richonabike

Kruger's Kermesse 2011

2011-08-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

Finished 14th in the singlespeed cyclocross race. My first top 15 singlespeed cyclocross finish. Had a pretty good race and just basically kept the pedals turning just about as fast as I could (38x18 gearing) for 55 minutes thru the gravel, dirt, grass, dust, and mud the fun farm course had to offer. Fun race followed by a fun and entertaining team relay race afterwards!

Alsea Falls Switchback / OBRA XC Championships

2011-08-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Lots of races since the last post, but just going to add a new one now and possibly add some past races later. Alsea Falls was a fun race (as they all are for the most part) with one major climb that included a painful 370 feet of climbing in 1/2 a mile. Generally not too difficult for a road bike, but a 30 pound mountain bike can be a bit tougher. Started out the 3 laps race pretty damn good, until the 3d (and last) lap going up the climb. Whether it was the lack or nutrition (only had one gel for the entire 1 hour, 50 minute) race, or not being ready for this hill, my hamstring knotted up halfway up. Had to walk it off for a few minutes and then I was back on the bike to finish up the race. Tough shortish race, but another fun MTB course. Finished 12th out of 13 in my category. Actually not too bad when you consider the competition. http://obra.org/events/18650/results

WIlliamette Capital Cup Criterium

2011-03-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

First criterium of the year! I felt good, I felt bad, I felt unsure, and then got it together for a strong sprint on the uphill finish to end up 6th out of of 32 Cat 4/5 racers. Actually, this is my best criterium finish to date.

Echo Red to Red

2011-03-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

I consider this my first mountain bike race. 400 mile round trip drive to Echo, Oregon. 21 miles & 2 hours of racing pain. Some how I had in my head that this race was going to be a little over an hour- not sure exactly how I got that in my head. From the start to the finish it was a none stop give it all I you got effort. Up a hill down a hill, up a rocky hill, down a rocky hill. My descending skills are still not where I want them to be, probably a little timid after taking a few good falls at the end of last year in CX races. Actaully passed a decent amount of Cat II racers along the way and finished 6th out of 21 in the Cat III Age 35-44 group.

Bridge of the Gods Ride

2011-02-22T09:54:00.000-08:00

95 Mile team training ride into Washington, to Bridge of the Gods, past Multnomah Falls, up to Crown Point, etc. on President's Day:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/69597506

Cherry Pie Road Race 2011

2011-02-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

"The Face of Frustration"

Bounced around from positions 1-5 for the first 1/2 of the Masters 40+ Cat 4/5 26 mile Cherry Pie Road Race. We battled a vicious wind during this entire time period and in hindsight maybe I should have stayed in the pack more to conserve more energy. When we made the turn our speed increased a good 7-10 mph on average. The legs were feeling much burn as we raced the final 10 miles to the final 1/2 mile were 2 back-to-back hills were expecting our arrival. I dropped to the back of the peleton, but hanged tough as we approached the first hill - up we went - I dropped my chain into the smaller crank ring, stood up, and grinded past 6-7 cyclist. I was eyeing the next bunch to pass as we topped the first hill and decided to shift into the big ring to get a little extra power. It turned out to be a bad move as the chain went flying off the crank and all hopes of finishing strong quickly pedaled away as I stopped to fix my chain. Took about 10 seconds to fix as I rushed and flubbed around - as I rushed back onto the bike, I watched the cyclists I had passed head towards to finish line. As the photo shows, I was frustrated. A lot of hard work to end up with a easy ride up the hill as I finished last, or so I thought. A itty bit bit of disappointment was taken away the following day when I noticed that I actually finished in the same place (22d) that I did last year at my first ever road race. Apparently we had dropped a good group of racers of the peleton somewhere along the line and I didn't finish last afterall. Garmin race file: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/69597508

It's about that time....

2011-02-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

First race of the year is less than 5 days away. Ecstatic that my neck/disc injury is mended (knock on wood) and excited about the coming year. Anticipation of the first race is a killer!

Long Recovery...

2011-01-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

Well, Ninkrossi was my last race before finally deciding to go to physical therapy for almost 3 months. Currently back on the bike riding and training for some early season races. After 74 races last year, I'm going to be a bit more picky this year and train accordingly instead of throwing myself into every possible discipline. More MTB this year for sure...

Ninkrossi

2010-10-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

(Photo by Dave Roth)

Ninkrossi was generally either really fast or really slow. Some very fast decents followed by quick turns tested the "braking properly without falling on your ass" skills, while the climbs (made even tougher while riding a single speed) were grinders that had a few walking their bikes. Falling on my behind during a practice run made me aware of a few slick corners which paid off as I did not waste anytime falling during the race. This was one of those races that I was feeling the pain and wasn't sure if I slacking, or just hurting. Turns out that everybody(ish) was hurting and I was doing relatively decent finishing 6 laps and ending up 17th out of 26 single speed racers.

Hood River Double Cross

2010-09-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

A planned weekend of 2 races turned into a one day race after I took a wicked spill (my worst ever as a cyclist) when my tires slipped out from under me on a wet and muddy wooden bridge. After sliding across the bridges and across gravel for a bit, I got my senses back together and toughed out the rest of the race finishing 28th out of 29.

Pain + Suffer'n Weekend

2010-09-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

3d Place on Day 2

Aptly named, this 3 day event had very challenging courses each day. Day one's short track course was the toughest short track course I have experienced with several technical areas through a wooded area with a few climbs that put a good burn in the legs. I finished 2d out of a small group in my Cat 3 35+ category. Day two increased the technical aspects quite a bit and had several climbs that exhausted every rider. A long granny gear climb (or walk - which became a popular option for some) decimated the legs and lungs from lap one and every rider seemed to be just fighting to survive from that point. I finished 3d in the Cat 3 35+ category.

The final days cyclocross race was possibly the toughest cyclocross race I have ever participated in. Just a lot off climbing for my weary legs. Finished 15th out of 24 Cat 3 35+ racers. I fun weekend of pain and suffering.

Kruger's Kermesse Farm Crit

2010-08-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

It was nice to get back out to Kruger's for a race. Last November it was a muddy mess where cyclocross bikes weighed more than they had all year with a thick mixture of mud and hay. This Sunday was a dry day in which everyone is probably still coughing up the powder-like dirt. Crazy how you could not see the course at time and had to either follow a rider in front of you, or just take your own route and hope for the best! I finished 37th out of 64 Cat C 35+ racers. My first geared cyclocross race ever (last year was all singlespeed) on my new commuter/cross bike (new to me, but used - bought from a teammate). Felt like a madman tearing it up the first laps, but midway thru lap 4 I lost much of my mojo. Probably due partially to the sprints the previous day and a long night out with the team Saturday night. Oh well, it was another fun day at Kruger's that gave me stories to tell.

OBRA Masters Track Championships

2010-08-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

I should have got the team tent as originally planned, because Jamie, Bard, and I spent 7-9 hours at the velodrome in a day that quickly warmed up. With all the long breaks in between races, I actually got dizzy getting up from the chair a few times. Finishes weren't too good, but I didn't ride too bad - if that makes sense? Finished 9th out of 9 in the 1K TT (beating my previous PR), 9th out of 12 in the sprints (thanks to another PR of 14.71 in the 200 meter qualifier), and 6th out of 8 in the team trial. With the exception of taking a little longer to get off the start line, I was real happy the way we worked together on the team time trial. All 3 of us swear that the clock lied on that one!

PIR Monday Night Short Track MTB Race

2010-07-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

Finished 14th out of 66 racers on this crazy hot, dusty evening at PIR. Compared to not having to stop last week during my 3d place finish, I had to stop 5 times during the first lap alone because riders had fallen off their bikes for various reasons. One more race left in the series next Monday - we'll see if I can sneak into the top 15 after jumping up to #17 last week and picking up a few points this week.

Ironclad Street Sprints & (Hillsboro) Criterium

2010-07-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Got out of the first round of Street Sprints (160 yards straight race from a stopped position) on a hot Saturday night. Lost in the second round after getting a slow start out of the gate (photo above: pre-race strategy talk with Cristina). Finish 16th out of 26 Cat 4/5 racers at fast (average about 26 mph even with four corners) criterium on Sunday. Not exactly pleased with that result. Hoping to do better in the upcoming crits next weekend.

PIR Monday Night Short Track MTB Race

2010-07-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

3d place finish out of 63 Cat 3 racers.

First podium finish on the mountain bike!

Gresham Criterium

2010-07-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

Finished 13th out of 17 in the Cat 4 race, and 14th out of 20 in the Master 4/5 race. The average speeds were pretty high for a six turn course at 25 mph and 24 mph respectively. Finally got warmed up halfway thru the second race and was at the front with 2 other racers next to me until one racer decided to cut in front of me 1/4 thru the last lap and then slowed down when he realized he was spent. I was trapped and watched almost everybody fly by. He apologized for his knuckleheadness, but that did little to help me in my effort to catch back up to those who had passed. Oh well - some good luck has got to be on my way!

PIR Monday Night Short Track MTB Race

2010-07-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

Another 21st place finish out of 62 Cat 3 riders this week. Low 20's finishes are fine (I guess) for my first short track season, but something better would be nice.

PIR Monday Night Short Track MTB Race

2010-07-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

Finished 24th out of 70 Cat 3 19+ MTB racers. The track was hard after baking in the sun, but had some muddy areas after rain a few days before. Another "would have been even better if" this week as I took a wrong turn on the track and lost possibly 7-8 spots. Maybe next week I'll ride a flawless ride and get that better showing. (yeah right)

PIR Monday Night Short Track MTB Race

2010-06-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Fun time finishing 21st out of 71 Cat 3 19+ MTB racers. Would have been even better if I wouldn't have fallen twice in the exact same place on two different laps when the front tire slipped out from under me. Too high tire pressure possibly the culprit. Surely it wasn't the expert navigation skills! Ha.

July 26-27 Weekend

2010-06-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

July 26 - Finished 15th out of 45 Cat 4/5 racers at the Swan Island Criterium (me, far right of photo). The race was relatively fast, and also a bit dangerous, as it seemed there were to many cyclist that were all over the track with little regard for there fellow racers. Went out in the evening for an 18 mile MTB ride @ Forest Park to break in the new bike. Had a great time and had my first experience flying down a fireroad.

July 27 - Finish 8th out of 30 Cat 4/5 racers at the Salem Fairview Circuit Race. Had no experience with the 7 turn course and it took a few laps to get the course down and to get the legs stretched out after a decent day of riding on Saturday. Rode new the back most of the race until the last 2 laps where I made a little move to get mid-pack and then made a strong sprint at the end to salvage 8th.

New Ride

2010-06-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

After watching my teamates have fun at the PIR Short Track (MTB) Races on Monday 6/21, I decided that I needed a break from the PIR asphalt on Monday nights and will be racing on the short track in the dirt for the next months or so. Of course I needed a new bike!

PIR Monday Night

2010-06-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

My first Monday night adventure at PIR (Portland International Raceway) was a 9th place out of 60 Masters 4/5 racers on a sunny, fast, and somewhat sktchy evening. A much, much higher finish was taken away when a fella next to me decided to grabbed onto my arm for a good 3-4 seconds. I can only assume he was about to crash, but he did anyway. He held me back for a few and the awkwardness cause my left calf to knot up. I essentially crawled/coasted to the finish line in disbelief of what just happened.

PIR Tuesday Night

2010-06-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

Finished 7th out of 22 Cat 4/5 racers on this night. Was actually feeling pretty good, but just didn't find the right spot to make my move, etc. down the end. Still got a few points towards the June competition. Finished 17th out of 38 in the Cat 3/4 race. Blah.

PIR Tuesday Night

2010-05-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

A third place finish out of 25 Cat 4/5 racers clinched 3d place for the month of May overall. Big efforts from Jamie F. and Brad F. to ensure my third place finish. If the race would have ended 15 yards earlier I would have got my first win, but top 3 will do! Jumped into the Cat 3/4 race immediately following and finished in the points at 10th out of 25 racers. Good workout night of essentially 40 miles at more or less 25 mph.

OBRA State Team Time Trial Championships

2010-05-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Jamie F., James R., Ricardo, and I tried our like in this team time trial competition. We lost Ricardo at the end of the first of four laps due to mechanical issues and Jamie and James did most of the work the last 2 laps (as I was just not feeling strong on this day) to a 7th place out of 14 Category 4/5 teams. ~ 27.3 miles in 1:09:22

Tuesday Night PIR

2010-05-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Finished 6th out of 37 in the Category 4/5 race, and finished 25th out of 50 in the Cat 3/4 race. Felt good going into the final turn for the 4/5 race, but it simply just didn't work out. A little something here and there and could have placed higher. Think I'm in 4th place for the monthly standing with one race to go. Trying to stay within at least the top 5 for the month. The 3/4 race was the first time I got to race with Jeff and Mindy (along with Keith, Kolben, Ricardo, and Lincoln). Including warm-up, I put in over 50 miles on the evening - good times, good workout.

Silverton Road Race

2010-05-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

I suppose I have to post the good with the bad. Acquired my first road race DNF (Did Not Finish) or my "career" in Silverton. Was not ready for those hills at that pace on this day. Called it a day after 45 minutes (one lap). Bullocks!

PIR Tuesday Night

2010-05-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Finished 3rd out of 49 Category 4/5 racers at Portland International Raceway. Got out to the track a bit early as usual trying to work out some back and hamstring pains from this past weekends race, hike, and yardwork marathon. I suppose it must have worked. First few laps I essentially followed teammate Jamie F. around the track as we hung out towards the front of the 49 racers. Jamie told me afterwards that he didn't even know a was taking advantage of his efforts. Probably was the first time I was thinking of myself at PIR instead of taking some punishment for the team. Looking back I think I probably could have still helped the team in the past without completely destroying my chances. Why fall on a sword when you can pull the sword out and keep riding! Learning new things every race these days. It was good to find Jamie to let me into the paceline one time when I was slightly stranded and lend me his wheel to draft a little when need be as he gave me a nice breather during the first half of the last lap after I led the pack to track down 3 racers who had broken away. I didn't quite reach them alone, but the field tracked them down after I slowed a bit. I regained some energy and rushed up the right side of the pack and cemented myself in the middle of the front of the pack. Then we all rushed to the finish line going around the last corner, I grabbed any wheel I could find and sprinted to the finish line. I was planted right behind the eventual #2 finisher with 40 yards to go. It was awesome to see only two racers in front of me as I gained speed and we pulled away towards the finish line. I got out of the saddle to push it at the end and unfortunately got out a few seconds too late as the #2 racer literally inched me out and the #1 racer won by maybe 1/2 a bike. So close. Maybe next time, an earlier final push....

Bend Don't Brake

2010-05-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

I really hate saying "another lesson learned," but (insert swear word)! - another lesson learned. Finished 23d out of 48 in the Cat 4/5 race. I was already planning my final sprint going into the last lap, but I got to planning a bit too much as I got too slick and tried to save a little energy up the first climb of the last lap and got dropped just a bit that I could never make up. Lesson learned: Don't take a damn thing for granted! Kicked myself in the ass the remaining 8 miles. Got together with 3 other fellas with about 7 miles to go and we were determined to be part of the lead group again. Two of them decided to help and we past the trail vehicles and got to within 20 yards of the the main group before we ran out of gas. The forth worthless (insert swear word here) decided to draft us the entire time. If he would have helped I think we would have made it back - of course the three of us faded a bit after beating ourselves up and he rode ahead for a better finish. (insert swear word here) I repeated another error in judgement that I learned in Banana Belt II, as I pulled again too early and probably wasted too much energy early.

Bridge of the Gods Century

2010-05-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

100 Mile Ride with teammates and friends (Top Photo: Brad Foster) from Portland, up to Washington, across Bridge of the Gods back into Oregon, past Multnomah Falls, up Crown Point, and return to Portland.

PIR Tuesday Night & Final Port of Hood River Criterium

2010-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Finished 17th out of 31 Cat 4/5 racers at PIR. Was in the top 3 the last final laps trying to keep the pace down & strategizing to get Ricardo back in the race after he went down on the wet track. Seemed to work out as Ricardo joined back up with I believe a little over a lap to go, I pulled heading into the final turn and and Ricardo busted out for 4th and Jamie 3d. In the final of the Port of Hood River Criterium series (Photo Left by Brad Foster of Post Cat 3/4 Race - myself, Ricardo, and Kolben) I spent plenty of time leading the pack in the 4/5 race and ultimately ended up finishing 9th out of 15th. Ricardo said he owes me about 3-4 "helpers" after this one. I have fun helping out the team - I'll be greedy one of these days! Wasn't even going to try the Cat 3/4 race, but I was persuaded by Brad to get my ass in there and it actualy ended up being a decent race as I finished 10th out of 20th in the Cat 3/4 race. What's next!

Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic 2010 - Stages 3 & 4

2010-04-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Stage 3 - Getting ready above (Photo: Brad Foster) for the 10 Mile, 620 feet "what have you got in your gas tank after the last two days" Time Trial. Once again, the first couple miles were the hardest feeling the crazy burn from the past two days, but then I settled in and grinded up the remaining incline before enjoying the all out 4 mile sprint on the return. 44th out of 54 on this day - staying relatively consistent with my low 40's performances.

Stage 4 - 25 minute criterium in The Dalles downtown. I think the crits may be my favorite races at this time, but that probably only because I'm yet to get in a wicked crash. Jinx! Definitely didn't think I had the energy that I ended up having on this day as I bounced from front to back to middle and around again - ending up finishing 37th out of 52 racers in this race, and 42d out of the 50 racers (originally 78) that actually finished the entire stage race. Overall a painfully enjoyable experience!

Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic 2010 - Stages 1 and 2

2010-04-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

My first stage race! The goal - I guess honestly, not to finish last. This being only my second strictly Cat 4 racing after being upgraded recently - I didn't know what to expect. A secondary goal of finishing within the top 50% was a "nice to shoot for."

Stage 1 - Columbia Hills Road Race, 40 Miles, 2080 Feet - A beautiful day with some challenging hills and ornery wind. The first 5 miles were effortless and then the climbing began and my legs did not want to partipate as much as I would have liked them too. Nevertheless, I pushed it the entire way as usual and mustered up a 40th out of 70+ racers. (Above Photo: Gaby Rosko)

Stage 2 - Welcome to my first Day 2 of a stage race. I definitely was beat down from the previous day and I'd be lying if I said the idea of calling it a weekend didn't cross my mind within the first couple miles - pain for every second of the 42 miles and 3,600 feet. I think I actually got a little stronger as the race went on and the legs warmed up, but too little, too late. Finished 49th (sprinting for 49th above! - never give up right?) out of 61 racers on this day - the original 78 riders was gaining more DNF's (Did Not Finisher's) as the event went on. Only 54 racers would remain after this day. (Photos: Gaby Rosko (Middle Photo), Brad Foster (Bottom))

De Ronde Van Oeste Portlandia 2010

2010-04-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

7,900+ feet of climbing in just shy of 50 miles - what a perfect morning with great weather, great comraderie, and awesome folks along the route periodically to cheer us up those crazy climbs - good times!
GPS: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/30366288
A few photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/richtheneighbor/sets/72157623878114878/

Port of Hood River Criterium

2010-04-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

We had some awesome sunny weather with just a bit of wind on the backside of the course. Hammer Velo had 4 of the top 11 positions with Ricardo (2d), myself (7th), Kolben (8th), and Keith (11th) (out of 25 riders). I led a lap or so and played around in front - looking back this probably made me use more energy than I would have liked. But it's fun - what ya gonna do! Bryan led the "Hammer Train" of myself and Ricardo for the last 1/2 lap, then Ricardo peeled off me after I peeled off Bryan after we rounded the last turn. This was the fastest crit race I've been involved with, but them it got even faster as I tried to race my first 3/4 race and had to pull out after 6 laps. Just didn't have the energy to keep up with the crazy pace after the 4/5 race. The sight of the sun being out had everyone wanting to put the hammer down!

Upgrades

2010-04-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

Ricardo and I got upgraded to Cat IV today.

Tuesday Evening @ PIR

2010-04-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

Another good night for the Hammer Velo Cat 4/5 squad as Ricardo got 2d, Jamie 5th, and Andrew (with a sore knee) 15th out of 53 racers. Ryan (37th) and myself (38th) decided were were going to take some control of this race for a few laps near the end, and with a bit over a 1/2 of a lap to go I decided to push it with the hope that a teammate was on my back, as it turned out - I heard Jamie say my name, turned around and saw him, and at that point decided to push the gears until my gas tank ran out. Jamie and Ricardo had been close behind. Jamie took over just after the last turn and Ricardo followed him around until the last bit where he bolted for his second place finish. Our second great team effort out of the last 2 outings (not including King's Valley. Great to get kudos from Jamie & Ricardo for making that pull happen. Not exactly sure how I even finish 38th because after my pull work was done, I sat up on the bike, watched the fellas race for the line, and coasted in. I think there may have been a crash.

King's Valley Road Race

2010-04-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Having either the hills (just short of 20 miles laps, nearly 1,650 feet of climbing per lap) or the wind probably wouldn't have been too bad, but having both of them at the same time made the course extra difficult if you got caught in the wrong place. Many got dropped at the end of the first lap on the climb prior to the finish line, but I managed too keep it together for another maybe 10 miles before getting stuck in the previously mentioned "bad place" and being dropped from what was a blistering pace being laid down by the lead group. I toughed it out for the next maybe 25-30 miles and ended up with a 40th out of 67 Cat 4/5 racers in this 3 lap adventure. Honestly, I didn't think I finished this far back, but it was all a blur after the lead group shattered into several pieces halfway thru that second lap.

Port of Hood River Criterium

2010-04-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Everybody rode a great race and I think it was our best crit team effort to date - having 6 of the 22 racers definitely doesn't hurt. Personally, I listened to James B. advice from the last Hood River crit of taking every opportunity to stay at the front and did so winning one of the two primes. After that I just decided to lead a couple laps and hoped that my teammates were developing a plan behind me - they were and Ricardo got the win. Not too sure of the exact details as I just chilled and watched the boys fly by down the final stretch. Was nice to hear a good bunch of the other racers congratulating us and talking about how well we did and worked together as a team.

Portland International Raceway (PIR) Tuesday Night Criterium

2010-04-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

My first crit race at somewhat windy PIR resulted in a 12th place finish out of 34 Cat 4/5 racers. The team got good finishes of 4, 5, 7, 12, 20, & 22 in this race. The final sprint ended up being a bit longer than expected, but it was a great learning experience for myself and the team on how we can deal with this track in the future. Back to back finishes in the crits at place #12 - time to break the top 10 at least! Looking forward to Hood River Crit on Thursday and 56 mile King's Valley Road Race on Saturday.

Port of Hood River Criterium

2010-04-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

Bounced around from the top 5 to bottom 5 a few times, but my first crit racer ever resulted in an 11th out of 21 Category 4/5 racers. Not too shabby considering first place finished about 20 yards in front of me, but a great learning experience on how to make up that 20 yards in the future. Did a bit of pulling that I normally wouldn't of have in order to attempt help out some teammates, which didn't leave my with too much juice in the final stretch. All 5 racers from the Hammer Velo Team were in the top 11 - sweeeet!

Piece of Cake 2010

2010-03-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

For the second race in a row, I get my new best finish of my racing career finishing 5th out of 47 Cat 5 racers on dreary Sunday morning in Amity, Oregon. The 2 hour, 41.9 mile race seemed to move at a quicker pace most of the time than the last Banana Belt race, but I think it was the wind, wet roads, and lack of a warm-up that made it tougher. I learned today that there is a thin line between getting dropped and calling it a day v.s. getting a decent finish. Almost got dropped a few times and got caught in no man's land a few times, but I busted ass to stay up with the lead group and passed quite a few in the final sprint for the 5th place finish. Cool to see my name on Oregon Cycling Action website for the first time. (Photos: Patrick Malach)

Bike Karma?

2010-03-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Commuter bike has been sitting in the garage for some time. Broke it out this morning - got a flat tire on Multnomah Boulevard 3 miles into the commute as I crossed over Highway 5. That's bike karma for ya. (Graphic "borrowed" from http://www.rivercitybicycles.com/)

As the Raven Flies Time Trial 3

2010-03-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

I felt relatively strong the entire time trial and seemed to work a bit smarter earning my best finish out of the 3 race series resulted in an eleventh place finish out of 22 Cat 4/5 racers. The 33:04:62 time was my best time of the series (see below) and ended up placing me 19th out of 36 for the entire 3 race series. As the Raven Flies Time Trial was hosted by some great people and they ordered up some great weather for every race weekend.

Series:
TT 1 - Finished 11th out of 23 - 33:53:47
TT 2 - Finished 22d out of 28 - 34:48:62
TT 3 - Finished 11th out of 22 - 33:04:62

(Photo Courtesy of: Matthew Haughey)

Banana Belt III

2010-03-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

This 13th out of 42 Cat 5 racers finish was the best finish of my very young (even though I'm 41) "career." I was determined to, and succeeded, in making it the smartest race that I have ridden all year after last weeks self-destructive 39th out of 47th finish. Was insane fun to be in the mix again and finish strong. The Hammer Velo Cat 5's looked pretty strong out there today. Won't be long before we can join our Cat 4 comrades. (Photo: Oregon Cycling Action - me in the middle left)

As the Raven Flies Time Trial 2

2010-03-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

Didn't feel like I was getting the power out of my legs that I needed in this iteration of the "Raven" Time Trial. The wind going out was rougher than last week, but I didn't get me legs going until probably 3 miles out and proceeded to tear up the last hill almost catching the cyclist in front of me. Ended up finishing 22d out of 28 Cat 4/5 cyclists @ 34:48:62 compared to last weeks 11th out of 23 @ 33:53:47. Looking to make a good showing next week at the last time trial and get into the top 10 overall for the series. Oh yeah, later that evening after checking my rear derailleur - I realized I didn't have my biggest gear going for me today. The bike wasn't shifting properly, so I'm blaming that for my lackluster finish :)

Banana Belt II

2010-03-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

A bit disappointed in my 39th out of 47 finish in the Banana Belt (race around Henry Hagg Lake), Cat 5 Group. Tried to pull the lead group about 15 miles in for too long and ended up emptying the gas take entirely too quickly. I huge mistake that I'll have to learn from. Ugh. (Photo: Patrick Malach (above), Banana Belt "Flyer")

As the Raven Flies Time Trial 1

2010-03-06T19:06:00.000-08:00

It's about time I got 1 top 50% finish in an event. "As the Raven Flies Time Trial" became my first top 50% finish. I finished 11th out of 23 Cat 4/5 racers on this sunny, but windy day. Comparing this time trial to the Jack Frost Time Trial - Jack Frost Average Heart Rate was 165 with a maximum heart rate of 178, Raven Time Trial was 178 with a maximum heart rate of 189. "Raven" was much more windy and hilly course and it was the first time since I've been on a bike that my effort had me almost "hurling" at the finish. The main wind was at the 6 mile turn around - it's tough to explain the disappointment when you have busted your ass for the first 6 miles only to turn around to finish the last 6 miles against a pretty decent wind. Of course I'm pleased with the finish, but not really happy. That'll happen when I'm in the top 10 of something. Baby steps...(Photos Courtesy of: Matthew Haughey)

Sublime Sublimity & Jack Frost Weekend

2010-02-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

So, this weekend was the Sublime Sublimity Road Race (me, middle white jersey in photo) and the Jack Frost Time Trial. I didn't feel I had a good workout/nutrition week and perhaps I paid for it this weekend when I was quickly dropped on the first main climb of Sublime. Some tough climbs and a vicious wind made the 1 hr 45 minute, 28+ mile, day a bit painful to say the least. Compared to last weeks Cherry Pie Race - my Sublime average heart rate for was 10 BPM higher and average speed 6 MPH slower. It was a day that I can only learn from finishing 72d out of 80 racers. Immediately following Sublime - I was hesitant to even try the time trial, but persuaded by Ryan and Curtis I decided to tough it out. I'm glad they did, because even though I

wasn't feeling 100% I do feel that I gave it a great effort and pushed it the whole way. Still, I finished the 14 mile windy course in 39:09:4, 47th out of 62, which doesn't bring me any joy at all, but I'm trying to realize that I'm still a new racer (even though I'm 41 years old) and haven't been training for long at all. I still have some barriers I've got to break through in order to get better results. Regardless, I'm having fun on race days and after all isn't that what it's all about - umm, honestly probably not.

Cherry Pie Road Race 2010

2010-02-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

Any nervousness quickly went away as I got comfortable in the pack in the 1.5 neutral roll-out to the start point. I owe this to the many Hammer Velo teammates that gave me advice for my first road race and to several months of team rides. I jockeyed into the first 12 as recommended by Jeff T. & Dave G., but quickly realized that bouncing from 10th to 30th to 15th and back again was going to happen (many times). Sometimes the pace was pushing 30, sometimes it was low 20s - all part of the race strategy. I was conceded to the fact that on this first race I was not going to be setting any paces or leading the pack. The experience and "keeping the rubber side down" as Chris S. put it were my immediate goals - everything else was just gravy. As my comfort/confidence grew and I maintained pace with the front group, my goals changed and the new plan became to just make sure I was with the front main group going into the last 3 miles, get into a position I could find some room, and let's see what happens. I miss calculated the final 3 miles as I didn't consider the 1.5 mile roll-out into my plans - doh!. This meant that the finish of a long climb, followed by a short downhill, right turn, and then an uphill sprint was on top of me earlier than planned. Once realizing this, I took the first long climb at a decent pace (as advised by Jeff T.) on my big ring and had a few people pass me and pull away as expected. Next was the brief downhill and the quick right turn. I heard Jamie F. voice in my head saying to make sure we shifted to the right gear going into the final climb (we drove the final 3 miles of the course earlier in the morning) - I did and I made sprint to the finish line. Saving some energy for that final climb paid off as I passed 7 or 8 racers before I crossed the finish line about 10 yards behind teammate Jamie F. - I was funny and motivating to here Bryan S. yelling "Rich is gonna catch you Jamie!" up that final stretch! With the heart rate at 190 I didn't have a chance to laugh, but! :) I contend I may have caught him if I didn't have to split 2 racers that wouldn't get out of the way. It was an adventure as splitting them caused a little bump which caused a few wobbles, but the sighs of the crowd where a pleasant sound to hear as I managed to keep the bike upright and cross the finish line in 24th place out of 42 in the Masters 4/5 40+ Category. Jamie led the way for much of the race which was great to see even though he was feeling under the weather. Awesome!"

Anticipation...

2010-02-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

Eagerly anticipating the Cherry Pie Road Race tomorrow down in Adair, Oregon. Slightly nervous dealing with the unknown, but excited for my first road race and the state's first road race of the 2010 cycling season. I suppose staying upright is surely a goal and maybe shooting for the top 50% isn't getting greedy. Don't want to taunt the cycling gods in my road debut. We'll shall see what happens...

Mini-Team Ride: Training for De Ronde van Oeste Portlandia

2010-02-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

Finally a dry day to do much climbing...with a small group from the team. I'm 3d from left in the photo - didn't realize I was so short!
February 7, 2010 - 2 hours 45 minutes, 37 miles, 4,500+ feet gained

The Race is (Almost) On!

2010-02-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

And away we go.....first race (Cherry Pie) in a little over a week. Good news (as far as racing goes) that my planned trip to Massachusetts has been delayed for some time due to the bad weather across the country. This means no flying back 8-10 hours the day before the first race. The weather gods and cycling gods must have come to an agreement. Now the weather at Cherry Pie will surely be sh!tty. Broke out the commuter bike and biked to work last week. Been focusing on race training scheduling, blah, blah, so much that I haven't determined how to add the almost 20 mile commute into the whole mix. I'll sort it out though. Hate paying for gas and traffic is really not very enjoyable.

January 24/30/31 Team Training Rides

2010-02-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

After a couple weekends of only one ride and interval training during the week (including a miserable January 24th ride that I just thawed out from) I finally got out for two decent rides with the team on the January 30/31 weekend.

January 30 - 2.5 hours, 44 miles, the "race pace" ride (photo)

January 31 - 3 hours, 50 miles, 7 flat tires for the team

January 9 & 10 Rides

2010-01-12T15:35:00.000-08:00

January 9th - 2.5 hours, 40 miles, 2,000+ feet of climbing

Vancouver, WA and North

January 10th - A bit over 4 hours, 70 miles, 3,500 feet of climbing

Canby, Clarkes, Upper Highland Oregon City
(flat tire #4 of of the year for me - ugh!)

First Rides of 2010

2010-01-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2010 - 2.5 hours, 37 miles

Weather actually semi-decent this day in comparison to the Dec 31st ride. The sun came out for brief moments and we did get downpoured on for a few brief moments also. Good ride with 5 of us in preparation of watching Ohio State beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

January 2, 2010 - 3.5 hours, 53 miles

Started the GPS a little late on this one. Nice long ride to Washington in some areas that I haven't been yet. Cycled across several "fun" bridges, thru Vancouver, WA, and Fort Vancouver. Good crowd of 16 people.

January 3, 2010 - 3.5 hours, 52 miles
Started the GPS (once again) a little late on this one. Another good crowd of cyclists for this slightly tougher ride that January 2d. Some larger, longer climbs (especially Mt Scott Road) and a faster pace on some of the rolling hills. My first 2 flat tire day ever - one before even leaving (somehow?) and another 25 minutes into the ride.

Last Ride of 2009

2010-01-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

5 of us Hammer Velo teamates ventured out into some nasty rain, wind, snow slush, and cold for the last ride of 2009. At one point we we cycling on one foot one tire trails left on a snow slush fille path. About a 2 hour/27 mile escapade with one flat tire and one water logged iPhone (mine). Let's hope that the hair dryer did a good enough job drying the inside of the phone.

"Tour De Christmas" 2009

2009-12-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Day One - 12/24/09
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20952291
Day Two - 12/26/09
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/21040772

2010 Cycling Season

2009-12-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

Official Information Release to the 1-2 people who read this blog. Just got the word that I'll be joining Hammer Velo for the 2010 cycling season. Very excited to be joining this cast of characters! First team ride tommorrow 12/19. Just thought I'd add a photo for the hell of it. Ben Stiller sent this to Johan Bruyneel via twitter - Stillerstrong!

USGP Day 2 - Last CX Race of My Season

2009-12-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

I had to laugh as I hit (hard) my first tree of the year with my shoulder and trying to ride with a slightly unaligned wheel that resulted in tripping over one of the barriers.

I definitely saved the most frustrating performance of my cyclocross season for the last race. The frustration began with the racers from the "B" group quickly met the singlespeed racers on the first hill which led to a jammed mess. Essentially I fell to much, had to stop to much behind other racers that couldn't make it up hills, and this all culminated in the previously mentioned tree adventure. It was a #60 finish out of 75, but I think realistically I may have led only 5 other racers with the other 10 being no-shows for the insanely cold weather. But then again, I did start in the back of the pack after missing my call-up due to a front tire issue (noticed the front tube actually busting out from under the front tire, ran over to the closest tent to get some help and the great folks at the Kona tent fixed it quick enough for me to even make the race). What an adevnture that race was! See you next year cyclocross!

(Photos: Oregon Velo)

USGP Day 1

2009-12-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

Possibly one of the most competitive races this season as I went back and forth with several racers over the 4 laps. The course was cold, foggy, wet, muddy, and slick with virtually every turn having a possible fall involved. Fingers and toes were a bit numb almost the entire race, but the competition kept my mind of it. As we sped around the track, I couldn't help but smile when I heard the announcer say how great it was to see the competition and smiles on everyone's face because regardless of where you were finishing, everyone was doing there best to beat that person next to them or to get revenge over past defeats - so true. My low gear help during the climbs and the technical turns, but caused me to lose ground during the flat stretches. I finished 44th out of 57 which I guess what pretty decent considering the skill of the field I was racing with.

(Photos: Top Left - Gaby Rosko, Top Left: Oregon Velo)

Kruger's Crossing 2009

2009-11-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

The Kruger's Crossing course did not have many uphill challenges, but it was a tough grind thru probably the worst terrain of the cyclocross season I've seen. One of the few "breaks" in the course was the downhill shown below after zig-zagging thru the trees shown below (photo by Tim Marrinan).

Much of the course was just an issue of trying to find the fastest line thru the puddles, mud, hay, corn stalks, etc... How heavy is a bike that is caked in with mud, hay, and assorted cork stalk pieces? Pretty damn heavy, and the hurdles were actually just a tad bit higher than the Cross Crusade versions which required a little more effort. Overall, another great time and I did seem to find some fast lines along the way (even with falling 3-4 times) and finished 36th out of 69 racers. My best of the year. Is it possible to finish in the top 50% on December 5th or 6th. Ha! Really doubt it, but something to shoot for!

Last Cross Crusade Race of 2009

2009-11-16T22:06:00.001-08:00

The last Cross Crusade Race at Barton County Park, Barton, OR ended up being my best finish of the year, 73d out of 102 racers. The sloppy course had 3 major hills. 2 of them were definite bike carries up steep rocky and muddy hills, while the other was a downhill adventure that after taking a 90 degree turn dropped you abruptly 20 quick feet or so into another 90 degree turn. A carnage creator if I ever saw one, but I somehow avoided to stay on my bike the entire race for the first time in 5 races. I think I lost a decent amount of ground on some of the flat areas were my lower gear would only go so fast. I tried to catch some folks on the last lap, but just couldn't turn the peddles fast enough! Looks like 3 more races to go in my cyclocross season: Krugers Crossing on 11/22 & USGP (U.S. Grand Prix of Cyclocross) on 12/5 & 12/6. What will I do with the weekends after that?!

(Top two photos courtesy of Oregon Velo and the bottom courtesy of Jon Gornick)

SSCXWC 2009 - Thunderdome!

2009-11-08T21:27:00.001-08:00

A muddy nasty mess at the SSCSWC (Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship) on Sunday, November 9th, was enjoyed by all. The race started when 250 of us rushed to find and pick up our bikes that had previously been laid on the ground in one hug mass. Then we all rushed to the first obstacles/carry of the day (shown in top photos, courtesy of bikeportland.org - I'm middle/left with the Mellow Johnny's kit in both photos)

The temperature had dropped to "damn cold" earlier in the day and the amount of massive puddles (or should I say ponds?) and mud let to a nasty awesome experience! A crazy crowd surrounded much of the course while a drum line pounded out a monstrous beat out as you climbed up the hill in the photo. Apparently not too surprising for this crazy event, a stripper bus was made available where you could pay $1 to go into the bus to "drop a dollar" off and take a shortcut on the course. I utilized the bus once after borrowing a dollar from a Hammer Velo team member (thanks John, & Dave from assisting in prying it out of his wallet). Lastly, the thunderdome caused a bit of havoc. The thunderdome (top photo on the left) was a half steel dome construction that was packed with CX fans many deep and hanging from the ceiling. Many racers were pelted with various item (including flaming marshmallows) as they rode thru the thunderdome. After the race I enjoyed watching the Sprockettes (female bike dancing group) and the sumo-like mud battle between Seattle (a male representative) & San Francisco (a female representative). Another awesome CX day & a 172d out of 213 finish.

Boo! Sunday's Cross Crusade in Astoria

2009-11-02T20:34:00.000-08:00

Of course the first time I saw the human obstacles laying on the ground I started laughing my ass off (as shown in photo above). I wasn't sure what to do, so I actually went around them the first time. I learned my lesson and jumped over the human and coffin obstacles every time after that. Even jumped over the double stacked coffins without touching them the last lap. Woopie right? Well, I'm 5'8" - it's not a short jump for me! Got a nice crowd reaction for that which entertained me the rest of the last lap. Finished 70th out of 90 on this day, pretty much my average finish even though this race was probably a little bit less competitive for most. Enjoyed watching the race before and after mine, and watching those who were not in costumes catch hell for it!

Saturday's Cross Crusade in Astoria

2009-11-02T20:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday's race consisted of another enjoyable day of riding even with the many slippery crashes. Probably 7 or 8 by the time I crossed the finish line (went out on Monday after the race weekend and purchased new tires). The course was beat down by 5 hours of other races by the time my 1:00 race started. There was probably the longest (and slickest) series of climbs so far in the Cross crusade series. The atmosphere and crowds were awesome as usual and I rode, ran, slipped, crashed, and tumbled my way to a 65th place finish out of 81 riders. After cleaning the bike off, we headed to the Holiday Inn Express in Astoria to soak in the jucuzzi and get ready for Sunday's Halloween Costume race!

Playing in the Mud

2009-10-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

My 4th race ever and this year's Cross Crusade Event #4 at Washington County Fair Complex, Hillsboro, OR was the muddiest so far leading to another fun time and a 97th out of 117 riders finish. I was 86th when I checked the standings at the event, but magically 11 riders passed me over night I suppose? Not too worried about it, mainly out there...to be out there, I suppose. The back wheel is a bit wobbly after 4 falls. Two falls due to riders going down in front of me and me flying over them and two basically somebody pulled the ground out from under me. All of them quite entertaining along with the other 4-5 times I had to navigate around fallen riders. This upcoming weekend in Astoria looks to be another adventure with the buckets full of rain that are currently falling there and all the halloween festivities. One of my best moments of the race this weekend was when somebody called me their nemesis and said they've been chasing me every race. Me, a nemesis, huh! Who woulda thunk it? I then learned from Chris (my neighbor) of the http://www.crossresults.com/?n=racers&sn=r&rID=34031 site which shows your closest competition. I guess whether your in the front, or the back of the pack, it's all a tough competition and we all have, and are, a nemesis. Side note: It looks like my nemesis' didn't race singlespeed last week.

Cross Crusade at Sherwood

2009-10-21T09:55:00.001-07:00

Cross Crusade Event #3 of the season at Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center was a torture test that made me actually try to shift down to a lower gear a few times even though I was on my single speed. I suppose it was muscle memory from the 70 mile ride the day before. The expected rainy weather actually cleared up for the 1:00 p.m. race, but left enough of mud behind to make it interesting. I had my best finish yet, finishing 93d out of 120 with. An even higher finish could've been possible, but I went down after being cut-off by another rider while trying to manuever around a tree. After seeing 10 folks fly by me, the bursting of my "better finish bubble" seemed to cause a lose of a lot of momentum after that. Next week!

Who'll Stop the Rain?

2009-10-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Chris King Gourmet Century on October 17th was actually the only "event" ride this year that I got totally soaking wet in. Somehow the weather gods had left the rain out of all events prior to this one. The day started with a 6:30 a.m. departure to McMinnville, OR and ended at about 6:00 p.m. arrival home after driving back up wonderful (sarcasm font) Highway 99. In between was a great experience of riding 70+ miles in some serious rain while enjoying some outstanding food, music, beer, and wine. Some of the directional signs were blown down by the wind causing some confusion from time to time (adding to the original 65 miles course), but all-in-all the day was great and it was a finely put together event that will hopefully will be back next year. Having never stopped down to McMinnville, this ride also gave me a look at a cozy little town that I'll have to be back to visit.

The Burn, The Burn

2009-10-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well, the Harvest Century on Saturday Oct 10th was a bust. My planned quick 45 mile ride thru Hillsboro, OR became a quicker 2 hour 35 miler after I got lost on the miserably marked course. I'm over it, so enough said about that debacle. The Cross Crusade event #2 at Rainier High School, Rainier, Oregon was a challenging course that offered plenty of dust, dirt, gravel, asphalt, tree roots, short climbs, sand, and a long climb (the burn, the burn) that had the tires spinning near the top. I grinded up the steep hill everytime except for the first lap because the fella in front of me decided it was time to stop. It was nice cruising by a couple folks on the last lap while climbing the hill even though they were probably on there fifth lap. Finished 100th in the Single Speed category with 4 laps in before I was told to shut it down. Aiming high (sarcasm font) and shooting for double digits this upcoming Sunday in Sherwood, OR. Also, once again I'm looking forward to an event on Saturday. This was is sure not to disappoint. Chris King's Gourmet Century http://chrisking.com/events/events_gc_mmddyy benefiting Livestrong is on Saturday, Oct 17th. What can be better than a (albeit probably rainy) day of cycling, an awesome rest stop/lunch/dinner menu w/Chris King in the kitchen, event "swag" and surprises! It'll be my last event ride of the cycling year which included Salem Bicycle Club Monster Cookie Ride (Metric Century, April), Reach the Beach (Century, May), Tour De Blast (6,240 vertical gained over 82 miles @ Mount St Helens - June), Seattle to Portland (one day, 204 miles, 11 hours - July), and the Crater Lake Century (7,500 vertical gained - Aug).

Pumped for the Weekend

2009-10-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Four days since my first cyclecross race and I'm getting pumped up for the upcoming weekend. A semi-quick 45 miler Saturday as part of the Harvest Century & then Cyclocross (race #2 ever for me), Sunday, Cross Crusade @ Rainier High School. Changed my bike set-up to 38x18 instead of the 42x18 I ran last week at Alpenrose. Little hard to turn those pedals on my '09 Specialized TriCross Singlecross (which was bought a few days before the first race after watching a Blind Date at the Dairy cyclocross race and deciding I couldn't stand on the sidelines!) last week going up a few of those tiny hills. As a not-too-intelligent-yet-about-my-machine cyclist, I've been getting great advice from Ryan at River City Bicycles and a few great fellas on Team Hammer Velo. Last week it was a 102 out of 126 finish in the single speed category and handled all the obstacles well (and didn't let the crazy fella in the flowered spandex pass me). Not too bad for a first race and from the back row which did get the "consolation prize" of a 6-pack of Deschutes Jubeale. No bike commute tomorrow - these 41 year old legs have to rest a bit every once and a while.