We had a great turnout of folks today at the Boulder Edition of the Cycle-Smart Cyclocross Clinic. We met up and had folks sign in at 7:30 and proceeded to cruise to a nearby park to ensure we were tucked out of the way with plenty of grass to get our huppity hup on. Ben Turner and Brandon Dwight divided the crew into an advanced and beginner group while Brady Kappius and I got into the details with specific individuals to make 'em smooth! We tapped into various skills revolving around barrier work, transitions into run ups and did some mock racing to put all the learned skills to work under a little bit of elevated heart rate.

All-in-all a great way to spend a Sunday. Click on the photo below to see some pics I snapped on the day.

Come join World's Team member and Cycle-Smart coach Ben Turner, 2x National Champion Brandon Dwight and a gaggle of passionate cyclocross experts including the CLIF Bar Cyclocross Team and member’s of Boulder Cyclesport’s cyclocross squad on Sunday August 30th, 8-11AM. Learn all of what you need to get fast and smooth and ensure that each weekend you pin a number on your back you are smiling wider as you see yourself improve. Get started off right this season!

Meet at Boulder Cyclesport in North Boulder at 7:30AM for check in. All the info you need is right below you! register today at BikeReg by clicking on the BikeReg icon!

It's growing. Can you feel it? 1500 racers in PDX on any given weekend. 80+ people on a training ride in Boulder on a Wednesday AM. It's a wave that is growing. If you love it like I know you do, give back! Bring a kid to a 'cross race! Let 'em get muddy! Walk the course with them while drinking a hot cocoa!

It's happening here in San Francisco...

And here in Boulder...


The Boulder kids clinic above I reported upon earlier and took place yesterday on their Veteran's Day off from school. Ghris Grealish's DBC guys were there as were all of Ben turner's CLIF Bar team. Amazing.

What are you doing to help the sport?? Give a clinic. Or keep taking them to learn more to teach others down the road. Take your neighbor to a local race. Help set up or take down the course as a volunteer.

It's growing!

Middle Cross Bike Fest!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 – Veterans Day 10am to 1pm

Come out to Learn, Watch, Cheer, and Race
Beginner to Expert Cyclists Welcome
• Food & Prizes!
• Cyclocross Clinic!
• Trials Riding Demo!
• Cyclocross Bike Races!

Where? At Casey Middle School
2410 13th Street
(near Broadway/North Street in Boulder)

Transportation provided from S. Hills, Manhattan, Platt, and Centennial

This event exclusively for middle school students
Must have permission from your parents
Come with your school’s bike club coordinator or parent
NO UNATTENDED STUDENTS ALLOWED
Questions: see the bike club coordinator at your school
or Catherine.Powers@bvsd.org and Landon.Hilliard@bvsd.org

I'm sitting here fairly wasted tonight after the efforts this AM, a full day or work and then the clinic. So, I had to fire up the 2007 Baal and sit back with a Trippel. GOD, watching that DVD I am salivating over those courses....that time spent in the Motherland last year.

I want to go BACK. Something to look forward to.....

Wednesday Worlds was an absolute throw down. All the peeps came out to play. Timmy Faia and Darren drove down from Breck amongst others like Wardell, Paul Brooks, Jon Baker and of course my bro Pete PLO Lopinto. A GI-normous group of people. At least 70 strong. I felt a bit no-chain-ish today shockingly (guess i need to rest again...)...and as it came to pass....I blew my first session and most of my 2nd with a blown chain. First session was Elks and the rolling was super fun. Paco was on fire but Colby really threw it down on the rest.

We rolled from there to Boulder Research where we got our jungle course on and again rolled hard. I spun nicely and comfortably on a course Paco drew up with tons of run ups and fast power sections. Colby, Baker and I split pretty quick until I bent the chain AGAIN. But I got enough of the sensations to know that the more I rest between epicly hard training sessions, the better I am feeling.

On to the clinic: Again: BIGGER. Likely 70 people or more. Clearly not at the levels Portland is seeing for Tonkin's clinic (~165 people!) but we're getting bigger each week! Today we started getting more specific on getting comfortable with coming in hot and fast into barriers. I wanted to stress to the folks assembled that there is a simple mathematical equation to all this

ANY time those brakes are touched reducing momentum + poor fluidity through the barriers + the slow/clumsy remount + the 800 or so watts to re-bridge up to the guys who dropped you through the barriers 'cause they were smoother X 10 laps or so....and you are doomed. Fluidity, less brakes and confidence in your technique will take a guy who comes in 22nd to top 10 with the appropriate practice.

And we practiced that. Lots. Lots of speed, lots of barrier braking, some crashing...but ultimately lots of smiles and skills being honed. I LOVE this sport. I LOVE seeing people get stoked on their new skills. I LOVE teaching it.

Ik ben! Ik ben!

24-7 x 365. That is when you should be thinking 'cross. ST last night got my intensity juices flowing. For my peeps in the Boulder area, I'll be getting the annual 'cross clinics going on again. Again, my goal is to ensure you look as good a s you feel during your racing and avoid the nonsense you see in the pic which for me is as enjoyable to watch as it is for me to chew on tinfoil.

More info in the coming weeks on times/places.

Photo by AbbiOrca