Was it a Gift, or Experience? - Bloomer Daze XC

As my good friend Todd Powers always tells me, "sometimes it race experience".

I am not the most gifted middle aged overweight dude to throw my leg over a bike and call myself a racer. In fact, my body type is more suited for bowling or softball. But its cycling that I have chosen to spend a large chunk of time and money on putting my body through hell physically and mentally. So when I finally show up to a race and I'm not in the best form or peak fitness, it is rewarding to know that I can pull a 2nd place out of a race like Bloomer because of race experience. This was not my most exciting race. It was not the race where I felt like superman, and felt unstoppable. In fact it was the opposite. But it was a race where I stuck to a plan, and managed my efforts, and at time the entire field I was racing against. So in that, it was one of the best races I have ever had, because I realized I can achieve good results through experience. So this is how it went.

I came into the race in my last week of Base 2, as I am building up for cross. I was not expecting much, but was hoping for a top 5 to help ensure my top 3 overall in the series. It was hot, dusty, and Bloomer is a place with short steep climbs and technical single track. Not really the type of course suited for me. So with the "its a training day" mentality. I was off. I had a few plans early on and they worked perfect to my surprise. The first was to grab the hole shot and set the pace of the group knowing that the course is 80% single track and it would be difficult to pass. I slowed it down so much that the 40-49 group caught us and started yelling at me to go faster! This was awesome. Finally Brad Lako made it onto my wheel and in the 2nd straight flat section on the first lap, I kicked it up in the big ring and laid down the power for Brad. This broke the field up a bit, and launched Brad into the next section of single track on his own. He was gone, and I was managing the pace again through the single track. This lasted until the 3rd lap when Jason Lechner and Todd Freidninger finally made a move around me. I was able to hang on for a bit but could not react to the sudden surges. I let them go and found myself alone in 4th. I was OK with this and just rode within my limits. Then at the beginning of the 4th lap, I was still feeling strong. I decided to push the pace a little harder, and soon caught Todd again. Sweet now Im in 3rd. He let me go and I was off. As I approached the section behind the velodrome, I could See Aryn Pongratz closing in. I picked it up a bit more, but not to the point I would blow up. I knew if I could make it through the switch backs without him on my wheel, I would be able to power away from him through the rest of the flat sections of the course. As I approached the switch backs I was now in 2nd! I went into the switch backs and as I was half way through, I looked up and there was Aryn. I went as hard as I could through the middle ridge trail, and onto the rail trail at the bottom and I was gone until I crossed the line. 2nd place and only 68 seconds behind 1st. All in all. It was a good day for me.

A few notable result to stuck out for me.

Congrats to Aryn for a stellar race. Not racing for a few years and pulling off a top 3 in an Expert USAC race is an awesome result!
Congrats to Shawn Schaffert on a 3rd place in a very tough 40-49 Expert class. You were fast as hell through the course.
Congrats to David Moore Jr. For what I think is his first Expert podium in a USAC event with a 5th.
Congrats to Drew Loewenthal (TSB) for a win in sport beginner single speed! Your lap times were great!

Why do I keep doing this? Stony Creek Marathon

This will be short and sweet, like the racing I prefer. But its that time of year again. Where I regret doing this little race at Stony Creek. This year it was hotter, and I finished it in one of the worst times ever. 4:30 mins for the 50 mile course. The legs felt great all the way through and I never even cramped. But my neck, hands, back, bottom of feet, and ass were screaming. On a positive note, the CX plan has began. And this was the first week for it. For the first time since I have been racing, I took off 3 solid weeks of training leading to this week. And it showed for the race, but I am really fresh for my real season in the coming months. Before I go, there were some great rides today in what is always one of the toughest mountain bike races in the state so here are some of my favorites.

Mark Parmelee - 1st Elite - This is awesome. He beat some big boys, and racing in the heat for a long time is not his strength.
Alex Gonzalez - 3rd place - Best Expert finish to date. And putting TSB on the podium! Way to go!
Brad Lako - 5th place - So far Brad is 5 for 5 in the USAC series for Podium trips! Hell Yeah!
Shawn Schaffert - 4th - Great to see you riding well again.
Don Cameron - 1st - What can I say. DC is un-stoppable!
Kevin Kahl - Well you didn't get on the podium. But you are well on your way! You had a great ride and should be happy with your progress to date.
Aryn Pongratz - No podium for you either. But dude. You kicked ass today. It is all coming back and coming back well for you.

See you all at Bloomer....

Measurement +/-

Cycling is a crazy sport. And even crazier to gauge or measure. Especially when it comes to your individual controls. But not to go off like some kind of engineering nerd that God knows I am not. It's just very interesting to try and figure it all out. What I have found is, the best way to learn in cycling, much like life is to make mistakes. As unfortunate, and the least most favorite method of learning, it often yields better, and more gratifying results when you find success. Its because you get a taste, your so close but not quite, its fuel for the fire, the carrot! Having failure drives you to succeed because you know what it is you want! If it wasn't for gauging and measuring our success, failures, or ourselves in general or within cycling what would we be chasing? If it was easy to have success, would you really want to keep doing it? Even though success means different things to different people. We all desire it.

Well, the end of my first training peak came to bitter end at Ft Custer Revenge TT this past Sunday. Months of training, prepping, making mistakes, ended with 2 mediorce results, as I came down with a nasty head cold the night before. So its back to gauging and measuring. If I look at the plan by 1 race alone, it ended sucky with things that were out of my control - Can't plan viruses. If I look at it the right way, I had a tremendous amount of success with my plan. And thus have had the best mountain bike season to date. So enough with my "trying to reason", I am ready for round 2. I am smarter and stronger than any year before, and have the carrot just in front of me.

Ft Custer Revenge results

Expert Men 30-39 - 6th (1:02)
Elite Expert Single Speed - 4th (1:05)

Congrats to Pete and Brad. Pulling off the double podium! You guys are rocking this year. And Brad its right in front of you!

Hanson Hills XC

I knocked another one off the bucket list. This time, 2 birds with one stone! That being ride the trails at Hanson Hills, and do the Hanson Hills XC race. It worked out well. About 2 months ago, I realized that this race fell right in the middle of my peak/race period of my plan. And decided, what the hell so added it to my schedule. And I am glad I did.

I got up early packed the car and picked up Brad Lako for the quest North. We headed out early to drop off some fun promotion t-shirts, and Brad was originally going to race in the geared class, but he changed to the single speed class with me later in the day, to try and avoid a potential muddy disaster! So we had plenty of time to kill.  As we were chilling gangsta style at the start line next to the car, Brad said why are all those single speed guys lining up! I felt like I had an out of body experience. A fish out of water. Got caught for a crime I did not commit! Complete helplessness. HOW! WHY! UGHH! But it turned out it was the 5 guys not paying attention to the start time. I hope I never go through that again...

We lined up. And I did not know anyone. But there sure was a lot of fit fast looking dudes, and they all looked hungry. I started re-evaluating what position I really wanted to aim for, but that all changed once we started. I got a poor start, but the long section on double track allowed me to work my way up to the top 5 group just behind Brad. I was expecting all out warfare to start. But it felt like I was sitting in on a road race. This is cool I thought. We made it to the top of the 2nd climb, and I looked back and the rest of the field was no where to be found. We gapped'em, and the pace was the same. I did not know the trail or riders so I waited for the 1st moves to come from them. Finally just over half way, the first attack was made by a dude racing for Roll Models. No one reacted. I was in 5th position at this time, and had a hard timing getting the fusion rider and cross country rider ahead of Brad and I. Then a few mins later, Brad attacked and he attacked hard. I thought the others would respond, but nothing. He popped them! So I made my move to get on Brads wheel. I did everything I could to catch him but he was full gas the entire time. I was now sitting in 3rd with an ever growing gap behind and closing in on Brad. We started the 2nd lap and I was within talking distance to Brad. I was feeling great and ready to make my move, and my left hamstring cramped up?! This has never happened. What the hell? I could not get it to release until we started climbing the single track again. By this time Brad was growing his lead again. Finally the cramp went away, and I began to light my matches one by one. Through all the flats and short climbs I was pulling back time on him quickly. I finally made contact and at that time, we both saw we were bringing back the leader. We both surged hard and started to close in. And then, both the top of my quads completely cramped!!! NOOOOO! I had to back off and try to salvage a 3rd. I rode smart and kept checking for the fusion rider and Cross Country Rider to catch me. Nothing until the last 1-2 miles. By now I could barley climb, and relied on all my race experience to not allow my legs to cramp to the point of stopping. I knew I had the last big climb to go and a down hill finish. If I could just get to the top first, I would be OK. As I approached the top, my legs were screaming, but I was first. I tried to descend as fast as I could, and as I got into the last 2 turns before the finish line I heard "inside". I held my line to the tape giving nothing! and then went directly to the other side of the tape holding my line through the last turn and keeping the fusion rider from passing me. I salvaged my 3rd.... But what could I have done if I had never cramped?

Congrats to Brad on one of the best rides I have ever seen him put together. It was awesome to watch and be a part of!. That W is coming. And congrats to Jon W. and Alex G on 2 more great expert race performances!

Next week is my last week of my training plan before CX starts. I am looking to cash in all my chips at Fort Custer. So far my training has went as well as I could ever have hoped for. So I hope it means good things to come in the fall...

Addison Oaks Stage Race Day &2!

New to the Tailwind series this year was the Addison Oaks Stage race, replacing what use to be the Brighton Stage race. And overall, I think it was a great choice for this event. Day 1 consisted of a 7.5 mile TT in the morning in the great single track that Addison has to offer, and later it was followed with a well laid out short track race. Then followed by the XC race on Day 2. Going into the race, my fitness was coming around, and I was ready to give it my best. Especially on day 1 with the shorter events.

Time Trail - I got a good long warm up in, and it was time to go off. There was a considerably long grass start, but it had a good flow. From the gun I punched it! Legs and lungs instantly caught fire. But I never let up. I pushed as hard as I could through the single track, which I felt like I was handling well. Then in the middle of the trail, we took a re-route through a long grassy hilly section. I thought this was perfect for my strengths, and would allow me to make up any lost time. It worked. I finished up the TT back in the grass with a full on sprint to the line, and it was good enough for 2nd place!

Short Track Race - After my TT, I was stoked and now I felt the tables would turn even more into my favor for the grass short track race. This year I decided to leave the CX bike at home after listening to Brad Lako tell me "it will be more about the engine than the bike". And just figuring in a 20+ min race with no barriers or running sections, why bother with the CX bike. Well my choice seemed to pay off for me. As soon as the gun went, I was off! I grabbed the hole shot and never looked back. I turned myself inside out trying to force any gap I could to gain the 20 or so seconds I needed to take the lead over Jim Bonnel for 1st overall. After 2 laps and still on the front, I looked back to see the damage. Holy Shit! There was about a 30-40 second gap. And I was hoping Jim was in it. All I knew was that Don Cameron, Shonny, were with me at the front. I didn't know that Jim was able to claw his way back into the tail end of our group. With 2 laps to go, I did not let up. Still in the front and pushing. On the last lap, Jim finally made his move. I knew I was not going to get back any time on him for the overall, but this was still a individual race and a race needs a winner. I was actually happy he came around, and he went hard. I think he actually thought he dropped me for bit, but I was on his wheel and in the best position to line up for the sprint. With about 50 yards to go, I made my jump. He reacted and we went into the finishing chute bar to bar. I made one last lunge for the line and saw my wheel cross about 3-4 inches ahead of his (see pic above). It was a great race, and Jim put in an outstanding effort, to not allow me to get back any time for the overall lead. So at the end of the day, I settled for a personal best Tailwind Expert MTB series result of 2nd overall for the day and a trip to the podium!

XC Race - So now it's day 2. And this was going to be scored as a separate race, and another chance for a podium. Of all 3 races, this is the one I was worried about the most. As in the past the last lap of 2 would start to wear me down. But I was hoping with all the extra base I done over the winter and spring, and sticking to a plan it would all pay off. We got a nice top 5 call up today for the start and this put me right on the start line. We went off and I lined up right behind Bonnel and Lako. I was feeling good again, and just waited for opportunities to present themselves. Jim took off after the first climb like a bat out of hell. Brad and I decided to just let him go and see what would be left. There was a group of about 5 of us for the first 2 laps. Brad and I traded pulls, and then at the beginning of the 2rd lap, Brad waved me through. I thought that he wanted me to lay the power down through the grass start to try and splinter the group. It worked, but only Jon W (dub-9) made the jump. I lead the way with Jon through the first few series of single track, and let him go by me through the double track. Now getting pulled for a change, I was feeling good and thinking about the finish. Jon went through the rest of the trail and spilled it in the corner of the beginning of the grass section. This allowed me to go around. There was still a small gap between me Brad, Todd, and fighting to get back Jon W. I just kept putting out the effort, and continued to open the gap. Jon was able to make his away back to me but never closed down the gap all the way. At the beginning of the 4th lap, I laid down as much power as I could and started to open it up again. By the time we got up the first climb and into the 1st section of single track I could not see him. I played it smart through the single track and attacked on the flats and open sections to try and maintain or open the gap behind. I pedal as hard as I could through the grass one last time un-contested and came across in 2nd! My beat Tailwind USAC Expert XC race result to date!

I can't thank Brad Lako enough for helping me construct my training plan, listening to me whine for the past few months and encouraging me to stick to it and be patient and let the plan work! Your the best and I know your turn to light it up is coming soon.

Also, thanks to my other coach. Nameless and mysterious, it is all coming together...

Finally, TSB had a great turnout! I think that everyone that raced got on the podium. Awesome!!! We are representing as a force again in the racing world! Keep it up! And congrats to Pat Word on another Iron Man finish in Texas! you got big balls! And another great result for Todd Tri-Lawrence for putting up some PB times and results over the weekend. Also, congrats to Todd Powers for jumping into the Xtrea world. Not what you were looking for today, but Karma is on your side. You will be force to recon with soon. So look out Xtrea world, TP is coming after ya!

One more great result - Pete Thompson - a freaking first place in a XC mountain bike race?! WOW!

80/20 rule - Cone-Azalia

I don’t venture into the road racing scene too often, but try to make it to at least one per year, especially if they are interesting. Last year was the Criterium Detroit. And this year I decided to do Cone-Azalia. The thing that intrigued me the most about this race is the fact that it is contested on dirt roads and paved, making it not a typical roadie event. It is considered Michigan’s original or longest running dirt road race, which are events I have really grown to love. So since this race has been in my head for some time now, this is the year I would give it a shot.


The race was not much more than a really hard training day for me since it would be the last day of my build 2. I don’t have a road license, so I had to race in Cat 5. Regardless of all this, it was still a race and one I have never done before. So I was extremely excited about it especially not knowing what to expect. From the whistle, I lead out the group. From here I had to decide, was I going to be the dumb ass I normally am and give all these roadies a free ride around the course and pull the peloton for the entire race? Or am I going to be smart and hide like everyone else and pop out at the last minute for the win? As soon as I hit the dirt my decision was made. I ended up pulling for at least 80% of the race. The only other guys will to work was Jim Hilditch and a Trails-edge team racer. The legs felt really good for the entire race, and I was able to neutralize any little attacks. I rode at or above my lactic threshold zones for more of the race. By the time the last lap rolled around, I was still on the front and ratcheting up the pace. We hit the last corner into the wind with 1 K to go. No one would come around. I eased up the pace to try to save some energy know what was about to come. Finally with about 500 meters to go, the pace picked back up, and a few guys from the pack finally made it near the front. At 250 meters, the games started, everyone was squirrely and then the sprints were launched. I felt this was way too early for a sprint to start but had no choice. I dug deep and past the lactic acid in my legs to stay near the front. I passed several guys, and a few came off my wheel and around. I looked up as 5 guys just a wheel to a bike length away crossed the line. I ended up 6th out of 40+ in Cat 5 35+.

I was happy with the result based on all the work I did, and got some great data to analyze. Not sure if I will be doing anymore road events this year, but it is on my mind. But until then, Addison Oaks Stage Race is next on the docket!

Congrats to Jeffery Tom Payne for a solid 5th in a stacked Cat 4 field. You are rocking right now! And congrats to Don Cameron a great 2nd place in Master 45+.

Pontiac Lake "Classic" TT

The races are rolling now. Seems like I have been racing every week, and will be for a few more. And I love it! Done some new stuff, some old stuff, some dry stuff, cold stuff and some rainy stuff! Almost like I have done an entire season already. But when it comes to Pontiac Lake, I know that my racing season is on. Today was a beautiful April day for racing. And the trail was in mid August shape. Dry and bumpy as hell. Leading up to the race, I had been struggling with a few issues that I was not sure would slow my progress down. I seem to have gotten a handle on them, so I am back on the wagon with my plan (thanks to all who have helped thus far, you know who you are).

Going into the race, I had a really hard week of training but the legs felt good. It's amazing how you learn what your body tells you over the years through racing and training experience. And today I kind of knew this would be a good day. I got to see all the old cycling friends from over the years and spent a considerable amount of time chatting before warming up. But we finally were called to the line and soon as you knew it, we were off. I had a really good jump off the line and buried it as much as I could for as long as I could. My single track skills felt razor sharp, and all the hills did not seem to bad. Thanks in part to the 15+ lbs I recently lost. As I cruised through lap 1 I knew I was feeling good and just wanted to push harder and harder. I was happy to know that as I went AC, it was short and I could recover from it within seconds. I climbed the last hill, and big ringed it through the long straight and grass section. Looked down at my clock and saw I went sub 41 mins! I was having a good day and felt just as strong starting my 2nd lap. I pushed as hard as I could and tried to keep pedaling as much as possible. then the Don Cameron train came by at the 1/2 way point of the lap, so I latched on for about 5 mins. This helped pull me a long, and re-establish a harder pace. Up the final climb, and I buried myself into the red zone in the final straight. My 2nd lap was a 42 min lap and only about 20 seconds different from my first! This was good enough for a solid 3rd place in Expert Men 30-39. My first ever expert podium at Pontiac Lake. My last one was in sport in 2008. So I was extremely happy.

I also did the single speed race and knocked out another 42 min lap. I just missed the podium for 5th by 7 seconds. But this is by far the fastest lap I have done on a SS to date. So again, very happy.

Lots of good results today. Brad Lako nailed a solid 2nd. Kim Luks beat half the men's expert classes with a win in elite women. Mark P. took an awesome win in elite men, and then the win in the single speed class. Tom Payne had a stellar lap on the single speed taking 2nd. Dan K. cracked the elite podium with 5th! DC was a diesel engine as usual with a 1st in his class. The list could go on and on... but I do want to give credit to all the TSB folks that showed up and raced today! There were some great rides, and a lot of podiums that went home with us.

Finally, a few of you may know that my Dad had a serious home accident in mid January that resulted in a severe traumatic brain injury. He is doing really well now, and getting better each day. I know he really wants to go and be apart of the races again so look for him soon. But back in January, there was a lot of uncertainty of what was going to happen to him, and how long it would be before we got him home, or if he was ever going to come home. I set a goal for him to be healthy enough to be able to go to Pontiac Lake and watch the race, and I made a goal for myself to try like hell to get on the podium for him this day. Although he did not make it out to the race today, he is health enough to make out again and move around on his own with just a little help. But my trip to the podium today was for my dad. Because he lived up to his goal, I feel much better knowing I lived up to mine. I Love you both Mom and Dad, and am very fortunate I have you both!


Next stop Cone-Azailia Road Race...