How did I get into this?

Jim always talked about some big race in Wisconsin and though that I should do it but I always blew it off.

In March of 2005 my neighbor Doc, with some coaxing from Jim I'm sure, brought over an entry form and told me if I got in I was going with him. I got in. I started riding my Mountain bike, a late 90's Specialized hard tail I bought from Jim a couple years earlier, on the road.

In May MDU (parent company of Knife River, where I work) annonced a team weight loss contest. 20 person teams of employees had 9 months to lose as much weight as they could and the first three teams would split $100,000! $60k for 1st, $30k for 2nd and $10k for 3rd place.

It wasn't long and I bought a road bike, a Trek 1500, and started riding longer and even a few group rides. I managed to get out 2-3 time per week and logged a whole 67 hours of riding from April until Cheq.

I had lost over 30 pounds before Cheq finished in 3 hours and 21 minutes. By the time February rolled around I had another 60 hours riding (mostly indoors on the trainer), lost 45 pounds total and had an extra $3,000 in my pocket.

Spent most of my winnings on a used Trek Fuel from one of the Sovas and in the 2006 Cheq clocked a 3:01, my best ever.

The next two years I finished with a 3:09 and a 3:03, both were disappointing and way off of my goals.

So now I am thinking about it way too much, reviewing spilts from the past 4 years, recalling where I started, what I ate for breakfast (McDonalds in 2007, Yuck) and how much I ate and drank during the race. It's really wirthless for me to be at work, I can't get anything done.

After cutting 40 minutes off of last year's time at the King of the Rockies a couple weeks ago I was thinking Cheq was going to be a breeze, then I came to my senses.

After all that my goals are pretty much the same as the last two years, I am going to be really bummed with over three hours, happy with a 2:5x, and ecstatic with a 2:4x.

There, now I can put it out of my mind until Saturday. Right.

Double crap

Feeling crappier as the day goes on.

Can you OD on Zicam?

Ride or rest tonight????

Crap

3 days until the Chequamegon 40 and I woke up this morning with a sore throat and runny nose.

North, South, East and West

My crazy last two week in summary.

8/27 After work loaded up the Kern Cruiser and John, Charlie and I headed west.

8/28 We drove until 1 am then got a room and crashed for 5 hours. Had the worst continental breakfast ever then hit the road again. Got to Fraser Colorado at 3:30, met up with Mike, loaded up on groceries, checked into our condo, went for a hour ride and went out for some pasta.

8/29 After our morning rituals we went to the race HQ for King of the Rockies at Winter park got checked in for the race, went back to the condo, got suited up and rode to the start line. John had a great race beating Charlie by only seconds. I felt good all race and shaved almost 40 min off last year’s time. Mike had chain trouble on the first climb and crashed on a decent but still finished and even took second in the “Road Rash” competition. My Sister Angela and her husband Brock, were at the finish so we made plans and met the for a Crazy Donkey burrito and margaritas at Azteca after the awards and a short and fast ride back to Frazier. Then on to the Crooked Creek for Jack Daniels and pool.

8/30 Met Brock at the bike shop as he and Mike, whose bike suffered some damage the day before, were going to rent rides. We then drove up to the Devils Thumb trailhead and rode the High Lonesome trail up to Junco lake. A tough technical trail littered with rocks, roots and short steep climbs. During our 20 mile ride (10 out and 10 back) we saw a few hikers and no other bikes. After a late lunch we checked out the pool/hot tub, went for an hour ride, saw two moose not 10 yards off the trail, ordered two pizzas and crashed.

8/31 Had a plan to ride up to Rogers pass from the condo, about a 14 mile ride starting out at 8,700 feet and climbing up to just shy of 12,000. Charlie, Brock and I rode it last year but started about 1/3 of the way up. I really struggled to keep going but made it to the top after about 3 hours. Way too much work for the fun down-hill that followed. We took a different route back to hit the Broken Thumb trail and extend the ride to over 30 miles. Then after Mike left for the airport to head home John, Charlie and I went to Winter Park’s Trestle bike park for some chair lift assisted down-hill runs. Way easier! Then the Cheeky Monk for some 9% AC Belgium brews and an encore at Azteca followed by Hot Tub and Steam Room.

9/1 Moring ride out on Creekside, Broken Spade, Chainsaw, D2 and Upper Elk Creek trails. The latter of which has a Way too Hard climb followed by a very scary steep descent. Then Bombed the Forest roads back to town for lunch and to pack up. My sister had us over for dinner then we headed eat toward home.

9/2 Still driving. Fortunately Charlie had too much coffee (2 cups?) and drove all night so when I woke up we were in Iowa already. I drove to the cities and JK got us home tired but happy.

9/3 & 9/4 A blur of work, trying to catch up on sleep and fighting off some kind of Flu.

9/5 Madelyn’s 9^th birthday after taking her, her sister and two friends bowling the night before and the friends sleeping over I made them breakfast, went for a ride (thought I was going to die), had lunch and headed north to some friends cabin in Hackensack. Then after Beer, BBQ Ribs and Birthday cake we drove to my parents house in Walker.

9/6 Managed to sleep in until 9:00 and would have slept longer but had to get ready for Church and brunch. Then we went for a bike ride, sailing and tubing. Ate more Ribs and Birthday cake.

9/7 I got up early and went for a couple hour MTB ride in the Chippewa National Forest by Walker, then another bike ride with the family, lunch at the “502” and more tubing for Madelyn. Then packed up and headed South home.

Yes that was the summary.

Spunk Lake RR

I rocked the Spunk Lake Road Race, for about 10 minutes. At the end of the first lap (of three) I got antsy, went to the front, worked too hard and popped. I lost contact with the group and finished the last two laps on my own.

As it turned out the winner of group (cat 4,5) averaged 24 mph, faster than any other group. Although the Masters 35+ and Cat 1,2,3 groups did 1 and 2 more 17 mile laps.

I was at the Shop yesterday and got the scoop on the 2010 mountain bikes. Both Jamis and Cannondale have a new carbon fiber 29er coming out and Jamis has a 650b (1/2 way between the old standard 26” mountain wheel and a 29er).

Thursday I leave for Winter Park for real mountain biking, I can’t wait!

Bernie and I trying to catch our respective groups. Picture from Skinnyski.com

Time to start racing

On Saturday is the Spunk lake Road Race in Avon. I haven’t been too into road races this year but this one is close to home and with my upcoming schedule I’d like to see where my fitness is at, so I am in. I rode the course Tuesday night for a refresher and felt really good doing the loop in about 45 min.

Next weekend I am headed to Winter Park Colorado to ride in the King of the Rockies mountain bike race. Then spending a few days riding in the area.

Labor day weekend is the Mountain bike stage race at Maplelag, if I go I will probably just do the X-country race Sunday as Saturday is Madelyn’s birthday.

Then the 19^th is the Chequamegon 40 in Heyward WI and the 27^th is the Jail trail race in St. Cloud followed by the Pork Chop Cyclocross race the next day.

During the rest of September, all of October and most of November there are 2 cross races every weekend around the twin cities area I hope to do a few but we’ll see.

The weather has me thinking about the upcoming winter and Skiing. I noticed the Mora Vassaloppet has a price hike from $65 to $80 on September 1^st. I should wait until I know there is going to be good snow but by the time you know for sure the price is up to $110. I really liked the race last year so I think I’ll register now. Besides if I do that for 3 years and not have good snow and miss one year I am still money ahead of paying $110 each year for two years. That’s my story.

Drug Test

I have worked at the same place for 22 years and until last November have never been picked for a random drug test. I just got picked again, twice now in 9 months. Any of you who ride with me know I am not on drugs but if it is truly random I should have a long time before I get popped again…

Nah, I like being slow.

Nuts & Bolts

Last weekend my dad, brother Brad (from Toronto eh), brother Phil and I sailed in the Leech Lake regatta for the second year in a row. There was about 50 boats in 7 divisions with prizes going to the top three in each division. The boats are ranked by complex rating system and grouped into the divisions based on the rating. We were surprised Friday night when we learned we were in division 6, the second fastest in the race.

We sailed all three days in light winds and finished in the group each day (unlike last year) but ended up last in the division.

After looking at the results and the ratings of each boat it seemed clear we were put in the wrong division and there was even a boat in division 5 that had a lower (lower = faster) rating than us.

My dad talked to the race official and although it probably wouldn’t change for this race he was assured we would be in Division 5 next year.

Looking at the corrected time of each leg we would have been third.

A sailing trophy would be cool!

St Cloud Crit

A nice day, a little breezy, great race Grandstay. Enough said.

Up Nort'

The Family and I went to Walker this past weekend. The weather wasn't the best, Windy and cold on Saturday and the same with some rain sprinkles on Sunday. I went out for a good 3 hour mountain bike ride Saturday morning in the Paul bunyan state forest. The more I explore the trails the more I enjoy riding there. I rode a 26 mile loop this weekend and two weekends ago rode about the same distance with only the first 6 miles being on the same section of trail.

I've been pondering putting together a race up there but struggle with the time commitment necessary to pull it off. It would be a great fall race and there are plenty of trails to get a 30-50 mile loop. We'll see.

I Squeezed in a lap at the north loop last night, Tami and I plan on going for a ride tonight and I plan to do the Tuesday group ride if life doesn't get in the way.

Here is a porcupine I rode by Saturday, he really didn't care that I was there at all he just stuck up his quills and kept munching on his snack.