MAC Verge Series Part 2: The Redemption

Following a disappointing day on Saturday, we awoke again early on Sunday to head to Ludwig's Corner, PA for round deux of the Verge MAC series. Thanks to Lunesta, I'm finally getting to sleep and not waking up feeling like I just pulled an all-nighter. Once again I packed up Special Sauce, coached Gina out the door and hit the road wondering if I left the stove burner on (which wouldn't be so bad but our dog sitter left the house last week and left a pot on the stove, yes it can get hot enough to melt copper but not stainless steel).

The day started out as another brisk fall day with the sun shining brightly, but soon after arriving to the race course the clouds rolled in and became almost an exact copy of last years weather, minus about 10mph of wind. Wissahickon did an awesome job on the course this year, changing it up just enough to make it a bit more technical and adding an additional dismount. Last year this course killed me with it's long power sections and constant jumps between turns all exposed to the wind. I wasn't sure how my legs were going to react after punishing them the day before. Amazingly they weren't tight or sore or even tired when I started my warm-up on the trainer. This was either really good or really, really bad.

Like Granogue, my points from last year got me a third row start in another deep Killer B field. I lined up behind Mike who's always a good wheel to have. The start at Wiss is another long paved uphill road with the exception that's it's anything but smooth. Gravel and potholes for all 300m. The start was sketchy with guys bouncing around trying to avoid the ground clutter. Hitting the grass I was sitting good around top 12. As we wound around the series of 180's and the new run-up I was feeling surprisingly good for the start. Even as we made our way through the 100m or so of sand I didn't even feel like I was working that hard. I remember looking back and seeing a huge gap to the rest of the field, my first good start.

Coming out of the sand I had fatmarc on my wheel and he was intent on getting around. I figured my best bet was to just try and hold on to as much ground as possible and pace my effort not knowing how my legs we really going to react and let someonelse close the gaps.

Following fatmarc as he closes the gap on Mike and Mayhew.

I remembered how much this little incline hurt last year and how JD passed me on it on his singlespeed.








Following Mike's wheel on the second lap.











I stayed with the lead group of about 15 for the first 2 laps but as the gaps started to open it was time to just settle into my own rhythm.

At one point I was about 30m off a group of 3 or 4 riders and I remember looking down the long stretch leading to the "Circle of Death" as I was exiting it and not seeing a single rider coming. Talk about no mans land.























Eventually Morgan closed the gap to me, I only knew it was him by the heavy breathing. I spent the last three laps jockeying back and forth with him and we never focused on closing the gap to the group infront of us.

He was strong on the long flat stretches but was having trouble in the twisty stuff so I tried to take the lead through all of those sections. He always seemed to lead going into the barriers and I realized I was faster getting up the run-up so I used that to my advantage on the last lap and managed to open up a small gap before hitting the pave.

The last run-up, getting to the top and opening the gap....












I'd like to say I'm not proud of beating a 15 year old, but the kid is strong, he's already beaten alot of fast people this season. My legs were aching, I put every ounce of energy into that race and was rewarded with a good finish, and series points!

Following the race we hit the secret recovery drink in the large aluminum containers at the top of the run-up.

Some more photos...
Mike, fast enough to not care about the finer points of shouldering the bike.











The Circle of Death, anyone know how to get out of this thing?











JH3 recovered from the day before and had a good ride.











Next on tap, Beacon Cross in Jersey on Sunday.

MAC Verge Series Part 1: The Agony and the Atrophy

Saturday kicked off the 2006 MAC Verge series at the Grenogue Estates just outside of Wilmington, DE. Unlike last year, it was a beautiful fall day with mild temps and clear skies. Little did I know that at about 8:30 that morning on the ride up 95, this was about the best my day was going to get...










Around 11:05 I was wishing we had just kept following the bus.

The previous 6 days were not as planned, yes it was a planned rest week, but 6 days of absolutely zero cardiovascular activity is no way to prepare for a race. To top it off, sitting in 3 days straight of all day meetings out of town only makes it worse. I could feel my legs getting smaller and my lung capacity shrinking by each sip of coffee. Let's just say Guiness and Buffalo wings a healthy diet not make.

To make a long story short, I suffered, threw up in my mouth a bit, and suffered some more to finish a pathetic 32nd. The atrophy to my legs resulted in zero power output and this course was full of power sections, mostly uphill. I might as well had boat anchors attached to my waist.

Here's a few shots of the suffering.

Hello from Beer town

I'm sitting here in the Dreary, uhm Drury hotel outside St. Louis watching CSI New York. That's about it, the Cards are in New York so there's not even that going for me. Did have a nice dinner at Kobe hanging out with work folk I've never meet. Nothing like getting you eyebrows and eyelashes scorched at the hibachi. Ate some surf and turf and threw back a few Fat Tire ales. I remember when you couldn't get it east of the Mississippi so I would bring home 6 packs from trips whenever I was somewhere that sold it.

Anyway, looks like I'll be going into the double MAC weekend with 6 days of no riding. Should be interesting. Atleast the carbo loading is in full effect, need to work more on the hydration rather than the dehydration though.

Someone Listened

I listen to NPR radio almost every day in the car, I think that was the first sign I was "getting old". On the way back from grabbing coffee I was listening to an interesting piece and decided to visit the NPR website (for the first time coincidentally) to see if there was a live stream of the show when I stumbled upon this story.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6250173

I posted not too long ago about one of my all time favorite bands, Bad Brains. After being "Banned in D.C." the group took up a second home in NYC at the world famous CBGB club. The Peoria of punk music if you will.

Well, soon like the original 9:30 club in D.C., so too will CBGB be closing their doors. Unfotuantely I didn't keep up and missed three shows this week as Bad Brains reunited to come out and show their love for the club. Hopefully after three sold out shows they'll realize how much their fans miss them and start playing together again.

Rainy Day Blues and Racing Cross

I started this post Friday but never finished it. Friday was a shitty day, the fact that it was Friday was the only good part about it. The constant rain and feeling run down was no way to go into the racing weekend.

We hung out with Cynthia, Sean, Sean's B-in-Law Joerg and her friends Friday night for a bonfire and smores. The skies had cleared up and I started thinking Saturday's race was going to be a good mud-fest but not a soaker. Well, come Saturday morning we awoke to pouring rain, even worse than Friday. I loaded up Special Sauce and got Gina out the door (on time and in the car promptly at 9am, that was my big win for the day). She's a trooper though, I wouldn't have wanted to go out if I were her, I barely wanted to go myself but I like the mud.

As we made our way over the mountains past Fredneck the skies were clear and the roads were dry, so maybe a mud-fest wasn't in the cards. We got to the race venue at the fairgrounds which to my surprise have been converted to a municipal park with soccer and baseball fields. I grew up near Hagerstown and played all of my youth sports in and around the city and spent much time in the emergency room of the Washington Co. hospital for everything from sprained ankles and a broken collar bone to anaphylactic shock (that shit can kill you as I almost found out).

Any hoo, we arrived early enough that I got to pre-ride before the masters race. The course was rather short and not anything special. I returned to the car after 3 laps to find that I managed to break off the handle to my trainer with the car door making it impossible to tighten the wheel so I was forced to warm-up on the roads around the fairgrounds.

The race was staged at the top of the course on a long stretch of pavement. The Killer B field was about 45 riders. Instead of giving us the entire 200m of pavement to sort out the start before the 180 switchback onto the grass, Joe gave us a whole 50m, you do the math. Close to 50 guys trying to make a 180 degree turn at the same time, I stayed towards the front middle figuring 3 wide would work but not get pushed too far outside and not be too far inside to get pinched. Needless to say some jackass comes flying on the inside, can't make the turn and rides straight across the turn into the middle of the field, and right in front of me. Both feet unclipped I'm waddling uselessly down the course to try and get around. From top 10 to barely top 20. Great start.

Yeah, that's me there in the center standing unclipped so Jocko can get turned and heading in the right direction.








About all I've come to learn so far from racing this season is 1) My starts are horrible and 2) that I make the worst faces and Gina is always there to snap a shot.

My "barrier" face...










My standard "race face of pain"...









My "off-camber, don't dump it" face...










And my favorite, the "this run-up is totally ridable 11 times" face.









Anyway, this course was as much mental as it was physical. Surprisingly, at race pace the course was very technical and fun. It was short with alot of turns so you could always see the front of the race around the next turn. The hard part was closing the gaps. Towards the end I was riding with Mike O'Hare and Mark Russel swapping positions back and forth. On the past lap I was leading going into the second set of barriers when I totally flubbed it and lost my concentration re-grouping on the other side. Both got around me and I just couldn't catch back on. Another top 20 but not what I was looking for this weekend.

Ed Sanders - MABRA Round Deux

Yesterday was the Ed Sanders 'cross race in Buckeystown put on by NCVC, just south of Frederick and the second race of the MABRA 'cross series. As is the weekend ritual, I was up early loading Special Sauce with all of the implements of my destruction for the day.

On the way up 70 we passed Secret Sean, you just couldn't let those pre-reg $$ go to waste!

When we arrived I immediately noticed a change in the course. I haven't done this race since 2004 so most of it would be new. After taking care of the usual pre-race formalities such as registration and saying hello to everyone I haven't seen in a week, it was time to get down to business.

Fortunately I remembered my trainer this week and could get a solid warm-up in before heading out for a pre-race lap to survey the course. This was another tough course, pimarily due to the fact that you were constantly grinding the pedals. There was only on small respite returning from the backside but since it was also a good place to hammer it to either close a gap or open up a gap, I saw little rest here.

What made this course fun was the mud left from the prior 2 days of thunderstorms. After last week, it would help to separate the 'crossers from the roadies.

I managed an almost 2nd row start and didn't squander it this week. Unfortunately for Mike O'Hare who was adjacent to me, he had some difficulites as he's ususally at the front hitting the rough. I was in the top 10 and managed to stay up there for most of the first lap despite almost eating the barriers earlier on. Mike eventually made it past me on the gravel road and finished a strong 6th, another come from behind week for him. He'll be winning here soon.

Second lap I was in a chase group but as I made my way around to the barriers I managed to pull the blunder of the day. Realizing I went in too hot the first lap, I dismounted prior to the left hand turn into the barrier section. As I balanced on the left side of my bike making a left hand turn realizing I was dismounting way too early, I pulled the bars a bit too much to line it up and ended up dumping it. Gina just happened to be there and snap a series of photos as I get untangled from my bike and have to switch my bike from left to right as I'm crossing the barriers. Maybe I need to learn to remount from the right. I managed to lose alot of positions here and in the next couple of yards while I got myself back together.
























Lap 2 just continued to trouble me. On the backside after the big U-turn there was a run-up that was rideable, but someone decided after lap 1 to move the course tape in making it an S-turn. Well, I didn't get the memo and as I made the left hander wide to keep up speed, I was met with the tape. 2 or 3 more positions gone.

The rest of the race I spent jockeying with a guy from NCVC. I caught Ethan Townsend from FSV and realized he was cooked so I got passed him through the ponds and tried to get back to the NCVC guy but on the backside I just ran out of gas on the couple of uphills. 18th sucks, but that's what a few mistakes will get you in a 'cross race. It's all about being smooth, and I wasn't as smooth yesterday as the week before.

More photos...
Attack of the Killer B's












I have to say I was impressed at how well the Dugast hooked up in the mud. I ran about 30psi both ends and never lost traction.

Although the gravel road gave me a scare a few times bottoming out.







A little better...












I love the mud.

Inglewood Jack

This video is a riot, especially if you're a fan of Pulp Fiction.

Where are they now...and can we get them back?

Today's steady stream of mindless, corporate machine made punk/hardrock aimed to reach out to our restless youth is some of the worst crap I've every heard. I can't stand the radio anymore, long live the iPod and MP3 players.

Somewhere around 6th or 7th grade I was introduced to the DC punk scene. I wasn't the black clad, mohawk wearing disgruntled youth typically associated with that scene, but I did have my ripped jeans and black 10 eyelet Doc Martens, well before they became so mainstream fashion, and when wearing the wrong color shoe laces in them could get you your ass kicked.

The rare trips to go hang out at Salamander in Georgetown listening to local bands on vinyl was always something to look forward to. My first DC band exposure was Minor Threat, but that quickly wore off when I heard Bad Brains. Having hit the DC punk scene around 1979, they were already kicking ass and influencing bands like Minor Threat and Black Flag. Unfortuantely I was getting into them as they were on their way out. Unknown to most, BB influenced alot of todays mainstream rock, Metallica, System of A Down and Nirvana to name a few. On my list of influential bands, they're second only to Led Zeppelin.

I never got to see them live, but thanks to YouTube, they can live on. I dug up some old footage of their early concerts. The footage is a good selection of their range as a band, best classified as punk/reggae they excel at both ends of the spectrum.

More Charm City Pics

Took a while to pick through the almost 500 photos, but here a some good shots. Gina got the Mens B while I shot the Mens A race.











The ADG boys sporting the new digs...kinda hot for long sleeves though eh?








hmmmm, not exactly










Sean working the natural barrier










Brian kickin' it in the Men's A race. These boys were smokin' this course.

One Down, Now Let's Roll

Well, as much as I wasn't looking forward to today's first 'cross race of the season, it wasn't that bad. Compared to last season, it's a monumental improvement, considering I didn't finish. There were something like 88 starters, that's huge for a local race. There were only 86 in the 30-34 Masters race at nationals.

I squandered a front row start struggling to get used to the new pedals and hit the dirt about 10-12 deep. That was only topped by the pile up in front of me on the first off-camber grass section. After getting bikes untangled with the guy infront and a huge gap had opened. Overall I rode a solid race trying to just pace my effort and felt surprisingly good after finishing what was close to an hour race. What stung was coming around to start the 3rd lap and seeing the lap counter with 5 to go, the race was estimated only be 5 laps, oh well.

Next stop Gloucester, MA for the Crank Bros. series (hopefully).

Gina snapped alot of good photos...
Coming into the sand pits












Clean remount, the skills were on today, except for one slip taking an inside line too hot.

I felt especially good on the long runs, moving up and passing alot of riders.










Another clean remount coming out of the pits. This is just a cool photo, I like B&W.











The barriers, this was second to last lap. I passed these two shortly after this and never saw them again.

Already?

So, it seemed like it was just the begining of August and there was plenty of time to prepare for 'cross season. Well, that time has passed. Just glad I'm not going to be peaking because this weekend is going to hurt.

Gina thinks she's cool, and now she's boo-hooing b/c I'm writing everything she is saying. Gina thinks she rocks. All of this is questionable and subject to change...., sorta like objects in mirror are closer than they appear...

Luv you pookie bear

Old School

Passing on, found this on the +1 Lap site.
plusonelap.blogspot.com

Fini

Ok, it's official the 'cross bike is finally finished. After picking up an already mounted chain missing the pins from the Bike Doctor the other day, I made my way up to Race Pace to get this thing done. Fortunately Steve was there and helped put the finishing touches on by dialing in the drivetrain. Just need to glue up the front tire and take her for a spin.

Oh, did I mention it weighed in at a scant 16.97lbs?

The Good Old Days

Gina just sent this to me, I got a good laugh out of it. I especially like bullets 10-14, ladies take
note.

Right this way Mr. Ridley

So to top off my day, not only did my 'cross frame finally arrive, but I was surprised by an early morning delivery of some sweet Andre Dugast Rhino tubulars.

mmm, look at that tread.

'cross tires just don't get any better than this.










And now for the good stuff...



So pretty.

Except for the fact that I was expecting the red and white color scheme. Now will I do with my new red and white Fizik saddle?











Steve B. at Race Pace helping install the FSA integrated headset. Steve is an awesome mechanic, he wrenches for the Trek pro team and Chris Eatough. Only he and Nick ever touch my bikes.










And now measuring the steerer tube... cutting carbon, now that's kinda scary, Steve will have the honor.























And now to complete the build... I need a bit of warming up before getting started.

It's Here!

So as I'm driving into the office I get a call from the bike shop, my Ridley is here! Finally. Should receive it tomorrow, sounds like a good enough reason to work from home as any.

Looks like I need a fresh 6 of Hoegaarden as I'm down to just one in the fridge and that won't be enough for a complete bike build. Good Belgian bikes require good Belgian beer to go with it.

Toys

So the past week or so has come and gone without a post. Not that we haven't done anything. Gina and I went out to Cleveland weekend before last for our brother-in-law Brian's surprise 50th birthday party. It was a good time, except for the 50 degree weather thanks to a hurricane rolling up the east coast to spoil an outside party. But the rain came and went and came and went several more times but in the end it was a good time. I realized as you get older all you have to look forward to are gag gifts, the best I thought was the 50 beer bottles wrapped in diapers from his brother-in-law Scott (there's a deeper story behind the diapers), we got him a membership to AARP. Not sure if we have any pics to post.


The birthday boy. He was actually surprised.

"I usually sniff this kind of stuff out, you know."












All last week I was on pins and needles, I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas. My new 'cross bike has yet to arrive, supposedly it was at the distributor in Nevada the week before but has yet to make that arduouis cross-country journey to Lancaster, PA to the shop where I ordered it. It's now less that two weeks until the first 'cross race and I have no bike! Plenty of parts to build it up though.

On the upside I did score my PowerTap last week. It came Friday night around 7:30 and it was on the bike within an hour. Gina went to the beach for the weekend so I was looking forward to riding with it Saturday with Bryan, the unofficial Power guru of Ellicott City. After our 3 1/2 ride all I realized was what a sadistic toy it is. Just one more way to watch your body suffer. Another 2 1/2 hours on Sunday confirmed it.

Gina got back Sunday just as I rolled in from the ride and we went into B-more to top off the weekend by watching the Yankees woop up on the Orioles. Always fun stuff.

Time Well Wasted

I've always had this affinity for tennis, I've never played formally yet I respect the game and those who play it. It's something about the overwhelming physical and mental aspect of the game that excites me. Over the years I've always enjoyed watching Andre Agassi play, he's always had such respect for the game, even in his early years where he could have gone the way of John MacEnroe. The best were the years watching the epic duels with Sampras, which unfortunately Sampras got the best of.

Last night I decided to stay up and watch what could have possibly been Andre Agassi's last match ever. He was up against the 8 seed, Marcos Baghdatis, and his experience was showing over the youth of his opponent, winning the first two sets by capitalizing on the endless string of unforced errors by Baghdatis. After dropping the third Andre bounced back and rallied to a 4-0 lead in the forth set. When most athletes would have packed it in, atleast mentally at that point, Baghdatis rose up and fought back to 4-4, eventually winning the set 7-5, incredible. To already be down 2 sets in a best of 5 and losing 4-0 where do you find that drive? That's what makes a professional athlete I believe, beyond all of the physical talent. That's where punks like Terrell Owens really piss me off, they don't deserve to be where they're at, they're not professionals.

So, back to my being attached to the couch for over 3 hours at this point. The match of course goes to a fifth set and fittingly after watching both players struggle both pyhisically and mentally thought the set, a tie break. At this point Andre can't get a first serve out of the bottom of the net and Baghdatis is cramping in both legs and can barely walk let alone chase down Andre's ground shots.

In a somewhat anti-climactic end to the match 4 hours after the start, Agassi won. Baghdatis couldn't overcome his cramping and became more or less a lame duck with only his serve to keep him alive, which unfotunately left him so abruptly at the start of the tie break where he double faulted two services in a row.

4 hours, time well wasted to watch two professionals perform at their best and giving it their all.

Sweet Serenity

What an hour hike through the park will get you, for about a day...

It's Rather Simple Really...

The day your catabolic activity exceeds your anabolic activity is the day you start to die.

Pretty grim outlook, especially when you deal with the fine balance of tearing yourself apart only to try and rebuild it again with the hopes of being stronger. This season has been a harsh lesson in the results of either A) overtraining or B) not having a sufficient base to fall back on after periods of intense load.

Yesterday was the MABRA Age-graded criterium championships. I was looking forward to a strong performance (along with the other 30 or 35 guys who got pulled or popped from the race). It was total carnage. I've never been in a race that went that hard from the gun and never let up. Out of a field of maybe 45-50 riders, I think 12 finished.

Paul lit it up starting a 3 man break after the first turn. I think I was still getting clipped in to my pedals.

After Dan took the first watch up front, I was feeling strong and helped cover some early counter attacks.

After 3 laps or so the field was already widdled down significantly. Of course, who am I pulling up the hill?

Frick, Ramon and Super Dave. All three would eventually bridge to the break.







Gina got one in focus!












Sitting in to try and recover a bit wasn't a big help as gaps continued to open up all along the course, uphill, downhill, flat it didn't matter, there was much pain and suffering all over this course.









Mr. Prickett not really enjoying his first race back after a long break.











Paul still mixing it up as the break grew to 8 riders and stayed that way until a few laps to go when 3 broke away and caught the chase group.
Ramon still killin' it after winning the 40+ earlier in the day.