PSIMET's Norge CX Race

Destination Destin

the Off Season is good. 

Told ya.

sometimes you win.

CX Racing Anyone?

the 100 (2011)

I mean the almost 100 (2011). August brings heat and racing burnout, so I like to revert to the good ol days and ride long. I didnt hit that oh so nice to hit 100 mile mark, but 90 aint no joke. Plus, it certainly trumps being behind the work desk on a Monday.

Podium Love

*Tall guy with blue Enzo's Buttonhole hat = ME.

I found the podium this past weekend at the 2011 Superweek. This series is two weeks long with racing every day in the Milwaukee & Chicago area.

On Sunday I was second in my race which gave me first in my age group. Three races done (6th, 2nd, 18th) with at least 4 more to come. Currently, I have slipped out of the top spot in my age group. I hope to regain it WITH a victory very soon.

Podiums are fun.

live in the moment

live in the moment, originally uploaded by aham23.

three days into superweek (2 weeks of races everyday in northern IL and southern WI) and i am doing well. 6th and a 2nd = 1st overall in my age group. so i get chocolate and jerseys.

next up, a win perhaps.....

Fox River Grove

PSIMET Racing saves the day. Now, it is up to YOU to spread the word and make a big turnout happen. You know you want to see all us PSIMET riders stepping up on the podium so get your butts bikereg'ed.

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=13365

simply hard

the 2011 Leland Kermesse was this past weekend. conditions were not good for this race. its flat, wide open, with 3 sections of gravel. it rained over night and during the race. oh yeah, it was windy too. just what the Organizers wanted.

pay attention, the winning strategy for this race is very simple; hit it hard, ride to podium.

simple, yet, oh so hard to execute. that is the beauty of this race.

i rode near the front as we approached the first section of gravel. i was informed of the men to watch, so i was, and when they ramped it up i did too. i hit that first section 3rd or 4th wheel. the two guys up front really were laying it down. i knew it was the winning move and i was close to grabbing on.

a couple turns later i got into a soft spot on the inside that almost took me down. i was almost at a stop. the group of 3 rode away and one rider passed me. i looked back to see the field imploded and i got moving forward again. i picked up the WDT rider who just passed me, he was hurting. i told him we had to go, we had to catch that move, that's the winning move. i rode on without him.

what a massive struggle that chase was. i kept them in sight with maybe a 20 second gap. after the 2nd section of gravel the WDT rider was back. recovered, he told me to ease up a bit as i could not close the gap alone. he was right and we worked well together. he would yell at me when i pulled too long. we closed the gap a bit, but never enough to make that final push.

my legs were good, but the rest of me wasn't. i was sick and up all night Friday due to it. head hurt, stomach hurt, breathing hampered, ect.... disappointing for sure, but that's life.

middle of lap two and we were still 4th and 5th on the road, but no longer closing the gap. WDT was now yelling at me to take my damn turn. i could barely stay with him now. lap 2, the second section of gravel, i let his wheel go. he rode solo the rest of the way to finish 4th. solid guy and great finish.

at the start of lap 3 i wanted to stop, to cry, the punch someone in the face, to do anything, but race this race. i sat up and a group of 4 picked me up. familiar faces including a teammate doing his first race ever. we rode together, racing for 5th place, the rest of way. near the end a few fell off and one move was made that i covered. it got two of us clear to race for 5th alone. we made the LEFT turn to the finish line & i made an attempt to ride him off my wheel. didn't work and he got me in the alleged sprint for 5th.

lap 1 = punish the first section of gravel to create gap. punish sections 2 & 3 of gravel to maintain gap. ride to podium with whoever is left.

oh Leland Kermesse i love you so.

2011 Leland Kermesse

MK3_0688.jpg, originally uploaded by never drown out.

me, solo, early in lap one chasing the winning move.

Sherman Park Crit

Near the front doing some work this past weekend at the Sherman Park Crit.

This was the CAT 4 race, my first of two. I flatted on the warm up lap. This ended those starting up front ideas. Luckily a teammate, not racing this field, was on hand to provide me his rear wheel. Much thanks Jesse.

I had good legs, but I followed the wrong wheel with one to go then took the wrong line for the sprint. At least 15 riders flew by me on the inside line. Live and learn. 25th / 71 starters.

Second effort was the the Masters 30+ 4/5. I wanted to start up front. We took the warm up lap, most of the field didn't, and I started at the back. Live and learn. My race lasted 6 minutes when a crash went down behind me & somehow a rider T-Boned my rear wheel. Impact was behind the rear derailleur and trashed the rim. I stayed up, but the wheel wouldn't spin and I was done. DNF.

That wheel will be missed. PSIMET originals, the second off his production line, built up in Sept 2008.

I doubt I go back to Sherman Park. The course was in horrible shape. The two races were so "nervous" and on "edge." Not sure what was going on.... Maybe someone else can explain it.

Not to mention cars were broken into and bikes were stolen.

Leland Kermesse is this Saturday (4/16). Last year as a 5 it was one of my favorite races. This year as a 4 it's longer and could be seriously interesting if the forecast holds true.

BANG!

We are off and racing.

Get over to PSIMET LLC's page on Facebook to keep up on the action.

Our Teams are already stomping on podiums!

DO IT NOW.

Pedaling To Qualify

crossed up

finally, it's March, but mother nature is not convinced. temps are well below normal for this time of year. i just want normal. 40 degrees would be nice. instead we get 25 and light snow on this weekend.

/weather rant.

despite the above, i have been logging some miles outside these past weekends. it's March, but we have had a group of 8ish strong riders. i see some June legs in this group. a solid mix of CAT 4 talent with some tough love from a 3, every now and then, sprinkled on top. honestly, a couple of these February efforts were almost "epic."

while i dont have June legs, i am ahead of last season's pace. my main goal the past couple of years is to be better than the previous year. no matter if i am attempting Bicycle Tour Colorado, Dairyland Dare, or the Leland Kermesse. being relatively new (5 years) to cycling this hasn't been a problem.

eventually we hit our peak, get old, and flat line; athletically speaking.

so, 2011 training is going well. its hard, very hard, and time consuming, very time consuming. the hours are up, the outside mileage is up, the power is up, my ability to suffer like a dog is up.

my family has allowed me to obsess, i mean focus, this off season. i hope to bask in the glory of a successful CAT 4 season with them, when its all said and done. first, let's just get it started......

14 days until the first race of 2011.

as the year 2010 rolled to an end i was well into 2011 training mode. i am more focused and dedicated this winter than ever before. it's that classic cycling evolution thing; guy gets fat, guy gets smacked by life, guy gets bike, guy gets skinny, guy meets crazy cycling addicted dudes on Internet, guy rides many centuries, guy starts racing, guy sorta gets fast, guy becomes CAT 4. you know that classic.

however, what i need from time to time is that ride. it has no set qualities or requirements or companions. it can not be dialed up like 400w. sometimes you don't even realize your ride was that ride until it is well done and over. its not confined to 4 right hand turns by the USAC or ICA. it's that ride.

i had a couple as the year came to an end. one on 12/23 and one on 12/31. it is not the trainer delusions either. these two rides would be that ride no matter the time of year (so to speak).

i snapped some iPhone pics of the 12/23 effort. me, the 9, and snow storm.








is it march yet?