Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Tsali NC aka SERC #2

After a week of not working due to being a bit sick, i headed down to the second SERC race with the team. having high hopes considering all the rest i had, i figured it was a safe bet i was faster than everyone else, because surely they had been riding all week and would be ultra tired.

There was a time trial on Saturday, which went pretty well, i ended up 5th or so, and Robert took the win. The XC race on Sunday consisted of two large loops on trails around Fontana lake. The trails there are super fast, and even with some climbing, the average speed was around 16mph, i still am adjusting to going into corners at 20mph, but that is another story.

Robert ended up in 2nd place as Thomas Turner got away from everyone early and soloed to the win, i ended up in the teens, feeling the effects of what i like to call 'rest over extension'

Clay from American Classic was there with some wheels and goodies for people to check out and the turnout was really strong.

I'm still getting over being sick and about to finish my medicine. Hopefully i can bounce back in time for Sea Otter, which is about a week away!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Angler's Ridge, and SERC # 1 in FL

So the season is REALLY here, like jumping into cold water it hit me a few weeks back in Danville, VA.

Not to get all play by play, but the race started with crashing over a guy who fell 15 feet from the start and chasing the rest of the field that got in front of me, which i don't mind if it had to be that way but i ran into some serious back cramp issues on lap 3 that somewhat ruined a promising finish. Lessons have been learned and equally serious core and stretching routines have been implemented.

The trip to Gainsville, FL and back was super fun with the team, and the venue for was cool too, set in an old phosphate quarry (so I'm told) As Robert said, the way to make hills in Florida is to dig holes haha!

The landscape of Florida is so interesting coming from the mountains. I rely so much on the mountains for navigation almost every day and that obviously isn't possible down there. Spanish moss and huge Garter snakes abound, as i had to push one of them (snakes) off the trail with a stick.

From the gun at the race i felt sluggish in the hot sun, but i pushed hard through the heat the whole race and can say i went as hard as i could have on that day. The hardtail felt great and Those Florida guys are fit this time of year!

Now i am officially acclimated to the heat, surely useful in Virginia where it is currently 45 degrees!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Schedule!

March 13 Anglers Ridge, Danville, VA
March 20 SERC #1 Gainsville, FL
March 27 Southern Classic Uwharrie, NC
April 2, 3 SERC #2 Bryson city, NC
April 14-17 Sea Otter Classic Montery, CA
April 30th Cohutta 100 Ducktown, TN
May 1 SERC #4 Winder, GA
May 14th Syllamo's revenge NUE, Mountain View, AR
May 15th SERC #5 Ducktown, TN
May 22 Southern Classic, Charlotte, NC
May 29th SERC #6, Jackson, GA
June 4th Mohican 100, Loudonville, OH
June 5th Massanutten Hoo Ha, Harrisonburg, VA????
June 12th SERC #7, Chattanooga, TN
June 18th, Lumberjack 100, Welliston, MI
June 26th SERC #8, Clemson, SC
July 10th, SERC #9 Huntsville, AL
July 14-17th USA Nationals, Sun Valley, ID
July 30th, Wilderness 101, Coburn, PA
August 6-7 SERC finals, Fontana, NC
August 14th, Southern Classic, Greensboro, NC
August 20th, fools Gold 100, Delonoga, GA
August 21, Southern classic, Wilksboro, NC
September 4th, Shenandoah 100, Harrisonburg, VA
September 11th, Michaux Final??!!!
Pisgah stage race??

There could be more, less misspellings or substitutions, but this should be the general gist of it.

Friday, February 25, 2011

After cyclocross ended in late January, the team headed to Charlotte, NC for the winter short track series. They were fast, fun and extremely well organized! It took a little time to get used to a 21lb hardtail with 1.8 inch tires on it again. Nothing like a 17mph mtb race to give you the snap!

Poor weather conditions abound here in Virginia, but nothing compared to Buffalo. Racing season starts for real in two weeks down in Gainsville, Fl for the first SERC race!

Come on Spring!

Schedule is up!

Monday, January 10, 2011

New Year, Aspirations.....Obligatory 2011 Post?

Yes! 2011 and a big gap between writing anything here. The fall and early winter has been full or long rides and sparse racing. That is, until 2011 hit me in the face with double cyclocross weekends! I've been gone for the last few weeks racing with the team and it's been great. I went from pretty much a novice cyclocross racer to top 7 in the 1/2 field within a few weeks. With still so much to learn, fitness to gain, and insulation to lose, i felt that was pretty darn good.

Starting to use the new team gear has been a transition, but a pleasant one. (American Classic wheels rock btw.) just getting used to the new Tomac hardtail and just fitting in general has been fun. It seems like the weekends creep up so fast and i'm off to North Carolina before i know it.

The teams been doing awesome! Robert secured 2nd place overall in the NCCX series pro men, and Dakota 3rd in the cat 3, next year he will be up there with us!

I will keep this brief, because i promised a picture dump here, but last weekend included dry grass, wet grass, NASCAR tracks, broken hotel room doors, continental breakfasts, deep carbon wheels and more than a few trips to McDonalds after Robert introduced me to the dipped ice cream cone.



More pictures later!