Friday, July 27, 2007
1/2 Bradbury Pre-ride
The course direction is changed this year as we begin on the parking lot side and ride/run up the switchback we used to descend on. I scouted it out briefly, it is surely going to split people up in a hurry!
I spent the rest of the ride across the street yesterday as it was just a tempo day for me. Got my requisite over-the-handlebars moment over with early on. The most challenging sections are the first 2 so we get them over quickly. There are brief monents for recovery on the double track sections. We get a nice long break as we bomb down the snowmobile trail/road right down the middle. All told I had just under 13 miles of singletrack action. Could there ever be too much singletrack?!
My sense is this race is going to be as much about mental toughness and concentration as it is about endurance. Although the singletrack is not technically difficult, it commands your full attention as a lapse in focus can find you overcooking a turn and breaking new trail.
I hope it's more fun than obnoxiously long!
I'll hit the mountain side Saturday to get a full feel for the race.
I spent the rest of the ride across the street yesterday as it was just a tempo day for me. Got my requisite over-the-handlebars moment over with early on. The most challenging sections are the first 2 so we get them over quickly. There are brief monents for recovery on the double track sections. We get a nice long break as we bomb down the snowmobile trail/road right down the middle. All told I had just under 13 miles of singletrack action. Could there ever be too much singletrack?!
My sense is this race is going to be as much about mental toughness and concentration as it is about endurance. Although the singletrack is not technically difficult, it commands your full attention as a lapse in focus can find you overcooking a turn and breaking new trail.
I hope it's more fun than obnoxiously long!
I'll hit the mountain side Saturday to get a full feel for the race.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
STXC National Championship Report 7/22
Expert 30+
3rd/33
What a fun finish to the weekend! Although I had a slight all-over-body soreness, I was looking forward to this short track race. Thankfully, my coach Beau mandated I do a longer-than-normal warm-up in order to flush out some of the XC abuse and be primed to go for today’s event. This race was on a short, maybe 1/2K loop around the base lodge area that had 1 stiff up and down and a hairpin turn to the finish straight. The race was 20 minutes plus 3 laps long. Since it consisted of any Expert 30 years or older, I didn’t know what the caliber would be, but I assumed tough. Turns out the winner placed 7th and the runner up was 2nd in their Expert 30-35 XC race the day before so the field was tough for sure.
I got a call up so was able to line up on the front line. I learned from my experience in this event last year that you have to be in contact with the front group if you want to have a chance in the end. Last year I got pinched on the inside of the 1st corner and could never make up spots and ended up chasing around the front pack of 10 in no-man’s land. Today, I got the hole shot and led the field around the first couple of laps.
I quickly realized this wasn’t the ideal place to be for the next 20 minutes as I wasn’t getting away and there was enough of a headwind on the front stretch that made the effort at the front. After a few laps one guy made a break and stayed away for a few circuits. With the help of a few others, we reeled him in and settled into a true road criterium type race. I was always positioned in the top 3 so I knew exactly what was going on at all times. After yesterday’s narrow loss, I had ample motivation to go for a win.
The race ebbed and flowed as we were a pack of about 10 riders as many couldn’t match the early pace. We slowed considerably as the 20-minute mark came around as riders were looking to conserve energy for a final assault. The guy who made an earlier break was out in front when we were at 3 laps to go and I started tapping my previous crit racing experience. There have been far too may times when I’ve said to myself I should have done something, but was too conservative and ended up with nothing to show for it anyway. When we crossed the line with 2 laps to go, I decided I would make my move. The Specialized guy was out front, and I was 3rd wheel. There was a flat just before the climb and that’s where I hit the gas. I leaped out of the pack and stormed up the hill. I knew I was fast on the descent and turns so whatever gap I could create on the climb I would hold through to the start/finish at least. I had nothing to lose. Pulling from the experience I had the F-L crit, if I didn’t make a move I would have had to contend with a pack sprint finish and only hope to finish top-5. Today, I was in control and dictating the outcome; best case scenario: win, worst: pack finish. So I kept pounding the pedals. The roar of the crowd was chilling as I ripped through the start/finish solo. I never looked back because I didn’t want to! I heard Babs through the din and I gave it all I had heading up the climb. Unfortunately, the Specialized guy ended up bridging the gap and he was towing someone along whom I hadn’t seen all race. They just got ahead of me at the top of the hill which meant it was going to come down to the final turn. As I was 3rd wheel there, I was pretty much SOL. But I had a chance to glance back and see I had a gap behind so I knew I was on the podium. The 2 ahead of me had a fierce sprint and the new guy just edged out the Specialized guy. Nice strategy on his part. He chilled in the pack all race and had the legs to sprint at the end. His body type was also way stronger than either of ours so that was clearly his strength.
The announcer said that was the most exciting racing he has ever seen as strategy, tactics, and power were all used to the limit. I had a lot of fun (although I was hating life during the race!) and was very happy with the finish. Babs was so amped up! She even said she almost threw up when I went solo! Her excitement made all the pain worthwhile.
Next year, 2 jerseys!
3rd/33
What a fun finish to the weekend! Although I had a slight all-over-body soreness, I was looking forward to this short track race. Thankfully, my coach Beau mandated I do a longer-than-normal warm-up in order to flush out some of the XC abuse and be primed to go for today’s event. This race was on a short, maybe 1/2K loop around the base lodge area that had 1 stiff up and down and a hairpin turn to the finish straight. The race was 20 minutes plus 3 laps long. Since it consisted of any Expert 30 years or older, I didn’t know what the caliber would be, but I assumed tough. Turns out the winner placed 7th and the runner up was 2nd in their Expert 30-35 XC race the day before so the field was tough for sure.
I got a call up so was able to line up on the front line. I learned from my experience in this event last year that you have to be in contact with the front group if you want to have a chance in the end. Last year I got pinched on the inside of the 1st corner and could never make up spots and ended up chasing around the front pack of 10 in no-man’s land. Today, I got the hole shot and led the field around the first couple of laps.
I quickly realized this wasn’t the ideal place to be for the next 20 minutes as I wasn’t getting away and there was enough of a headwind on the front stretch that made the effort at the front. After a few laps one guy made a break and stayed away for a few circuits. With the help of a few others, we reeled him in and settled into a true road criterium type race. I was always positioned in the top 3 so I knew exactly what was going on at all times. After yesterday’s narrow loss, I had ample motivation to go for a win.The race ebbed and flowed as we were a pack of about 10 riders as many couldn’t match the early pace. We slowed considerably as the 20-minute mark came around as riders were looking to conserve energy for a final assault. The guy who made an earlier break was out in front when we were at 3 laps to go and I started tapping my previous crit racing experience. There have been far too may times when I’ve said to myself I should have done something, but was too conservative and ended up with nothing to show for it anyway. When we crossed the line with 2 laps to go, I decided I would make my move. The Specialized guy was out front, and I was 3rd wheel. There was a flat just before the climb and that’s where I hit the gas. I leaped out of the pack and stormed up the hill. I knew I was fast on the descent and turns so whatever gap I could create on the climb I would hold through to the start/finish at least. I had nothing to lose. Pulling from the experience I had the F-L crit, if I didn’t make a move I would have had to contend with a pack sprint finish and only hope to finish top-5. Today, I was in control and dictating the outcome; best case scenario: win, worst: pack finish. So I kept pounding the pedals. The roar of the crowd was chilling as I ripped through the start/finish solo. I never looked back because I didn’t want to! I heard Babs through the din and I gave it all I had heading up the climb. Unfortunately, the Specialized guy ended up bridging the gap and he was towing someone along whom I hadn’t seen all race. They just got ahead of me at the top of the hill which meant it was going to come down to the final turn. As I was 3rd wheel there, I was pretty much SOL. But I had a chance to glance back and see I had a gap behind so I knew I was on the podium. The 2 ahead of me had a fierce sprint and the new guy just edged out the Specialized guy. Nice strategy on his part. He chilled in the pack all race and had the legs to sprint at the end. His body type was also way stronger than either of ours so that was clearly his strength.
The announcer said that was the most exciting racing he has ever seen as strategy, tactics, and power were all used to the limit. I had a lot of fun (although I was hating life during the race!) and was very happy with the finish. Babs was so amped up! She even said she almost threw up when I went solo! Her excitement made all the pain worthwhile.
Next year, 2 jerseys!
XC National Championship Report 7/21
Expert 40-44
2nd/31
0:00:07 is the story of the day.
As I had hoped, the weather cooperated as best as it could. The sun and breeze the day before did a good job drying the course where it could. Nonetheless, I turned the wheelset into tubeless and ran mud tires which were a timely purchase with my Snow Bowl race winnings. Race day was sunny and fairly mild so there was no worry of under-hydrating. After some callups, I lined up on the 2nd row and set my mind to the task at hand. I hoped I would get out to a good start, hit the 1st singletrack top-5 or so, and settle in to a groove. I knew my strength was climbing so I would push the pace there and play the descent conservatively. I had no idea what the conditions were going to be like in the woods and I didn’t want to lose the race there. There were some fast cats in my group whom I knew from New England that I marked as challengers, but had no idea what the talent level was from guys from away.
The whistle blew and we were off. I didn’t have a very good start and was only top-10 heading into the woods. As I suspected, Troy Kimball leaped up the climb and had a gap already. However, in the first section of woods, it was mayhem. Seems like everyone ahead of me crashed, including Kimball. I quickly dismounted rather than try to ride through the carnage and ended up passing at least 5 guys. I emerged unscathed and set my sights on what ended up being only a couple of guys ahead as we began our ascent. I soon passed Stu Jensen asking if he knew who was up ahead. He said just 1 other. I had no idea Kimball had wiped out back in the woods and he was 1 of the one’s I got by. So I settled in and tried to match the pace of the rider ahead of me. He was a tad quicker than I so he built up somewhat of a gap. I wasn’t too concerned as this was only lap 1 of 3. I was worried about who was behind me and I focused on keeping them at bay. I hadn’t seen Mark Gunsalus or Sam Wilcox yet. I maintained a good pace straight to the top keeping the leader (even though I thought he was maybe 2nd) in sight. But, just as we reached the summit and were about to enter the downhill singletrack, Wilcox came around me and entered the trail ahead of me. I was expecting it, so I just vowed to take it easy, stay upright, and try to follow his wheel. Well, that worked for a minute as I quickly endoed in a deep mud hole that caught me by surprise. My hands saved me, but were caked in mud. I shook it off, and headed on at my own pace. As it turns out, I didn’t loose too much time and the 2 guys ahead were in sight. I pursued them at a steady pace and prepared mentally for lap 2. I was on Wilcox’s wheel the whole time up to the summit allowing me to execute my plan to enter the singletrack ahead of him, hoping to dictate the pace and not loose any time as he was a talented descender. The tactic was short lived as I came up on lapped traffic and was slowed at a run section and Wilcox got by me. Again, I didn’t panic. I made it through and came out of the woods even closer to him than the 1st lap. I guess it was at this point that I forgot about the 1st place guy as I was focused on Wilcox. We rode through the start/finish close, but not wheel to wheel, and embarked on our final lap. I felt like I was in a good position and was going to push the climbs as I felt like I still had gas in the tank. I hadn’t used the granny gear the whole day and the legs felt strong. But, Wilcox made the move of the day when he pushed the pace on the section of singetrack at the base of the mountain that was unrideable. He ran smoothly and quickly and I just didn’t realize it in time and he was soon out of sight. When we emerged on an open climb section, I saw he was pretty far away and it was going to be difficult for me to bridge the gap. I’m pretty sure I went as hard as I could, but never saw the gap close so he must have been pushing it as well. Mid-way up the climb I was surprised to come up on the other guy in our class whom I forgot about. He was maxed out so I just continued on thinking how lucky I was. I summited and began the descent focused on riding defensively and conservatively. The race could not be won in the woods, but easily lost. I emerged in good shape at the bottom and was set to cruise to the finish when what to me wondering eyes should appear, but Wilcox a little ways up! After shaking off my disbelief, I set out to try to reel him in. I had under 1K to go, so there wasn’t much time, but the course was wide open so I had a chance I thought. However, he too was emptying his tank whether he knew I was back there or not and I just ran out of time and space.
So, after 2 hours and 12 minutes of racing, I missed out on the championship jersey by 7 seconds. There was a time when I would have been pissed and broken something, but I was at relative peace the finish. I was competitive and had a good clean race. Of course there were ample opportunities to have made up 7 seconds somewhere earlier in the race, but I’m sure the winner could have made up more time too, so it’s all good. I was close, but no jersey. But, you can count on 0:00:07 written on my handlebars as I prepare for next year’s championship!
Thanks go obviously to Babs and the boys for feeding me, Kennebec Bike and Ski for tuning the bike perfectly, my coach Beau for taking me to this level, and Kona providing me with a bike that helps me exude confidence both climbing and descending.
2nd/31
0:00:07 is the story of the day.
As I had hoped, the weather cooperated as best as it could. The sun and breeze the day before did a good job drying the course where it could. Nonetheless, I turned the wheelset into tubeless and ran mud tires which were a timely purchase with my Snow Bowl race winnings. Race day was sunny and fairly mild so there was no worry of under-hydrating. After some callups, I lined up on the 2nd row and set my mind to the task at hand. I hoped I would get out to a good start, hit the 1st singletrack top-5 or so, and settle in to a groove. I knew my strength was climbing so I would push the pace there and play the descent conservatively. I had no idea what the conditions were going to be like in the woods and I didn’t want to lose the race there. There were some fast cats in my group whom I knew from New England that I marked as challengers, but had no idea what the talent level was from guys from away.
The whistle blew and we were off. I didn’t have a very good start and was only top-10 heading into the woods. As I suspected, Troy Kimball leaped up the climb and had a gap already. However, in the first section of woods, it was mayhem. Seems like everyone ahead of me crashed, including Kimball. I quickly dismounted rather than try to ride through the carnage and ended up passing at least 5 guys. I emerged unscathed and set my sights on what ended up being only a couple of guys ahead as we began our ascent. I soon passed Stu Jensen asking if he knew who was up ahead. He said just 1 other. I had no idea Kimball had wiped out back in the woods and he was 1 of the one’s I got by. So I settled in and tried to match the pace of the rider ahead of me. He was a tad quicker than I so he built up somewhat of a gap. I wasn’t too concerned as this was only lap 1 of 3. I was worried about who was behind me and I focused on keeping them at bay. I hadn’t seen Mark Gunsalus or Sam Wilcox yet. I maintained a good pace straight to the top keeping the leader (even though I thought he was maybe 2nd) in sight. But, just as we reached the summit and were about to enter the downhill singletrack, Wilcox came around me and entered the trail ahead of me. I was expecting it, so I just vowed to take it easy, stay upright, and try to follow his wheel. Well, that worked for a minute as I quickly endoed in a deep mud hole that caught me by surprise. My hands saved me, but were caked in mud. I shook it off, and headed on at my own pace. As it turns out, I didn’t loose too much time and the 2 guys ahead were in sight. I pursued them at a steady pace and prepared mentally for lap 2. I was on Wilcox’s wheel the whole time up to the summit allowing me to execute my plan to enter the singletrack ahead of him, hoping to dictate the pace and not loose any time as he was a talented descender. The tactic was short lived as I came up on lapped traffic and was slowed at a run section and Wilcox got by me. Again, I didn’t panic. I made it through and came out of the woods even closer to him than the 1st lap. I guess it was at this point that I forgot about the 1st place guy as I was focused on Wilcox. We rode through the start/finish close, but not wheel to wheel, and embarked on our final lap. I felt like I was in a good position and was going to push the climbs as I felt like I still had gas in the tank. I hadn’t used the granny gear the whole day and the legs felt strong. But, Wilcox made the move of the day when he pushed the pace on the section of singetrack at the base of the mountain that was unrideable. He ran smoothly and quickly and I just didn’t realize it in time and he was soon out of sight. When we emerged on an open climb section, I saw he was pretty far away and it was going to be difficult for me to bridge the gap. I’m pretty sure I went as hard as I could, but never saw the gap close so he must have been pushing it as well. Mid-way up the climb I was surprised to come up on the other guy in our class whom I forgot about. He was maxed out so I just continued on thinking how lucky I was. I summited and began the descent focused on riding defensively and conservatively. The race could not be won in the woods, but easily lost. I emerged in good shape at the bottom and was set to cruise to the finish when what to me wondering eyes should appear, but Wilcox a little ways up! After shaking off my disbelief, I set out to try to reel him in. I had under 1K to go, so there wasn’t much time, but the course was wide open so I had a chance I thought. However, he too was emptying his tank whether he knew I was back there or not and I just ran out of time and space.So, after 2 hours and 12 minutes of racing, I missed out on the championship jersey by 7 seconds. There was a time when I would have been pissed and broken something, but I was at relative peace the finish. I was competitive and had a good clean race. Of course there were ample opportunities to have made up 7 seconds somewhere earlier in the race, but I’m sure the winner could have made up more time too, so it’s all good. I was close, but no jersey. But, you can count on 0:00:07 written on my handlebars as I prepare for next year’s championship!
Thanks go obviously to Babs and the boys for feeding me, Kennebec Bike and Ski for tuning the bike perfectly, my coach Beau for taking me to this level, and Kona providing me with a bike that helps me exude confidence both climbing and descending.
Mt. Snow Trip
We all piled in the family truckster on Wednesday and headed south, then west, then north, then south, then west, then north to West Dover, VT. It was a rainy day and my original plan was to be at Mt. Snow mid-day and ride a couple of laps. But analyzing the weather, I decided to get a couple hours of road riding in here at home then head over leisurely. My upper body was still semi-sore from the Snow Bowl race and I did not want to battle crappy conditions on the tough Mt. Snow course. We landed in Brattleboro, VT around dinner time and stopped at an old stomping ground of mine when I was attending grad. school there. Thursday was a day off, so it was spent hanging with the fam. at the pool and frog/newt hunting. 
Friday was a full day of XC racing so my only opportunity to get a ride in was before 8am so Freye and I did a lap. It had rained quite a bit Thursday night and the course was thoroughly thrashed. Even the open slope climbs were unridable, making for a pretty miserable experience. I felt sorry for the semi-pros like Burns who were the first racers of the day. Fortunately, the organizers dropped a lap off everyone’s race so folks weren’t totally hating life. Luckily, the day was sunny and breezy and the course dried out where it was able. Coupled with all the races on the day, conditions were sure to improve for my race Saturday. We all spent the rest of the day at the pool, at the frog pond where the bucket couldn't contain all the loot, 
and at the base lodge watching some races. The dual slalom was pretty cool. Babs prepared my tried and true pre-race dinner and we chilled watching basic TV because the cheapos who owned the condo don’t have the next package up. I couldn’t even watch ESPN, let alone Le Tour on Vs.! How weak!
On race day, Babs and the boys positioned themselves in the feed zone and patiently waited for me to come by for the bottle exchanges. Drake was awesome as he held out a water which I could down while riding through the zone and then I traded with Babs up the hill. Fenix was the mechanic as he tried to spray off my derailleur. They all helped me get through the event and it’s always great seeing them excited at the finish. We waited a ridonculously long time for the awards presentation, then headed back to the pool which I think was pretty key for my recovery.
Babs made a mountain out of a mole hill and whipped up another great supper out of the leftovers, refilling my tank prepping me for the short track. That morning we packed up, they snuck 1 more session in at the pool while I did an extra long warm up. Babs and the boys hung out at the playground which was surrounded by the STXC course as we raced around and around. The boys were oblivious to the race, but I could hear Babs every time around really motivating me! The rest of the day was all about fun as the boys had their race with the pros. As un-luck would have it, my STXC awards ceremony was at the same time as the kids’ race so Babs was solo (what else is new?!).
Friday was a full day of XC racing so my only opportunity to get a ride in was before 8am so Freye and I did a lap. It had rained quite a bit Thursday night and the course was thoroughly thrashed. Even the open slope climbs were unridable, making for a pretty miserable experience. I felt sorry for the semi-pros like Burns who were the first racers of the day. Fortunately, the organizers dropped a lap off everyone’s race so folks weren’t totally hating life. Luckily, the day was sunny and breezy and the course dried out where it was able. Coupled with all the races on the day, conditions were sure to improve for my race Saturday. We all spent the rest of the day at the pool, at the frog pond where the bucket couldn't contain all the loot, and at the base lodge watching some races. The dual slalom was pretty cool. Babs prepared my tried and true pre-race dinner and we chilled watching basic TV because the cheapos who owned the condo don’t have the next package up. I couldn’t even watch ESPN, let alone Le Tour on Vs.! How weak!On race day, Babs and the boys positioned themselves in the feed zone and patiently waited for me to come by for the bottle exchanges. Drake was awesome as he held out a water which I could down while riding through the zone and then I traded with Babs up the hill. Fenix was the mechanic as he tried to spray off my derailleur. They all helped me get through the event and it’s always great seeing them excited at the finish. We waited a ridonculously long time for the awards presentation, then headed back to the pool which I think was pretty key for my recovery.
Babs made a mountain out of a mole hill and whipped up another great supper out of the leftovers, refilling my tank prepping me for the short track. That morning we packed up, they snuck 1 more session in at the pool while I did an extra long warm up. Babs and the boys hung out at the playground which was surrounded by the STXC course as we raced around and around. The boys were oblivious to the race, but I could hear Babs every time around really motivating me! The rest of the day was all about fun as the boys had their race with the pros. As un-luck would have it, my STXC awards ceremony was at the same time as the kids’ race so Babs was solo (what else is new?!).
Fenix is NOT intimidated!
Drake went off no problem and raced around coming in 2nd. Babs chased Fenix all the way around giving him a hand when needed as this was his first no training wheels event. They both were were stoked to get their medals and Gatorade!
Babs was happy everyone, including herself, were still in 1 piece! We took 1 more cruise through the venue where the boys met and got an autograph from the future star Sam Shultz.
We then loaded back up and headed south, then east, then north, then south then east, then north to Maine culminating the trip with a much-anticipated stop at Gritty’s and Ben & Jerry’s in Freeport.It was great to be home after a much rewarding trip. I owe everything to Babs who was the consummate team manager and who put up with my PRS (Pre Race Syndrome) like a champ. I appreciate all the sacrifices she and the boys have made to help get me to this level. I can only hope to repay them somehow, someday. Then again, Drake seems pretty happy with just holding a frog!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
MMBA #3 Race Report 7/15
1st Expert Vet I
1st Overall Expert/Elite
1st Overall Expert/Elite
The venue
Well, I had an elaborate report that is now apparently lost in cyberspace. So let me cut to the chase. I'm totally and pleasantly suprised by my result. At the line, my strategy was to keep Big Al in check, ride Racin' Rick's wheel on the descent, reel in Adam Larochelle eventually, and maybe ride with Freye for a lap or 2. Everything started out as hoped, Adam took off, Al had a ferocious start then settled in to a groove, and Rick towed Freye and me to the top and down on the first lap. Rick motored the descent and the rough stuff with his 29er. On lap 2, Adam was 2 minutes ahead and Rick, Freye and I teamed up on the ascent to begin the chase. At the top, all hell broke loose. Andrew slowed I thought just for a drink but was never seen again. Partway down the descent Rick pulled off stating he had a slow leak. This left me in sole possession of 2nd place. I felt lost without my riding partners! I soldiered on, trying to stay smooth and maintain a solid pace with the hope still of catching Adam. On the 3rd lap, I scaled back on the ascent and spun in the granny gear, wanting to save something for the final lap. The new sections were deceptively difficult. The soft and challenging terrain drained more out of you than you realized. Halfway through the 3rd lap I came upon Adam walking his bike. I couldn't believe what was happening! He broke a chain and I inherited the lead. Naturally, there's an adrenaline surge when you're first, but I had to temper it with the fact that I had another complete lap to go. Luckily I had conserved enough gas and made my way up the climb steadily, back in the middle ring. I was tired, yes. There were a few spots that I rode easily 3 times before, but now had to dismount and run quickly. But once at the top, I realized my fatigue was not limited to my legs, my left forearm and index finger froze on the downhill scaring the crap out of me! My upper body had taken a beating and it was rebelling at the worst time. I tried to flex it out as best I could, but I was forced to be extra conservative on the descent. The remaining lap wasn't pretty! I ate dirt a couple of times, including hitting a random tree stump and in the last singletrack section where you have to whoa down to fit between 2 trees! I was gassed to say the least! But I made it to the finish and was happy.
Props go to Big Al for toughing it out as long as he did on a rigid bike and condolences to Adam, Rick, and Freye for their mechanical mishaps. I thought this was going to be the first race where a strategy was going to be played out.
Now it's off to Nats at Mt. Snow to compete against the best of the best. This is what all the training has been for.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Maine Bike Rally Time Trial Report 7/8
35-44
3rd
Overall
18th
I still had the Aegis T2 I borrowed from owner Pete Orne when fellow Kents Hillian Matt Moore told me about this race he was heading to. I seized the opportunity to ride this awesome bike again and he and I headed south early in the morning.
Unfortunately it was a rainy day so spirits were somewhat dappened, but we rationalized it was going to be better than training in the rain.
We joined a record number of participants (90 or so), warmed up on our trainers and pounded the pedals. The course was just over 12 miles of mostly flat so it was a true hammer fest! Matt went out some 7 minutes ahead of me in light showers and wet roads. It didn't rain on my run, but one had to make full use of the road to avoid the running water and standing puddles.
Matt ended up 10th in our age group and 41st overall with a personal best sub-32 minute time.
Former NHLer Eric Weinrich finished ahead of me, he's strong!
I'm glad Matt talked me into the race and grateful Babs and the boys let me sneak it in. It was a fun event, except for the suffering!
3rd
Overall
18th
I still had the Aegis T2 I borrowed from owner Pete Orne when fellow Kents Hillian Matt Moore told me about this race he was heading to. I seized the opportunity to ride this awesome bike again and he and I headed south early in the morning.
Unfortunately it was a rainy day so spirits were somewhat dappened, but we rationalized it was going to be better than training in the rain.
We joined a record number of participants (90 or so), warmed up on our trainers and pounded the pedals. The course was just over 12 miles of mostly flat so it was a true hammer fest! Matt went out some 7 minutes ahead of me in light showers and wet roads. It didn't rain on my run, but one had to make full use of the road to avoid the running water and standing puddles.
Matt ended up 10th in our age group and 41st overall with a personal best sub-32 minute time.
Former NHLer Eric Weinrich finished ahead of me, he's strong!
I'm glad Matt talked me into the race and grateful Babs and the boys let me sneak it in. It was a fun event, except for the suffering!
Thanks to Cadence Photo
R&R on Cape Cod
Spent the 4th of July week on the Cape with the fam. Here are some random shots.
Drake exploring crab island
Digging for fiddler crabs
Spider crab shell
A real live blue crab
The Gigi!
The Clam Shack
The picture of beauty on vacation on the Cape
F-L Criterium Report
Masters 35+
20th/81
Final GC: 26th
It’s taken me a while to write this! I guess I’ve been grappling with the disappointment of the road race the previous day and its affect on my final GC.
I felt pretty well recovered after an ice bath and re-fueling the body. I was concerned going into the crit that I may not be able to keep up with the group, but it was apparent from the gun I was feeling fine. The weather was fantastic once again, so no issues there.
The big question was, who was going to win the overall? Johnny Bold who set the blistering TT time (but 2nd place was still only 2 seconds behind him) lost his lead at the road race by finishing 9 seconds behind the 2nd place racer. Crits are Johnny’s specialty, but this field was stacked and he had no teammates while the new leader had several.
Final GC: 26th
It’s taken me a while to write this! I guess I’ve been grappling with the disappointment of the road race the previous day and its affect on my final GC.
I felt pretty well recovered after an ice bath and re-fueling the body. I was concerned going into the crit that I may not be able to keep up with the group, but it was apparent from the gun I was feeling fine. The weather was fantastic once again, so no issues there.
The big question was, who was going to win the overall? Johnny Bold who set the blistering TT time (but 2nd place was still only 2 seconds behind him) lost his lead at the road race by finishing 9 seconds behind the 2nd place racer. Crits are Johnny’s specialty, but this field was stacked and he had no teammates while the new leader had several.
Backside of the course
PVC Elite Team at work
Fellow PVC racer in Cat. 4's
As it turns out, the field stayed largely together, no one was really going to get away. I yo-yoed around the top-20 until the last 1/3 of the race where I focused on staying towards the front. At 1 point I found myself in a little 3-man break and earned some sprint points by coming across the line 3rd. the pack re-grouped with 3 to-go and now I found myself dangling all alone at the front of the pack. Everyone else was prepping for the sprint finish. It’s at this point that I should have made some noise and taken off on a solo effort. Clearly teams were getting organized and I was no threat to the overall so there’s a chance they would have let me go. I knew this was an opportunity, but basically chickened out thinking there was no way I could pull it off. In hindsight, I should have asked myself: What’s the worst that can happen? I get caught and finish with the pack and lose nothing? That would have convinced me to go because there wasn’t much hope of doing anything more than finishing with the pack anyways. Once again, my no strategy and lack of confidence cost me at least a shot at taking a positive out of the weekend.
Oh well. I’ll remember that one for a long time and hope to use it as motivation some time.
I want to be on this podium!
So, I’m disappointed with my final placing based on my unexpected success last year. But, the cramping before the climb was out of my control and was the deciding factor to my end result. It’s back onto the mountain bike from here as I prep for Nats at Mt. Snow.Saturday, June 30, 2007
F-L Road Race
58 mile Road Race (5 laps on a 11.4 mile course plus finish up Mt. Wachusett auto road)
Masters 35+
32nd/89
27th Overall GC
Dangit! That’s all I can say.
This race is pretty much the only opportunity one can advance his overall standing as the hillclimb at the end separates the climbers out of the group. If you finish fast, you can move up the GC ladder by beating guys higher up than you. Last year, I leaped from somewhere in the top-40 to top-20 with a 10th place finish. So, I was looking towards this race with great anticipation, hoping to finish equally well and hoping to land in the top-15 in GC. The best laid plans…
Today’s weather was perfect for a race albeit a little windy. We rolled out and quickly got into a nice rhythm and quickly caught the Cat. 3 group that had started 5 mins. ahead of us. The pace was tolerable and I was keeping myself protected in the front of the group. The course is surprisingly hilly with a stiff climb through downtown Princeton and a long false flat to the base of the summit road (we bypass this road until our final lap when we ascend it to the finish). It does have a screaming descent as well because what goes up must come down. My max speed on the downhill was 51mph!
As we hit the Princeton climb for the second time, we were neutralized as the Cat. 3’s got their act together and passed us. Later on the same lap, we were red-flagged as the juniors roared by, no doubt catching us because we had to wait for the 3’s to pass. Once we got racing again, the pace picked up, especially on the hills. I got caught taking it a little easy on the Princeton climb and a gap formed between me and the lead group. I dug deep and chased back on, but that was one effort I wasn’t counting on making. The climbs on the 4th lap were equally attacked and a split formed from the pack. I was lucky enough to be with the leaders, but I was at just about maximum effort. A twinge in my hamstrings told me I was going hard, little did I know this was a warning signal.
We hit the final lap as a group of maybe 50 riders I think. I learned from last year to be sure to be towards the front on the final climb in Princeton as there’s a tendency for the pace to get very high as the leaders push the pace to the base of the climb. Sure enough, it was like a hillclimb sprint. I gave it all I had and managed to be right at the tail end of the group, which was now only about 35 strong. As we hit the false flat I hoped the pace would stabilize, but it didn’t. Some riders were actually attacking and the pack had to respond. I was doing fine just hanging in, when suddenly both hamstrings seized on me. It came out of nowhere and forced me to soft pedal a bit to recover. Well, this couldn’t have come at a worse time. The pack was motoring and there was no time to coast, but I had no choice. I dejectedly watched them continue on without me and make the turn up the mountain. Thankfully, the cramping ceased and I was able to go at my own pace, albeit solo up the hill to muster the best finish and time I could manage given the conditions. Dangit, I was hoping to do better. But, clearly the effort leading up to the climb was a bit more than I could handle, so I must take solace in the fact that I went hard, and am in the position that I deserve.
Sorry no pics today, just envision my pain!
Next up is the criterium where I hope to just hang on.
Masters 35+
32nd/89
27th Overall GC
Dangit! That’s all I can say.
This race is pretty much the only opportunity one can advance his overall standing as the hillclimb at the end separates the climbers out of the group. If you finish fast, you can move up the GC ladder by beating guys higher up than you. Last year, I leaped from somewhere in the top-40 to top-20 with a 10th place finish. So, I was looking towards this race with great anticipation, hoping to finish equally well and hoping to land in the top-15 in GC. The best laid plans…
Today’s weather was perfect for a race albeit a little windy. We rolled out and quickly got into a nice rhythm and quickly caught the Cat. 3 group that had started 5 mins. ahead of us. The pace was tolerable and I was keeping myself protected in the front of the group. The course is surprisingly hilly with a stiff climb through downtown Princeton and a long false flat to the base of the summit road (we bypass this road until our final lap when we ascend it to the finish). It does have a screaming descent as well because what goes up must come down. My max speed on the downhill was 51mph!
As we hit the Princeton climb for the second time, we were neutralized as the Cat. 3’s got their act together and passed us. Later on the same lap, we were red-flagged as the juniors roared by, no doubt catching us because we had to wait for the 3’s to pass. Once we got racing again, the pace picked up, especially on the hills. I got caught taking it a little easy on the Princeton climb and a gap formed between me and the lead group. I dug deep and chased back on, but that was one effort I wasn’t counting on making. The climbs on the 4th lap were equally attacked and a split formed from the pack. I was lucky enough to be with the leaders, but I was at just about maximum effort. A twinge in my hamstrings told me I was going hard, little did I know this was a warning signal.
We hit the final lap as a group of maybe 50 riders I think. I learned from last year to be sure to be towards the front on the final climb in Princeton as there’s a tendency for the pace to get very high as the leaders push the pace to the base of the climb. Sure enough, it was like a hillclimb sprint. I gave it all I had and managed to be right at the tail end of the group, which was now only about 35 strong. As we hit the false flat I hoped the pace would stabilize, but it didn’t. Some riders were actually attacking and the pack had to respond. I was doing fine just hanging in, when suddenly both hamstrings seized on me. It came out of nowhere and forced me to soft pedal a bit to recover. Well, this couldn’t have come at a worse time. The pack was motoring and there was no time to coast, but I had no choice. I dejectedly watched them continue on without me and make the turn up the mountain. Thankfully, the cramping ceased and I was able to go at my own pace, albeit solo up the hill to muster the best finish and time I could manage given the conditions. Dangit, I was hoping to do better. But, clearly the effort leading up to the climb was a bit more than I could handle, so I must take solace in the fact that I went hard, and am in the position that I deserve.
Sorry no pics today, just envision my pain!
Next up is the criterium where I hope to just hang on.
Friday, June 29, 2007
F-L Circuit Race Report
28 mile Circuit Race (9 laps on a 3.1 mile course)
Masters 35+
32nd/93
Masters 35+
32nd/93
Start line (juniors lined up)
Today’s race was not without drama, but it occurred on the last lap so I’ll get to it later. Phenomenal weather greeted us at the start line consisting of sunny skies, 70’s and no humidity. The course had a flat section with a few turns into a screaming downhill then a sharp right-hander to a 2-tiered climb to the finish. As much as the course has to offer, it’s impossible to get away so there’s never any change in the overall GC as the pack stays together by virtue of the long descent. The fact that the average speed was 28mph should clue you into the torrid pace of the pack. One can only hope to compete for a stage win, and he’s generally the first guy into the final corner. We go from 3 lanes wide to a right turn onto a 2-lane side road. It’s tense to say the least.
Hillclimb finish (Cat. 3s)
So, we rode safely together for 8 laps, knowing that the final lap was going to be the deciding factor. I was intent on staying in the top-20 in the group and was successful in doing so until the final lap. For whatever reason, on the 8th lap climb I got shuffled back and was deep in the field on the last lap. This was not good. I knew I had to be up front to a.) earn a good finish and b.) stay out of trouble. After the climb I pushed it on the flat, ate up many positions on the turns, then took a line along the edge of the road and found myself right on the leaders’ wheels. My sense of security was short-lived, however, as the pack soon swarmed around us and we began the speedy descent to the final turn. I wanted to be on the outside line to carry momentum into the turn, but I was smack dab in the middle of the field with riders 4 deep on either side of me. I stayed patient, and waited for small openings to emerge and slowly crept to the outside. I didn’t care if I had to battle some headwind, I just wanted out of that pack! I finally got outside when I heard a bang to my right and then the sickening sound of carbon and metal crashing onto asphalt. Wheels touched in the middle of the pack and suddenly riders were down.
Dude involved in the crash in decent spirits
I didn’t look back, just ahead and entered the corner on the outside just as I had hoped albeit a little further back than I would have liked. I hit the hill with all I had and finished grateful I wasn’t involved in the wreck, but wishful for a little better finish.
Next up is the road race with Mt. Wachusett climb finish.
Rad PINK Indy Fab ridden by a DUDE!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
F-L TT Report
6.55 mile Time Trial
Masters 35+
27th/93
No pictures other than this one I snapped for my boy Fenix en-route to the race.
Who would have thought there would be a skidder in Fitchburg? Reminds me of home!
Arrived in Boston late last night and had a difficult time sleeping in anticipation of starting the weekend off right. Never had a chance to ride yesterday to get the legs going, so I was curious to know what kind of performance I would turn in. My plan was to get in a good warm up of at least 30 minutes and hit the line raring to go. Well, the best-laid plans always go to waste! Once again, I arrived in plenty of time to get ready. But somehow the time just flies! I got in less than 20 minutes and hit the road as the start was over a mile away from parking.
I drove the course last night, and was pleased to discover it was a climber, gaining 600' in 5 miles. I debated momentarily whether to use the Aegis TT bike or not, but rationalized the descents were fast enough where aerodynamics would play a role. Today was a warm one and there was a majority headwind, but everyone has to ride it so no reason to stress about it. The timer gave me the go and I went, trying to lay off full throttle for the beginning so as to find a groove and cruise later. There was a quick hill, so it was difficult to stay in the low zone. My heart rate was quickly in the 180's where it would remain. I rode my pace until the guy who started 30 seconds behind came up one me! Doh! Was I really going that slowly despite my heart rate?! I buckled down and was determined to at least keep him in sight, assuming he was probably a fast rider. The plan worked and I passed a couple of guys who started ahead of me, but I could never close the gap on the guy who passed me. I finished as strong as I could and glanced at my time which was 19 minutes and change based on my computer. When I looked at the preliminary results already posted, I thought I was in real trouble. There were sub-18 minute times and even a 17.09 (this was eventually the winning time thankfully). There were many other riders to go so I was not too optimistic I would improve upon last year’s 38th place. Needless to say, I was pleased to see my placing which means I don’t have as far to go to make up time.
I really don’t know what I could have done differently, but I have huge respect for TT specialists like Matt Moore. These events are an act of self-abuse!
Tomorrow is the circuit race where it’s unlikely there will be much change in the overall unless there were TT specialists in there who can’t ride in a pack.
Masters 35+
27th/93
No pictures other than this one I snapped for my boy Fenix en-route to the race.
Who would have thought there would be a skidder in Fitchburg? Reminds me of home!
Arrived in Boston late last night and had a difficult time sleeping in anticipation of starting the weekend off right. Never had a chance to ride yesterday to get the legs going, so I was curious to know what kind of performance I would turn in. My plan was to get in a good warm up of at least 30 minutes and hit the line raring to go. Well, the best-laid plans always go to waste! Once again, I arrived in plenty of time to get ready. But somehow the time just flies! I got in less than 20 minutes and hit the road as the start was over a mile away from parking.
I drove the course last night, and was pleased to discover it was a climber, gaining 600' in 5 miles. I debated momentarily whether to use the Aegis TT bike or not, but rationalized the descents were fast enough where aerodynamics would play a role. Today was a warm one and there was a majority headwind, but everyone has to ride it so no reason to stress about it. The timer gave me the go and I went, trying to lay off full throttle for the beginning so as to find a groove and cruise later. There was a quick hill, so it was difficult to stay in the low zone. My heart rate was quickly in the 180's where it would remain. I rode my pace until the guy who started 30 seconds behind came up one me! Doh! Was I really going that slowly despite my heart rate?! I buckled down and was determined to at least keep him in sight, assuming he was probably a fast rider. The plan worked and I passed a couple of guys who started ahead of me, but I could never close the gap on the guy who passed me. I finished as strong as I could and glanced at my time which was 19 minutes and change based on my computer. When I looked at the preliminary results already posted, I thought I was in real trouble. There were sub-18 minute times and even a 17.09 (this was eventually the winning time thankfully). There were many other riders to go so I was not too optimistic I would improve upon last year’s 38th place. Needless to say, I was pleased to see my placing which means I don’t have as far to go to make up time.
I really don’t know what I could have done differently, but I have huge respect for TT specialists like Matt Moore. These events are an act of self-abuse!
Tomorrow is the circuit race where it’s unlikely there will be much change in the overall unless there were TT specialists in there who can’t ride in a pack.
Fitchburg Longsjo Stage Race
I plan to provide daily post-race updates.
Check out what I'm bringing to the TT party:
Thanks to the consummate good-guy Aegis owner Pete Orne, I'm rolling his personal T2. 
People seem to like taking pictures of their loaded cars so I'm not about to dissappoint. This is my race caravan. Lifejackets hopefully won't be needed until I'm on the Cape with the fam!
Check out what I'm bringing to the TT party:
Thanks to the consummate good-guy Aegis owner Pete Orne, I'm rolling his personal T2.Also, thanks to fellow Kents Hillian Matt Moore, I'll be decreasing wind resistance on my melon with his helmet
People seem to like taking pictures of their loaded cars so I'm not about to dissappoint. This is my race caravan. Lifejackets hopefully won't be needed until I'm on the Cape with the fam!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
NECS #3/MMBA #2 Race Report 6/24
1st Expert Vet I
4th Overall (I think)
Pro Michael Patrick literally jumped ahead of me and made headway plowing through people. I also knew Matt Boobar and Aaron Millet were ahead, but I stuck with my gameplan of racing the course and not others, a strategy learned from NASCAR! I also didn’t let the traffic affect my attitude. Everyone else had to fight though it as well and I wasn’t about to run people off the course or put myself in a compromising line around them. So, patience and persistent pedaling was the theme for the day and it paid off. 
Things strung out pretty quickly and I just focused on the course in sections at a time: hitting the open areas hard to make time, recovering on the easier singletrack, and keeping upright on the bike and getting through technical sections as smoothly and efficiently as possible. I had 1 incident where I ran up the rear of a lapper who couldn’t make a step up and had to take evasive get off the bike action, but otherwise rode smoothly. If I had to get off I did, not worrying about style points, but I was off the bike far less than before. Big Al was a real motivator as he was glued to my rear for the first half of the race. There were so many Bikemen out there I thought I was seeing things or getting lapped! I met Racin’ Rick heading into the 3rd lap and then set my sights on other in my group. I spied Aaron 2/3 into the lap and worked on gaining ground. He seemed to slip by lappers effortlessly so it took a while for me to actually catch up. The timing was right when we hit the climbs back to the start/finish and I accelerated past him wanting to be first in the technical stuff for the final lap to ride my own race. I rode the final lap cautiously hard and kept Aaron at bay despite having to contend with passing the Sport riders. I appreciate their good naturedness and willingness to let us pass. It’s not their fault they were getting overtaken. I think it was a product of too many racers on too small a course. I also passed Boobar who experienced a mechanical which relegated me to 1st place which motivated me to go a little harder at the end. I was happy to see Babs and the boys at the finish and am pleased with the result and my time in comparison with the pros in the field. My laps averaged 23 mins. But, I know the first was 25 so traffic was the big story there.
So, I come away with lots of confidence. I have to credit the Kona Hei Hei with at least 50% of the success. I am very comfortable on it and the full suspension is a huge energy saver. I spend far less mental and physical energy going around obstacles, I go through them instead! It’s durability is also impressive as this was as hard as I’ve ridden it yet and it’s still kicking. 
4th Overall (I think)
This was my 3rd mtb race of the season, first in the Maine series. Not exactly my favorite course as the climbing is negligible and the terrain technical and consistently rough. I pre-rode the course on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised with the dry conditions. It was wet and muddy last year, adding to the challenge. A semi adverse by-product of the dryness was the fact that the trail rode very rough. All roots and rocks were exposed and harsh. I was extremely happy to be riding full suspension. Even then it was still bone jarring at times. I left feeling pretty prepared. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t enjoy the racing, but at least I could ride everything.
Sunday’s weather was primo, sunny and 70’s. I headed down early and Babs and the boys arrived in time to see the finish and run the kids’ race. They then headed south to the Cape. I don’t know where the time goes before a race! I arrive over 1 hour before the event, yet still find myself shortchanging my warmup time. I rode maybe 15mins. Before heading to the start line, this was way insufficient especially given this course’s singletrack nature and a good start key to success. Oh well, I was 2nd row and went off with the group as prepared as I could get. Luckily, the start is on a dirt road climb, although there are some more preferable lines. I hit the climb and passed as many as I could before it got singlefile. I believe I was top-5 in the woods. The start was staggered as 2 other groups began ahead of us at 1 min. intervals. Well, it didn’t take more then 5 mins until we piled into the rear of the 2nd group. Traffic would be the story for the rest of the day.
Sunday’s weather was primo, sunny and 70’s. I headed down early and Babs and the boys arrived in time to see the finish and run the kids’ race. They then headed south to the Cape. I don’t know where the time goes before a race! I arrive over 1 hour before the event, yet still find myself shortchanging my warmup time. I rode maybe 15mins. Before heading to the start line, this was way insufficient especially given this course’s singletrack nature and a good start key to success. Oh well, I was 2nd row and went off with the group as prepared as I could get. Luckily, the start is on a dirt road climb, although there are some more preferable lines. I hit the climb and passed as many as I could before it got singlefile. I believe I was top-5 in the woods. The start was staggered as 2 other groups began ahead of us at 1 min. intervals. Well, it didn’t take more then 5 mins until we piled into the rear of the 2nd group. Traffic would be the story for the rest of the day.
Pro Michael Patrick literally jumped ahead of me and made headway plowing through people. I also knew Matt Boobar and Aaron Millet were ahead, but I stuck with my gameplan of racing the course and not others, a strategy learned from NASCAR! I also didn’t let the traffic affect my attitude. Everyone else had to fight though it as well and I wasn’t about to run people off the course or put myself in a compromising line around them. So, patience and persistent pedaling was the theme for the day and it paid off. Things strung out pretty quickly and I just focused on the course in sections at a time: hitting the open areas hard to make time, recovering on the easier singletrack, and keeping upright on the bike and getting through technical sections as smoothly and efficiently as possible. I had 1 incident where I ran up the rear of a lapper who couldn’t make a step up and had to take evasive get off the bike action, but otherwise rode smoothly. If I had to get off I did, not worrying about style points, but I was off the bike far less than before. Big Al was a real motivator as he was glued to my rear for the first half of the race. There were so many Bikemen out there I thought I was seeing things or getting lapped! I met Racin’ Rick heading into the 3rd lap and then set my sights on other in my group. I spied Aaron 2/3 into the lap and worked on gaining ground. He seemed to slip by lappers effortlessly so it took a while for me to actually catch up. The timing was right when we hit the climbs back to the start/finish and I accelerated past him wanting to be first in the technical stuff for the final lap to ride my own race. I rode the final lap cautiously hard and kept Aaron at bay despite having to contend with passing the Sport riders. I appreciate their good naturedness and willingness to let us pass. It’s not their fault they were getting overtaken. I think it was a product of too many racers on too small a course. I also passed Boobar who experienced a mechanical which relegated me to 1st place which motivated me to go a little harder at the end. I was happy to see Babs and the boys at the finish and am pleased with the result and my time in comparison with the pros in the field. My laps averaged 23 mins. But, I know the first was 25 so traffic was the big story there. So, I come away with lots of confidence. I have to credit the Kona Hei Hei with at least 50% of the success. I am very comfortable on it and the full suspension is a huge energy saver. I spend far less mental and physical energy going around obstacles, I go through them instead! It’s durability is also impressive as this was as hard as I’ve ridden it yet and it’s still kicking. The whole Wheelden team was there and Drake and Fenix both raced a course equally tough as the one we rode. Everyone earned a podium spot as Drake was 2nd and Fenix 3rd, not that it matters! They both rode hard and pedaled right to the end on the Kamikazee downhill.
Next up is 4 days of road racing hell as I battle in the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Stage Race.
Next up is 4 days of road racing hell as I battle in the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Stage Race.Friday, June 22, 2007
Wheel weights
In a less-than-perfect environment, I weighed my 3 different road wheelsets to see if there was a glaring advantage as I plan for the Fitchburg Longsjo stage race this weekend. Here are the results without taking tire or skewer choice into consideration:
Shimano Tubeless (12-27cogset)
F: 1000g
R: 1480g
Set: 2480g
Mavic Open Pro 32 hole w/Shimano Dura Ace hubs (12-25)
F: 1020g
R: 1400g
Set: 2420
Mavic Ksyrium ES (12-25)
F: 1000g
R: 1400g
Set: 2400g
It all makes sense I guess. There's a slight weight progression from the tubeless to the higher quality wheelset. But, clearly not enough to worry about, freeing me up to choose the appropriate wheels for any given event. I think I'll go with this:
Circuit race: tubeless
Road race: Ksyrium with 12-27 cogset for Mt. Wachusett climb
Crit: Open Pro
Shimano Tubeless (12-27cogset)
F: 1000g
R: 1480g
Set: 2480g
Mavic Open Pro 32 hole w/Shimano Dura Ace hubs (12-25)
F: 1020g
R: 1400g
Set: 2420
Mavic Ksyrium ES (12-25)
F: 1000g
R: 1400g
Set: 2400g
It all makes sense I guess. There's a slight weight progression from the tubeless to the higher quality wheelset. But, clearly not enough to worry about, freeing me up to choose the appropriate wheels for any given event. I think I'll go with this:
Circuit race: tubeless
Road race: Ksyrium with 12-27 cogset for Mt. Wachusett climb
Crit: Open Pro
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Next generation
Fenix started skating lessons yesterday. He's going to be dangerous with a hockey stick in hand!
Summer on Ice
This is what I was doing last week:
Day 1: 1/4" of ice
Day 2: Paint ice/lines/logos
After 2.5 days of flooding, it's time to skate!
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