It's been a while...

Conference Finals came and went. I didn't do as well as I had wanted to do this past year, but with out training or riding my bike at all from last season's Durango race (2006 5th severe concussion) till this past August I can't complain. I figured out somethings about my riding style, lack of training, and gained some valuable experience. So far since conference finals I have over 600 miles on my road bike, a training plan, some goals (both short and long term), and an idea about how important cycling is in my life.

Things to look forward to:
-Tuscon training Camp (January)
-Road Season (March)
-Summer in FoCo with many local races
-Possibly Snake Alley (End of May)
-Summer of races (May through August)
-Travel back east for a month of MTB/Road races
-MTB Nationals M. Snow, NC (June/July)
-Possibly my final Collegic MTB season (August)
-Senior year of College
-Possibly last season of Collegic Road Season (March)
-Look for a team before graduation and having to become an actual person in society

I have been thinking a lot about what I want to happen with my level of cycling and where I want it to reach. Hopefully after this up and coming road season I will be able to move up both in road and MTB.

Two weekends ago I did my first cross race...look for pics and details soon.

Estes ride

So, this past weekend the plan was to do a century and then make it back to Fort Collins and grab some drinks and play games all night. I had a rough night Friday and Caley and I basically weren't motivated to leave around 9am when we planned to so by the time we actually left it was 1030am. Megan, Jamie, Caley, and myself head off. Seriously within 18miles we had stopped 3 times. All minor fixes, but it wasn't looking good.

The Day started out cold so the usual layers were packed on. It was probably within 30minutes of leaving the day changed to be amazing. All the layers came off and the sun shone. We headed to Masonville, through Glenn Haven to Estes, CO. There was a head wind basically the whole way up 34 and through Glenn Haven.

We took the route via Carter Lake which on this day probably was the prettiest I have ever seen it. There were no cars around, sun shinning and of course we were riding. This ride was a much needed relaxer. I realized that just going out for rides with your friends and just enjoying everything around you and forgetting all the things that often overwhelm your everyday life is very important.
Jamie was hilarious the night after our ride. We ended up playing games until we decided that we needed ice cream which meant that we rode our bike to the store. On the way back Jamie crashed (not bad) right outside of her house...Caley and I some how ate a whole pizza between us, some chile, and apple pie with ice cream. It was a good time. Pending on the weather next weekend I might do another long ride but flat to start my long slow base.

This upcoming week, starting Monday November 1st, is the start of my training year. Base miles begin Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of every week is going to be cross and weight training, and Wednesday/Friday will ba base miles as well. I have decided that I will be taking riding more serious when it comes to training. The past season (MTB 2007) I didn't train at all.

Till next time, enjoy, be safe, and always live life to its fullest.

Peach.

Century

Two weeks ago MTB season ended for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to nationals so I decided to look ahead to next season. Since then I have for the most part taken some down time from riding. I got my new ride (Specialized tarmac expert w/ rival) its not my E5 s-works but it isn't anything to complain about.

November 5th marks the beginning of my training for road. I haven't been riding very long and this is in reality the first time that I am doing a training plan. We will see how it goes.

So this weekend I was supposed to go to veloswap in Denver, Co, but instead decided to do my first century. In the past I have come close but never completed one. Two other people went with me. Rachel (CSU teammate, and her friend).
The weather this weekend was crazy. When we left in the morning it was cloud covered, slightly chilly, and by the afternoon it was sunny blue skies. The only problem with the weather and this ride was inconsistency. There were times where you were riding and hit this wall of cold air, and when I mean cold it was about 20 degrees colder. Then, the climbs. Seriously, I haven't seen this long of climbs ever. We did this one climb and it had to of taken us 45minutes, and that was at about 10mph+.


Leaving Fort Collins (the bagel place) at 9am the adventure started. My headed to Masonville via the dams, then to Estes Park. Once at Estes we headed to Boulder Co. We stopped twice along the way to refill bottles and stretch. It was funny on some of the descents people in cars would ride behind us and see how fast we were going. This one guy in a truck stuck his head out the window and using his fingers showed us the speed (45mph, that was 5 over the speed limit). He seemed pretty stoked.





Overall, I would say that this was one of the most intense rides I have done. The only problem with this ride is that fact that it isn't a looped ride. We ended up in Boulder where the guy I rode withs father gave us a ride back to Fort Collins.

CU Short track race

Possibly one of the coolest ST races of the year...and i only rode about 5 seconds of it. So, we get there in the morning, register, ride the course a couple of times, and then watch everyone race until the Men's A race. I made my way over to the Men's B race where I find Eric (teammate) standing at the top of this climb by the start/finish line. If you know Eric he most likely will be breaking his bike at some point in a race. He broke his chain as I rode up and basically I gave him my bike so he could finish the race.

Time to race. I do my warm up (I actually warmed up for this race) get to the line and get in the front row. The race starts and I immediately get pinched from both sides (the biggest waste of a front row start). The first downhill a CU ride wrecks (this guy was on a jump bike, wearing cargo's and a downhill jersey...go figure he's the one to wreck) causing a pile up. Dropping down this first hill at sprint pace means that there is no stopping. Teammate Dan. L slams into the down CU rider, followed by me hitting both of them. I blow out my front tire and that summarizes my shortest ST race ever(5 sec.).

Bottom Right: Eric rocking out on my bike in the Men's B race after his chain exploded for the 3rd time this season

Weekend of great fun to be had...

So this weekend, New Mexico race was canceled (sucks minus I am glad I don't have to drive that far) in stead Colorado University is holding a Short Track race. As of last week CSU cycling team is first in our conference, ahead of Fort Lewis (they won the last 10+ years) by about 1000 pts. Basically, if our team overwhelms the races at Boulder this weekend its a sure win.

On another thought, I ordered a new road bike this past week (can't wait) and I have been working on getting my training schedule worked out. With high hopes this next year should be a good one. This summer since Caley (my teammate and roomie) live here in FoCo, but our parents live out East we are going to take our time this summer and travel back east while hitting up some races (both road and mountain). I would like to do Snake alley (hear its good from a la-git source...she knows who she is) and a couple of other interesting venues. We are also looking at possible heading to the wonderful land of Canadia...(it's its own continent) to do some racing. And then to Mount Snow for MTB nationals. Should be a good solid month of traveling and racing. Now all I have to do is find a team for this summer, but all else fails...I am just going to fly solo...

So, I will keep this posted (hopefully more on a regular basis..its been a stressful week) with any updates, good photos, and other really really fun stuff.

PEACE>>>james

Mesa (Grand Junction Colorado)

We left Fort Collins around 430 pm Friday headed South to Grand Junction Colorado. It took approx. 5 hours to get there. The Mesa Collegic cycling team coach was generous enough to let us crash at his house for the weekend. So, funny story. There was a cage in the basement where we were sleeping, Amanda made me sleep by it, and in the morning our host asked us about seeing the creature that was in the cage...there was no creature. The was a two foot lizard roaming free around the house. Kinda weird, but it all worked out.

So, the ST race was crazy to say the least. The first location (changed due to rain and increased amounts of mud [concrete]) had an intense climb from the start and followed this ridge followed by a fast road descent. The loop was 1 mile long, majority climbing. Glad it was changed minus the fact that the race we did was in a parking lot weaving around some traffic cones in mud while it was raining. About two laps in I was stuck in one gear, not that it mattered because it was a big ring race. This weekend I moved up to the Men's A level (wasn't sure how it would turn out) I ended up taking 20th in short track. Not bad for getting stuck behind the bottle neck in the drainage dip.

Saturday wasn't a sure thing, but Caley (CSU teammate) prayed to Baby Jesus, so it was sunny and in the 50-60's. The XC race was fast from the start. Going through a ravine, into a long climb. For the most part the climb was easy (would have been easier if I would have warmed up). After the first part of the climb there was a section where you had to rock climb with your bike, get back on ride some more, and then carry your bike for about 50 yards. It wouldn't have been so bad but, it was nearly impossible to clip in once your shoes were muddy. Seriously, the mud was like cement. It stuck to everything, and didn't come off. I am still cleaning my bike from it. Overall, good fun trail. I ended up taking 20th again. hopefully regionals will be better.

This is what the terrain looked like at the Mesa Race. You climbed and then road the crest.

Amanda, myself on our was home...I was definitely ready to get back to the FoCo. There is a race this coming weekend in Boulder, Co. Not sure if I am going to race. The following weekend in regionals. Stay tuned and we'll see what happens.

A little practice...

So today got out of class late (5pm) and decided that I was going to ride around Horse tooth reservoir (failure from the start) so as soon as I got home I grabbed my roomy, Caley (also teammate for CSU) and went. We got to shoreline and realize that it is already getting dark and that there was no way that we were going to be able to make it around the reservoir so we found some tech-ie sections and rode those for a while. Today was the first time that I realized that fall was here. It got dark at 6:30 and cool (where did summer go???)

The tech section that we went to used to be semi ride able, not today. You could make it down, but coming up was another story. Loose rock on top of large rocks with no space to keep your momentum up...it basically became a fun downhill with a hike-your-bike back up. Either way I can't complain, I mean I was on my bike and anytime I am riding its a good day.

This weekend is the Mesa collegic race in Grand Junction, Colorado. Should be a good weekend weather wise. Until then have fun, be safe and enjoy.

Random

After being in class all day I decided to do a hard ride up Maxwell, shoreline, and some other extension of a trail off of shoreline. Was a quick ride (the usual when limited on time) Sorry theres no pictures.

This past weekend (10/29 - 10/30)

Finally, a race close to home. In Wyoming this weekend, Saturday was fairly good weather. The short track course was a hard packed trail that started on a flat fire road going into a big-ring climb followed by a fast downhill. I led the race for the first 10 minutes (falling short due to sickness) I ended up taking fifth.

Sunday, couldn't be more different from Saturday. We arrive in the morning to find temps of 31 degrees, snow, and wind of 35-40mph. Not the most amazing race weather. With the race being pushed back half-an-hour I sat in the car debating whether to race or not. In the end I ended up racing. I finished 4th after wrecking early, playing catch-up, stopping to help a teammate, and on the final lap after catching the leaders I get taken out by a small sapling. With the race being close to home and ending early I was able to make my way up to Estes Park, CO with Amanda Miller. Amanda Miller (originally from Iowa, and fellow teammate) wanted to see amazing views so we planned on going over Trail Ridge Road, which was closed due to snow, so we just found the next best thing (Views of Longs).

Up and Running (soon hopefully)

So i just decided to start this blog and it will probably take me a while to get it going. It mainly is going to be about cycling and what I am doing. Right now I am busy with the Collegic MTB season, which is approximately half way done, and the usual classes. The majority of by riding will be done around Colorado, Moab (Thanksgiving break, look forward to some good pics) , and hopefully some riding out east pending on whether I make it home anytime soon.