Upright. Flow. The feeling of rubber carving and sticking to dirt and grass. Technically as perfect as I could run a race. Maybe sections here and there cleaner, but tight nonetheless. That is what I felt today! Completeness! I'll get to the good stuff in a moment.

Today was Race 1 of 2 f the Frisco BCR race series. I have the full access hall pass for the weekend while Amy mans the kids and home front. I love you Aim! Held at the Nordic Center, the course at was 9000+ feet so the Front Rangers would certainly be at a disadvantage. The course was short and fairly well balanced between pavement, dirt and pure grass sections. It was in my opinion also fairly well balanced between full gas and recovery sections. The quad log barriers were a bit too short in distance IMHO though.

The Men's 35 A's was stacked today. the Call ups of the Top 10 were done and my shitty first 3 races did not allow me to get the tap to the line. I lined up 2nd row.

Dean counted out ....15 seconds!....GO! We're off. Up the pavement we screamed to a climb and into a continued dirt climb to a single barrier at about 20"! Dudes were floundering over that which bummed me out and I overtook a boat load there but the group was super tight still. This would be the theme for the day. Tight pack racing. Hurdling the single barrier you ran up another 10' to remount down hill for 20' before jamming hard right at the bottom to get back on to a paved climb. The attacks would happen here. Often.

First lap and we have 2 groups of about 5-8....then gaps to groups off the back. About 5-10 seconds in between. This race by lap 2 is turning into a knife fight. Altitude or not, the balance of racers is so level it's fantastic and people want a piece of it. This will turn out to be one of the funnest/strategic races I've done in a long time.

Each lap is attack attack attack. I would fly through the barriers, get nice gaps on dudes who were not as fluid but these same dudes would bridge back and repeat lap after lap. I changed my strategy while I was sitting in top 15 at about the mid way point. Oh, and the top 15 were separated by 20-25 seconds. It was that tight. We could see each other on sections where they'd send you past each other after switch backs. My strategy change was to sit in on the 2nd to last lap and let the power roadies do their thing with me in their slipstream. On the paved hill after the run up, I threw a hail of bullets and attacked on the hill. The only guy who could go was former national champ Karl Kiester...who has inexplicable class. He would throw, then I would throw. I would be recovering behind him stare at his stripes on his sleeves. He is an institution of racing. He and I end up splitting away on the bell lap and closed out our business with an 8th and 9th respectively. Shortly behind the 1-7 racers including Timmy who pulled out another W. Nice work boy!!

9th. I will take that amongst these men any day! It was just such a satisfactory feeling to know
(a): I could focus on a clean race where equipment and rider flowed.
(b): That the engine was responsive for me when I needed it late in the race and I could commit to strategy and execute on it. Za Plan is working.

Today was a rare day as I could actually stay and support my team mates and the Boulder Cycle Sport folks. I became a SUPER FAN. Man, my race day usually consist of getting to the race, heavily focus on my race, then race and pack up and go to get back to the fam. Today, I could see the Cat 3, Women and Pro drama. SICK! In the 3's Matt Opperman had a heroic ride after some moron took him out so dramatically....I literally saw his feet in the air and him land on his shoulder/back. Insane. he dug deep to crawl back to a near top 10 in a HUGE field.

The ride of the day though was my boy Brandon in the Pro race. SICK. B finished 1:20 ahead of 2nd place. It was a display of technical execution. Surgical. Attack, grow gap and maintain technical smoothness to never yield an inch. Lap after lap this grew. Pitting was super fun for Brandon.

A GREAT day and looking forward to tomorrow. Race 2. Recovering with Brandon and Taro as we speak with the feet up after a killer dinner and celebratory beer.

Complete. My season began today.

Michelle and John. Aw, what a beautiful couple.

Joe of PelotonPhoto.

Brandon before the onslaught.

Corey would go on to a GREAT finish while the crowd cheered (and threw CASH) every time he bunny hopped the log barrier. More on this below.

Shawn (I will NEVER call you Steve) Harshman of Harshman Wealth Primus Mootry.

Matt Opperman and Nick

Steve had a great race today.

Jon Carivou of Moots rocked it today collecting cash for his bunny hopping antics as well.

Dubba. Ball game.

To the winner goes the spoils, beeatches!

The weather may hold out for the 35 Opens this Am but I'll be pitting for the boys in the 3's and Opens today and the weather looks like it's going to open up on 'em. I've got umbrellas and all for you fellas on the start line.

I feel capital T tired today. Probably less from training and more from the season changes. I get these deep sleeps now which is great, but I feel like a diesel motor in the AM trying to shake the sleep. My wife says it's the cavemen in us still that gets the body ready for hibernate mode.

I'm looking forward to a CLEAN race these next two days in Frisco. My race. No bobbles, gremlins, etc. Just flow. Wish me luck.

So, last night was the Jr. Cyclocross Development Team fund raiser held at the Boulder Theater. The draw was to come and watch teh antics of J-Pow and the new Cyclofile movie...proceeds going to the Junior development fun. Rad.

So I had a Rocky Mounts team meeting before hand and new I was going to be late. I finish up my business with the team and roll over to the Theater. Movie started at 7. I'm there at 7:45. I walk up to the theater and there are a zillion bikes locked up outside. Rad again. Stoll to the ticket booth:

Me to lady behind the glass: "Hi! Can I grab some tickets? I know I'm late but no big deal. I'll still buy one."

Ticket lady in muffled voice due to glass separating she and I: "Um, like, we're closed now." Sorry."

Me (smiling): "Um, I think this is a fund raiser. Seriously, it's OK that the movie is almost over. No big whup. The money goes to some kids. My bud texted me from inside and said there's tons of seats. Can I just grab a last minute ticket?"

Muffled lady: "Um, like I said, it really closed. So, um, no."

Me. "Weak".

And I rolled home. Gonna have to find another way to help out!

I ripped this from Brian at RaceCX. Thanks homie! Of note while watching: Even the pros hit the deck (watch Heule on the run up and embed the sound of Nelson saying "HA-HA"!).

God, I love this town. Wednesday AM 'cross throw down was in effect today. Big big big big group. Conservatively 55-60. Elks and North Boulder Park (although pics below are not in that order).

Today only saw session 1 of 2 on my docket. I love these training sessions cause I can have fun, work super hard but try out lots of things. Today I played with some racing strategy changes and tried out various things which my body seemed to like. Power ramped up consistently, evenly and more powerfully at the end which is what I wanted to feel. I didn't have to bury myself today so I flowed and stayed clean and thought clearly about what I was trying out. I placed well in Session 1 with the top 10 including Brandon, Pete, Will, The WB, Troy, Danny, some others with Pacocha and Sager flowing in with me. I was super satisfied with the experiment.

People are stoked for 'cross this season. Happy faces and lots of fitness going on. It is way different than years past where you'd have hard men like Gully and Travis gone off the front, and a couple of hacks (like me!) trailing along with their tongues wagging. 07 seems like its the year of cross. These sessions are now one looooooong line of crossers fairly evenly trained together or 20 minutes or more. Conversations I've had with lots of these folks prove that 'cross is literally 'it' for them. No more road racing, maybe an MTB race now and again but cross is their core and it's anticipated all year round. Not unlike the rest of the country's growing hot spots. Bike manufacturers have taken notice....next step is parks and rec advocacy! We need the dedicated places for this MASS of people who are so passionate.

Anyhoo, good day today.

Digital Celluloid:

Lucas...came with Shimano Dura Ace shoes and pedals on the MTB. Nice.

The Gremlins attacked Taro's tires today.

Stephen looking stoic.

Rocco.

Hup hup.

Pete hunting down Brandon.

Nice form Troy.

Boups getting his porting on.

More hup hup.

Lane getting the hup hup on.

Baker on his way to Belgium. Good luck, hombre.

Me and Danny

Za crew.

Rocco (2)!

Baker sharpening up.

Holy yum. Belt drive, baby!

Capt Will.

Troy

Troy and The WB.

Opperman!

So it looks like Team Fidea has ponied up and signed an ethics charter to support anti doping. Roughy translated from Cyclocross Info:

The Fidea-team wants to support the fight against doping. The ten racers on who the team counts all signed a “sport-loving charter” (Greg: That is a hilarious translation), an internal regulation that will issue fines and other sanctions in case of a positive.

"We are a leader in this area", said manager Van Kasteren. "We want contribute with the Fidea team an even playing field. We already had an earlier agreement, but now we’ve elaborated and refined it.”

The charter contains also a general ethics code of conduct. It has directives concerning clothing (Greg: Huh??), training periods, handles press... "a first of its kind in Belgium."

I guess I'm down with anything that moves the ball forward on this front. But, these Belgian 'renners' have been, are and will always be heroes more than bike racers to their supporter clubs. It's not about winning but about being heroic. It's about the ability of the rider to merge their guts and effort with the Belgian countryside...the same one they came from and where they're going to be buried some day. 'Cross in particular is even more poetic in this sense. Traversing their desolate countrysides of muddied cow pastures and barns. That's why it's so core to them and why we in America think...well...think differently. We like the winner....the result....the prize. Nothing wrong with that but the question of doping fades into the background for a Belgian when it isn't helping anyone necessarily win (it may), but is assisting, quietly, the suffering heroism going on for their fans and countrymen.

I'm going to get the shit kicked out of me in Belgium. HA!

I don't even know where to begin. Preposterous is the only word I can think of...and how the word defines to our sport. It's a secretly recorded audio Greg Lemond recorded on a call with Stephanie McIlvain where Lemond converses her into hearing Armstrong admitting Lance used performance enhancing drugs.

The MP3 can be accessed from Smithers blog here. You better have a coffee ready to sit through the 20 minutes of this crap. When Stephanie insinuates that she "...wonders what Hincapie's baby will look like (due to drug use)..." I about choked.

If you're pissed at me re-casting this stuff, apologies. I am on the fence about it pissing me off, fascinating me or feeling completely apathetic. You can make up your own opinions.

Got the wheels re-dialed this week so let's see if I can't keep the Gremlins from crawling all over and inside the machine to take me out again. Looking forward to Frisco and firing up the engine again at 10K feet. Got work to do this week on all three seats of the teeter totter as I ramp up for racing goals, family plans and work travel to the 2,240 meter-high Mexico City. Gonna preso-out to a couple of hundred of my close Mexican business associates. Translator and all. Nice. Done this a zillion times in places like Osaka and Sao Paolo too and is fun to have their laughter happen 35 seconds after the joke has been told.

Timmy is planning on make the trip down to Za Reepoobleek for the Wed Am World Championships to have some fun. Weather should be nice still but I feel somthings a brewin' for Frisco this weekend weather-wise so I'll be packing doubles of everything.

Wish me luck that the bikes stay together. I'd ironically love the excuse that the engine wasn't cooperating than the bike.

There is fairly good break down of Cross Vegas found here along with some pretty darn good photography of the evening.

....and forty million miles from the sun. Or so the song goes. Perfect and ironic that it came on this AM on my shuffle as I continue putting in the work in the early morning air. Yesterday was still felt in my legs but the air was crisp and the determination was there. Beautiful. I threw the leg over the bike, hit play and rolled. The ride tore upon the healing muscles that helped me at least take back 11 places as I watched the race roll away. It was needed.

At the top of Lee Hill the song came on and the lyrics spoke to me. Again smiles. Did it fall apart before it all began? Easy to let the mind pour gasoline on itself and commit suicide. Rolling in the garage, my son heard the door rumble open. He comes flying out with a pair of ridiculously old Oakleys....no lenses.

"Did you not crash and win daddy?! Can we ride now!?"

What can I do? I'm the luckiest man on earth. Just stuck between the green grass and forty million miles from the sun.