2011 Sea Otter Classic Pro Men’s Short Track

A little race video to motivate those of us who  live in the Midwest right now, regardless of the weather, WORS #1 is right around the corner!

I threw this together pretty quick, somehow I lost the 1st edit the night after this race.  That version was much better, but not doing all that work all over again…this one is still good though, so enjoy!

2011 Pro Men's Short Track at the Sea Otter Classic. Race #3 in the 2011 Pro XCT. Course was 2 minute laps and very "tight", more places to pass please!

Being only my second Short Track ever, I was very inexperienced as to how to do well in these.  I was pushed at times, but most of the time I was waiting for opportunity to pass, but still conserving energy “for later”.  In short track there is no “later”.  You turn yourself inside out every opportunity you get till your at the front or blown up!  Too used to cross country races I guess, so I learned and I will be ready when Subaru Cup Pro XCT #5 comes to Wisconsin, and knowing WORS, they will have a course that makes sense.  One thing roadies do have down is how to run a crit, there are enough places to pass and move up in the pack if you have the power to do so.  The two Short Tracks I have done seemed to be decided by the call-up, this is a part of Pro Mountain Biking, but the amount of effect it has can be limited by course design.  Perfect example in the video is Trebon coming by me on the last lap, with his experience and ability he should be near the front, but with no call-up on a course like this there is much more luck involved rather than race ability.  Just a little constructive criticism.

The Week spent in the California was amazing, so more on that when I write my Sea Otter Cross Country report, but now I gotta do reading for a class that meets in 30 minutes!

Thanks for reading!

Nathan

Kern Canyon Trail

 

Road Racing and Sea Otter Approaches

Last weekend I wanted to get my legs ready for the intensity of Sea Otter so I went out and did some Wisconsin Crits.  4 Races total, Saturday I did the Cat 3 and took 5th after getting caught in the last 200 meters, followed it up by the Pro/1/2/3 Race.  Solid 2 hour effort total. I was hoping to do some work and friendly competition with Tristan, but he made a break when I was not paying much attention, almost bridged with 3 laps to go, but the only people with me were ISCorp teammates covering so it was not gonna happen.  The Sprint was nutz as I took the last corner a bit hot and ended up off-road, unclipped with old MTB Time pedals, somehow got back on-road and half-sprinted unclipped for 17th out 50 something guys???  

Sunday went well too, saw some personal best wattage numbers on the anaerobic side of things which is always good.  Did the Masters 1/2/3 Race and took 6th after we got lapped by 4 guys, need to figure out this when to go for attacks thing better…but it is for training really and so there is no “wasting” energy for me, I just want to push my limits.  Immediately after this I did the 3’s race and got 4th in a group sprint.  Both good results and  did a ton of the work at the front in both these races, mission accomplished.

Left for California on Tuesday night from Milwaukee, a quick stop in Vegas to unload and reload passengers and arrived at in L.A.where my buddy Tyler Gauthier from Culver's racing picked me up.   We drove about 2 hours to this beautiful scenery in the background in Bakersfield, California.  Awesome and very different riding here, somewhat longer climbs compared to the midwest at 10+ minutes and crazy fast descents!  We are staying with Tyler’s Coach Danny Kaukola, him and his family are amazing people.  Tons of great conversations about Cycling and its future in our culture happening along with training stuff and and a bit of conversation about the meaning of life and following Christ. 

Also getting a bit of the classic bike shipping issues when it comes to a traveling Pro Mountain biker…still waiting for my bike to arrive, so I have been using a loaner for local fun riding that scares the crap outta me!…clicking refresh on the UPS website over and over so we can go pick it up.  We setup an intercept for it, so we can get it as soon  as it arrives at the local UPS HUB. 

Short Track Friday and Cross Country Saturday.  Hopefully UCI allows Handlebar cameras so I can provide some PRO XCT racing experience via Video. 

Missing  the Family, Love you all back home!

Thanks for reading,

Prayers and wishes for luck appreciated!

Nathan

Chickasaw Trace Classic Race Video

Took a little while to get it up, but here is my race from the Sunday before last at the 16th annual Chickasaw Trace Classic.  ENJOY!

Chickasaw Trace Classic Pro/Cat1 Race March 27th 2011 as recorded by Nathan Guerra's GoPro HD Handlebar Camera.

Race Results

Turn out was a little thin due to weather, but this event in awesome and I highly suggest it.

Day before the race I tried to pre-ride and ended up in a crazy lightning/thunderstorm at 40 degrees.  I kept trying to get out on course and the storm would not let up and I was soaked to the bone, so no pre-ride.  It pretty much rained all day and night, so the course was a bit muddy the next day, but the ground is so hard packed here that it just gets really slick.  Glad it was not peanut butter mud…the mud did cause me a few crashes though, which are in the video.  It was a little cold at the start, damp  and 35-40 degrees, but nothing compared to what these guys were doing that weekend.

The camper in the video is what we lived in while in North Carolina and Tennessee.  It was awesome and a total adventure for the kids, as seen in some earlier blog post pics and the family in the video each lap. 

Next up a little Wisconsin Road Racing and then Sea Otter!

Stay Tuned and thanks for reading/watching,

Nathan

Hobby Park Race Video/Southern Classic Series #2

As promised here is the Race footage from Hobby Park with a little editing and play by play text.  ENJOY!

2011 Southern Classic Series Race #2

Race Results

Should have Chickasaw Trace footage up in the next day or two.

Quick Update!

After an awesome Spring Break Vacation and two Races on either end of the week I have come back to a ton of work to do at home.  So quick update with a few photos from the Trip and yesterdays Race, the “Chickasaw Trace Classic”. An amazing event, really fun and unique trails, and the absolute best trophies I have ever seen bar none. 

If there is a puddle, Kyle will find a way to get in it!

3-D Trophies are cool!

Two race videos coming soon along with a race re-cap from my first Pro Win of the year!

Thank God for Family and Racing!

Sorry, race video will have to wait till later, internet is too sporadic at this campsite to upload that kind of file. 

Best way to do the first intensity ride of the year, RACE!  Back hurt pretty bad and my strength was in endurance rather than climbing???  Very odd for me, but get the fit right on the bike I had only ridden once before and  the pain in my back should go away.  With getting ready for the trip, team management and school I had no time to get the bike ready, so just threw it in the van with anything I might need to make changes and drove on down.  Lindsay and I are gonna work on the fit before next weeks race.  Only 15 riders in my category and payouts were still on par with WORS, NICE!!!  I wonder if that has something to do with USA cycling rules?

Huge Thanks to the Greensboro Trek Store.  Soon as I got to the venue and met them it was like I had my own pit crew.  Those guys and gals ROCK!  Took care of minor first ride issues on my bike and did hand-ups!  THANK YOU!

Re-Cap

Got hole shot, lead in crazy WORS style sprint start, let a couple champion systems riders by when we started climbing, caught back up on tech stuff and me and one other champ systems guy ended up being the “lead” group.  He would get away on climbs and I would bring it back on descents or flats…TOO MUCH ROAD BIKE?…there was a linger spot of climbing mid lap and on the second I had to let him go, he got about a minute lead and then I brought it back within 30 seconds on the final lap.  We only raced for 1:26, little more time on the bike and I think I could have challenged pretty good.  Just was not feeling right till half way through the race, probably due to all my rides being endurance till now.

Now we are in Myrtle Beach and the weather is great!  The riding, well, not so great…Think Wisconsin Dells with absolutely no backroads…just busy highway.  I got a 5 hr ride in yesterday pretty much riding around on the same 3 roads that were somewhat quiet and away from traffic lights.  I am soooo thankful for Wisconsin back roads and the farm families who helped create the need for them!  Here some pics from the beach today…

As you can see I forgot the sun tan lotion yesterday…but its ok, as I always said to my Siblings growing up “I am more Mexican than you!”

Trying to be a little bit too cool I think…

Of course the pollen is insane down here, so get away from the cold to be tortured by spring allergies early, I had a slight or maybe medium intensity asthma situation at the end of my ride yesterday due to the amount of pollen that had accumulated in my lungs. Asphyxiation is the same as elevation training right???  Never seen so much pollen, my arms were caked with yellow dust, and all the stuff sitting outside has a yellow film on it.

I think I will ride the beach tonight to stay away from the traffic and the suffocating…hopefully I can upload a short race video soon.

Thanks for reading!