High School State Championship Race

High School State Championship Race

This weekend was the last high school mtb race in Fruita, Co. Frankly I wasn't very excited to drive four hours to race on a course that I knew in advance wasn’t fun at all. Pre riding the course on Saturday just confirmed what the course was like. It was ridiculously dusty, flat, boring, mostly dirt road, and not even remotely fun. This course had to be the most boring course I have ever ridden, and it was in the middle of nowhere with nothing to even look at. Pre ride was boring and slow because my friend forgot his riding shoes. It was a 30 minute lap, and that was while going slow. The only dangerous thing about the course was the speed we would be going. I was guessing that we would average 20 mph, which is very fast for a mtb course.
After the pre ride my dad and I went to the end of season picnic for some food. We stayed for about 20 minutes, but we didn’t eat anything. The food was too gross to eat, so we decided to go to a restaurant. I wasn’t really concerned about how well I was going to place, so I got a 20 inch meat lovers pizza. It was amazing, but not the best pre race dinner. We got back to the hotel at about 8:30, and I prepped my bike, and went to bed. I had a great night sleep, and because my race was at 1:10 I was able to sleep in.
We got to the race venue at 10:30, and it was dusty, sunny and warm. Time went by fast, and soon it suited up. I gave all my numbered bottles to my coach so he knew which ones to give me during the race, and then left for my warm up. I found a dirt road that was perfect, and I started my warm up. Of course when I was as far away from the race as possible my stomach started to hurt, and I needed a bathroom as soon as possible. I sprinted back to the porta potties, and didn’t come out until ten minutes to start. I felt awful, and didn’t know if I could race. But I sucked it up and made my way to the start. Even with a messed up stomach I knew I could beat almost everyone in my category. So I pushed my way to the front pissing off everyone in my way, and was the first one to get into staging. I needed to be aggressive because I didn’t have a call up. I had the best starting spot I could, but I was still in the sixth row. It didn’t matter, and after the first corner I quickly made my way to the front.
I could tell my body wasn’t functioning quite right, and after a mile into the race I was dropped by Kurtis, Sam, and some kid who I knew would blow up later in the race. I was thinking that I was going to drop even further back, but I was able to hold a wheel. But then I got an asthma attack, and I couldn’t stay in contact with the kid I was drafting. I let off the gas a bit to get my asthma to subside, and as soon as it did I surged forward to make up some time.  Of course soon after I accelerated I threw up. I almost stopped, but instead I decided to go faster. I puked again, and after I felt a bit better. I went around the next corner and could see fourth. I caught and passed him.
At this point I was starting to think that I had a chance to get on the podium. I knew that I had to race smarter than everyone else to make up for my stomach. I tried to make as much time up as possible on the few corners on the course. I felt like my bike was on rails going through the corners. I went up the last little climb, and then got mixed in with the varsity riders who had just finished the varsity loop. I latched onto someones wheel to save as much energy as possible, but the pace was too slow and I passed him. He got on my wheel, but could barely hold it. Now only a couple minutes away from the start/ finish line, I got a second wind. I started to feel much better, and caught a
teammate who was in a different category. I told him to get on my wheel, and we rode through the start finish together. I got my bottle as planned, and started my second lap knowing that the gap between me and third was dropping. My stomach kept feeling better as time went on. I felt like a different person, and was having a good time jumping off of every bump in the road. I kept charging forward on the boring course, and eventually caught another varsity rider.
The already strong train of three riders was now joined by a very fast varsity rider. We were passing slower and lapped riders almost every other minute now. The varsity and j.v. races were so mixed in by this point that I barely noticed when we passed the third place j.v. rider. But soon the varsity riders had to go on the varsity loop, and I was on my own again. It was almost a relief. It may have been an easy course, but it is mentally taxing to have your wheel inches away from the rider in front of you. Now I could rest for a few minutes while I hammered along a smooth dirt road towards the finish. The last time I went through the finish was rather uneventful, except for the feed station. It may seem hard not to grab a bottle from someone holding it out for you, but it is harder than it seems. Like usual I took my close to empty bottle and held it in my teeth. I never ditch a bottle until I am sure I have the full one. It almost came in handy when I bobbled a bottle and sent it into the air, but I hit it high enough to catch it a couple feet later.
Now with that out of the way I hit the gas and over the next hill I saw the second place rider. I didn’t accelerate, but instead kept him in my sights. I couldn’t tell if he could see me, but he must have because he started going faster. I matched his speed, and just stayed ten seconds behind him. I didn’t know if I could catch him, and didn’t want to blow up if I couldn’t, so I waited. I kept him just close enough so that if I did have it in me I could get him. But in the end he finished the same distance in front of me. I just didn’t have the legs to catch him.
I learned a lot from this race, but the thing I am most proud of is the way I finished. I had plenty of time on the way to the finish to think of what I should do when I crossed the finish line. I wanted something that I could do across every finish line no matter what place I got. So I decided the best way to finish was sprinting across the line even though I had nobody to sprint. I was happy with my race and the respectable third place finish I ended the highschool season with.

Sprinting to the finish

Feed station

Super dusty JV division start 

What Pedals Are Best?

What MTB/Cyclocross Pedals Are Best?

    Pedals are one of the most debated components on a bike. There are too many options to count, and almost everyone has their opinion set in stone about them. One reason that people like one company over another is riding style. Different pedals are better for different situations, but all pedals have some flaws in some way. The most popular companies are Crank Brothers, Shimano, and Time.

The most popular pedal from Crank Brothers is the Egg Beaters. I use these pedals on all of my bikes, and I personally think they are the best option. Egg Beaters Are the lightest of the three, and to a racer that is very important. The four places to clip in makes it nearly impossible to miss. It also helps that you can clip in by moving your foot forward or backward. One feature that is very smart is the different cleat for the foot you clip out of most. The difference between the two cleats is the release angle. One releases at 20 degrees and the other one releases at 15 degrees. In cyclocross this is very important because of the amount you have to get on and off your bike. One thing people either hate or love about this pedal is “float”. Float is how much your foot can move from side to side while clipped into the pedal. Egg Beaters have quite a bit of float, and this can be a deciding factor when getting pedals. If you ride in a lot of mud you should get these pedals. They have a very open design, and it clears mud better than any other pedal I have tried.

But there are a few flaws to the design. For one they do not last very long. If you are on a budget, and cannot buy new pedals every season then don’t buy these. I have been lucky and haven’t broken any yet, but I have heard stories about pedals breaking or falling off during races. They also have a rather small platform that can create hotspots on long rides. There are four levels of this pedal, ranging in price from $50 to $425. Overall a very good option for racers, and can be found at http://www.crankbrothers.com/pedals_eggbeater.php.

    The next option is Shimano’s SPD’s. Shimano makes a race and trail version of the SPD, but I will be talking about the race version. SPD’s are a rock solid pedal that can be used for many many years of everyday use. If you want a pedal that you do not have to replace every year this is the pedal for you. These pedals also have four levels, and range from $45 to $315. They are the most adjustable pedal of the three. The easy of release can be changed very easily using an allen wrench. This is a very good feature if you like to customize the feel of your bike. They do not have any float, and have a very mechanical feel to the release. They are harder to in and out of, but once you are in them you will know. They are harder to get into because there is only two places to clip in. But they are in no way hard to get in and out of. the down side to these is the weight. The highest end version of the SPD is heavier than the lowest end Egg Beaters. They also get clogged with mud fairly easily due to the more solid design. I do not like the release feel of these pedals, and that plus the weight are the deciding factor for me not to use these pedals. These are still very good pedals and can be found at http://bike.shimano.com/.
    Now for the less popular, but still very good Time ATAC pedals. The ATAC pedals design is almost a combination of Egg Beaters and SPD’s. They have the wings to clip into similar to Crank Brothers, but they also have a more solid profile like SPD’s. Everything about these pedals are in between the other two. They have six models, and they are a little bit lighter than SPD’s. They have a release angle of 13 or 17 degrees, which means they have less float than Egg Beaters. They are easy to get into, and have a fairly easy release. They clear mud fairly well, but not as well as Egg Beaters. These pedals are more durable than Egg Beaters, and will last a few seasons. Overall this pedal is for the person who wants the best of both worlds. If you are a weight weenie, or do not like float then you probably won’t like these pedals. These all around pedals can be found at http://www.time-sport.com/index.aspx.

Cold Riding Essentials

Cyclocross Essentials

The days keep getting colder, and the temperature is dropping every day. I have tried countless ways to stay warm during training rides and races. The things I do work for me, but many of my teammates have different ways of doing things. So here is what every cyclist should have in their arsenal of cold gear.

1. Arm and leg warmers
You should wear these any time the weather drops below 60 degrees, because your joints will be damaged if you do not. They are easy to take off, and carry if the temperature rises. They can also be rolled down when you don’t have the time to take them off.
2. Base layer
I use a windproof short sleeve wool base layer, and it works great for chilly to sub freezing rides. It will also keep you more dry when it gets wet. Wool base layers will insulate when it gets cold and wet, so if possible get wool.
3. Thermal wool socks
Wool socks are great for cold and wet rides, because they insulate even when wet. Thermal wool socks are even better because they are specifically made to keep your feet as warm and dry as possible.
4. Warm gloves
Any gloves that keep your hands dry and warm will work. I use gloves specific for riding, but many use cross country ski gloves, workman's gloves, and even downhill ski gloves.
5. Wind/Rain cape
Something to keep the wind and rain out while riding will make your day a whole lot better. It is also very versatile, and can be paired with other warm clothing to be very warm.
6. Hat
A hat can be a great way to stay warm in very cold weather. I  have thin hat specifically for cyclists that easily fits under my helmet. I only wear it when the temp gets below 30 degrees. It is also very easy to take off while riding, and is small enough to put it in a jersey pocket.
7. Sunglasses with interchangeable lenses
This is a must for wet, and cloudy days. Clear lenses will let you see when it gets dark or muddy. When conditions deteriorate is when it is most important to be able to see. Interchangeable lenses can be the difference between crashing and staying rubber side down.

Always remember to take more clothes than you think you need to. It is easy to take off clothes when it gets too hot, but you can’t put on clothes you do not have to stay warm. I usually want to be chilly when I leave my house. If you are warm or hot you will overheat once you start riding. It can be difficult to get temperature right, so give yourself a some extra time to get there in case you have to go back to get more clothes.

Frisco CX

my frozen wheel

Frisco CX 10/6/12

This Saturday I woke up to sub freezing temperatures, but it had no effect on my excitement to race. I was more excited than I had ever been before to race a cyclocross race. I wanted my first race on my newly-fixed bike to be a win. I also wanted to win my first category three race. It turns out that being way too excited and not having any motivation both make me crash and burn.I needed to be in that magical state where I was completely focused, but instead all I could think about was my bike.
I had a good drive up, and registration went fairly smoothly. I had to give them ten dollars and my drivers permit to rent my timing chip, which is annoying because I always forget to get my permit back. But, soon enough I forgot, and put on just enough clothes to be chilly during my warm up, and warm during the race. I was already ten minutes late by the time I finished putting my number on. I was flustered and now rushing to get on my bike. I left for my warm up and couldn’t find a good road to do my efforts on. I ended up doing them on the busy road that we entered on. I made my way to the start, and shed my jacket to prepare for the start. I wasn’t nervous, but my mind was occupied by all of the things that already went wrong.
The start was way faster than the category four race. Even with the faster start I quickly moved into second. After about half of a lap the leader and I had a big gap on the rest of the field. We came to a technical section, and I followed the leader into a terrible line. I crashed on the rock garden that lead into some deep sand, and lost contact with him. The chase group quickly caught me, and I attacked trying to catch the leader. I made my self a gap of about 15 seconds. I was killing myself trying to bridge the gap, and that’s when I crashed for the second time. Once again the chase group caught me, but this time I couldn’t stay with them. I could feel my power being drained, and shortly after my back spasmed. I made it to the pit zone and collapsed off my bike. I layed there in agony for about five minutes, and finally my back released. I was starting to shiver, so I tried to get up. I got to my feet, but then I felt a sharp pain in my right ankle. I sat back down and took off my shoes, thinking they were too tight. I ripped my shoe off, but that made it worse. My teammate’s dad tried to pinpoint where it hurt. He felt around my ankle, and then found the source of the pain on the top of my foot where it connects to the ankle. My mom finally got there as I tried to get up and walk it off. She saw that I was freezing, and wanted me to go back to the car. I got onto my bike and pedaled with one foot clipped in. I wasn’t far from the car, so it didn’t take long to get back and get into warm clothes.
We immediately went to King Soopers and got Ibuprofen. I took it and then randomly thought about driving, and the fact I always forget my permit at home. Then I realized that I forgot my permit at registration. I told my mom and we drove a few miles back to the race. My mom went to cut the timing chip off my fork and give it back, but it wasn’t there. She asked my step dad to try to find it, but he couldn’t. I finally got tired of waiting and took a look for myself. I couldn’t find it, and then knew why it wasn’t there. We didn’t know what to do, so we went to registration. I told them that it fell off when I crashed, and asked them what I should do. They had no idea, and because I was hurt they gave me back my permit and sat me down to wait for their boss. It took a while and my pain level went up. My mom told me I was going pale, and shivering worse. She asked the ladies at registration for the medic, but by the time she got to me, I was back to normal. I told the medic I was fine, but she insisted to look at my ankle. A few minutes later she told me I had a level one sprain, and not to walk for the next four or five days.
Some people don’t have enough motivation to race, and some people, including me, have way too much. I tend to pump myself up for races until my head is ready to explode. I thought that was the only way to prepare for races. But, what I should be doing is relaxing. One of my coaches says smooth is faster, and now I can see that. Doing two smooth races that lead to good results, and one over zealous race that resulted in a sprained ankle opened my eyes to it. In the end I need start looking for experience first, and the results that I want will follow.

Xilinx

Boulder Racing Series # 2-Xilinx 9/22/12

    Five a.m. and the first thing I think of is my favorite course of the year. The perfect place to prove that just because my cyclocross bike was out of service I could still win. It was really early, but my mind is already racing with every scenario that could possibly happen from the time I get into the car to the moment my timing chip crosses the finish line. But before I get to the race venue I have to do my race day rituals.

Wake up with an hour to get ready before leaving. Then take a shower without soap, put in my contacts right eye before my left, get into something comfy and go make my smoothie. One cup full of mixed berries, one cup of orange juice, one banana, squirt of honey and a cup of protien powder. I double check my bag to make sure I have everything and load the car full of all my race gear and bikes. I try to have my parents drive to races so I can focus more and not have any added mental strain. Personally these don’t help my physical performance at all, but it subdues some of my stress and nervousness of the unknown.

    Usually I’m really bossy and critical about how people execute the things I tell them to do, but this early morning went very smoothly. We ended up getting a prime parking spot most likely because I was in the third race to start at 8:50. I went straight down to registration to get my number and timing chip. Everything went well and I was ahead of schedule. I took my time getting suited up and checking my bike to waste some excess time. At 7:15 I pre rode the course and after three laps it was 7:30 and I started my warm up.

My warmup is essential for me to have a good race. Without it my muscles will be cold and more importantly I will get an asthma attack during and not before my race.  It may sound weird to try to get an asthma attack before a race, but when it subsides the airways cannot constrict again for at least another three hours. My detailed warm up that induces attacks consist of a three minute Lactic Threshold effort at  just below race pace. That is usually the effort that makes me have asthma attacks, but to be sure I take a couple of breaths full of Ventolin and three minutes easy then do two more . One minute as hard as I can go with another three minutes in between. I did two more of those and three sprints with a three minute easy spin in between each. By the time I finish my perfect one hour warm up it is time to start staging.

I wasn’t very nervous up until that point. Rolling up to a field of 70 riders would make anyone nervous. A couple of short chats with competitors and teammates wasted time and occupied my mind. Finally after what felt like an eternity they started callups. I didn’t have enough points for one so I had to be aggressive and sneak into the third row. I was waiting thinking about what I needed to do to win. Five minutes to start, two minutes to start, 30 seconds to start, 10 seconds, the whistle blew and an explosion of 70 racers stomping into pedals surged forward. Me, the only one on a mountain bike, immediately slid into third place while going up the road towards the first dirt section. By the time we made it through the most technical section of the course and down the grassy descent I was in the front of a three man group. I gained time by jumping over a ditch instead of slowly riding through it. We made our way through a sandy singletrack section and came to three logs about a foot tall. I slowed down and jumped over them while still on my bike. The two others in my group, who happened to be twins, lost time from getting back on their bike after running the logs. That gave me a short time to rest while the twins got back onto my wheel.

Back on the finishing straight I decided that letting them draft off me for the whole race wasn’t a good idea. I flicked my elbow to show them that they needed to share the work and let me draft off them for a while. I went to the back of the line, but at the top of the road I looked at my heart rate monitor and saw it was at 170 bmp. I attacked and one of the twins cracked and fell off the pace. The other one was still glued to my wheel as we snaked our way through the business park and back towards the logs. I bunny hopped the logs and looked back expecting to see a Clif Bar Cappo rider out of the saddle trying get back into my slipstream, instead I saw a bike flying through the air over the head of my competitor. I later found out that he was watching me bunny hop the logs and forgot that he had to get off and run over them. At that point I was by myself and thinking that this race was mine. I rode within myself and on the fourth lap slowed down and was giving spectators high fives as I went by.

As I came down the finishing straight I heard the one lap to go bell sound and I flipped out. They said at the start of the race that we had four laps not five. I looked behind me and saw my teammate coming onto the road. He was only 20 seconds behind and gaining. I kicked it into high gear and buried myself to stay as far ahead as I could. Every time I looked back to assess the time gap he was closer. The next time I could get an accurate time gap was when I could hear the announcer’s voice come over the speakers. It was getting smaller the closer I got to the finish line. I accelerated again burning my last match. I hit the tarmac for the last time, and looked back to see if I needed to sprint. I didn’t so I soft pedaled to the finish where I did one of Peter Sagan’s celebrations called the “Dancing Chicken.” I was so happy that I had finally won a cyclocross race, after all of the third and second place finishes from last season I could finally feel the glory of crossing the line first at a cyclocross race.