Astroturf, peanut butter and soup

Last Saturday, I rode (competed?) in the Elite race of the USGP in Madison. The ground was damp but not slippery. This made for traction like riding on astroturf, allowing me to really lean over and carve turns, as seen here:

photo: Bill Kieth

I had a good start and made it through the first-lap chaotic frenzy relatively unscathed.

Photo: Bill Kieth

I finished mid-pack, which is about all I could hope for against competition of that caliber.

Overnight it rained and rained. I elected to do the master's race Sunday, and while warming up the course was like peanut butter - thick and heavy. It's difficult to ride in peanut butter, and it packs up on the bike to the point where it's hard to keep the wheels turning. Luckily, it started pouring rain (and even hailing) before our start and the mud turned in to soup. As you can hopefully imagine, it's much easier to ride through soup than peanut butter, and soup doesn't pack on your bike like peanut butter can. Think about it - you've never had soup stuck to the roof of your mouth, have you?

photo: NikkiCyp

I had another good start, moving up at least 40 spots in the first lap. Thereafter it became much more difficult to make headway, as the more fit and technically adept riders were all that were left in front of me. I'm racing my way in to shape and having huge fun along the way.

USGP Sun Prairie

My first USGP races this weekend in Sun Prairie I would say were a success. Saturday I started near the back in 71st and managed to make my way into the lead on the first lap. After a few laps solo and some time getting acquainted with the dirt, the race came down to a photo finish.

I would have liked the top step, but second is still pretty good in my book.

Day 2 on Sunday did not start out as anyone would have hoped. Temperatures in the 40's and rain made conditions tough. It also made me wonder what I had gotten myself into. The race began with another start in 77th near the back. After the second lap I found a partner in crime to swap the lead with each lap. Again, some time getting to know the mud face to face left me behind to claim 2nd place. Hat's off to Tyler Jenema from Mafia Racing. His skills and balance in the mud gave him the clear advantage over me.

Moving on up

David Reyes has been the SRAM Factory team's standout in the first month of the season. After strong performances in the season-opening Jackson Park CX relay race back in August, he went on to win the Cat 3 race at Patriot Cross on September 11 and again at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup season opener on the 18th, again at Jackson Park.

David's Patriot Cross trophy is also useful for dead lifts, squats, and as an indoor climbing wall. Photo: Dave Stone 

Photo: Eric Goodwin

The twisting descent just before the pits at Jackson Park. Photo: Eric Goodwin

David's last trip to the podium as a Cat 3! Photo: unknown...

The evening of David's Jackson Park win, he requested an upgrade to Cat 2, and it was granted by noon Monday. Now he'll be trading paint with the big boys...and we think he'll be giving as good as he gets! Good luck David!

Family time

I competed in three relay races this past Sunday - the 40+ race with J.P. McCarthy, The 1/2/3 event with David Reyes and the coed race with my wife, Ellen. Our nearly-eight-month-old son Ellis was also there, cheering us on. OK, so maybe he wasn't entirely certain what we were up to, but I think he enjoyed the sights and sounds and especially all the attention he received. 


One of the things I love about 'cross is how spectator and family friendly it is - races are typically held in easy-to-access city parks rather than on the edge of nowhere, laps are short, and the action is continuous. And everybody loves a good wipe-out.

The season has begun!

Cyclocross season starts early in Chicago. This past Sunday xXx Racing put on a CX relay race in Jackson Park. 2-person teams trade off each lap, so it's six minutes of hard riding followed by six minutes of recovery, then repeat for an hour or more. Excellent high-intensity training and a fun way to kick off the season.

David Reyes in action. Photo: Duane Higgs



SRAM Factory team members had a great time and some great results, winning two races and finishing second to Chicago.CX in the Cat 1/2/3 event after a tough battle and at least half a dozen lead changes. We finished the day sore and exhausted, but itching for more.

Early season suffering is good for you. Photo: Lauri Novak Photography



The season really gets going a few short weeks from now.  The relay race made it clear that everyone shares our team's enthusiasm for the months ahead!

Cross Fever

Now this was a proper 'cross practice - lots of enthusiasm, and a little blood. We've switched to Wednesdays at 6pm.

While my friends in the US are relearning dismounts and counting days rather than weeks for their first race those of us cross the pond are just thinking about the season. No, we're not all on holiday, the season here doesn't start until October and real racing a month after that. Of course a less than summer like August gets the spirit going, if not the legs too. Still some long days on the road before riding turns to dirt full time.

A family visit in the afternoon provides a the perfect reason for the first ride in the Strijbeek woods. A voice greeted us from across the hedge as we unloaded, the Dutch 50-60 master champion had just finished washing a bike from his morning ride. He noted our fenders, for training rides a requirement. The woods are great for riding big skinny tires; some paved path, forest singletrack and leg busting climbs. Climbs? In western Holland? The climbs here go for hundreds of meters in all directions, just not uphill. Climbs here are endless millimeters the depth your tires sink into the wet sand. When the legs can no longer push forward the paved path lets you scramble back to the group, hop off and you're climbing again.

With knobs covered in fresh sandy mud the season's first ride is done. Soon every weekend will have a split personality, clean days for the mind and muddy ones for the soul.