ANOTHER REASON I HATE ROLLERS

The end of January in sight, and my mediocre training plan is "on schedule". I have found it easier this year to have low standards and succeed rather than looking at my training log with disgust all the time. So as I start to map out my summer goals, I realize that I better put the running shoes away and get back on the bike. I got out the rollers for an easy re-introduction to my bike. As I start to spin I begin to hear a "tick tick tick tick" every time the front wheel goes around. I get off and spin the wheel by hand and NOTHING! Get back on the bike, start spinning, and "tick, tick, tick, tic," WTF!!!! I'm checking the usual suspects, computer magnet, brakes, loose spoke, NADA. This goes on for a while with plenty of F-bombs to do the trick. Then just as i'm ready to sell everything on e-bay and take up quilting, the phantom "tick" goes away and has not been heard from since. So all the rollers did on this day is show me that not only are my riding skill at a cat 4 level, but my mechanical skills suck as well. Is there AAA for bicycles? Cuz i need it!

BELOW ZERO - STIR CRAZY - OUTSIDE AT ANY COST

The last several days have been brutal cold. After several days on the rollers, and even an attempt to mix things up with a aerobics tape down stairs, I had to get out! So yesterday in total artic garb, we were out the door for a gravel road hike. Day one was not so bad for an hour, so today with slightly warmer temps, we went for a solid 1:30. That little sting on the cheeks was a perfect pick me up. It's amazing what a little fresh air can do for attitude. Also last weekend, I began a total tear down and major cleaning of all bikes. This would not be so bad if I did it more often, but I don't, so it was. The road bike is showing the miles, but she is going to have to pull her weight for a couple more seasons. Tommy is going to ride my old cross bike this summer. So road tires are on, and the seat lowered ready for the first spring like day. Handing a bike down to Re-run, has given me room in my stable for a new cross bike next year!!!!! I even have the team manager o.k. on this one, so the search is on for cool rides. Don't worry all, what in my dreams is titanium and composite, will end up next race year being steel and heavy! But just with a newer shine. Take my advice and get off the trainer and get outside. It may not help my form come memorial day, but it sure is better than staring at basement walls! Ty

MY TEAMATE IS A NEW BLOGGER

Chad Bishop has a new blog site up, so check it out. This new blog will help all the IL/IA racers keep track as to how Chad is doing as a "CAT 3" racer!!!!!!!! Because i'm sure Santa had to have made that change on his brand new 2008 licence! Didn't he?

I DON'T BELIEVE IN RESOLUTIONS, BUT MAYBE I SHOULD

One full bag of Doritos is not in here!

If you don't own a pair of these "good for you"

I have never made a new years resolution that I can remember. Sure I have had things that I've wanted to accomplish in the coming year, but never a bonified commitment to see something through. I think the main reason I shy away from them is my inevitable breakdown and failure in said task. Some past goodies in this area are as follows: Diet soda! (at least it's diet), I quit weekly and still drink it by the truck load! Learn to speak Spanish. Just got back from a trip to Mexico last week, the shoe shine man at the airport spoke better English than I could "spanglish"! And my numero uno every year, quit cussing like a sailor. Anyone who knows me can vouch that this f@#&ing hasn't ever come close to happening! Yet it is healthy to try and better ones self. So with that as my mantra, I set in place a "plan" not a resolution, to not be the fattest rider in the peleton this spring.

The first part of this has been the implementation of RUNNING into my training during the off season. Any of you riders out there that have not sucume to this illness good for you. I am positive that the pain I receive on my pitiful sub-turtle pace runs do my fitness little or no good. The only gains are that I love my bikes all the more. The second and maybe the most eye opening part of my plan has been the counting AND documentation of my daily calorie intake. As I did a small amount of research before starting, the experts say to loose weight you must only consume in the area of 1500 to 2000 calories PER DAY. The first several days I was shocked to realize that I had been inhaling 30,000 calories per day. Who knew that a complete large pizza in one sitting could hide that many calories? I am doing everything in my power to keep the count under 2000, but when you have eaten as rotten as I have for a lifetime, well....... Needless to say being hungry all the time sure hasn't helped my f@#&ing cussing, and my diet soda intake is on the rise (zero calories). Is being skinny worth all this? Will My health be better at the cost of enjoyment of life? You don't have to answer, by next month i'll be back to my pizza for breakfast eatn self. Ty

SEASON OVER.... LET THE OFF SEASON BEGIN

After a couple days off to lick my wounds, my goals for next year are starting to manifest. I'm going to try to stay off the bike for the month of January. Not wanting to gain 50 lbs in a month, I have purchased a pair of running shoes. I can't tell you how painful it has been to walk out the door and try to JOG for any amount of time limit that can be considered constructive. Every uphill run this season proved that my skill in this area are week. Not quite as bad as my technical skills, but still in need of improvement. Time wise running is much easier. Plus with the travel of my job, the shoes fit better than the bike in my suitcase. I'm hoping the layoff the bike and my hatred of running will give me some motivation for a fresh start come spring. Everyone have a wonderful and safe Christmas season, and success in all your off season training goals. See you all in 08! Ty

KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS "i obviously don't"

The finish line that could not come fast enough for me!

The start of our journey

"The after"

Muddy warrior!

William doing his pre-race ritual of last minute tinkering with his bike set up!

Clean and fresh with "NO CLUE" what i'm about to step into!

MUDMUDMUDMUDMUD#@$^%&*

Later in the week this section got so muddy they took the barriers out!

Doesn't look too bad here.

I should of had a clue how epic this was going to be when the press helicopter arrived!

Cross nationals was a lackluster ending to what was an amazing season for me. The ankle deep mud, and super slick course was too tough a match for my sub par technical skills. There was no place on the course where I felt in control of my bike. I never found a section of course where I said to myself " GO FASTER" ! After falling down countless times, my mindset was to just finish without getting hurt, and I couldn't even do that. A slight concussion on the last fall put an exclamation point ending to my season.

I have mixed feelings about my performance at KC. I see all the magazine pictures of races in Europe or Seattle. The epic weather conditions. Snow, rain, mud. Riders fighting the elements more than the competition. In my own mind I wonder how I could handle the same conditions. After my race on Thursday, I can tell you that I won't be purchasing any plane tickets for the upper Northwest next cross season!

But I still love cross. More than any other style of racing out there. And I will be back next season with the same enthusiasm that I started this season with. My off season begins tomorrow with dreams of the 08 season. Just maybe with a fast-grass-dry-power-non technical nationals course to finish off with!!!! Ty

NATIONALS

Still pulling MUD out of my ears! Crashed too many times to comment on. Ran more of the course than I rode. Last crash resulted in what the doctor said was a "slight concussion". I'll get more of the photos up and give a better report once my ego and swelled brain recover! Big thanks to William Huntsburger my traveling partner. Even when I lost his spare set of car keys, still gave me a ride home. Ty

MOTIVATION FOR NATIONALS " WHY"

Just a quick note to everyone. In a couple hours i'm meeting up with my designated driver William Huntsburger to start the trip to nationals. We are entered in the 30+ B race on Thursday at 11am. I am expecting cold+mud+strong competition+technical course+6hour drive both ways+extra money spent before X-mas+ mediocre training. This all equals my motivation for this race at an all time low. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't even expecting a top 50%, but man I need to suck it up!!!! I know once I get on line the adrenaline will kick in, but a little confidence going into tomorrow might not hurt. I won't have many photos of the race, but i'll try to take some of the ambiance surrounding the trip. Good luck to everyone going down, and drive safe! Ty

A YEARS WORTH OF TRAINING SO I CAN PEAK ON A TUESDAY TRAINING RIDE

My training log says that I need a few more hard efforts before the drive down to Nationals. So today I went to my practice course at a local park and set out to burn both leg and lungs. Warming up felt o.k. but it was a cold mid 20's F. The course was like ice, and traction in the corners was sketchy. The warm up done, I started putting some hot laps down. I know my "HOT" laps to most of you readers are warm ups, but today the stars aligned and I felt like a bike racer! I can only imagine that this is how the guys that lap me on a weekly basis feel. I had energy and power to burn, and I kept asking for more. My time limit up, and I didn't want to quit, which is rare. My bike put away and driving home, I realized that next week the season that I trained so hard for will be over. I also realized that my best ride on the cross bike this year may have just happened with nobody but the squirrels to see it. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that my love of racing bikes far exceeds my skill and ability to do so. But as long as I continue to have brief glimpses of fitness like I had today, I guess i'll continue to line up at the start line....... Ty

BACK FROM THE LEDGE

After several days of "post Jingle Cross self pity", I pulled myself back from the ledge of a season ending suicide leap! But a week of so-so training, and a hard effort at the park today, and i'm back psyched about my pending road trip to K.C. I'm not expecting miracles of increased fitness with one week to go, but I would like to not drive 6 hours, pay for food, hotels, gas, and feel like ASS on the start line. If any of the 2 or 3 readers of this site are at Nationals Thursday and Friday, look me up and i'm buying! For a cat 3 wantabe with sketchy technical skills, this is the mother of all road trips for me. What I lack in race fitness and skill, I will compensate for in alcohol consumption post race on Thursday! I'll try to take as many photos of all the local racers I see and post them all. See you there. Ty

THE "A" RACE OF MY SEASON COMES AND GOES WITH BIKE STILL ON THE TRUCK

I tried so hard........ My heart said go race, and my body said not a friggin chance! After a full week off the bike, trying everything possible to get rid of a nasty cold, the cold finally won. Although feeling better, there was just no power in the engine room. I himhawd all morning trying to figure out if it was worth driving the hour over to Iowa City and see if I could manage what I knew would be a screaming field of 3/4's on a very challenging course. Not wanting to give up on the race that I have had on my calendar as my "peak" race, I loaded the truck up and went. At sign in, I found out that I had won a woman's Jersey (HOW FITTING), that's how my luck this week was rollin. I pulled the bike off the truck, and went about trying a few slow laps. At the top of the large climb, my HR was through the roof, and this was at turtle speed. I put the bike back on the truck, and took the first DNS of my biking life!!! Needless to say my morale is at an all time low. I have a couple weeks to recover both mentally and physically before nationals, but this was the weekend I wanted as my litmus test for the season. So now all I have is like all good Chicago Cubs fans know is "Next Season"! Ty

SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED

It has been a broken record for 2007. Just when my fitness starts to find a groove, i'm knocked down with some sort of illness. After last weekends middle park where I felt great, the next day arrived with the usual soreness and the onset of a head cold. Today is Thanksgiving and the cold is now in my chest. With only tomorrow left to recover before Jingle Cross. I have spent zero days on the bike since Sunday hoping that my energy levels return before the official blows the whistle to start the 3/4 race. I will be eating huge amounts of food today and even more sitting around doing nothing. If that's not training then what is? Everyone have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving. I look forward to seeing everyone in Iowa City. Yes blowing my nose or not, i'll be there!!! Ty

THE MONDAY AFTER A RACE DAY

I woke up this morning and my right hip was locked up! No amount of stretching seemed to work. After hobbling around the house for a while, my wife demanded that I see Dr. Mike. I'm not positive if her reasoning was her concern for my well being or if she just wanted me to stop whining Either way I went, and am glad I did. Any of you sore riders out there, I recommend Q.C. Wellness and Rehab in Moline, IL. Great people, and Dr. Mike doesn't look at you like your nuts when you explain why you feel this way. "You carry your bike up what"? Doc also confirms every time I go there that I have ZERO flexibility! This has to be addressed in the off season. I'm no fan of going to yoga classes, but me just doing hurdle stretches in my living room is not cutting it. By the way I asked my 9 yr old if he was sore after yesterdays races and he said "NO". I think he's just saying that to make me feel older than I am. Everyone have a great week and see you on the start line at Jingle Cross. Ty

HOLD THE PHONE I FINISHED ON THE LEAD LAP

Proud (and tired) Dad

This is "very" early in the race!

After pulling me all day Dennis does finally leave me in the dust.

I'm hanging this on on my wall Adam!

My first race as a cat 3 is in the bag. It went way better than I expected. The biggest goal of the day was to try and not get lapped, which I did by the nobbies on my tire! Not that I wanted to go an extra lap, but it was more a pride thing. I didn't stick around to get the final results, but I know I was at the caboose end of the race and that's o.k. I had a bunch of people come up after the race and say nice ride! To hear those comments made the outcome of this race sweeter than any cat 4 race i've ever done. My son Tommy (re-run) also raced the juniors race and looked fantastic. Getting a head start racing at age 9 and driving a tank of a bike at that. A great father son day for sure. My good friends Lloyd and Dave showed up to cheer us on and the photos above are complements of Lloyd. Anyone who would show up in the rain on a busy Sunday and watch guys in tights on bikes jump over barriers and then take photos on top of it. Can't ask for better friends than that. Thanks guys! Ty

MOVE OVER C/X OPEN DIVISION (AS YOU LAP ME)

After a great first part of the C/X season filled with top 10's, and the fun of actually being competitive for the first time in my cycling (hobby) career. I decided that I really didn't like the stress of being that close to the front of the race. So without consulting anyone, I filled out an upgrade request and to my amazement, the USCF have blessed me with a CAT 3 C/X license!!! I am totally stoked at the thought of this weekend getting thrashed by the local hammers. All is once again right with the universe. I am back to my rightful place in the peleton. At the back! All you open division racers this weekend move over, "as you lap me". Ty

BACK TO BASICS

After a so so ride at Newton last weekend i'm taking this weekend of racing off to spend with the family. At the same time i'm getting some solid hours of training in. I'm going back to what got me into race shape at the beginning of the cross season, and that's just thrashing myself for 2 hours on my homemade cross courses. I would throw in some Greg pacing this weekend, but if you haven't heard the news, my human motor pacer Greg Harper has a broken collar bone! I think it is his 700th broken bone in his storied career. To get the details how he broke it, stop by the shop and ask. I would tell you, but I like the team discount he gives me at the store and would like to keep it that way!!!!!!! Anyway a good break from racing and some power training and I hope to be back motivated and in the top 10 at the next race. Ty

MEDIOCRE AT BEST

William and I once again this weekend car pooled out for another cross weekend. This week it was to Newton, IA for the Iowa state c/x championships. A good 4's field showed up approx 36 on the line. I got my usual good start and stayed high in the top 10 for the first few laps. But as the race went on I found myself getting passed by at least one rider per lap and the engine room had little or no power to follow. I did my best to limit the damage and rode the last several laps as smooth as possible. Crossed the line in 11th place, a tad disappointed but still having a consistent season. I'm feeling a bit burnt out from 3 weekends in a row of racing, so next weekend is off. I'm going to try to get some quality recovery both physical and mental. Also try to pack in some good training to get the motivation up a tad higher than it is before the final push to Jingle cross then NATIONALS!
By the way William won the cat 4 State title. That's two wins in
a row good for 20 points! Can you say 3? Ty

MOTIVATION TO TRAIN TOUGH TO FIND AFTER DOUBLE RACE WEEKEND

Even after some good results over the weekend, motivation to go out and get some strong training rides in, has been tough to find. Monday my legs were in shambles, but I did force myself to put in a recovery ride. Yesterdays work schedule forced a much needed day off the bike. Today (Wed) I was still lethargic in the morning so another light tempo ride was done. The only good news was that close to the end of the easy ride, the legs started to feel a little less heavy. I hope to get my only hard ride of the week in tomorrow. My question is this enough to further my fitness for the big races to come in November? This is the most racing i've ever done in one season, and the cross season is compact at that. The competition is growing stronger as the year races on. After 6 years of pushing pedals with no success, my desire to stay at the sharp end of the pack is strong. I just don't want to overcook it and sabotage what has so far been my greatest season ever! Ty

REDEMPTION IN WISCONSIN AND FIRST PAYDAY OF THE YEAR IN IOWA

First payday of the year!

Coming up the run up at Psyclofest.

The start of the cat 4 race at Psyclofest. Can you spot the sandbaggers?

Izzy clearing the barriers

Cross racer in the making.

Saturday drove up to Whitewater,WI for the trash dash. Car pooled up with William, and on the way picked up his brother-in-law Stephen. After last weekend, my confidence was in a bad way and I was looking to bounce back. My plan was to blast off the start line go all out until I popped and then survive to the finish. That's how it played out, and it was good enough for 8th place. William rolled the single speed once again and finished 4th. Stephen also had a good redemption ride and bettered his performance from last week and came in 16th. I gotta say that after last week, a top 10 finish against a tough Wisconsin field was the shot in the arm I needed. Sorry no photos, batteries died.

Sunday was Psyclofest in Bettendorf, IA. The temps in the high 70's and the course was screaming fast! My strategy worked ok yesterday, so no changes needed. I think I got the concept of the cross start figured out, because I had another great one. led the field for almost the first full lap. The runup was a killer!!! I lost a ton of time and places here. I would catch up on several of the power sections only to get dropped again on the run up. My chain popped off with 2 to go, and I lost a place while getting it back on and that's where I finished 6th place and the last paid spot. William won the race once again on the s/s. He's got it working and and upgrade is coming soon. My teammate Chad also got a top 5 and is looking strong for the state race next week. Time to recover. Ty

Finally My Ego Goes "POP"

tough to pass, tons of single file racing

Shows how narrow a bunch of the course was

William rollin on the singlespeed!!!

Today was Cam-Rock C/X in Rockdale,WI and the comp was solid. Approx 50 of us lined up for the cat4 race. I wish I had some kind of excuse, like I blew a tire or something, but nope I just got flogged. The course had some technical stuff, and once you got behind there was few and far between places that you could pass. Once again my cornering and bike handling skills of old showed up and I bounced around in traffic all race long. Ended up a sad 22nd picking up pieces of my ego all the way back to Illinois. Huntsberger made his first showing of the cross year and went single speed and finished 12th. We're both planning on a quick road trip next Sat to Whitewater, WI and then Bettendorf on Sun. Hoping for a rebound, and get back into that top 10 groove. By the way, I want to wish happy birthday to both my dad and my awesome wife. Dad, it was great to see you while you were home, and Kris me and the boys miss you a bunch!!! Have a great B-day and we'll see you again as soon as we can. Kris my wife who on her birthday went 8hours round trip to a bike race for me. If that is not love, I don't know what is. You are truly amazing!!! Ty