Ed Sander Cross
Buckeystown, MD
Sunday, October 2, 2005
B Race (~50 starters)
Sunny, dry & 80+ degrees
The Course
The course was similar to that of the MABRA Championship Race last December with a few changes. For the start there was a prologue loop that went up the road before a quick right-hand drop onto the grass. There were a few twists before merging with the course proper. The main course was made up of 3 pretty distinct sections.
Section 1 - Pond Crit
First was a winding maze around the ponds with a lot of tricky turns to accelerate out of. This section began with a double set of barriers on a pretty fast grassy straight. I liked the placement as we don't see many fast barriers these days. Coming out of the ponds you came by the pit before moving on to section two.
Section 2 - Fast Gravel
This part of the course was a series of double track dirt roads that had recently been covered quite thoroughly with gravel. They were still fast, but required attentive riding due to the deep gravel. Line choice here was important in order to maintain speed. There were a couple of nice loose turns here as well that made for some wheel drifting fun. The finish of this section was a little double-track dirt & stone climb.
Section 3 - Techno-Fun
Section three started at the top of the little climb with a bermed right turn onto a grassy 'trail' that became the most technical part of the course. A quick downhill with an off-camber left bend at the bottom led into a short and very steep run/ride-up. In the right conditions this definitely would have been ridable, but it was so loose that riding it was a gamble. If you could ride it to the top you would save a nice chunk of time, but if you stalled part way up you would lose time. I made the decision to dismount to avoid losing big time if I got stalled. I was happy that I had installed the toe spikes that morning. Without them the scramble to the top would have been tough. At the top you immediately dropped right back down the same slope, usually before you had a chance to clip into your pedals. There were a fair number of people that actually walked down this drop.
From there it was up another slight rise and back down to a tight 180 degree turn and right back up the hill. Next was a bit of double-track downhill into a fast and fun off-camber left hand drop onto a a short stretch of bumpy grass before climbing back up to the double track and more climbingto the top of the hill. At the top it was a long, fast no brake downhill winding around before emptying out with a short ridable gravel pile that came by the pit and onto the gravel finishing straight.
Laps were roughly 9 minutes. We did 5 laps in the B race.
Pre-Race
Bernie and Tina picked me up a bit after 8 and we hit the road. We arrived shortly after 9 and got right on our bikes to inspect the course. We did 2 slow laps to look for the best lines and practice the trickier bits. This was really important as it allowed us to race the course with confidence and avoid the pitfalls that took a lot of riders down. Quite a few riders that didn't inspect the course ended up with crashes and mechanicals. Aside from being very helpful, I really enjoy figuring out the course pre-race. It's like working on a puzzle that can be solved in a variety of ways.
The Race
We had been told that riders would be called up based on certain criteria and then would be staged based on bib number (registration order). Based on the criteria I was pretty sure that I would get a call-up and if not I had been one of the first to register. Thus, I didn't get to the line early like I usually do. For some reason there were only two call-up's (neither based on the announced criteria) and then it was a mad dash to the line. I was not in a good position, but I did everything I could to move up. Manners and decorum were out the window. When the dust settled I was in the third row in a mass of overlapping bikes and racers. This was not going to be a pretty start.
When we got the word to go we somehow got going without getting all tangled up and hitting the deck. Unfortunately the first two rows were flying up the road. I dug in and gave it everything to get in line about 20 back from the front. At the first twist some guys misjudged the turn and created a bottleneck, squeezing me into the course markings. I put a foot down and squeezed through before getting going again. At the barriers I didn't slow down, making a clean dismount, and passing several guys by the time I got back on.
That put me onto the back of the lead train heading to the ponds. I made a tight pass on a right-hander to move up to about 12th and settled in line. This section was like a crit first lap. We were single-file and motoring. I was just hoping that the guys in front of me would ride the corners cleanly and not open any gaps. A few guys bobbled taking bad lines, but I was able to stay on the good line and get around them.
Entering the gravel section I was in the top 10, but the guy in front of me overshot the turn and then over-corrected tangling me up. We slowed to a crawl, but luckily nobody behind could get around. I got back up to speed and closed the gap to the lead group. Riding the gravel single file was nerve racking. I knew the lines, but sitting wheel to wheel you never know what the guy in front of you is going to do in loose gravel. Some of the good lines were right on the edge of the ponds. A little bobble and you're going for a swim.
We got through the technical stuff cleanly, though it was a bit hairy doing it in a sizable group. About 7 of us were still together to start lap 2, with Wayne Scott behind solo trying to bridge. Behind him we had a decent gap already.
Going around one of the ponds the front two guys misjudged a turn and both went headfirst into the water. Good stuff. They both got back up and were back in the group surprisingly quickly. Note to self...those guys are fast.
That left me feeling a bit nervous about riding around in such a big group. I'm better on the technical stuff and not as strong at closing a lot of gaps. I wanted to get out in front to avoid the sketch and try to get some separation.
Heading up the double-track climb out of the gravel section I attacked up the middle and got the lead heading into techno-land. I got through everything cleanly and stayed on the front to finish lap 2.
Starting lap 3 I decided to stay on the front as long as possible, even knowing that the guys behind were getting some benefit from the draft. I figured I was better off setting the pace and leading through the tricky stuff. Around the ponds I rode a steady tempo and jumped out of every turn. I was trying to stretch things out and tire the guys in back.
Riding the gravel/dirt roads in front was nice as I could see the lines and not have to breathe in a cloud of dust. Coming up the little climb a Greg Lindstrom attacked (he ended up winning) with Adrian Lobito (he won last week). I covered the move weakly and knew that I didn't have the power to stick if they gunned it again. A gap started to open and Anthony Von Lierop came around me to close it, creating a leading group of 3 with 2 laps to go.
Behind that it was me and Steve Fife from Rockville Harley with a super-strong Wayne Scott closing fast behind. I led it to over the barriers and to the ponds, before Wayne made a nice pass to get by me. I tried to get his wheel, but he was moving. He made it up to the leaders leaving me and Steve riding together.
I gapped Steve on the gravel and once I realized that I gave it some gas to stay away. It turns out that Steve had flatted. So I was on my own and trying to keep the pace high in hopes of re-catching the leaders and not getting caught from behind.
Starting the final lap I could see that I wasn't going to catch the leaders, but I had a solid hold on 5th with a big gap back to Nick Bax, who had worked his way up into 6th position. I just rode a time trial the final lap, taking care to take clean lines to avoid crashing and losing time.
Upon crossing the line I was happy to see Bernie close behind Nick to get 7th. Bernie had an even worse starting position and rode an incredible race to get by traffic and work his way up the field. He got 7th in the C's at this race last year so he has made a big jump this season.
Post-Race
Props to NCVC for putting on another great race. The course was fun and fast and the food vendor was a nice touch. I definitely dug the ice cold Coke and big plate of french fries post-race. Also, big thanks to Suzy Gerlak for the bottle hand-ups each lap. With the dust and heat of the day a quick swig of water helped out a bunch.
I was happy with my race. I had a bad starting position, but was able to make it up to the lead group pretty quickly. That took a lot of energy, but it was good experience to have to overcome a bad start. I hung with the leaders well and played my cards with the lap 2 attack. I knew I wasn't the strongest and just sitting in I'd eventually get gapped. My only shot to win was to get out in front and ride the techno stuff cleanly, hoping that the guys behind me had trouble.
My gamble didn't pay off, but at least it thinned out the lead group. My fitness isn't really there yet, but I was able to hang on for 5th place. Right now I have to lean heavily on my bike handling and cross skills to make up the time I lose on the long power sections. I'm hoping that I'll have the power to be there at the end by November.
Overall, it was another gorgeous day at the races. The 'Cross scene is a friendly as ever and it seems to be really growing this year. Pretty soon we'll be into the cold, nasty race days and slathering the legs in warming oils. I can hardly wait!
Monday, October 03, 2005
Ed Sander Cross
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
More great photos
Super-cycling-photog Dennis Smith also raced and shot Charm City Cross.
His photos are here http://www.pbase.com/dens/mabra_charm_city
(link in the post title)
He always takes some good ones, so check 'em out!
His main site is at http://www.dennisbike.com/
Charm City Race Photos
Mike O'Hara took some ultra-cool photos of the race.
The man has a great eye and captures some very interesting shots.
He started the day by doing his first 'cross race and riding to an impressive 2nd place in the C race.
Check out the photos at http://www.phattire.net/charmcity/home.htm
(or click on the link in the post title)
There's also a link to a short race video at the bottom of the entry page.
Nice work Mike!
Monday, September 26, 2005
Charm City Cross
CCC bike close up
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.
Our race yesterday was a big success.
What started as a vague idea during an end of the season dinner last December became reality on Sunday.
After months of planning race day arrived with the alarm clock going off at 5am. After a quick stop for coffee, water, and gatorade I was at the park at 5:45.
Working in the dark our crew set up the course from scratch, finishing just in time for the first race of the day at 9am.
The course seemed to be well received with a good mix of speed and power, with plenty of technical turns, and 4 dismounts per lap (sand pit, barriers, natural barrier, stairs).
Even though I was cooked by the time my race started I still had a blast racing the course...but it sure hurt! 8-)
Most of the fields were large, making for some good group racing dynamics. I was in a group with several other guys for most of the race. We traded spots all race long, which kept the pace high and built a nice cushion behind us. When I was really hurting on the last lap it was nice knowing that at least nobody was going to sneak up from behind.
After the race it was back to work for the final races and then course breakdown. By 5pm we were done and ready for a glass of Chimay to toast the day. We ended up with over 200 racers, well over our initial goal of 75.
Quick Sand
CCC sand sprint
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.
Mike O'Hara snapped this shot of me running through the sand pit yesterday at the Charm City Cross. He took a lot of great photos. You can check out some of them here http://www.phattire.net/charmcity/home.htm (or click on the link in the post title)
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Friday, September 16, 2005
Cyclocross Nationals
Full 'Cross Natz details are now available.
www.cyclocrossnationals.com
Just click on the link in the title of this post.
12/9-11 in Providence, RI
Make your plans now.
Road trip!
Dumpster Diving
Earlier this week I ordered an FSA carbon chainguard for my 'Cross bike.
I was very happy when it arrived yesterday.
I put the box by the front door (inside!) as a reminder to put it with the bike stuff in the garage.
I was not so happy when I came downstairs this morning and the box was missing.
Today is trash day and my lovely and diligent wife had taken the box out with the trash. It was an easy mistake to make given that the chain guard was taped between two flat pieces of cardboard. It looked like a box that had been broken down for recycling.
I ran downstairs and outside hoping that the trash truck hadn't been down our alley yet. I was prepared to hop on the singlespeed, work clothes and all, to chase them across town.
Luckily the trash was still there, but there was a lot of it.
We live in a building with 8 condos that generate a lot of refuse.
So I spent a good 15 minutes scouring through trash bags trying to find my FSA carbon chainguard. Like a kid digging through a box of Cracker Jack I tore through sushi carryout, cat litter, and various other funk in 5 trashcans before finding the prize.
This was a strange way to start a Friday, but looking back it was pretty damn funny.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Cyclo-friggin-cross!
Here are some of the things that I witnessed at 'Cross practice last night:
*Blood flowing from multiple locations on multiple individuals.
*A new guy absolutely destroying his saddle on a remount (carbon rails for cross when you weigh 200+ is probably not the best idea).
*Another new guy nearly getting a vasectomy from his saddle on a remount courtesy of a loose saddle bolt.
*Several people doing the one leg hop when their pedals wouldn't let go of their cleat.
*Bernie going all "Celtic Rugby" on the barriers twice. Those boards are now very afraid of him. They are dented and dinged, but still intact.
*Multiple instances of people doing the stop-drop-roll (with bike) instead of dismount-run-remount.
*Morgan working on his New England Secret Start and having to sprint shouldering the bike as penance.
Surprisingly we did not have any huge pile-ups while working on starts, but it's only a matter of time. I'm feeling pretty good, although I now have that right shoulder bruise that will be there until mid-December. It gets really pretty and colorful by late October (after that nasty run-up at Granogue). I'll post a photo then.
Where's my Chimay recovery beverage?
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Friday, September 09, 2005
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Charm City 'Cross Course
Thumb & Bottle
Here's a photo of Thor's latest trick, drinking from the bottle and sucking his thumb at the same time. It leads to a little spillage, but he doesn't seem to mind. He started solid foods on Friday. It's only a bit of rice cereal, but it's a big milestone. He really got into it and was grabbing our hands to guide the spoon to his mouth.
Bottle Time
Thor and I are on the couch this morning having a beverage (a bottle for him, coffee for me) and checking for updates on Chris Eatough at the 24 Hour Solo World Championships (1st place with half-hour lead!).
We have the course for our 'Cross race pretty much designed. I'll post the prelim. map a bit later.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Charm City 'Cross 9/25
Kick off the season in Baltimore!
Charm City 'Cross
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Druid Hill Park
Baltimore, MD
Check BikeReg for full details and registration
http://www.bikereg.com/races/register.asp?EventID=2665
First race of the MABRA Cyclocross Series
Here are some of the aspects of the course:
-Fast
-Some long, straight power sections where you can just go.
-Many twisty technical sections where you can gain or lose time depending on your handling skills.
-A combination of surfaces: pavement, grass, slate/cobbled path, and a short sand pit.
-A few small climbs.
-Man-made and natural barriers that will force dismounts for most.
-A fast uphill start/finish road section
-Spectator friendly (most of the course is viewable from the Registration pavilion & there's a new playground for kids in the middle of the course).
-Plenty of room to park and warm-up in the Park.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Ramping it up for 'Cross season
Training has been going well and I think my race fitness is starting to come around.
At the Druid Hill training race this Tuesday I had good legs. Our team had the numbers to control the race so we were on the attack early and often making the race hard. I was in a nice break with Mike for a few laps and joined for a couple more by Ryan. It hurt, but we just kept trucking.
The field did a lot of work to bring us back and after that people didn't seem as frisky. I jumped on the hill following another rider going for a prime. I came around him at the line to grab it, though if I had known that Morgan was on my wheel I would have done the leadout and set him up. He rode a fantastic race and he's only 13 years old! He's a strong rider and has a fantastic attitude. Look for him to rock this 'cross season, especially at Nationals.
With 5 laps to go Ryan attacked on the hill and since we were single-file nobody was able to grab his wheel. Mike, Morgan, and I protected his lead the rest of the way by slowing the field and sitting on any attempt to bridge. A couple of guys did a lot of work to try to chase, but with no help it wasn't going to happen.
On the last lap I jumped hard at the base of the hill and got away cleanly, holding it to the line for 2nd place. Morgan had a good shot at 3rd, but was caught behind Mike, who flatted starting the hill. Mike also rode a strong, smart race and would have been right up front at the end if not for the flat. Ryan dieseled away the last 5 laps solo for the win. He's more than ready for that upgrade to cat 3.
I put in some big efforts in the race and seemed to be able to recover pretty well. At times I was suffering, but I always felt like I had more to give and could move around in the pack at will. Hopefully this is a good sign for CX season. The running is also going well. 'Cross practice starts this coming Wednesday so it'll all start to come together then.
Make a difference
Want to do something that really makes a difference today?
Make a donation to the Hurricane 2005 Relief Fund at
www.redcross.org
Financial contributions to the American Red Cross are tax
deductible.
It's an easy way that you can make a difference today.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
mirror fun
Thor was having a sleepover at Grandma's house. This was his first night away from us and that was rough, but I retrieved him first thing in the morning because we were missing him. He and Grandma had a great time...it was us parents that had it rough. 8-)
I was hurting pretty good this morning and a late night slice from Maria D's had my stomach doing all kinds of crazy stuff. I suited up anyway and rode my bike up to Poly High School for BBC's Back To School Crit. Hung over is no condition for bike racing, but when you can ride to the race ya gotta do it. I needed the training and I wanted to support BBC.
The plan was to sit in all race and try to avoid getting dropped. After I was forced to dismount over the bars when a crash came my way I decided to start attacking to minimize my time in the squirrelly pack.
I bridged up to 3 guys going for a prime and kept rolling with 2 of them since we had a little gap. The quartering wind on the back side of the course made it tough, but we built a small gap and stayed out front for 4 laps, during which I grabbed a prime.
After we were caught I managed to slot in near the front and spent several laps recovering. More attacks came and went until a solo guy countered and got a gap quickly. He stayed out there for a while with no real chasing pressure.
As the field eased up riders from the back started jockeying for position in order to move up. This led to all kinds of sketch so I jumped on the back side to escape the mayhem.
Coming across the line a prime was announced and the lone leader was in sight. I bridged to him and asked if he had anything left to keep going. He said he did, but needed to recover for a bit. He offered to pull once we got to the rise leading to the finishing straight.
I drove it into the wind and suffered since I had just put in a big effort to bridge, but I kept my head down pedaled. Once through the last corner I slid over to let him pull through, but he was gapped and hurting.
I was pretty much done, but dug a little more to grab the prime before the field swallowed me up.
After a few more laps I was recovered and thinking about the finish. Bernie attacked with 2 to go, which fired up the field and got things single-file in pursuit.
I got behind two strong sprinters and hoped they would find a way up front. We were making progress, but got blocked and had to slow just a bit. At that point, if you weren't already in the top 10 there was not much point in taking big risks to mix it up so I sat up and rolled it to the line in 23rd.
Dave nabbed 4th and is just a couple of points shy of his upgrade to cat 3. He started the year as a 5 so that's pretty impressive. Ryan might have been top 10, which would put him one away from his upgrade.
At the start I was feeling pretty ill, so I was happy that I was able to get in a couple of breaks and grab two primes. BBC did it up right with the primes too....I got a Giro Atmos helmet and a gift certificate at Joe's Bike Shop. Sometimes prime-hunting is the way to go...especially if you aren't down with the field sprint.
My fitness is on the right track for 'cross, but there's a ways to go and the early races will be a shock to the system.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Thor at 4 months, photoshop, & bike racing
The stats...
15 pounds, 14 ounces (75th percentile)
26 inches (88th percentile)
pooping daily
smiling and giggling constantly
And he's sleeping 10 hours a night!
We are soooo in love.
I just bought photoshop and can already tell that I'm going to have a lot of fun with it.
I really dig the black & white watercolor effect on the above photo.
I raced my bike last last night (first time since May at the JHU Druid Hill training series. I got in my intervals and had a fun time, though the racing was very negative. Everyone felt a need to chase down everything immediately and then just sit on the wheel.
I mean, if you're going to chase down an attack why not take a pull or 2 to try to make something stick?
In any event, it was good training & I badly needed some interval work to prepare for 'cross. I'll be back out the next few Tuesdays.
Good night.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Bordeaux Chateau
Friday, August 05, 2005
Beeeeeeeeeeeeer
It's Friday and I'm ready for a beer, but this'll have to do for now.
Check out this link to a very cool Cecil B. Demille-ish ad for Carlton Draught Beer.
http://www.bigad.com.au/
Or click on the title of this post.
Weekend plans...
Tonight: Beer (maybe 2!), carryout and a movie on the chesterfield (that's Virginian for super-comfy couch)
Saturday: Road ride, then el salto for a margarita and grub......mmmmm el salto, my favorite Wendy's converted into a cheap Mexican joint!!! I already know what I'm getting...jumbo margarita frozen w/salt, cheese dip, guacamole, & a burrito con azada w/chicken. Damn, with all the talk of booze and mexican food this is starting to sound like a post from fatmarc's blog.
Sunday: mtb ride & new recipe night on sunday...still on the grilled fish theme.
There will also be a lot of Thor-time all weekend long...it's the best.
On Monday I'll be up before the crack of dawn to catch a train for a quick trip to NYC for what promises to be a long day.
I'm getting hungry. Time to grab lunch.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
nutz
Should I expect funny looks if I wear a cup under my cycling shorts?
Yesterday evening I got out for a ride at Avalon with Sean. We rode a steady pace and punched it on a few of the shorter climbs making for a nice ride. I felt pretty good for most of the ride, but at the start of one of the rocky climbs we got to chatting and I stopped paying attention.
I rode right into a rock and went over the bars (going uphill), but only after slamming into my stem in the worst possible place. Needless to say I was doubled over moaning for a few minutes before climbing back on. After that I was pretty sloppy on the rocks as I was afraid of another impact. At least we have Thor already in case I did any permanent damage to the fellas. 8-)
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Grin
Melanie is out for a ride this morning with her friend Erin. They'll probably do about 4 hours riding the country roads north of town.
Thor and I are chilling on the couch for a bit. Then we'll head out to do the shopping for the week.
I'll get out for a short ride later today and then tomorrow morning me and the boys are doing a long, hilly one up close to PA and back. It should end up being around 5 hours round trip.
I've been doing a lot of 1-3 hour rides so I'm curious to see what my body does the last couple of hours.
I'm printing out some small Thor photos to tape to the handlebars of my various bikes. They should be good for inspiration when the going gets tough.
I've been listening to a lot of French language stuff on my iPod lately, trying to improve my linguistic skills, yo. I'll probably only use it on vacations, but I think I could go for working a year or two abroad...getting immersed in a different culture and doing a lot of road trips around Europe. Thor is already into travelling so I'm sure he would have a good time.
That's all for now...the countdown to 'cross season is in full effect...two months 'til the first race.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
update
Long time no blog, so here's a quick update...
Fooooooooooood
We've been trying to try some new recipes. To that end we alternate weeks preparing a new dish. In the last month I've grilled fish a couple of times. First up was rockfish marinated with olive oil, lemon juice, and capers. Next up was salmon marinated with an orange soy teriyaki siz-auce. In each case, the marinade added flavor and moisture without taking away from the flavor of the fish. We'll be grilling more fish from here on out.
Since I've been doing mostly base training and zero racing I haven't been too freaked about my diet so I've been enjoying a regular belgian beer...Duvel, Chimay, Hoegaarden, Stella...as well as some ice cream from the neighborhood shop. I've been enjoying the added calories, but I couldn't go nuts on the beer and ice cream year round.
Continuing the food & beverage thought, every time we're in Paris there's a certain Latin Quarter cafe that we always hit for a Kir and some good people watching. Since we didn't make it to Le Tour this year we've been drinking Kir's here at home. They're easy to make....Sauvignon Blanc with a splash of Creme de Cassis. The only thing missing is the Parisian atmosphere and attendant cigarette smoke.
Riding the mountain bike
I've been riding the Fuel ex doing 2-3hr rides and covering the whole park (Patapsco Avalon). Disc brakes and 4in of travel with on the bar lockout make long rides over varied terrain a lot o'fun. This bike is perfectly suited for endurance racing and it's the bike I'll use for the Shenandoah 100 next year...too much going on to do the race this year.
I've also done some riding on my generic rigid singlespeed. This machine has no frills, but it's such a pure riding experience. The connection from trail to rider is organic and requires bike handling skills that are an afterthought on a full-squishy bike...good for improving one's skillz. When I get back to doing some XC racing I think I'll do it on a SingleSpeed.
Running...ugh
'Cross season is nigh, and since it's my only racing focus this year I started the running early. I'm still doing a couple of 20 minute jogging sessions per week. Next month I'll begin some running intervals to really start the suffering.
Thor
He's smiling, giggling, and growing! He's 13 weeks old and already too long for most of his 3 month old clothes. For the past couple of weeks he's been sleeping from roughly 9pm until after 6am, so we're all getting plenty of good sleep. wooohooo!
This is a really fun age, as he's learning new things every day. He really enjoyed listening to coverage of the Tour and seemed to recognize Phil and Paul's voices.
I'm hoping that he'll make it out to some 'cross races this Fall to cheer on his Dad.
That's all for now.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Friday, July 01, 2005
All Night Long
"All Night Long" by the late great Mississippi blues genius Junior Kimbrough is an appropriate song this morning.
Thor slept from 9:30 last night until almost 7:00 this morning. That's the first time that he has slept through the night.
Let's hope this turns into a habit. 8-)
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Time to run
I did my first run of the year last night. It was barely 15 minutes and it hurt.
Since my road season is done I'm starting the running earlier than usual.
My goal is to get a good base of easy runs so that I can do some good hill/stair sprint workouts as we get closer to 'cross season.
'Cross is all about saving little bits of time every lap. You can do that by making improvements in various areas: cycling fitness, bike handling, 'cross technique, and running fitness. To do well at 'cross you really have to train each of these. Weaknesses get exposed pretty quickly in a 'cross race.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Roots
I had a sweet 2 hour mountain bike ride at Avalon this afternoon. The weather and trails were perfect.
Here's a shot of a nasty ribbon of roots coming down toward the cascade falls and the swinging bridge.
It can be intimidating, but you just pick a line and let it roll.
Curtis Leschyshyn in Velonews
Curtis and Radek are NHL stars who had some time on their hands due to the impending NHL lockout. They're both great guys. We had a lot of fun talking bikes and hearing their war stories from the NHL. They're also cycling freaks and really strong riders.
I played a lot of hockey and followed the NHL growing up. Now my athletic focus is on cycling. Thus, it was a real treat for me to spend some time with a couple of NHL cyclists.
Check out the latest (June 20, 2005) issue of Velonews for a Q&A with Curtis Leschyshyn on page 14. With a season off from playing hockey it seems that he spent a lot of time riding and racing his bike.
While riding with him in France I could tell that he was very strong so it's cool to hear that he has done well racing, including winning 2 stages of the Excel Sports Boulder Stage Race in the cat. 4's. He used to play for the Colorado Avalanche and that's where he and his family have settled down.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Blog the Tour
Subaru is holding a contest to pick someone to blog the last two weeks of the Tour de France. Check it out at www.racetothetour.com
The winner will receive a laptop, a camera, and a cellphone to blog updates from the Tour. They will follow the race with Trek Travel, which means plenty of riding, incredible food, luxury hotels, and access to Discovery team riders.
Go to the website to enter. No blogging experience necessary, but you'd better be prepared to ride a lot of kilometers over some big mountain passes.
I've done this a couple of times, but it would sure be nice to have Subaru pick up the tab!
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Post-ride mexican...mmmmm
Mel and I got out for a nice 2.5 hour mountain bike ride at Avalon today. With Grandma looking after the baby we had most of the day to ourselves. We did a big loop in the park, working up a big appetite riding in the heat. Of course, we then went to El Salto for the best post-ride meal...mexican and margaritas! Livin'!
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Satisfied
While listening to the legendary 4/3/96 Widespread Panic show from Huntsville, AL I found myself contemplating a few verses from that evening's version of "Arleen". Specifically, I focused on a few lines of Van Morrison's "Satisfied" channeled through JB in the midst of the "Arleen" jam.
"Go to the mountain
Come back to the city
Where a whole lot of things
Don't look very pretty
Spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst
But you got to change it
On the inside first
To be satisfied
To be satisfied"
Initially this struck me as rather bleak and dark. However, after studying more lyrics (that JB doesn't rap) from the original song I see it as more hopeful.
"Talkin' to my baby now
I'm satisfied
With my world
Cause I made it
The way it is.
Satisfied (Satisfied.)
Inside."
I like the idea that you can shape your world the way that you want it. In fact, you must take responsibility for your actions and your world.
"You know, baby, cause and effect
I got my karma from here right to New York"
Cause and Effect. Everything you do has an impact on you and your world.
Pretty heavy stuff & uplifting when you look at it with a positive frame of mind.
Good tunes, good times.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Thor!
From Eurosport's live coverage of today's stage of the Dauphiné Liberé between Aix-les-Bains and Givors
2 km THE PELOTON IS BACK TOGETHER!!! ALL THE SIX MEN HAVE BEEN ENGULFED!!
1 km The sprinters get ready for the final assault...
0 km And it's a victory for Credit Agricole's Norwegian giant Thor Hushovd! A great name, a great rider, a great victory!
16:11 Sean Donohoo, from Italy, sent in his coolest name nomination just before the finish: "I've got to go with Thor Hushovd. Anyone named "Thor" has got to be a bad-ass." A bad-ass he is, and also one hell of a powerful sprinter! The Credit Agricole man has taken this 224 km first stage from Aix-les-Bains to Givors, and taken it with some performance. His team timed their assault on the six leaders with perfection, catching the men with two clicks to go before leading in their Norwegian trophy hunter to the kill.
Thor!
National Champion
Chris Wherry had just won the race and was on stage receiving the National Champion's jersey.
He rode an inspired race and deserved the win after a bold late race attack that he held to the finish.
We split time between the start/finish area and The Wall in Manyunk. The Wall was nuts...parties and chaos everywhere.
I'm sure the riders fed off the energy each time up the climb.
We had a fantastic time and really enjoyed Philly. It was nice to see a big-time bike race with a huge crowd in the US.
Thor was a trooper and thoroughly enjoyed the race.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Top of the Manyunk Wall
This is the turn at the top of the Manyunk Wall. The climb levels out to a false flat and then makes this turn before plunging back down. This photo was taken with my camera phone late in the Wachovia USPro Cycling Championships in Philly, June 5, 2005.
Monday, May 30, 2005
LSV/Kelly Baltimore BikeJam 2005
Bike Jam was fast and fun.
I'll have more to say about it later.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Growing up fast
He's now 23 inches and 9lb 14oz!
That's 2 inches and 2 pounds that he's put on since birth. His length puts him in the 95th percentile and his weight is 60th percentile.
The kid is a good feeder! 8-)
Thursday, May 26, 2005
The Coolest Wife!
For my birthday she got me this mack-daddy Pedros Master Tool Kit. This thing has just about everything you could need to wrench a bike.
When we move into the new house we'll have a very nice work area in the basement for our ever growing stable of bikes.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Thor waking up
Here's a short film documenting a 3-week old Thor waking up from a short snooze.
http://homepage.mac.com/cbnystrom/iMovieTheater9.html
Or click on the title of this post.
He turns 4 weeks old today and he's growing up quickly!
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Baby Blogging
I got out for a 3 hour ride yesterday, the longest since pre-baby. It was a beautiful day and the legs felt good. With my training hours way down I've been doing shorter, high intensity rides whenever possible. It was nice to get out for a longer, mellow ride. We still did some hard efforts, but mostly we were chatting and enjoying the day.
I might even get out on the mtb later today...that would be a real treat.
For now, Thor and I are hanging out enjoying some coffee, listening to Medeski, Martin & Wood and reading the live updates from the Giro...nice sunday morning.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Me in the early break
Ryan giving 'er some gas
Poolesville Road Race
Here's my take on the 4/5 Poolesville Road Race.
LSV squad
JT, Ryan, Mark, Dan, Chris, Sean, Jack, Carl, Dave
After a nervous start on a narrow road and a turn onto a gravel strewn country road a
handful of guys rolled off the front, still early in the first lap. The group contained
a few of the favorites, including Pat Cusack of Rockville/Harley. I was near the front
glued to Eric Krause's (strong All American rider) wheel. Eric had spent most of
Walkersville in breaks so I knew he wouldn't let a strong move go without him. Once the
move had a few second gap he dropped a couple of gears and accelerated out of the pack.
I was prepared and got a very easy lift across to the break right on his wheel.
When we made it to the break and looked back there was a decent gap to the field. With
some strong riders and all of the larger teams (NCVC, LSV, Coppi) in the break we all
decided to work and give it a go. The 7 of us drilled it pretty hard in a relatively
smooth paceline...pull through and slide into the recovery line...no long pulls, just a
nice rotation.
We hit the dirt and really gave 'er the stick bouncing down the Poolesville Pavé at 26
mph on the rivet. I was hoping that we could establish a nice gap and then rely on some
blocking in the pack to keep us away. However, one of the NCVC's in the break overcooked
the dirt turn and was dropped and there were enough fresh guys in the field that wanted
to be in the move.
It sounds like a number of guys tried to bridge pulling the field up to us by the end of
the dirt road. While we didn't stay away at least we put the hurt on and thinned out
the field. Once back together the pack was more calm and guys were less inclined to do
sketchy stuff to move up.
Shortly after the catch we hit the rolling false flat the leads up to the feed zone. A
few guys rolled off the front, but were just dangling there. It didn't look like much of
anything. Mark was up front keeping an eye on things and he wisely jumped across to mark
it just in case. A couple more guys went and gradually a gap formed. Once we made the
right turn onto the narrow, double-yellow line headwind section the break really started
to ride away.
NCVC and us both had guys up front and we soft pedalled into the headwind to allow the
break to get established. We talked about it and decided that it was still early and
this would put some pressure on some of the stronger guys in the field to chase it down.
That section of road is narrow and is the only part of the course where the yellow-line
rule is really enforced so nobody could move up and chase until we made the right
turn...this would come back to haunt us later. 8-)
We creeped along and chatted about shit while the break rolled up the road. Eric Krause
was stuck in between burying himself trying to bridge, but not getting any closer. We
were happy to see a strong guy wasting energy and getting nowhere...well, he still had
plenty left to throw down a respectable sprint at the end so he really is strong.
We stayed on or near the front making tempo, but keeping things slow enough to give the
break a chance. The second time through the dirt was a lot more mellow. I was on the
front on the right, chatting to Andrew Curry from Coppi on the left just cruising along
about 19 mph. After the dirt we got a time check of 1:30 to the break. The next couple
of splits were all 1:30 to 1:45.
The break looked like it could stay away. There had been a few short-lived bridging
attempts that we and the NCVC armada had covered immediately, but nobody was really doing
any chasing. We had a decision to make...give Mark a chance to stick the move or chase
it down and try something else. The break had lost one rider so it was a group of
5...enough guys to make it work and worst case 5th place. On the other hand, with 9
riders in the race and several strong guys in the field and feeling good did we want to
gamble on having just one guy in the break? I think the deciding factor was that Mark
has been riding very well recently and we owed it to him to give him a chance.
So we decided to not chase the break. However, we were really hoping that Pat Cusack or
one of the other strong guys that had missed the move would get fed up and bridge. To
that end we had 4 or 5 guys near the front the entire time. Ryan and Dave were all over
Pat and we were ready to go with any chase to get more of our guys up the road. It
looked like this might happen at the end of lap 2 as two NCVC's accelerated up toward the
feed zone getting a gap. Dave, Sean, & I quickly got their wheels and Pat Cusack got
across as well, giving us a strong group with 3 LSV's!!! We had a little gap to the pack
and were almost to the turn into the narrow headwind where we really could have gotten
away. Unfortunately, the pack clawed it's way up to us, single-file...with, I think, one
of our guys on the front. That was an instance where our guys should have eased up to
grow that gap and force others to close it.
If there's a gap with teammates in front of you, force someone else to close it. It's a
win-win situation...either your teammates get away or someone else wastes energy to pull
you up to them. At which point you're still in good position and fresh to counter or
continue to rest up for later. If you close the gap, not only do your teammates not get
away, but you've just wasted energy to pull the whole field up to them.
We still had Mark up in the break riding his ass off in a long breakaway with some strong
riders. Another rider had fallen out of the break so it was just 4 of them up the road.
We were getting a little nervous and had more discussions about whether or not to chase
but it looked like it might work out.
Cue up the foreboding music because late in lap 3 (of 4) we see a lone LSV/Kelly jersey
up on the horizon. We're hoping that it's a straggler from the 40+/50+ race, but soon we
can tell that it's Mark. Oh boy, we're in trouble now. There was still a chance that
the break had fallen apart and that the gap was coming down, but the next time split was
still 1:30.
We should have immediately put guys on the front to chase, but we waited. Near the end
of the lap on the false flat we realized we should be chasing, but it wasn't real clear
who would do it. I was cramping and not really on the ball.
We hit the narrow headwind and it was too late to do anything. The first 8 guys were
clogging the road riding tempo and we finally had several guys right behind them ready to
chase but unable to get to the front. The break was surely increasing the gap as slowly
as we were riding.
I think we realized that we didn't have time to catch the break so we started thinking
about 4th place. The pace started to pick up and we hit the dirt very fast once again
shelling more riders. Coming out of the dirt into the hill the chasing group/peloton was
probably down to only ~25 riders.
We were moving over the rollers pretty strung out when Dave launched a big attack from
probably 5 miles out. He put his head down and got a gap immediately. With miles left
to the line this looked like a suicide move, but he kept his gap for quite a long time
forcing NCVC to ramp up the pace and chase him. It was a bold move that might have
worked a little closer to the finish, but NCVC still had plenty of guys left and they
brought him back.
Heading up the false flat for the last time legs seemed tired because we were going at a
solid temp, but not really giving 'er full gas. Still in the diminished pack were 5 of
us. We had the numbers to up the pace and start a leadout. Sean led the way to the
front of the group and I followed soon after. Approaching the final turn it was Pat
Cusack, Me, and Sean on the front.
We took the turn smoothly and Pat pulled off leaving me on the front. Sean accelerated
on my right yelling for me to grab his wheel. However, another dude was glued to his
tire. I bumped shoulders with him and tried to lean my way in, but he wasn't giving up
the wheel. Sean accelerated and I grabbed a wheel on the left. I could see the surge
starting to come up the left, with still a long way to the line. I jumped to try to get
out front and keep it fast, but my jump was reaaaaalllly weak. I was immediately swarmed
and only able to latch onto the back of the sprint and do a seated sprint to the line.
When our leadout sputtered Ryan got swarmed....NCVC had enough guys that there were 3
separate groups of them sprinting. It was very crowded in the last 500 meters. He still
managed to hang on for 6th in the field sprint, 9th overall. Dave, JT, Sean, and I were
also right there, but on the back of the group sprinting for the line.
We raced really well...had guys in the breaks...always had guys up front...did some very
nice blocking/controlling the pace...covered bridging attempts...had a lot of guys there
in the finale. We raced a tactical and thoughtful race. Personally, I had a lot of
fun.
Maybe we should have chased the break, but we took a gamble and it just didn't pan out
this time. I think it was right to give Mark a chance. Probably what we should have
done was to get another guy into that break. When it was just dangling in front of us we
could have easily sent someone across. With 2 guys in that break I really like our
chances. I guess we didn't recognize the potential at the time, but looking back with
the narrow headwind section just around the corner, it was the perfect spot for a break
to get a quick gap.
In the pack we really tried to do the finish right. Sean and I got in the wind, rode up
front, and committed ourselves to lead it out from a pretty good ways out. We both had
good power, but the top end just isn't there. When we tried to ramp up the speed and
keep it strung out the speed just wasn't there. Sorry guys, but we tried. It's a bummer
that we had strong 5 guys in that group and only got 6th, 14th, 15th, 16th, & 17th in the
field sprint.
We all took our chances and gave it our best shot. In the thick of it when you're on the
rivet it's tough to really think through what you're going to do...you just have to
react. In the end, we raced our bikes and we had fun.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Afternoon city ride
afternoon city ride
This is a shot of Baltimore taken from the dock at Tide Point. I got out for an hour ride around the city. I scoped out the new Bike Jam course at Patterson Park, doing a few sprints and efforts up the hill. Then I cruised back around the Harbor and out to Fort McHenry before heading back home. As you can tell by the water in the photo it was windy, but the warm temps made it a very enjoyable ride.
I'm trying to find my legs for the Poolesville Road Race after 2 weeks of no riding and minimal sleeping. The legs are still in slumber mode and hurt when I really push it, but hopefully some hard efforts on the Tuesday Ronde will get me opened up and going for the weekend.
Check out www.olntv.com for live streaming coverage of the Giro d'Italia. For only $5.95 you get access to live weekday coverage online. The feed is fantastic and the price is right!
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Panic in Paris!
In 1998, Melanie and I went to France for a holiday. We were dating at the time, but this was to be an important trip for us. Things were getting serious and this was our first real vacation together. We spent a few nights in Paris before renting a car and touring the Chateaux of the Loire River valley.
Widespread Panic happened to be in Paris...good planning 8-)...so we headed over to the Chesterfield Cafe to catch the show.
The Chesterfield was a small bar/cafe just off the Champs up near the Arc de Triomphe. There was no stage, just the band set up in a corner. The place was packed with no room to move. We wiggled our way up to the front, just a couple of feet from Mike Houser and settled in for an amazing show.
The band was ON from start to finish. I had made Melanie a mix tape of Panic tunes to introduce her to the music and they played 8 of the songs from the tape on this night...pretty good for a band with a repetoire in the hundreds. I was so happy that she knew most of the songs and could really get into the groove. We were dancing and sweating up a storm. It was blazingly hot in there. Every few songs one of us would squeeze our way up to the bar for a pitcher of beer. We'd drink half of it and dump the other half over our heads to cool off. Yeah, it was that kind of evening.
After the show we walked through the late night Parisien streets back to our hotel in a happy stupor. We knew that we were made to have these kind of adventures together.
The next afternoon we put together a nice picnic by visiting various shops over in the Latin Quarter. We had a nice bottle of wine, cheese, grapes, pate, pastry, and a bagguette. Once we were provisioned we hopped on the Metro and scooted over to the Eiffel Tower. We set up shop in the park at the base of the Tower and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon picnic. As the sun started to set I pulled out the ring and asked her to marry me. I gotta tell ya, it was a magical moment. I get chills just thinking about the memory.
She said yes and we have continued to have adventures together ever since!
For the record, here's the setlist from the show...
Widespread Panic
03/27/98 Chesterfield Café, Paris, FR
0: Let's Get Down To Business, Glory > Wondering > Help Me Somebody > Disco > Hatfield, Pickin' Up The Pieces, Stop-Go > Junior > Party At Your Mama's House, Drums > Don't Be Denied, Walkin' (For Your Love) > Love Tractor
E: Henry Parsons Died > Travelin' Light
['The Other One' jam before 'Love Tractor']
setlist courtesy of my friends at www.everydaycompanion.com
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Jazzfest
Up until this year I've been going to Jazzfest in New Orleans every year since 1996, except for 1998 when we went to France to get engaged. Melanie has been every year since 1999. For us, the first weekend in May means that we'll be in New Orleans.
This is the weekend we would have been at the 'Fest listening to great music, eating a lot of rich food, and staying up all night. Jazzfest also ends up being a well-timed break from the bike after a long Winter of training and a Spring of racing. After recovering from a weekend of partying in NOLA I'm always extra motivated to get back on the bike.
Well, this year with a newborn we've been staying all night, having a great time, and not riding the bike, but in a different setting. The staying up all night hasn't been too bad so far. Maybe it's because my body is conditioned to operate on little sleep every year on this weekend?
Eventually we'll settle into a rhythm and get back on the bikes, albeit with a lot more planning and coordinating of schedules than before. 8-) And next year we'll be back to New Orleans for another sleepless weekend of fun, food, and tunes at Jazzfest.
Yeah, you right!
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Going Home
The hospital was incredible and the staff treated us like family. They made an amazing experience even better.
sleep deprivation...zzzzzz
Well I got about 30 minutes of sleep last night (in 30 second intervals).
It seems that Thor has confused night and day. He slept all day yesterday and he was awake all last night.
He was constantly hungry (poor Mom) and he needed many many diaper changes...not to mention the 3 clothes changes thanks to the rookie diaper changers (poor Dad and Mom).
He also had the hiccups twice (poor kid). 8-)
The cats were completely freaked out when he got upset. Jack even ran into the dresser after being startled while sleeping under the cradle.
He finally got to sleep just before 8 this morning after I brought him downstairs and put him in his papsan swing.
At this point I wasn't going back to sleep so I made a nice pot of Peet's coffee and some oatmeal.
So now I'm sitting on the couch messing around on the iBook and watching him snooze.
Even with no sleep I couldn't be happier.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Monday, April 25, 2005
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Col du Glandon
I was looking through photos from the 2004 Tour de France and decided to post this one as it brings back some beautiful memories.
We decended Alpe d'Huez via a narrow road of the side of the mountain and rode through the valley before climbing the Glandon. Near the summit we sat at a table on the outdoor terrace cafe on the last switchback.
We could view the race on the climb and then right at our feet entering the switchback. Then we were able to walk 20 feet behind our table to the roadside and stand on the road as they exited the switchback.
It was another amazing day at the Tour.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Lunch
Matt, Rob, Mel & I went out for lunch at Spoons.
Now it's time to veg on the couch and read the Tour of Georgia live updates on cyclingnews.com
Good times.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Interested in moving to Europe?
I stumbled across this site, http://www.expatica.com/
It looks like a great resource for anyone thinking about moving to and living/working in Europe (specifically Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, or Spain).
Maybe some day...
Nesting
With the baby due any day now we're in nesting mode.
Melanie cleaned out and organized her closet...
I updated the links on the blog...
To each his/her own.
When is Meg going to update midatlanticcross.com ??? She's too busy buzzing our tuesday training ride, hanging out the window yelling at us in Dutch.
Baby news as it happens. Maybe even some live photo-blogging from the camera phone.
8-)
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Early Avalon ride
avalon
I got out this morning at 6:45am for a ride at Avalon. The trails were empty and the temp was 38 degrees...chilly.
I finished up at 9:00am and the temp was 58...a little nicer. We're off to watch the Carl Dolan races in Columbia.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Fitness & Focus
After months of long rides and grueling intervals you sometimes wonder if the training will actually produce results. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, you're suffering up a climb or following an acceleration and think you're going to blow. You're hurting, but you go ahead and push it a little harder and whoah! you're not blowing...you're going faster...still suffering like a dog, but you've found another gear!
That's a nice feeling. It makes the long winter evenings on the trainer seem worthwhile. Once you realize that the training is paying off you get more confidence that you can push just a little bit harder. I think that the mental edge from training is almost as important as the physical adaptation. When you believe that you can do it you're more likely to make it happen.
Well, my legs are really starting to come around. After a month of racing I'm feeling stronger than ever...just in time to stop racing for a while!
With a baby due any day now I'm in full parenthood mode. I'm really psyched to be a Dad with all of the experiences and challenges that accrue to that position! I'll still get some riding and training in...if only for the mental health benefits. 8-)
By missing most of the late spring/summer races I should be fresh and very motivated for 'cross. Maybe Thor will be able to ring a cowbell and cheer for his Dad at a couple of races. Good times.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Jack
bird stalking
This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getpix.
To learn how you can record videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getflix.
To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime 6.5 or higher is required. Visit www.apple.com/quicktime/download to download the free player or upgrade your existing QuickTime Player. Note: During the download process when asked to choose an installation type (Minimum, Recommended or Custom), select Minimum for faster download.
me
Photos
www.flickr.com
|
