Leaving Hibernation

A lack of posting here is maybe a good thing. I’ve been busy. The end of last year concluded with me riding each of my 5 bikes around some of my favorite locales in San Francisco (after riding each bike >1,000 miles each in 2011). Since then I have put in my 10 longest rides since I started keeping track. A few extended weekend tours and a good amount of taking the slicks to dirt have kept me busy through the summer.

One selection from the road (near Waldport, OR)

For now the big news is that I decided to join the Mad Alchemy / Verge Grassroots Cycloross team. I guess I won’t get to enjoy the team tent, but hopefully the power of embrocation will be sufficient. Anyway, cyclocross training is underway, and hopefully I’ll start updating this more…

I am the Champions!

Early in the year, I decided that I wanted to do more in 2011 than 2010. I also wanted to keep doing a lot of different kinds of riding and make the most of my bike collection. Hence my 5 grand goal – 1000 miles on 5 different bikes. One bike to look pretty and have hard to replace components, one to carry all sort of stuff, one bike to not have anything stolen off it, one to ride on anything, and a last bike to ride anything with a single gear.

Can you guess which is which (note: I snapped a frame this year)

Well I did it today. I am super proud to make this happen and possibly more on that later. More importantly, a New Years Eve day extravaganza of my favorite SF rides is in the works – likely culminating in a butter lap with my panniers full of beer (at least to start). Come join me.

On Sandbagging

So I led the Cat C field after the first lap and managed to get 4th overall at Stafford Lake. I know what you’re thinking – “How is that possible? Aren’t you slow?” That’s what I thought too, but with just the right conditions strange things can happen: even I can be a sandbagger.

If you’re going to be a sandbagger, make sure it looks like you’re working hard (photo by Veronika Lenzi)

Time to Suffer

I don’t know what it is about Halloween weekend that means cross cranks the suffering up to 11. With the past couple years up in Astoria for a mudfest at the Cross Crusade series, this year promised to be drier with a trip down to Santa Cruz for Surf City. Luckily, relatively dry courses can still be painful.

[Did anyone get a picture of me trying to strangle myself with course tape?]

Minimalist Race Report

Sept 17, 2011, Folsom, CA, Cyclebration:

180-185 bpm for a lap or two; brief discussion with tree; slow flat becomes pinch flat; ran about 1/4 lap, tasted blood, walked; ran some more, rode grass w/ flat; test rode zipp wheel; didn’t DFL, didn’t puke.

Is it Cross Season Yet?

Technically I never recaped the completion of my 2010 season, so I suppose it never properly ended (aside: it turns out preparing for interviews can be time consuming — if you need a materials scientist, let me know). My 2010 CX season was the first time I properly trained for anything. No, marching band does not count. Regardless, it’s amazing what setting out a plan can do for you. It all culminated with a 10th place finish at Monkey Cross #4 at the familiar Dan Galvin Park. I was excited to culminate my season with such high a finish – a big accomplishment for me.

6 of clubs for the win (photo via @girlbike)

Can I help but get a little excited? I got my hands on a Dean CX frame in the off-season, so there’s another killer machine in my stables. A conversion of my Gary Fisher to single speed will enable my utter destruction in the SSCX category. Perfect timing for SSCXWC’s visit to SF (although I suspect my skill as a gazelle will have less impact in the qualifiers than my skill with beer). Growing interest on the Mission club has prompted our brilliant leaders put together a CX specific kit. And do I really need to point out the Kitten of Flanders? Not to mention, I’m blogging again! It’s too exciting. With next season just a glimmer in the dstance, I only have one question: is it cross season yet?

Up the hill, down the hill

For those of you who listen to the Bugle, you’ll remember this basic breakdown of cycling sport: up the hill, down the hill, short bit, long bit, so on. It turns out, this is a pretty concise summation of Monkey Cross #3 at Franklin Park.

down the hill (via @girlbike)

Happy Anniversary

Last year’s Cross Crusade #5 was my first ever cyclocross race, and despite a strong desire to line up in the Clydesdale category, I rode as a Beginner. Thanks to the wonder of cyclocross, I still felt like I was about to die. So when preparing for this year’s cross season and our trip to Oregon, I was determined to race as a Clydesdale and actually put together a top half finish. If only it were that easy…

you just got faced (photo via @itsdanno)

Why are you running?

I don’t want to be running. I’m horrible at it. Ok mystery heckler in the crowd? Sorry, I don’t have time to explain the logistics to you (it’s a race). Achy knees, side cramps, lungs that are simply cooked. I repeat: I don’t want to be running. Unfortunately that low curb wasn’t interested in my running ability and it frankly didn’t want my rear tire to be inflated (inconsiderate). Impressive in a certain way, this was the first flat in my cyclocross “career”. Occurring just before the pin-wheel of barriers on the first lap at Santa Rosa’s Monkey Cross #1, it’s simultaneous poor and excellent timing. I had felt strong and was making moves. In hindsight, a little too aggressively as I pinch flatted on the curb coming in with too much speed (or not quite enough grace). But I am lucky…

May as well shoulder it, because it’s time to run (photo care of Kristine via Daniel Hobe)

If it’s comfortable, you’re doing it wrong

This was advise I gave to fellow Mission Cyclists who were contemplating their first cyclocross race. And by that criteria, I had an amazing race. The Lion of Fairfax, a one-off race the same day as Biketoberfest, was supposed to be a small field and low-key warm up (especially with a Pilarcitos Super Prestige race the next day). After a top-half finish at Folsom, a 54 of 76 finish was less than encouraging.

post race – just because you’re race number is low, doesn’t make your placing low…