My Pro XCT Prep

See a resemblance?

Above is my Daughter Asa bombing the hill at Lapham Peak during our weekly group ride.  She always asks to climb the hill, but I am starting to think the climb has nothing to do with the request…Below is me giving it all at this past weekends Subaru Cup Pro XCT #5 and WORS #4.

Now if I could only take Asa’s advice about how to win a race.  Prior to the weekend Asa, on her own initiative, told me to not try to go to the front right away but sit in “5th or 6th” and then go for it on the last lap…if only I had listened to that advice after I made the lead group in that Short Track…Full race report to come on this and the rest of this past weekend, pretty much the most amazing  racing event I experience every year, right here in Midwest Wisconsin!

Here are a few other pics of my Preparation for the big weekend.

Above is a win the weekend prior at the 3 hour events in the WEMS Southern Kettle Classic at the John Muir Trails…Below sprinting with the road bikes during a short cameo I made at the Gun Show last week Tuesday.

Stay Tuned!

Road Race State Champ and WORS #3

Last week Sunday was the Wisconsin Road Race State Championships.  I raced the 4/5’s last year and won.  So I decided to try and make it a repeat in a Cat higher.  Mission Accomplished!      Cat 3 Wisconsin Road Race State Champion and I have to say this ride has got something to do with it!

This past Sunday was WORS race #3 in Wausau WI, The Trek Big Ring Classic.  After racing very well in the State Champs and feeling amazing on my mid-week intensity ride I had high hopes going in and thought a win was well within reach. 

Here is a great pic of the Pro/Cat 1 start from Amy Dykema.  Spectators were out in full force!

Here is my post-race interview which gives a good play-by-play race re-cap

So 5th on the day and depending on how things play out in the series maybe a keeper in the series points.  I will need to do better than that to keep up in the series with Brian and Tristan though.

I saw the allergist mid-week and he warned me the pollen count was going to be very high and even sent a refill of my preventative meds over to the local Walgreens.  Should have gotten them as I ran out of the Anti-Inflammatory Saturday night!  I have grown so accustom to not having reactions since receiving these treatments that I just took it for granted and thought “just don’t panic” all would be ok, how bad could it be right?  WRONG, I once again understand why asthma and allergies are for real and have learned a valuable lesson to take every precaution against them.  I even thought about going to the local Walgreens in Wausau to see if they could transfer from Oconomowoc, should have tried.

I still had a good race though, but was pretty confounded every time I went to push the pace at the front or tried to keep up with attacks. I found every effort well below what I have been doing lately.  But I should have things in order for Subaru Cup.

After the race I stood and talked for a minute or so and then tried pedaling again, instantly I knew my knee was much worse then I had thought it was during the race.  My own diagnosis is “really bad bruise”, but this is on the knee cap, which can really slow you down with all the dependence on bending and stuff.  So ice, elevation, and easy rides/movement have been in order the last 2 days.

This pic does not do the knee justice, but you can see it.  Now if I can only figure out how to be in this position at the finish line, I might actually win a race one of these days…just kidding…kinda...  Med tent said I had a puncture, laceration, and abrasion.  It swelled a bit yesterday.

 

It is starting to come around though and some hard efforts are in order tomorrow before the toss up between TOAD and The Southern Kettles WEMS race, leaning toward Kettles, my mountain bike misses me I think.  Been lacking the Force lately.

Thanks for reading,

Nathan

Photo Credit: Amy Dykema, Niki Frazier

Living Vision and Biking Waukesha

Working backwards in blog posts to last week Saturday.  First up, family time Wednesday, hopefully tomorrow  will post Gun Show Footage from Tuesday night, and finally Race footage from Last Saturdays 12 hrs of Northern Kettles (I did the 3 hr…).

So we are always suppose to “practice what you preach”, so in the spirit of Vision’s mission and with the upcoming Bike to Work day put on by Bike Waukesha, we decided to do some reconnaissance  and show the kids that a bike is not only the perfect way to enjoy a day, but also the best way to go almost anywhere we need too.

Once in Waukesha our first stop was at Café De Arts, Ronsta has mentioned it many times so I had to try and I was AMAZED by the food and service.  A MUST STOP in Waukesha for Breakfast or Lunch.  And to top it off they support cycling and are a sponsor of the Bike to Work day next Friday, which would be an awesome way to try some of their selection.

Charis and Asa splitting a Fauve while Lindsay and I split a couple Mediterranean selections.

And of course Ice Cream from Sloppy Joes Soda Fountain can’t be missed on a 4 hour ride in 80 degree weather.

Charis and Kyle in the Burly I towed, enjoying some bubble gum bliss on their taste buds!

Nothing like a Chocolate 1x caffeine powergel to keep those little legs pushing Mommy around.  She is such a trooper, smiles the whole time!

Next up from this blog will be this last Tuesday’s Video edit of the Gunshow. I think it was one of the hardest “Training Rides” I have ever done.  Here is a graph of how close I cam to Personal Best numbers on my power meter for the duration of the ride.

 

I am always surprised that I don’t usually (once or twice on this ride I have)  put down personal best numbers on the power meter during hard group rides, on the Gun Show my ride numbers on the graph just hover below the Personal Best line.  Then I remember that all those personal best numbers are set, when focusing specifically, all in one effort, from start to finish, on each of those time durations…so to push the envelope on all those personal bests while going pretty much all out the entire ride and mix some stop signs and lights in…yea its crazy fast!  Want a hard workout, come check it out sometime.

Thanks for reading,

Nathan