jjassvt

Winter training Vermont style

2010-02-20T18:59:00.006-05:00

The Kingdom Trails opened their groomed nordic trails today to mountain bikers. George and I made the trek over early this morning. Somehow leaving at 8am is no longer early for me. Just like the summer Kingdom Trail Center, the winter trail center is a wood heated cabin at the end of a dirt road. As we rolled in at 10am, there was already a hobo fire started, burgers grilling and beer on the porch. Perfect.

After the initial bs session with Tim the head honcho of the Kingdom Trails, we rolled out on the lower loop. The conditions were perfect for the Pugsley, though most other people on MTBs were having their issues. George was on some 2.35 on the Sno-Moots 29er. Aaron, on

ce we hooked up with him was on the new 2.5 inch WTB tires on wide 29er rims; actually worked out pretty well, in all but the softest conditi

ons. Airing out the Endo's gave me loads of traction and control.

We spent about 2 hours looping around these initial trails to get a lay of the land. It was really great to see so many people out there on bikes on snow, in the winter. Though I am not sure the French-Canadian skiers we saw were too thrilled with us.

Lunch time lasted enough time to eat some burgers and talk trails with Mike Maggs. After lunch we made plans to do the "adventure" loop, which went up the mountain and a loop around some backcountry trails. These were the best trails of the day, atleast getting up to the backcountry trails. Hardpack, fast snow, no other tracks, and the hopes of seeing a moose.

The ride up to the backcountry trails reminded us all of the summer and it was

amazing how different the trails and area looks like covered in thin blanket of snow. After many times rechecking the map, we decided to hike up through a field to attempt to find the trail. The "trail" was an old logging road that a snowmobile had gone down in the past week. Breaking trail was next to impossible going up, hard going down. Once we decided we were not getting anywhere, we backtracked down to the groomed trails, where we could actually ride.

The highlight would have to be the descent back down to the cabin; fast, hard, groomed and some sweet rollers to air off of. Bikes were laid down and warming by the fire ensued, along with beers with the executive director of the Kingdom Trails. It was a good chat, with loads of support for expanded snow biking in the area next winter(which having the general manager of Burke Mountain riding my pugs helping the cause.)

Overall a great day of almost 4 hours of riding in the middle of winter!

In progress

2010-02-19T05:37:00.002-05:00

Made the move yesterday.

The check is in the mail.

Ti goods will be coming this way.

Moots Mooto-x

Super stoked to represent an amazing company

As fellow Grassmooter questions, why me?

I love to ride

Ride I said, not so much race

Racing for me is the chance to check out new trails

And hang out with old friends and share the vibe with new ones

Racing will be had, plans have been laid

Adventures are shaping up as well

Sure bikes and parts are sweet

But those are tools to enjoy un-tangible aspects of life

Here's to putting yourself out there,

and seeing what comes to meet you

This season is about taking it to the next level and being serious about riding

Though I know I will be having one hell of a good time

2010

2010-02-16T19:21:00.003-05:00

New parts are slowly starting to trickle in. Seems like every 5-7 years I get the itch to build an amazing new bike. With the help of some friends and new awsome support, this one will be the tops.

Mostly what I am super stoked about is the fact that almost every part that can be made in the USA will be. The only place I am not, at this moment is the cranks and stem. With some time those too will be made inside these borders with actual hands.

Now to think of the color for the fork....what matches Ti, and brown???? British racin' green, danger orange, lime green???

Pugsley love

2010-02-07T08:40:00.002-05:00

More and more I am loving the fat tires

The snow for skiing is lacking this year

Conditions for snow biking has been marginal

Frozen dirt, packed snow and a few inches of fluffy stuff

0 degrees is no longer an excuse to ride rollers

2010

2010-02-06T07:58:00.001-05:00

New sponsor

Requires new direction

Looking at more notes

To document the life

''If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.'' K.V.

2009-05-13T15:53:00.002-05:00

Visit my supervising teacher for next year

Along with the students I will be working with

Great bunch, wild kids, a handful

really excited. I thought I wanted to work in a poor school

But this will present its own challenges

On the way out

my teacher shows me a catalog from one of his sponsors

2010 he will have a glove named after him.

Sweet.

Ride up the hill.

Found a nice nice loop from the house.

2+ hours of single track

gearing might be high

nature walk mode for some time

super nice

sunburnt and dirty

coffee on the stove again

new wilco cd is streaming online

what not to do

2009-04-28T17:58:00.002-05:00

finishing up

35 pages, done at 5:45

incoming rain

no motovation to ride

hour run not so bad

super hot balm on the legs

keeps em warm in the rain

rub it in, off i run

run run run

start to sweat

wipe the brow

then the forehead

sweat and balm

causes my scalp to burn

ow ow ow

atleast i was careful with my nature break

sunny days tease me

2009-04-15T14:56:00.002-05:00

responsible

sunny day

almost 60

all day on the porch finishing a math project

no deposits in the bank today

calf is hurting

time to mend

longer commute on the horizon

time restraints creates responsibility

along with the joy of getting out

epic on the hozion

scratch that

huge deposit

finish project

allows for epic on sunday

good read

story of my life

http://www.adventurecorps.com/way/insearchofepic.html

2009-04-08T21:09:00.002-05:00

clothes are clean

run with dog for 30 minutes

2 hour bike

3x3 min

3X2 min

3x1 min

as coach says, put it all on the table each time

nothing left

should be stretching and rolling

health is there

finally a spring staying healthy

New Bike Power

2009-04-01T14:18:00.003-05:00

turns out I can have productive days.

new wheels arrive yesterday, thanks mavic: final piece to the new bike build

spend the morning putting all the pieces together

surly cranks taken off, put back in the box. keeping them new for the long term project

old xt 2 ring crank set up back on

rides nice around the block

appointment with eric at GMRSM, looking at my knees and my run gait

extra stretch time to get me even again

2 hour ride, listening to the coach

on paper, barely a work out

on the road I am hurtin

low heart rate high cadence structured intervals

feeling really good about spending the money on a coach and a plan

rode my first ribbon of singletrack today

sweet

off to school

thank allah for gore tex shoes.

2009-03-28T08:33:00.002-05:00

little big dog and I took an outing to saxon hill trails this morning for me to get my long run in. trails were nice, wet, icy in places, though soo nice to get back into the woods.

she is still trying to figure out hill repeats, twice we get to the bottom to turn around and I get that face, "serious back up that?"

treat gets her going.

good trail dog, especially when she turns on the tornado while decending.

Testing...Testing

2009-03-25T20:12:00.001-05:00

School got in the way again today, or atleast me starting to be responsible.

Got out for an hour.

on the program now.

first order do some testing.

big ring go fast for 25 minutes

felt good to pedal "in anger"

time to build some muscle tension

time to go pop

back at it

2009-03-22T18:27:00.003-05:00

updates:

super secret training is in full swing. started to ride my bike again.
running. check. and alot. i know alot since my knees hurt
volume increasing
intensity is high. it hurts atleast, plus i was pounded my a frenchman today-5 hours move time
need to build my new mountain bike
new riding partner, fellow worker bee.
until GOL returns
goal is still 5 months away, no time to worry. just motivate
see me august 9th on the GG24 open podium

REjoice

2009-01-11T17:00:00.002-05:00

Thats me getting lit up, but hanging in there again.

All this work is starting to pay off. On the run today I had that feeling again, you know when you feel strong as an athlete. Pushing it just alittle bit harder on the uphills, while your form is not going to crap. Getting to the point that you can pin it for some time and now be tapped. For me I am glad, I am at a point where I can start to train again at the levels I want; haven't felt this solid in probably 2-3 years; basically the time after my 24 hour solo burn out.

Today consisted of 2 hours of xc skiing with Kris and the dog out at Saxon Hill trails. I love ripping mountain bike trails of nordic skis.

Followed up by a nice hour run with the pace being pushed when I could on the drier pavement.

Thanks NBC

2009-01-11T07:20:00.002-05:00

for keeping you olympic coverage online still.

The 45 minutes on the trainer yesterday went by in a flash while I was watching the Madison race and match sprint from the 08 olympics. True representation of pure sport and the mix of power, endurance and skill; making mountain bike race seem tame.

Watching country-men turn enemies in the gold heat.

Finish the race.

Both share the love for the union jack.

My interest is perked into this new world.

20 weeks

2009-01-09T16:06:00.002-05:00

Till the first race of the season.

Math might be off, but May 17th is still a far way off.

Cold today, high of 11. No outside ride; 45 minute run, 30 minutes of "power yoga for athletes" and stretching.

I have dogged yoga for awhile, but I am really feeling the positive results of it. Gaining some all around upper body strength, and my hips are starting to not hurt constantly. Now lets work on that knee.

Work tomorow with a short run or ski thrown in. Then Sunday looks good. Hike in the morning, then maybe some skate skiing??? Really like that idea.

Run Time

2008-12-03T08:59:00.002-05:00

45 minutes run. 15 minutes stretching the legs and lower back.

My best season ever had me still running a handful of times a week at the lunch time run club. So now I am going out for these super slow, no sweat runs 2-3 times a week, just to keep the legs moving and building up that o2 concentration. Gonna try to keep this up year round, ala Dan Cassidy. He's the man who runs 3-4 times a week and kills it on the bike. There might be something to crosstraining in season.

No riding per se.

2008-12-02T20:36:00.002-05:00

Couldn't head out before work today. But with school in the evening I do have a built in 50 minutes of ride time with my big ass bag.

20 minutes of stretching in the morning to loosen up the hamstrings and start to loosen up the shoulder.

Like an old pair of jeans

2008-12-01T17:02:00.001-05:00

Suppose this is a coincidence or it might have some meaning, but it is 12/1 and I went for a mountain bike ride. First one I went out for in a long time. So long I had to take the number plate off the front of my bike from the Adventure race I did back in September. But man, I wanted to get out. Finished up this project for school, suited up and headed out. Abit rusty on the riding but I got to roll along. Overgeared for my weak legs, so it was a constant battle to keep the wheels rolling smooth. It was needed.

The coincidence is that I made the mental note way back when I started my off season that December 1 would be my step back into training. Training again, concerted effort to eat healthy again(vegetarian, vegan?) and goals for next season that are attainable. Hoping to stick with this writing daily to keep my mind focused and centered. The motivation is there for the next few months of winter, but the new puppy will keep me hiking and xc skiing; along with no seasons pass for lift access skiing.

Re-upped with my sponsor, Bikeman.com again so I got some people to hold myself accountable too. But mostly they just like it when I let then know when I am having fun.

Here's to 09, and a breakthrough season, as I am not getting any younger.

10/1 essex

2008-10-01T15:16:00.002-05:00

I found something else you don't think on the way to a ride. Shit I forgot my rain jacket/pants.

making haste to go ride i leave the camel back with both at home.

ride some newly cut trails, moist with some puddles. one or two drops.

those drops turn into a down pour. i find a nice conifer tree and squat. out of the rain mostly.

water is filling the corners around me. the trail turns to a river bed.

ohhh it lightens up, to be followed by round 2 accoumpied with thunder, and lightning.

cold. wet. trails are again saturated. rip the downhill back to the logging road. ride fast out.

wool hat from the trunk. sit in the trunk watch the lightning and others sitting in cars.

the folliage was really nice though. and those 30 minutes that I did pedal were rad.

Mill Grind Marathon

2008-09-29T05:55:00.006-05:00

Always exciting to ride in a new location, even better is to race at that local, since the promoter will highlight the best trails. Rolling up to the venue was downright cold for September. On my way to registration are many of the regulars from the Catamount Weekly series, as is the Littleton Bike and Fitness crew, all of who are racing in the SS category. All who are also dangerously fast and mentally tough.

The line up for the start had us somewhat confused. Elites, SSs, and then the experts at 2 minute intervals? The race was 35 miles, basically 4 laps on a 8.5 mile loop. Most of the SSers were talking about a neutral lap to warm up and have fun. Not a chance.

Start: off we go. I didn't excatly attack from the gun, but I did make an effort to be the first into the woods so I could have a clean line in the singletrack. By all accounts I had a 10 second lead after the 800 meter grass field opener. Might have been my effort, might have been the larger gear I was riding.

The course was amazing. Each lap was about 7.5 miles of tight technical Vermont singletrack, with about 1 mile of doubletrack and dirt road. I like these numbers.

Towards the end of the first lap I start to pick my way through the trail end of the elites, while a handful of the seasoned experts come up past me. Having the experts come through was nice so I could hook up onto their wheels and pull me along until we came to a open section where suspension and gears come into play. Also not too sure where my fitness was, so I was more trail riding, not racing, as I don't want to burn all my matches.

For a majority of the race I rode my own pace, crusing along the woods, talking with the folks I knew. Either I was slowing down, or LBF Shark Jamie was accelerating through the race, but he gave me a good surprise half way through the last lap. As I was walking up a short steep hill, I hear a bike come up and a chain explode. Look back, there is Jamie cursing at his chain tensioner on his converted SS. A quick match is lite under my ass and I am cyclocrossing mounting my bike and hitting race pace. 24 hour race mode is back into play, I create anger in my mind that I can translate into pedaling the dern bike.

The next section of trail is a sweet section of singletrack that double backs on itself many times, all along this I am passing folks, while everytime I come around a switchback Jamie is there. I think I have about 10 seconds on him. Coming up to a short climb, I look back as I crest the top and see I have opened up a gap again. Focus back to not crashing and having fun, but pedalling faster than before.

Coming up a double track climb and see the shadow of the Man. Dan Delarose the promoter from Jay Challenge was grinding his FIXIE up one of the last climbs. Chit chat with him for a handfull of seconds, enough for words of encouragment, joking words, and broken french cursing a flat tire. Dan rules.

Into the finsihing loop, look back, have atleast 15 seconds so I can sit up and enjoy a nice solo win. It was great to have so many fast folks there to ride along with. Every person I met on the trail was super stoked to be riding such awsome trails. Not words of anger asking for a passing line. Great venue and I look forward to it next year!

Tour Mode

2008-06-07T18:33:00.002-05:00

Took a condensed version of my Chittenden County tour today. Cut it short since we finally have summer head and humidity. Also I slipped on a root and shot my knee into the top edge of a Thomson stem, leaving me cripple on the group with what felt like a shattered kneecap.

View from the lunch spot. Amazing little trail that no-one visits.

The approach.

The Snack Spot
Exit.

Catamount: June 4 2008

2008-06-06T06:05:00.003-05:00

Got to Catamount Outdoor Center really early, as I wanted to pre-ride the new course. On the woods side, pretty flat, some awsome new technical singletrack, so fresh you could smell it. Between the fact I am "resting," funny feeling tummy, and a general desire to relax I opt out of the 4 lap race for the three. Line up in the back, let all the other racers go and take up my roll as the last rider. Form a "group" with two guys I used to work with on their SS and my lady. Pedaling along faster than a cruise, but not so much it was painful along the mud track. We all get broken up along the new section of trail.

I am riding with Nat representing bike29.com enjoying chit chatting. First lap done, Rose Long is cheering not racing.....she told me it would be fixed next week.

Then things get fun on the second lap. Pass and ride with a little guy ripping up the 3 lap race, turns out he was 12, and killing it. Rode with him for abit, high-fived, and rode along to cheer on more people. Fun lap, motivated some peoples, found some sweet jumps along the course.

Lap three, as I stopped to do some trail work on the new section of trail, the little man caught up to me again. He is infront of me, clearing all the new technical singletrack. Pop out onto the fireroads again, he motors into the next uphill section scattered with roots and rocks. On his wheel as he clears all of it, while passing abunch of other folks walking up this section, he gets cheers from Ed and I who are following him, as well as the folks in the woods.

Ed and I "block" others so he can come into the finish without getting stampeeded by some of the other mid-pack racers who might not be as impressed by him.

One more high-five from Ed and I as he plops down with his mom to ravage a bagel and coke.

Thanks to bikeman.com for the threads to make me look like a pro racer to this guy and hopefully inspire him to ride some more!

Some folks don't want to play nice.

2008-06-04T14:21:00.002-05:00

Up early, and out the door. Needed to drop some e-bay items off at Fed-Ex. Done, faced with the decision to drop the trailer off at home and relax or ride. Ride wins. Head south down to Shelburne, normal loops mildly routine. Rolling in style, commuter cross check, upright handlebars, t-shirt and man-pris, being followed by B.O.B hauling nothing. Climbing a small rise in the road some other bike riders from Foundations U-23 Development Team pass me. I thought it would be nice to get a draft back into town. I hop into the pace line, rolling on a bike that would have made Grant Peterson proud being trailed by B.O.B. Needless to say they were not to talkative with me.

It was a fun ride back into town.

Flower Power MTB Race 5.18.2008

2008-05-19T15:33:00.002-05:00

Finish first semester of graduate classes on a high note. Check.
Put bike racing on the back burner for the spring in favor is school and a ski trip. Check.
Have many miles in my legs. Check.
Find a new way to make this whole thing harder. Check.

Motivation to race has been low. Motivation to ride has be very high. Hobbled together a new frankenbike that has been getting alot of my attention recently. Take a Surly 1x1, slap on a front disc brake, find some low profile 29er tires, put on a fairly stiff geared fixed cog. The result is my new to me MTB fixed gear machine. Not the best use of this wonderful frame, but boy is it fun.

Fast forward to the morning of the 18th, first race of the year at Catamount Outdoor Center here in the Burlington area. My lady was going to race, and so should I. See all the bike people I miss from the long winter of skiing.

Signed up for the single speed race on the fixed gear demon. At the start no one else had registered, so I bump myself up to the 4 lap open race. Loads of fast people, a handful of single speeds. Line up dead last as I know I will be lagging today.

Start.
Spin spin spin.
First climb, short steep, turn the 34x17 over as fast as possible, pass many as a result.
Saying hi, words of encouragement. I am know at Catamount to be one who constantly talking during the race.
First downhill; open, fast, washboards at the bottom. Hold on for dear life as to not get bucked off.
Get passed by many.
Find my place, lead my group into the singletrack, followed by another Bikeman.com person???
Get in a great group of kids on the local development team, have fun teaching them about racing, and sportsmanship.
Lose the sprint at the end to one of the mop haired youngsters. Congratulate him on his sprint and tactics after the race.
Hopefully will use that tactic down the road as well.
Lose myself in racing. Enjoying it for what it is, a chance to push your own limits no matter what they be.
Many old and new faces out there.
That motivation to race and be out with others is back! Even though I will most likely be racing the fixie many more days this year.
The kicker, finished 8 minuted back from the 4 lap winner.

Bolton Valley TR 12/09/07

2007-12-10T13:54:00.000-05:00

With the amazing amount of snow that we have received in the past week, the mountains are skiing like it is mid-March. Which is sweet, since I really like skiing on natural snow in the woods. But have you ever seen non-natural snow in the woods???

From my trip up Timberline on Wednesday night, Kris and I decided to skin up Timberline Sunday morning to check things out. Few other people rolled into the parking lot as we were starting out, three ladies, all who commented on Kris's Rossignol Rip Ckick Skiis. Mellow skin up, I had enough time to pull my skins and ski back down to Kris. Which confirmed that the snow has got even better. Met back up at the top with a nice view of Burlington in the distance, shared a thermos of coffee/hot chocolate, a homegrown Mocha. As we are having our snack, another group passes us on the way to the top. Another comment on the Rip Chick skis.

We hop back into the skis, drop into the 7-up Woods off of Bolton Valley. It is a tight entrance, until we start our traverse out left in search of untracked snow. This led to a 3 foot rock face when I decided I needed to jump off of it. First try faceplant. Second try stick it. Kris follows suit into a nice powder pillow. From our vantage point the trees open up into a beautiful birch glade, with many rollers and pillows to play on. Kris got the confidence to start dropping smaller drops, and I had a blast using the widely spaced trees as gates to rip around.

All in all a great day to be on the slopes, an do something I would call training!

Bolton night skiing.

2007-12-06T09:41:00.000-05:00

And not the night skiing under the big lights, led headlamp lights!

So I went up to Bolton last night with my neighbor and a few of his friends for some nighttime teleski action. In the last storm cycle they totalled about 30 inches of new snow ontop of the base that was up there. With the last foot being nice light fluffy powder, so light when we skied it, the snow would fall like it was just coming down for the first time. Skined up TImberline to the mid-station droppped into the trail on far skiers left, debated and we headed into the woods. Really tight at the top and it sorta sucked skiing that with a small led headlamp with a light beam about 15 feet. Traverse farther skiers left, it opens up into am amazing birch glade, untracked, so we all had fresh snow in these nicely spaced trees. The effect of this super light snow and a headlamp was awsome, total without. The only negative point we had was it was not steep enough with all the snow!!!! Best run of the year thus far.

Next lap, skin all the way to the top of Timberline, drop into lost boyz. One or two people beat us to that, but plenty of freshies to go around. Steeper, with some roller/drops that sneak up on you in the dark. Nothing like big powder turn, to nothing below you to a poof of powder when you land, all in the dark!!! Easily one of the best runs of the year to come. Four super solid skiers just ripping in the dark on amazing snow.

Greatest song ever

2007-10-25T11:26:00.000-05:00

Would have to be Run DMC's "Walk this Way," which came on in internet radio I was listening to this morning at work. And no this was not the DMC/Aerosmith version, just straight up Run DMC. WOrd

My Year in Photos

2007-10-22T11:18:00.000-05:00

Since the year for me, interms of racing is over, I decided to reminisce about what I accomplished this year. I have seen many people doing this over the past few weeks, which turns out to be alot of words, so I will be doing it in pictures!!!! As you know, they represent a thousand words, so this will be a novel.

The year started with many long cold days on the single speed mountain bike along many rails to trails in Northern VT.

Opener of the year was the Hardcore 24 out near Rochester, NY. It was a long travel to the race, pre ride showed that the course was non-techie climbs, followed by double track descents. Not my cup of tea, but it was fun. Til the race got canceled 9 hours into from a racer having a heart problem out on the course. First time this has ever happened at a race I was at, and hopefully the last. I didn't know the guy, but respect the heck out of him for what he was doing.

Here is another photo from the Hardcore 24. This was taken at about the same time the rider was found on the course having a heart attack. For me, this is how I want to go eventually, racing a 24 with my friends, in an awsome vibe to the event, and this is the last thing I see.

The second race of the year for me was the 12 Hours of Pats Peak, where I learned that you should not race a 12 hour on a single speed at a ski resort without adjusting your ratio!
The 24 hours of Great Glen came and went, with me winning the Single Speed race. My trusty pit person/photographer was racing with the Backcountry Magazine team, so I was racing mostly unsupported and no pictures! Bummer. But here is one from the podium. Notice me looking at the ground, it is scary up there!

This result means alot to me, as there was alot of big talk in early March about me winning the SS race here. I was super stoked to be there with all my friends on the course cheering me on, thanks, Jeff W., Andy S., Thom P., Kris, Lyster, Harry, and the other SS for all the support at the race and the good times, especially the 1 am beers with Mike!!!!

After this weekend, there was one last thing to do.
Bike tour! A nice overnight to the Champlain Islands. This was moments after we found that the ferry we were to take was on wind hold. So the 20 mile ride with a ferry turns into a 40 mile ride, across a big ole bridge, the getting caught into the most fierce rain storm I have seen since Montana. Thanks for the use of your porch, to the house that was for sale in South Hero.

Thats about it for the year. Afew solo 24s, a handful of local xc events, 2 cross races. Note to self don't try to race cross after training for solos, they don't work.

Enjoy the ride.

That time of the year

2007-10-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

Since it is finally starting to look like fall here in the great north VT, my mind is slowly switching from bike riding to skiing. This is always a really hard time of the year, my body is beat, my mind is tired, but the trails are great and are calling me. I want to go roll all the singletrack that is out there before the snow falls. Sneak those last few rides that get ingrained in my mind. But my body is tired, I am trying to avoid getting sick, but the call is too strong to miss out.

Then there are days like this when I want to crawl into a hole and go to sleep. What really sucks, is I ate all the food I brought with me today by 10:30am. So it was loads of apples and coffee for the afternoon to keep me going.

I actually can't wait til November when we have the cold rain, so I won't want to ride more than my commute, but the snow will still suck so I won't make it to the mountains.

November, my one month of rest before the ski into bike season that I have been chasing the past few years.

Gratifying

2007-10-09T13:55:00.001-05:00

is what it is to build some trail on Sunday, then go out and ride it in on Monday. Helped to add to the Mo-Flo trail on sunday with the Fellowship of the Wheel, a nice rolling piece of singletrack, that adds some more fun to the Flo trail.
When I went back to ride it on monday, a light rain was falling making all the leaves extra slick and the mud nice and slippery. Dabbed a few times around some corners that I shouldn't have, lowered the pressure in the front Kenda Nevegal, and helped alot. Running in the high teens, plush.
But as I feared, the cold and the rain caused me to practice for my Great Divide Race hopes and crap in the woods off the trail. Always fun thing to do in the rain.

Can't wait to head back with the Earl's crew and little David Diamond.

24 hours of Great Glen

2007-08-17T08:09:00.000-05:00

A short little write up of the 24 hours of Great Glen that happened last weekend. This was the race that I was putting all my marbles in with, the race that I said in early spring that I would win. Those statements ussually bite me and people in the ass pretty hard, but as it turns out I could start being a fortune teller, as I was able to pull it out and race long and hard to take the win in the solo single speed category.

The competition was amazing. Dave (insert name) was never more than 45 minutes behind me and was somewhat of the slave driver that kept me riding though the night, when I ussually break down in a 24 at 10pm. Knowing he was there kept me motivated to keep trugding through the night. I was also that guy, who on Sunday morning was running the technical sections, and I mean running in the literal sense of the word also, which may have some reason why it is Friday and I am still spent.

All in all, everything worked great, no mechanicals, loads of positive vibes given and received, and no lookng back thinking I could have done something different, other than heading out at 11:55am Sunday for lap number 21 to be one up on second.

24 hours of GG

2007-08-15T10:27:00.000-05:00

Passing my nemesis at 11:15 am sunday morning when he was going out under the tunnel to the other side of the road and I was heading back from that section where he told me I had it and to enjoy the last lap. Which is what I did, this was the lap that I had worked so hard to finish, the last lap of Great Glen withmy winning the solo single speed class. My nemesis was this guy Dave from the LIttelton Landsharks, we had a gentleman's race going from about 4pm saturday when we both were a lap up on everyone else, until the early morning time when we were within 30 minutes. There was not so much attacking, but slugging away at the course, me with a 34:20, him with a 32:24. Two polar opposite gear ratios, both suited for the course and the race. Without this competetion I highly doubt that I would have gotten my desired 20 laps in

The real surprising thing, and something that I learned alot about myself was that this was mostly self supported since my loyal pit crew was racing on the backcountymagazine.com team. So I was left up to my own demise of remembering to drink, eat and change some clothing, basically I was more in tuned with what was going on. With all that, no problems at all.

It was awsome to ride with everyone out there, Jeff W., Andy S., and Harry who won the solo 19-35, all those who I met at the Jay Challnge in 2004, where all this endurance stuff started. What sealed the deal for me was, going out at 12:30am for a night lap with Kris, since it was her first night lap ever, this was after my 30 minute rest, getting out there and putting this relaxed lap in put me one lap up and allowed me to sleep another 30 minutes.

Hardcore 24

2007-06-17T20:42:00.001-05:00

So it has come and gone, too quickly some might say. The short end of it, the race got canceled at 8:58pm saturday night in response to an incident on the race course that took the life of another racer. There was no racer rage, noone got chopped for a line, no dangerouse performace inhancing drugs to be found, just another average guy like the rest of us, challenging his limits. Only thing was that he had a medical condition that made his limits much greater than the rest of ours, he faced his limits and unfortuanlly lost, or beat them as he was out there racing his bike having a whole blast of a time. I send condolences out to his family and Park Ave. Bike who was putting the event on, where he was a manager.

I wanted to do a race recap, not what I feel like writting tonight, more on that later, sometimes your personal goals and achievments have to be put on hold to think of others.

The one high point I want to share, last part of the lap, last lap, climbed to the top of the climb with a 12 year old kid, doing his first night lap, of his second 24 hour race ever, on a 29er. Plus the fact that he schooled me on the fire road decent.

j.

Getting it all ready

2007-06-13T21:27:00.000-05:00

Been taking it really easy on the bike this week. Just commuting from Kris's house into town and my normal riding around town on the MTB to get the fit all dialed in.

Spent the evening getting the final things together, grocery getting, repacking the clothes. Eating the pre-race dinner, beans and franks and scotch. What a way to build some fat stores.

Lets get this all going!!!

Its Comnig

2007-06-12T06:06:00.000-05:00

It's on. After the past 6 months of training, countless hours geeking out and deciding on gear, bikes and food, I get to test the waters this weekend with The Hardcore 24. Weather looks great, resting hard, but the legs feel the strongest ever, hell even riding a gear hardtail with a suspension fork, thanks George at bike29.com.

It is great when you are feeling it going into a race, knowing that you are prepared and looking to throw down. There is the looming goal of 200+ miles, did just under 150 in Georgia this fall on a hard ass course and a single speed.

We shall see, thanks to all that are helping, Kris, bikeman.com

Clothing is on the way

2007-04-23T06:29:00.000-05:00

Big news for the day is that I just checked my checking account, and looks like my new Bikeman.com clothing is paid for and on the way to mi casa. Looking forward to the new stuff on two accounts. One I need some new bib shorts. Two, a whole new round of motivation wearing the colors of a new team. This year was interesting for me in that respect, I had options for bikeman.com and a spot on the Gary Fisher New England Regional team. Took some thinking but I decided on bikeman.com since I was able to choose the componentry I want to ride, not just the stuff from the Trek giant. And I really like my Independent Fabrications race bike.

Another long block of training on my days off this week. Just over 5 hours friday, wth about 2 hours at tempo thrown in.

Got Kris to do her first gap ride on saturday, up to the top of Middlebury Gap, super fun climb. Nothing like climbing to 3k feet to feel like you are in the Alps. Decended back down to Ripton to cruise the forrest service trails down there. Defenetly the place to get back to after the snow melts all the way. I am thinking this will be part of my off road century later this summer.

Sunday we got up early, little road ride before Kris went to work, then I met up with a group ride before I had to head to work. Nothing to fast but always an effort when everyone else is on road bikes and you are on the mountain bike. Resistance training at its best.

Topped it all off with lots of meat and some of the best beer around, VPB!

Season Focus

2007-04-18T20:56:00.000-05:00

There has been some talk out there of folks heading out to ohio to race this weekend, and some have even started racing out west and in the deep south. For me, racing starts on the 20th of May with the flower power, where I will be lite up.

Wait afew more weeks then time to get hardcore, well the Hardcore 24, first 24 of 3 of the year. Reasonable goals for all of them, podium of the open men.

That and the wednesday night race series over at catamount (www.catamountoutdoor.com)

Soo hard to get focused to ride with races spread out to august, but I am hoping that my new copy of solo24 comes in soon to create that drive, that and the sun comes out in vermont again this week, which should help.

First things first

2007-04-15T21:13:00.000-05:00

Ok, so i decided to start posting on a blog, why, well i want to keep better track of my training, and this could be an interesting way to keep me in check. So here is a recap of the past few days, friday, afew hours of teleskiing, followed by some compu-trainer time at Green Mountain Rehab. 30 minutes on a TT course, 270 average watt, topping out at 554 for abit. Followed by about an hour on the bike path.

Saturday, I wanted to die. Planned on meeting my lady out at smuggs for some skiing after a ride out there, but got rained and iced on an hour out. Decided to change plans and do 4x5-7 minutes hill climbing, all seated. All intold 4.5 hours of real real cold riding, 40 degree rain, right.

Today, worked some, had a relaxing morning at home making breakfast. Sat on the trainer for about 30 minutes, while we are having a nor'easter out. To recap the indoor riding this year, started in NOVEMBER, comtinued on til April. That makes 6 months of riding indoors. Afew 5-6 hour rides thrown in outside, but that is 6 months of riding the trainer for 30-1.5 hours. Most of those days were after tele skiing or a nordic workout. It really sucks at this point. But northern VT has to have some positives, oh yes, knee deep powder days in april, that makes it all right. Plus I realized my race for the year, the one I want to podium at, 24 hours of Great Glen is in August. I got it, all in time, got the base now time to focus.