Entering the winter months!

Halloween and my Birthday have come and passed. It was a pretty mellow holiday this year as all I had on the menu was sleeping in, a long ride, OSU football, and passing out candy. There weren’t even that many trick-or-treaters this year meaning that there was just that much more candy left over for me to drool over. I must admit there were some awesome costumes this year. I think the most elaborate was the little NASA astronaut who sported the whole space boots, helmet, O2 pack, and all.

I did get to do a little hunting the next day where I limited out on Chukar in Eastern Oregon. It was quite a bit of hiking for a few birds. But, it is nice to just get out in the middle of nowhere to find some peace and quiet aside from the occasional gun blast. I tend to do the majority of my thinking trekking around whether it’s on my bike or hiking.

I would come back the next week to more work and training followed by a busy but exciting weekend. I just joined the Hagens Berman Cycling team for the 2010 season and we had our first team gathering. It was two days packed full of team bonding, meetings, eating, and riding.

Our first day together was spent in the rock climbing gym since the typical Seattle weather did not allow for a decent early season ride. I was finally able to break in the climbing shoes I purchased about 4 years ago as well as chat with the rest of the guys on the team. It was a great first couple of hours as we all meshed well together. We eventually proceeded past the typical “first date” questions of “where are you from”? “What kinds of things do you like to do”?, etc, etc. We then made our way over to Chris Wingfield’s house where his Dad was extremely welcoming. He made us burgers, pasta salad, had a seemingly endless supply of drinks, and can’t forget the cookies! They definitely treat their guests well and are extremely kind and generous. After filling up on goodies, we then attended an open house at Cycle U where Adrian Hegyvary had a very inspiring speech which not only pertained to cycling but life in general. It was pretty deep and I took a lot away from it. To end the evening, we had a team dinner at Puerto Vallerta where we had some massive portions of chips and salsa and burritos. I’m still shocked I finished what was on my plate.

The next day we finally were able to ride together around Redmond, Washington. Talk about a beautiful area. We avoided the majority of the precipitation and made our way through the hilly landscape. I concluded the ride with a coffee accompanied by a couple teammates before heading over to Alan’s parent’s house. Once again, we were welcomed into a warm home where showers were provided and a delicious snack settled in my stomach. Still on the move, we scurried on over to another team presentation at Herriott Sports Performance where the teams were introduced, sponsors were discussed, and product was displayed. That would wrap up the weekend with the team before driving back South to Oregon.

It was a great weekend with the team and I am super stoked to start the 2010 race season. Next up is another meeting in Seattle around the middle of December then I head even further South to Arizona. It sounds like quite a few of the guys will make their way down there as well which would insure further camaraderie with the team.

Here is where I stayed in Auburn, Washington. Roxanne has been more than accommodating when it comes to letting me crash at her house.

As I write this blog post, winter is beginning to show its face a bit more. It’s supposed to snow quite a bit up in the mountains and a bit down in town here for the next couple of days. That means one thing…XC skiing! I’m sure I will have a few pics of the corduroy XC trails in the near future.

PHOTO BLOG | season recap through the lens...

So to sum up my season and to catch up on the blog updates, I have uploaded some pics to summarize this season. It turned out to be a decent year but I am definitely looking forward to 2010 as I begin my off season training once again. How the time flies!

Started the '09 season with the Cherry Blossom stage race. This is stage 1 in the chilly and windy area of The Dalles.


During the season I participated in quite a few of the local Wednesday night crits. It was a great way to incorporate some intensity mid week while having a great time with guys I frequently ride with!



Next on the schedule was the Rehearsal RR where I was planning on riding aggressively and tried to get in the break. The break was established but unfortunately I missed it. Just another learning experience.



I also guest rode with the Safeway/Bicycles Plus team. Thanks to David for introducing me to Jonathan and the rest of the team. Good group of guys and fun to race with. This was during the Elkhorn Stage Race criterium. Made it into a few breaks but nothing stuck. Ended up breaking my bike this weekend which almost dropped me to my knees. Thank you CALFEE for the fix!




The race I anticipated the most out of the season was the Cascade Cycling Classic. My goal for this season was to finish the Pro/1 category which I was able to do. I was the lanterne rouge, but hey, I was determined to finish and wasn't one of the 90 DNF's.




The crit is always my favorite stage of the CCC. So much energy from the crowd and the adrenaline is always pumping. I wasn't too stoked about the course this year as it wasn't as technical. Hopefully they make it a little more interesting next year.





Less than a week after the CCC were the Elite Nationals RR and TT. I fared well given the short amount of recovery. Next year, I plan on doing better and setting higher goals for myself. Definitely want to tear it up on the home turf!



After one of my main peaks of the season, mentally and physically, I raced in the Portland Twilight Crit. It was a new experience racing the super technical course in downtown Portland. It was an urban crash fest as there was pretty much a crash every few laps. Now I know why the crowds were so big. I stayed upright and ended the weekend with a family BBQ.




One of the highlights toward the end of the season was finishing 2nd in the Oregon Crit Championships. Rode super aggressive and ended up in the right break.



After the season came along the threshold testing with Herriott Sports Performance. Let's just say it's a bit difficult to push yourself so hard after ending the season. But squared away some numbers, a strength plan, and goals for 2010 with TH. It's gonna be a good one!



My training grounds lately. That will change in January when I travel to warmer climates.






Had our first snowfall of the year which was EARLY OCTOBER!!! 5-6 inches that morning. Needless to say I was a little shocked to roll outta bed and see the white ground. I'm pretty sure that day was the earliest I have done a double day on the trainer in the off season. XC ski season just around the corner!





I have discovered a delicious brekky which warms my belly everyday as well. It will brighten your spirits and put a little spring your step. A little pumpkin and steel cut oats with a cup o joe! Nothing like pumpkin in October and November.




October is also a sign that hunting season has began. I have gone bird hunting a couple times now and have had some luck. Made some delicious dinners and I love roasted duck!!! Did a little camping with my Dad as well. Talk about some close quarters at night in my two man backpacking tent.




The little guy just motors along all day no matter how tired or sore he looks! He's a machine and has been doing great so far. Trust me, he gets pampered than most humans after hunting.



Now that I have caught up with my photo blog, I can now write up some decent recaps and get to carvin' my pumpkin before it's too late! (This is last years pumpkin. Wonder what this year's will look like?)




Notice my two favorite things...espresso and pumpkin! Just need the bike in the picture!

EARLY SEASON | training and racing update…

So I just arrived back in Bend about three days ago and recently finished unpacking and getting settled in. The past month I have been in California, specifically the Nipomo/Solvang area, training and racing.

I decided this season it would be beneficial to travel to warmer climates in order to increase my training volume especially outdoors and off the trainer. I drove down during the last week of January where I was welcomed with 70 to 80 degree weather and sunny skies. That lasted for about a week where I had a huge mental boost and my tanlines were defined. Soon, the temperature would drop slightly but still allowed me to ride without combating the rain. My training consisted of: higher volume, cruise intervals, some bursts or sprints, and climbing. The terrain around the area is mostly hilly, some flats that meander through the strawberry fields, and mild rollers that bypass the vineyards. After about two weeks of training and getting the legs opened up, I had my first race of the season.



BOULEVARD ROAD RACE

My first race was the Boulevard Road Race on February 7th. It was located about an hour east of San Diego right on the Mexican border. My Uncle decided to help out and drove down with me the day of the race. When arriving at the staging area I had some mixed emotions. The rain was holding off temporarily but the clouds were undoubtedly going to unleash some drops. After signing in, it did just that. It was a mild rain with temps in the 30’s to 40’s. After trying to dress appropriately I lined up at the start line only to be welcomed with huge snowflakes. Snowflakes in Southern Cali!!! Who knew! The race was started and the peloton rolled out of the small parking lot. Immediately, the spray from tires and falling snow soaked me to the core. On the first lap, I tried going with a couple small breaks primarily to try and stay warm. But nothing really stuck and the peloton re-grouped. By the end of the first lap, I attempted to go on another break on the climbing segment of the course. It seemed to go fairly well and the legs were feeling strong. But by the time we crested the hill the strung out group had bunched back up. The second lap seemed much more miserable. As we descended through the bitter cold, my body began to shake almost uncontrollably and the fingers were turning numb. By the time we finished the second lap I had to pull out of the race as I couldn’t endure another downhill in the cold. I was quite concerned that I was just going to shake like a leaf right off the bike. I couldn’t feel my shifters and couldn’t tell if I was actually pulling on the brakes. I jumped in the truck, heater full blast, and bummed out. I really wanted to finish the race. The mind was definitely willing but the body unable due to the cold. It’s obvious that I learned a lesson the hard way and should definitely overdress if need be the next time I line up for a race in which it is snowing! My Uncle and I drove back to Laguna Niguel where I spent an extra day visiting with him and my Aunt. It was a bit of a haul to not finish the race but I was already chomping at the bit to begin the next one to redeem myself and have the season started off right.



SNELLING ROAD RACE

After another two weeks of training back in Nipomo and thawing out the body, I would race the Snelling Road Race located just outside of Merced. I was using this race as a tuneup race for the upcoming Merco Credit Union race and to get some more intensity in the legs. It was a fairly large field of 122 riders. The beginning of the race had about four miles of neutral before the lead motorcyclist waved his green flag and we were off. The pace picked up dramatically and the group was strung out single file for the first lap. Several breakaway attempts were made by me and others throughout the first couple of laps but it was obvious that the group did not want anything to get away. I decided that it would be best to just stick myself right in the front portion of the main group and work on pack position throughout the rest of the race. By the last lap, I was stuck right in the middle as the pace picked up and I couldn’t move up as easily. The finish came immediately after a sandy right hand turn where I ended up 56th on the day where the average speed for the entire race was about 28 mph. I wasn’t too ecstatic about the result but I was happy with my ability to move around in the pack, my break attempts, and my power numbers. So far the strength was improving and mentally I was getting a nice boost.


MERCO CREDIT UNION FOOTHILLS ROAD RACE

(Merco Credit Union photo courtesy of Lyne Lamoureux)

I returned to Nipomo that evening, unpacked, and hit the sack immediately. I had about one more week of training in Nipomo, before returning back to Bend, which included riding outside and on the trainer due to the poor weather conditions. My next race was the Merco Credit Union Foothills Road Race just outside of Merced and in the same area as the Snelling Road Race. However, the Merco race was significantly longer at 120 miles versus the 86 miles. The Merco race was five laps on the 24 mile flat to rolling loop. There was a decent turnout of riders which totaled approximately 135. The field had riders from BMC, Bissell, Rock Racing, California Berry Giant, Colavita, and others.

(Merco Credit Union photo courtesy of Lyne Lamoureux)

The peloton rolled out at 9 in the morning in which we started the race off with a fairly quick speed. Once again, just like Snelling, there were quite a few breakaway attempts throughout the race. Only this time the breaks were much bigger and consistently had about 15-25 guys. I attempted to bridge to one of the first breaks of the day which had about 15 guys. The peloton slowed slightly when I decided to sprint off the front. Immediately, a Bissell rider covered my attack along with three other riders that I had pulled up to the break. As I made it to the tail end of the break, I was pretty gassed. Two guys peeled off in front of me right as I made contact which spelled out a failed attempt to stay with the group. I sat up after failing to make the break and was quickly absorbed into the main field. However, I shot straight to the back as I had burned a pretty big match. It was almost as if I could barely hang on for the rest of the first lap. I managed to stay on and recover and moved back up to the front half of the peloton. I concluded that the legs weren’t really feeling up to attempting any more breaks for the day so I just sat in the rest of the day keeping position toward the front. Throughout the race, several larger break attempts were made but everything was brought back. No team was really happy with the riders in each break. When we came around for the last lap a break was still a minute or so in front of the peloton. California Giant was up front hammering away and brought it back within the last 5 kilometers of the race. As an unattached rider, this allowed for a chance to sprint it out at the finish. Once the break was caught the field eventually strung out single file again. Up front was California Giant driving the pace, then Bissell right behind, then me. I really focused on trying to gain a decent position up front while approaching the last few slight hills before the subtle downhill finish. It began to get a little crazier at the front of the group as we crested the last rise with the finish line in site. There was a bit of chaos as the group sprinted toward the line with the announcer yelling and encouraging the riders. I didn’t have much left in the legs for the sprint but ended up top 20 in 17th. I was fairly happy with the result but re-played the finish in my head several times while spinning down just thinking “if only”. It was another great mental boost knowing that I could decently finish that long of a race with that many good cyclists. It feels like my legs are definitely starting off the season very well and I am hungry for more racing.

(Merco Credit Union photo courtesy of Lyne Lamoureux)

Here are some links to articles regarding the Merco:

Daily Peloton
http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=14288

Cyclingnews
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/merco09/merco094

The next races on the schedule will be the San Dimas stage race and hopefully Redlands Classic if things plan out correctly. I will be training for about two weeks in Bend, prepping for the two big races, before heading back down to the warmer climates of Southern Cali. So for now it appears I will be back on the trainer for a while waiting for the sun to show itself and for the snow to let up a bit.