Practice in Texas, Makes Perfect in San Dimas

             The Bonelli Pro XCT is easily a top three US course in my mind and all the sweetest racing just went doing in this wonderful second weekend in March.  Since the race was only 5 or so hours from my house, I made the easy drive over Thursday night. Considering my cross country race was going down on Saturday and my short race on Sunday, this gave me plenty of time to get settled in and pre-ride the course. Plus, I go the chance to hang out with my totally awesome new teammates Shayna, Grace, and Alicia. 

Friday was a early morning rise with a day that included team pictures as well as shredding some laps on the course. Around 7am we went to what was the most awesome hotel breakfast consisting of every type of amazing omelets and potato’s.  After the stellar breakfast was inhaled, we set off to the course to get some super sick team photos done and pre-riding/ leg openers. I through down a few laps getting to know all the super shreddy lines and I also hit up a hot lap to get my car/driving legs ready to be rockin for the suffer fest that was sure to be awaiting me in just 24 hours time.

            With my race being at 8:30am, Saturday was another early morning wake up call. I hit up some oatmeal and then it was off to the races. The jr girls and I arrived at the team trailer and I slowly got my self race ready as I went through the course in my head. With some unfortunate luck the weekend prior due to some wrong food ingestion or pre race mix-up resulting in some super bad legs, I made sure to do everything 100% leading up to the race to ensure my fast legs were going to show up with me on the start line. I was on the first row ready to rock. Start gun went off  and  had a perfect position about 4th going into the single track. Keegan Swensen was leading and unfortunately one of the two kids between him and I cracked super hard resulting in some super bad hold up allowing Keegan his chance o open up his gap. From here He set of the front with about a 6 second lead in front of  a hard charging group of four of us. With a three other hella fast guys, I knew we could bridge the gap within a lap or so. With constant battles between the four of us to lead into every single track, we were throwing down a killer pace. This was until on our last lap were we began to play games with one another and everyone no longer wanted to do any work. I knew this would again give Keegan his chance to become uncatchable, so I change tactics and started to race for 2^nd. With a half of a lap to go I made we got caught up behind some lapped riders and with me riding in the back of our group of three I ended up getting gapped. On the road before the long climb just about 2k to the finish, I drilled it and caught the group. As we made our way up the climb, on eof the riders through down a very well times and placed attack which of course was the worst timing for me considering I just go back on and demolished the group. One went with him as I mashed the pedals to reel them back in. I was able to drop the guy on my wheel, but could only hold the 10 sec gap to to the finish. I ended up 4^th and couldn’t of been more stoked on the awesome racing that just went down. There is really nothing like racing for an hour plus, throwing the hammer down with three other riders.  Next up was the stomach turning short track the following afternoon, but first I think a little post race coffee is in order.

Hard Workin in TEXAS.

The opening National Pro XCT race went down in the first weekend in March. It was hard for me to rap my head around the fact that we already are starting are 2012 season. It all happened in Dripping Springs, Texas, just outside of Austin. The course was super techy and the atmosphere was awesome. It seemed like all of the people of Austin pedaled on out to spectate and race the awesomeness the weekend had in store for us. I flew into Austin with my new teammate Jack Hinkens and most of the Subaru Trek team. It seemed like everyone was in Tucson AZ, getting ready for the gnarly season that was upon us. That night we just settled in and had a amazing team dinner at Torchy’s Tacos which easily was the best thing in the world. Considering my race wasn’t until Sunday afternoon I was able to get away with eating a few tacos. 

             Friday we all woke up to some good breakfast, and then got on to building our brand new BMC mountain bikes. Jack went with the Four Stroke 26in full-suspension bike and Kerry Warner and I went with the Team Elite 29er hard tails. Both bikes were ridiculously light and fast. Plus, they looked absolutely amazing which never hurts. After a morning of bike dialing in, we headed off to the course and hit a few laps up. After a few laps I was a pretty nervous going into the race due to not knowing exactly where my fitness was on a national level, as well as getting my head mentally focused. Pre-riding the course on Friday and Saturday was challenging to me because the whole time I was riding I felt super tired mentally and wasn’t flowing anywhere close to what I normally was rocking. Even with a few hick-ups in the pre-race rituals, I knew no matter what went, or was going to go down, I just had to got as hard as I could.

Race time came and I was super stoked. Bike was finally dialed and legs felt like they were ready to go fast. I lined up on the first row and looked back to see about 40 other JRS as well and a 50+ other cat 1 racers. In no time it was 10sec till race time, then go! As soon as we hit the first climb my legs totally locked up and stated to cramp. Unfortunately, this was how the entire first lap went down with the addition of going shoulder first into a tree. I defiantly ate something the 24hrs before my race that made my legs felt like they already had rode a marathon, but luckily it all went away a few minutes into the second lap which meant it was full on business time. I went into the 2nd/ final lap in about 11th and put on a sold time trial to get my self back into the front of the race finishing what was a solid 7th considering a few mishaps. I of course wasn’t totally stoked on the placing, but I was glad to see all the training I had put in the winter months has come along resulting in some super great legs. Now if I can only ride like I did my last lap the entire time in my next race which just so happened to be the next PRO XCT in San Dimas, California. Time to bring it........ but first, I think I will enjoy some Texas BBQ.

Pre-Season Pain!!!

Its February, which means that the rides are getting harder and the travel time is about to be on the rise. February started off amazing with some sweet weather and the press release of my team, BMC MTB Racing. I am so grateful for the chance to be apart of the awesome program and receiving this great level of support.

My training this year so far has been stellar! In the end of March I raced another pre-season training race and it was killer. I won the cat-1 open and took 3rd in pro. It was awesome to incorporate some race training to mix up the gnarly workouts that have been included in the early season. I also have shot down to Tucson, Arizona for a few weekends now to hit up the awesome group ride on Saturdays that always included a ton of pro roadies and MTBers resulting in some super fast riding!

I received my new BMC Race Machine a few weeks ago and have been putting in some serious miles on it. The acceleration, stiffness, and comfort it provides is absolutely insane. In this last month I’ve put in some crazy multiple 5 hour rides and the bike keeps me feeling comfortable and fast way past the 160 km mark. This is also my first season on Sram and I couldn’t believe how smooth it shifts while still being gnarly light. I am especially stoked on my new Fizik Antares saddle that does the impossible by being sick light, yet so comfortable you feel like your sitting on a cloud even in that 5Th hour in the saddle. 

My Sundays have usually been spent on the mountain bike doing some good epic hard riding resulting in some awesome improvement in my technical skills while putting some rad time in the saddle. The Mellow Johnny’s Classic is in less than three weeks which totally came out of nowhere. It seems like just last weekend I was racing Cyclocross and jumping barriers. I totally stoked on mountain bike season starting and I can't wait for all of the amazing adventures this season will bring.

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