Reflections in the Rain

Fall always seems to be a time for reflection. It is the end of a long season of highs and lows on the bike. It is a time when my lifestyle changes from high octane to slow and steady, and sometimes still. The rain has come and it is time to bundle up for a long wet training ride were the only thing that keeps you pedaling is the thoughts of your defeats the year before and the friends that are slogging along beside you. Or it might be time to just bundle up next to the fire with the one you love.
This past year of racing has been, by far, the best one ever. As I think back on it, a lot of things changed this year. I started a new training program with a new coach that understands me. I started racing with the best team ever with teammates that ride as one unit for one overall goal. I even picked up a new bike that is amazing. I achieved a few things that I had as personal goals, including winning the state crit championship, winning the overall omnium at AVC, upgrading to a Cat 1 on the Road and getting some of my teammates to race on the track. Next year will be even better.
It has been a while since my last blog. I have been busy taking three weeks off the bike and then starting to ride again. Andrea and I went over to our good friends at Sellwood Cycles and picked up a pair of Kona Paddy Wagon fixies for winter training. We also purchased gym memberships and have started weight training for the first time. I'm planning on getting huge. Lastly, I have mastered playing Wii Sports while riding on the rollers. It’s the best way to keep things interesting while keeping the RPMs up.

Rest (of Nationals) & Roller Races

So, the rest of Natz was bad. No Scratch race final, no Keirin second round, lot of frustrations. Abers came around me to win the keirin rep after I had it full gas on the front for two laps. We placed 6th in the team sprint, just off the podium. Did I mention there was a lot of frustration?
Wait, the Madison was fun. Dan Harm and I partnered up for this one. It was a scorcher, I had to dig really deep and it hurt like hell. But we did finish all 200 laps, and placed 9th overall out of the 16 teams that started.
But I now have some time off the bike and can clear my head to think about the season. I will try to write up my end of the season report soon. It’s cross season now. Time to bundle up, go stand in some mud and yell inappropriate things at my teammates while dousing them with beer.
Rapha Roller Races are tomorrow. Be there, it’s going to be spectacular. http://www.rapha.cc/index.php?page=574

Day 2

No good news from the city of angels for the second day of competition, at least not for me. I made a stupid move in the scratch race qualifier and somehow initiated a great break with the two strongest guys in the heat, Colby Pierce and Rahsaan Bahati. Then I proceeded to ride myself straight out of it after we got three quarters of a lap on the field. After watching them get back into the field, I rode about ten laps by myself and then got caught and quickly passed by the field, which Colby was driving. It’s frustrating to be so close, but not have that last bit to make it. So I have the day off.

Andrea recorded a PR in the 500, took home the bronze medal in the U23 category and place 10th overall. She has the Keirin & Pursuit today.

Other OBRA Results:
Men’s 200 Meter Sprint Qualifier
9 Dean Tracy (Land Rover - Orbea) 0.11.41
21Kevin Mansker 0.11.94
23 Mark Godfrey (Bike Central) 0.11.96
28 Brian Abers (Bike Central) 0.12.15
31 Nathan R Frechen 0.12.43

Women’s 500 Meter
5 Jen Featheringill 0.37.62
9 Heather Vanvalkenburg 0.39.02
10 Andrea Fisk 0.39.19
12 Amelia Bjesse-Puffin 0.39.48
20 Shelley Hughes-Godfrey 0.41.52
22 Camille Hook 0.42.65

5th... Again

The kilo TT field this year was the strongest I have ever seen it at natz. The unknown was Taylor Phinney. Everyone knew he would be fast, but no one knew how fast. It ended up that he was 1:03 fast, which was the fastest I have ever seen at natz. Jimmy Watkins also rode a strong 1:05 and all the other times were in the 1:07's before I went in the second to the last round.
I knew I would have to go faster than I ever have in order to place, so I put on a big gear and hoped for the best. My start felt really strong as I used the starting blogs to my advantage. But after about 600 meters, I just didn't have the strength to keep the gear rolling and I got bogged down in the last lap. But I finished with a PR by a second at 1:07.3 which put me into fourth place. But there was still one more heat, which contained the gold and silver medalist from last year. Steve Hill rode a strong 1:05.8 to challenge Jimmy for 2nd, but fell just a bit short. David Espinoza did not seem on his best form, coming in with a 1:07.4 for sixth place, but he still scored first in the U23 competition.

The other Portland Guys all rode PRs and Curtis even got the U23 bronze.

Complete results: http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2008-2598

Here is a not so high quality pic of the new Speedvagan track special.


Today the racing really gets started with Women’s 500 meter TT, Team Pursuit and Scratch race heats and with the Men’s 200 meter, first sprint rounds, Team Pursuit and Scratch race heats.

Redding, CA

The Game

"We just got beat. Oregon State just beat us."