What a difference a year makes.

I’ve been riding a lot this year, even in this cold weather.  I know that cold weather doesn’t keep “serious cyclists” from their training rides (and sometimes, cold weather just means riding the rollers or the trainer), but it keeps me from doing a lot of things.  I hate the cold, and I really hate the darkness that comes with winter.

Last year at this time, in addition to hating the cold and the dark, I also hated my job.  I knew that I would be job searching in the spring and I became obsessed with finding a job in a place with warmer weather.  Cliff was a bit difficult to convince, but I just knew that warmer weather would make everything better.  

It turns out that warmer weather was not in my future… Cliff got promoted at work, and I eventually took the job at Lake Forest College.  While I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be staying in Chicago, I was excited about my new job, and hoped that would be enough to make the cold winters more bearable.

Then, along came cross season.  I “raced” cross last season, which meant that I did a few races and merely hoped to finish without killing myself.  I dropped out of one race because of a crash that sent me over my handlebars, but I finished every other race that I entered.  But, I wasn’t riding on non-race days because it was cold and dark out.  If the temps dropped below 40 degrees, there was no way in hell I was getting on my bike – and I barely got out of bed to hit the gym once or twice a week.

This year, I decided that my new goal was to finish every race, and to just not be last.  I’ve continued riding even after the temps dropped below 40 degrees and I’ve found that just the act of getting on the bike each day makes the winter more bearable.  Of course, warmer gear helps, too.  With only one more race to go, I’ve met my goal in every race!

Over the past four days, I have ridden outside every single day, for at least two hours each day.  Once cross season is over, I will more than likely hang up the bike for the winter and start hitting the gym, but I’m proud of myself for making it this far into the winter.

Woodstock Video

Lou takes the win!

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Woodstock 4B photos?

It looks like we neglected the 4B racers at Woodstock.  Anyone catch any photos that you’d like to share?  Post the links in the comments section and I’ll link to you.

Sorry, 4B Racers!  I spent your entire race sitting in the nice warm car, waiting for the 4A results to get finalized so we could go home.  Had I known it would take so long, I would have stuck around to get photos of your race.  Hopefully someone out there has some shots to share…

2008 Woodstock Cross

Pictures from today are posted here.

Today’s course was awesome!  I was a bit worried about the part through the woods, but after the first time through, it was a breeze.  

As I was going through the pictures tonight, I was struck by the different faces people make when they’re racing.  Check them out below.

End of the Year Cross Banquet

I kept putting it off, but I finally registered today for the End of the Year Cross Banquet.  I’ve heard that attendance has been pretty poor in the past, so hopefully people will get excited and come out this year.  If nothing else, let’s support EJ’s Place (owner, EJ Lenzi, sponsors many teams as well as the junior cross entry fees).

Don’t delay… sign up today.  Registrations postmarked prior to December 7 are just $15 per adult.  After December 7, the price goes up to $20 per adult.  You can even register online!

More Lansing photos.

I’m finally uploading the rest of the Lansing photos.  This set includes:

Womens 1/2/3
Mens 3
Mens 50+
Womens 4
Juniors
Mens 1/2/3

Check them out, here.  And, I’ve included a few shots below as well.

Woodstock.

Chicrosscup website: Course map now posted, as well as a prize list!

And, info about Montrose and chip timing.

Lansing Video

Roman has been experimenting with a teeny tiny waterproof video camera. Check out his footage from the Lansing race!

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2008 Lansing Cross – Masters photos

I was able to get the masters photos edited and uploaded today.  Find them here.

I still have quite a few more photos from the Lansing race, but I’ll get them up slowly but surely.  🙂

2008 Lansing Cross

Enquiring minds wanted to know… “What’s in the crockpot?”  I heard someone yell this as I was running through the sand pit this afternoon.  If I’d had the energy, I would have yelled that I didn’t put anything in the crockpot, but that I had manicotti waiting to go in the oven when we got home.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have the energy.  Hell, I barely had the energy to yell at the idiot who stopped in the middle of the course during our race, forcing the leader to run right into him.  Idiot.

I have the best teammates ever.  As I was warming up before my race, Mark convinced me to try his tubular tires.  I was pretty worried about hitting a barrier and ruining his wheels, but he was so low-key about it.  During the warm up, I didn’t really notice much difference between Mark’s wheels versus what I was used to with my wheels, but once I got going, I could really feel the difference on the corners.  Those babies cornered like they were on rails.  It might have been my imagination, but I sure had fun in the corners!

Between Mark’s wheels, and my new super-fast shoes from the team, I was styling!  Too bad they didn’t really make me fast, but they were certainly more comfortable than the shoes that I have been wearing.  The only issue I had was with the brand-spanking new cleats which were sometimes difficult to disengage from the pedals.  I almost went down a couple of times.  My old cleats were so worn in that I often pulled out of my pedals, so these new ones took a little getting used to.

I took a lot of pictures today.  Since Jack won his race, I worked backwards to get the 4s up first (sorry I didn’t get a better shot of you coming across the finish line!).  Those are posted here.  Congrats,  Jack!!  And, great job to all the other Pony Shop racers who came out today!  Only two more ChiCrossCup races to go (then we’re off to Mexico for a week)!

 

Jack celebrating his win in the 4A race