Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter

The End Is Near

Here are the top 20 overall in the UTCX Men's 45+.  I'm sitting in third, and virtually tied for second with Doctor Cross (Darrell Davis).  All I have to do is ride better next week than I did this week, and finish in front of #1823 wearing the Contender kit.  I have a plan.  I going to ride the geared bike.  Really.  I'm going to have the right mental perspective.  Really.  I'm going to finish second overall.  Really.  I've put way too much effort into this thing to be third.  Or fourth.

Falling

There is one thing I know for sure about cyclocross.  Sure, you have to be fit to win, but the mental component is so much more important than anything else.  When I got out of the car yesterday morning at Heber, I said to my race buddies, "I just don't have the motivation to do this."  It was snowing and windy, well below freezing.  My teeth chattered.  It was all I could do to get into the skin suit and layers.  It was too cold to warm up, so I didn't.  On the way to the starting line I fell.  Twice.  Really, I am not kidding.  I heard my name when they did the 45+ call up, and as I moved forward I fell in a rut.  They all laughed, but it was a sign of things to come.  At the start of the second lap, I went down again.  As I fell I stepped on my chain and it came off.  I put it back on as seven or eight people went around me.  I fell off the virtual podium.  So, I just went as hard as I could.  On the last two laps I started passing folks.  I ended up in fifth.  Not bad considering my lack of mental preparation, but it was just not my day.  If I finish third overall in the series instead of second, I have only me and my brain to blame.

Tired, cold, muddy, and completely spent, I did the singlspeed race right after the 45+ race.  I started dfl (that's dead f_ _ _ing last, in bicycle racer lingo), but picked up the pace as I went and started passing some folks.  I was "training."  When I went around my buddy, Arthur Morris, the battle was on.  For nearly two laps we went at it.  The announcers were going wild.  Through the technical twisty infield, we were over the top aggressive, riding side by side, bumping shoulders, cutting each other off on the inside turns, with both our bars touching the flagging tape on each side of the course.  This went on for nearly a whole lap.  Then, in my head, it was one to go.  I put in the big attack.  Really big.  I was 10 seconds in front of Arthur as I crossed the line and the announcers said "one to go!!"  Did I already say cyclocross was mental?  So, I kept going and Arthur slowly pulled me back.  He made a good move on the final turn and sprinted for the line.  I went outside and slid a little.  It was no use.  He beat me, but I could not get rid of the smile on my face as we crossed the line.

Hard Headed

I'm headed for Heber early in the morning.  There should be some snow on the ground and some snow falling at race time, according to the forecast.  It's going to be cold, below freezing with a stiff northwest wind.  So, the fixed cog is back on the bike.  The lock ring is tight.  I hope the forecast holds.  On snow and frozen ground, the fixed gear is not a real disadvantage.  For the first four races, I must confess, the freewheel was an advantage over the fixed cog.  It gave me a chance to coast and rest a little.  Dismounts were a little easier too.  Last Sunday I rode the geared bike for the first time.  Yes, I'll confess again.  It was faster.  I didn't say better, I just said faster.  Back to being hard headed.

My Kid

Not my kid.

Another Video From Adam

UTCX 5 - Wheeler Farm from Grizzly Adam on Vimeo.

Just Nine Little Points...

...between me and Mr. Cottle.  Yet, I've not finished in front of him head to head this year.  Yet.

Also of note, Mr. Davis has not finished in front of me this year.  Yet, he is in first place.  Yet.

Halloween Cross Weekend

It was a fun weekend of cyclocross racing in Salt Lake City.  This picture of the headless crossman chasing the alligator is much better than any I can find of me.  I had a good weekend, still trying to get over being sick.  I had to dig really deep both days.  Yesterday I finished third, a minute or more behind "McCottle." 

John McKone and Darren Cottle did not show up today.  So, riding the geared bike for the first time in this series, I stayed near the front most of the day.  The last lap turned into a dogfight with Chuck Collins and Jordan Swensen.  Jordan got stuck in the sand and I passed Chuck just after the sand.  I put everything I had into riding fast but Chuck stayed on my wheel.  Three turns before the finish he made his move and came around me.  He went down in the next turn, an off-camber-downhill-right-hander with roots.  He carried a ton speed into the turn, tapped his brakes late, and started drifting, then rolled a tire.  Right on his wheel, I barely got around on the outside, then soft pedaled to the finish for the win.

On The Road

Off to Montana
My body still infected
Loosing fitness fast

Back to the races
On Saturday and Sunday
To get back in shape

Back In Utah

We are back from Florida.  I'm on my couch looking at the colors of the changing leaves outside.  My parking receipt from the Salt Lake City Airport says we were gone for nine days, but it feels like it was only a day or two.  On the plane to Florida, as soon as I sat down the man beside me started sneezing, so I incubated a sore throat and bad cold for most of the trip.  I did two cross races anyway, just for good measure, and did one TT ride with the guys in Gainesville.  For the last two days I've had a nasty cheek-bone-pain sinus infection and have been coughing up bloody gunk from my lungs.  So, no cross race this morning.  But, I'll be back at it next weekend.  I'm not dead yet.  Here are some pictures from the lung destroying cross race on Thursday.  Yes, I was the only guy on a 30 year old 10-speed frame set up fixed gear wearing a t-shirt and sandals.  Yes, I was on the podium.  And, one place in front of me, was some fast dude named Chad Parker, number 146.

And, just to prove I went to Florida:

"It's A Conundrum"

Great Video from Matt and UTCX.  I'm on at 2:19 and 8:38 if you want to skip ahead.

UTCX #3, Fort Buenaventura, 2011

Mud.  Puddles.  Mud puddles.  Deep sand by the river.  Peanut butter.  Yesterday was a fine day for a cyclocross race.  Or two, for those who like to pile it on, beat a dead horse, or kick a man when he's down.  I must be one of those.

I did the Masters 45+ race first.  After the first three turns I was in second place and there I stayed for the rest of the race.  When you are in that type of position you are truly only racing yourself.  Darren Cottle was slowly pulling away in front of me and I could hear and see Doctor Cross (Darrell Davis) and The Claw (Jeff Clawson) duking it out behind me.  Just past the middle of the race I backed off, knowing I was not going to win, and knowing I was going to finish in second place.  That's not a good place to be mentally.  With one lap to go I shook off my complacency and went hard to finish with a pretty good gap between me and Doctor Cross.

The Singlespeed race was next.  I had only a few minutes to drink some water, eat a Powerbar, make a futile attempt to clean my chain (waste of time, see pic below), and then line up at the start.  I knew I would not be racing at the front.  I was cooked, and there was a pro and some really fast dudes in the race.  Darren Cottle, who had just beaten me in the previous race, was there too.  My goal was to ride just above threshold instead of just below my max.  It made me a smoother rider.  I was better through the technical sections.  I was able to ride through the deep sand on nearly every lap.  In my previous race I had to run through the sand nearly every lap.  Where did I finish?  Right behind Cottle, just like before.

Yup

Song In My Head

	Cross Canadian Ragweed - Jenny .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Snow?

Tonight: Rain and snow. Snow level 5900 feet lowering to 5300 feet after midnight . Low around 31.

Here Comes Winter

Now it's cross season!

UTCX1 - Utah State Fairpark from Grizzly Adam on Vimeo.

Sunday's UTCX Race Picture And Report

This report is for Jimbo, because it seems I can no longer reply to comments on my own blog.  Blogger?

I think my face says it all.  I dug about as deep a hole as I've ever dug.  I may not have been the fastest man in the race, but I was absolutely the most determined.

Lap 1, Stayed near the front
Lap 2, Wanted to quit as I drifted back
Lap 3 to 5, Sucked it up and went back to the front, making up time each lap by doing a near power slide into a technical-gravel-to-sand-left-turn-downhill-off-camber-by-the-Jordon-River-back-up-off-camber-right-turn-into-gravel section
Lap 6, took the lead before the above mentioned technical section and then sprinted out of the next 6 turns for the win.

GW

It's my blog, but it's not always about me.  Here's Greg flying in New Mexico.  I just love this picture.  South Boundary Trail?  Will this trail be covered in snow on Thanksgiving Day?  We'll find out.

First Time For First

I had a pretty good weekend, especially for an old guy on a singlespeed bicycle with a herniated disc and several other ailments.  I finished third on Saturday and first on Sunday.  It was my first win ever at a UTCX event.  Notice that the two guys in front of me on Saturday (affectionately referred to by the 45+ field as "McCottle") did not race on Sunday.  I'll try to get some pictures from the races posted soon.