4x Training...and pics....

So I got up to the 4x track at Fontana and really made a huge leap in my abilities but mostly in my confidence. The skills are there and with more confidence the skills are coming to the surface. It's a really awesome feeling to flow the jumps nice and smoothly and to even carry some speed. I got crossed-up a couple of times but never went down so I felt good. I'd like to hit it one more time before the 9th but now my focus is going to be doing some hills on the FSR. As Allison has said, only more hills will make me better. It'll hurt but I hope it'll help even with such a short time between now and the next race. Besides secretly I really wanna go on one of those death rides with Justin and Allison and actualy be able to hang!!!

So here are some pics that were posted by Sharky and DavidB from over at STR as well as a couple of pictures from Eric Foltz photography.

This is DavidB, sitting and Maxwell from STR before the SuperD run. (Pic by Sharky)

This pic is of me on the upper section of the 4x course. (Sharky got this one)
This is the XC race, and if you ask me I almost look like I know what I'm doing. (Eric Foltz Photography)
A second shot of the XC race. (Eric Foltx Photography)
This is a shot from my first XC race that I really liked and order a print so I can frame it and put it up on the wall next to my race number. (Eric Foltz photography)
I just wanted to add that Eric Foltz Photography was a great little company to deal with. His race photo's are great and are decently priced. I think it took all of three days to get the print to me and the web pics were sent the next day. Very nice.

Another race is in the books...

I completed my second race and it was fun. I didn't do as well as I would've liked but I think that I got into my own head on this one. Also, I don't think I trained enough leading up to the race with a 7 day break in between rides. I came in last in my class but did improve on my time by 50 seconds so that was sweet. I had it in my head that I wouldn't be able to clean certain hills and sure enough I didn't. I needed a more positive outlook and I think a bit more riding would've helped. So my goal over this next two week break is to ride more, and on top of that more HILLS.

In more uplifting news, I raced my first 4x race and while I came in 5th or 6th out of 6 and I only got to run one run it was a blast and I think I'm a bit hooked. I'll need to upgrade the Chameleon a bit and most assuredly I need to buy a bit more protective equipment but I think I've been bitten by the 4x bug.

The folks over at STR got some great pictures of the day and I'll be uploading images as soon as they post them. So all in all not quite the results I was hoping for today but I do love the atmosphere and camaraderie which made for another great day!

A few days ago I raced and I had an awesome time, here are som pics of the race courtesy of Sharky on STR. It rocks to see the even in pictures.

Here I am hanging out at the finish line (I'm smiling because I'm done!)

Here I am at the Finish line in what would eventually become 8th place out of 12 with a time of 1:00:27. (It was just over an 8 mile course)

Here I am clearing a rock section on the Super D course:

And the top of the above rock section:

That's it for now. It was a pretty awesome day and I'm pretty sure I'll get to ride at race #2 on the 26th. I'm hoping for a bit fresher legs and not getting lost this time will hopefully help me get a slightly better time. 55 minutes anyone? Here's hoping!

What's a Brick??

Wel I'm gld you asked, a Brick is Triatholonese for a run/bike sesssion one after the other. Why do I know this???? Well one of my long term goals (very long term right now) is to complete a Tri. I think it would be fun and would really push me. So today I tried it out. I started with a 17 mile ride that hit some of the bigger hills in the area. I rode down Clinton Kieth (from Santa Rosa) over to Nutmeg and then up Nutmeg to Clinton Kieth I just reversed course after this. The rides up the two hills were good ones with Clinton Kieth being the most difficult. I did my best to keep the speed up but the Allez is really not set-up for climbing like it could be. I suppose though that this is alright since it means I really have to push the big gear. I did this ride in 1 hour and 10 minutes which wasn't bad with the climbing involved.

After the ride I changed into a new shirt and ran the Adobe trail in the reserve. This is a 4.4 mile loop that is fairly flat. I just purchased new trail running shoes and would you believe I forgot to change into them!!!! Yep I ended up running in my old Nikes that I use for everything. They actually held up pretty well and I suffered no knee issues although I did nearly role my ankle at one point. I do thing I may need to invest in a little hip sack to hold my cell phone and or keys or perhaps a snack as I plan on pushing my running a bit more after the Southridge Winter Series. All in all I felt pretty good and finished the run in 40 minutes which brings down my mile time to about 9 minutes. I am really stoked about that. Another two minutes and I'll be happy....that means more intervals!!!!!! Now the only thing left to complete a Tri (besides losing about 20 more pounds!!!!!! To get to 185pounds...as if) is to work on my swimming. Whew I wonder when that might happen! For now I'll concentrate on running and my riding...more riding....

I had two BBQ Chicken Sandwiches at Carl's Jr. with Kelly and then came home, surfed STR (how odd) and then was inspired by 2Wheelee to take the Chameleon out. I kept the seat lowered went down a little dirt road and threw together a couple of jumps and what amounted to a wall ride. It was pretty fun and got my hear rate up and exercised some muscles I'm not used to using. I'm really thinking of running the 4x race on the 26th instead of the Super D.

I think that about sums up my one day off this week. Roughly three hours of exercise for the day and besides the Carls' Jr. not a bad eating day. I'm stoked and pleasantly tired. With the boss coming back into work tomorrow I'll need all the rest, relaxation and happy memories of running/riding I can get tomorrow!

'till I write again, keep the rubber side down!

My first race is in the bag...

So I completed the Southridge XC race #1 as well as the Super D. I had a blast, it was absolutely the best time and opened up a whole new world of mtn biking to me. I'm so happy that I've though ahead and set aside a few more Saturday's to race. I am already thinking about the race on the 26th and looking for ways to do better. Just want to say thanks to all of the STR gang that was there. It was a great time. I placed 7th out of 12 riders in the Beginner 35-44 class w/a time of 1:00:27 and 7th out of 13 on the Super D race with a time just over 13 minutes. My goal had been to finish the XC race in at least an hour or less and I'd say I did just that, especially since I lost about 3 or 4 minutes on a wrong turn. So next race I'm hoping to cut at least 2 minutes off of my time. The other issue that slowed me down a bit was the 50 miler two days earlier. I thought my legs were doing okay but it was pretty evident to me early on that they were a bit weaker than I originally thought, nothing huge but I might've been able to shave another minute off with fresher legs. So on the 26th my goal is to complete the race in like 57 minutes. We'll see how I do. For now though I am basking in the glory of being an XC racer even if only a beginner!

MY FIRST 50 MILER....

So today was a ride day and with my first race only three days away I wanted to get a decent ride in. I started out at the corner of Scott and Antelope in Murrieta and just rode. Well next thing I know I'm up in Perris and still feeling pretty good. At Nuevo I had been riding for about an hour but my legs felt great so I pushed forward. A little voice in the back of my head was saying, 'Hey you could ride to the 60 freeway!' You know I really need to stop listening to that guy.....but I did listen and before long there was the 60 freeway. 1 hr and 45 min. to get to the 60 and then I basically retraced my steps throwing in a few more twists and turns so that it didn't get boring. I will admit that I was hurting pretty good coming down Newport to Antelope and had to really talk myself into pushing on. It was a great ride though and I while I was HUNGRY at the end of the ride I resisted the urge to eat at the Del Taco I had parked next to. So other than being hungry and having a pair of sore knees I feel pretty great. What did I eat, you ask, well I ate a couple Tuna Sandwhichs and some Mac and Cheese. Not bad really. BTW, weight at the start of the ride 206.5, weight at the end of the ride 202.5....Sweet!

New ride...

Yep I completed my collection of bikes today with a new XC ride. I now have an AM/lite FR bike in the Heckler, a 4x AM/Lite FR HT with the Chameleon, a decent roadie with the Allez Elite and now a good XC bike with the Specialized FSR XC Pro. All done up in Specialized red and white.

After much searching, questions and research I dumped the 29er idea as well as the possibility of getting a gravity rig and just went with what I know and probably ride the most of and that's XC. I pretty stoked about it and will probably race it this Saturday and Southridge.

In other news I got run #2 in yesterday, only 38 runs left in 08!!! It was a great short run in which I went all out and got my mile time down to like 11 minutes. Not the best I know but I think it's pretty good for a 205 pound guy who does not run full time and until about 3 years ago hated running.

So after getting the bike I now need to upgrade to clipless pedals and some decent riding shoes. I also need and I mean I really NEED a new pair of running shoes because the NB's I'm running in now have been used for 3 years solid. We'll see what the tax man can do about those problems.

Run # 1

Wow with all the STORM talk on the radio here in SoCal I never would've thought I would get the chance to run....BUT...the storm hasn't really shown up....yet, so I got out and ran for about 55 minuts. It wasn't a bad run and I felt pretty good although my quads were hurting pretty good. I ran through Lake Skinner on the main road's nice soft shoulder. The dirt couldn't have been better to run in. Nothing huge except the climb from Whittier to the main gate was a good one and I felt great that I didn't walk the whole time.

So I figure if I'm shooting for 104 rides in 2008 I'll shoot for 40 runs as well. that should keep me on my toes for the year and will hopefully keep me from slacking to much.

Ride # 1

Yep that's right, ride # 1 of the new year. It was a pretty sweet little ride through some trails that I didn't know existed within like 10 minutes of my place. I just wanted to go and ride and not worry about where, how long, or how many miles. Just go ride like I used to do when this area was new to me. Just get out there and pedal and see where this or that trail took me. It wasn't the SCST or the Fully Loop or Sylvan Meadows...it was just Some Trail in Those Hills Behind my House! If I wanted to right I went right and boy did I find some seriously tough trails. I did nearly a 20 minute hike-a-bike through some nasty rutted trails that had seen far too many 'throttle twisters' but that's alright it was a lung burner. The hardest part was to probably break the cycle of pushing the bike at every steep uphill. But as the song says 'what goes up must come down' and so I did and boy was it fun. Steep and technical so that it took more body English and bike finesse to get over, around and through the rocks, grabbing brush and sharp little S-turns. All in all it was an awesome time.

So why label it ride #1???? Well I had the goal of getting 52 rides in last year but really only started counting about July or so. Well this year I'd like to get 104 rides in. Mileage doesn't really count (although this evening in the shower I figured around 500 miles last year give or take a hundred) so just shootin' for the # of rides. So #1 down and only 103 to go.

On another Dirt Nerd front I think I will be entering my first XC race a week from this Saturday. It'll be race #1 of the Southridge Winter Series and while I don't expect to podium or do overly well it'll be my first race in nearly 12 years of riding. I'm stoked to be honest! All I have to do now is get the time off of work. I'll post the results and I think this might help me set some longer term goals for after the summer. (and yes the race will count as a ride towards my 103!) ;-)

Keep on spinnin' boys and girls.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

Well this is it, the first day of '08! I think this year may be a good one in terms of playing in the dirt. I've really gotten into doing my thang out in the dirt. I've made some friends at STR and gotten hooked up with some great rides recently. I'm really close to taking the plunge and buying the tent trailer I've been wanting for like 2 years and I might very well splurge and purchase a kayak...another item I've been wanting for more years than I can imagine. On top of that I hope to be doing some upgrade to the bike over the next several months. I see great things for 08 indeed.

I'm not one for new years resolutions so I won't take the time to really make any. However I do want to get in a week long road trip this year. I tried to do the Grand Canyon but that has not worked out so I'm looking at Moab now. I'm also shooting for at least 5 nights of camping this year. I know it doesn't seem like much but since I only have one night last year this is could be a big thing. I don't even care if its car camping or backpacking but it'd be cool if it was a mix of the two! I guess the only other thing I'd like to try this year is to participate in November 08's 12 hours of Temecula. I also will continue to run and plan on getting at least two good runs (5 miles for me right now) a month in for the entire year.

On the riding front, I got in a great ride Friday evening with some guys from STR over at Santa Rosa - Sylvan Meadows. It was pretty fun and I felt really strong on the bike. We rode for just over an hour and I did some trails backwards from my usual route. The backwards route turned out to be almost as much fun if not more than the route I normally take which was cool. I helped another guy out who was having a harder time than myself and I practiced some of my 'berm' riding which really kept the flow up through the little up & down hilly section. Good area, good people, good bike = AWESOME RIDE!

No pictures from this ride but I'll try to get some pictures posted in my next post. Hope everyone has a great and safe New Year. Keep the rubber side down.