Base Training and Finals

Hey all time for an update. Well I started my base training and I have been going for just over 2 weeks now. Its pretty tough to do, and it takes its toll on your body. I think I am getting used to it at this point, so its getting better all of the time. Aside from the bike, I managed to pull of some not so good grades this semester. I don't really understand how I did how I did in some of the classes, but live and learn I guess. This obviously means that I need to study more because Im not doing it enough. Well Im off to work hope everyone has a good holiday...thanks for checking in

I should be reading

Well hello all, I should be reading the two books that I need to have read by next week, but I'm not so here I am. I raced what I think is my last cross race of the season on Sunday, and it couldn't have gone worse. The course was at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, there mostly raced on grass and washboard style trails. The first set of barriers wern't bad, but the second was at the bottom of a huge run up and was really tough. I had a pretty good position for the first lap of the race and felt ok, then I crashed once, it wasn't too bad but it definately shook me up quite a bit. I got back on my bike and tried to regain my position, then the kid in front attacked and all the kids in front of me were burying it just to try to stay with him, and it was a pace I couldn't keep up on. This led to my second crash, which wasn't bad at all I wasn't going very fast and I recovered quickly. With about 2 laps to go I was having a lot of trouble trying to get into my pedal after the barrier section, which slowed me down a lot and I continued to drop places. On the last lap I crashed really hard about 100 meters from the finish. I could have quit the race right there, and in the process one of the juniors passed me and another was coming up hard. I'm not sure what place I got and I don't really care, but it sucked getting beat by a 12 year old but not everyone has a great day on the bike.
I didn't really end my cross season on a good note, but I had a ton of fun with it all year, and it is something to work up to for next year. I want to thank corey for letting me use his bike all season and scotty for helping me out too. Well base for road season starts on monday...wish me luck!

Im tired

Well I raced in Golden this weekend and it was an interesting race for sure. Lately in all the races I've done, I have felt really bad right out of the gate, and a lot better about 20 minutes in. So I tried to have a longer and harder warm up today and it made all the difference. Right from the start it pretty much split into 2 groups, just about half and half. I got into the first group and felt really good for the first 30 minutes. Our group of 15 or so turned into about 9 then the guy in front attacked so the pace was made a lot faster. The course was very flat, lots of corners and very bumpy, I thought that keeping the most momentum and speed through the turns would be to my advantage. So I came into a corner a little to hot, bike came out from under me and I crashed hard, probably harder than I ever have in a cross race. I got up and regrouped only to find that my bars were bent one way, and I was pretty scratched up. I finished the race but did not put in any significant efforts to come back. I ended up taking second to last place I think.
I'm dissappointed with how my race went but part of racing is taking risks, and sometimes it comes out in negative consequences. Anywho, I know how to warm up for other races now and I feel that I can do much better next week! I had a lot of people cheering for me including Corey's mom, my dad, grandparents, Scotty, Ambrette, Corey and I even got a shout from our good friend Dave Towle. Scotty had similar luck in his race, broke his shifter cable and got to do his race in a 40-12, doesn't sound like fun to me. Corey's race was very fun to watch, we were all rooting for him and he pulled out 3rd place good job everybody, and thanks for checking in.

Jacob Haines

Well I have had a rough couple of days. I had to go to a funeral for a friend on tuesday afternoon. If you look at the picture the kid on the far right is Jake, he was just 18. Apparently, he tried to beat a train in his car on friday morning, and didn't make it. There was easily five or six hundred people at this funeral, it is amazing how many people he really did touch. I met him this August when school started because he is a friend of one of my roommates. I remember him as the kid who always made you laugh and had the biggest smile you will ever see. His parents and friends who talked at the funeral said the exact same thing about Jake. I could only imagine what his parents are going through right now, having to bury their son. I remember the last time we talked he asked what I was doing this weekend, I told him I was racing my bike in boulder. He told me, well you better win because you ride all the time! I didn't really think about what he said until today, and it really hit me hard. Jake like you always said, if you aren't living life on the edge you are just taking up space. Jake for the short time I knew you we had a blast, and I will never forget it. Someday if I ever win I bike race I am going to dedicate it to you. Rest in peace Jake

Cyclocross

Hello all, I recently have gotten into cyclocross thanks to my good friends Corey and Scott, and Mark Cooper, for letting me use his bike. The pictures I have here are from last weekend.

This is me at the top of the run up, it was really muddy as you can tell.

This is the bottom of the run-up, Corey got Dave Towle to say my name, it may have made me go faster but im not sure.

Scotty got this pretty sweet action shot of me carrying the bike.

Well as for the race I felt kinda crappy right off the bat, and I was extremely nervous. I stayed with a group for a little while within the first 2 laps or so. On the second lap, I hit a bump and my bars decided to do a little spin on me, and I nearly hit my face on the stem. I think that it held me back the rest of the race, but live and learn I guess.

As for this past weekend it was at the Boulder Reservoir, with a lot of sand on the run up, very tough course for sure. Corey rigged up his Surly for me to race on for awhile and it worked out great. I felt really good the whole race, attacked a couple people got nice and dirty and ended up in 58th out of 90. Afterwords we watched the UCI race and cheered Corey on. Thanks again to Scott and Corey for introducing me to another type of bike racing!

Golden Gate Buff MTB

Well I participated in my last collegiate mountain bike race this season. It was in Golden Gate Canyon about 15 miles from Golden. I have a grim memory from this course from the previous year. Here is a small flashback...The course consists of a very large uphill near the beginning, no switchbacks, just straight up. I got about three quarters of the way up, legs locked up on me, keeled over on my bike and puked my guts out. I laid there and collected my thoughts for a few minutes. Used a good old goo pack, finished my 1 lap and called it a day. Today I hoped to finish the race. My parents and my puppy chester came out to cheer me on and hand me a water bottle.

The start
On this particular course I had to do 3 short laps, at about 3.5 miles a piece. Right out of the gate it seperated pretty quickly, and I found myself around about 3 other people, one from CSU and another from Metro.

I was going so fast my mom couldn't keep up with the camera, she can only catch my dust

I got my game face on here, not to sure how my mom got the picture, I was going so fast I'm not sure how she got it!

Chester cheered me on of course

The Finish

I was pleased with my performance and I crossed the line in 9th place. I didn't get to race as much mountain bike that I wanted to, but my fitness has moved a ton since last year. I'm doing my first cross race this weekend wish me luck!

Its Cold

Well I woke up on sunday morning/afternoon after a heavy night of drinking. Only to find it was raining and cold out but that didn't stop Scotty and I from going on the ride of a lifetime.

In other parts of my life, I have a lot on my plate right now with school and all the drama going on in my life. It is pretty much like a real world episode in my house. I won't get into details, but I want out of my house pretty bad right now. Wish I never moved in with everybody. Maybe it will get better but I kinda doubt it. This kind of thing makes me want to leave Greeley sometimes. But I have made a lot of other great friends that I would hate to leave. Ill figure it out i guess

Century

It has been some time, but it was time to update the blog. A lot has happened since I last updated, I did my second century, accompanied by Dana and Corey. We decided to go to Estes Park and back which totals just over 100 miles. Here were some of the highlights of our day.
Corey picked up this large sunflower early in the ride he said he was going to add it to his kitchen, not sure it made it back.

I had a flat problem early in the day, and ended up changing 2 rear tubes.

During one of my tube changes, Dana felt the need to drink, a little...

Me going up the hill, probably really fast.

All in all the day ended with a total mileage of 104.62 miles, I had a blast and would love to do it again in the near future. Thanks to Dana and Corey for having a great day on the bike. Thanks for checking in.

School is back in session

Well I should probably be apologizing to my many faithful readers yet again for my lack of updates. I have had a busy couple of weeks as far as helping out my grandfather in Santa Fe after his knee replacement surgury. I have been able to get on the road bike a little in the past few weeks to finally get some hill practice in. I have never been very confident on hills at all, so I am trying to do them as much as possible. Havn't been on my mountain bike since my little tumble and need to get back out there, so hopefully I will get some MTBing in this week. I'm hoping to do a lot better mountain biking this year. I was in no kind of shape to ride last year, and with as much as I have been riding I see it turning out pretty well. The bike pics will be up soon I promise.
On a sadder note, our house seems to be the place that cops love to show up at. I recieved a ticket for an MIP and an unlawful noise charge. The court date is September 25th, 2006 so wish me luck. thanks for checking in. School starts on monday!



PS. It is my 20th birthday on friday, so if you have any cards to send...sent them to

B-day Boy
1851 11th Ave.
Greeley, Co 80631

sorry

For my many active readers (Brian) I apologize for the lack of updates. Not a whole lot been going on lately, just work and trying to stay on the bike. Mountain bike "training" is going pretty good I'm getting out quite a bit and feeling more comfortable all the time. I went out with Scott and Corey today and about 200 yards out we had a mechanical on Scott's bike. Only to find out that his hub was cracked...didn't know that was possible. So Scott rode back and Corey and I rode to the top of Coyote Ridge. When we got to the top Corey asked if I wanted to race to the car. I accepted and took my 30 second handicap that he gave me. About 30 feet down I dumped it harder than I have in a long time. It hurt for sure and was real shakey the rest of the way down. Afterwords we went to Feighny's and he gave us a glass of wine, and we all met the Feighny's new baby. We hit the Chipotle after that and indulged in some delicious food. Well I should be updating more soon, and I thought that I should do a bike review of my bikes...because it is an excuse to update...it will be coming soon