Going Hunting

      This past weekend was the opening race in my Arizona mountain bike race series. I was super stoked to go shred my home course against my coach and at least 5 other fast pros. It's pretty early in the season to be full on racing, so I am using these first few races at training with little to no recovery for them. It's defiantly mentally and physically hard to race in January and February without your top end speeds your used to having in full on race season. I started the morning off beautifully with my almost perfected carmel white chocolate mocha. While I had a few weeks off the bike as well as these past few weeks of longer miles, I decided to explore a little further into my hobby of being a Barista. Coffee has always been a must have before a hard ride and with a month of full on practice and a few overdoses on coffee, I almost reached perfection.

           For the start of the race I got a fairly solid warm up in as well as some important stretching. I got to the start a tad late and was on the second row. I knew this had to change, so I worked my small self up into the front row with two guys elbows right in my face. Not ideal, but I'll take it. Off the gun I got the whole shot and led for about a mile eventually letting my coach and another pro go up front to set the pace. Before I knew it, there was only 5 of us hammering away. I was super stoked on how the race was going. I was third wheels and totally riding within myself.

 About 30 minutes into the race we hit a rocky climb were I managed to do the impossible and flat going up hill. I was so mad as I jumped of my bike to fix the flat while I was getting hit in the face with tubeless sealant. Once I was back on the bike I was about 4-5 minutes down due to my slow flat fixing. Who would of thought that a flat that would take me a minute to change in the garage took me 5 minutes while racing, go figure. From here I spent the rest of the race hunting down the lead. Not the ideal way to race, but probably good steady intensity for training in January. I finished the race in fifth place overall, but of course not before I ran into a cactus a mile before the finish. Spending the last 100 yards pedaling with one foot is never prefered. Overall I was thrilled on the race and can't wait for the next one. I've got a few more local stuff to prepare me for what awaits me in March. Let the gnarly training begin!

Cross Season Recap

Cross Season Recap

      My cross season this year was absouluty amazing. Starting with back to back wins at Spooky Cross in the Non UCI men and Jrs, all the way to ending the season losing the state champs to no one other than of course my coach. I was fortunate enough to ride for BH bikes and Hammer Nutrition which was a stellar program. My BH was so snappy yet comfortable it was scary, and with the help of Hammer I was fueled so well for every cross race all the way to the finish line. For the first ever let alone this season, I raced on/ for CrankBrothers and I was totally stoked. They felt ergonomical on my legs/ knees yet allowed all the power to be transferred through adding me in keeping up with these fast roadies. Training for the 2012 mtb season already has been in motion and I couldn't be more excited.

AZ State Champs

     Cross season has come down to its final race. I was super bummed for cross to be over, yet excited to have a nice break and start my training for next mtb season. Once again the race came down to TJ Woodruff and I. The course was pretty techy to I knew I would be good there, but I also knew in order to have a chance at winning this thing I would have to win the mental game more than anything else. Such as making the competition think I am super strong that day by putting the hammer down in the tech sections. The race was going just like I planned all the way up to this barrier to loose turning section. I hit the whole section going pretty fast hoping I could gain some time with little power usage and of course turn after turn I either slid out or had to put a foot down causing a 5 or 6 second gap between me and 1st. Ironically this killed me physically and mentally. I didn't recover too quickly and just like that it was the end of the race for me. It was defiantly hard to end the season like that, but I had one fun cross season and couldn't wait for it to roll around next year! 

Tuscon

      I headed on down to Tuscon to race the fifth AZCross race. It was looking like the course conditions were going to be super sweet and it even had a chance of rain. I was super stoked on the course after just a few warm up laps. Had a little bit of everything and even a nice bunny hopping barriers at the bottom of one of this hills. I knew this is where I was going to gain a ton of time if I could plan it right. Of course on my last warm up/ preride laps I when for the bunny hop again and as I started to power up the hill my Rear der Hanger snapped! Luckily I had a spare in the car, but that kind of killed my confidence for the jump. With this advantage out of the picture I knew I would have to put down a fast start lap in order to have a chance at winning this thing. I was going up against a few AZ fast guys and my coach TJ who was going to be the guy to beat after coming off a pretty gnarly season of cross. The start went just as I planned. I got the whole shot and made the first 800 meters of the race super fast. After just a few laps it was three of us battling it out. Going onto our 4th lap I attacked dropping one guy and gaping TJ. Unfortunately TJ is a super fast guy and caught me faster than I would have liked. From here he set the pace on the front going a little faster every 800 meters or so and eventually popping me off his wheel. From here, I just survived trying to keep a strong pace so third would catch me. Finished second... again. Had tons of fun and couldn't wait till state champs in a few weeks.

Cross weekend #5 and 24 hours of Fury

Cross Weekend #5

AZ CROSS

This past weekends cross race was absolutely brutal. I still raced the Pro men, but with the barriers being to high to bunny hop and the course having many long flat sections, I knew this was going to be a painful day. The race started off really well. Between me pushing the pace on the technical sections and barriers, and another guy putting some power down on the flat, the group turned into a 3 man breakaway after the first lap. From here I could feel my whole body feeling pretty tired from my new/ upped gym workout sessions this week and i figured the best way for me to win this race was to sit in and conserve all I have and only go on the front during the barrier section which was one of my stronger points. The two other guy I was with were two super strong road racers who had fairly good tech skills and flew on the flats. With three to go I through down a short attack on the longest technical section thinking I could get them a little more tired before the last lap without having to do much work. It went great except for once the fastest road guy caught me he kept the pace insanely high on the flat section resulting in dropping me and the other guy. Luckily, I still had some gas in the tank and I was able to ride away from him, but unfortunately I just didn't have the legs to catch first. I had to settle for second, but based on how I felt and the competition I was going up against, I felt like I raced a pretty smart race. The second place put me in the leaders jersey for the pro men. Now there is only a few cross races left before I take a little break and start the 2012 Worlds MTB Campaign again. Last year I was super stoked to get on the US National team and go to Germany and North American World cups, but this year I plan on not breaking another collarbone and making it all the way to Worlds. Man I love cycling!

TREK 24 Hours of Fury

The 24 hours of Fury is one of the best races we have in Arizona. This year was looking to be on of the hardest stacked 4man catagoy. I was the first to go and I was stoked. I looked across the start line and saw all the top AZ races along with the great Tinker Juarez. I was in my new US national champion jersey and was ready to race my bike for 24 hours. Right off the bat I got the whole shot and spent the better part of the lap drilling it hoping to drop most of the competition. Half of the lap in it was two super fast AZ guys, Tinker, and I. WIth it being at my home course I took the lead for most of the lap thinking I could put most of the hurt on the other guys with just my knowlage and smoothness with the course. With about a mile from the finish I put in a strong attacked and dropped Tinker and another. For the last mile it was just my teammate and I working together putting some sweet time on the other teams. I used my Oakley Radars with the Photochromic (transition) lens because it was a little over cast, but the sun was starting to peak out. Thats what is great about those lenses is that they are amazing in all conditions. That was also the first time I raced my new Trek Superfly without additional outside trouble such as with a broken collarbone or flat tire. I couldn't believe how amazing it felt. It flew on the uphills and when I struggle on the downs its right there to pick me up. My next lap was just as exciting. My teammate came in and handed me the timing chip and I started my lap a minute down from first. I put down a solid pace in order to catch first early in the lap and be able to sit on him resulting in a little more recovery for the next 20 hrs. It all went exactly as plan except... I caught him fairly quickly and was able to stay on his wheel, but with three miles from the finish I unfortunately received a rear flat from the Bike Gods and had to quickly change it. Of course, its was the slowest flat change ever, but I got back on my bike and floored it back to the exchange tent. The rest of the race was brutal. One of my teammate dropped out due to a knee injury creating a 3 man team resulting in all of use going from drilling a single lap into surviving double laps the whole race. This was insanely painful, but it was an amazing experience. Even with the flat tire and injuries, we held on for 2nd, and just a few minute behind the winners. Another thing I was pretty stoked on was that my nutrition was dialed. I race every lad with one bottle of Hammer Heed/ Fizz mix and took 2 Hammer Race Caps Supremes ever two lap. I didn't cramp once and was able to put the power down. The entire race I wondered why in the world I signed up for this, but every day after I just kept saying how I couldn't wait for the next one. Funny how that works. Now, off to finish my Cross season and start my base leading into my 2012 MTB worlds Season. But first, I think I will take a day off the bike.

Picture Recap of 2011 Season

 SPOOKY CROSS OPEN MEN

 24 HOUR MTB NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

 WORLD CUP

 OFFENBURG WORLD CUP RESULTS ^^^^^^^

 HOTTEST AZ MTB RACE TO DATE

 24 HOURS IN THE OLD PUEBLO REPIN THE STRIPES

 BONELLI PRO XCT

 BROKEN COLLARBONE TRAINING IN GERMANY

Pain

Spooky Cross Irvine California two for two weekend

I drove up to Irvine (So Cal) Friday afternoon with Tj Woodruff and his new wife Chole which was a blast. I got to the race course at about 8pm and hopped on the bike to get a few laps in. The course was super rad. I was a little bummed considering that I practiced my barrier bunny hopping the last few weeks only to find the barriers here at the minimum distance which meant a no bueno on my bunny hop chances. Besides that the course was killer.          The first day I raced jr elite then cat 1/ pro non uci race the following day. The jr race was stelar. I had a few Guys in there that I usually raced on the mtb bike that I knew where super fast and give me a run for my money. I was stoked to get the chance to rock my new Hammer nutrition skin suit and 2012 rx1 BH cross bike. I had it all going for me and it was just up to me to have the legs. As soon as the gun went off I clipped in right away thanks to my new crank bros candy pedals and was able to get the whole shot. By the end of the first lap it was another kid and I in the lead group with a man only ten or so seconds back. I was handling the techy corners better than the guy I was with and in one of the sketchiest corners he went down allowing me to get a fifteen or so second gap which I was able to add on as the came to an end.  It's always hard being off on the front by yourself time trailing trying to stay away. Luckily, I was able to hold them off and get the win. My new pre race nutrition of hammer race cap supreme an hour before the race along with a warm up bottle with hammer fizz lemon lime flavor gave me the perfect power for the race. Also, I talking to TJ before the race and changed my warm up routine helped me feel amazing right of the bat. Super thanks goes out the Mr. Tj for the perfect pre race  formula. I knew if I just applied this knew perfection pre race for tomorrow i would be golden.           On Sunday I raced the cat 1/ pro non UCI and it was amazing. It would be my first cat 1 race and I was stoked. With a pretty stacked field I knew I'd have to do something special. With the race being somewhat overcast yet sunny, I went with my transition lens for my Oakley radars. They Had to be the ultimate choice for the day giving me that extra edge. Once again I got a great start and hit the first corner second wheel eventually passing second and broke away from the field. After two laps it was just two of us with a fifteen second gap on third and twenty on fourth. Once again I was stronger on the acceleration and techy parts, but had to work on the flat. The whole race we went back and forth. I found I was a bit faster on the sand run and considered it to be my last lap attack section. On the last lap I did just that, I didn't drop him, but put some major hurt on him.  With three corners to go I was right on his wheel and with two corners two go I made a super gnarly move/ past on his inside causing some super contact and elbow battling and some how came out on top and got the gap. As crazy as it was, I was able to get the win again. It was insanity. I defiantly have to through a huge thanks out to Oakley, Hammer nutrition, BH bikes, Shimano, and Crank brothers.  Also a huge thanks goes out to TJ Woodruff for helping me with my new warm up plan causing my legs to feel absolutely amazing. That guy defiantly knows what he's talking about. Next stop, AZ Cross #1!!!

MTB National Champs and Missula Pro XCT

Mountain Bike Nationals was finally here. My 7 months of training was about to be tested in 15 seconds. Go!!! The start of the race went great, I was third going into the 10min climb and was ready to rock. Slowly my legs were starting to, well... lets just say they were feeling like a word that rhymes with Sit. I have had starts like this before and knew I had to just keep fighting through it and it would go away. By about mid climb my legs started to come back and by this time I was in about tenth. From this point on I moved up to 8th before he single track and was only seconds away from the main group. Half way down my chain didn't just fall off, but rapped around my cranks turning it into a crazy Chinese puzzle. After solving the craziness i was back on the bike in 20th. From here I hauled butt on the flat and the next climb to get back to tenth. I was stoked, even though I was at a VO2 max getting back I still had a chance. I recovered on the down to pretty much full recover when on the one place on this very untechnical course you could flat, i did. I jumped off the bike and sprinted all the way to the pits. By this time I felt like I just raced a 24 hour solo race and had absolutely nothing left in the tank. My national goals were demolished, but in a weird was I was still happy. After being out of competition for 7weeks with my broken collarbone I was able to come back and still battle with the best. The following weekend was the Missula Pro XCT was it was killer. Easily the best US course we had all year. Unfortunately this race went just like my start at nationals, but luckily no flats and by the end of the race I found my legs and was able to hold on for fourth. The whole week leading up to the race was amazing. Hammer nutrition set us up at a house and transported us to the race and gave us an amazing experience. Plus I found a new love with the Hammer Fizz lemon lime. New race fuel, I think so!

Windham World Cup 2011

Windham World Cup 2011 This past weekend I traveled to Windham, New York to race for the USA National team at the World Cup. Finally, I was getting the second chance I was waiting for after breaking my collarbone at the Offenburg World Cup in Germany just six weeks prior. I flew out of the blisterning heat that was currently Pheonix Thurday morning to arrive that afternoon and meet up with the rest of the U.S guys at the National Team condo where we were staying at. I was a little worried about the elevation of the course considering I live at only 2,000 ft, and I believe the race was at 6,000 ft. Luckly I was able to go to Flagstaff for five days or so to get some what used to the elevation change that was sure to meet me in Windham. Once I got to the team house I started to build my bike right away so I could sneek a little ride in to flush the legs out from the traveling. As I started to build my bike I quickly realized that I had forgotten my stem in my garage and needed to think of something quick. Luckly I rolled down to the Subaru Trek guys and they were able to help a kid out. Being apart of the Trek family is a pretty amazing and helpful thing. Once I finally got my bike built I went on a beautiful spin around the town and checked out the start of the race course. It was about 400 yards of pavement to fireroad before the single track hit. The next morning I headed off to the course to to get a few laps in and find all the right lines. The course was super sick! Not exactly as rooted and technecal as a Euro World Cup course, but was deffinatly one of my favorite U.S courses. It was a up and down course for sure. Climb up and up with a few small technical downs and then once you got to the top of the ski resort/ lift, then it became some awesome downhillin fun. I noticed the lenses I had in my Oakley Jawbones were a little to dark for the tree sections, so I was able to meet up with Mr. Blick (Oakley man of all men), and talked about what would be a solid lense for this course. I ended up going to the Lighter Oakley Transition lense and it was the perfect lense for the course. The great part about it was how fast it was able to change tint/ lense darkness and with how often we were going in and out of treet became super helpful quick. It was crazy hpw one minute you were in darkness, and the next you were getting blinded by the sun. I later went back to the house and put on my recovery socks and put on my Compex machine to get some much needed recovery going. After using the Compex my legs felt so fresh that it almost felt like cheating. After an amazing prerace dinner, I headed off to bed. The morning of the race I was filled with excitment and nerves. Luckly it was more excitment than anything else. About an hour before the start I jumped on my bike and started on my warm up. WIth five minutes to go I was in the call up box waiting to hear my name. I started two spot from last so I knew it was going to have to be a passing day. With fifteen seconds to go the starting gun can go off at anytime and boy is the heart rate going. The gun went off and I entered one of the hardest hour of racing in my life. The start pace wasn't all that much faster than the US races I had been doing all year, the only difference was that they never slowed down. I didn't have my greatest start and ended up getting boxed inn, but once we got to a little more open spot, I made my move. Trying to get what seemed like no oxygen in the air, I powered away, giving all I could to get by as many people as I could before the single track. I was able to get up a few spots before the the major climb hit, and man it hit hard. The rest of the race I basically road with two kids from the Canadian National team while togther we were trying to pass as many people as we could while at the same time fighting eachother for the lead. During the secong lap I notice my cleat feeling super loose and my front tire/ wheel feeling loose aswell in the corners. After the race I found out that my cleat came loose causing it to go up and down on my shoe and that my front screwer broke, go figure. Luckly I didn't let it slow me down too much and I just kept on pinning it. With one lap to go I attacked on the final part of the climb and dropped both of the Canadians. All that I had to do was to keep the rubber side down on the rocky downhills to the finish. Once I crossed the finish line I was super stoked. I eneded up 13th and got some much needed UCI points. Next time I should get a much better call up for sure. Overall I was stoked on my World Cup race despite a few mishaps and letting the altitude get to me a little. All was good and I was ready get some food and pass out only to be hit with the same kind of effort next weeked. Next stop US National Championships!!!!!!