Tune-Up

This past weekend was a great chance for me to relax, enjoy, and tune-up for the Epic this coming weekend. Rest, relaxing, and stress free situations are under appreciated so anytime when I can combine all into a weekend its good all the way around.  I traveled with Erin down to Green Bay where we met up with my family Saturday morning to enjoy Packer Family Weekend. The event completely amazes me that 60,000 people come out to sit at a stadium and watch others practice their sport. The infatuation with these athletes and teams are incredible. It all starts at a young age too. The looks on my nephews faces when they walked into Lambeau was priceless.

Before we joined up for Family Night Erin and I pedaled our way around Green Bay over to the East side bike path through DePere. It was very busy being a beautiful Saturday morning but it made a great route to spin the legs, enjoy a ride and get a couple efforts in before a night of family fun and the next days WORS race. The best part was Erin's alertness when she spotted a coffee house downtown GB. We spun back around at the end of our ride and enjoyed incredible coffee and pastries that didn't blow you away with sweetness. The coffee and pastry combo was near perfection. 

In the past, the WORS Kewaskum Sunburst Showdown can be a bit of a bore. Held at a ski hill that runs you up and down and through open field single track it didn't really appeal to the true mountain biker. But this year they aimed to impress and they did a great job with a course redesign. Not knowing the course and coming in a little fatigued my goal was to conserve and stay top 10. The lead-out line was quite long and going into the first single track we were still a good size group. A bobble by a lead rider ahead placed a gap between the front 5 or so and back. Not wanting to dig too deep I decided not to chase back on. I felt like maybe I could have but stuck to the conservative plan I went in with. Approaching lap 2 my bike had a some ghost shifting which was caused by a loose rear skewer. A quick stop and I chased back onto Isaac and Justin.

Most of the race I allowed them to do the pace making and stayed comfortable. Justin put in an awesome lap 3/4 effort and he pulled back Corey. We rode the 3 of us until the final lap. We were also joined by Ted H. Between the 3 they put in a couple subtle final lap moves where I was content to just stay steady. I fought for the final piece of single track and popped in 3rd. Rode that to the finish for 9th place. 

All in all it was a good ride, race, and effort. I stuck to my plan, conserved energy for the up coming week, and felt good doing it. Now that the work is truly done it will be a lot of bike prep and body prep leading to my favorite weekend of the year. Until then :)  

Season Overload

Time is thin. Or is time is short. Either way... I need more of it. Time is precious and it always seems like we
could all use a few extra hours in a day. Whether that be used for rest or to jam a few more things in our already busy lives. I was quite aware that this "season overload" was going to happen. It is a point in the season when training and racing reach a peak. A point where rest days are used to do everything else in a normal life rather than used for resting legs, cleaning bikes, and writing blogs. Sometimes cleaning the house, cutting the grass, and tending to family becomes more important. At this point we become more than professional cyclists. We also become professional time managers.

Here is a little run down since the Keweenaw Chain Drive back on June 15th. 

• WORS #5 - Red Flint Firecracker: 9th overall. Had a good start, almost too good. I put in an effort 1/2 way through the 1st lap and paid for my effort after a counter effort from another rider. I hung with the lead group of 8 for the first 2 laps but small yo-yo efforts put me in a hole and I moved back fast. 
• WORS #6 - Pro XCT Subaru Cup: 29th in the Cross Country and 18th in the Short Track. I entered this weekend with no expectations other than racing within myself after blowing up the week prior at the Red Flint. I felt like I had good legs and better yet I rode my race. The results are not stellar but sometimes its more about the ride rather than the race.
• USA Cycling MTB Nationals: 34th in the Cross Country and 35th in the Short Track. Once again, these are not the results I was looking for. I wanted to go top 20 in both events but things didn't shake out. I did have good legs but some other things didn't fall into place. I got a 32nd call up in the XC and wasn't aggressive on the start which shot me back to about the last 10 riders for the start. After a 30 sec stand still into the single track it was all make up efforts from there. My chase was good considering a hard over the bars crash on lap 1. I chased back up from the high 40's into 34th. It was almost the same deal for the Short Track. 40th something call up out of 55 and then got caught behind a broken chain. Worked my way but up to the 30's before getting pulled. The positive note was I was feeling good working my way back up. I'll take it as another experience in the book considering I know I can finish higher with the previous weekends national results.

That leads us up to this weekend where I'll be in Green Bay for Packers family weekend with my wife and family and then onto WORS #7 Sunburst for Sunday. This time of year is my favorite. The Ore to Shore is in the air and you can always feel the buzz around the community. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world for the next 2 weeks.  Although, ask me yesterday after training in rain and 48 degrees and I might of said otherwise. But as always I survived and I'm here to train another day.

Gadget Update: I purchased a Jawbone while out in PA for Nationals. It's an interesting little gadget you wear on your wrist. It marks your steps and motion for the day but the reason I purchased it is because it supposedly tracks your sleep/rest. As stated above, time is very thin and one thing that I sacrifice sometimes is rest/sleep which is a huge "no-no" as a endurance athlete. I'm hoping this will help me appreciate and pay attention to my rest at night. So far through the first 7 days I'm averaging 6:40 of sleep a night but it is kind of screwed being I only got 3 hours the night I traveled back form MTB Nationals. Most nights I'm getting close to 8 which is my goal. The data also shows how much of that is light sleep vs. deep sleep. Cool stuff!

Keweenaw Chain Drive

Courtesy of XMATIC

The Keweenaw Chain Drive has done a spectacular job creating a mountain bike event. Combined with a great town and awesome trails the race is set up for sure success. It has become one of my most favorite weekends of the year.

Erin and I were adopted by the Peariso family and the Adventure 212 crew for the weekend. Along with the McFaddens (Chain Drive regulars), my teammate Ron Williams, and our new friend Ann we had incredible company for the weekend. We all met up on Friday and pre-ride the course, more goofing around, on Aunt Flow and the River Trail. We did have enough of an attention span to realize the course was running backwards this year and also picked out a few spots to one up Brian M. from his forever reign of the top step here.

Courtesy of XMATIC

As mentioned, the race was run backwards. For the most part you would never know because it was just as fun always keeping us smiling. Not many trails can be run both ways and have as much flow as the KCD trails. The event organizers did an incredible job with the changes. Oh the race, we did race. But another great feature I love about the KCD is I never feel like I'm racing. It hurts, we go fast, we compete, but I enjoy the ride just as much as the race. It was almost an identical replay of last year on the start but this time around it was Brian that pushed the start pace rather than me. I wanted the cemetery KOM but did not match the jump the others had. I went into the single track 4th wheel behind Jordan W. and Pete K. Jordan dropped a chain and soon after I went around Pete to bridge to Brian. Brian and I tempo'd the first few miles and created a gap but soon after Pete bridged back with a great effort and then Jordan and Chris bridged just as the single track started. Things became quite uneventful for awhile as I rode on the front just allowing the trails to be enjoyed.

Courtesy of XMATIC

Just over Midway Brian switched to the front and added some juice to the pace. Jordan and I stuck for the 20 plus minute attack!! I told him that 2 minutes more and he would have had me ;) He mellowed again until 3 miles left. Just as we crossed the river Brian made another jump and off he went not to be seen again. I didn't make much attempt to chase it knowing I couldn't. I allowed Jordan to come around and figured I'd stay steady maybe to slowly bring it back during the last 2 mile climb. It was not in the cards and I stayed in my 3rd spot to the finish. Cooked but not fried. It was so much fun this year and I'm so glad I'm learning to smile during races and have fun. The KCD keeps the grassroots in all of us and that is where we all started.

"Single Speed" - WORS #3 Wausau

I've never been tempted to ride a single speed despite hearing that once you ride one you will want one. My gears are good to me and I like them. I'm not sure the last time a single speeder won a big race showing me that gears are worth it for the big shows. Well, besides Lalonde at the Cheq 40! But lets not get crazy here and compare anyone to that single speed phenom. He is a rare exception to speed without gears. He may be faster with no gears than he is with gears. Even his win at a Triple Crown doesn't draw my interest but last weekends race I felt as if I experienced my first single speed and I don't like it.

The Red Eye Rendezvous was giving us our 3rd weekend in a row of WORS action. A good city, a great course, and better company makes it easy to gear up 3 weekends in a row. We had a full team on hand and it is a nice treat when we can all pre-ride together, have dinner, and enjoy the other half of the sport.....Comradery. The weather even treated us to a near perfect day of sunshine and 60's.

I was a bit off from the beginning on race day when I lost my number plate, started my warm up late, and ate my bar too close to competition. My prep is as important as my race so it was not a good start for me even though I did fine my number and warm-up was had just not at the level I prefer. The start was good. I grabbed the whole shot into the first few turns without a problem. I settled until the single track and made my way to the top 5 for the first section. The course favors aggression as we do so much two track between single track it pays off at the end of the day to be upfront as much as you can. I did this well on the first lap but wasn't so successful on lap 2. I yo-yo ed a bit and was worked over catching back on. Not having a lot in reserve on the day these little efforts were crucial.

Lap 3 we pulled around in one big lead group with about 7 guys. Nobody really played much ball on the two track and we all battled for the single track. That was until Tristan had seen enough and hammered the pace on the front side climb. He hit it and I didn't react.. My mind was made up at that point from other efforts I wasn't going to burn another match. I figured steady would pull me along the rest of the day. That is when my bike felt like a single speed. No fast gears and no slow gears. Just 1 "go steady" gear. This wasn't a terrible thing but for the final 2 laps I had what I had. There was no go under and no going over just as I believe a single speed would feel like... Then again I've never ridden one so how would I know. :)

All in all, a good day for riding a physical and mental single speed. I rolled in 7th place at 2 1/2 minutes behind the leaders. All was made happy when I found out my teammate, Cooper Dendel, took her first WORS and pro win. What a huge accomplishment for her, our team, and the UP!! Here is to much more success Coop! We all celebrated appropriately with celebratory burritos.

   

"3 Up" - WORS #2 Rhinelander

It is a good day when you wake up in your own bed, the sun is shining, and the morning temps comfortable. It wasn't even 10 am yet and as I was packing the bikes it was already a great day. A few days before Sunday I had decided to travel the morning of WORS #2 Rhinelander. I do not get to do it often and there is something extra motivating and special about preparing a meal the night before and sleeping in your own house before a race. Pre-riding for a race course is one way to prepare but the other is taking care of your body and mind. 

The lead out and lead lap was good. I was positioned well in the start and was comfortable up to the hole shot. I didn't get in exactly where I preferred but sitting 4th wasn't a bad place to be. Nathan G. pounded out a great first lap. A few times making me question my effort as the dust filled my mouth creating a cotton ball on the dry course. A fairly uneventful first lap and we wrapped around for lap 2 in no hurry on the 2 track leading back out and our 4 became 5. Back into the single track and once again I rode 4th wheel. About a 1/4 way into the lap the unthinkable happened. I dropped a chain. XX1 has been solid I didn't believe it was possible to drop a front chain but it had happened. I tried to finesse it back on but nothing going. A stick had found it sway in-between the ring and chain causing it to come off. In the end, not result of the incredibly solid XX1. A fast stop and I patiently worked it back onto the ring. Any panic in this situation and I find it is takes longer than just staying calm and taking your time. The 3 rode away quick and Justin P then passed. I had been feeling pretty good so without panic I was in chase mode. Hitting every hill and punching every corner I slowly bridged the gap. It took about 5 or so minutes of high effort but I was back on. I took a moment to recover on the back and we rolled around for lap 3 in a group of 4.

Once again, we were in no hurry on the 2 track leading back to the single track which lead to a bit of impatience by me. Also, panic of Big D's teammate, the pedaling "Wicked Witch" - Chris P, steadying his way back to us. I took the front and a higher pace into the single track. I slowly gained speed taking my attack at the front. It did enough to bring the lead group down to Nathan, Big D, and me. The legs were good after the attack and in hindsight I should have just kept going until something happened with me or the group but I seen this as mistake #1 of a couple I made in the last lap. It is a hard decision to make in battle when the guys that tag your wheel are as solid as they come in single track. A rider better be on their game to ride Nathan or Big D of their wheel in tech sections.

Lap 4 went down the same as 3. I lead the entire lap but instead kept a pace to keep people from catching instead of a pace to drop riders. The 3 of us knew it was going to come down to a sprint so in my mind any wasted energy during the final lap was a loss. The final 1/2 mile is a 2 track perfect for cat and mouse games. Nathan came to the front and I came by his side blocking any chance for Big D to take a jump. The fear of Big D and his power is quite daunting and forced me into mistake another mistake. A childhood rule, "He who hesitates has loss." A coach use to yell that at me all the time and sure enough 20 years later here it was. Nathan jumped and I responded. I thought it was a perfect set up for Big D to come off of my wheel and around both of us but instead I led him array. A big mind lapse and thinking the finish line was where we started I made a small turn towards the wrong way. It was quickly fixed but it left no time to catch Nathan and no time for Darrin to come around me.

Not often you get into a 3 up sprint for the win. A blast it was and a lot learned. A victory so close, .9 seconds, it is hard to enjoy 2nd immediately but after a good CD you realize that any podium position at a WORS event is a good day. Thanks to Darrin and Nathan for a competitive day of racing.

Legs Say "Go" - WORS #1 Iola

It is not very often in racing when your legs are screaming "go" and your body yells back "no." It is most always the other way around. I suppose if you start to do this racing thing long enough your bodily experiences will find a new way to surprise you more often than not.

The site of Iola is always a good one. It is site of a new day, new opportunity, new goals, but the re-resurrection of  MTB fun. Training and racing accumulates a bucket full of pain and frustrations but bring everyone's same struggles to one venue and all becomes worth it. The unique thing about knobby tire bikes is we all share the same passion and love for the sport and no matter what ones experience in the past days or weeks WORS brings us together. Ahh yes, it is good to be back.

We were welcomed with a humid and hot 85 degree day. The sun was hiding but it didn't decrease the intensity factor of the heat. I do not usually mention the heat and can fair well in it but bring a Upper Peninsula boy down from his unseasonable 40-60 degree breezy climate into 85 degrees of humidity and the body may react. I came in feeling good and not all that nervous about the challenge in front of me. I had a lot of excitement to analyze the fitness and skill. Although my analysis is not exactly what I expected I'm happy with what came from the first effort.

As most expected the lead out was tight and competitive. The elite field has a mass of riders that can stick the start effort making positioning a battle. The change to the Iola lead out extended this battle and the front group stuck together a lot longer than usual. I lost some aggression at the start but managed to jump on the lead group in about 8th/9th. Cole was off the front and Tristan lead the chase the majority of the first lap. The group winded around the smooth single track still in tact back to the start/lap position. The 2nd time up the start climb I made the decision to ease up on my effort to keep in site the finish that was still 1:20 minutes away. The group rode away and I my objective became "Peariso" power. Known to others as "steady" or "old man" power. Even at that, my legs felt the need to go but no response from the energy stores to allow them.

Chris getting the edge in the last corner

My red line effort on the first lap altered my decision making and started to show in my line choices. The start of the 3rd lap I recovered as Justin P. approached. I jumped onto his wheel forcing myself to choose a better line and bring my alertness back. He rode well and I felt like we gained some of the time back I lost on a slow lap 2. Most of lap 4 of spent solo and all of lap 5 until the last 500 meters. The last 1/2 mile of the course I allowed my guard to drop and didn't take notice of 2 chasing riders. In no hurry I approached Michelle P. and she kindly gave me room to pass where I declined knowing 2 track approached. I sprinted the 2 track and felt someone on my wheel not knowing who. We went onto the last section of 2 track and out of nowhere the other Peariso contended me for hole shot into the last piece of single track to the finish. We ran it right to the last moment and he nabbed it. 9th to 10th in the last 500 m.

A number is a number but a result is not always the result. It was good to be back and to get a picture of the year. The late start to the WORS season leaves us with 3 straight weeks of racing. Saddle up, it's going to be a fast one.

2013 RASTA Rally

We have waited, waited and have waited some more. For the mountain bike season that is. The Northern part of Wisconsin and all of the Upper Peninsula have been buried by late season snow and lingering fall weather. The inclement weather has prolonged the off season or the fat bike season, depending on how you look at. The mountain bike season has traditional come by this time of year and yet very few riders could claim any race results or effort as of May 11^th. The RASTA Rally held in Rhinelander, WI was the first for many to seal up their tubeless knobby tires and feel the single track dirt beneath them.

The RASTA is one of the few races in the North Country that could claim their original date. Even with that, Mother Nature did it’s best to keep us away. Driving through snow from Ishpeming to past Iron River things were not looking promising but as I inched closer to Rhinelander the snow slowly vanished. As the snow vanished the temps fell along with it.  A brisk 31 degrees at arrival made it tough to get into the mid-summer MTB mindset. Ole’ man winter fought but Susie sunshine fought back. The sun slipped through the clouds giving each of us a small hope of rising temps.

With a small crowd on hand the start line was scattered. This was a surprise as I thought people would flock to the first opportunity to ride single track this far North. A relaxed countdown and the first “go” of the season was released. With an absence of race efforts my intention was to mock a high effort start as we see in the WORS season week in and week out to acclimate to the brutishness both mentally and physically. With no care of who was around or on my wheel my eyes stayed forward. Around the first bend Justin Piontek, the other pro on hand, took his turn applying the same start effort I had attempted. After the 1 mile lead-out I took the hole shot into the single track. With no concern of energy for the 2 hours to come I pounced at each hill and turn. Justin glued to my wheel we extended our 2 man lead. My effort felt hard and fast but what wouldn’t feel hard after 5 months of no MTB racing. 1/3 way into the lap Justin takes control. He applied the pressure and now my turn to keep glued. I let a small gap open as I allowed my early efforts to replenish. The hills of Rhinelander smoothed out to flowing single-track. This allowed me to creep closer until we popped back out a 2 track climb. Taking back to the front I settled into an effort. As the terrain went up again I slowly opened a gap. Prior to this my single-track skill was far from being envied. A 5 month layoff of dirt was showing its way with me. The slowly forming gap allowed my mind to relax and I allowed my Trek SF100 do its job. I pointed the 29” wheels and the Maxxis Icon gripped.

The first lap had been completed in 1:02. Not knowing the 2^nd lap was shortened from the first I managed my effort for the next 20 minutes until I noticed I approached a section closer to the end. Figuring I either missed a turn or they cut a section off I picked up my pace tapping the pedals to the finish.  The sun had now started to come out in which I figured was perfect timing so it could shine down on my smile from completing my first MTB race effort of the year. To a course that I figure not to be my specialty Rhinelander has always been good to me. A win in the legs but more importantly it was a race effort long overdue waiting for ole’ man winter to give way to the sun shine of spring.