http://www.cyclocrossworld.com/Results.cfm?C=1
nice sight. Has all the results for all the races.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Bandit Cross #2
Practice race! Buffalo Grove.
http://www.harperride.net/stories/banditx/banditx_093007.htm
These guys want to make this particular venue of the race series 'official' one day. Maybe next year it will be a UCI race!
For now its a practice event, run like a real race. Very fun. The guys keep it really safe so no worries at all! You get to race against the local guys.
Bandit #1 had a rather nice sized showing.
Gals~ if you want a chance to practice what you have been learning and have fun or maybe you want to just 'wing it' ......this is the race to do it. Very low key. We start with the guys in a mass start. They keep it really safe.
http://www.harperride.net/stories/banditx/banditx_093007.htm
These guys want to make this particular venue of the race series 'official' one day. Maybe next year it will be a UCI race!
For now its a practice event, run like a real race. Very fun. The guys keep it really safe so no worries at all! You get to race against the local guys.
Bandit #1 had a rather nice sized showing.
Gals~ if you want a chance to practice what you have been learning and have fun or maybe you want to just 'wing it' ......this is the race to do it. Very low key. We start with the guys in a mass start. They keep it really safe.
Its 45 minutes so you can get a good workout but if you want to ride more there is a limestone trail through a park nearby and also the roads here are good for riding.
Oh...and all the main ' big box' stores are around here off of Lake Cook Road so if you need to grocery shop , its convenient. See? It fits your schedule! Get up, get out and try a cross race!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
ZOWEEE!!! Jackson Park
(I know this is long but I am excited and just typingtypingtyping)
My first official cross race. (officially) GORGEOUS day 90 degrees crystal blue skies.
...and on a course that I can only describe as FAST. Its all grass and loopy loops and barricades that you had to jump while running up some hills. I raced on my Fuji cross frame that I have thrown in anger through the air more than a few times when I was trying to do barricades with Hank. (hurt my shifters,....kids don't ever throw your bike) I had a double chain ring with a 44 and 36 front and 26-12 on the back. I was in a 44/23? most of the race.
I was on the start line and just wondering why I was there. I looked up and down the line of women there and tried to guess who was going to kick my butt today. Now. Granted. I love to go as hard as I can to the point of being an idiot on the road....and I do miss mountain biking. So...you would think this would be a good sport for me. But the women present were like the who's who of Chicagoland cyclocross.
I lined up with a tummy full of frighty bugs! There were some really good women on the line and 5 Kenda racers were there out of the 15 women signed up to go at the first Chicago Cup Cross race. Kenda, my ex team, pretty much just dominates the cross scene in the Chicago area. I felt like turning around and going home. I was barfy.
I could not fit in the front line so I lined up behind a Killjoy racer, Holly, who I knew could cross and she had won the series last year. Monique, from Kenda, was next to me and was commenting on her bike. I was trying to ignore her and act all cool and not look nervous but I glanced down at her bike anyway. It was a vicious bike. VERY nice. A Blue cross frame with pink accents. I"m a wheel gal and am all about nice wheels. Velocity rims. nice. A fast machine. Ok . breath. Next to her was Corrie, who won the state cross championship last year and just recently won the Chequamagon short and fat race. and...there was Debby Dust. My God. She wins everything and just did an amazing over the top time at the Illinois Time trial championships. I saw Deb warming up and she lobbed the barricades at full speed like it was nothing. Yeah. sure....cross might work for me. ha! It was our turn to go and the whistle sent us off.
Maybe it was just bad nerves but I clipped in late at the start. I was totally off the back in the first corner. wow great job so far. I was on the back of the pack of 15 gals racing at my first cross race. I didn't know if I should plane it out and ride or just get up there. I looked up and saw the line of women ahead of me. Debby was three million miles away.
The Jackson Course:
The whole course was pretty much on grass. You went around a baseball diamond and headed off to the first barricade. Tape marked where you had to direct your bike and the first of the wooden jumps was tough to get to. You had to turn a sharp right off the course to an almost immediate hairpin left turn where you had to jump OFF the bike to jump a barricade, run up a hill, jump another barricade then come around right again and hop back on your bike. You took it DOWN the hill and then rode to another left hairpin corner at the bottom of the hill with a nice sticker bush there to WATCH out for and go around. You ride up the slope, around a tree , then down again to another sharp corner where a sticker bush was just right where you want to ride into. I called this part of the race the 'sticker bush' part. Every time I cornered I just wanted to aim right at the sticker bushes.
It was hard for me to get some speed up till I got past the second sticker bush turn. Then it was all out ,no brakes, swishy turns and straight aways along a nice river view. You swished thru some trees and THE FASTEST barricade was there you could really practice taking that at speed. Then came some swishy corners thru the trees, then you rode up this little hill to another barricade at the top of the hill where they had you jump the barricade and run with your bike DOWN the short hill along the tape and then back UP the hill again and then JUMP on your bike, clip in and swish your way to a the finish line.
Here I was in the very back. I looked up and Debby was miles away with the rest of us barely out the start gate. long gone. So far...away..... .
I knew if I didn't do something soon I was going to be riding with a nail file just wondering when the 45 minutes was done. So I buried it. I just passed and passed and passed.. one. two. ..count them. I had to do it. Desperation was kicking in. I was breathing hard.
Half into the first lap I passed most of the field and barely held off XXX and Killjoy, hot on my heels. Now just Devon from Team Get a Grip and D.Dust was in front of me. I was coming down the hill of the last jump and was........ suddenly there was Debby! Wow... She hollered at someone that her seat post broke. ?? Mechanicals. It reminded me of a race I did a few years ago with some friends. 24 hours of Moab and on the first lap there was a man dancing on his pedals. His seat was in his back pocket but he was doing a great job racing without sitting down. If you ever been to that race you will know there are some rather technical sections. Imagine riding a cross race without a seat!
I caught onto Devon and she and I wrestled with each other the entire race. She never made a mistake. I fell flat on my face on that 'fast' barricade one time and she got away a bit. Then I caught her and barrelled past her. ONE lap to go.
I tried to hold my own and keep my pace high. Devon was RIGHT there behind me. We were over a minute ahead of the pack. Just her and me battling it out. On the last barricade where there was a hill to climb, she came around me and passed me . She is a fast runner, her remounts were much better than mine and she clips in fast as blazes. I am flailing and pushing myself purely out of guts and determination. I have no finesse on these barricades.
She got away. I gunned it and tried to catch her. There was a bit of confusing traffic with the men we were catching up to that were adding to the panic. She had the same trouble getting around some of the guys so I had this last ditch frantic hope that she would get bogged down by the guys riding it in to the finish line. I nearly had to ride into the judges table to get around a guy. GAH! That was HARD!!! SHE WON! SO CLOSE.
I will take second. I think second was a gift seeing that Debby broke her bike. Besides. I thought I'd get dead last so I'll take it. wow. lucky day.
Holly on team Killjoy came in right behind us for 3rd and JEN from XXX ((who beat me bad at the Winnfield crit)) got fourth. (messenger bikers!)
Oh....and the 40+ guys NEVER passed me and Devon!!!
:) YAY! (my only goal was to not get passed by the men's field.)
I had FUN!
40+ guys race::::::
Tim and Hank's race was tough. Hank was out practicing on the course when they lined up the men. He was late and had to line up in the very back. Hank has no concept of time . (ha) or start times. (((He nearly made me miss the Snake Alley and if I didn't just go down there out of curiosity to see if the race was getting ready I would have MISSED Snake alley altogether. I barely made the start. THey were LINED UP and ready to GO.)))
so. I always have to tell him to GO and get in line.
Ok so he was in back, same thing as me but in his case he had to pass FORTY men, not 14. Tough.
Tim was barreling the pace in front and he is FAST as blazes. He and the other guys and had a great lead . They had let the 30 plus guys go first then the 40+ guys second ( Tim and Hank were 40+) so Tim had to also start passing the back end of the 30+ guys. The front guys were just fighting it out going a ferocious pace. YOu HAVE to be up front in these races. You will never see these people again.
Hank was in the middle of the pack and some guy in front of him crashed on a barricade causing them to all go around. No one would come around Hank so he ended up being the front of his group of riders. He was getting a bit grumpy about that. He still got in the top 14 which he is really happy about. He did a great job holding his position in his first cross race.
Tim got 3rd !!!!
Brian on our team was the most painful (and exciting) to watch. He is probably the fastest of us all and was doing the cat 3's to get the points he needs to cat up to 2. The start had him in the very front with two or three other guys and he was hammering. Suddenly we saw him running with his bike to the pits. He had rolled off his tire!!!!!!!!!! He was back in the pack in no time at all and now had to pass everyone. He was back by 1 minute and a half. His wife said she never heard him use words like that before that he used in the wheel pit. ( in public) . fast wheel change. ((note: we really should get extra bikes for racers if we can. ))
Now he was in back and for the entire race we were screaming at him to keep going. He was flying. His barricades were nearly perfect and we watched him gain and gain. He did very well. We were hoping he could catch a few more riders but he placed after top ten we think. I didn't check. NEXT TIME.
His wife clocked his lap times and we all think he could have definitely podiumed. We have to wait till next week to see that. I am sure he will want REVENGE big time!!!!
Nice racing. very fun. I have to say over all that I really like the cross racing. I hope I can get my barricade jumps better. and remounting. After the lesson from today, I better work on my start so I don't get dropped at the whistle next time.
All in all it was better than I thought. FUN!
My first official cross race. (officially) GORGEOUS day 90 degrees crystal blue skies.
...and on a course that I can only describe as FAST. Its all grass and loopy loops and barricades that you had to jump while running up some hills. I raced on my Fuji cross frame that I have thrown in anger through the air more than a few times when I was trying to do barricades with Hank. (hurt my shifters,....kids don't ever throw your bike) I had a double chain ring with a 44 and 36 front and 26-12 on the back. I was in a 44/23? most of the race.
I was on the start line and just wondering why I was there. I looked up and down the line of women there and tried to guess who was going to kick my butt today. Now. Granted. I love to go as hard as I can to the point of being an idiot on the road....and I do miss mountain biking. So...you would think this would be a good sport for me. But the women present were like the who's who of Chicagoland cyclocross.
I lined up with a tummy full of frighty bugs! There were some really good women on the line and 5 Kenda racers were there out of the 15 women signed up to go at the first Chicago Cup Cross race. Kenda, my ex team, pretty much just dominates the cross scene in the Chicago area. I felt like turning around and going home. I was barfy.
I could not fit in the front line so I lined up behind a Killjoy racer, Holly, who I knew could cross and she had won the series last year. Monique, from Kenda, was next to me and was commenting on her bike. I was trying to ignore her and act all cool and not look nervous but I glanced down at her bike anyway. It was a vicious bike. VERY nice. A Blue cross frame with pink accents. I"m a wheel gal and am all about nice wheels. Velocity rims. nice. A fast machine. Ok . breath. Next to her was Corrie, who won the state cross championship last year and just recently won the Chequamagon short and fat race. and...there was Debby Dust. My God. She wins everything and just did an amazing over the top time at the Illinois Time trial championships. I saw Deb warming up and she lobbed the barricades at full speed like it was nothing. Yeah. sure....cross might work for me. ha! It was our turn to go and the whistle sent us off.
Maybe it was just bad nerves but I clipped in late at the start. I was totally off the back in the first corner. wow great job so far. I was on the back of the pack of 15 gals racing at my first cross race. I didn't know if I should plane it out and ride or just get up there. I looked up and saw the line of women ahead of me. Debby was three million miles away.
The Jackson Course:
The whole course was pretty much on grass. You went around a baseball diamond and headed off to the first barricade. Tape marked where you had to direct your bike and the first of the wooden jumps was tough to get to. You had to turn a sharp right off the course to an almost immediate hairpin left turn where you had to jump OFF the bike to jump a barricade, run up a hill, jump another barricade then come around right again and hop back on your bike. You took it DOWN the hill and then rode to another left hairpin corner at the bottom of the hill with a nice sticker bush there to WATCH out for and go around. You ride up the slope, around a tree , then down again to another sharp corner where a sticker bush was just right where you want to ride into. I called this part of the race the 'sticker bush' part. Every time I cornered I just wanted to aim right at the sticker bushes.
It was hard for me to get some speed up till I got past the second sticker bush turn. Then it was all out ,no brakes, swishy turns and straight aways along a nice river view. You swished thru some trees and THE FASTEST barricade was there you could really practice taking that at speed. Then came some swishy corners thru the trees, then you rode up this little hill to another barricade at the top of the hill where they had you jump the barricade and run with your bike DOWN the short hill along the tape and then back UP the hill again and then JUMP on your bike, clip in and swish your way to a the finish line.
Here I was in the very back. I looked up and Debby was miles away with the rest of us barely out the start gate. long gone. So far...away..... .
I knew if I didn't do something soon I was going to be riding with a nail file just wondering when the 45 minutes was done. So I buried it. I just passed and passed and passed.. one. two. ..count them. I had to do it. Desperation was kicking in. I was breathing hard.
Half into the first lap I passed most of the field and barely held off XXX and Killjoy, hot on my heels. Now just Devon from Team Get a Grip and D.Dust was in front of me. I was coming down the hill of the last jump and was........ suddenly there was Debby! Wow... She hollered at someone that her seat post broke. ?? Mechanicals. It reminded me of a race I did a few years ago with some friends. 24 hours of Moab and on the first lap there was a man dancing on his pedals. His seat was in his back pocket but he was doing a great job racing without sitting down. If you ever been to that race you will know there are some rather technical sections. Imagine riding a cross race without a seat!
I caught onto Devon and she and I wrestled with each other the entire race. She never made a mistake. I fell flat on my face on that 'fast' barricade one time and she got away a bit. Then I caught her and barrelled past her. ONE lap to go.
I tried to hold my own and keep my pace high. Devon was RIGHT there behind me. We were over a minute ahead of the pack. Just her and me battling it out. On the last barricade where there was a hill to climb, she came around me and passed me . She is a fast runner, her remounts were much better than mine and she clips in fast as blazes. I am flailing and pushing myself purely out of guts and determination. I have no finesse on these barricades.
She got away. I gunned it and tried to catch her. There was a bit of confusing traffic with the men we were catching up to that were adding to the panic. She had the same trouble getting around some of the guys so I had this last ditch frantic hope that she would get bogged down by the guys riding it in to the finish line. I nearly had to ride into the judges table to get around a guy. GAH! That was HARD!!! SHE WON! SO CLOSE.
I will take second. I think second was a gift seeing that Debby broke her bike. Besides. I thought I'd get dead last so I'll take it. wow. lucky day.
Holly on team Killjoy came in right behind us for 3rd and JEN from XXX ((who beat me bad at the Winnfield crit)) got fourth. (messenger bikers!)
Oh....and the 40+ guys NEVER passed me and Devon!!!
:) YAY! (my only goal was to not get passed by the men's field.)
I had FUN!
40+ guys race::::::
Tim and Hank's race was tough. Hank was out practicing on the course when they lined up the men. He was late and had to line up in the very back. Hank has no concept of time . (ha) or start times. (((He nearly made me miss the Snake Alley and if I didn't just go down there out of curiosity to see if the race was getting ready I would have MISSED Snake alley altogether. I barely made the start. THey were LINED UP and ready to GO.)))
so. I always have to tell him to GO and get in line.
Ok so he was in back, same thing as me but in his case he had to pass FORTY men, not 14. Tough.
Tim was barreling the pace in front and he is FAST as blazes. He and the other guys and had a great lead . They had let the 30 plus guys go first then the 40+ guys second ( Tim and Hank were 40+) so Tim had to also start passing the back end of the 30+ guys. The front guys were just fighting it out going a ferocious pace. YOu HAVE to be up front in these races. You will never see these people again.
Hank was in the middle of the pack and some guy in front of him crashed on a barricade causing them to all go around. No one would come around Hank so he ended up being the front of his group of riders. He was getting a bit grumpy about that. He still got in the top 14 which he is really happy about. He did a great job holding his position in his first cross race.
Tim got 3rd !!!!
Brian on our team was the most painful (and exciting) to watch. He is probably the fastest of us all and was doing the cat 3's to get the points he needs to cat up to 2. The start had him in the very front with two or three other guys and he was hammering. Suddenly we saw him running with his bike to the pits. He had rolled off his tire!!!!!!!!!! He was back in the pack in no time at all and now had to pass everyone. He was back by 1 minute and a half. His wife said she never heard him use words like that before that he used in the wheel pit. ( in public) . fast wheel change. ((note: we really should get extra bikes for racers if we can. ))
Now he was in back and for the entire race we were screaming at him to keep going. He was flying. His barricades were nearly perfect and we watched him gain and gain. He did very well. We were hoping he could catch a few more riders but he placed after top ten we think. I didn't check. NEXT TIME.
His wife clocked his lap times and we all think he could have definitely podiumed. We have to wait till next week to see that. I am sure he will want REVENGE big time!!!!
Nice racing. very fun. I have to say over all that I really like the cross racing. I hope I can get my barricade jumps better. and remounting. After the lesson from today, I better work on my start so I don't get dropped at the whistle next time.
All in all it was better than I thought. FUN!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Gears, Bikes and Cross Team
Ok. Hank is building bikes again. I have taken on a british accent lately.....
I got a really nice frame from RIDLEY! the CROSSWIND.
....from the new cross team. Team Verdigris.
Verdigris is a fancy decorator's green that copper turns into over time. Tim Bounty owns the company: Verdigris Custom Building and is now sponsoring a Barrington based Cyclo Cross team.
http://www.ridley-bikes.com/lang/us/cyclocross.asp
Ridleys.
I got a really nice frame from RIDLEY! the CROSSWIND.
....from the new cross team. Team Verdigris.
Verdigris is a fancy decorator's green that copper turns into over time. Tim Bounty owns the company: Verdigris Custom Building and is now sponsoring a Barrington based Cyclo Cross team.
http://www.ridley-bikes.com/lang/us/cyclocross.asp
Ridleys.
Hank says.... ((just a little nugget of information while he is building this 'frkbadwordn' bike.)) '' Team Rabobank. Sven Nys and company who ride on Colnago do not use a Colnago Fork. They use a camoflaged Ridley Python 4ZA fork painted in Colnago colors. This is the same fork that is on my Crosswind frame.''
The frame is flat under the top tube. the cables are set high and dry. We are trying to , once again, cannabilize off of the equipment we have. Hank has enough stuff in the house.. some new some old. We are sifting thru drawers, tuppewares, ziplocks and getting all we need to build the new bikes. Ok he is doing that. I am sitting here typing on my blog. (haha)
H just grumbled that cyclo crossing has as much in common with biking as does golf... ok he said stop typing everything he says.
Tom Kramer gave us a HUGE box of componentry to go through. THank you TOm!!
The frame is flat under the top tube. the cables are set high and dry. We are trying to , once again, cannabilize off of the equipment we have. Hank has enough stuff in the house.. some new some old. We are sifting thru drawers, tuppewares, ziplocks and getting all we need to build the new bikes. Ok he is doing that. I am sitting here typing on my blog. (haha)
H just grumbled that cyclo crossing has as much in common with biking as does golf... ok he said stop typing everything he says.
Tom Kramer gave us a HUGE box of componentry to go through. THank you TOm!!
GEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is very little on the internet about Women cyclocross racers and their preferences of gearing for races. (Lots of folks will race with one chainring in front to limit the danger of the chain falling off. One less thing to worry about. ) Some guys have a 44 in front. Some a 42. Can't find much about what the ladies ride on. My guess is either a 42 or a 39 but I would bet money most gals put a 42 on.
Hank has a spread sheet which is super nice with gears and how fast you can go with what gear selection. Its really cool and would be nice for track racing too.
He said I could post it but I can't post it because I am a nit with the computer. Its an excel program.
If you want the program you can email me and I"ll send it to you that way.
Anyway...You type in the front ring and the back ring, then your RPM and it shows you what speed you can apparently max out at differing RPMs. Using this spread sheet Hank proved to me that there is very little difference in a 39 and a 42 on the low end. But on the high end you can have a difference of 2 mph with a 12 on back.
But the high end of the 42 is probably a speed I can't hit in dirt anyway unless the race is ending in a downhill and we will all be spinning out then anyway.......SO... I have to think that for 45 minutes BEFORE the finish line what speed will I need. What is more comfortable....
OK I'll try the 39. I have to be different.
I do have a feeling most gals stick a 42 on and are done. Maybe they shoot a 27-12 in the back now and then for fun. But really, I can't see any huge difference on this spread sheet of the speeds you can put out.
MINUTIA.
There is no cross chaining with one ring because you set it in the middle. ( I'm blonde and I asked)
I think I am going to sport a 39 with 12-26. I'll post later if this works or not for me.
Hank assures me I can't spin out. We did argue a bit and I walked out of the room because he hurt my feelings telling me I can't sprint fast enough to need the top end of a 42. But I was in a road crit once where I dufus-ly forgot to put my chain in the big ring and I got dropped because I was spinning out before I noticed this mistake. He says I got dropped because I was getting dropped. I got mad and left. ...... now I am back....
OK . fine. I am going to have to trust his expertise this time. 39 it is.
If he is wrong then I will not talk to him for a week.
Which he probably will enjoy immensely.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
video bits
Bounty sent me this today . There are some really cool previews on this site of some races. http://www.cyclocrossvideos.com/. WOMEN'S 2006 racing . The previews are pretty long on some of them. I had fun watching them.
Anyway. THIS.... is well worth subscribing to : http://www.cycling.tv/ you can watch a lot of this for free. The clips are excellent, some are live if you pay extra and in their entire length. They even have women's racing including the Australian Tour! and they have cyclo cross racing too.
Anyway. THIS.... is well worth subscribing to : http://www.cycling.tv/ you can watch a lot of this for free. The clips are excellent, some are live if you pay extra and in their entire length. They even have women's racing including the Australian Tour! and they have cyclo cross racing too.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Need to be taller
OUCH...Bruised and battered. ....that is the best way to describe my first cross race. It was cold out for our first cyclo cross race. How fitting! The morning was clear and bright and LOTS of people showed up!! It was a relaxed event, no official signing in , just write your name on a notepad. This was a BANDIT practice run.
Jason and Rich D. did an outstanding job of setting up the course and they kept things really safe by posting people near the parking lot road and warning dog walkers.
They started everyone at the same time. Women and men. no categories. It is just for practice. I could not keep up with the guys. You have no idea how much that got me!!
haha.
I hope you are all happy. :P GRRRRRRR!!
And when Tim and the two other guys LAPPED ME. I was ready to kill them. ARGH!
Tim later told me that they lap the women nearly every race, even in the championships. Is this TRUE?? GIRLS?? COME ON! (granted they probably send the men off first, right? They get a head start.))
That is now my goal. Not to win, necessarily, but to not be lapped by any of the guys in a race.
It is a different system for me. BOY is it a different system!!! I did feel my mountain bike legs start to kick in after a while. I notice that I have to rest when I can in smaller bits. I am thinking now that you 'rest' by doing technical perfect. ugh. My dull brain is going to love this. !!!
SO the key to Cyclo Crossing is working the technique and keeping it even. Keep the flow. Never panic and try to always feel strong in the pedal. Gain speed by being even and perfect in the technical. For me that is to limit my fear and just do it.
My best jump of the 10 lap race was ruined when I remounted my bike. I ran too fast when I was pushing my bike and instead of landing on my saddle I missed and landed on my back wheel. It did not go thru my 50 dollar Suarez bib- knickers. http://www.bikejerseys.com/suarblklyckn.html
( you got to get these, they are bomb proof, warm and have the BEST chamois plus they are priced nice)
....... but I got a nice burn mark on my leg. It hurts.
But I think for sure I am not the first person to have ever done that. CONCENTRATE!!!!!
My BIGGEST issue is being short and having to LIFT My bike up over the jjumps.
How does CW do it?? dang that woman is STRONG.
Certainly taller people DO have an advantage in this sport, at least with the jumps.
I am going to have to hit the gym and do some arm curls.
Jason and Rich D. did an outstanding job of setting up the course and they kept things really safe by posting people near the parking lot road and warning dog walkers.
They started everyone at the same time. Women and men. no categories. It is just for practice. I could not keep up with the guys. You have no idea how much that got me!!
haha.
I hope you are all happy. :P GRRRRRRR!!
And when Tim and the two other guys LAPPED ME. I was ready to kill them. ARGH!
Tim later told me that they lap the women nearly every race, even in the championships. Is this TRUE?? GIRLS?? COME ON! (granted they probably send the men off first, right? They get a head start.))
That is now my goal. Not to win, necessarily, but to not be lapped by any of the guys in a race.
It is a different system for me. BOY is it a different system!!! I did feel my mountain bike legs start to kick in after a while. I notice that I have to rest when I can in smaller bits. I am thinking now that you 'rest' by doing technical perfect. ugh. My dull brain is going to love this. !!!
SO the key to Cyclo Crossing is working the technique and keeping it even. Keep the flow. Never panic and try to always feel strong in the pedal. Gain speed by being even and perfect in the technical. For me that is to limit my fear and just do it.
My best jump of the 10 lap race was ruined when I remounted my bike. I ran too fast when I was pushing my bike and instead of landing on my saddle I missed and landed on my back wheel. It did not go thru my 50 dollar Suarez bib- knickers. http://www.bikejerseys.com/suarblklyckn.html
( you got to get these, they are bomb proof, warm and have the BEST chamois plus they are priced nice)
....... but I got a nice burn mark on my leg. It hurts.
But I think for sure I am not the first person to have ever done that. CONCENTRATE!!!!!
My BIGGEST issue is being short and having to LIFT My bike up over the jjumps.
How does CW do it?? dang that woman is STRONG.
Certainly taller people DO have an advantage in this sport, at least with the jumps.
I am going to have to hit the gym and do some arm curls.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
My Sister *IS* the United States Master Swim Coach of the Year!!!
I am reposting this . My sister won the USMS Coach of the Year award for 2007.
wow.
I really have to applaud the goings on around my sister's coaching programs in Indianapolis. I know what she goes through daily with her two toddlers and juggling to coach as a full time career. She has called me up in tears many times just wondering if she should continue. She does. She continues on and she grows the program year after year. She is so dedicated!! She coaches at INDY Swim Fit in Indianapolis.
YAY KRIS!!!!
I am so proud of her!
She met 5 criteria which pit her against some other coaches in the country. But Kris really believes it is one particular program at the Benjamin Harrison YMCA that set her apart. She believes the one thing that put her in front of the other candidates was the accomplishment of four older women. These women came to Kris and said they wanted to learn to race. They wanted to compete. But two of them could barely even swim. They were all over 50, all were grandma's and they wanted to compete in a masters swimming event. They were driven and determined.
It is hard not to be inspired by women like these.
. :: the article is called "We are living proof". ((I will try to learn to cut and paste a pdf file.))
http://www.indyymca.org/Downloads/Living%20Proof%20newsletter.pdf if you open this scroll down to the picture of the four women wearing red shirts, "living proof". its called.
The eldest was 65 years old! AND.....they made history when they did their First Four Woman relay event. Not only did their age set a record, but they also set a record for being the first recorded African American women's team to compete in a YMCA sanctioned masters Four Woman Relay event!. Record makers. Cool! (some people have wondered if this record has already been set but they can find no history or evidence of it)
Age, ailing health issues, fear of the water and having to change their day to day routine to practice for their race are all barriers that addressed these women. I do think that it is their determination and accomplishment of fulfilling their dream that ultimately helped Kris stand out over the other nominations for USMS Coach of the Year.
Kris said that when these women finished their race that people were crying and hugging. It was a great event to watch.
These women are inspiring to me. So is my sister!
YAY KRIS!
wow.
I really have to applaud the goings on around my sister's coaching programs in Indianapolis. I know what she goes through daily with her two toddlers and juggling to coach as a full time career. She has called me up in tears many times just wondering if she should continue. She does. She continues on and she grows the program year after year. She is so dedicated!! She coaches at INDY Swim Fit in Indianapolis.
YAY KRIS!!!!
I am so proud of her!
She met 5 criteria which pit her against some other coaches in the country. But Kris really believes it is one particular program at the Benjamin Harrison YMCA that set her apart. She believes the one thing that put her in front of the other candidates was the accomplishment of four older women. These women came to Kris and said they wanted to learn to race. They wanted to compete. But two of them could barely even swim. They were all over 50, all were grandma's and they wanted to compete in a masters swimming event. They were driven and determined.
It is hard not to be inspired by women like these.
. :: the article is called "We are living proof". ((I will try to learn to cut and paste a pdf file.))
http://www.indyymca.org/Downloads/Living%20Proof%20newsletter.pdf if you open this scroll down to the picture of the four women wearing red shirts, "living proof". its called.
The eldest was 65 years old! AND.....they made history when they did their First Four Woman relay event. Not only did their age set a record, but they also set a record for being the first recorded African American women's team to compete in a YMCA sanctioned masters Four Woman Relay event!. Record makers. Cool! (some people have wondered if this record has already been set but they can find no history or evidence of it)
Age, ailing health issues, fear of the water and having to change their day to day routine to practice for their race are all barriers that addressed these women. I do think that it is their determination and accomplishment of fulfilling their dream that ultimately helped Kris stand out over the other nominations for USMS Coach of the Year.
Kris said that when these women finished their race that people were crying and hugging. It was a great event to watch.
These women are inspiring to me. So is my sister!
YAY KRIS!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Buy a stock in Starbucks
Next time someone gives you grief for that latte'. You can respond with .. "why in fact I do have stock in the company".
This place frames a variety of a single stock share for a gift. Kinda fun. They have a 'my first stock' package for kids which is kinda cute. Stocks like Disney or something they like. I wonder if they have stocks for firey Cheeto's?? haha.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
day in a week
Cyclo-cross is about bike handling, getting on and off the bike fast, and accelerating back to speed." -- Don Myrah
Well. I got to try out Hank's jumps yesterday after work. I am QUITE dainty about the whole business. I am sure when the adreniline is kicking in and I have no choice but to JUMP over those jumps or lose the lead or hold onto that wheel..I am sure I"ll pull it off. I do feel a lot better about doing it and CAN do it. I just can't do it very fast yet. or smooth. Hank , of course took to it RIGHT away and was jumping and running like he was born to do it. GRrrrrr! It is just so un-natural for me to dismount while the bike is still moving!
But after looking at the World's cup races and seeing all the mis- haps done by the BEST women in the sport, I can see that this is ONE tough, tough sport.
This gal was in the lead and got her bike caught on a jump. She still podiumed but lost the front spot.A nice young man came up to us carrying a 6 pack of beer. He asked if he could watch. (no he didn't share the beer!)) He sat down and began his 6 pack as we repeatedly practiced the jumps.
He finally got curious and asked what we were doing. We chatted with him a bit. He was apparently an ex-BMXer and moto-crosser. He gave us some tips that were actually pretty well thought out. Hank was surprisingly very nice to the guy and even agreed with one tip he had. Later Hank said its the only way to talk to a drinking man. a'hem....
The guy said we should use the front brake to flip the bike up and use the bikes' momentum to lift the bike and carry you over the first jump. Not bad. works for me!
It was a beautiful day!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Time to try it out!
YOU'RE THUNDERING DOWN a muddy descent, weaving around trees and dodging rocks, when all of a sudden The Log From Hell looms in your path. You have a fraction of a second to:-- Lock up the binders, slalom to a halt and bellow profanities while you slowly dismount, pick up your bike and clamber over.-- Try a bunny-hop that may send you sailing over the log -- but could land you in the ER.-- Smoothly dismount at speed and hurdle the log in a single bound, leaping back onto the saddle and speeding off like Zorro in pursuit of a bandito -- without shifting out of the big ring.
This is cyclo-cross." (Patrick O'Grady ? Cyclo-cross 101 - Mad Dog Media)
Hank made some PVC jumps. (fun) and so far they are in a bag waiting to be tested out. It cost him less than 20 bucks to make them! I watched him use some of his fancy power tools to construct the proper dimensions. He made them in no time flat. But it was a bit messy with the white flaky bits of debris on the driveway. But they work successfully and set up in no time at all! You can load them in a back pack ( big back pack) and can cart them to your favorite place and set them up and practice.
http://www.bikeman.com/thepit/crossbarriers.htm
get this:::
How to dismount. I got this from some peak performance site.
1) Put the right leg BETWEEN the left leg (still clipped in) and the bike frame.
(((ok. I can do that. ... at 5-10 mph. )))
And
2) Put the right hand on the BACK of the bike (either on the seat, or the top tube, close to the seat post).
These two elements will MAKE your dismount.
hahahahaaaaahahahaa LET GO OF THE HANDLE BARS? STILL MOVING?? On one foot???
yeah. this makes you dismount...............
IT MAKES YOU CRASH!!!!!!!!!!! OK???????
IT makes you CRASH.
Hank does it this way. I CAN"T do it. IT IS NOT NATURAL.
whine
ok . first Bandit Race!!! This saturday ! 9 am. At the SHoefactory Park off of 59 and the highway there on SHoe Factory road. Bring Mosquito Repellant!
Here is the link::
http://www.harperride.net/stories/banditx/banditx_091507.htm
disclaimer::::
This is a word of mouth event.
No frills cross racing for the fanatic.
One race, all abilities, free
Not sanctioned by anyone, not a UCI event
Maybe some prizes, maybe not
No complaining because no one will listen.
Tell your cross buddies because it won't be listed on any race website.
You can't call anyone because there is no one to call.
:)
This is cyclo-cross." (Patrick O'Grady ? Cyclo-cross 101 - Mad Dog Media)
Hank made some PVC jumps. (fun) and so far they are in a bag waiting to be tested out. It cost him less than 20 bucks to make them! I watched him use some of his fancy power tools to construct the proper dimensions. He made them in no time flat. But it was a bit messy with the white flaky bits of debris on the driveway. But they work successfully and set up in no time at all! You can load them in a back pack ( big back pack) and can cart them to your favorite place and set them up and practice.
http://www.bikeman.com/thepit/crossbarriers.htm
get this:::
How to dismount. I got this from some peak performance site.
1) Put the right leg BETWEEN the left leg (still clipped in) and the bike frame.
(((ok. I can do that. ... at 5-10 mph. )))
And
2) Put the right hand on the BACK of the bike (either on the seat, or the top tube, close to the seat post).
These two elements will MAKE your dismount.
hahahahaaaaahahahaa LET GO OF THE HANDLE BARS? STILL MOVING?? On one foot???
yeah. this makes you dismount...............
IT MAKES YOU CRASH!!!!!!!!!!! OK???????
IT makes you CRASH.
Hank does it this way. I CAN"T do it. IT IS NOT NATURAL.
whine
ok . first Bandit Race!!! This saturday ! 9 am. At the SHoefactory Park off of 59 and the highway there on SHoe Factory road. Bring Mosquito Repellant!
Here is the link::
http://www.harperride.net/stories/banditx/banditx_091507.htm
disclaimer::::
This is a word of mouth event.
No frills cross racing for the fanatic.
One race, all abilities, free
Not sanctioned by anyone, not a UCI event
Maybe some prizes, maybe not
No complaining because no one will listen.
Tell your cross buddies because it won't be listed on any race website.
You can't call anyone because there is no one to call.
:)
Friday, September 7, 2007
one more pic
Ok. I am obsessing. I just can't afford them. But you have to think maybe the desire to possess is really what love is all about anyway.
Lightweight covetting
Hank got my frame done for TT-ing. I am really happy with it. We cannibalized the parts from other bikes and I bought a new derailer on ebay.
The frame is a Javelin Arcole . ( I am going to snap a pic of it later, its gorgeous) It is amazing how much faster I can get on the same power just with all the aero stuff. I know I know...DOH that is what getting all aero is about. I just read Druber's report on all that aero stuff and watt buying. It is truly funny. Especially because I am always trying to meager more watts. http://www.truesport.com/Bike/2007/articles/druber/druber15.html
I waited 3 years to get my own TT bike. This is it.
I am especially proud that this company is local so I feel I am helping the local economy.... like a good piggy capitalist should. :)
Well. I 'need' a disc wheel now and am on the hunt. I have nothing left to spend on anything fancy.
So. I asked Hank. What are the wheels that people most droooled over?
He said probably Lightweight. I asked if they ever sponsored anyone and he said not to his recollection. He then told me that atheletes, even Ulrich, had to buy their own set. hmmm. It made me wonder, if Lightweight does not sponsor atheletes, if this is true, then all those atheletes actually paid for these wheels???
wow. Of course I do immediately believe they must be worth it if big time pro's are paying the bucks to race on them. (Is this a form of clever marketting?))
THey are EXpen$ive!!!!
They are all hand made. Hard to get. REALLY pretty. totally laminated and ...well...very very light and aerodynamic. The more I look at the website the more I am covetting these wheels. damn it. I think I am in love. I get all tingly looking at them. Do you feel it? do you?
yeah.
me too.
Their disc is meant for hilly courses. oooooh. nice.
• Click here to read more about Lightweight Wheels•the prices? OUCH!
Alpe D' Huez Pair $5,500.00•
Obermayer Pair $5,500.00•
Ventoux Tune Pair $5,200.00•
Ventoux Standard Pair $4,100.00•
Lightweight Standard Pair $3,500.00•
Lightweight Standard Front $1,600.00•
Lightweight Standard Rear $1,900.00 •
Disk Wheel $2,000.00 • Shimano or
Campagnolo Brake Pads $70.00
Here is an image of their funky carbon bike. Its really cool looking. I mostly like how sloping the top tube is. haha! Have to go to some yoga classes to fit on this. I wonder who races on this.
I'd probably keep losing my water bottles, forgetting there is no down tube! .....wooooopsies there goes another water bottle. Damn it!
But that is a good image of one of their wheel set ups.
Well. This is too much money for me. I am going to probably just get a used Zipp on ebay. I know. I know. But hey. Zipp is fine. Zipp. Zipp is a damn good solid carbon wheel dammit.
I like ZIPP! I'd be proud to be on a zipp.
yeah.
I'm going to go to the lightweight site just one more time.
http://www.carbonsports.it/LW_Scheibenrad.lasso
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