After some careful thinking, planning, and scheduling I think I have found a good season race plan for 2011. It allows me to work my way into a more ultra-endurance specific season while getting out there for some of the best races out there. After looking into all the races available, the hardest part was choosing which ones interested me the most. Thoughts of, do I race to travel more? Do I focus on local races? Do I try to stay away from the mainstream races and head towards the lower-key, all-around fun races that are well managed and work for our trail systems? YES.
Also when I began choosing, I had to be aware how close they were in scheduling so as not to completely burn myself out trying to ride say, three 100 milers in 3 weeks. All in all, I think this season will be the best yet! Interesting races, a good variety of locales, and amazing singletrack on all the courses. This past season I completed 26 races at a total mileage of about 500 miles. Next season will greatly reduce the number of races, however, the mileage more than doubles. Should make things interesting...
Well, here we go: (races in BOLD are definite)
April 23rd - Prairie Fire - Pueblo, CO Warriors Cycling
May 1st - Rabbit Valley XC (36 miles) - Rabbit Valley, CO Mountain States Cup
7th - Battle of the Bear (50 miles) - Denver, CO Warriors Cycling
29th - Gunnison Growler (64 miles) - Gunnison, CO Gunnison Trails
June 4th - Teva Mountain Games (22 miles) - Vail, CO Vail Valley Partnership
25th - Fat Tire 40 (40 miles) - Crested Butte, CO CB Fat Tire Festival
July 4th - Firecracker 50 (50 miles) - Breckenridge, CO Maverick Sports
16th - Breck 68, 100 (68 or 100 miles TBD) - Breckenridge, CO Warriors Cycling
August 14th - Hardscrabble Humper (40 miles) - Eagle, CO Elgee
20th - 24 Hours in the Sage (100+ miles, duo) - Gunnison, CO
Sept 3rd - Park City Point to Point (78 miles) - Park City, UT
17th - USA Cycling Marathon National Championships (50 miles) - Bend, OR
Oct 1st - USA Cycling 24 Hour National Championships (100+ miles) - Colorado Springs, CO
Of course there will be a mix of smaller town series races mixed in on Wednesday nights for fun and hopefully we will see a return of the Dusty Boot Short Track races on Friday nights!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Winter has arrived... or has it?
Ah, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is here in the valley. Guests are starting to check in for the holidays and seeing Broadway in Eagle all lit up just brightens the now dark evenings on the way home from work. Funny though, we have been very fortunate in Eagle to not get much snow at all. Even on December 9th, the Front Range is still riding real well.
It has been a few weeks since I logged on here. It's not that I haven't had anything happening, just a little transition into the winter season buzz. The snow has been the best I have seen it during my 4 years out here this early in the season. Blue Sky Basin in Vail almost opening in November?? Crazy! That being said, I have yet to make it out to Blue Sky to get some of my own early season powder stashes. Maybe this weekend!
I hope everyone's Thanksgiving went well. I know ours did. We went to our friend Tate's uncles house here in Eagle Ranch and let me tell you it was a feast! Every item on the table was unbelievable and was by far some of the best food I have ever had. Thank you for taking us in and letting us spend the holiday with you. Despite being stuffed and tired from a huge turkey dinner, Danielle, Tate, Kristen and I went out to do some overnight Black Friday shopping at the Silverthorne outlets and boy, they did not disappoint. I had been looking for a mid-weight down jacket for awhile now, checking out brands like Arcteryx, Marmot, North Face and more. Even with some amazing pro-form deals, I was still looking to spend around $100 for a jacket I wanted. Cruising through Eddie Bauer, I find exactly what I was looking for! Even better, it was only $60 thanks to a 40% off everything deal that night. Let me tell you, this is not part of Eddie Bauer's First Ascent gear but if the quality and warmth of a jacket in their regular line is this good... I can only imagine what the FA gear is like.
I am about 3 weeks into the winter training plan from Yuki Saito and the progress is looking pretty good so far. I have realized how important it is to get a well-rounded workout plan that uses different sets of muscles. Even after a few weeks I can already notice a difference in my all-around strength. Better yet, I suffered through the first few days, but have regained a desire to run again. For awhile, running has been a challenge for me, mostly due to the fact that I really have not ran since cross-country back in high school. When you steer away from it that long, you forget how good of a workout it is for strengthening your feet, ankles, and helping improve your balance and agility.
Even though CX season is just about over, I did happen to pick up a great deal on a 'cross bike from a friend at work. Mostly used on the trainer in the living room, I look forward to breaking it out for Cult Cross in the Spring. Good luck to Jake Wells at CX Nationals this weekend in Bend, Oregon!! Bring us home a National Title.
A couple of weeks ago I made a trip down to Boulder for our Bach Builders team night, hosted by Specialized and the Sports Garage. It was good to finally put some faces to names and meet some of our team. Every week gets me more and more excited for next season to start! While the pro-deals on bikes were especially enticing, I walked out with a set of S-Works Carbon Shoes and some super light and fast S Works tires. At that point, Christmas was done for me! We should be getting a sneak peak at our final kit designs for 2011 in the next week or so. I'll post some pics as soon as they are available to show.
In the next post, I will begin my initial review of my new 2011 Yeti ASR Carbon that I got back in August. I've put on some decent miles on it since then so well take a shot at telling it like it is. Big Thanks again to Mike at Venture Sports for setting me up with the bike!
TMP
It has been a few weeks since I logged on here. It's not that I haven't had anything happening, just a little transition into the winter season buzz. The snow has been the best I have seen it during my 4 years out here this early in the season. Blue Sky Basin in Vail almost opening in November?? Crazy! That being said, I have yet to make it out to Blue Sky to get some of my own early season powder stashes. Maybe this weekend!
I hope everyone's Thanksgiving went well. I know ours did. We went to our friend Tate's uncles house here in Eagle Ranch and let me tell you it was a feast! Every item on the table was unbelievable and was by far some of the best food I have ever had. Thank you for taking us in and letting us spend the holiday with you. Despite being stuffed and tired from a huge turkey dinner, Danielle, Tate, Kristen and I went out to do some overnight Black Friday shopping at the Silverthorne outlets and boy, they did not disappoint. I had been looking for a mid-weight down jacket for awhile now, checking out brands like Arcteryx, Marmot, North Face and more. Even with some amazing pro-form deals, I was still looking to spend around $100 for a jacket I wanted. Cruising through Eddie Bauer, I find exactly what I was looking for! Even better, it was only $60 thanks to a 40% off everything deal that night. Let me tell you, this is not part of Eddie Bauer's First Ascent gear but if the quality and warmth of a jacket in their regular line is this good... I can only imagine what the FA gear is like.
I am about 3 weeks into the winter training plan from Yuki Saito and the progress is looking pretty good so far. I have realized how important it is to get a well-rounded workout plan that uses different sets of muscles. Even after a few weeks I can already notice a difference in my all-around strength. Better yet, I suffered through the first few days, but have regained a desire to run again. For awhile, running has been a challenge for me, mostly due to the fact that I really have not ran since cross-country back in high school. When you steer away from it that long, you forget how good of a workout it is for strengthening your feet, ankles, and helping improve your balance and agility.
Even though CX season is just about over, I did happen to pick up a great deal on a 'cross bike from a friend at work. Mostly used on the trainer in the living room, I look forward to breaking it out for Cult Cross in the Spring. Good luck to Jake Wells at CX Nationals this weekend in Bend, Oregon!! Bring us home a National Title.
In the next post, I will begin my initial review of my new 2011 Yeti ASR Carbon that I got back in August. I've put on some decent miles on it since then so well take a shot at telling it like it is. Big Thanks again to Mike at Venture Sports for setting me up with the bike!
TMP
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Return of Darkness...
With the end of Daylight Savings and the sudden onslaught of snow in the Valley, I think it is safe to say that beginning of Winter has arrived. I will say however, our Fall season was one of the best I have experienced here in the Vail Valley these past 4 years. Cool, crisp mornings led to warm, sunny afternoons that gave all of us a perfect opportunity to get those last few miles in before it was time to pack the bike away into hibernation.
On the morning of November 6th, Tyler Eaton, Big E, and I set out early for one final race for the 2010 season in Gunnison. Dubbed the "Return of Darkness XC", in light of the final day of daylight savings, about 50 racers showed up for what could have been one of the most gorgeous days of the season. This 21 mile race, in it's very primitive form (start line at Dave Wiens' suburban, finish line at the picnic table), was probably one of the most organized races I attended all year. In Gunnison, they keep it simple with only the necessities to put together a race: a number plate, a very well marked course, and some amazing singletrack. Did I mention some AMAZING singletrack? Let me just tell you that what Dave, the folks in Gunnison, and the proper management through Gunnison Trails, have done clearly speaks for itself. The Hartman Rocks Recreation area is pretty much a giant playground for your bike. Fast swooping runs, technical rocky sections, endless singletrack, and amazing views make it tough to focus on racing. Despite some cramping issues in the final miles I was extremely happy with the race results. Finished in a time of 2:05 even. Tyler had a pretty stellar ride as he finished in around 1:48, just 3 minutes behind Len Zanni. Big E finished about 20 minutes behind me, but once again, it is pretty hard to focus on racing when you're having that much fun out there. Thanks Dave, for a great time and I assure you that I already have the Gunnison Growler and 24 Hours in the Sage marked on my calendar next year!
Learning from my mistakes last winter, I decided to leave the indoor trainer alone and work on some other muscles throughout the Winter. Too much cycling and now when I go for a simple run, I can no longer move for the 3 days that follow. Enter the winter training plan. I am currently working with Pro Ultra-Endurance mountain biker Yuki Saito, of Topeak-Ergon, to help me put together a well rounded training plan that will get me ready for a season full of 50+ mile races. Meanwhile, I am getting myself familiar with the gym again (it has been about 2 years since I have been to a gym). I decided to get a membership at Dogma Athletica in Edwards. I am not a typical "grab some dumbells and lift" kind of guy, so I thought Dogma would be my fit. A good balance of unique workout systems using resistance, TRX, a full service Computrainer Room, along with a few free weights thrown in, I figured I could get a well balanced workout in without getting bored. As an added bonus, I have the likes of Jake Wells, Josiah Middaugh, Josh Nota, and more training side-by-side to keep me motivated. Special Thanks to Rod Connolly (owner of Dogma) for setting me up with a membership there. I look forward to giving you some good results next season thanks to your facility.
Finally, not being much of a reader in the past, I have found this new found desire to actually "read" books. And not just my latest issue of BIKE or Mountain Flyer magazines. Cruising through Target I stumbled upon a book I was actually looking forward to the release of last month. "Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday" the story of Apolo Ohno has been able to grab my attention enough to get me past the 3rd chapter (which is usually where I loose interest in a book). It is part autobiography, motivational, and chronicle of Apolo's life from his early childhood to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. A very intriguing look at his struggles as a youth when faced with the decision to become the greatest American short-track skater in history. I highly recommend the book if you have any interest in Olympic sports and what it takes to get to that level as an athlete.
That's it for now, but to close I leave you with a quote from Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu, from Zero Regrets: "He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty."
TMP
 |
| Me out on the final ridge before the finish. Devon Balet Photo |
Learning from my mistakes last winter, I decided to leave the indoor trainer alone and work on some other muscles throughout the Winter. Too much cycling and now when I go for a simple run, I can no longer move for the 3 days that follow. Enter the winter training plan. I am currently working with Pro Ultra-Endurance mountain biker Yuki Saito, of Topeak-Ergon, to help me put together a well rounded training plan that will get me ready for a season full of 50+ mile races. Meanwhile, I am getting myself familiar with the gym again (it has been about 2 years since I have been to a gym). I decided to get a membership at Dogma Athletica in Edwards. I am not a typical "grab some dumbells and lift" kind of guy, so I thought Dogma would be my fit. A good balance of unique workout systems using resistance, TRX, a full service Computrainer Room, along with a few free weights thrown in, I figured I could get a well balanced workout in without getting bored. As an added bonus, I have the likes of Jake Wells, Josiah Middaugh, Josh Nota, and more training side-by-side to keep me motivated. Special Thanks to Rod Connolly (owner of Dogma) for setting me up with a membership there. I look forward to giving you some good results next season thanks to your facility.
That's it for now, but to close I leave you with a quote from Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu, from Zero Regrets: "He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty."
TMP
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Welcome to my Journey...
As a kid, we all had a dream job we wanted when we grew up. Some wanted to be an astronaut, a police officer, a musician, etc. Me? I wanted to be an architect. At least that is what I thought... You see, a very fortunate few are able to find out what they really want to be at a young age. But maybe that is just it, they didn't know "WHAT" they wanted to be... They knew "WHO" they wanted to be.
I have been living in Colorado with my wife Danielle for almost 4 years now, and during this time I have learned more (than in 22 years of school) about myself, my family, my friends, and most importantly, my future. As a student, we have this image of our dream job but what we don't see are the long hours, time away from our family, and time we do not get to see the brighter things in life.
Colorado has made me realize that money is not everything and it sure cannot buy happiness. Over the past few years my relationship with my wife has become stronger, bonds with friends have become greater, and my true passion has been instilled within me once again. Mountain Biking.
I started mountain biking right around the age of 11 and participated in some local town races through age 15. I can remember watching the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the first year mountain biking become an Olympic sport. After those games, my goal was to be on the US Olympic Team for mountain biking at the 2000 games in Athens. Problem was, I didn't have a coach, I didn't have a plan, and I was about to turn 16 in a couple years. Don't get me wrong, my parents have been the support system of my life since day one and I could not ask for a better set of parents and family. But to become a world class athlete at the age of 14 is quite the investment, which my parents nor I were ready to commit to.
Fast forward about 10 years through high school, driving, parties, graduation, college, Florida, drinking, more college, road trips, getting married, and graduation (again). It was time to get a job. Luckily, I took a job in the high country of Colorado and dragged Danielle into the freezing winter of Vail, CO. She wasn't a fan at first but it quickly grew on her.
I bought a bike and tried my hand at racing again. Teva Mountain Games, mens beginner class. I figured, heck, I was pretty good as a kid; I have to be faster and stronger now! Enter the pain... that race hurt, bad. First time trying SPD pedals on a much more technical course than I was used to. Almost DEAD LAST. Well that didn't stop me. The spark caught fire and I was instantly hooked on riding again. In the next 2 years I started racing again, entering town series races until finally for this past season I started taking it a little more seriously. Like, 27 races seriously. With virtually no training plan other than riding as many miles as I could, I have made it to the Expert level in Mountain Biking! I now know WHO I want to be: a loving Husband, a caring Father (of Breck for now), a positive influence on my family and friends, my community, my passion and finally... I want to become a pro. And I am prepared to do what it takes to get there.
The Future: I will say I am super stoked to be riding with Bach Builders for the 2011 season. My motivation right now is sky high and as I develop a winter training plan, I look forward to growing with this successful team. This blog will serve as my marketing tool as I continue to become a pro racer. It will contain race recaps (and not just how I did, but highlights all around), product reviews (and these will be accurate reviews... if it happens to be "free", it won't be the greatest new thing unless it truly is just that), and more (let me know what YOU are interested in, because we are in this together).
So welcome to my journey, thank you for your support, and I will see you all at the finish line... just remember, crossing that line takes only a second. How you got there, that is what will be remembered forever.
TMP
I have been living in Colorado with my wife Danielle for almost 4 years now, and during this time I have learned more (than in 22 years of school) about myself, my family, my friends, and most importantly, my future. As a student, we have this image of our dream job but what we don't see are the long hours, time away from our family, and time we do not get to see the brighter things in life.Colorado has made me realize that money is not everything and it sure cannot buy happiness. Over the past few years my relationship with my wife has become stronger, bonds with friends have become greater, and my true passion has been instilled within me once again. Mountain Biking.
I started mountain biking right around the age of 11 and participated in some local town races through age 15. I can remember watching the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the first year mountain biking become an Olympic sport. After those games, my goal was to be on the US Olympic Team for mountain biking at the 2000 games in Athens. Problem was, I didn't have a coach, I didn't have a plan, and I was about to turn 16 in a couple years. Don't get me wrong, my parents have been the support system of my life since day one and I could not ask for a better set of parents and family. But to become a world class athlete at the age of 14 is quite the investment, which my parents nor I were ready to commit to.
Fast forward about 10 years through high school, driving, parties, graduation, college, Florida, drinking, more college, road trips, getting married, and graduation (again). It was time to get a job. Luckily, I took a job in the high country of Colorado and dragged Danielle into the freezing winter of Vail, CO. She wasn't a fan at first but it quickly grew on her.
The Future: I will say I am super stoked to be riding with Bach Builders for the 2011 season. My motivation right now is sky high and as I develop a winter training plan, I look forward to growing with this successful team. This blog will serve as my marketing tool as I continue to become a pro racer. It will contain race recaps (and not just how I did, but highlights all around), product reviews (and these will be accurate reviews... if it happens to be "free", it won't be the greatest new thing unless it truly is just that), and more (let me know what YOU are interested in, because we are in this together).
So welcome to my journey, thank you for your support, and I will see you all at the finish line... just remember, crossing that line takes only a second. How you got there, that is what will be remembered forever.
TMP
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