The "Big Picture"

It's hard to believe that the 2011 MTB season is coming to an end.  I'm down to the final week of my season but parts of it  feels like it started just last month.  I can remember the base miles and toeing the start line at Iola.  Now we are closer to start again than we are removed.  Physically I feel great and they fittest I've felt all year.  I feel like I could keep going but I will welcome the time off.  Before that though, I need to achieve my final goal of the season.

Three years ago I was introduced to the Iceman.  The first year not knowing the tradition, I didn't take it so serious and I embarrassed myself in the waved start of the expert class.  That is all it took for me to understand what this race was all about, 1 race.  Determined never to feel that way again the Iceman has become a regular target on my racing schedule.  Last year I raced in the Pro/Cat 1 field and felt the cycling crazies push me with their screams to go faster.  Another reason why I'm determined to make Iceman a regular target.  Then there was watching a local hero, Brian Matter, win his 3rd Iceman against arguably the toughest field to date.  And again, another reason I'm determined to make Iceman a regular target.  It has that feeling of Paris Roubaix, win it and you become an instant legend.

Courtesy of Bill Stahl

The final weeks preparation started at UPCross Choco X on Saturday.  The weekend before a big race is not the tell all but it is nice to feel the race legs build up to the target weekend.  It helps build confidence for the week.  Saturday was not about the race, it was about the body.  I was picturing a start line with no one else on it.  I needed to worry about my body and race the way I needed to to prepare for the "Big Picture."  I didn't want to get caught up in tactics so I was to always be the aggressor pushing my body to its limit.  From the gun I was gone and never looked back.  Each lap I gained more time on my chasers.  It became a challenge of how hard could I push and how even could I keep my lap times.  I didn't keep my lap times as even as I wanted but they were all within 10-20 seconds of each other and my fastest lap was my last.  It was a good day and I felt like I achieved what I set out to do.  Along with my personal goal I also earned my 4th UPCross win of the year.

We are now 5 1/2 days out from the Iceman.  Still with an important week of preparation ahead it safe to say the work has been done.  It is time to believe in the work that has been done and put it towards positive thinking.  If you want to be the best you need to train like the best and then go out and beat the best.  Their is no day like today.  What will we do with it?

              

State of Seclusion

One of my favorite weekends of the year was this past weekend, UPCross Keweenaw Cup in Copper Harbor.  There is something about it I enjoy, a lot.  Maybe it's the October seclusion in a town that's shut down for the year, or the expected traditional CX weather, or a late season weekend away, the sign to the end, awesome company, or maybe I like the pain of 2 days of racing.  Whatever it is, I like it and I can't wait until next year.

I was returning to Copper Harbor as the defending Keweenaw Cup champ.  The honors for this, I got to carry the UPCross barriers.  Not really the honors but I really did get to carry the barriers.  I got a phone call early Saturday morning from Jesse B to do so and it was a perfect set up as I had room in my truck.  Packed with luggage, bikes, barriers, and a dog I was ready.

I hooked up with Sam from Keweenaw Adventure Company and rented out the bottom of his A frame.  It ended up being an awesome setup and made the weekend everything it was.  Thanks Sam.  This whole week I was look at purchasing Embro cream and was looking at Mad Alchamy.  By chance a rider had some so I decided to give it a try.  After the first initial burn it was good except for the overly tan look it gave my legs and turning all my white clothes orange but I did end up liking it.  After the application I rode the whole 20 yards form my apartment to the start for the 1st of 2 races, The Down Town Hoe Down.  The course was a bit tight all around but with a good mix of gravel, grass, and sand.  I didn't have much series points for a call up so I started second row and then missed a pedal which put me behind on a short roll out into a tight section.  Slowly moved up to 3rd wheel by the end of the lap and promptly attacked down the back stretch.  This gaped the front group of  Tyler J., Ryan T., and Colby L into small splits.  Coming around lap 2 Tyler rejoined with a gap to Ryan T.  Tyler J. led around the 2nd lap (With an apple stuck in his wheel.  It was the craziest thing I've seen.  Right there stuck in between 2 spokes.  It ended up coming out on it's own.) and we hit it hard making a 2 man split.  On the 3rd lap I noticed I had a bike length or two so I sprinted out of every corner and eventually created enough to be on my own.  The course wasn't really a rhythm course so being with someone didn't make much sense, I was OK being alone.  I kept the effort even and shot for even lap times.  It was enough to take the win by a comfortable gap.

I got a nice long cool down with Tervo and Jenema.  That was proceeded by a warm apartment, warm shower, and the most perfectly French pressed coffee I have had in awhile.  I think it's the scenario that does it.  The cold, a hard effort, the seclusion, the howling winds.  It made it perfect.  I relaxed on the couch as the Embro still warmed the legs and the coffee warmed the body.  

Day 2 was up at the Keweenaw Mt. Lodge for the Top of the World Smack down.  I made my warm-up the 15 min climb out of town.  The legs didn't feel as good as I wanted them to on day 2, which day 2 is typically good for me.  It could be I was spoiled in a perfect camp setting after a chef prepared breakfast and now I was in 50 mph winds, rain, and a mix of hail.  This course was a more open with quite a bit of pavement.  I planned for more tactics to come into play today but it didn't play out that way.  I didn't wait long to attack, within the first minute.  I pulled Tyler J. and Trevor Olson out of the group.  During the 1st and 2nd lap we all rode with small gaps to each other.  Once I figured it was not coming together I took a flyer and attempted to bare the wind and pavement on my own.  It slowly but surely worked and mid way through the race I had a good gap.  Trevor was keeping steady mid race so near the end I turned it up again to give myself more of a buffer.  My laps times may not have been as even this race but the beginning and ending efforts were good and I kept a good lead to the end.

The conclusion to a great weekend.  Back to back wins and another Keweenaw Cup (this time a plate) in the trophy case.  Everything was perfect about this weekend and I can't wait until next October, not in literal sense.    

             

UPCross #2 and WORS #12

This time of year you would think one should be slowing down.  Preparing for an off season of rest and planning.  But for me it's only getting faster and more hectic.  The months of September and October are filled with races with the UPCross series and the final races of WORS.  On top of all that its the time to look forward to 2012 and organize riders and sponsors.  So there is no slowing down here and hopefully that means on the bike too.

UPCross #2 - Ironcross
I missed the opening UPCross race because of a scheduling conflict with WORS #11 so UPCross #2 was my opener.  It was held in Old Town Negaunee right off the Heritage Trail running through the Ghost town that once was Negaunee.  Everything still has it's existence except for the structures that were.  It's an awesome place to be and a great venue for a CX race.  It's tough to set up a traditional CX course but that's what is so unique about it, it has it's own flavor.  Danny Hill did a great job this year making the course favorable to a CX bike while still keeping the unique features of a passed town.

Coming off a larger training week I wasn't sure what to expect from my body and approached the start with caution.  Then, within 20 seconds of the race I was committed and never looked back.  The first part of the race has a quick hole shot with a 10 step run up followed by a grinder.  At the top of the grinder I noticed a small gap on the field and committed myself to an all out effort for the rest of the day.  The course really favored being on your own so I went for it.  Tom (Carp) pushed me into full effort to keep the gap on the first lap as he floated at a close 5 or so seconds.  I hit the 2nd lap with the same effort as the 1st and expanded it slightly more.  The succeeding laps I noticed the same and I fed my inside monster by never letting up.  With every second I gained it fed the legs to push for another.  In the end my legs came around and felt pretty good.  I extended the gap over 2 minutes and earned my first UPCross win of the 11 season.  Next up on the UPCross season is the 2 day Keweenaw Cup.  I had a good success there last year so I'm looking forward to a good weekend.

WORS #12 - Wigwam
This race has an awesome atmosphere that draws excitement out of me a full week in advance.  I'm not sure if its city setting, awesome course, season finale, big crowds, or big payouts but I love everything about it.  I was coming off a good performance at the previous WORS and I wanted nothing less than a podium finish which also burned the excitement into me.  Not an easy task on a tough course and tough crowd but I was determined.

I wanted to be top 3 into the single track but I think everyone had those intentions and I edged in about 6th.  The rooty and swerving course tends to make splits fast and on a hard tail it can take it's toll.  I passed one rider to move up to 5th but at this point the front 3 were gone.  Shriver was in front of me and I knew he would pound the climbs hard so I worked to get his wheel but never attached.  At the end of lap 1 it was me and Eppen chasing Shriver and the front group.  Mid way through the 2nd lap I came around Eppen and was alone for the remaining 2nd lap and 3rd.  Up to this point I knew the guys up front were pounding at each other so I decided to do the same and never really came off the gas.  My efforts were intense but I still noticed 2 riders approaching.  It took a bit out of me knowing 2 were approaching and I was gunning at every opportunity.  Ending the 3rd lap I decided to sit up and wait and reanalyze the plan.  It was Eppen and McConnell.  McConnell did all the work up front and was riding an awesome pace through the unforgiving root fields as Eppen and I bounced uncontrollably on our hard tails.  The beginning efforts and endless bouncing were taking it's toll on me.  Eppen pulled out with a flat leaving McConnell and I.  I never did come around him and he got to ride his pace for the rest of the race.  It was made even more difficult with a lot of lapped riders on a tight course.  We came into the last field together and I made my move.  I edged him to the hill and we got to lapped riders which forced me to a bad line and a double leg cramp.  I recovered quickly and restarted the sprint but it wasn't enough as McConnell edged me by .1 seconds.  (Yes, that's a period in front of the one, .1 seconds.  Darn that's close.)  That was for the last podium spot so I was really disappointed in myself.  Disappointed, yes but I was OK with what happened.  Don't get me wrong, I was not OK losing.  I never am but when someone is better on that day and deserves it you give credit where credit is due.  McConnell controlled that last lap and he deserved that sprint.  I finished 6th.  

The WORS series comes to an end but that wrap up is for another post.  I have plenty of racing to come in October and early November so keep in touch.