afternoon, with 1 minute separating each rider at the start.

Let the pain begin

Checking the vital signs

At the finish, I think this says it all

I finished stage 1 in 9th place and it felt like it took everything I had to get to the finish line. I was ready to take a nap and get ready to do it all over again the next day. Stage 2 was 44 miles but most of the riding would be done on steep fireroads and a super long singeltrack descent. The weather was a bit better today with temps still only in the 60-70's. This was perfect for the 12.5 mile climb to start the race. All done on fireroad, it was a fast tempo pace. I stayed with the leaders until about mile 9, then rode the rest of the climb with the Kona duo of Wicks and Snedden before reaching the doubletrack section. This part included lots of large puddles that at times were pretty damn deep. For a few miles you had to sort of snake around the puddle son the outer edges of the trail, very similar terrain to a motocross trail. The we turned left into a sweet singletrack section that was a mixture of rollers, one steep grunt, and a screamin' downhill. I'm not sure how long it was but was probably the longest downhill section I have ever ridden (all singletrack) :-). By the time I reached the bottom my hands and fingers were a bit numb, and I was afraid my brake pads were going to be won out. Luckily they still had plenty of stopping power left. The rest of the course was done on gravel fireroads that seemed to suck the energy out of you. I caught up to the Czech Team that was leading the Masters category. They were riding strong so I tried to stay on their wheel but eventually lost sight of them. I rolled into the finish in 7th place with a smile on my face today. This was still a hard day in the saddle but nothing like yesterday.

Brisk morning hours in Fernie before Stage 2 start

Barry Wicks leading the charge for Team Kona

Ahh, watermelon never tasted so good.

Overall Solo leaders: Plaxton, Petro, Emmitt

The final stage was to be the most remote of all stages and the reason we had to carry bear spray with us during the race. We crossed the Continental Divide going from British Columbia into Alberta, Canada. Day 3 was all about the hike-a-bike though. I don't think anyone expected to hike their bike as much as we had to in this stage. I would guess I hiked my bike for a total of 3 miles during the entire day, and most of that was bush whacking through a forest or on rocky climbs. Ugghhh! The scenery while crossing the Divide kind of erased most of the anguish. Heavy clouds began rolling in and it looked like their would be a major down pour of rain but it never happened. Once we were in Alberta Carl Decker had caught back up (he flatted early in the race) and passed me on the descent. There was some technical rocky sections mixed in with some gravel and grass sections before we hit the fireroad to the finish. I rolled across the line in 7th place again and somewhat glad to know that my race was over. Three days was enough for me this year, I don't think I would have wanted to race for another 4 days...maybe next year. Unfortunately, I would later find out that i was penalized a 1 hour time penalty for not having my Passport (badge) scanned at the beginning. It's a long story (see Blog post on Aug 13th) and one I was not able to get corrected.

Here are some more photos from the race:

Worlds largest truck...and was actually used

This is our hotel in Fernie before the race started

Island Lake Lodge near Fernie, BC (we plan to come back and stay here sometime)

This was our home for the 3 days during the race.

Another Trans Rockies update

2010-08-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

After pleading my case to the Trans Rockies President and UCI officials, it doesn't look good that the results will get corrected. Myself and Mike McCalla were assessed a 1 hour penalty for supposedly not having our passports (badges) scanned at the start of Stage 3.

Since I spoke to 2 UCI officials in the morning of Stage 3 to find out where to go to get my passport scanned, I thought I had done everything I needed to. However, the race office only wrote my number down and said they didn't need to "scan" my passport, they said I was good to go. So I am confused and frustrated.

Lots more details to come and a whole lot of photos to share once I get back to town. We are in the process of driving back from Canada and I definitely going to miss the scenery.

Quick update from Trans Rockies

2010-08-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

I am typing this from the hotel in Fernie, BC Canada, just one day after the finish of the 3-day Trans Rockies TR3 race. Overall I have to say that I am completely satisfied with how well the race was organized and the amazing food that was provided to the racers each day and night. There was no shortage of "fuel" to say the least.
I am going to keep this post short as i am restricted to 30 min. of computer time, so here is a brief recap of the race.

Day 1: A 19 mile Prologue (or basically a TT) on the trails of Fernie, BC. This doesn't seem like a difficult stage on paper, however, this was probably the hardest day of the 3 days. Rain had fallen over the past two days and made the trails quite muddy and very slippery. Non- UCI riders were staged first and went off in the morning while UCI riders went in the afternoon. My start time was 1:43pm. The rain was falling in the morning but by the time I started the rain had stopped.
The amount of off-camber, rooted trails combined with the super steep climbs made for a tricky day of riding. This as they say was a true mountain bikers course. I finished 8th overall and was completely exhausted at the finish.

Day 2: A 44 mile Epic Day on mostly fireroads but a killer climb for the first 12.5 miles. The pack split up into a group of about 15-20 riders after mile 4. I was riding with Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon for the majority of the climb. The came the sweet ass descent that seemed to go on for ever. This was probably the longest downhill I have ever ridden. Very steep in sections, and a few 180 degree switchbacks kept you on the edge the whole time. Even though I had my fingers on the brakes most of the way down to help control the speed I was still reaching speeds of over 25mph. By the time I reached the bottom and popped back on a fireroad my hands were almost numb. I finished 7th overall today and made up some ground on the guys in front of me. I am still sitting in 8th overall though.

Day 3: The final Stage was another 40+ mile day in the saddle in which we crossed the Continental Divide going from British Columbia in to Alberta. We also would ride through the Canadian Rockies, so the scenery was breathtaking. The word for today however, was hike-a bike. After the first 10 miles or so on fireroad to help split the pack up, we hit the singletrack and a few creek crossings. Then came the endless miles of hike-a-biking. I would have to guess we hiked for nearly 3-4 miles total and most of it all at one time. It was either through overgrown bushes where you could hardly see the trail, or on very rocky steep sections. By the time we crossed into Alberta, I was riding with Adam Craig and we each commented on the amount of hiking...it wasn't good. He mentioned that it was similar to La Ruta except not quite as muddy. The Canadian Rockies were amazing and the trail felt completely remote. I didn't see any wildlife (we did have to carry bear spray with us) unfortunately. I finished just behind Carl Decker and Adam Craig in 7th place with a time of 3:53.
Here's the bad part. After checking the results a few hours later in the hotel here in Fernie, BC I noticed I was penalized a 1 hour time penalty. I'm not sure what this is a result of, but I am trying to contact the race officials and UCI to clarify this. UCI points and a good cash prize were up for grabs for all UCI riders, so I'm concerned about not getting either. After a 9th and two 7th place finishes, I believe I was 8th overall. However, with the 1 hour penalty, this would put me out of the Top 10.

Stay tuned as I learn more about the result of the penalty.

Blogger troubleshooting

2010-08-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I have been having trouble logging into my Blog account. Not really sure what the problem is, but hoping to get it resolved asap. Lots to discuss and share. Up next is Trans Rockies TR3. I leave this Friday and the race begins on Sun. Driving up to Fernie, British Columba, Canada. I am hoping to post updates daily while there. Stay tuned...I will also be recapping the past several weeks in later posts.

Out!

Looking ahead

2010-07-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest news from USA Cycling...it's good news for Bend, OR.

Last Minute Addition

2010-07-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I decided to add another short stage race to the calendar...the High Desert Omnium. This is a local race that offers a Crit, TT, and Road Race. The stages are relatively short but are held on similar courses as the Cascade Cycling Classic race, so I thought it would be a good tuner for that race; which will be in 2 weeks.

The weekend kicked off with the Crit on Sat afternoon. A field of about 35-40 riders toed the start line for the 50 min. race that included a safe course with only 4 corners. I got into a break after 20 min. with a few other riders and we were chasing down an earlier break of 2 lead riders. Everyone in the break was working equally hard, but we weren't able to pull back the two lead riders. Crit races are great training for mountain biking because of the all-out efforts and at times technical courses. I jumped (ie: attacked) with 1 lap to go trying to break free of the other riders in the break, but was quickly pulled back. Then with half a lap to go Stallings jumped. It came down to a sprint for 3rd place but I don't have much of a sprint, so I rolled across the line in 8th.

Two hours later was my TT start. This was held on Skyliners Rd which is a favorite road for TT's and the same course for the CCC, just a bit shorter. The length was only 9 miles (4.5 miles out and back) with half being a climb and the other half being all downhill. I am definitely not a TT specialist. I don't have any TT gear, don't have a TT bike, nor do I practice them either. I still have yet to figure out how hard to go from the start. I used to completely blow up immediately after racing my HR up to it's max within minutes, but now I have learned to slowly work it up but I'm not sure if that is the best either. I finished the 9 miles in a time of 21:03, 1 1/2 min behind the winner Carson Miller.

On Sun, the road race was held near the Cascade Lakes up around Mt. Bachelor with temps hovering near 90 degrees. The course was a 60 mile loop. Nearly 50 riders were ready in the Pro/1/2 field to battle the heat. Nothing exciting for the first 7 miles, but then around mile 8-10 there was a crash that took out nearly 8 riders. Not sure what happened because at that point the peloton was creeping along at a slow speed. Soon after that a couple riders attacked and I went with them. I wanted to ride hard today and get into a break, and I was able to get in with a solid 10 man break that included some strong riders (Sheppard, Boswell, Miller, Boone). We opened up a 1.5 min gap by mile 20 and slowly continued to open the gap as the race progressed. At mile 42, Boswell attacked on a climb and only Sheppard had the acceleration to go with him. I was now working with 5 other riders to try and pull back those two riders. We caught Sheppard with 1K to go and it came down to a 5 man sprint. Again my legs didn't have the power to sprint and I ended up 5th in the sprint and 6th overall. We covered the 60 miles in 2:10.

It's great to see how strong Ian Boswell is riding. He is a local boy who has huge potential, and currently rides for Bissell Pro Cycling team. He has had a successful season that includes a win at the Nevada City Classic race in June and several top finishes over in Europe. Will his team work to get him a win at the Cascade Cycling Classic...we'll have to wait and see. To learn more about Ian Boswell, visit his website.

Stitched

2010-07-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

After a ridiculously long visit to the hospital last Sunday to have stitches in my knee, I am beginning to wonder how long this cut will take to recover from. It has been nearly a week now and although the stitches seem to be healing well, there is still some pain/discomfort around the knee. The scar appears to be clean and I have been applying neosporin daily to keep any contaminants out, but there is still some bruising around the kneecap. I didn't have any x-rays taken yet, but if this continues into next week I will sure be getting an x-ray.

I have been spinning on the trainer the last few days and got out for an easy mountain bike ride yesterday, but I am not able to put full pressure on the pedals yet. I'm not too concerned about losing any fitness at this point and it is a good time to take a week of recovery. I'm hoping with enough rest that this will allow my body to be fresh and ready to ramp things up again next week in preparation for the Trans Rockies TR3 in just over 4 weeks.

Hosting and Racing...what a blast

2010-06-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

This past week in Bend, OR was the Junior National Championships. With Stars and Stripe jerseys on the line for lots of "up-and-comers" in three disciplines (TT, Criterium, and road race) Bend would see an influx of cyclists all over town. Jenny and I have been wanting to host riders for the Cascade Cycling Classic for a while, but we decided to host a Junior for the Nat's this week as well.

AJ Snovel...remember the name.

AJ and his dad Jason came up from Davis, CA on Wednesday and stayed through Sunday night. AJ competed in all three events in preparation for his big Stage Race up on Quebec, Canada in two weeks (Tour de l'Abiditi). The Tour de l'Abitibi is a stage race for riders 17-18 years of age. He was selected to race on a team of riders that were selected from all across the country. Having just competed in the Tour de Nez, and Nevada City Classic road races (2 very challenging races) the week prior he unfortunately wouldn't have his "A" game for Nationals.

AJ currently rides for the Davis Bike Club Team, but it won't be long before a strong Domestic team picks him up. The kid has huge potential and is a super cool dude. In the short time that they stayed with us, we became good friends and we will be keeping in touch. Junior Nationals will be in Bend again for the next 2 years, so if he hasn't already made the jump to racing in Europe I'm sure we'll see them again this time next year. Not to mention that the Masters National Championships will also be held in Bend, OR during 2011, so Jason (AJ's dad) who is also a strong rider will also be competing in that...just another excuse for them to make the trip north.

With all the excitement of Junior Nationals going on, I also had my own agenda for the weekend...Pickett's Charge XC race (Oregon XC Series Finals). The course was held at the Wanoga Sno Park trail system this year up towards Mt. Bachelor. This was a good change from years past, where the race as held on trails around teh Phils' Trail system. The recently built trails up at Wanoga include lots of technical, demanding riding, and lots of rocky sections. The course consisted of a 12 mile loop, which we would do 2 laps on, for a total of 25 miles including the starter loop.

With the majority of the "big guns" (Adam Craig, Chris Sheppard, Ryan Trebon, Carl Decker and Ben Thompson) missing from this race the door would be wide open to take home top honors. Brig Brandt would still be the odds-on favorite but I was sure to not make it easy for him. I quickly lead the race from the beginning singletrack section with Bruce Cole-Baker and Brig following behind. After 5 miles Brig came around to take the lead.

Chasing Brig with only a few miles left

                                         Brig riding strong

We rode together for several miles before he opened up a 20 sec gap. At the end of lap 1, I clipped a rock with my pedal and it sent me over the bars. I realized that I had a huge cut on my knee as well and that something was wrong with my derailleur or chainrings because I couldn't shift into my big chainring. (After the race I found that I bent the big chainring). Matt Russell had passed me and I was now in 3rd to start the 2nd lap. I quickly pulled back Matt and then tried to close the gap on Brig but stayed within 30 sec to 1 min the rest of the lap.   I rode good enough for 2nd, but a costly error cost me time on the trail and time in the hospital. Nearly 200 riders tested their skills on the Series Finale course that will certainly go down as one of the better courses for 2010.

Full Results:

1 Brandt Brig            ReboundSPL   01:44:43.60
2 Anderson Sloane   Pro Air             01:45:49.20
3 Russell Matt          KENDAUSA     01:46:05.70
4 Rogers Bruce        Hutch's           01:53:43.10
5 Kem Omer           Jamis               01:55:45.60
6 Ceccorulli James   Team Dirt        01:57:44.90
7 Cole-Baker Bruce Sunnyside       01:58:26.50
8 Schmitt Damian     Sunnyside       01:59:15.80
9 Carwile Steve                                02:18:10.60
DNF Myers Jonathan Team S+M
DNF Swanson Chad  Team S+M

Immediately after the race I went to the Medical tent to have my knee attended to.

OUCH!!!

A bigger gash than I anticipated, stitches would be required. After getting cleaned up, bandaged and iced, and then waiting for the awards ceremony it was off to the hospital to get stitches.

Elkhorn Classic Report

2010-06-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

The goal going in to this race was to get in some solid miles and a few hard days of racing...mission accomplished. I have done 1 other road race prior to this Stage Race this season so far, so I wasn't sure how the leg would respond to the various speeds that you encounter in a road race. Road racing is so much different than mountain biking, and yet I enjoy doing both. Not having a team to work the tactical game, I would have to play my cards smart if I wanted to stay at the front.

In this race there were two (2) road race stages, a Time Trial and a Criterium. Considering I do not practice Time Trialing (nor do I have any aero equipment), my chances at a top GC spot would be slim.

Heading out on Stage 1

The opening Stage was a 76 mile race over rolling terrain with a flat finish. The pace for the first 20 miles was beyond mellow, we were creaping along to say the least. However, the remaining 50+ miles were some good racing. The strongest team in the Pro/1/2 field was definitely Team Exergy, with probably Hagens-Berman second. I rode consistently in the top 20 to keep an eye on what was happening or if there were any attacks I didn't want to get stuck behind in a chasing group. The last 20 miles really started to shake things up in the peloton where most of the climbing was taking place. I was feeling very comfortable and felt like the energy level was high. with roughly 8 miles to go there was a 2 mile climb that shreaded the peloton. I continued to sit in around 8th position as we crested the summit. After a fast descent we were on the final flat section with 5k to go. I was sitting in the perfect and then at the 1k sign my hamstrings completely locked up with cramps and I couldn't pedal. I drifted to the back of the group of about 30 riders and was able to shake out the cramp and finish 20th. Had a not cramped I was looking at a top finishing spot. Fortunately my legs were able to respond fairly quickly and the cramp went away otherwise i could have easily lost 30 seconds in the final 1k.

Stage 2 was the individual TT. The course a total of 11.1 miles with 5.5 miles of out and back on mostly flat roads with a slight incline. There was a slight headwind after the turnaround as well. The riders were spaced out 30 seconds apart...my goal was not to let more than 1 rider pass me. Ahhh well that didn't happen. By the time I reached the halfway point, I was already passed by one rider. And then with 3 miles left I was passed by another rider. Fortunately I can be somewhat relieved to know that both riders finished in the Top 10 for the stage. Maybe one of these days I will put more emphasis on Time Trialing and have a good result.

Racing the Criterium on the Cannondale with the slick roads

Stage 3 was the Criterium. The course was the same as usual...a 1k, 5 corner, smooth road course. However, since the Pro field was last to go we were having to deal with Mother Nature bringing in some nasty rain and winds. They had already canceled the Cat 3 race and were unsure if we would be racing or not. The race director prolonged the start by a few minutes to see if the rain would stop and also to sweep up some puddles and slick spots. While warming up on the course my rear tire consistently would slide out on every corner. This was not going to make for a comfortable race. I lowered my tire pressure to 95psi and that helped a little, but I wasn't even close to race speed yet. The rain stopped and the race was about to begin. On the very first turn 1 rider slid out and crashed. Everyone looked at each other and said "this is going to be ugly". We raced for a total of 55 minutes and after the roads eventually dried up it made for some exciting racing. I didn't do anything too aggressive, just stayed near the front as much as possible to avoid any crashes. Besides the first turn crash, there was only 1 other crash that involved 3 or 4 riders.

More Crit action

The final stage was a 102 mile loop withe several 2-3 mile climbs and the 8 mile climb up Dooley Mtn. for the finish. I was thinking that I might try to get into a breakaway and make up the 3 minutes that was down in the overall GC but it didn't happen. Mother Nature again brought upon some shitty weather, with the temps hovering in the 50's and rain coming down steady. The pace was much faster in the e beginning as compared to Stage 1, but still only moderate. A couple riders attacked early but were brought back in. Then another 5 riders attacked and I went with them...but we were pulled back in shortly as well. I believe 4 riders had a attacked and gotten away but I didn't see it. As the race hit the small climbs (roughly miles 35-55) the peloton began to split apart. I was having no problem staying towards the front and was feeling good. The race really began to intensify around mile 70 where the cross winds were fierce and the pace was insane. Riders were getting dropped left and right. With the cross winds coming from the left the peloton was strung out in single file on the right hand shoulder. At times, the road disappeared and turned to dirt. I got caught in the dirt and almost lost the lead group. I had to chase hard for about 20 seconds to catch back on. A few other riders were not so lucky as they never saw the lead group again. We maintained a 30+ mph pace for pretty much the remainder of the flat section roads until the final climb of the day. Once we hit the climb the pace settled down into a temp pace. For the first 3 miles I was with the lead group, but after a hard a attack by a Hagens-Berman rider I slowly began to fade back. I found myself riding with three other riders at a hard tempo effort the rest of the climb. As we crossed the finish line I was totally exhausted...a hard 4.5 hours in the saddle but great training. I finished 17th on the day and 17th in the overall GC. Stage 4 results can be found here along with the other Stages.

The new BMC Pro Machine SLC 01bike rode simply amazing. The combination of stiffness and lightness makes for a much more enjoyable racing experience.

Elkhorn Classic SR Recap...coming soon

2010-06-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

Stat tuned for a full race report.

Stage Racing

2010-06-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

If you don't already know are multi-day races compiled into one event. For most road races, these can range anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks, and for mountain bike races anywhere from 3 days to 10 days.

I am gearing up for a few upcoming stage races (both road and mountain) beginning this weekend in Baker City, OR with the Elkhorn Classic SR. This is a race favorite among most Oregon riders, with 4 stages over 3 days. It's a little less popular than the Mt Hood Classic or the Cascade Cycling Classic, but still offers the Pro to Recreational rider a solid challenge.

I will be using the Elkhorn Classic SR and the also upcoming Cascade Cycling Classic SR in late July as tune-ups for the Trans Rockies TR3 event in August. There is nothing like simulating a stage race like racing in a stage race. However, it is easy to over train the body by doing too many stage races, so you have to be careful not to overdo it. Three stage races spaced over 3 months (June-Aug) is perfect considering the lengths and number of stages per event. Then in either September or October I will be competing in another mountain bike stage race, however, this one is yet to be determined.

I'm still amazed by how the riders in the Tour de France or Giro d' Italia can maintain such high speeds throughout a 3 week stage race over incredibly difficult terrain. The key to staying competitive is making sure to consume enough calories to maintain the energy levels needed to compete at that level day in and day out. Going into a stage race, your goal should not be to lose weight (as that will happen on it's own) but rather maintain your current weight. You can very easily lose 10 lbs during a stage race and that could be a loss of muscle rather than fat.

It's going to be a great couple of months looking ahead. With summer and the Tour just around the corner, what else could you be asking for. Get out and enjoy!

Poison Oak...

2010-06-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

is eating me up. After getting back home from the Return on the Jedi race, I realized I had been zapped by a poison oak tree. I have never had poison ivy or oak so this is a new experience, and one I have not been enjoying.

My right arm looks like it has 2nd degree burns all over it. Oh yeah, and on top of that, it REALLY itches. Take a look for yourself:

This is the worst of it, but I also have it on my knee and abdominal area. I am on antibiotics so I am hoping that this will be gone soon. I have heard some horrifying stories of others who had this, so I guess I can be glad that I only have it on my arm, knee and stomach. :)

If you ever get this I would recommend that you don't take a hot shower, you will want to scratch until you bleed. I'm not sure why, but warm/hot water just adds wood to the fire.

Return on the Jedi Report

2010-06-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Another xc race I have been wanting to do for several years, the Return on The Jedi, happened this past weekend down near Grants Pass, OR. The drive down from Bend takes about 3.5 hours, so Bruce, Dave and myself decided to go down Sat night and spend the night.

The name of the race stems from the last section of trail on the course, named the Jedi Trail, hence that is how riders return the the finish. The course consists of one big loop (28.7 miles) that is comprised of steep climbs, technical singletrack and several creek crossings. During a few steep climbs "Granny" decided to show up. Also making an appearance was Adam Craig, fresh off his return to racing down on Lance's Ranch last weekend. The # of riders (about 90 total) wasn't as big as previous races, most likely due to the fact that the course is out in the middle of nowhere, but those who showed up were treated to a true mountain bike course. Adding to the difficulty if the course was the rain that had fallen a few days prior and also during the race. There were several sections where it felt like clay, and that made for some sketchy riding at times.

Photo courtesy: Bike Kraft

The race began with a short "starter loop" around the camp area. Once we hit the pavement out of the camp, it was a short distance before we again turned into a sweet singletrack section with lots of switchbacks an rollers. I was leading the way at this point with Adam, Brig and Matt on my wheel. After a few miles we jumped back out on the pavement and began a short climb. The four of us stayed together as we then hit more singletrack that would begin the start of a long climb. This was one of the more challenging sections of the course because the trail was very soft and it was difficult to get any speed, so even though you felt like you were working your tail off, you weren't going that fast. I continued to push a fast tempo pace for several miles. Then Brig pulled through along with Adam and Matt and I weren't able to keep their pace. We stayed within 30-40 feet throughout most of the climb, still within sight so we knew we weren't losing much time. The singletrack eventually became a fire road. Once we crested the climb we started a fast descent which in places was pretty hairy. Hitting speeds of 30+ mph I nearly went of the road and into a ditch on one turn. Matt and I were able to catch back up to Adam and Brig just in time before the steepest and most technical climb on the course. For about a mile, the trail was nothing but small rocks that were loose and a good 30% gradient. The effort of the climb was well worth it because soon after we would enjoy some very fun technical descending, the kind where you are off the back of the saddle as far as you can go.

Photo Courtesy: Bike Kraft

With a grin still on my face is was time for one more grueling climb before reaching the Jedi trail. At this point Adam and Brig had a small gap on Matt and I. We rode our steady pace listening to each other grunt and breath heavily in sections, while also pushing each other to ride at our limit. I'm not sure how many miles that last climb was but it sure seemed to take forever. It reminded me a lot of riding at Capitol Forest up in Washington State; lots of lush green forest trees, mud, tons of switchbacks, the feeling of solitude, and very challenging.

The final 5 miles were mostly downhill on the Jedi Trail. The trail, however, was a mixture of mud/clay so it was pretty slick on most of the turns. I pushed as hard as I could but it wasn't enough to crack the Top 3. Adam pulled out the win with Brig, Matt and then myself finishing shortly behind. It was a great day of racing and one I would definitely recommend.

Pro Men
Pl Num First Name Last Name Time 1 257 Adam Craig 02:29:52.00 2 261 Brig Brandt 02:31:26.00 3 265 Matt Russell 02:33:26.00 4 267 Sloan Anderson 02:34:14.00 5 266 Jonathan Myers 02:43:54.00 6 262 James Ceccorulli 02:45:42.00 7 268 Bruce Rogers 02:47:59.00 8 259 Bear Perrin 02:48:05.00 DNF 260 Timmy Evans

Crazy fun!

2010-06-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

Think you have good downhill mountain bike skills, well let's see how they stack up to these guys. Reminds me of my ride last week...yeah right. I advise you to check out this wicked downhill video and enjoy.

Sisters Stampede Report

2010-05-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous Blog, Sisters, OR is small rodeo town. So what better way to kick off the start of a bike race than with a leadout from a cowboy on a horse. Heaahh!

                                    Photo Courtesy: Oregon Velo

The start of the race meandered through several miles of doubletrack and even included a creek crossing :). Then, after crossing a fireroad the fun began. The Pro/Cat 1 riders would do 2 loops of the upper loop which consisted of nothing but fast, rocky, loose singletrack... and an occasional view which I happened to sneak in.
Matt Russell and I were riding in 4th and 5th place from the get go. We were on the heels of Sheppard, Thompson, and Nichols but after 30 min slowly began to loose their wheels. Matt and I stayed together the entire race until the final 8 miles; Russell made a wrong turn and did an extra loop of the top section :(. I tried to yell to him but he didn't hear me. It was a crazy intersection where some riders had to go left and others straight. Needless to say he wasn't too happy after the race, but he was riding very strong.

With about 4-5 miles left in the race, the course hit the "Eagle's Nest" section, which was a fairly steep and very rocky section. With several switchbacks in this section, I could actually see the 3rd place rider (Nichols) just ahead of me. This gave me a little extra boost to push a little harder. I thought I could have closed the gap and caught him but I never did. I finished in 4th, 30 sec behind 3rd and almost 5 minutes behind Sheppard who won yet another race.

Considering this was the first mountain bike race in Sisters, OR I would have to say that it was a huge success. The turnout was great (roughly 45 Pro/Cat 1's and over 300 + total), and post race activities that pleased all. The only glitch in the race I observed was the upper loop that the Pro/Cat 1's did twice and other did once. On the 2nd loop we were having to pass numerous riders who started later in different classes. Lots of bottlenecking and some frightened riders. I think it would be best if we didn't do that loop twice or added some additional section/s so that on the 2nd loop we wouldn't have the chaos that we did this year. The winning time was 1:45:36 so it is definitely a course that could add some additional mileage/time.

Cateye MSC-HR20 Statistics:
1:50:36 Race Time
1475    Calories Burned
23        % of Calories Burned from Fat
180      Max HR
165      Avg HR

Here are the top 5 overall:
Pro Men
1. Chris Sheppard 1:45:39.4
2. Ben Thompson 1:46:36.8
3. Brett Nichols 1:49:54.3
4. Sloane Anderson 1:50:35.5
5. Steve Carwile 1:52:14.1

Racing through the Holiday

2010-05-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

This Sunday will kick off a new race in Sisters, Oregon... the Sisters Stampede. If you have never been to Sisters, just know that it's a very small town that hosts a rodeo every year. The rodeo may be small in stature, but the turnout is enormous. Believe it or not I have yet to go, but each year it's on my list of things to do...so who know maybe this year will be the year.

Anyways, back to biking right. The course will travel over the recently revised Peterson Ridge Trail consisting of one loop of 35 miles ( I believe). The course will offer exceptional views of the Three Sisters mountain range (probably the best views in Oregon), not that I will have time to soak them in, and should be mostly singletrack. I say should because I have not had the opportunity to pre-ride the course.

The race starts and ends at the Three Creeks Brewery... :-). I know what I'll be doing for my warm-up and cool down. Lots of festivities happening post venue including the Moon Mountain Ramblers, always a local favorite band, and I'm sure some sampling from the brewery.

This race will be the first race on the new BMC FS01 frame which I swapped parts from my other bike. I can notice the added stiffness and lightness to the frame compared to my '08 version of the FS01.

The frame is nearly 100% carbon, including the dropouts. It utilizes a bolt on front derailleur tab (aluminum), and a threaded bottom bracket sleeve (aluminum). The headtube is a bit beafier, and the cable routing is the cleanest I have seen. I've decided to run the Ergon GA1 grips for the Sisters Stampede race.

With all the cold temps and rain we have had lately, the trails are in prime condition. Usually at this time of the season the trails are very dry and dusty. These are the kind of conditions all "off-roaders" hope for. Temperatures are supposed to rise into the 70's for race day, so there should be plenty of smiles all day.