Little weekend recap

Saturday was the KS Energy - Team Wisconsin launch in Delafield at Revere's Tavern. The tavern allowed us to use the basement which was a very nice hall. We talked about some of the happenings with the team, rides, races and such. I was feeling a little bit sick so I stayed home from the Collegiate weekend to rest up. I decided i was up to riding with the boy, especially because we had out new kits! I am really happy with the design and how it turned out. The clothing quality is also exceptional from Kalas. I have to admit I didn’t know much about them at first, but the clothing fits well, its comfortable and seems durable. The day ended with a nice easy spin, somewhat at least, then dinner. It was a nice night.

The GDVC race #1 in Madison was scheduled on Sunday. With looming clouds it was hard to know if the race would be on. I woke up feeling better and decided to race. KS-Team Wisconsin has a great cat 3 squad so I was excited to race with everyone. We looked super pro in our new kits too. As it began I knew that it would be our job to control the pace as we had the largest team. The races had a huge head/cross wind on the finish straight, so the plan was to use our numbers and make everyone hurt. I sat on the front and pushed the pace only to look back and see that I had a gap. I originally wasn’t planning on this, but I had the gap so I went for it. I was chased down by a Brazen rider, Marshall Greene. I tried to hold his wheel, but dude is an amazing time trialist. I sat back in and rested up. With 3 laps to go I attacked on purpose this time from the small group of 4 that I was with. I knew that if I dug really deep I could hold them off. I made it to the last corner with the field closing quickly. I attempted to stand up and sprint for the win but was caught on the final little kicker right before the finish. Julio was able to sit in well enough to put out an amazing sprint for 2nd. I was happy to see it, as my work hadn’t gone to waste. Overall, solid weekend but I’m still sick.

Total Redemption

This past weekend was the Marian/Purdue Collegiate set of races. This included a long crit on Saturday and a TTT and road race on Sunday. I was coming off a terrible weekend and really needed to redeem myself. Monday I rode and still felt tired and slow. After a rest on Tuesday, I put down some serious power on some hill sprints followed by some huge 20 minutes intervals on Thursday. With an easier ride on Friday to open up the legs I was feeling solid for the weekend.

The crit was a long 1.5 mile course with some insane corners to finish up the lap. As an avid mountain biker and cross racer, I was excited but as a newbie on the road I was nervous. The pace was fast and people were falling off the back like flies. My teammate put in a serious amount effort to chase down breaks for me, allowing me to sit in a little. With only a few laps to go, it was time to party. I broke away only to later get caught with 1 to go. As the group came together again a Marian rider broke away. I let the two OSU guys chase him down and before we caught him I attacked and gave him chase myself. Through the corners I was able to make contact and made a bid for the sprint in the 100 foot dash to the finish. I beat him by about an inch. I need to get the photo from the finish, I was so close.

The TTT on Sunday was also amazing. The B’s groups worked like a well-oiled machine as all of us were putting in equal strong pulls. We passed the Lindenwood TT group and never even looked up. We won the race by 45 seconds to Marian in second.

The road race was also incredible. Huge 40mph gust made it a day for the sprint. Many breaks attempted to get away, but the pace was kept fairly easy as the wind was killer. There was a lot of acceleration. There was a monster head wind section and a huge hill for the finish on the other side of the 4 mile loop. I put in a few attacks because I was feeling good. I figured if a strong group could get away, it would make things easier to manage. There was a few time I almost got away, but there was always a lack of cooperation in the group due to the huge toll of the wind. It came down to a sprint on the hill, and I love climbing. I was able to put a 20ft gap on the second place Marian rider, the same Marian rider who placed second the day before. This win needs to go to all the people cheering for me at the finish. The cheering was so loud that even when my legs said stop, I knew I had to keep going. I was truly lifted to the top by my teammates. For that I thank all the UW-Cycling people cheering.

The drama however was not over. After the finish my teammate Lindsey gives me a high five and says you are awesome, but I have some bad news. I had taken a hand up on the left side, a huge no-no. The official was going to DQ me striping me of the win and charging me a $35 fine. I had a chat and was able to talk him out of the fine, but he said that he needed to talk to the head official about the DQ. Later the officials come and talk to me and notify me that they would not be DQing me, giving me the win and the upgrade points I needed to race A’s. The relief I felt was incredible. I am trying to stay humble about the wins as they were in the B’s. But I suppose what I am really excited about is that I set a goal, and I accomplished it. I wanted to win so I did. My big goal for this road season is to race nationals. At this point it’s all but there for me. Picture from the race will follow soon.

One of the weeks, again, again, again.

Since my last post a lot has happened as the collegiate road season had begun. I am still training hard, but mixing it with a lot of racing.

Result of the LWC attack

The first weekend was in Kentucky at Lindsey Wilson College. This was, for all purposes, my first road race ever. I raced the Men’s B race and was happy to be finally riding in shorts after the long Wisconsin Winter. It was very clearly my first race as I was surprised by so much. I found myself sort of riding off the front a lot, as I seemed to out of touch with the ebb and flow of the rest of the packs changing pace. I ended up getting used to it soon enough. There was this awesome hill right before the finish. I am not a particularly good climber, but I love climbing. I decided that if the pack came home in one piece that I would attack on the climb, about half way up the ¼ mile lump. As we came into the final few rollers before the finish climb and caught the break away, I was antsy to say the least. An attack went off a half mile before the climb and the pace quickened, but only matched the attackers speed. I was getting antsier. I attached right at the bottom of the climb and seriously gave it everything I had. I opened up an impressive gap on the field and thought I was home free until like a Looney Toon walking off a cliff, my legs were no longer underneath me. I looked back and saw a charging attack coming toward me as I passed the earlier attack. I ended up getting beat by 3 guys on my way into the finish line, placing 4^th in my first ever race. I’ll take it. The crit was pretty sweet the next day. I felt good, and was chasing breaks and holding my own in the pack. A Lindenwood guy attacked and almost lapped the field, incredible. I was able to organize the pack enough to keep that from happening. The group stayed together, and the sprint was for 2^nd. I opened up a long spring at the final corner up the little kicker. Got a sizable gap and gave everything I had to the finish leaving a huge wake of destruction in the process.

Ohio was shitty. The temp was cold and got colder. It was raining. It was shitty. Attacks on the first climb made the pace fast the entire time as the group broke up right away and a break formed. They ended up splitting and we caught all but 5 of the break and sprinted for 4^th. I got beat on the line by a guy from some school that I don’t care about. 5^th on the day and I am satisfied with that. The crit was canceled so that sucked balls.

SPRING BREAK! NO PARENTS NO PANTS! Spring break was awesome. Better than last year. I had some issues with my body holding up, but still got in some killer rides that really pushed me to another level. I don’t feel like I made any physical gain but defiantly showed the club that I am strong making it 3^rd to the top on Cheroholidy. Combine that with a few other rides and I had a total of 450 miles give or take. I was very tired after that.

So tired in fact that I still felt tired the next weekend in Norte Dame; I can’t really explain it. I couldn’t get the engine going with any real intensity. I was able to push it hard, but couldn’t get out of the saddle with and ferocity. I was dropped on the second lap of 4 and sat in the pain cave the rest of the 2.5 laps home. Same thing at the crit except I did win one prime and held with the pack just until the end for 21^st, out on like 25. FML on that one.

As for now, I have been down this week. I just cannot get any fire in my belly for anything. I am trying but I keep letting things, mostly formula slip. I’m hoping that a few good nights sleep and a good performance on my exam tomorrow will bring me out of the slump. To be honest, I am not too sure if the problems on and off the bike are not unrelated. Maybe I just need to find my spirit animal. My mom keeps asking me if I have a girlfriend yet, which really doesn’t do my ego anything good either. Mom, I love you to death.

Here’s the plan for shit to improve.

Follow my training plan better, closer, and talk to my coach about nutrition.

Keep things clean

Get good sleep

Prepare for races better with food and supplies ready

Make bitches hurt

This will teach me to go see my family and leave my bikes home

Angry margarita face

Call me the Cobra Killer

Words to live by

Be more aggressive, on and off the bike