GOODBYE!!!! FOR NOW.....

Life is one roller coaster of a ride! This week has been a double. After having a good start to my cross season, it is now all over........ Yes, I said over! Thursday I found out that my position as a Pilot at HNI corp. has been downsized, and I am out of a job. It is always the flight dept. that goes first when the stock price starts to fall. I understand this, but it doesn't take the sting away when it happens.

Needless to say, looking for a job, and the thought of selling a house and moving has taken my legs and heart out of training! It is time to step back, regroup, and focus on taking care of my family. Cycling will always be there when this all gets run through the wash.

A quick thank you to all involved in the Iowa/Illinois cycling community. Harpers, Dice, Iowa City, DesMoines. You have all been a part of changing my lifestyle. From a 220lb fat man with zero fitness, to a 170 lb want a be racer that just loves the vibe. You all know who you are, and there is not enough space on this page for my thanks.

I don't know what is next, or where I'll be living next. But what I do know is that things happen for a reason, and although it looks grim right now, I believe in my heart it will work out. With the love and support of family and friends, it always does.

Good luck, and God bless to all in these economic tough times. Hug your loved ones "just because", and ride your bike, "just for the love of it".

I won't be updating until I have a plan moving forward. I'll be watching the results, and rooting you all on to great results. I pray that next year I'll be back trash talking with nothing to back it up once again............. So long for now, and God bless you all Ty

ONE RACE, AND I'M BACK ON THE FAVORITES LIST

I wear the Harpers colors one time in a race, and i'm back on Bishop's favorite list! I can't tell you how much better I feel about this. This has been weighing on my mind for some time now. He is correct that I have swore off road racing for 2008. This is mainly because I have a deep rooted fear of being lapped over and over again in crits! Not too mention road rash. Maybe a comeback is in store for next summer. If Lance can do it? But enough about me not racing road. How about Chad racing cross? I'm hearing a lot of babble of "loss of fitness, and motivation". The Iowa races are on the horizon. Two yellow Harper jerseys in the same race, would be a rare sighting!!!! What do ya say? Ty

RESULTS CONFIRMED WHAT I ALREADY KNEW: I RACED LIKE A PANZY!

After the race in Chicago this weekend, William and I decided to not wait around for the "official" results. My son and team photographer had us finishing around the high teens low 20's. Not good, but something to build on. So since there was no prize money to wait for, or podium girls to kiss, we headed for home. Not knowing the "official" results helped in some way to keep our ego's alive and well, even if it was only until today. The results were just posted on the Chicago cross cup site, and low 20's NOT high teens was the conclusion. I'm still chalking my performance up to the first race of the year jitters, and getting my skirt stuck in the chain ring! This can be easily fixed next weekend in Madison by hiking up my man boobs, and just racing my bike! Sorry for the attitude, I just hate poor results that come from me riding like chicken little...........Ty

TOO MUCH TRAINING FOR TOO LITTLE RESULT

Should have stayed here and enjoyed the day for as good as I raced.

Kept William close most of the race, so not all bad.

Finished till next weekend.

My first race of the year is in the books, and it couldn't have been much more mediocre. A very conservative start, put me behind a ton of riders off the git go. Lap one went by in a flash, and I finally started getting through some of the traffic on lap2. William passed me around 2 or 3 and he was the last one to go by till the last lap. Big power/speed course with one small run up. This is usually my course, but being behind from the start, left me racing for table scraps. I did get into a nice rhythm in the middle to late part of the race, then faded on last lap. Final report card is a C- to D+ due to lazy start, and giving up on the last lap. But everyone needs a first race of the year, and I'm jazzed up for Madison next week........Ty

SECOND GUESS TIME

The off season will be over come this weekend with my first race of the year in Chicago. There is something comforting about the off season that I will miss for the next three months. I love the day dreams while training that you are better than you actually are. A good solo ride, where you don't have to follow any race accelerations, but in your head dream up "you da man"! While training if you have a bad day, you tell yourself that there is always tomorrow. September always seems so far away. Plenty of time to get into that fighting shape you promised yourself you'd be in after the last race of last season, REMEMBER?

TIME IS UP!

My beginning of the season report card, is probably in the all C's range. I'm my own worst critic, but the truth hurts sometimes also. My weight loss program has worked. 10 pounds lighter than I was at the end of last season, but still 8 to 10 heavier than I wanted to be this year ( I still love pizza n beer). My training up till now, has shown some glimpses of fitness. But there is truly only one test that counts, and that is race day. New bike, new shoes, new kit, just like the first day of school!
Goals for this year are a tad less defined than last. Last year the goals were 1. top tens 2. get a podium and 3.upgrade. All those things done, this year as a newly branded cat3 rider, I just want to compete. If I race hard every time and make a good showing, mission accomplished.
Good luck to all crossers out there. Get the hole shot every time, and never slip a pedal.....Ty

NO SEPTEMBER CROSS IN IOWA? WHAT A SHAME!

What looked to be a great schedule in September to start out the season, will not happen. At least in Iowa! Two weekends of racing that were on the bike Iowa calendar all year, then "poof" gone! I can't complain that much. I rarely volunteer, and putting on a total race is way out of my league. But it is still sad. The entire state of Iowa and no cross to start the season. Where the Chicago series, and the Wisconsin series are adding races, Iowa is taking 2 steps back.
Instead, team Izzy starts the season out in downtown Chicago, followed by the next weekend in Madison, WI. Road trippin is cool, and hanging with friends and family is the main reason I race. But gas, food, lodging all take away from entry fees. Sure would like to have a healthy mix of racing with a local flavor to it. Last season was great, and I made it to almost all the Iowa series races. The vibe at the races was great, and I guess that it was wishful thinking that it would carry over to this year. No Sept. races in Iowa kills the buzz!
I want to end this downer post by saying that I still applaud the efforts of DICE and the Cross Mafia and all who help put on those races. Whatever races you guys pull together this year, I'll be there! I may not be the best volunteer, but I will support all you do by showing up and telling others to do the same! Ty

NO TURNING BACK NOW

Better up the training miles, and increase the intensity! It hit home today that cross season is HERE! Did the pre-register thing for the Planet Bike Cup UCI c2 races. CAT 3 both sat and Sunday. Taking the team camper for the overnight. So if you see the pirate flag flying, and maybe a flag of Flanders by then come and stop by to say hello! Weekend before this is Jackson park in Chicago, and I plan on blowing the cobwebs out there. That completes Sept. schedule, and October is in the works. Sorry to hear about the DICE races that were cancelled. Would sure have been nice to race local and save the gas money. Better luck next year. On a lighter note, did everyone see the 2/3 pre-reg at Jingle cross? 33 riders already in the mix and 2+ months still till the race. Re-run might race a couple of the junior races, but not sure what type of fitness he's in right now. School and football practice are taking up most of his time. I'm going to try and get him on the cross bike several times before Wisconsin to feel him out. He's young with power to burn, so we'll see.
It's pouring rain outside, time to go run some hill repeats......Ty

TAKEN OFF THE FAVORITES LIST

While cruising the blog scene, my already fragile ego took a hit. It seems that my own teammate, one Chad Bishop, has dropped me from his favorites list on his blog site. Just as i'm in the final preparations for a fabulous cross season, my own "teammate" smacks me down!!! Granted I haven't raced all season, and Chad has had an amazing summer, But banishment??? I don't know of any other blogs that have had me on there favorites list "past or present". But my own teammate?
That's O.K. Chad. In the name of team harmony, I am going to keep you on my "favorites" list. Hope you have a great cross season! Your fans will still be able to access your site through mine to see how your doing.

Your humble teammate........Ty

*BRUISES* CROSS SEASON COMETH

Keeping it PG13 that's as high as the camera can travel without without the full monty!

Tis the season, and let the scar tissue and bruise count commence! For those of you wondering where that purple beauty is located, that is an inner thigh (tough camera angle). Gettin that re-mount leg calloused up for the season to come.

Been getting some good group cross rides in. Thanks to all the fasties recently for allowing me to tag along and try to raise my game, you know who you are! Hopefully my turtle disease is not contagious, and having a good laugh at my pitiful fitness level will only make you faster! I did find a way to keep up with the "Harpernator". Let him crash in front of you on a wet wooden bridge, and then run over him! I still feel like shit about that so a big sorry goes out to the G-man!

But you know what they say........ What is the best thing about crashing??? Watching somebody else do it!!!!!! Ty

Pre-Season Greg Pace Test - FAILED

Sometimes as a rider you go through the motions of what you think is getting you into race shape. Then there is that group ride or race that brings out the truth. Yes compared to your co-workers, you are in great shape. You are way above the national average, and your BMI is within the limits. But you know come the weekend, surrounded by a couple dozen like minded bike geeks, that just being in shape is not going to cut it.
After several weeks of what I thought was hard training, Greg Harper and me joined up before work today. We hit the trails, and quickly I was getting popped off his back wheel. Yes he's the "Harpernator" and this is to be expected, but it happened early and often. The biggest disappointment, was my lack of huevoes on the down hills. I got gaped any time the trail had a downward grade. I would fight back to catch his wheel, only to pop next down hill. Then it started on the up hills. Then the flats. Then it was just time to cool down, and hope I didn't get dropped doing that! Approx 4 weeks to the first cross races of the year. Got some more work to do, not just go through the motions! Ty