Cap City Cross - Big Run Park - October 16, 2011

The one thing each week about cross racing, is you just never know when someone is going to have a better day than you are having. Some days, you get served...

Cyclocross Race #5 for the year

This day, I was not having an amazing day on the bike. I knew I would suffer, but suffering and having the engine are two separate things. I put in a fairly tough week of training in the days-week preceding. I knew my legs wouldn't respond with everything I needed, but I didn't know just how.

I got a good pre-ride in, but was arrived at the race way early and I think spent too much time riding around and not enough eating. No matter, the Senior Citizens club of Masters line up at the bottom of the hill, along side CAT 1 road racer, Jim B. It is an open masters race right, yea it is. Whistle. We are off, as I smartly settle in behind the leaders pulling my fat ass up that soap box hill. Over the top we go, my team mate Glen and I battle for position in the first few turns, I take a different line down into the ditch than most everyone else, it provided a smoother straight line into the next hard right turn. We head into the hillside and the barrier at the bottom of the hill, then back down towards the bottom of the Box derby hill, but over a giant dirt climb.

It was rough on the other side, and required quite a bit of focus and attention to avoid the ditch and raised sections of hard dirt and rocks. Scott Young was having a good day, and was not going ot be reeled in, however, Glen and Blair and I were riding around like we were chained together. I had a few moments where I was suffering and Glen, slowed up the pace, there wasn't anyone gaining on us, so it was going to come down to the last few turns and the run up the hill, or the grass section at the bottom....

We all stuck to each other like a kids magnetic toy train, until we rolled off the grass and onto the pavement at the bottom of the Soap Box Hill, near where we started the race (see start pic above for perspective on the sprint distance) Blair put in a dig, Glen countered, I sat on, waiting for the moment. Blair was up front, I was on Blair's wheel, I knew I couldn't out sprint Blair or let him get the jump, I had to go, I think my shift click was a trigger for him, however, I jumped flew hard left and gave it full-throttle. Blair had his gas wide open, so I swung back to his wheel and tried to suck any wind I could, I pushed and pushed, but still missed beating Blair by about a bike length.

That is the first time he's beat me this year. Glen rolled in right behind me...he didn't even bother getting up to sprint.

The BWE (wife Jen) always takes amazing photos....

I pulled a decent 6th place in, just missing 5th.


that was one long uphill sprint. I hit a high Heart Rate number for the year. Ouch.
Lots of coughing after this race.

oh, Masters CAT 1 road racer guy, finished over 2 minutes ahead of us...he was rollin.

Vandervorts Corner CAT 4 Road Race

Vandervorts Corner CAT 4 Road Race Sunday, April 19, 2009 What was projected by every weather professional on local TV and every inter-web weather site I know as being a full on race in the pouring rain – ending up not being the case. We missed it or it missed us, I didn’t really care if it rained or not. I had my days this year of riding in the rain and have hardened the &*^%$ up because of that riding in the rain. I was thinking it would separate the men from the boys and see who was willing to ride their bike fast in the crappy rain. I think if it had rained with the wind we had, it would have been only ugly race day on the bike. A decent turnout, I think about 25 pre-registered for the CAT 4 race, maybe over 80 racers for the day- I am guessing. Certainly not the numbers we had at the Deer Creek race the week prior.

Today was going to be my day, the day I change it up and do something different, something to change the results of my race, something to change my expectations and therefore get a top 5 finish.

How did that all workout you ask? Not bad, overall I suppose, in retrospect. Racing is racing. Just when you think you have done so much more training than someone else and you are more fit, faster, etc – you go out and race and get virtually checked up against the hockey glass so to speak. I burned many a match at this race, maybe 2 or 3 too many - chasing and chasing and chasing. I did chase and get into a break or two, that by the time I got there, I had nothing left to contribute for the group or other guy in hindsight. One of the strong guys from Cyclosport went up the road and him and I had a good gap at one point, we went up a riser, turned the corner, he looked back and just quit, so that was that. I am not sure some of those guys in the breaks, wanted me there...Cyclosport, Team Dayton and Team Abundance were represented by at least 6 guys each. It was pretty tough being one of the small teams today.
I ended up 10th, which is about 5 places further back than I wanted, but I came away from this race knowing I had some mettle. Knowing I made my presence and I think many of these guys will be keeping a small watch on my bike moving forward. Jen took great photos - Pic 1&2 are of the small hill which ended up being nothing, Pic3 is the sprint finish for the CAT4 >pimped again - :Rest of the Pics Here:

Ride For ALS - Indoors

Saturday, February 7, I spent a few hours attending a Benefit ride our friend Carrie organized. Our team and several friends of the team committed to being a part of the annual “ALS Spin-A-Thon” and indoor cycling event that raises money and awareness for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The event is in honor of John Blais a former Ironman athlete who competed in the 2005 World Championships in Kona whom was diagnosed with ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. This disease has taken the lives of over 20 million. There are zero survivors from ALS including John Blaze who died in April 2007. However, he is not forgotten. Here is a clip of his race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vrjp2P0GlE. The benefit ride started at 6 a.m. and ended at 10:30 p.m. Each “team” was be allowed to create a relay team of as many people as they see fit, the reason the event lasted 16.5 hours was to represent John's Blaze's Kona Ironman race time. Each rider could consign to 1/2 hours or more & spend time spinning his/her way to complete their scheduled time. I picked the 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. slot, thinking no problem, I’ll spin inside for an hour, let it warm up outside and go ride another hour and thirty minutes outside, getting my 2:30 in for the day, then go home and hit the gym for some weights. It was a good plan and actually all worked, sans the sweat I leaked out, since I think it must have been 89 degrees in the Athletic Club. The funny part is my teammate/director of our team, was they are spinning when I got there. I made fun of him for about 20 minutes when I arrived, since he was sweating like a pig. It didn’t really seem too hot in there at the time. The best part was, he came back in the middle of MY workout, after running some errands and getting a shower, to call me a “Hubbard” and ask me why I was sweating so much and what was all that mess under me on the trainer mat? Classic! I guess it was deserved. I got my hour and some change of riding in on the borrowed trainer, which happened to belong to Alicia. It was nice to use another trainer after burning mine up for so many hours and weeks. She said her trainer was a fluid unit, but felt steadier and less ‘up and down’ as mine appears to be sometimes as it heats up. I got finished with my workout and helped some folks get their bikes going on the trainer after, then hung out and socialized, cooled off and just tried to dry off a bit. I grabbed some free power bars, grabbed my bag, and headed out the door to my car to change into some not so sweaty clothes and finish my workout for the day. I had an hour 30 left to do and the wind was picking up. I saddled up and got going. I am not sure what I was thinking, but I went directly north when the wind was blowing north. Dumb and Dumber. I made the left turn onto Home Road and then my left onto Jerome and hit the wind head on….I think I averaged 13 mph for about 10 miles. I was just dying, trying not to work too hard to get back and in one piece, without getting too far into the hurt locker.