Fitchburg report

A couple weeks ago, Ashley and I began our month + long road trip across the U.S. Our first destination: Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
The race started with a 14k time trial. Time trialing isn't really my strong point but I gave it an all out effort. My only real goal was to pass people, and not get passed. It is usually hard for me to stay focused during the individual efforts, but I managed to do it some how this time. It still wasn't my finest performance, but I did manage to pass my 30 second guy, and no one passed me. Good day.
Stage 2 was a very difficult 75 mile circuit. The roads were all beat to hell and the final 500 meters were straight up to the finish! As if the race itself weren't hard enough, about 30 minutes into the race it began to pour down rain! Usually, I get a little nervous in the rain in anything other than a road race; however, this time was different. It was actually fun! I did a good job at staying at the front and was able to go with moves, none of which stuck. By the time we finished, a group of 7 stayed away and I found myself cruising in around 30th. Only about 65 people finished in the front group, with everyone else finishing minutes behind.
The 3rd stage road race had changed a bit from previous years due to the crappy road conditions caused by the harsh winter they had. Instead of the finish going up Mt. Wachussette, it finished on the feed zone climb we went up each lap. The course was pretty fast and relatively easy, except for the final 5k, which averaged about 9%. The race went pretty well for me overall. Going into the final and decisive lap, I had the feeling I was cracking and ended up popping out of the front group. Unfortunately for me, that feeling only lasted about 5 min. By the time I was good to go again, the race was over. I was left in the groupetto on the final lap with everyone content with rolling in 5 minutes behind. I still finished 35th but I couldn't help but think it should have been better. Next time.
Going into the crit, I was kinda tired. I didn't really have any objective for the race other than don't suck. I pretty much just followed wheels and a little before the half way mark, I found myself up the road with Mike Friedman, Tony Cruz and about 8 other guys from Kelley Benefits and Mt. Khakis. Just my luck, they weren't really interested in anything other than sprint points and primes. For the rest of the race I just sat in and tried to stay at the front. Again, a break of 7 or so stayed off the front, and I just followed wheels into the finish around 30th. Nothing great, but again it was the front group after the field split up. During the crit one of my all time favorite cyclists, Tyler Hamilton, came to spectate. I think he is from the Boston area, so it was cool to see him there. During my race, Ashley took a picture of him and just by accident got me in the picture. How cool is that right!?


Overall, I was pretty satisfied with my performance. Considering that was one of the biggest stage races I have done to date. I think more strong performances will follow. This only made me stronger and prepared me more for nationals.

Check back soon for more updates from my journey. I have a ton of photos that I plan on uploading also.

Back on the road.

So last week I began my summer long voyage cross country. My first stop is in good ole' Greenville, SC. Where I am presently. I love the riding here, and the weather is hard to beat. Especially compared to the heat and humidity of home. After a couple of weeks of training in the mountains, it will be off to Boston for the Fitchburg stage race. Since I haven't raced since Tulsa, I am well rested and have some good miles in my legs. I also recently started working with a sports psychologist, Chris DuRoy, so my confidence is increasing as well.
After Fitchburg, it will be back in the car for more driving. This time, it's to the west coast. My race schedule will be Boise Twilight, Cascade and then u23 and elite road nationals. Luckily i have almost 2 weeks between Fitchburg and Cascade, so there is no big hurry to drive from coast to coast.
Before I left Dallas, I scored some Sugoi compression socks, courtesy of Bill Ball at Richardson Bike Mart. (Your one stop shop for all of your cycling needs, now offering the Retul fit. Ask for Mike or Gary.) ;-)
I already have some medical grade Jobst compression tights, but they tend to get a bit hot and sweaty. I think the socks will do just the trick in this summer time heat!


At the next few races you will also see me sporting a fresh pair of these....

JAWBONE

I am a pretty big fan of the Radars and M-Frames, but these are definitely the most comfortably pair of glasses I have ridden with. It is basically the replacement to the old Racing Jackets, that George Hincapie made famous. The main difference is the lenses in the new Jawbones can me changed. In fact, all of the Jawbones (for the exception of the transition lens models) comes with an extra set of lenses as well as a case. They are a little bit more money than the radars, at $195, but for what you get, it is way worth it. The guys at Richardson Bike Mart already have them in stock if you want to check them out.

Anyways, I am pretty excited about my summer campaign and can't wait to kick it off in Fitchburg. Ashley and I are leaving around the 30th, and all the racing starts on July 1st.

Thanks again to all the readers who patiently wait for my posts. I plan on giving race updates while I am on the road. So check back at the first of the month.


Oh yeah, Metro isn't going anywhere. Just a small speedbump.
To quote the great Corey Ray, "Metrovolkswagenfightneverdies!!"

Time is flying by...

So the last time I posted on this thing, I was back in Mississippi and I had just read about Tyler Hamilton getting popped again. Sad day, whatever whatever.

Fast forward. Where have I been and what have I been doing since?

Well, racing mostly. The team went out and did the crit series in SC, followed by Joe Martin, or, as my brothers down south call it, Jose Martine. We also did the Matrix Challenge, Memorial weekend crits, and Tulsa Tough. The team overall raced well and was able to pick up a few results. I have had a sub par season of racing so far but am optimistic about things still come.I took a brief 2 week hiatus to Greenville, SC to train and stuff. It was much needed. I love the riding out there and the weather makes it hard not to enjoy a long day on the bike.  Christian is now running the team full time and he is trying to rebuild the whole program for next year. He is definitely the best guy for the job. I think it will all be ok.

As of now, my plans for the summer are as follows. Leave next week for Greenville, SC and train for another week or so. Then head up to the Boston area for the Fitchburg stage race. I haven't done that race since I was a junior in '06, but it's a good one. After Fitchburg, we will head cross country to Boise, Idaho for a crit and then up to Bend for Cascade and nationals. It is a ton of travel but luckily we aren't crunched for time.  This schedule I know for sure, after that I will iron out some details, but i have a good idea what will follow.

I turn 21 today. Not really sure what that means. Kind of a random number really. Just another day of training followed by the Tuesday Nighter.

Hope to see everyone out.

If I don't post for a while, send me an email and tell me to.

Cheers

Sad day in cycling!

I didn't want to believe it at first. but unfortunately it is true. Tyler Hamilton got busted for doping (DHEA), and has since retired from the sport of cycling.

I personally am a huge fan of Tyler after watching solo a stage of the 2003 Tour with a broken collarbone. I just thought, doper or not, that is impressive. I was pumped when he beat the Slipstream army at USPRO last year to take the win at 37. Just like riders such as Vino, Horner, and Jens Voigt, I thought Tyler was the big badass.
Oh well, he got a second chance and that was it.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/apr09/apr17news3

Tuesday Night Crit

Since I have been out of town for the past few weeks, I have missed the start of the Tuesday night crit series. For me, this is a little more than just a training crit. I grew up doing these races, and will probably continue to do these races as long as I am physically capable of riding a bike. The turn out seems to be getting better and better every year. Last night there were probably 80ish guys that started. Pretty impressive for a week night local crit. 

Here is a video of the finish from last night's race. I took 1st and Austin finshed 4th.  

California trip + Redlands

A few days ago I got back from a 2 week trip to California. The initial reason for this trip was to race San Dimas and Redlands. One we got there, we got some bad news... we were still on the wait list and unless 6 people didn't show up, we weren't racing. Before the tt, we all waited at registration just to see if anyone was going to be a no show. Only one person didn't show, so only Christian got to race. I was especially bummed but knew there was nothing I could do about it. life goes on. So while Christian was racing, the rest of us did some training. 4 hrs with some climbing on one day, 4 hrs with 2 hrs of climbing the next. From 200 ft. to 6,500 feet. All the way up Mt. Badly. Huge thanks to Randy Williams for letting us crash at his place for the first week and getting us anything we needed. Before we headed out to Redlands, he took us surfing in Laguna. Whenever I get a free week I am going to get back out there and surf some more and ride down the famous Pacific Coast Highway.

Christian managed do a good job of hanging in the group during the race considering he was probably mentally not focused on the race.

Redlands was a bit different for us. We actually got to race for starters, that was a change. Plus for most of us, that was the biggest race we had ever done to date. All in all it was a good experience. I felt pretty okay, but could have been better. A lack of racing hurt me a little I believe. Not that I was going to win or anything, but it could have meant the difference between first or second group in the first stage. The Beaumont road race was pretty difficult with a ton of wind. Every lap, the field would break up into several groups, only to come back together in the head wind false flat toward the feed zone. The crit was a little more for me given my current fitness. I felt alright but had a difficult time moving up when it was single file. Duh, right? Christian, Benji and I did a good job of getting up in the top 20 and staying there for most of the race. The field had about 165 starters on the day so moving up and being at the front was quite a feat. With about 15 minutes left, I get caught u in a wreck with Andy Bajadali and Ben King. I almost saved it before getting blind sided by some Team Type 1 guy. Just a broken derailleur hanger, some road rash and a tweaked elbow. Not nearly as bad as Ben King's broken collarbone. As I roll into the Mavic neutral support, the dialogue with their head mechanic went as follows:

Me: I need a bike!

Mavic guy: what size?

Me: the smallest one you have.

Mavic guy: 54 it is. ( I ride a small)

Me: .....ok.

A couple laps went by as they put pedals on the bike and tried to get the seat height just right. They would have been faster if they just dropped the seat all the way. Oh well, I got an extra free lap, and I was out of water so I wasn't complaining. Once I got thrown back in, there were only 5 laps to go and moving back to the front seemed impossible.  Every spot I moved up, I gave up in the next corner. Eventually, I cut my losses and cruised in, in the top third of the field right behind Christian. Benji finished 19th. Not good, but not bad.

Definitely the hardest racing I have ever done, but not necessarily the fastest. I think it was good preparation for the races yet to come. I hate to use such a big race as training, but I had no choice. I was just along for the ride.  Good trip overall though. I love California.

Not 100% sure what is next on the schedule, but I think it looks something like MS Grand Prix, Matrix Challenge then the crit series. I am looking forward to being home for a couple of weeks, but can't wait to get traveling some more. 

More pics soon.

Greenville, SC

After Rouge, I headed over to South Carolina with Ashley for a week of training in a more mountainous region than the climbing metropolis of Dallas. Since Ashley is from there, we stayed at her place and her awesome family did everything for us! I didn't have to cook for myself, do my own laundry or even buy more than a couple of meals out. One of the best "training vacations" I have ever been on.  While we were there, we did some of Ashley's favorite rides. A couple long 5-6 hr rides with sustained climbing for miles. If you are ever in the area and want to know a good route, head out to Caesar's Head state park. It is about an 8 mile climb from top to bottom with a dozen switch backs along the way. The view at the top is pretty rad and well worth the ass kicking on the way up. 

Other than riding a bit different terrain everyday, I also spent a lot of time relaxing and checking out some of the sights of the area, like the Hincapie headquarters and the famous Paris Mountain. It is by far one of the coolest towns I have ever visited and am now kinda looking forward to doing the crit series at the end of the month.  I am hoping to make more frequent stops at the Coffee Underground in downtown Greenville. Best coffee and food and coolest atmosphere you can expect out of a coffee shop. A bit different than Starbucks.

To be honest, I was a little bummed to come back so soon. Im sure i will spend a bit more time there in the near future though. 

Pictures soon.