Man, i love Chipotle

Did the Bryan Park Circuit race yesterday. It was my first CAT 4 race...not any different than any CAT 5 race i've been in. Not sure what to make of that.

They had prime's (free burrito @ Chipotle) every other lap for the middle part of the race. I went for the first one. got it. made a couple jokes with the guy i beat for it. To be honest it was a fairly boring race but fast enough (for me) that i wouldn't be able to get away and stay away, besides the fact i can fair pretty well in any sprint, so any 'fun' that could be had was well received.

6 laps to go i started sliding out in the turns. rear tire was flat. i panicked, yelled for my wife to grab my other wheels (not in the pit, but in the car...my costly mistake). too late though. pack made it around just before she got back. i said forget it...i got my free burrito, no reason to chase for 5 laps and finish dead last. I should have continued on the half flat tire another lap, my wife would have been back, i could have changed it out and been rolling again.

Dan Baur grabbed 7th, just in the points. thats awesome.

CAT 5 Lessons

#1 thing i learned as a CAT 5 (and as a married man) is to remember important dates/times. When it comes to cycling/racing i am referring to registering for races you want to race, because as most racers know that when you are a CAT 5 your group for larger, more important events fill up quickly...you have to plan, set aside time, be waiting patiently, clicking the refresh button over and over again.

Now as a CAT 4 its not as important...I'm the first one registered for upcoming races. i also program my phone now too.

i am lame.

Rolling in FL

I got to my wife's grandparent's on Friday. My wife and i flew down to visit with her family for a few days (fri-wed). Luckily her parents and siblings were driving down so i was able to throw my bike on their car and meet it down here. To prevent any major tragedies (like missing a race or losing my only race bike) i gave them my fixed gear.

Florida is an awesome place to ride a fixed gear...at least compared to NoVa. I did a 75+ ride on Sunday out to titusville (or something) from Orlando and while i am in far better shape than i was back in Jan, it remains that it was MUCH easier than the 70 mile ride i did out past The Plains and back from my house. By the way, its fun riding a fixed gear for so long...not sure why. trance like.

Another bonus of FL so far has been the drivers. Besides the one fat lady in her truck honking at me while she was trying to pull into McD's and the moron who nearly ran into me and the car ahead of her at the light today, all the drivers have been lovely and given me lots'o'room. i think in NoVa i get honked at, called a fag, and a random other act of violence (ie swerved at, reaching out of windows, etc.) once a ride, which as a commuter and racer can equate to a MAX of 3x a day.

tomorrow is a sprint workout...at home i have difficulty finding a proper road to do these on (i like long, flat, straight sections to really exert the legs. I was also advised to use those for the best workout results). Where as here, I'm in no shortage of such roads...as a matter of fact everything is a long straight, flat road. i found myself staring just off my front wheel on my long ride to avoid mental suicide-constantly being able to see 5 miles ahead.

Oh yeah, went to Typhoon lagoon today and Epcot tomorrow. Typhoon Lagoon ruined my memory of the place. Things look drastically different 10-13 years later. I hope its not the same for Epcot.

Season-1st half, 2nd half

I'm kind of hesitant to blog. i've noticed this thing appears a someone's blog list who is quite the popular rider around here. Its nice but i'm just a CAT 4 (and barely) and i dont think anyone cares what i have to say.

Anyhow. The 1st half of the race season has passed for me. I've achieved almost all my goals for the season too.

• I've collected 1 win (goal) (Syns-Fit Crit).
  
• I rode haymarket's Mt Weather ride (which i realize isn't much of a goal, but i set that goal after my 2nd month of riding, when the total 14 mile commute for the day was still a lot).
  
• I've also made it from 5 to 4 in a half of a season (goal) with a total of 4 podiums (bonus).
• Lost 40lbs.
• Be apart of a winning breakaway [2nd and 3rd places for myself] (1st race at Snowball 10 sec gap on last lap, just rode off the front. Waynesboro does it count with 6 guys annihilate the entire field?)
  

2nd half season goals

• Another win (maybe two)
• CAT up to 3 (i've been told by my riding peers that it shouldn't be out of reach)
• Top 15 at Tour of Washington County (worried about that TT)
• Lose 5-10 more lbs. (i'm apparently building muscle now...so this may be difficult)
  
• Be apart of 2 more winning breakaway's
• Lead a teammate out for a win.
  
• Top 3 at Hagerstown State Championship Crit (7/11)
• Vint Hill Development Series Overall Winner (home court advantage).

A lot of more goals for the rest of the season but i think most of them are realistic. I dont know if i will be able to lead out a teammate for a win, my chances are limited to a few races being that they are all 3's basically and only one of which is a sprinter so i'd substitute that for wasting myself for one of them if it meant victory in a breakaway.

I've learned a ton through the first half of this year, mostly in my first 2 bigger races which resulted in poor results. I've also learned a ton doing the Wednesday Night Haymarket ride. Those guys are all so good, and i get a ton of advice post ride from different guys. Not to mention the experience i gain from riding at speeds and intensities much higher than any CAT 5 race.

Upgrade status

status=approved.

i didnt need 10 races after all.

i am a CAT 4. still lowly in ranks but i'm happy with my progress.

Also, quick story-went on a short, VERY slow ride today being a rest day and all. got about 3 or 4 miles away and caught a flat. bummer right? but not a big deal. except after i quickly got it changed and was about to be back on my way my CO2 cartridge failed...it was a dud. major bummer since i left my cell at home and i'm apparently not smart enough to carry more than one cartridge (i usually do but i've not yet replaced the one i used just the other day). ugh.

walked 3 or 4 miles home carrying my bike and shoes (i'd rather walk barefoot than in shoes with Look cleats).

CAPS WON!

Loss of style

So after a few "good jobs" from my team i receive a hoard of emails, also from my team informing me of my "loss of style"
It seems i left my commuting light on my bike. I noticed it when i was putting my bike back into my car, but obviously that was way too late.

its ok i don't think i really ever had style to begin with.

pic courtesy of Sam Hill

Bunny Hop and possible upgrade

pics by sam hill
The Bunny Hop Crit was very uneventful. Josh (cyclelife), Derek (route 1 velo) and myself led the first bunch of laps (not sure exactly how many). I did most of the pulls. I felt great and i wanted the tempo to be high. I contemplated trying to attack off the front and i thought since Josh and Derek were sitting right behind they could jump with me...but in the end i didn't have the balls to go for it. It may have worked seeing at the entire pack was strung out already.

Soon after i didn't feel like doing all the work anymore and let a couple other guys set the pace, which they did until about 2 laps to go. during which nothing happened except for a ton of almost wrecks, getting forced hard into the corner by a bunch of dive bombers, and a few nasty comments. one crazy guy sitting behind kept yelling at the top of his lungs with the utmost passion, "They are blocking! Those guys are getting away! Don't let them get away! HURRY!" i told him to shut it, seeing as no one was "blocking" and the guys "getting away" had been dropped and were about to get lapped.

With 1 to go i moved into position about 6th or 7th wheel right next to Josh Flexman and when we were approaching the last corner the guys at the front of the line decided not to keep pedaling causing a quick bunch up and some how i got stuck in the middle. Someone made a jump from behind and Josh caught on (for the win) and i squeezed my way out somehow and powered past everyone for 3rd.

After the race we all went to lunch.

I got home later and sent in my request for an upgrade from 5 to 4. I know i dont have 10 races yet but 4 podiums (including a win) should be enough...so says the guys from my team and they've been doing it a lot longer than i have.

Caps won on saturday! and play again tonight!