Tuesday, October 23, 2012

2012 NATS

            This years Nationals started off with a bang.  Howard Grotts destroyed the D1 field and lapped most of the D1 and D2 field. The D2 race started at 9:10 am. Since Eric was out with an injury that he received after a practice run of the dual slalom course, I was the first Red Hawk to be called up and was in the second row right behind UWP rider Mike.  At 9:10 the gun went off, I clipped into my eggbeaters and took off. About 100ft later we started the ascent.  I was still sitting in the top group until the first 2 big kickers when the highlanders took off.  The group I was in was clipping along at a great pace, when single speeder Marc Thorsen of Ripon flew by Casey and I.  After about 2 miles or 20ish minutes up, we hit a really technical rocky single track section.  I could until the last couple feet then had to dismount. Casey ran by me and was 2 people ahead of me going down the decent.  He snuck by those 2 riders and flew down the hill.
           After 10ish minutes of descending we came through the start finish shoot and started to climb again.  I caught Casey and Marc then try to hold a steady pace. Casey and I kept pretty close for most of the race. On lap 3 about half way up the hill Howard Grotts flew by me at about 13 MPH, to put it into perspective I was going about 6-7 MPH.  We kept climbing when I hit the single track and Casey closed the gap between us. We flew down the hill, came through the start shout and I almost got taken out by D1 riders who were finishing because they got lapped. 
               I started the last lap and knew it was going to be tough because after the downhill my legs felt like bricks since they were being flexed all the way down the hill and had no time to relax.  So when we hit the first climbs my legs said stop, no more, but I kept saying "Shut up legs" -Jens Voigt. Another thing that help this pain go away was I kept thinking of Eric. Since he couldn't race I was racing for him and this gave me the extra motivation to go deeper into the pain cave until the point of no return. With this new motivation, energy etc... I caught a couple people and saw 2 others just ahead. I caught them right as we started the downhill and couldn't get around.  Shortly later I spotted 3 more people. Mike from UWP was one of the people I caught but was faster than Karl who was right in front of me so Mike got a gap on the downhill. I knew it was going to come down to the last open section right before the finish. So once we hit the open I tried to jump but the Karl also jumper and the gaps stayed the same and we rolled through the finish 12th, 13th and me 14th.  

              The short track was Saturday at 10am.  The course was the same start straight as the XC race. You sprinted 100ft then you turned up the mountain then veered left and continued to slowly climb when about half way up it kicked and the legs started to burn like a forest fire.  At the top you turned right and descended into some lose and dusty single track then after 2.5 minutes we were back onto the start straight. Lap after lap I moved up only hoping I wouldn't get caught by the leader. Finally on the 3rd last lap I noticed the leader getting closer but they didn't pull me I pushed it thinking I was getting pulled on the next lap. To my surprise I didn't and kept going. Then with 2 to go I jumped and gained 3 spots. I started my last lap and realized I went to early and burned my last matches. I gave it all I had but those 3 people slowly rolled past and I finished on the lead lap in 22nd place.  After 2 solid days of racing I'm beat and want to sleep but have to much fun coming tonight after the awards banquet.  Hopefully the banquet will be just as fun as the WORS banquet.  Kinda wish I could be there to get my award and see my WORS family again before the long winter.  

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

First days in NM

The Ripon crew looking good in our new Mt. Borah kits
So today is day 3 at altitude and day 2 in NM.  The Ripon crew left Wisconsin this past Saturday.  We headed out and Drove 12 plus hours to Kearny, Nebraska where we stayed in the Holiday inn hotel.  The hotel was great, it had water slides, big rooms but the only downside was no free breakfast so we ate at the restaurant in the hotel.  Never again will I eat there. The food was very over priced and so was the coffee and other beverages.  Then after Sunday breakfast we drove to Erie, CO to drop off Jeremy and kept on trucking along to Angel Fire.  We stopped about 1 hour away from our cabin and star gazed. Never have i seen something so beautiful. Ric took some pics of them and let me take one.  I was able to capture a shooting star. After we got arrived late sunday night so we couldn't really get to enjoy the views and the house we were staying in.  The house is huge, has 3 bed rooms and 2 bathrooms on the first floor, 1 master bedroom with a full bathroom and kitchen/ living room upstairs.  Then above the garage is another room with 4 beds and another bathroom.   The 2nd floor porch is also giant. We brought up the Park Tool equipment so we can work on bikes.  Thanks to all who ended up supporting our Ripon so we were able to come out to NM so early.
The first day of riding out here was sick.  We all road the course from last year and its really weird to see it in such amazing shape.  Also the downhill part of it was super fun last year and was just as amazing this year.  Hopefully tomorrow i'll be able to get out and ride the actual course.  Its totally different from last year.  It starts off with a double track climb then we enter single track and start to head back down the hill.  Hopefully it lives up to the expectations of last years course.  We also hit up the skills track that was being built last year.  Now finally done we got to practice some dual slalom skills.  Its fun hitting up jumps even though I don't know how to launch them yet.
Yesterday also was a great day because I finally got to surprise my dad. He usually figures out what our surprises are before we can actually tell him but this year my mom and I finally got him.  I took this picture to the right and sent it to my dad saying "happy birthday get your stuff packed you fly out in a couple days."  My mom, brother and I all bought him a ticket to fly out to Colorado and drive down to New Mexico with my grandparents for Nationals.  

I've procrastinated enough today I better get back to homework.  Ill keep posting up to and after the races have happened.  Here are more pics.
Statues in a store in Taos

Chicken Taco from a
 food cart in Taos

Thursday, October 11, 2012

The past weeks and whats to come

This past weekend October 6-7, the Red Hawks headed to Kentucky for regionals.  The first day we raced short track and dual slalom.  It rained the day before so the short track race was a bit sloppy but nothing to bad.  The course included a hill climb, some single track and a couple of BMX style jumps/rollers depending who rode them.  Then on Sunday we did the cross country race.  The course was muddy but since the soil was made up of mostly clay it didn't do to much to affect the race. A couple sections were slippery but nothing to bad.  I ended up taking 9th behind some pro level riders. Now with a weekend off the Red Hawks are heading down to Angel Fire, NM for nationals. We are driving down a couple days before and riding down there trying to get used to the course. Also this will give me some time to see my grandparents before I race cause they are coming down from CO to watch the race. Then racing will take place on friday the 19th-21st.  I will be racing on Friday and Saturday.  The cross country race is first and will be about a 5 mile loop with 2.5 miles up the hill and 2.5 down.  I'm guessing it will be fairly similar to last year but a little less muddy. Then Saturday will be short track and if things go the way they have been this whole year a Red Hawk may be on the podium.  Time to pack up and get ready for a great week down in NM.  

Monday, October 1, 2012

Good times with great people

This past weekend we had a weekend free from collegiate racing so I decided to head up to the WORS Bear Paw race.  My friends and family got to stay in the cabins right on site which was cool because they had a full kitchen, bathroom and the best part was having a campfire and making pudgy pies the day before.  I had a turkey and cheddar on a ciabatta roll with just a bit of mustard. But making it over a campfire made it that more tasty.  But this weekend I wasn't really planning on racing.  I wanted to go up and just hang out with everyone and enjoy riding the trails the day before.  Then our Ripon coach persuaded me to go and race.  After riding a couple laps of the course I didn't want to stop.  I was having a blast just riding these trails.  They are technical and need your full attention.  Then realizing I had to race the next day I called it quits. Then after dinner, Joe Maloney, Tim Racette, Myles Beach and I sat in Myles cabin, the one next to ours, and had a great time talking and laughing over Mrs. Beach white cheese chicken lasagna. It was great to hang out with these guys again after being in school and not getting a chance to see the WORS family. On race day it was a bit chilly in the morning but warmed up pretty nice by the time I had to race at 1:30.  I got another call up and got to start right behind the winner, Cole House.  Don yells go and we take off. I got a great start and was sitting near the front up the first big climb.  At the top we cruised around in tall, bumpy grass and after losing some spots I entered the first section of single track 3 spots behind Myles.  This year the course was dusty and a lot of us had troubles seeing because of the dust cloud.  After battling this dust bowl, we hit the first road section.  We flew down it and made a hard right back into more technical single track.  We climbed up through roots and big rocks, a lot of which were "pedal busters".  After alternating these single track sections and fast roads for the first 3.5 laps I started to catch people again.  I was gaining speed on Ben Koenig when he noticed I was there and took off like a spooked deer. He ended up beating me at the end. This race was probably the most fun of all just because I mentally was able to go out and just ride with out really caring how I did.  Thanks to all for the cheers throughout the course racing wouldn't be as fun without you all.