Three Weekends of Sun

Well, I've fallen behind on posting to the blog. Life is sometimes just a little to chaotic to sit down and write a post. Although I do find it relaxing to revisit my bike related adventures in prose, so I should be more diligent about finding to the time to post. Anyway, the first two NMBS series stops are in the books and also a local race mixed in for good measure. The following is a short recap and some photos from Fontana courtesy of Dan M.

First up was Cookin' the Kettles up on Whidbey Island, WA. It was a really fun course with some awesome exposed bluffs with views of Puget Sound and the Olympics. The sun was out and it was a good day to be on the bike (as are most days). There were only a few open/pro riders, so it was a small group to chase around some super-fun twisty/technical 1track. I ended up third and my race time was very good relative to the the top two guys.

The following weekend I packed the bike up in the box and jetted down to east LA. Fontana was the same as it has been the past few years: warm, dusty, and some real bad air. I had a strong races on the weekend taking 20th in the XC and 16th in the short track. Coming into the season, I was just hoping not to go DFL at the national events, and in my first try I pop top-20 and beat more than 30 other guys. I guess I have to adjust my objectives a little higher. I feel like I could have placed even higher, because I was very tentative and conceded many passes leading to the singletrack, because I didn't want to be the slow new guy in the way. Turns out the people I let past were usually slower in the 1track than me. Lesson learned.

Pondering whether I belong with all these fast guys.


50+ semi-pros ready to throw down.


Ripping some dusty 1track.


More 1track.


The Anthem Advanced gobbles up technical descents.


A post-race debrief with Coach Thomas.


After a solid weekend at Fontana, I flew back to Seattle for a few days of work and recovery. I left my bike in the box, but pulled the wheels out so I could put my desert tires on. On Thursday, I flew down to Phoenix, AZ for the Nova National. Again the sun was shining and it was even a little hot for my Pacific NW blood. The Nova consisted of three stages: a Super D/TT on Friday, short track XC on Saturday, and XC on Sunday. Respectively, I finished 26th, 30th, and 31st, which was a bit lower than I was hoping for but I had some solid races. Due to some guys throwing themselves on the ground in front of me at the start of the short track and XC, I was relegated to the back of the 60ish person fields for both races. Despite an abundance of cactus lined 1track, I was able to pass about 30ish guys in each race. Even though the results don't show it, it was a solid race weekend save the bad start luck. To see some good pro pictures of me in the desert, click here.

Three races down, some solid finishes, and a bunch of good weather. I couldn't ask for much more. Next up, Sea Slaughter, err, I mean Sea Otter in Monterey, CA. If the weather man is right, the sun should be shining on me for another weekend of racing.

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Fontana Results

The results from NMBS #1 at Fontana are available here.

Legs were good and I went top 20 for my first go at the semipro ranks at a national level event. I was in striking distance of top-10 and my race tactics leave room for some improvement.

I'll get a full report up soon. Probably with some pictures.

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White Hot!

In the bike industry, the latest trend is white, white, and more white. As the saying goes, "white is the new black."

I'll be rocking a full white kit at some races this year. It is not only stylish, but also functional on hot days to keep the core temp in check.


I'm also building up a Giant XTC C carbon hardtail with full XTR and some Race Face carbon goodies. It is mostly white too!


I like my Fizik Gobi saddles a lot. There is one on just about every bike I own and there will definitely be one on the XTC. You guessed it, in 08 Fizik rolled it out in white. Giddy up!


Both my Anthem Advanced and XTC will sport 2007 Fox FX series forks. 100mm of travel for the Anthem and 80mm on the hardtail. Both are white, sort of, maybe more like cream. I went with the older FX series over the new 2008 Fox RLC series, because I prefer the terralogic dampener (i.e., auto-lockout) over a manual lockout on the fork crown. For some reason, Fox stopped making the FX series, which I believe was a mistake, especially because Fox doesn't offer a remote lockout kit for their new forks.


I'm thinking maybe some white gloves too, but I've been warned I'll look like a mime. Although, I think it would be pretty funny do to a mime in a box finishing line salute if I were lucky enough to win a race this year.

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V02 Max Intervals & Disc Brake Powertap Update

I've been ramping up the intensity in my training as the season's first big races are just about a month away. The past few weeks I've been doing some VO2 Max intervals during my long rides on Wednesday. 5 sets of 3 minutes at CP6 power with 3 minutes recovery between sets. CP6 power closely equates to power at VO2 max. A total of 15 minutes at an intensity I can only manage to do consecutively for 6 minutes. Let's just say these are a recipe for some suffering. I've been digging deep and definitely am seeing improvement. I'm really hope I'm able to increase my top-end this year. I've already seen some good gains in my LT power, so if the high intensity power improves as well, I should be a better rider and able to hold my own in the semipro ranks.

The folks at Saris are showing off the new disc brake compatible Powertap. I've been waiting for years to get a power meter on my mountain bike. The cost and reliability issues associated with the SRM MTB meant it was not a feasible option. According to my sources, delivery of the disc powertap should be in 6 to 8 weeks. I can't explain how excited I am for some power data from the MTB. I think I'm going to lace it to a Stan's Olympic Rim to offset the additional weight associated with the hub and upgrade the bearings to ceramics. I'll pair it with a front wheel based on a DT Swiss 190 centerlock front hub and an Olympic rim as well. With some light spokes and a 28 spoke count out front, I think there should not be too much of a weight penalty. Bring on the watts and the data analysis using Cyclingpeaks software!

Let the countdown to Fontana begin...

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Qualified and Season Prep

This blog has been dormant for too long. Sorry for the delay, but not much to report on. I've been skipping the local Budu races on my schedule in favor of some longer training rides.

I am officially qualified for Mt. Snow in the Semipro ranks. See the USA Cycling list here. I'm already looking forward to the annual trip back east for some sweet 1track and good times in Vermont.

Other than that I just keep plugging away at the training at about a 13 to 15 hour a week clip. The weather finally broke recently and we had a few sunny days. The sun and a little warmth brings out a few extra watts from the legs. Not sure if its the extra motivation, the vitamin D, or the warmer muscles, but it is good to see some improvement regardless of the reason. Daylight is also starting to hang around past 5pm, so I should be able to kick up the training volume a little more as the season approaches.

I recieved a new Giant carbon hardtail frame for the smooth courses this year. It's a thing of beauty and matches the Anthem Advanced perfectly. I've got to rush to build it up in time to get a few rides on it before the first NMBS in Fontana. I'll post some pics this week.

That's about all. Maybe, now that the sun is out, I'll take the time to shoot some photos during some training rides. More content is good.

Out,

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2008 Race Schedule

As promised, the following is where I'll be racing in 08. Of course, the schedule is subject to change based on fitness, recovery needs, travel, and life obligations.

January 19: McDowell Meltdown, Fountain Hills, AZ
February 10: West Side MTB Series, South Seatac, WA
February 17: West Side MTB Series, Black Diamond, WA
March 2: West Side MTB Series, Black Diamond, WA
March 28-30: NMBS Series #1, Fontana, CA
April 4-6: NMBS Series #2, Fountain Hills, AZ
April 13: West Side MTB Series, South Seatac, WA
April 18-20: Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA
April 27: Bear Springs Trap MTB, McCubbins Gulch, OR
May 4: West Side MTB Series, South Seatac, WA
or
May 4: Coyote Classic AMBC, Boise, ID
May 11: Cascade Chain Breaker MTB, Bend, OR
May 16-18: NMBS Series #3, Santa Ynez Valley, CA
May 18: Whidbey Island Mudder, Whidbey Island, WA
May 25: Oakridge Fat Tire Festival XC, Oakridge, OR
June 7: Bavarian Bike & Brews Festival, Leavenworth, WA
June 14: Test of Metal, Squamish, BC
June 22: Methow Cycle & Sport, Winthrop, WA
June 28 – July 4: BC Bike Race, Victoria, BC to Whistler, BC
July 11-13: NMBS Series #5, Windham, NY
July17-20: MTB National Championships, Mount Snow, VT
August 23-24: SS World Championships 08, Napa, CA
August 29-31: NMBS Series Finals, Tamarack, ID
September 6-7: The Fall Classic, Breckenridge, CO

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New Team, Part Time, & Semi-pro Debut

It's been too long since my last post. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity on the cycling front and it's only January. Lots of news to share...

I have joined the Mafia Racing team for the 2008 season. Mafia Racing is a national-caliber team that supports elite level racers from around the country. The team attends many of the national events, so I'll have some teammates to hang out with and get some support while at races far from home. So look for me out on the course sporting the distinctive black kit (or the new all-white kits that will be unveiled soon).



In order to train like a semi-pro, I had to free up some time to ride more and recover better. Since just about every minute of every day was allocated, I had to do some rearranging to accommodate the additional saddle time. As of January 1, I am easing back a bit on the lawyering and will be working a part-time schedule this year thanks to my supportive employer. The extra time will go into increasing my training volume and otherwise being a more dedicated bike racer. Now I have no excuses, except for the nasty weather that has plagued Seattle this winter.

Qualifying for the MTB National Championships at Mt. Snow was a big objective of mine this year. With the upgrade to semi-pro, I was worried that I would not get the necessary top-10 at a NMBS event . Plus, neither Washington nor Oregon have a USA Cycling sanctioned qualifier event. So, I scoured the early season race schedules from around the country to find a state championship event that I could race and try to get a top-15 result to qualify. Not sure why top-15 gets you in for a state event, but only top-10 from a national. I came across and decided to compete in the McDowell Meltdown near Scottsdale, Arizona on January 19th. The race would serve many purposes: an opportunity to ride in shorts and jersey sans rain gear, some Vitamin D replenishment, good training, and most importantly an early chance to qualify for Mt. Snow. I boxed up the bike and SLR and I hopped a cheap flight down to AZ.

Once in AZ, the jitters started to set in. For the first time in a long time, I was really nervous for a race. How would I fare against the faster competition? Am I in over my head? Am I going to embarrass myself in front of my new Mafia teammates? To make matters even more stressful, the pro and semi-pro fields were run together with about 25 guys competing. Oh, I almost forgot, I have been on the MTB a total of only 3 days since October and have done like two days of intensity in my training. Once the gun fired, all of my worries vanished as I focused on ripping the desert 1track and spinning the pedals powerfully. I started the 32-mile race conservatively and as it progressed kept upping my pace. During the latter half of the race, I was passing guys in rapid succession and moving up. I surged into the finishing straight to the cheers of the SLR. It turns out I was 12th overall and if you eliminate the pros from the mix even higher! Plus, I had some left in the tank at the finish so I know I can improve. Wow, talk about a boost to the morale and a real motivator to train even harder. Mt. Snow here I come. Here's a few pics from the race.

Yep, it was the desert.


Warming up on the trainer.


Only a few (hundred) guys showed up at the start line.


Waiting to launch.


Desert 1track.


More 1track.


Powering up one of the sharp pitches that pepper the McDowell Mountain race course.


SLR learned about the jumping cholla while spectating.


Mission accomplished. I hope this weekend is a harbinger of things to come for the 2008 race season. Next post will be my complete race schedule.

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Vegas

Spent some time around Christmas in Vegas at la maison de ma mère. 1track, sun, Anthem Advanced, all was good. I even got some cross training when we went bowling on Christmas Day. Good work for the hamstrings.



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Bike Geek

The t-shirt says it all. References available upon request.



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Training Update and Racing Calendar

Not much happening these past few weeks other than lots of training. I'm averaging just shy of 15 hours a week including my gym work. I'd like to bump up the hours closer to 20, but it is really hard with bad weather and 4pm darkness. There is only so much trainer time a guy can take no matter how focused. 120 minutes is my usual limit doing mostly zone 2/3 efforts, occasionally I can go a full 180 minutes, but that takes a lot of mental stamina.

Last week, I started my Max Strength phase in the gym. I've been throwing around almost 500lbs on the leg sled in an effort to get some more horsepower under the hood. The Christmas holiday will bring a few days of desert training on the MTB and then in January I'll transition to some build phase stuff on the bike with one day in the gym to maintain my strength gains.

I'm still planning out my 2008 race calendar. It is going to be similar to year's past with a focus on NMBS events, Sea Otter, the one-day National Championships at Mt. Snow (assuming I qualify), and various local and regional events to fill in the gaps. I'm waiting to publish a post with a complete list until some more details come out regarding the NMBS series. Of course, the big addition to the schedule this year is the 7-day BC Bike Race that kicks off in late June. I also know I'll be starting my season down in Phoenix at an Arizona State Championship series race. The strategy there is to get some sun (i.e. Vitamin D replenishment) and hopefully earn an early qualification to Mt. Snow. We'll see though as the body won't have much intensity yet, so a race effort is going to hurt.

On the 2008 sponsorship front, things are still getting dialed in. I'll pull together a post revealing my sponsors once all the deals are inked. As the saying goes, I don't want to count my chickens too soon. However, as I've alluded to in previous posts, next year's lineup is going to look a little different. Change is good though.

No pics today. Sorry. I know my loyal readers like imagery.

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Project One Speed

This evening I just about wrapped up work on Project One Speed. I converted my Ellsworth Enlightenment into a singlespeed. The cool thing is it cost just a few bills to do it in addition to a couple of parts from the the storage bins in the Blue Star shop. I'm using a Soulcraft Convert tension device and I converted a FC M960 XTR crankset using a Blackspire Mono Veloce ring and Ring God guard. The only thing left to do is dial in the position and cut the steerer tube on the Fox F80RLC fork.

Why singlespeed? Sheldon Brown says, "Many cyclists are rebelling against the excessive complication, fragility and weight of current mountain bikes. More and more cyclists are discovering the joys of simple, one-speed bicycles." Others practice the art of singlespeeding as a way to eschew the norm. See, e.g., Singlespeedoutlaw.com

My reasoning was a bit more practical than merely an aversion to the complexity of the modern bicycle or a form of rebellion. Rather, I wanted a rig that could take the punishing winters that are served up here in the Pacific Northwest. The mud is brutal and it reeks havoc on cog stacks and skinny 9-speed chains. Also, pushing the 32x16 up the Cascade foothills will give me some solid bike-based force workouts to supplement my strength work in the gym.

The beautiful thing about this particular build is the entire bike weighs in at just about 20lbs even with some heavy mud tires. Swap out the tires for some light weight racing rubber, cut the steerer to length, and it will definitely come in under 20.

The rig and the happy mechanic.


The rig up close.


Yep, just one 16 tooth cog back there.


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And then there was snow

Today's two-hour recovery spin, turned into a mini-epic. I left the house and it was cold, but there was spots of intermittent sun. A little after the one hour mark, some small flakes started to fly. I thought to myself, "how beautiful." Soon after, however, it was a full on white out. I trudged home, gingerly taking corners in an effort to keep the rubber side down. The streets were covered in slush and the snow started to stick almost immediately. It was very hard to see, because my glasses were getting coated with snow and I couldn't take them off because the big flakes hurt my eyes. Once home, I was coated from head to toe in snow and SLR snapped a couple of pictures as she laughed at my appearance. Note the accumulation on the bar and post.





It is still coming down at a good clip as I type this post. We've got over an inch in the yard. Seattle does not deal with snow well, so the roadways are going to be a mess until the rainy weather returns tomorrow. If I was still in the saddle, I'd surely look like Andy Hampsten in the 1988 Giro Di Italia on the Passo Gavia.



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Beer Season

In years past, I have made a concerted effort to avoid alcoholic beverages except for the extremely rare treat. This off-season I have decided to take a different approach and allow this pleasurable indulgence on regular occasions and not deprive myself. I read an article that JHK and Mrs. Irminger regularly indulge in fine wines and they are some of the fastest on a MTB in the US. This change of tack will, of course, cease once the race season approaches, but until then I will be tipping my classic German beer glass (RAL, thanks for the glassware) with some of the world's finest ales, porters, and stouts.

This evening I am partaking in a Duvel Belgian Golden Ale. I figure the Belgians are some of the fastest riders in the world, so maybe it's in their beer. Even if it's not, Duvel is a delicious ale. Duvel has a classic yellow ale color with crisp bitter flavors and a hint of sweetness. The head rises up from the glass after the initial pour like a slow eruption of viscous lava from a volcano. The head ultimately comes to rest with the appearance of meringue on a lemon pie or perfectly steamed milk destined for a fine cappuccino. In short, this beer lives up to its world renowned reputation. A worthy tip of the glass.



Cheers,

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Musings on CX

CX is evolving from the obscure to mainstream in the US. The rapidity that is happening is amazing. The New York Times even has an article today. Who would have thought that riding a short off-road course on unsuspended (read, uncomfortable) bikes for an hour or so in miserable weather would become widely accepted?

I wonder why XC mountain bike racing isn't sharing the same growth in interest. I suspect it may be the duration and length of the event. Short CX race equals doable for most, even if they are out of shape. If you are sucking wind and cannot turn the pedals over one more time, you just pull out and the car is usually a few hundred yards away. Plus, you have the rest of the day to hang out, drink a beverage, and watch others ride in circles. Whereas long XC mountain bike races with thousands of feet of climbing can sometimes make finishing a harrowing feat and the car is often miles away. If it is a really bad day, the venue could be nearly empty by the time you reach the finish. Then again, I'm probably wrong, because marathon and stage race endurance MTB events are also gaining popularity at a pace nearly equal to CX.

Whatever the reason, it's all good that more people are getting out on bikes. Gotta love the bike!

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Turkey Day Weekend

A long weekend of mastication, imbibing, and riding.

Some bird...


Some good wine (meant a hangover on Friday)...


Some CX at a frustratingly moderate pace...


That was Thanksgiving 2007 in a nutshell.

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Oh So Semipro

Yesterday, USA Cycling sent me an email...

The following request to change your NORBA category has been approved and processed by USA Cycling: Change category from Expert to Semipro.

Yep, I'm now officially a semipro mountain bike racer. Except for dreams of being an NBA basketball player as a kid, I never really thought the word "pro" would be associated with anything I do. Being 5'10" with a moderate vertical leap squashed those hoop star visions after high school though. I guess I'm a pro lawyer, but law school and the bar exam involved much less physical suffering than racing a mountain bike faster than 99% of the population.

2008 is going to be a good year on the bike. A physcial and mental challenge like none I have faced before. I'm confident I can coax some more watts out of my body, let's just hope its enough to be competive at the next level. More importantly, I'm just enjoying the ride while it lasts!

Also, I have some things brewing on the sponsorship front. But I'll keep that under wraps until things are finalized.

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Rain, Feeling Blah, & Semi-pro Upgrade

Lots of rain to deal with today. Radar does not paint a pretty picture for a comfortable outdoor ride. With 4 hours on the schedule, I'm torn between getting rained on or riding the trainer.



For now, I'm going to sit on the couch and watch my favorite football game of the year: Ohio State v. Michigan. Maybe I'll get inspired to ride.

Skipped my workouts yesterday. I've been beat down lately and not sure why. Most of last week, I was really tired and felt as if I was in a fog. Lots of fatigue and even had to soft pedal to get home from a three hour ride on Wednesday. Not sure what the deal is, but I visited a doc yesterday to see if there is anything wrong. He took some blood and did some other tests. Hopefully, there is an easy fix besides taking an extended break from the bike.

I bit the bullet this week and submitted my semi-pro upgrade request to USA cycling. According to the rules, I have sufficient results, so I should get it. Assuming I get the updgrade, I figure the worst that happens is I get smoked by the competition and I get faster trying to keep up. The only thing I'm worried about is qualifying for the National Championships at Mt. Snow in July. It will be much harder than in years past to get the necessary result. I love that race and will do everything I can to get in.

That's all for now.

Blue Star.

Bike Handling

I consider bike handling a skill that I have in my quiver of race weapons. This video shows skill can be elevated to art. Simply masterful.



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Disc Brake Powertap

Saris finally released some details on the disc brake-compatible Powertap hub. Looks sweet, but I'm curious if there some added weight with all 8 bolts to hold on the proprietary rotor. Although I have been told additional intel to suggest that the final production model will get the carbon cut outs of the existing SL model.

Lace the Powertap hub to a DT Swiss XRC 330 carbon rim, throw in some ceramic bearings, match it with a DT Swiss 190 based front wheel, and you have the ultimate MTB wheelset.

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A Moral Failure?

Check out this recent article in the Seattle PI about a cyclist from West Seattle that was shot with BBs while commuting home. One of the BBs lodged in his lung and the other bounced off his aorta and settled on his diaphragm. Luckily, he is recovering and even riding to work again just days after the incident. For an even more detailed account, you can check out the cyclist's story on his blog. Reading the article and his blog made me nauseous and has me wondering about the moral turpitude of people who could commit such an act.

As a cyclist logging thousands of miles on the road every year, I count my self as lucky to have experienced only a few "incidents" of my own when interacting with motorists and have never been injured as a result. I've had people yell profanities at me through open windows, had things thrown at me including a mostly full bottle of beer, been buzzed at high speed by large pickup trucks while blasting their air horns, sprayed with gravel by a car that purposely drifted onto the shoulder in front of me and floored the accelerator. These things, unfortunately, are common place and there is little a cyclist can do besides shake an angry fist at the offender as s/he speeds away.

I just can't comprehend why people have such hostility to cyclists. Is having to drive 10 mph for a few seconds while waiting to pass such an inconvenience that warrants acting in a way that puts the cyclist at risk for injury or death? I don't know anyone whose time is that valuable. Are fat assess sipping their super-gulp soda on their way to pick up some french fries at the local drive-thru that resentful towards someone actually doing physical exercise? Even a brain twisted by the desire to get a fast food fix can't be that perverse. Is someone's homophobia so acute that seeing a man in spandex for a few seconds requires retaliation for such an affront? I can't imagine someone that depraved. These rhetorical questions may touch on some truth, but I think the bigger theme that may underlie such actions is that our society is experiencing a moral failure. People are indifferent to the lives of others in this hectic, take or be taken, succeed-at-all-costs world we live in. People are so wrapped up in getting ahead, they forget it is an actual person they are pushing out of the way to get there. It is an ugly race to the bottom. If you think I'm wrong, then read the content of some of the nearly 200 indignant Sound Off Comments to the PI article.

I don't have an answer of how to fix such a fundamental failure. If I did, I think I could solve many of the world's greatest problems, which I believe originate from this same disregard for the lives of others. But I will keep riding my bike, ignorance be damned! However, I won't be alone. Seattle's Bicycle Master Plan was just approved unanimously by the City Council. The City will be spending $27 million for cycling projects including 118 miles of new bike lanes and 19 miles of trails. A step in the right direction. I only hope there is an educational component that goes with the infrastructure.

Stepping off my soap box.

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