Michigain State Championship Cyclo-cross Pics!

Here are some good pics of everyone on the team (TSB) doing the log hill run up in the snow. Feel free to download them and enjoy! CD

Nolan Cam!

I found these pics that my son Nolan took with his Fisher Price camera. They are from the Springfield Oaks UCI CX race. Pic are of Joe, Ben and Me. Cool....

New Addition to the Family!

Well, I got a Road Bike again. Specialized Allez Expert. Full Ultegra triple. It looks fast just sitting there. The plan is that this become my ultimate training tool. The smaller gears on the CX bike just weren't cutting it on the trainer. Besides, maybe I will do a couple road races in the spring as I get ready for MTB season.... we will see. CD

Bling! Bling! (2007)

Well this is why I call my blog Podium Quest. This is all my bling-bling this year. Except I am still waiting on my USAC State Championship MTB XC 2nd place medal from Robert. I just love shiny things....

Setting Goals 2008!

Well I have not touched the bike in 2 weeks. So next week I will begin my training for 2008. My training plan is not complete, but I know I will have to be flexible to balance my family and work life. However, this is what I plan on doing in a nut shell. Indoor spinning on the trainer -- I want to focus more on time in the saddle, intervals, and spinning to CTS training videos 2-3 times a week. I plan on making each session at least 1 hr. Furthermore, a couple of the guys have discussed doing group spins. This sounds like a great idea to help with boredom and having someone there to push you harder. Oh and I almost forgot, thanks to Masher's Media for putting out the ICEMAN DVD and the Tailwind CX DVD, as these will be great for spinning to as the CTS vids start to burn a hole in my head.
In addition to time on the bike indoors, I plan on doing a few single speed rides in the snow and then training almost exclusively on the single speed outside as race season draws near. Then there is "my secret weapon", running stairs. This is great for cardio and leg strength! I think this is one of the keys for my success this year in MTB and then again and especially CX racing. As the CX season started, I could not catch my breath or maintain or control my heart rate. The stairs helped accomplish this. And as 2008 approaches, your legs might be strong from the trainer, but if your cardio isn't there, then your legs wont matter much. As I get into my training mode, I am sure I will have to make tweaks along the way. Especially if I want to perform at a higher level than last year. So to help with all that, I have begun to do some research to help maximize my efforts.
As for my goals this is my first cut at it for 2008. I may change or add more later. But this is what I am feeling right now! CD

• Be at 170 lbs on race day April, 13 Pontiac Lake TT
• Race the entire USAC XC MTB series and take 1st overall and or move up to expert if I take top 2 in the first 3 races (Sport Men 30-34)
• Race only 3 Tailwind TT races and try to finish top 3 overall (Sport Men 30-34) and (Sport /beg Single speed)
• Race the entire USAC Cyclocross series and take 1st overall in 30-39 C-men and or move up to B-men if I take top 2 in the first 3 races.
• Finish the ICEMAN in 1:50 mins.
• Help TSB win the USAC team award!

Random Pics from the 07' MTB and CX Season!

2007 Racing Recap! Boy What a Year!

Well it's been a long year, but a very rewarding one for me. For one of the first times in my life I set some tuff goals and was able to hit my targets. From weight loss, to racing it has been fun to see and track my progress. 2 of the rewards I had know Idea I would stumble upon but have been the best rewards of them all, I am in the best shape of my life! And I have had a positive influence on the folks that are close to me to try and lose weight, or improve their performance. -- I actually feel like a role model! Cool! I raced in 28 events total this year and man am I beat up! Here is a Macro level view of how I did this year on the MTB and CX race scene. In the USAC MTB CX series I took 2nd overall for Sport Men 30-34. In the Tailwind TT series I took 2nd overall in Sport Men 30-34, and Sport /Beg Single speed! I finished 7th out of 105 racers at the ICEMAN in Sport Men 30-34. I took 6th overall in the Tailwind USAC Cyclocross series and stood upon the top 5 podium 2 times. And at the USAC Michigan CX State Championship Race, I took home the bronze state champ medal for C-Men 34 and under. I am taking a break for a week or 2 and then the training process will begin. Check back in a few weeks to see what my goals for 2008 will be. No that I have a taste for the podium at a higher level of racing, I want it that much more...CD

I'm on board

Well I couldn't resist! I'm a blogger. The hope is to express my love for my family, life and of course my bikes. I will try to share my views on MI race scene and my travels. So keep checking back! CD.