Saturday, August 29, 2009

New Look for Kansas City Cross

Kansas City Cross has a new look. Check out http://www.kansascitycross.com We will continue to improve the site over the next couple of weeks and get all the event flyers uploaded once they are approved.

I am looking forward to this years cyclocross season. A lot of hard work is being done by Heather Jordan, Tige Lamb, Rich Anderson, and Roger Harrison to make the 2009 De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series the best ever. Everyone is going to reap the rewards from their hard work. When you see them, make sure you thank them.

See everyone at the opening round - Diamond Blackfan Cyclocross Challenge 9/27/09

A special Thank You to Neale Shour for helping out with the website project. Without his help none of this would be possible.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Registration Opens for the 2009 De Stad Series

We are getting closer. Just one more month away....

Registration is open for the 2009 De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series.

Check out www.kansascitycross.com for complete info.

I have a funny feeling that this is going to be the best cyclocross season ever.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

New Ironman Rig

Only have one more month to go until my Ironman triathlon. I have been looking for a new TT bike to use. One with a 76 or 78 degree seat tube angle. I have have never raced with TT geometry. You would think that after 20 years of on/off racing traithlons that I would have acquired one. Well, you would have been wrong.

After much searching (and trying to stay within my budget of $300.00) I finally settle on an used Orbea Aletta. It has a 76 degree seat tube. Finally got all the parts off the old Assissi and transferred them over to my new TT rig. I went for a quick test ride and was really impressed. Position and comfort in the aero position was much better with the steeper seat tube. I will hit a few rides this week to dial in everything do a long ride this Saturday (125 miles if anyone is interested).

Speaking of long rides. The Cow Town 200 was yesterday. A few brave soles showed up for most of the ride including Dave Wathen and Jeff Haug. Randy meet meet us up in Dearborn for a portion of the ride. The weather was nice. We had to head south out of Smithille due to some tired riders which cut some miles off the planned 124 miles. After pulling Jeff back to E.H. Young I put in about 15 miles. Add that to my ride to the park and I ended up with 112 miles. That is the distance I need for my Ironman. I asked myself after the ride did I feel like running a marathon. Hell know was the answer. I still got some work to do this next month. One good thing is that I am down to 162 lbs (morning weight). Only two more pounds to lose to reach my goal race weight of 160.

Off to work on that swim stroke....

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Cow Town 200K Bike Tour

The Cow Town 200K
Date: Saturday, 8/22/09 (8:00 a.m. start time)
Location: God's Country - Northland

Please join the Cow Town Cycling Team for a wonderful day of riding in the Northland. A very scenic 200K route is planned visiting Parkville, Waldron, Weston, Platte City, Smithville Lake, Liberty, Excelsior Springs and Riverside.

We depart at 8:00am from E.H. Young Riverfront Park, Riverside, Missouri. Ride pace will be very easy. Rest stops are planned every 15 - 30 miles. Optional shorter routes are available for those not wishing to do the entire 200k (124 miles). Here is the link to the 200k route.

This is an Show-N-Go ride and you ride at your own risk.

Tour hotline 816.213.1620

Wonder Boy Lance

Some old school footage of the big boys of Triathlon back when I started racing on those skinny wheel bikes and funny helmets. Check out Wonder Boy...

Sunday, August 16, 2009

2009 RIM Race Report

The 9th Annual Rapture in Misery was held yesterday. New venue and host promoter for this edition. Former National Masters MTB Champion Doug Long and the Green Hills Trails Association brought together a great course and were great host to the mountain bike community. Now if they could have only kept the rain away - the 12 hour event was called at 9:00 pm due to concerns for rider safety and trail damage. I remember the first RIM 9 years ago. Back then it was a 12/24 hour event held at Snow Creek in Weston Missouri. I was racing solo and had lapped the solo field on that day (yes I used to be fast :-)) and they called the event at midnight do to storms.

I was on the fence about doing RIM this year. My plan was to race the BOLT Xterra in Nebraska, but decided to support Doug and my team since we had several teams attending. Besides, I had a podium streak going at RIM - 4 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third place and 2 Fastest Night Laps. This would be good training for my Ironman. At least this is what I told myself so I prepared for 12 hours in the saddle. Goal was to get over 100 miles of single track in at a comfortable "training" pace. Next time I need to look at the course profile before I set that goal of an easy pace and check my ego at the gate....

Crazy ass Doug had us start the race down this nasty rocky hill. I decided to chill and take it easy on the run and jog easy to my bike. I didn't want to get all mixed up with the fast guys(ie - Tige)on teams and start too fast. This plan seemed like a good idea, but I forgot about being behind a hundred plus riders riding slower than hell and what this would do to me. I just couldn't take it going so slow down the Boneyard (very rocky technical section). I began to pickup the pace and soon was passing several riders at a time. This was all good, but my heart rate got way too high especially with it being so hot. I chilled a bit and rode with Lyle and Chris Bobb of Team Red Wheel. Then I got another hair under my butt and picked up the pace. Why I don't know? I still had 11 more hours to go.....I ended finishing the first lap leading the 12 hour solo class. So much for my "take it easy" plan.

My stomach really went south on the second lap. I was o.k. on the first, but come the second hour my body started to need some nutrients and my stomach had other plans for what was occupying it. For some unknown reason, my stomach sometimes just stops digesting. I was drinking Accelerade, which usually does not cause me a problem. Maybe it was the heat, or I had it mixed too strong. Anyway, the next three laps sucked and I fell back to 3rd in my class. I kept going as hard as I could without upchucking, but it was a struggle. Before I started the 5th lap I took a little break and had some pretzels and a coke. This helped and I actually started to feel better. Hopes of chasing down the leaders and an overall podium spot were looking better. But what do I do on lap 6? I go ahead and try that damn Accelerade again. Same thing happened, I got sick again. This time I did vomit along the trail, which is never fun thing to do. However, it is a lot better than what old John Harter had to do out in the woods during the race :-)

I finished up the 7th lap in the rain. It was past 7:00pm and lights were now required. I got the bike all setup for a couple of night laps and decided to take a little break before I tried for at least another 3 laps in the night. Carolynn suggested I just call it a day and don't over extend myself leading up to the Redman next month due to my nausea. As it turned out, the decision was already made for us. Doug decided to call the race due to the rain, dangerous trail conditions and they didn't want to do any damage to the trails. I stayed in 3rd place, kept my podium record in tack and got in about 70 miles of off-road riding. So, I added another Northface product to my ever growing collection. I have mixed feeling about the awards that were given. You be the judge. And yes Jackie you can have the glass. Heck, I will give you the entire collection I have amassed over the years.

Here are some pictures that Carolynn took

Complete results from the 2009 Rapture in Misery.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Camping, Caves and Toothless Folk.

Christopher and Carolynn wanted to go on a float trip and explore some caves down in southern Missouri. We ended up going to Noel, Missouri, which is right on the Arkansas border. There sure are some strange folks down there. I felt like I had stepped back in time a few decades and into a different country. A different breed for sure.

Sunday we loaded up in the Eagles Nest bus with a bunch of toothless folks and rowdy teenagers for an "advertised" 8 hour float trip. Christopher wanted kayaks instead of canoes. I thought it would be best to get one canoe and one kayak so if he got tired then he could rest in a canoe with me. About 3 hours into the trip Christopher sure wanted a canoe so he could just relax and not paddle. Funny how life works some times - Dad is right. I have never seen such a group of people on the old Elk river. Nor have I have seen such a large amount of beer being consumed. I am surprised that some of these drunk folks actually completed the trip.

After our little float trip we headed to Bluff Dwellers Cavern. It was sure nice getting out of the heat. It must have been close to 100 degrees. That 56 degree cave was sweet. The view in the cave is very cool. See pictures below.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Calling All Master Racers

We are working on the finalizing everything for the upcoming 2009 cyclocross season. One of the final details is if we should change the master's divisions up some to better reflect the....heck I don't know what it is suppose to do, but it has been mentioned by some of the local (master's I might add) promoters. All be it I have yet to get any official word or anything of such a change. We, I am tired of waiting so I decided to create a little poll to see what the masses think. They are the best ones to make the decision anyway.

Check out www.kansascitycross.com and vote (poll is in the second column under the photos...)