Velonews Article

Check out the Velonews article by Bob Mionski, resident bicycle law guru.

Part 2: http://velonews.com/article/84747/legally-speaking-with-bob-mionske---the-aftermath

Part 1: http://www.velonews.com/article/84505

chow,
Matthew

Mt. Sanitas, a pictoral genuis

Thankful to be in Colorado...

Today started off a little nippy, 26 degrees but it quickly warmed this afternoon to upper 50s/low 60s and not a cloud in the sky. Gotta love CO! Started my core strength stuff this morning. Its a ritual of mine, kind of a turn to focus on the rebuild. Next season is still a long way off and I'm still planning on a two-week, no-bike break but right now, I'm enjoying some good riding weather and having with my cross rig. I can definitely tell the cross thing has helped build the strength as the workout this morning was hard but I completed it which is a good sign. I'm going to do a lot of strength work this fall/winter which was a key component I missed out on last year b/c the focus was mainly on getting back into form and getting faster. In my own shallow assessment, I have noticed some definitional gains in the quads. What? Elite cyclists have finely shaped legs, so I need to start somewhere after nearly everything was lost last year.

As part of the cross-training I hike up Mt. Sanitas this afternoon. You can take in some of the sights below. Its a pretty strenuous hike for only being 3mi and the trailhead being in town. Get this, I road my bike to the trailhead. I thought that was pretty cool. Not many people out when i hit the dirt at 2:45, but by the time I returned around 4, the street was packed with about 10x as many cars. Only in Boulder do you get so many hikers on a Thursday afternoon. But the weather was pretty awesome.

Check out the new Velonews article, Legally Speaking. Bob Mionski, the author, is using the story of Diana and myself and our incident last year and the subsequent follow up. So you could say, I'm kind of a big deal now.
http://velonews.com/article/84505/legally-speaking-with-bob-mionske---the-brutality-of-the

Chow,
matthew

Hump Day Hup Hup

Wed cross worlds this morning. 35deg and nearly dark at 7:05 when I left the house to meet up with EK. The fingers and toes aren't ready for it just yet. Field was much smaller this week. Temps left the little boys and girls at home. Started out at the CU Research Park. Site of the CU Cycling short track. Pretty sweet setup. All kinds of jumps, burms, and steep climbs and one gnarly descent. Next we headed to the Elk Lodge. Handling is getting better but I still seem to lose too much on the twisty portions. I'm going to try something new next weekend. Less riding at steady pace and more of just accelerating, recover, accelerate. We will see. Dismounts are improving.

Tuesday I hit up the Boulder County Open Space trails. Its pretty flowy singletrack just out the door. Nothing super technical but its wicked fun on the cross bike. Saw one other crosser out. Did a lot of short intense efforts. I'm definitely seeing some good strength gains which should help for next year.

Weather is suppose to warm throughout the week. Heading to VeloSwap on Saturday to do a little shopping. If any has a request, chime in. The event has sick deals on all things cycling. Racing the Boulder Reservoir cross race on Sunday.

chow,
Matthew

Pain Cave and Sweet Libations

After months and months of no wild times, you know trying to be a good cyclist, I ventured out to my 2nd bar in Boulder, the West End Tavern. Kelly & Kelly(roommates and #1 fan base) joined me and my Gila adventure partner Eric, and his fiance, Lindsay. I made some sweet food before and we shared two bottles of a Cotes du Rhone and another nice French pinot. I love the french wine. West End was fun. I kept it classy and stuck to my pinot.

Before all the fun, I had to make my way into the pain cave. Yep, cross racing. Field was sickly deep, 106. I started in the very middle. Legs weren't super good and the course was just really damn hard. Crashed twice(not serious but it basically forced me to restart my pedaling and get back on the bike) and two chain drops even with a chain keeper,I will blame the mechanic on that one...umm thats me. Good times though. Kelly L. made it out with the King and Queen of the house, Pre and Aggie. She shot some nice photos and it was nice to have a cheering section as I was burrowing deeper into the cave. The plan of winning didn't work so well but ohh well. Everything should be good for next week.

For your viewing pleasure...

Friends and Family

Today was the big b-day, 28 years young. They seem to be flying by but every year seems to get better like a nice bottle of Bordeaux. This year is no exception. I have a great system of support from my family and friends, I'm living in a beautiful place, good health and no broken bones, and I am just enjoying life. What more could one ask for?

So what am I doing home on my birthday? Prepping to rip the legs off the field tomorrow in the cross race. Tomorrow we will celebrate ME and hopefully a nice result. Nevertheless, it will be a great day of riding my bike in the dirt fast and enjoying the company of my Colorado contingent.

I've got requests from a Chicago relative to post evidence of the craziness that will probably consume the night...like stupid crazy stuff. For a guy that will be buzzing after 1 beer it will be a good time...

Chow,
Matthew

Cross On Part Deux

Weather was all cross yesterday...misty rain, cold temps, and just damn dreary outside. I've always loved the nasty days. For me it always brings out my best because I know that everyone else hates it. Nothing like getting super muddy and wet on your bike. I think the race went better than the results indicate. Still waiting on that callup but to no avail. Next time I am going to register a little earlier so that atleast I can get a crack at not starting deep. As the gun went off, or the official's whistle in this case, I struggled like a newbie getting clipped in. Had to kill it to make back some spots. First few laps on the course were tough getting around the slower riders. Again, I felt super strong and could just power past people. Super fun=) Running portions and remounts are getting better. On the last turn, I caught a RockyMounts-Izze rider and gave him the Bearclaw look and sprinted past. He didn't contest. They have me down as finishing 20th. I thought I was more like top-5 or top-10. The only RockyMounts-Izze rider listed near me was 13th. So the results are suspect. Ohh well...

So my plan didn't go accordingly to plan but it doesn't always fall that way. Next weekend is a different story. I'm really digging the cross thing. Its such a different way of racing than road races or criteriums. A welcome change. The biggest difference is that I can just power by people and I don't get a reaction. Maybe everyone is on the rivet but in road races you never let stuff go like that b/c drafting is so important. Some might call me a sandbagger but I'm just having fun and I enjoy giving the look to people as if to challenge them to follow me. Its kind of fun. Totally demoralizing for the other but motivational for me.

The first racing with the next drivetrain setup was butter. can't go wrong with DA-9 in the mud. Single 42t with a 12-25 on the rear gave plenty of range. But i'm questioning the future of the SPD pedal on my setup. I spent way too much time trying to clip in. Cleat and shoe were getting all gunked up with mud. I don't think its completely a shoe thing since they are solid Sidi dominators. So I'm opening up for recommendations....

Bearclaw

Cyclocross...Check

No longer am I pure. Yes, I was crossified this past weekend in Frisco (el. 9100') and it was good. Painful but good. Rode up to Frisco with Derek Lauderback, sales monkey at the shop where I wrench. Goal was to just have fun, get a little dirty, and get the heart rate up. Plan successful. Didn't get a uber good starting position but I used my Jedi attacking skills and maneuvered my way up the first section to gain some spots. I knew I would have to drill it each time it hit the pavement climb portion if I was going to make up any positions. Course was pretty technical with a sick short descent through sandy stuff. My cornering got better as the race wore on, usually the opposite since you tire and your handling goes to sh**. Next tough section was the steep runup. Only about 30' but it was atleast 30-35deg and deep soft dirt. Unfortunately, my sick high school running skills were left back in 1998 so I lost a little bit on that spot each time. Carrying a bike and soft, deep dirt is something to work on. So laps went by and the pain continued to rise. Legs felt pretty good and I was always able to keep going harder and pushing past the pain to pick off more riders. The coolest part was dropping everyone in sight on the asphalt climb, about 400m. I guess my roadie skills are helping in the lowest cross category. If i can just work on some handling stuff and improvement my remounts and runs a little bit, i can definitely contend for the win. Finished a respectable 16th on the day out of mid 60 starters. Next race is this Saturday. Just a short 10min ride from the mothership. I probably have an enormous amount of readers following my writing and perhaps a few will be racing in the cat 4s this weekend. I'm going to lay my strategy out. Go as hard as I can in the beginning to stay with the leaders. Once they settle, I'm going to throw in some vicious attacks and try to break them. I know I have the fitness and strength to hang, so if I can just get enough of a gap then i can pick better lines and just power away which should negate my bikehandling setbacks.

Weather should make for a good one...40s rain/snow...dirty is fun =)
Chow,
Matthew

Getting My Cross On

Got my cross on yesterday morning. Decided to do the "Wednesday Morning Worlds," ie the esteemed Boulder cyclocross ride which drags young/old, novice/pros out do the parks of Boulder for some dirt riding, running, and mayhem. We had 20 in our group; apparently the other group had ~60. Good for me b/c I am uber amateur on the cross bike. We rolled around the Elks Lodge which was pretty sweet. Started off with a practice lap to see the entire course, basically a race lap for me b/c my remounting is quite suspicious. Race starts after we all line up and I'm in good position until the first remount. Ohh well, getting dropped by a 60+ yr old is something we all must do sometime =)

The key is I had fun, got a little dirty and only biffed it once. Heading over to the park this morning before work to practice on my remounts. Should be good. Brushed up on some cool online instructional videos for remounting last night. So it will be super easy right? =)

Chow,
Matthew