Cyclocross: si’-klo-kros n 1. cycling race involving off-road riding skills and barrier obstacles. 2. the most sadistic among cycling sports. 3. Pure evil.
I decided it was time to start racing again, not because I’m in shape, but because I need a boost and motivator to resume training to get back in shape. So what better way than a marathon MTB race followed a day later by a cyclocross race. Yeah, Jill doesn’t mistake me for being too smart either.
I chose the wrong tires for the marathon. Lightweight tires and the rockiest course known to mankind makes for a poor combination. I flatted out at the half-way mark in the marathon. It’s just as well…I had only just recently realized I had to race CX cat 2 (as opposed to 4) due to my NORBA semi-pro card.
The ‘cross race was 55 minutes. Not too bad, I thought. Yesterday’s race was 1:30a nd I’d been doing some training in the 2-3 hour range. No sweat. I had my new ‘cross bike, a CX frame from Trisports.com that I loaded with SRAM Force and Reynolds carbon. New Michelin CX Jet tires on the Reynolds Solitude wheels and I’m all set. Truth be told I got the CX bike for commuting to work. It works great for that, but I decided to take off the rack for the race.
Cyclocross is a different animal. For one, it’s on grass. Or dirt. Or mud. And you’re on a road bike. Sorta. Second, it’s a good opportunity to bring all the local MTB and roadie pros and elite standouts together for one race. Third, there are obstacles you must get off, run with your bike on your shoulder, and get back on, all while maintaining forward momentum. I thought that as a triathlete I can run and I can ride, so this can’t be too bad. Little did I know that the course was to be lined with pockets of pain you must ride through.
At the start, I stayed with the main group for a short bit, before being dropped like a ProTour rider with EPO track marks. The blistering pace made me see stars, and my lungs and quads began searing as if on a BBQ spit. When I came back around I was glad the warm-up lap was over.
The race started in a narrow alley of cones, just shy of a 180-degree turn and a set of barriers. It was as if they designed the racers to start out in a mass gaggle, accelerating headlong into certain treachery with near deadly consequences. Then it dawned on me…they did. Then we raced in the grass to the first series of climb-sharp corner-descend-off camber sharp turn-barrier-run up the hill-sharp corner-accelerate like your life depended on it-ease off and let your heart catch up. There was a mild reprieve…for me. The rest of the pack continued to accelerate and I was dropped. Then came the next series of climb-descend-rinse-repeat. A discovered two phenomenon with CX: 1) the hills look to be only mildly steep and a few meters tall from the staging area, but are snow-covered and clouded mountains steep enough for ropes and 22-34 gearing when you get to them on the bike; and 2) the barriers get taller each lap, culminating in a leap that Carl Lewis would be proud of to clear by lap 12.
As I got so far behind I could barely see the main pack, I took inventory. My quads were toasted, my lungs searing, my back was seizing, and my heart rate was in the range that I’d never before seen. This was only a 55 minute race, and based on my being covered in sweat, out of energy, on the verge of a bonk that will last a week and being in more pain than after USAF prisoner of war training, I must be at 40-45 minutes by now and nearing the end. I looked at my watch. I’d been going for 4:32. It’s going to be a long day.
I finished. I got lapped by the top 6, but I finished. I ended up 12 out of 18. Not bad for an out-of-shape fish out of water triathlete recovering from injury. And I learned an important lesson: cyclocross is a brutal, masochistic, evil, painful, ugly sport. And I love it! (I’m already sign up for the next one!)
Brian
Triathlon and Endurance Sports Coaching; Multisport camps, training, and racing in Arizona.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Refueling
One of the good things about getting to fly a multi-role fighter is that we get to do something different every day. Last weekend I led a flight in which we fought against other fighters on our way to a target complex, dropped a combination of ‘dumb’ bombs from a dive from 25,000 feet and Laser Guided Bombs, and then fought our way out. Today we refueled in-flight from a KC-135, and then worked some 2v1 air combat maneuvers. It beats having a real job!
On the tanker were members of a Phoenix vocational school’s Junior ROTC corps. These would be high school kids, trying to learn about their possibilities after graduation, while learning about the military and its structure. Today they were learning about the Air Force and its mission, apparently.
As I took on fuel and could see the kids taking photos and waving, I waved back, reminiscing about my own time in JROTC. I was a member of my high school’s JROTC program in order to learn what I could while applying to the USAF Academy. I did get into the Academy, and there did well enough to fulfill a life-long dream of flying. These kids are looking into their future to figure out how to fulfill their own dreams. Kinda brings a new perspective to life, eh?
Now, 15 years later … 15 years??!!!?? Can’t be. Yup, it is. Now I feel old.
Brian
On the tanker were members of a Phoenix vocational school’s Junior ROTC corps. These would be high school kids, trying to learn about their possibilities after graduation, while learning about the military and its structure. Today they were learning about the Air Force and its mission, apparently.
As I took on fuel and could see the kids taking photos and waving, I waved back, reminiscing about my own time in JROTC. I was a member of my high school’s JROTC program in order to learn what I could while applying to the USAF Academy. I did get into the Academy, and there did well enough to fulfill a life-long dream of flying. These kids are looking into their future to figure out how to fulfill their own dreams. Kinda brings a new perspective to life, eh?
Now, 15 years later … 15 years??!!!?? Can’t be. Yup, it is. Now I feel old.
Brian
Friday, September 26, 2008
Interbike!
Hello from Las Vegas! I'm here at Interbike schmoozing with industry folks and eyeballing the latest and greatest of what's coming out in 2009. It's been a blast!
We got in Tuesday late afternoon after a bumpy flight and went straight to eat and sleep. No Outdoor Demo days for us. Wednesday and Thursday we went to the show, Friday fly back. We're stopping in Flagstaff because we have the mountain bikes with us and it's too hot to go straight to Tucson right now.
The show is unbelievable. For the manufacturers and distributors this is their chance to show off the '09 product line. For the retailers, it's the chance to see what they'd want to carry in their shops and get ready for their preseason orders. For the rest of us schmoes it's a way to hob knob and network.
Actually, Interbike is a great opportunity to meet those sponsors who've helped out Grasky Endurance and give them a handshake of thanks, and to talk to other potential sponsors and partners.
So how'd it go? I'll have to tell you later. Exciting stuff indeed, but nothing's finalized yet. Sorry to keep you hanging.
Highlights of the show...
Bikes:
- Scott's Plasma 2 is my pick for the hottest bike at the show. Very stiff, very aero, very beautiful. The Cervelo P4 was the hype, but it looked flimsy and goofy to me.
- For Mtn bikes, Scott takes it again with the Spark. Velo Vie has a cool MTB carbon hardtail in the works, and Litespeed is always a good bike.
- For custom, go Rue Bikes. Beautiful carbon work, beautiful paint, sick light.
- Didn't see Cannondale there. Bummer.
Components:
- SRAM is about the same, Shimano is coming out with a carbon version of Dura-Ace that look nice. I still like the SRAM better. more comfy. I didn't check out Campy. Sorry.
Wheels:
- Zipp has some pretty cool innovations out for '09 like adjustable bearing pre-load, stronger hubs, and color options. It's a very nice wheel for '09.
- Reynolds took the already-lightest wheelset and made it even lighter. Their DV46 is in the realm of sick-light now, at just above 1000gm for the set (yes, for a 46mm rim). Their 32mm rim wheelset is under 1000gm! (Check out the media section of Reynolds' website!)
Nutrition:
- Hammer has a great new flavor in their HEED and Recoverite...Subtle Berry. MMmmmmm!
Stuff:
- Zoot has training shoes now!! The are introducing the industry's best compression gear, and their cycling gear is going to be top-notch. I was highly impressed with Zoot's '09 line!
- Genuine Innovations is always the leader in CO2 inflation!
- ESI Grips is coming out with white and pink colors for '09!
- DuMond Tech has a new "Green" chain lube and grease that's biodegradable and environmentally friendly! Look for this at the '09 GEC Training Camps!
One of the coolest parts was the racing. Wednesday night was a huge cyclocross race. Man, that's exciting to watch. All the names were there, including LANCE ARMSTRONG! He had a rough starting position (you don't get points when you're retired) but moved up well. He finished about 14th or so. Still very exciting to see. Then on Thursday night was the USA Crit Finals. Owwie. Huge pros, everyone there, and tight corners means rough crashes. (Did you know you can smell burning flesh after a crash at 35mph on pavement?) And holy cow to those guys move! I even got Jill to stay up past 9pm for this one!
Oh, but if you want to attend an almost equally exciting show (and one for consumers) check out TRIFEST. TRIFEST will be in Tucson in March and will have all the elements of Interbike's trade show but directed toward consumers, but will have speaker sessions--including top pros, coaches and industry folk--for 2 solid days, training camps, and a bike ride up Mt Lemmon with over 100 riders including big-name pros.
Until next time, rubber side down.
Shift Up!
Brian
We got in Tuesday late afternoon after a bumpy flight and went straight to eat and sleep. No Outdoor Demo days for us. Wednesday and Thursday we went to the show, Friday fly back. We're stopping in Flagstaff because we have the mountain bikes with us and it's too hot to go straight to Tucson right now.
The show is unbelievable. For the manufacturers and distributors this is their chance to show off the '09 product line. For the retailers, it's the chance to see what they'd want to carry in their shops and get ready for their preseason orders. For the rest of us schmoes it's a way to hob knob and network.
Actually, Interbike is a great opportunity to meet those sponsors who've helped out Grasky Endurance and give them a handshake of thanks, and to talk to other potential sponsors and partners.
So how'd it go? I'll have to tell you later. Exciting stuff indeed, but nothing's finalized yet. Sorry to keep you hanging.
Highlights of the show...
Bikes:
- Scott's Plasma 2 is my pick for the hottest bike at the show. Very stiff, very aero, very beautiful. The Cervelo P4 was the hype, but it looked flimsy and goofy to me.
- For Mtn bikes, Scott takes it again with the Spark. Velo Vie has a cool MTB carbon hardtail in the works, and Litespeed is always a good bike.
- For custom, go Rue Bikes. Beautiful carbon work, beautiful paint, sick light.
- Didn't see Cannondale there. Bummer.
Components:
- SRAM is about the same, Shimano is coming out with a carbon version of Dura-Ace that look nice. I still like the SRAM better. more comfy. I didn't check out Campy. Sorry.
Wheels:
- Zipp has some pretty cool innovations out for '09 like adjustable bearing pre-load, stronger hubs, and color options. It's a very nice wheel for '09.
- Reynolds took the already-lightest wheelset and made it even lighter. Their DV46 is in the realm of sick-light now, at just above 1000gm for the set (yes, for a 46mm rim). Their 32mm rim wheelset is under 1000gm! (Check out the media section of Reynolds' website!)
Nutrition:
- Hammer has a great new flavor in their HEED and Recoverite...Subtle Berry. MMmmmmm!
Stuff:
- Zoot has training shoes now!! The are introducing the industry's best compression gear, and their cycling gear is going to be top-notch. I was highly impressed with Zoot's '09 line!
- Genuine Innovations is always the leader in CO2 inflation!
- ESI Grips is coming out with white and pink colors for '09!
- DuMond Tech has a new "Green" chain lube and grease that's biodegradable and environmentally friendly! Look for this at the '09 GEC Training Camps!
One of the coolest parts was the racing. Wednesday night was a huge cyclocross race. Man, that's exciting to watch. All the names were there, including LANCE ARMSTRONG! He had a rough starting position (you don't get points when you're retired) but moved up well. He finished about 14th or so. Still very exciting to see. Then on Thursday night was the USA Crit Finals. Owwie. Huge pros, everyone there, and tight corners means rough crashes. (Did you know you can smell burning flesh after a crash at 35mph on pavement?) And holy cow to those guys move! I even got Jill to stay up past 9pm for this one!
Oh, but if you want to attend an almost equally exciting show (and one for consumers) check out TRIFEST. TRIFEST will be in Tucson in March and will have all the elements of Interbike's trade show but directed toward consumers, but will have speaker sessions--including top pros, coaches and industry folk--for 2 solid days, training camps, and a bike ride up Mt Lemmon with over 100 riders including big-name pros.
Until next time, rubber side down.
Shift Up!
Brian
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Collegiate Triathlon
The kick off of the school year here in Tucson means the University of Arizona TriCats are getting revved up and going again. This will be my third season as their head coach, a job I look forward to each year. It’s not without its challenges, but I thoroughly enjoy watching the students grow in triathlon and in life, through the challenges that triathlon brings.
I learned a lot about managing a team of 65 my first season. Sometimes it was herding cats, but all in all it was good. Coaching a team was new to me, but as long as the 65 stayed 65 I was fine. The second season started at 100 TriCats. Wow. Now this year it looks like 120 or so. This is good growth—and we’re all growing in our ability and relationships.
The leadership this year is good and motivated. They have some great ideas and look to be working to make them happen. I’m excited to be working with them.
The highlights from last year were the weekend training camps and the USAT Collegiate National championships. The camps were a blast, and a good way for the athletes to learn more about triathlon—and themselves—in such a short period of time than they had all season up to that point. We culminated the fall training camp with a mock race and the spring camp with a real race—the Desert Classic Duathlon. We’re planning similar camps this year.
Nationals were a great time and we performed well. From Kathy placing (read about her on my site) and Alex doing very well, to the other members of the team who all either PR’d big or overcame huge obstacles to finish, I was extremely proud of the team.
We’re also looking into a winter break camp for the collegiate teams in our region. This will be a great opportunity for those schools under snow in January to come to the perfect triathlon playground of Tucson for some winter cycling, running, and swimming.
I’m looking forward to some great performances out of the Arizona TriCats this year. Keep up with them throughout their season here.
I learned a lot about managing a team of 65 my first season. Sometimes it was herding cats, but all in all it was good. Coaching a team was new to me, but as long as the 65 stayed 65 I was fine. The second season started at 100 TriCats. Wow. Now this year it looks like 120 or so. This is good growth—and we’re all growing in our ability and relationships.
The leadership this year is good and motivated. They have some great ideas and look to be working to make them happen. I’m excited to be working with them.
The highlights from last year were the weekend training camps and the USAT Collegiate National championships. The camps were a blast, and a good way for the athletes to learn more about triathlon—and themselves—in such a short period of time than they had all season up to that point. We culminated the fall training camp with a mock race and the spring camp with a real race—the Desert Classic Duathlon. We’re planning similar camps this year.
Nationals were a great time and we performed well. From Kathy placing (read about her on my site) and Alex doing very well, to the other members of the team who all either PR’d big or overcame huge obstacles to finish, I was extremely proud of the team.
We’re also looking into a winter break camp for the collegiate teams in our region. This will be a great opportunity for those schools under snow in January to come to the perfect triathlon playground of Tucson for some winter cycling, running, and swimming.
I’m looking forward to some great performances out of the Arizona TriCats this year. Keep up with them throughout their season here.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
GEC Sweep!
Today, Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base held an aquathlon today as a memorial to a lifeguard who was killed in a flash flood a couple of years ago. Angela was a sweet girl a fun lifeguard and was missed by the entire base and Tucson community.
The aquathlon is a cool way to remember her--her friends and coworkers put it on and did a great job. The 800yd swim and 5k run were on the base; in te outdoor pool and along the flat empty roads.
I'm glad to report that GEC atheltes took the top three finishing spots overall! (OK, there were only a handful of people there, but that's not important!) I had a decent swim and exited first, about 100yds ahead of second. Caryn was out in third I think, and Brian (GEC webmaster) soon after. When I saw them on the run, Caryn was in 2nd, Brian in 4th. At the finish line, I had won, Caryn was 2nd, and Brian was slightly back in third! GEC on all steps of the podium! This isn't the Olympics, but we'll take it! (Note: I think this makes Caryn undefeated in the season's aquathlons for women, as well!)
It was a fun day and a great time for a little race to get the blood moving.
-Brian
The aquathlon is a cool way to remember her--her friends and coworkers put it on and did a great job. The 800yd swim and 5k run were on the base; in te outdoor pool and along the flat empty roads.
I'm glad to report that GEC atheltes took the top three finishing spots overall! (OK, there were only a handful of people there, but that's not important!) I had a decent swim and exited first, about 100yds ahead of second. Caryn was out in third I think, and Brian (GEC webmaster) soon after. When I saw them on the run, Caryn was in 2nd, Brian in 4th. At the finish line, I had won, Caryn was 2nd, and Brian was slightly back in third! GEC on all steps of the podium! This isn't the Olympics, but we'll take it! (Note: I think this makes Caryn undefeated in the season's aquathlons for women, as well!)
It was a fun day and a great time for a little race to get the blood moving.
-Brian
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