BIG ONE!

Well got back from the Gila late Sunday night early Monday morning. Nothing great at the gila, just average. The first day i lasted till the last climb and got dropped. lost fifteen min there. ouch. Then the next day i wanted to get in a break like i did last year. About half way through the race i felt like crap so i went for it. I was just trying to bring back the break but Conor didnt know that and sat up a little and i went off the front and caught a guy in no mans land from Rio Grande. We worked well together, then a chase group of six caught us. There was still three up the road, but we were working well together. My legs were on the verge of cramping the last 20 miles. I did as much as the work i could do without going overboard. The three lasted to the finish so we were fighting for fourth. i knew i didn't have much so just sat in a passed a few guys in the finishing stretch. Ended up 6th on the day so the same as last year. The TT was ok nothing great. Crit was decent, tried going off the front a few times but got brought back. Then the last day i sat in all day trying to save it for the climb. Got dropped on the first cat 2 climb wth two miles to the summit, fought back and caught back to the group with one mile to summit. then lasted till the last climb. was not up front for the first surge up the climb so i was not to far behind. felt good climbing.
Now i am just resting keeping the legs fresh for collegiate nationals this weekend. We leave Thursday after class and the RR is Friday, Crit Saturday and TTT Sunday. Wish me luck, hoping for a great result.

Getting serious

School is almost done with and that means racing is really getting underway for me. Got back from Salt Lake City last night after some hard racing. It was conference finals and i was hoping to get a good result but i had some bad luck instead. Saturday morning was the TTT. We have not even practiced a TTT yet so we knew it was going to be interesting. It was raining when we got to the race and it did not look like it was going to clear. We had about a ten min warm up before. my legs felt ok during warm up but i really didn't get much intensity in it. it started off ok, took a little to get into formation. then my legs were not firing correctly and i got dropped pretty quick. Kinda sucked but the other three finished strong in 6th place hope we can get it together before Nats in two weeks. Then later that night at 7 we had out crit. it had 12 corners and a kicker to the finish. I was feeling really good all race. Conor or I were in just about in every break and when it got brought back we would counter, but nothing stuck. I attacked once on the hill and caley from CSU came across really fast and blew by me. he sat up until i could grab his wheel but by the time i got there i wanted to puke to bad. brought it back quick. Then the last lap i was top five or so and a FLC rider goes down two in front of me. I have to idea how i didn't go down. but had to stop and unclip. I tried chasing back on but in a crit on the last lap it is usually not going slow. caught on to the back of the group and coasted in. I was pretty mad because i was feeling really good. Just glad i didn't go down on my new bike.
Then Sunday was a circuit race. they had to move the race because it was snowing where the road race was supposed to be held. it was about a 7 mile lap or so, pretty flat the whole way. Right off the bat 6 riders were off the front with every school represented besides us and DU. So we worked really well together to try to bring them back. We were up there for about 4 laps going all out before we knew we were not bringing them back. thats when the bigger teams started picking on us. they would send one or two fresh riders off the front and it would just kill us trying to cover them. Ended up getting into a small group off the front of the peloton on the last lap but was still placed in the teens.
Now i am trying to get all my school work done before i head to New Mexico tomorrow for the tour of the Gila. i have not signed up yet but will get on that. I am excited to race, my legs feel like they are coming back to form again. Then we come back on Sunday and then leave Thursday for collegiate nats in Fort Collins Colorado. Then come back and take finals, then summer

TTT Start


Crit

Resting up

This past weekend was the FLC home races. A TTT, Crit and RR were in order. I was looking forward to racing because the past two weekends were canceled. I didn't know what to expect what my legs would do with no racing in the legs for a while.
We woke up Saturday morning bright and early for the TTT. It was not bad out when I went to breakfast but once we got to breakfast it started raining pretty good. then followed by some big snow flakes. they ended up canceling the TTT a little bit later. So just sat around until the crit.

It looked like it was clearing up. The roads started drying up. But once we lined up it started raining again. About half way through the race it was sleeting and it hurt the face. Didn't really have a good race, ended up in the pack but was hoping for better.Then Sunday was the RR with a steep mile climb or so in each lap. we did 9 laps at 6 miles a lap. I was feeling ok until we hit the climb, every lap i struggled to hang on and eventually popped. still finished but nothing great. Just had a bad weekend. They can't all be good.
I am about ready to go to the local Tuesday night ride/race at six. I am just going to sit in today and see how the legs feel. i think i am getting tired/sick so I am just going to ride. This weekend we are headed to Colorado springs for some racing. Air force is having a TTT, Crit, and RR. I hear the crit is in a parking lot. LAME. I think i will be going there working for Adam. Just hope my legs start to come around. Got the Gila and collegiate nats coming up within a month.
Picking up my new frame this weekend. hope i can build it up next week and have it ready to go by Utah.

Lazy weekend

It was nice to have just a relaxing weekend at home again. Didn't have much on the agenda, just ride a little bit and study. The races this weekend were canceled due to bad weather in Golden. On Saturday it was a bit chilly out and i was not motivated to go outside. It was snowing off and on and i didn't really want to freeze outside and I really don't want to risk getting sick at this time of year. It is a long season and some big races are coming up in about a month. So i decided to ride the trainer and watch a movie. Today was a bit nicer, still a little chill in the air but went and spun the legs for a few hours. Then came back and watch Tour of Flanders. Now I have to study for my math test tomorrow which i need to pass.
Next weekend is Fort Lewis races. A TTT, Crit, and a RR which goes right through campus. Pretty cool hope we have good legs. Mesa is sitting 2nd right now in the conference. Pretty good considering we only have a handful of racers.

Before


After

Training camp

First off today is the last day of mustache March and i am really happy about that. I can't wait to shave it off. The weather here feels like winter again and it sucks.
This past weekend a few guys from our new team RMCEF came to Junction to have a training camp. I didn't really know what to expect with the weather, and how my legs were going to feel since i took the week off from riding leading up to it and i didn't really know any of the guys that were coming. It all ended up being a good weekend.
The guys showed up Friday around dinner time and Tucker stayed at our place for the weekend. On Saturday we went for a long ride. We first rode to Fruita to meet up with the rest of the guys and we froze on the way out there. Then we snaked our way out to the Utah border. Then rode back to Junction and went up and over the monument and then came back to junction. It was a long day and very tiring. About 120 miles in 6 hours. I was beat when we got home. We went over to a guys house were some of the team was staying to have a team dinner. The guys that I met that are on the team are really cool guys. They all are super strong and I can't wait to race with them this summer.
Then Sunday it was VERY windy out. we were getting thrown around. We rode towards gateway and it felt like we were in a wind tunnel on the way out there. Got about 10 miles or so from gateway and turned around. that was the best part of the day. Then we hauled home with a tail wind, it was so nice.
Then yesterday I had class all day so some of the guys went up the west side of the monument and i climbed up the east side after class to catch up with them. Only got to ride with them for about 15 min yesterday then they took off to Denver. Some of the guys really want us to go to SEA OTTER with them in a couple of weeks but I just don't think I will be able to pull that off. I really want to go but just don't think it will happen this year.
This weekend we have another collegiate race in Golden CO. The weather looks like crap, 30's and snow so who knows what will happen. Saturday is a ITT hill climb up look out mountain. Then Sunday is a crit on CSM campus.

Whats up with the weather

Well this past weekend was our home race and Conor pulled off a Win again in the crit. It was a fun fast course single file the whole race and he got away with a FLC rider and took the sprint. I got 6th. The RR was so hard. got dropped at the end of lap 3 out of 4. still finished 14th.
The weather is crappy now. last weekend it was 60's to 70's and today I woke up to a little dusting of snow. RMCEF is suppose to be here today but who knows with the snow up in the mountains. Hope they make it here ok and we can get some good riding in.
Moved into a new place a week ago. Pretty sweet, a lot bigger.
Well got to run to class sorry for the short update.

Race Season

Well race season is officially under way and i am psyched. Valley of the sun went well a good first race of the season. kind of got screwed in the road race with it being neutralized 200 meter to go. But i rolled across the line 4th and got some points for it. I will take it.
This past weekend was the first collegiate races of the year. There was two crits, one on CSU campus at the oval. Then Sunday in Colorado springs for yet another crit. I was excited to see how i measured up with the collegiate scene. The CSU crit was fun. With some of the big collegiate names there. the race was 60 min and it was a little chilly out but not bad. I was feeling good the whole race staying up front and out of trouble. I tried to get off the front a couple of times but got brought back fast. Conor and Adam did the same but nothing stuck. With two laps to go people were scrambling to get to front and get good positioning. Some CU guys crashed to the left of me and feel right in front of me and I could do nothing about it and went down. I was lucky to land on some other bikes and bodies and dint get too bad of road rash but a little. My bike was fine which is good. I was kind of pissed i was up front feeling good and some idiots take me out. o well that is bike racing. I will have to get a pic up soon. Keeny took a pic of me right before i went down.
Then we took the trek to Colorado Springs for another crit the next day. This course is pretty cool with a nice kicker right before the finish and a 180 corner soon after that. i was a little stiff after the crash the day before but reedy to race. i had a good start and was up front. Attacks were going all day but nothing was going to stick. Conor Adam and I worked our asses off to bring back breaks and try to get in them. It was a tough race. I finished 13th or so, i was hoping for better but not bad for all the work i did all day. Conor killed it and got 4th. Adam worked his ass off for us and am really excited to race with him this year.
This weekend Conor and I are going to take a weekend off from collegiate racing and go down to Boise to visit STU. Conor, Tom, Mat, And I are going down to hang out with Chris. Then it is back to some more crit racing at CU and UNC. Lets hope we can pull it all together for a win.