Video Blogging-Lactate Tolerance/Lactate Threshold reps

Gonna try and say on top of this as much as possible.  Look for  at least a weekly video update in addition to the usual write ups.  These videos will focus more on training and products till I get a better camera that can capture good race and ride footage.  If you have a  youtube account I would really appreciate your “subscritions” to my channel or should I say subscriptions…if your into that sort of thing.  Then again, you can just get them here too…

First time, so sound is a bit rough, they will only get better…

Double Header Weekend: Fall Color Festival and Bear Paw Rock ‘n’ Roll

Fall Color Festival Recap

Casual start, we even delayed the start for Carlos and Ministor who forgot their timing chips.  But then again…I have a race tomorrow, so end it early is what I was thinking. 

Ronsta had a gear in anticipation of Emma Carlin Trails, so he led until open double track in lead-out field.  I took over and set a high tempo pace.  Gap was instant and I thought just go and then ride a chill pace once I get away.  Well this worked until the cut-off to the connector loop.

Rear tire was flat and it did not happen fast, so I figured slow leak, and  I could seal with a co2 and the stans in there.  1st stop use 1/2 a c02 and off again.  Seal did not happen so…2nd stop half way into connector and 1 c02 gone.  3rd stop half-way through Emma before the new uphill rock garden, as running on rim through their would be very very bad!  4th stop crossing bluff road, but no co2 left!!!  Ride rim to Blue Loop where I meet up with team mate Jerry and he gives me a co2.  Ride in really hard with tire full of air for first time since I left the blue loop.  I still won but it was all intervals anytime I was on the bike…needless to say I was cooked!

 

Lindsay raced too, and we both took the overall Win in the 30 mile event, it was a great Date Day for the two of us!

 

Team mate to the rescue!  Jerry was the man, not sure I would have held Ronsta off on the fastest part of the blue loop with no air in the rear.  Glad he was out for fun and waiting to see me at the intersection of the blue trail and the connector trail.

Bear Paw Recap

Lined up next to Darrin and he told me he did not feel any pain when he touched my legs, since I was commenting on how starting a WORS race with legs sore to the “touch” is probably gonna hurt really really bad!

 So he made sure it did!

I knew some form of me being amongst a lot of white, red, and orange was in store for me as I warmed up,, and they did not fail to deliver.  After the lead out climb I found myself near the front as the entire 212 team created a train and I felt like I was being boxed in, so I jumped out front on the long downhill before the first single-track, but a bit prematurely and Darrin was able to glide by for the hole-shot.  After a few sections of Single-track the selection was made and it was Chris and Darrin vs. me. 

They played a little team tactics and would send one off on attack while the other sat on with no chase.  I didn’t know how much intensity I had in me after Fall Color, so I would reel it in tempo style.  I was hoping to get into the single-track first at least once, but without a pre-ride I did not know when to go, and they were controlling the front as much as possible.  We gapped Chris going into lap three, so I knew he was hurting, but he came back, they let me lead on the downhill and then Darrin came with a strong attack into the single-track, I was done, completely cracked with nothing to respond with.  I thought for sure Chris would come around me too, but I think he had given everything he had to Darrin’s launch.  I saw Darrin for a bit around corners, or at the top of hills, but gap kept growing and  was continually trying to recover rather than reel him in.

I suffered pretty bad the rest of the race.  This face with the head cocked like that…that is my tell.  Every muscle I worked the day before…FELT 10 times worse the last lap at Bear Paw.  It was a different kind of cramps, felt more like tears in the muscle getting filled with concrete then the usual leg spasm cramps.  Spun as much as I could to hold on for second.

Darrin has been waiting on a win and I am really happy for him.  After this weekend I was thinking about the first time I met Darrin.  It was a Wednesday night race at crystal ridge and going into the last lap I saw this guy dressed in casual rider clothes on a single speed that looked 5 years old chasing me down up the start/lap climb???  I had a moment of disbelief and then a “uh-oh” I better go moment.  After the race I secretly grilled this guy for info on who the heck he was??? “wait, you have never raced seriously?”  “”So,uh, you gonna race WORS?”  “what ya do for training, nothing organized?” 

I and thought…if he gets motivated and trained, he is gonna dominate…

Well sure enough, THERE IT IS!

Pics Credit: Niki Frazier, Todd Herbst, Kelli Piotrowski, Gary Frost, Danny Marchewka

Treadfest in Motion

TJ’s Videos always ROCK!

Wisconsin Off-Road Series - Treadfest Cat 1 Race from Thomas Harron on Vimeo.

Watch the midwests finest on the initial climb up the hill at the start of the 2010 WORS Treadfest.

Treadfest & NO Cheq. 40???

Race Re-cap

Wanted the hole-shot, so I did this, but a certain Tour of California King of the Mountains decided he could climb better…not that I am arguing.

Then Tristan and I did a little bit of this and had a sizable gap right away.

Then coming into the Ski Hill x3 climbs Tristan made me look like this trying to hold his wheel.

I should have rode my own pace up and closed the gap in the single-track, but I was stubborn and blew up hard on the 3rd climb…had to spin light, gel, and drink, and the gap went out of control.

Going into lap 3 I was closing the gap, but had butterfingers and dropped a bottle on the 3rd climb up to the service tower…went back for it and lost a good chunk of time again, felt amazing the last lap but lap traffic pretty much neutralized things.  Tristan had an amazing race going to the front right from the start and just laying it down!  First loser is not too bad either!

No Cheq. 40?

Asa had a dance routine at half-time at the local football game on Friday night, so I decided to sit out, plus with school and something going on pretty much every night of the week, no travel this weekend was nice!  I wasn’t signed up anyways, I got a courtesy entry and with my Ore to Shore result I was a contender…but I will just have to make it up there next year! 

Instead of trying to be a cool guy in my forte, I decided to humble myself by literally learning how to ride a cross bike…by racing the Pro 1/2 race at the No Good Double Cross event just south of here in Eagle, WI. 

Here is me with the leaders in sight still…

And here is where I lose any sight of anyone on the course….

I pretty much powered my way to a 7th place, 1 place out of the money…it was weird lapping people like they were standing still to have them fly by me like I was standing still every time we dismounted, seriously, I was really bad!!!  But I guess being the first time ever riding a cross bike, I gotta give myself a little slack…

OUCH! Running stairs…I ran stairs in Russia once to stay in shape during my first year of racing citizen…I think that is the last time I did this…

Nice job to Ronsta in showing me the mad skillz! And thanks to Derek for letting me use his cross bike!

Next weekend is a double header with FCC and Bear Paw…Fall Color Festival is an amazing event and I really suggest everyone check it out!  Bike Demo’s running all day, food, music, beer…Some of the best trails in the State with a ton of new additions, multiple ride events for all levels of ability and the funds raised go right back into the trails, to keep them going year to year. 

Gonna be a lot of single-track riding next weekend, and I got some PR’s going  at the secret training camps too!

Thanks for reading!

Photo Credit: Ronsta, Amy Dykema, Niki Frazier, Gary Frost

Alterra Coffee Bean Classic

Level 1 Brian…Level 1…

 

Although I do believe Brian has Level “Ludicrous Speed” figured out well enough for me to feel “my brains in my feet” during the King of the Mountain climb. Can’t take credit for linking this idea to MTB, look to Phillips and the Lalonde Bro’s for that, back in June of 2008 I believe.

Race re-cap

The start here is always fast and furious for the hole-shot, and with $100 prime waiting just over the top of the ski hill, it was on from the gun.  Ronsta took the initial lead over the start climb with me in tow, giving it a very usual feel of wed. night racing at Crystal Ridge. 

With Ron spun out on his new Salsa single speed I took control of the reins, wanting to make sure I lead into the climb.  Everything was as planned till Matter gave an unexpected dash to the climb and closed the door a few times as I tried to pass on our way up the first 2 switch backs.  I was at limit from leading out and sprinting a few times to try an pass.  I had nothing to challenge Brian’s Ludicrous Cyclocross start.

That is the look of concession, with a hint of I am coming for ya…

Brian coming over the top with me in chase.

Up over the top with Darrin and Mikey in tow.

After the King of the Mountain climb Mikey Phillips pulled Darrin and I just about up to Matter and then Phillips proceeded to the ground for a little break dancing in a dusty corner.  I watched for a minute entertained and then allowed him to pull back up to Darrin and Matter before we began the start/finish climb and the 1st full lap of the race.

Up the start/finish climb the pace seemed chill so I tested it a bit over the top and it hurt, but enough to keep everyone together with no attacks.  Darrin led into the single-track and immediately we had a gap on Matter and Phillips.  Darrin was riding exceptionally well in the dry corners and I was sliding out a bit on them with a little too much PSI in the tires, turning the tables a bit in his favor in the single-track.  I took over the pace half-way through the lap and into the switchback/ski hill climb. 

This was the story the rest the race, Darrin would lead into the single-track, I would take over on the climbs.

Starting the Start/Finish climb.

 

Hoping I am not the only one this is really, really, hurting!

Looked back at Darrin a few times during these climbs thinking…man does he look calm…man am I in for a fight…

I think we both secretly, or not so secretly, knew where we wanted to test each other and during lap two Darrin had me scared of losing his wheel in the dry tight stuff for a bit, but as soon as the ground firmed up by the river I was right back on him.

Props to Darrin on his sportsmanship, as I missed a 2 bottle hand-up coming over the start/finish climb, as I slowed to grab it  he grabbed my hand up for me, respect!

On the last lap Darrin fought me pretty good to get into the single-track first, but then the pace felt a bit slower then before.  Do I smell blood?

If I could avoid a sprint finish I would, so on the last lap going into the single-track before the ski hill/switchback climb I took a 2x caffeine powergel and took over the lead.  I made sure to punch it every time I got a chance until I bobbled on one of the turns.  Darrin  matched every move in that new “HD” single-track , but I was hoping to soften him a bit before the ski hill climb. 

I kept the pace pinned up the hill and then went into attack mode where it got really steep at the elite course split that takes us up to the service shack.  Saw a gap opening and killed myself over the top.  Descended cross eyed off the hill, and then surprisingly felt a surge in the energy level from that double latte powergel, surprised by my ability to push at this point I let my fear of Darrin’s chase drive me toward the finish as hard as I could go.  In my rush I took one of the dry dusty corners a bit to fast and went down…”Oh no, oh no, all that effort for nothing…” But gap still intact I pushed on hard.

Constantine giving me a high five before the last descent, while I let down my attack mode and you see the pain beneath the surface…

Pain mode off…

Attack Mode ON!

Rode the “crazy path cut into side of ski hill not meant for human traversing descent of insanity” smooth and was able to ride up the finsh climb at  a chill pace for the win!

Again, what is up with that tongue thing…it is this weird slightly involuntary thing I learned was cool a long time ago…but just looks awkward to me now.

Two podium pics because while I was on the podium this one was for…

Attack MODE BABY!  Love you Kyle!

And this one is GLORY TO GOD!

Sponsors are AWESOME!: Powerbar, Mr. Tree, Wheel and Sprocket, and thanks to Trek/GF for making that bike in the picture!

People making it happen: LINDSAY GUERRA!!!, “Gma Meal” and “Jaws” rawr…rawr…rawr…,D. Slates Meister, Matt, Ronsta and all the other awesomeness in Delafield, Jerry Leair, rest my family which  is way tooo big to write down…thank you all for your love and support, and I want to thank all my competitors.  You guys have taught me how to race and pushed me to the level I ride at today…thank you!

 

Thanks for capturing all the moments seen here: Amy Dykema,  Gary Frost, Melissa Kennedy, Ty/Christine, and Niki Frazier! (Besides the old school ones of Kyle)