Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Be an Olympic Guinea Pig


The promoters of the Tour of Americas Dairyland just announced that on June 18th a new road race has been added to the week long event. The race is will use the proposed course for the 2016 Olympics if Chicago gets the bid. The course is not in Illinois but near Madison on some really hilly roads. I am personally glad to see this event moved to a location that would challenge the racers, and this defiitely fits the bill. The race has all categories and should be super tough.


Monday, May 18, 2009

From Bad to Better


Sunday was the first stop of the Wisconsin Off-road Series (WORS) held in Iola, WI. I have always wanted to make it to Iola for this race, but since it is a bit of a haul to get up there I have always found a reason to stay home. This year, however, with a couple of teammates racing and a place to stay the night before it was time put the excuses away and hit some early season dirt.
The other great thing about making the trip was getting to see friends that don't get a chance to see during the winter months. We were like bears coming out of hibernation, greeting the other bears and woodland creatures.

After arriving at the course, we had enough time to check out the trails before the sport race went off, and found near perfect conditions with nice grippy singletrack, tough climbs, and some fast downhills. The first half of the course consisted of tough steep climbs and fire roads while the second half was flowing singletrack and some technical downhills.


All warmed up it was now time to sit at the startline for 15 minutes before the comp race went off. Then 10 seconds and the WORS countdown to "GOOOOoooo!!!" and we are off. Up the starting climb people were battling for position, dust in the face and elbows to the gut. The race started with a couple of up/down sections into a fast downhill past the start/finish area, and into the ski jump bowl where most of the crowd had gathered to cheer. Past the fans and into the woods. At this poin I made an effort to get by as many riders before the tight singletrack in the second half of the lap. I have to say this was a shock to the system, and most of the first lap really hurt, but at some point I recovered and settled into my race pace. Unfortunately I didn't feel like I was going going that great, and while I was passing riders from the earlier waves, I was also getting caught by the leaders of the later waves. I would try and hold their wheels, but after a half mile or so they would open up a gap and that would be the last time I would see them. This would be the pattern for the rest of the race as I rolled into the finish after 20 hard miles with a really sore back.


The first race was done, and I was cooked. I really had no clue how I did, and upon seeing the results I found myself really disappointed. I was way down in the Comp class, and fourteen minutes behind the leader, however with my first race issues, the WORS crew was also working out the kinks. The results were revised and I was moved up to 8th in my age group and top half of the overall rankings. Looking back I was pretty happy considering this year I am making the jump for Sport to Comp. I know there is a ton of room for improvement and I will be looking to get some great results as the racing continues. I can't wait!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Fun 48 hours

This past weekend Kellly and I headed down to Louisville with a couple of our friends. The reason for the trip was to attend the "Greatest two minutes in Sports", the Kentucky Derby. While we were in Louisville I think we tried to pack as many activities and fun into the trip as possible.


-Hiked at Iroquois Park
-Visited Grandparents
-Ate at Wild Eggs
-Visited a Goat Cheese Farm called Capriole.
-Searched for hours for parkas for the anticipated rain at the Derby. Of course Derby day was dry.
-Had dinner at a great pizza and beer spot, the New Albanian Brewing Company, and met some -locals at the bar in the comunist themed room
-Spent all day at Churchill Downs betting on the ponies and looking for stars (didn't see any). Cashed a few tickets and had an awesome time hanging with my cousins.
-Visited some local watering holes after the Derby.
-Saw a car rolling on what appeared to be 30+" rims
-Had a late night burrito
-Visited other grandmother
-Chased Bernie around the neighborhood after he got loose.
-Drove home
Goat Cheese in the Making
Hanging with the locals
Pre-Derby
At the Derby
Winning horse"Mine the Bird" crossing the finish line
30" rims?