Gila!

What a race. I had a lot of fun and it was really hard. My first cat 2 race and I think it ended up a success. I finished all 5 stages rubber side down and am still kicking. The first day totally kicked by butt, with my engine shutting down about 20 miles to the finish because i had no fuel. No water, I only had 3 bottles for 95 miles or so because when I got to the neutral feed zone they were out. So the next day I came out with revenge. Brought plenty of water and was ready to go. Once the race started and we we out of the neutral zone I went with an attack. After a while it was about 9 guys and we stayed away the whole race. With 3 more guys catching on with about 15 miles to go. I didn't think at all that I was going to be able to stick in the break all day but I did and it was sweet. Ended up 6th, not bad. Then the rest of the days just went on. Did the TT but not at my max, pretty much just road, then the crit I was trying to get in a break to stick. One guy was up the road so Just road away from everyone on the uphill and caught the solo rider ahead. We stayed away for about 5 laps then we got pulled back in. Got a prime and then just ended up finishing in the bunch sprint. Last day held on for dear life. Stayed on until the last climb.



All in all it was a fun a successful weekend. Already got some upgrade points. Leaving Thursday for Collegiate Nationals. Hope to see everyone there.

O ya I got my Euro Mullet

Good Legs, Bad Lungs

Well this past weekend was the Colorado College crit and Air force Road race. I was really looking forward to these races because I felt so good on the bike the week before, I was riding the hills and flats very strong and was ready to really get back into it. I got a good warm up for the Crit on Saturday and felt great. My throat was dry thought. The air quality really sucked. But the race started and I wanted to get into the break. So right off the bat a CU guy went off and I went with feeling very good. Then a CSU guy jumped on and we only stayed away for a few laps but my legs felt great but I just couldn't breath it was crazy. So once the pack caught us I sat up and went straight to the back to try to catch my breath but just couldn't so I had to quit. I really don't like quiting a race but I needed to I was not getting any oxygen. The medics there said it would be best for me to go to the ER to get checked out. I really didn't want to go but am glad I went once it was over with. My plus ox was only 80 and that's pretty low. Got some drugs now and an inhaler.
Then Saturday was the RR. It was very windy but it is a fun course. I just wanted to sit in since I didn't know what my breathing would be like. The first lap was good I hung in there. Then the second lap was pretty much neutral because the pros passed us. Then once we started my legs were not ready to start up again. We stopped for a while and then started racing hard. I don't think my legs and lungs were ready for that. So i hung on for about 3 laps out of the five an dropped back. ended up 25th on the day. guess not bad considering I was in the ER the day before.
Leaving for the Gila next week,I am looking forward to that. Hope my lungs get better and my legs get stronger. We will just have to wait and see. This weekend is conference in windy Wyoming. Hope I am feel up to par to race. Time will tell.

Go time!

Livin the life. Just sitting hear on a sunny Friday morning drinking some coffee and typing this wonderful blog that about three people read.
I am finally feeling like myself again. This week I went climbing on Monday and Tuesday and felt really good, a lot better then I have in a long time. Especially Tuesday, I felt like I was flying in those torturous winds. I guess the real test to see if I am back and ready will be this weekend in Colorado springs for the Colorado college crit and Air Force Road race. For once we get a reasonable start time. Get to sleep in tomorrow and don't race till 2:20. Then Sundays road race starts at 10. I am feeling good again hoping I can pull something cool off.
Yesterday I got some sweet new kicks. Thanks to Ruby Canyon for giving me a great deal on them. I really needed these new shoes my other ones were pretty beat up.

OLD

NEW :) Hope I can go as fast as these shoes look.




Only got one more full week of school left if all goes as planed. I am planing on leaving Monday April 28th to go down to the Gila. Then get back to school that Sunday night May 4th. Go to school for a few days then leave again on May 8th to head down to fort Collins for collegiate nationals. Then come staright back to school to take some finals, then SUMMER! Got a lot of racing coming up in the next few weeks, lets just hope my legs can handle it. Kind of scared for the Gila, the longest race I have ever done and it's my first cat 2 race. Then straight for nationals hope I don't blow.

Getting back into form

This past weekend was the CSM collegiate races. It was a climbing weekend. Saturday was a ITT up lookout MT. I knew that it was going to be hard but I was ready. I talked to a lot of people that went before me and they said they blew early on, they went too hard at first and had nothing in the end. So I made sure to start a little slower then I normally would. My legs felt great but my stomach and lower back was hurting the worse. I finished 20:20 about 2 min off the winner. O well need to keep on practicing my climbing. Then yesterday was another hard crit with a climb in it that just blew up the field. I was giving it my all just to hold onto the field. I only could hold on for half of it with the group of about 8 but just couldn't. I feel back but just kept on rolling hoping not to get lapped. I didn't get lapped and finished up 12th. Not bad i guess but was hoping for better.
I am finally feel 100% healthy but am still lacking in my fitness. That will just take some time to get back.
This weekend is a stage race in Utah. I am looking forward to that. See how I do.
I just got my upgrade to a cat 2 so I am pretty excited about that. And tomorrow is my big 20!

Great Surprise!

Well Monday morning Stu gave us a call and said that he was coming to GJ for a couple of days. It was a last min thing. We all got really excited to see him since we haven't seen him since the end of last year. A little time went by and we thought he was just pulling an April fools joke. But it was for REAL. He actually showed up and we had a good time. It was a short visit but well worth it. He got a flight down here from a lady on his team that is a pilot that had to come to GJ to get the plane worked on.
We all went riding that day with coach MO and Brent. It was a lot of fun. Went climbing up the Monument, at I started out not feeling so good so just tried keeping a good pace. Then once we passed the tunnel I started getting into a fast rhythm. I passed Conor and was gaining on Stu. Just didn't have enough hill to catch him LOL. And lets just say on the way back down we almost got into some trouble by the Ranger. Never do what we did again. LOL
Then just as fast as it happened it was gone. Stu left and it was back to normal. I wish Stu would have stayed here again this year for school. O well shit happens. He gave me his skin suit with the national flag on it since I lost my other skin suit. I will just have to cover up those flags until I get my own national title. Hopefully one day. Thanks again Stu for the skin suit.
I went riding yesterday with Brent. We went into palisade and back into a head wind. It was a good couple hour ride. Then I went on my first MTB ride of the year right after that. It was pretty fun, a lot of climbing on slick rock. It was cool never really road on slick rock. Road for about two hours on the MTB. I am hoping to get some climbing legs back.
Tomorrow I will go out for a couple hour ride then head to Golden at 4. This will be my second weekend back racing since I have been sick. I feel like I am in much better shape then I was in last weekend. So I am hoping to do ok this weekend and get some points to go to collegiate nats. Saturday is a ITT hill climb up lookout mountain. I have climbed that quite a few times so I kinda know what to expect. Then Sunday is a crit. It is a new course then last year so I am hoping to play my cards smarter this weekend and get a good result. Try to help Conor defend his last win last weekend in the crit here.

Died Trying

Well what a weekend. This weekend was the Mesa collegiate racing. This was my first weekend racing feeling better. I was not sick but I just didn't have the best of legs this weekend.
Saturday was a 73 mile RR with some good climbing and I was just not feeling it. Right off the bat CSU and FLC went off the front and we just didn't think it was going to stick so we let them go. then the gap just kept on growing so I went the the front just a little bit before the down hill section and started drilling it. Then Conor came up to help me and we just were flying. No other D2 schools wanted to help so we just sat up. While we were up front pro (Nate) was sitting on the back. I got dropped on the climb every lap but chased every lap and got back on. Then on the last lap just couldn't chase back and came in a a little bit after the field. About 24th place.
Then today was the Crit in downtown Frutia. I was looking forward to this race and ready to drill it. It started off fast and I got a bad start and started in the back so had to use a lot of energy to get up front. Then I was there some guys attacked and I went with. Then they just sat up so I kept going. Used a lot of energy and got caught. Rested for a little and back up front for another attack but once again got pulled back in. Then with about 4 laps to go i got pulled. I tried early but just didn't happen. You have to die trying and that's what I did.

Conor just killed it today. Always up front and following moves also. He was the only mesa guy in the field with the last few laps to go because Pro just got tired sitting in all day and doing no work. But Conor sat on the CSU train on the last two laps. They blew apart the field but he held on. The sprint was awesome. Coming out of the last corner was 2 CSU guys and Conor. The last guy to pull on the CSU train pulled off. Phil the CSU guy thought he won it, so he put his hands up for victory but he forgot to look right and see Conor passing him for the win. You really had to be there to know how exciting it was. Beating the Crit national champion and the whole CSU train. Nice work Conor. First win for Mesa!

Next weekend is school of Mines races. Saturday it a ITT up lookout mountain. My climbing skills suck so we will see how that goes. Then Sunday is a crit. Different then last year which I am happy for. I will just have to play it smarter in that crit and hope my legs are back to get a good result.
O by the way, we had to get up this morning at 4:10 am to go to Fruita to go set up all the barriers for the crit. But at 4:15 the fire alarm went off in the dorms so I am kinda glad I was already up. I was just making my coffee and then it went off. I walked back into the room and Conor is like "did you set that off?". I just thought it was a very funny question. How the heck would I do that lol. I think my ears started bleeding it was so loud. I guess some kid just pulled it or something.

Almost there

Well since last week I took off the bike nothing really exciting has happened. I didn't race this weekend however I did go down to watch the races.
Conor kicked butt both days and surprised a lot of people. Once again he was the only Mesa rider racing because I was sick. But you wouldn't know by the way he raced. On Saturday there was a breakaway with 3 guys in it and Conor was not in it. But he did manage to win the bunch sprint for 4th. Beating some guys who had some trains going for the sprint. Then on Sunday was another fast crit but he managed to get the breakaway of 4. They went off like ten min into the race and were out front the majority of the race. He managed to stay in the break but didn't have enough left for the sprint. He was right there but not enough for the win. Another 4th place.

Today started me riding again and it was very nice out. I probably spent 2 hours today on little park. A pretty good climb. Then I just road around for a little longer. Road for 3 and half hours and I felt a lot better then I thought I would. Today was the first day I had to put sunscreen on and I missed a few spots. LOL I have a huge red line on my right arm that looks really funny that I missed with the sunscreen. Tomorrow I plan on riding a lot to try to get my legs back for this weekend race here in Grand Junction.
On Saturday morning we start at 9 am for a 72 mile road race. The hardest RR of the collegiate season I think. Then at 4pm we have a 11 mile TTT if we do it. Then on Sunday have have a crit. I am really looking forward to get some more racing in. I just hope I didn't loose too much ground on everyone from taking that time off the bike. It is suppose to be some good weather here this weekend, so I can't wait for some good racing in GJ. Mad Cow Classic