Relentless...

Coach must have been psychic! Yesterday's race at a new venue was 90% uphill. Uphill start/finish, always climbing, or turning off camber downhill to climb back up again, or the 50 M beach ride, or the steep run-up - always ON no rest with super short laps. How short you ask - after the first 3 we saw 15 to go! Yep! Luckily this guy showed up for a little fun and cut one off my total (he looks to be healing well). After the 1/2's started lapping everyone the officials got a little confused and went form 8 to 5 to go in one lap then from 2 to 0 to go- I don't think anyone was complaining! I'll have to dig for some pictures as the super fans were elsewhere this weekend. Cold weather end of season excuses kept the field small but cut throat. I raced harder and wasn't content with sitting on wheels this time and rolled in for fourth - nice result on a hard climbing course makes me feel like I am on the right track for climb heavy Jingle Cross Rock and Nationals. I do wish the Masters field was larger here in Wisconsin so the races wouldn't get sooo strung out and there were more guys to hunt down and chase.

...enjoy it while you can.

2009 Kit

The 2009 MWI kit design has been approved and is nearing it's finishing stages. The first order will be going in January 1. If you want to get in on the first order stay tuned for details...

3rd Place...

At least I can take some solace in putting together a decent fantasy cross team - here
We'll see how long it will last now that Boom is killing it every race! Crusty appears to be afflicted with a strange one - Trebonsis - I hope its not contagious! Me I just lack aggression. Raced a super cool course down in Chicago on Sunday, but couldn't find the fire to hold my spot in the train and let it cho-choo away. I need to find the aggression zone for this race and this one. Can't have Crusty using my to cure his Trebonsis! Speaking of kicking Crusty's ass - I think we are going to have a four wheeled My Wife Inc throw down during Cross Nationals weekend - keep your eyes peeled for karting details as we figure out a time that works for most.

...enjoy the season while it lasts!

Running...

That seems to be word I keep hearing from the KC folks about this years Cross Nationals course.  If the weather turns to crap - which it probably will, it's December in the Midwest after all - you had better be prepared to RUN.  I've heard different accounts, but at least three seems to be the number of spots that you would be running if it turns sloppy come the second week in December (not including the stair run up)  At least the starting turn appears to be a little bit smoother and have less potential for carnage right off the start!  Also it sounds like most of the parking may be in the field as well with very little near by paved parking.  Does any of this matter, not really I am still going to go and have a BLAST!

...see you in the mud the second week of December in KC.

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Weekend O' Racin'...

Oh what a weekend! Two very different courses, but soo much fun!

Saturday we had a few visitors from the Windy City which added to the field size and competition, I don't think this guy has raced since nationals. Super fast start, missed clipped, but luckily there were enough twisty turns to keep the field in site. Kept it going for a few laps as the eventual winners eased off the front. Dr. Giggles and I were keeping pace until he put the hammer down on the flats and got a gap. I let it go and waited for the chase group of 4-6 guys to come along. Well the group shattered and only two came up to me as I sat in to wait out the catch. As the laps ticked by it was down to a Planet Bike guy and myself, I was doing just enough work to not get caught but not enough to reel in the Dr. With four to go the PB guy started to get motivated and upped the tempo just then his lever hit some snow fence and he hit the deck HARD - cracked a rib I believe. Well a few laps in no mans land as the Dr and I rolled in for 9th and 110th on the day. Almost got to play the "team" card, but not quite. This race has the longest run-up in Wisconsin on Saturday - 10 times up it on the day, thanks Marko for lapping me and relieving me from an 11th trip up the hill. Man that guy is fast, it is very cool to get the chance to see him flying past you! He deserves all the results he is racking up this year! At least I've got a couple points on him here, the only time I will ever have a chance of being ahead of him in anything bike related I'm sure.

Saturday Pics courtesy of : The Sponsor, thanks honey!

Let the fun begin!

Working it on the run up!

I do love the run ups!

Enough already... NEVER!

LeBam the SuperFan!

Today brought another local course, with a somewhat home field advantage as it is the site of our Wednesday night cross practice. Some what smaller field but still stacked. Feeling spry today I nailed the start and took the hole shot! Too bad I can't hold it for more than half a lap - ha!! Once again the Dr and I were at it until he went on the flats and I covered the chase group. The chase was quickly whittled down to two others and myself, one just happened to be the defending 30+ state champ. As Dr. Giggles was dangling so close off the front I did ZERO work and just sat on the wheels, man is that nice sometimes. One of the guys in our group was bunny hopping the single barrier but didn't really ever gain any time on us, then he cased it once and we never saw him again. (Bunny hopping looks cool but what is the point if you don't gain any time and can't do it clean every time in a race.) As we came around to the double barriers preceding a straightaway the catch was eminent and I prepared to launch once we made it up to the Dr. We did and I went. For the next couple of laps we tried to work David over, each of us taking our turn on the attack, but David is a smart racer and you don't win the 30+ cross title and time trial title without having a little bit in the tank. He anticipated our attacks each time and covered everyone. With two to go I told the Dr. to wait for it, and he did. He tried to make a move with half a lap to go, but David covered, I blew, and David got him in the sprint for 7th (I think). Anyone else we may have been able to work over a little, but David has a good sprint and is a very smart racer, we threw everything we had at him but just couldn't make it happen - it sure was a blast trying!! No pics today as the battery was exhausted.

Some of the most fun racing of the season this weekend! We got to try some "team" tactics, I got some serious run up prep for Jingle Cross, and the wives were there for it all - doesn't get much better, well some mud and Crusty would have made it the perfect cross weekend I think. Maybe the planets will align and perfection, well as close as you can get to it anyway, will happen at Jingle Cross! Oh and the newest MWI convert Chad - no nickname yet - took a well deserved 3rd in the 4's, way to go man! What a weekend...

...I needed a reminder that cross is FUN! Now if I could just get some crappy weather!

2008 Cyclocross National....

Preview lap from the shake down race they had yesterday in Kansas City. From what I was told about the course if they weather turns bad - rain, snow, ice - you had better be prepared to run!

Yep...

The blog-o-sphere is a funny thing. Doing a little blogsurfing/procrastination before going out to suffer in the wind and cold for a training ride and came across this post, with the title "From Sublime to Silly"...



That is My Wife Inc rider, Dr. Giggles, at the Washington Park Halloween race. Photo caption courtesy of Gweilli, he lives in New England somewhere so I am not sure where the actual photo came from, funny how a picture taken in Wisconsin on Sunday finds it's way to a blog in New England on Wednesday. Anyway they were throwing gas on the small leaf fire that was burning on the "Bunny Hop or Die" barrier! I kind of thought the same thing as I was going over the barrier - nothing like tubular glue, dangling costumes, and drinking superfans and an open flame.

Alright enough procrastinating time for 1 1/2 hours of over/under intervals.

..enjoy the flame, I mean ride!