Traveling + Bike Racing = TOUGH

A little behind in the blog posts, so I am going to try for catch up.   I went out to the USGP in Ft. Collins, CO two weeks ago.  Not much racing was happening here and I wanted to get some points for Nationals.  At Nationals they line you up in the start grid based on the amount of points you get during the season.  Now don't ask me how this all works.  I have read US Cycling's explanation of it several times and I think I could explain cold fusion better.  The gist is that you have to do well in races where there are people who are rated better than you and these said races have to be US Cycling affiliated.  Most of the races in NorCal are not affiliated with US Cycling, so even though I am racing against 4 current or former national champions and a world champion each week, it doesn't count.  Not a great system.

The US Grand Prix of Cyclocross does count though.  They put on quite a show.  Great courses, lots of fans, food and of course beer.  I decided to enter 4 races in order to get my money's worth.  I planned on doing the 2/3 race and the Master's race both days.  I really had no idea what I was doing and as a coach I would have never recommended this to a client.  So why was I doing this?  Because I am crazy?  Oh yeah, for fun!

The first race was the 2/3 race on Saturday.  I got the great call up - second to the last row.  Oh well, time to start practicing my passing skills.  It had rained a little the night before so the ground was a little damp but dusty underneath.  The course ran down this hillside, going back and forth, up and down.  Lots of elevation and being at elevation it really hurt.  I only managed to get crashed into 3 times on the first lap.  And after pushing myself into the pain cave I ended up 37th out of 80 or so riders.  Not bad.  Best thing about these races is you get your lap times and mine were consistent with the Top 20 riders, so if I would have started up front...Hmmmmm  There is that start position I talked about in the last blog.

Next race was the exact opposite.  It started to rain really hard and by the time the Master's went off the course was totally different.  I decided to keep warm in the car instead of riding a warm up lap and that cost me.  Traveling with just one bike and no entourage of gear makes you decide to do some silly stuff.  Because of my "no pre-ride" I went to the line with my tires pumped waaaay to high.  I realized my mistake when I saw Greg Keller (Local Boulder hardman) in front of me and his rims were almost touching the ground when he sat on his bike.  I asked him after what he was running and it was like 24 and 22 psi.  I was embarrassed to say that I was about 10 psi higher.  He went to touch my tires to check and I wanted to just ride away.

So after about 4 crashes, a twisted shifter and a bruised ego, I headed out of there with my tail between my legs.  This guy however, won the race and started about 7 rows back. Then again, he is the reigning master's world champion.

Pete Webber celebrating.

The next day I just ended up doing more of the same thing in the 2/3 race.  I was tired.  the course was tacky and fast, but I just didn't have it.  Then I realized that I wouldn't make my flight if I did the Master's race, so I packed up and took off.  Nice planning on my part.  Greatest thing about the USGP had to be the WD 40 bike wash station. These guys basically took my bike, cleaned the whole thing and prepped it for the flight home.  Now that is pro.  Thanks to Brian Dallas the his whole crew.  Well, maybe the there was something better - waffle with banana and Nutella.  Yum!

Bottom line... unless you are pro, have a whole support staff or are rich - traveling and racing your bike can be difficult.  You have jet lag, elevation, crappy hotels, rolling bikes in airports, coach leg room, bad food, no food, bad start position, no trainer, no tent....it's a long list of excuses.  Feel free to use any of them when you don't do well in a race.  I'm going to.  BTW...I didn't get many points for Nationals and now it doesn't look like I am going, but who wants to race in Madison in January?  Brrr....

The Start Grid....

     One of the biggest skills in cyclocross has nothing to do with actually riding your bike.  It has to do with getting to the start line before some other schmuck gets there.  In cyclocross you have to be loitering around the start line some 20 minutes before a race, if you don't have a call up.  Even if you think you have a call up you might want to get there before the sun comes up because the promoters might decide to change up their original plans at the last minute.

     It seems counterintuitive to do a really good warm up on a trainer, get a sweat going and then wait around for 20 minutes freezing your butt off or getting totally wet in the rain, but that is exactly what you have to do sometimes.  Last weekend at the Bay Area Superprestige at Candelstick Park was a prime example of start line madness.  Now I didn't see all the starts nor did I see the controversial B race start where a whole group of riders from one team just stepped in front of the entire field.  Bloggers, Yahoo groupies and people hiding behind their computers shamed them enough that I won't talk about it anymore.  I did get to see the madness of several of the other starts and it is amazing what a little testosterone can do to a simple jaunt in the park.  ROAR!

     The thing is....sometimes you get a good starting position and sometimes you don't.  I feel like I am a strong starter so it helps me when I am up front.  Then I just blow up like an atomic bomb and fade back.  Some people have bad starting position or a bad start, but then turn it on after 10 minutes or so.  And still others just start bad and end bad.  The most important thing is to go hard and race against yourself.  Pick off as many riders as you can without getting passed by the whole field and most of all, have fun.  Hearing all the news this week about the doping in cycling just leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth.  The best thing about cross is that we don't have to worry about this type of stuff. (My fingers were crossed when I typed this).  So go out there, try to get a good starting position. If you don't just work on your skills and run over as many slower riders as you can.  But do it with a smile on your face.

     I leave tomorrow for the USGP in Ft. Collins.  I am doing 4 races there.  Crazy? Oh yes, but if I am going to travel all that way I might as well hit it hard.  In each race I will be at least 5 or more rows back.  Not my usual position, but I am going ride till my heart explodes or I throw up, whichever comes first, and I will do it with a smile on my face.

Here is Scotty Chapin. He started on row 6 of the Elite race and came in 3rd place. 

Granted he has skills but.....

Let the Games Begin...

First race of the season is always an interesting affair.  You leave the house with some butterflies and come home with open wounds.  In between there is lots of suffering, forgotten equipment and questions.  I have a list of things that I bring to a race.  Really pro you know.  I even laminated it.  The only problem is I never look at the list and then I forget a bunch of stuff.  It might take me a few weeks before I get it right; hopefully it will happen before the end of the season.

My first race was in the Sacramento series.  They keep it low key and fun, which is a  nice way to start the season, plus it was a new course so I had to check it out.  Held at Lagoon Valley Park in Vacaville this was going be typical early season California cross - hot and dry - very uncrosslike.  I set up the tent, which was needed in this heat and watched the chaos and suffering of the early races.  It is great seeing people that I haven't seen in at least a year and some others who were in my clinics, then there is coaching clients.  It's very social.  Unlike road racing we actually talk to other people at cross races.  It's a novel concept.  I just hope to remember everybody's name.

Pre-riding the course gave me my first "uh-oh" moment of the year.  There was a hill and I was way over geared with my 44 tooth single chain ring in the front.  Usually I will have my pit bike set up with a double chain ring for these such occasions.  But typical of early season follies I did not have the bike build up yet.  I had my mountain bike with me, but with the majority of the course being flat I chose not to use it.

The hill - looking calm but legs are screaming.

These races are 60 minutes long and I have always taken a water bottle.  Heat is never in short supply in Northern California.  I got the hole shot at the start and lead the way up the hill.  Grinding up to the top while other were spinning (I was cursing them) my lungs were on fire and it was only the first lap.  One guy passed me and just fired down the decent.  Wow, a little demoralized I just settled in and knew I wasn't going to catch him.  Then my nemesis Jeff Mitchell passed me like I was standing still and I knew my day was going to be about surviving.  Fast forward 60 minutes and the race was over.  That was the high point for me.  Chalk it up to a good training day and getting back into the swing of things.  Hopefully it turns around for me when we hit the confines of Candlestick Park next weekend. Come on legs...wake up!  BTW...still coughing up dust.  Winter can come at any time now.

Video of the first lap up the hill - feeling good but not for long.

Norcal vs. Socal - And the war continues.....

If you are not from California you are probably baffled by the war between the North and the South.  It's the Giants vs. Dodgers,  Rain vs. Sun,  Liberal vs Less Liberal.  They say "The" before saying the name of a freeway, i.e. "The 101" "The 5".  We don't.  That's just dumb.  We invented sourdough bread.  They invented liposuction.  We have the Grateful Dead, Sean Penn and the Golden Gate Bridge.  They have Snoop, lots in the State Pen and smog.  We both had the Raiders, so I guess that really doesn't work.  It's a war that will withstand the test of time.  Where Socal begins and Norcal ends has always been up for debate.  Some say San Luis, some say Monterey, some even say San Jose.  One thing is sure...Bakersfield is in Southern California.

B-town was where we gathered for the Norcal/Socal Cyclocross showdown.  I had heard lots of good stuff from some of the Rock Lobsters that rode in the Showdown last year.  Even though the season was pretty much over for me and I hadn't done an interval in a month, I went for it.  We arrived at our plush accommodations, Motel 6, on Friday night and settled into our rough surroundings.  The room was a haven for destruction.  Holes in the walls were filled but not painted, unless you consider "drywall patch white" a color.  The shower leaked all over the bathroom.  Black lighting the bedspread might have brought some other interesting finds, but we decided better to know nothing then find out everything.

Day 1 brought some rain during the night and very high winds.  I mean VERY HIGH WINDS.  40 plus mph.  No use setting up the team tent.  I got my bike up in the stand to do some work and that was when my day went bad to even worse.  My A-bike was in the stand and a gust of wind blew it over.  It took me a while to realize that the rear derailuer hanger was bent.  I didn't figure that out till after the race. I took the B-bike out for a lap and proceeded to get a flat front tire.  I just wanted to get this race over.  I started out well. Top 3 into the single track, but after a lap I just blew.  I didn't have a great warm-up and it was effecting me.  45 minutes later I was destroyed and finished up 6th.

After the race we cleaned up, went out for a great meal with the Socal teams at a brewery and we were back to hotel for some rest...or so we thought.  This Motel 6 started to get crazy.  I have stayed in Motel 6's for most of my life.  Cheap accommodations, numerous hotels all over the US and you always knew what you were getting - kind of like Starbucks.  This one was the worst.  They decided to power wash outside our door late in the afternoon.  Then during the night there was a fight right above us. Two guys fighting over payment to a prostitute.  Awesome.  I peered out the window and it looked like one of them had a gun.  Even better... "Hey guys, I am just here to wear some spandex and race my bike.  Can you keep it down?"

Day 2 got us away from our hotel in one piece and off to the race site.  The wind had died and it was pretty good cross weather.  The course changed, but still had this massive run up.  So steep that at the top you had to set your hand down to keep your balance.  Lots of Norcal heavy hitters showed up to race for one day.  I took it a little more serious this day, got a great warm-up and lined up feeling good.  I hung with Gannon Myall and Sam Ames (two heavy hitters) for a couple laps then got dropped.  I managed to rebound for a 4th place.  Overall Norcal won 11 out of 19 races.  A great showing by Norcal, although when the points were totaled Socal had more riders and won the team event.  I was so excited about racing that I can't wait till next year!

The start - 4th inline

The Podium - 3 Norcal, 2 Socal

The Final Finale

The season for me came down to this....BASP #4 at Coyote Point.  No Natz or Worlds for me this year.  Has anyone heard that we are in a depression?  Have you seen how much Worlds is?  You have to get a UCI license ($100), fly to Kentucky, hotel, monster car to fit the bikes, tons of food...and you might not even get to race the "real" race.  If your group is too big you have to go in heats and qualify. I'm passing this year.  I am going to have to save all my pennies and skim off my daughter's college fund to get there next year.  Just kidding I am not going to save pennies.

So this was it.  A favorite course for me.  Lots of power stuff on this course - hill, sand and now this year a gravel pit.  Good for me.  After riding the last lap at Sacramento the week before with two shredded side walls I was out of tires.  Well, actually I did have two new Dugast tires hanging in the garage, but I wasn't about to slap them on for one race.  I did manage to convince the local bike shop to let me "demo" a couple pairs of the new Specialized tubulars. In this case "demo" wasn't supposed to me demolition.

Not sure the names of the tires, but one was for mud and other was for California.  For some reason I chose mud for the BASP finale.  There was no mud. Go figure.  I got a 2nd row call up.  My strategy was to go as hard as I can, blow up and try to survive to the finish without getting passed by too many people.  It started out promising.  I charged up the hill locking into 5 place.  But then Don Myrah proceeded to unclip causing me to crash into his calf.  I practically stopped and then had to get rolling.  Back into the pack.  Time to start scrapping.   Unfortunately I fell into place behind roadie-turned-part time crosser, Jesse Moore.  I really respect Jesse for his road skills, but he is not good on the dirt especially on the downhill.  If I had ever ridden with Jesse before I would have made the reckless pass like Don Myrah did.  I didn't and suffered for it.

Chasing on.....

By the end of the first lap I had totally burned all my matches, but had made it onto the first chase group. Then, misfortune struck me for the first time of the year.  I flatted that "demo" tire on the uphill, halfway to the pits.  I rode that thing, slipping and sliding all over the place, for half a lap.  After getting my pit bike I put myself in the "red" over and over again, but just couldn't catch the lead group.  I did manage to chop a Clif Bar rider in the sand.  He was in front and I was behind him.  He took the wide line around a corner in the sand because he was riding it.  I took the inside line and swung my bike near him.  That messed up his rhythm and he fell off.  Sorry Clif guy.  I am usually not that type of rider, but this day was not getting better.  BTW...I chose not to ride the sand trap, but run it...like this.

The beach...with angry Clif guy behind me

And the remount....

I did ride myself back into a respectable 9th place and an end to a successful season.  Next year upgrade to Cat 1, Natz, Worlds and basically do it all.  See you then!

Popping the cork

I have been really enjoying visiting some new venues in Northern California cyclocross this year.  The Sacramento series has usually been my destination.  I headed up to Lodi this past weekend for a race at a winery. What ?  A winery you say?  This can't get any better, can it?  Oh yes it can.....

The wind was howling as I drove up and it was even worse out on course.  I had heard that this course has been used for 3 years and every year it rained inches of the wet stuff.  I could even see the hardened tracks from last years race.  Made for some interesting riding.  My hand was still bothering me and on these bumpy courses it hurts even worse; at least until the adrenaline beats the pain down.

My plan was to draft as much as possible, ala road racing, and then see what happens.  There was quite a large group at the start and I couldn't resist.  I went right to the front to try and get a separation on the first couple laps. I went as hard as I could for two laps, then looked around and there were 4 of us left.  I pulled back to take a breather and by the 3rd lap we were lapping some of the A's.  We were flying.  But then the problems started happening for me.  A lapped rider almost took two of us down and there was the separation for the front two, who just happened to be the two series leaders. Ugh....

I forced my fellow chasers to the front as much as possible until he cramped on the barriers.  That's when I took off in pursuit.  Suddenly I saw one of the leaders off the back, Jude.  He was slowing down and didn't look in good shape.  I told him to slow up and we could catch Jeff Mitchell who was the leader.  Jude thankfully obliged because I was getting tired of chasing him.  Once I went to the front though he fell off the back.  Turns out he crashed and his brake was rubbing.  Then, I noticed Jeff was slowing down too.

The top of the ramp where the trucks dump their grapes

With 3 to go I caught him and like the others, forced him to the front on the headwind sections.  The last section was a paved straightaway onto a steep ramp where the wine trucks dump their grapes.  Pretty cool finish.  I punched it, almost swung too wide, almost hit a pedal, almost hit a pylon, almost, almost, almost...but not quite.  Hit the finish line and saluted the sky.  Beat Jeff in a sprint again.  Almost never happens in cyclocross but has now happened two races in a row.  Great racing with him.  They gave us 3 bottles of wine for winning.  That's how you justify this type of racing to wifey, especially if she loves wine!

The podium at Lange Twins Winery - wine for the winners!

GGP - Shaken, not stirred

If you don't know what GGP is you must not be from NorCal.  That's Golden Gate Park man.  Last weekend I was down for the debauchery of the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships.  I am not a single speeder, but that whole thing was beyond crazy. I didn't race because my Speedo was at the cleaners, but this week the "normal" people showed up at GGP to battle it out in the Bay Area Superprestige.

I got called up second row this week. They changed the course a little this year.  The rain made it tacky and this course us usually up and down, and up and down.  Hard one.  The start has been an uphill one in the past but this year we started at the top of the hill, which is where I made my first mistake.  I was in the wrong gear, so when the gun went off I spun too fast and missed clipped.  Then, I panicked because I had to try and catch the lead group.  I burned a ton of matches, but finally caught them on the steep hill before the start/finish.  Unfortunately one guy in the lead group botched the climb and there was separation.  That's all it takes.  Four of us were suddenly "the chase group".

The agony of the hill

The four of us rode hard for several laps.  There was a downhill barrier that some were hopping over and I had to run.  My hopping skills aren't the best and it is my priority to work on it for next year. I am not sure 40 year olds should be jumping barriers.  We'll see how that progresses.  I was losing time every time we went through the downhill barrier.  I hung tight until we hit a stretch of pavement and I went down.  I was more shocked than anything. It seemed like I slid forever.  More guys passed me and now my day went from bad to worse. I managed to pull my carcass off the ground.  Nothing was hurt too bad, just some road rash.  I thought roadies got road rash?  Lame....  I managed to drag myself to the finish line for 13th.  My worst finish of the season.  But now I am fired up for the last race of the BASP. My favorite course with just one steep kicker of a hill which I can just power over.  Can't wait....

This hill isn't getting any easier...