Slacking!

It has been a while since the last post. Cross nationals went a lot better then expected for me. In the U23 race I ended up 12th and I was pretty happy with that result considering who all was in front of me. I accomplished my goal, wich was to beat 19th place which I got the year before. The collegiate race went a lot better then expected. Got a front row call up which helped out a ton, I wish I could start up there every race. There was a group of five of us off the front for pretty much the whole race. it was really cool to be up front and actually make the race. I ended up 2nd and was really stoked. Going into the day I was hoping to just get on the podium. even during the race I just keep telling myself stay where you are and you will get fifth, I was not even thinking about 2nd. I wish i had more confidence going into the race. i was only 10 sec off from fist and maybe if I believed in my self a little more something could have happened. O well I was very pleased with my 08 cross season.







I have been taking a break off the bike since nats and plan on starting to ride next week and do some cross country skiing. I already head up to school on the 1st for a 2 week fitness walking class? We will see how that goes.
Suppose to meet with a guy from Rio Grande Cycling this week, so lets cross our fingers that we get on that team for 09. I can't wait for road season to start. Before I know it i will be in Arizona for Valley Of the Sun.

Count down

Everything is coming to a close end. I am almost done with school for the semester. I only have four more days of finals left and i am done. Cross is almost done for the year for me as well. Two more races at nationals, Collegiate and U23. I am hoping to do good at Nats this year. I did pretty good last year for it being my first year, so now I am hoping for a little better this year. The last race that I did was in NJ. The running race. I tried racing last weekend but my pedal came off a couple laps in so that doesn't count. Hope that was all my bad luck for the year. I was planning on going down to Boulder today to race the state cross race tomorrow but that didn't happen. I just didn't know what the passes were going to be like on Sunday and I have to be back for finals on Monday so it was not worth risking it. Just get some good riding in and studying instead.
I am hoping Nats won't be frozen like last year. It was fun but scary. I dislocated my pinkie and it still hurts today. We leave for KS next Thursday out of DIA around 8. I get out of my last final on Thursday at 12, then we have to drive to Denver to catch the flight. Crossing my fingers that the passes are ok.


Last years frozen tundra.

Thanksgiving Break

It was good to get home for a while and see the family and friends. Left Grand Junction last Tuesday after class and made it home in pretty good time. Pretty much just relaxed all week, had some good rides and saw some good movies. I was looking forward to racing cross because my legs were feeling good.
I woke up Saturday morning with a couple of inches of snow on the ground and was looking forward to race. Got to the race early to watch one of my Buddy's race in the fours. The course was long, it took the 4's about 10 min to do a lap. About 80% of the course was single track and really muddy. But this mud was rideable non like NJ a couple of weeks ago. Didn't really get a good starting position and didn't really have a good start. It was loose gravel at the start and guys were going everywhere. Then once we got to the single track you were just fighting to stay upright. The first lap was good, almost everyone was still together. The second lap I had a guy three in front of me who could not ride worth crap. He made a huge gap from the group in front of us. I passed him when it opened up then crashed on a slick corner and a few guys passed me. I got back up and it was hard to get going again. I was almost catching the group in front of me, before i knew it i thought i slipped off my pedal up a little incline and tried clipping back in but noticed my pedal came all the way off. The pedal was on the bottom of my shoe. That was my race, even if i had a spare bike in the pit i was screwed, the laps were so long there was nothing i could do about it. Conor had a good race sitting in 6th the whole race until the last corner when he fell on a corner and the guy 10 sec behind him passed him in the sprint.




Pissed my pedal came off

Was unable to race yesterday due to the weather. We had to leave Denver early to make sure we could get back over the passes ok. We had to cram into one of our Buddy's car to get back. Had to leave the cross bikes back home. I am hoping to get back this weekend to race the state cyclocross. That is depending on how the weather is. Then the following week it is off to U23/collegiate cyclocross nats in Kansas. Can't wait, hope i have a good ride there.


Fun drive back