Thursday, August 11, 2011

UGH

Sorry guys that i haven't put a post up yet. I actually just finished one for our Concord, NH trip. Worked on it all day and then when I went to publish it. Blogger told me I had exceeded the 1MB limit. Frustrated at this, I think your going to have to wait a little longer for a post from me.

NYCROSS.com series announced


Cross season is not far off for us here in the northern parts of NY.  We are getting in our last races on the road and a few weekend rides as a team.  Our email listserv has been a buzz about the upcoming NYCROSS.com series and what bikes we are going to be getting.  It seems most of us are going to be picking up the Specialized CruX for the upcoming season.  Orders are in and we are waiting for bike to arrive, barriers to be jumped, and drinks to be drank.  

Stay tuned for upcoming training weekend pictures, always a plus. 

September 10: NYCROSS.com Beginner’s Clinic, Troy New York (registration)
September 11: Kirkland Cyclocross, Kirkland, NY (info)
October 2: CX at Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY (info)
October 15 & 16: Uncle Sam GP of Cyclocross, Troy, NY (info)
October 23: Saratoga Spa Cyclocross, Saratoga, NY (info)
October 30: Wicked Creepy, Bennington, VT (info)
November  13: Bethlehem Cup, Bethlehem, NY (info)
Head on over to www.nycross.com for updates on all the series info!


Monday, August 8, 2011

Concord ... end of season...or new beginning~?!

As I have begun my journey to prepare for 2012 Ironman Lake Placid, my cycling legs have suffered dearly. Having never ever been a runner (no soccer, no track--I played tennis for godsakes), every run, regardless of how innocuous it may seem, hurts ... badly. Consequently, my riding has come less frequently, and when it does, it's often on the flattest roads I can find. I knew I wasn't in my best cycling shape, but, wheather it's the Transition or 1080's, I have done a few respectable time trial times, and therefore I figured I'd at least be able to survive the Concord Crit, but I really didn't WANT to race. I did however, feel like hanging out with some of my best friends for a weekend, and it was easy to be away because my wife was away with the girls...so I had run out of excuses, and I'm soooo glad I did.

It seems those long hours with Ashton and Jeff riding endlessly in my basement or Ashton's garage were years ago and I had no intention of doing any racing beyond Wilmington-Whiteface RR weekend. Last year the trip to Concord, NH was the swan song of my season..(when Kelley, perhaps rightfully, put the kibosh on GMSR). Luckily, I was introduced to the joys of D/H mtb'ing by Mike, and this new found sport kept me lovin' life till the snow flew. This year, the trip to Concord has rejeuvenated my desire to compete on the road.

A few questions remain...can I scrounge up the will-power to train my biking the way it needs to be trained to compete? Can I lose those last 4 stubborn pounds by September? Can I continue to run and make any progress at all? Will my life and wife allow me to race the weekends there are races?...We will see. For now, suffice it to say that the Concord, NH trip always seems to be a revelation.