OUCH!

So, after a great weekend of racing my first cat 2/3 race, where on Saturday after "testicle surfing" the start as Crusty put it and fighting my way back to 20th. Followed by Sunday, where I had a good start and finished 5th.  To the fact that we hung with some pros for most of the weekend and had a great time with the MWI crew.  It all came crashing down, literally.

My personal title sponsor and I were out for a nice fall evening ride, when about a mile from home, the craptastic Oak Leaf Trail Road took us out.  Mo, being the animal that she is, was sprinting past me on a short up hill after a fast down hill.  And then, down goes Mo, taking me out as well.  We think her front wheel got caught in a rut in the fine roads of Milwaukee!  Mo's helmet is smashed in the back, bikes slightly mangled and with less skin than I started the day with, we are all just fine.  Minus Mo's concussion and our aches and pains.  

Won't stop me from racing, or training for that matter, as I was back on the horse tonight when I got home from work.  

Working Out the Bugs

Race #2 in the books and things went much better than the opener. Raced the 3s at the Diamond Blackfan event in Lenexa, KS on a great 1.99mile loop with a good mix of a little of everything. Worked into 2nd place about a 1/3 of the way into the race and felt I still had plenty of horsepower to go when I dropped a chain and it wedged between my 42 ring and the 50t (which I was using as a chain guard until I had a chance to pick up a Paul's keeper). Got it back going and worked into 3rd on final lap when it happened again. Frustrated but feeling like I was actually a competitor again I finished 7th. Looking forward to the keeper arriving this week and racing this weekend at the Boss Cross #2 (that's right Crusty, my son's XC meet will keep me from BC #1 and thus you avoiding reality for one more day).

Loving, I mean LOVING the Blue. Holy crap that thing is quick and responsive!

In All Seriousness,

Gentlemen and Sponsors, that was a big weekend for me, bike-wise. Makes me feel all normal again. I'm still slow and wobbly, but it was incredible to be back on a bike at a cross race.

And the My Wife Inc. crew was a huge part of it, cheering me on, supporting me, congratulating me for not getting lapped (until today!) and not finishing last (both days!).

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It's an honor.

Not Exactly the Kind of Publicity We Want

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view_video/235617-usgp-1-2-planet-bike-cup/202237-who-wants-to-marry-paul-warloski

My New Rig!

Can't stop drooling!

Let's Put That Behind Us

Raced last night (under the lights) and let's just stick with the title (LPTBU). Felt like I was ready but could not hold wheels in the flat asphalt sections as hardly any big power came from the noodles (legs). 16th at the end and probably my worst 'cross race I have ever done. Crusty missed his shot at taking a W on me as I guarantee I will not race that bad for years to come (let's hope).

All that being said it was awesome just being back in the racing/atmosphere and I was soaking it in all night. Glad to hear everyone is out there rolling the 'lope.

The kits look sweet and my CX Christmas comes Tuesday (complete bike showing up). Giddy'up!!!!

First Race!

I don't think I've ever been so nervous before a race. I seriously wondered if I was going to be able to finish.

Not only did I finish, I managed probably a top 30, maybe even 25 - the results were seriously FUBAR'd - and no one from the 40s lapped me!

I had little speed, little acceleration, and I felt pretty wobbly going over the barriers. My legs were tired, but not my lungs.

But damn, it's good to be back racing. It was good to travel in the BAV with Chad, He-Man, and the Sponsor with Cupcakes.

Now that one race is in the books, I'm ready to actually try to race. Well, there's two races next weekend, and given how I feel right now, maybe I should just go within my limit a few more times!

It's raining! I hope it rains all week.

Sunday Suits

I just got my new black uniforms and they turned out FREAKING AWESOME!!! Only issue is I tried them on to find my medium ls skinsuit is a tad short on me. I am hoping someone got a size large and it is a little loose on them and would like to trade/sell. I am up for either a black suit or a wacky neon one (but prefer the black). Give me a shout at trijones@windstream.net

John

I am all Green...

Oh it was so worth the wait to build this up! Crusty was killing me with his feedback on this bike. On tap tomorrow - some singletrack brake in time! More photos and report to follow.

That, Good Sirs and Ladies, was Awesome

First, Crusty and the boys, I'm not sure if you've seen Myerson's blog, but you need to see this. It's all about HTFU!
http://www.pioneerevents.com/2009/09/i-think-some-of-you-are-missing-point.html

Second, I may be pushing a little hard for the recovery, but damn that was a good ride. First two hour plus ride since the crash in March. Did three threshold intervals that felt good, and I actually felt strong, able to push some kind of gear. Still not much speed, but the power is coming back.

Plus, it is sunny and warm today, which means - at least I hope it means - that it's going to rain and snow and sleet and all sorts of nasty weather by next weekend for the first cross race of the year in Jackson Park.

Maybe I'll do two races next Sunday; maybe I'll try the hole shot in the 3s, fall over at an appointed time, and let my boys ride away free.

Coming Soon....

To a tshirt or hoodie near you.

It's a Beauty, Eh?

Since Crusty has just posted pictures of the Norcross, I get to share the first impressions actually racing it.

Well, racing it is a bit of an overstatement from the wobbly old man, but damn. Seriously. Damn.

I read my training program correctly this week and showed up at the miss and out at Estabrook along with Mike. Roscoe is apparently studying for his boards or some such fool thing. Not sure that matters more than a cross race, even a practice one.

The Norcross is a thing of beauty. It's light, nimble, handles superbly, even by me! It's stiff as hell so when I curled into a corner, the bike was incredibly stable. I can't do much standing up and thrashing the gears, but it was very responsive when I did. It's light for the shouldering, although Crusty was right in that our long arms have a bit of a challenge getting through the triangle. Not a big deal at all, though.

As for the wobbly-legged, one-shouldered old man, though, the race went decently. I started very tentatively, powering as best I could along the flats and railing the corners more and more as the race went on.

I wasn't the first pulled, as I expected. I wasn't lapped. And I crashed once, trying to run over a barrier up the short steep little hill as I shouldered the bike. The left leg just wasn't strong enough to jump up by itself! Boom! Got the first boo-boo of the season on my leg. Shoulder hurt a bit from falling, but I got up and was pissed. So I rode harder, passed the guy in front, and rode harder through the corners.

All in all a successful evening. The bike is awesome, incredible. The legs and body are okay, the mind a little weak! (No comments necessary, gentlemen!) Next week, I'll push the start and the aggression a bit more to see what I can do.

I'm grateful Jackson Park is a relatively flat grass crit. Hill run-ups are going to be a challenge for a bit. I just hope they're better by Jingle Cross!

Super Fun!

Elk Don't Like Jackalope!

Cross Christmas has begun...

For more pictures and initial impressions click here.

Estabrook Miss and Out...

Cross season is upon us here in Milwaukee, the Tuesday Miss and Out races have begun. These are run exactly like the track version, last person across the line each lap is pulled. Roscoe and myself were they only MWI presence this week (someone didn't read their training log very well) After the first two laps it was a my wife/Pegasus sandwich with Roscoe, Cale, and myself. We quickly worked up a sizable gap on 4th and 5th and started sizing each other up for the final sprint. As luck would have it my 2 year old Challange Grifo finally gave up the ghost and forced my early departure with about 4 laps to go. Roscoe kept it going and turned the screws to take his first win of the year. Hey if you pay money you can count it as a win, right? It's going to be a great year.