Bloomer Race Day Results

It was another beautiful day for a race. We got there early to see the expert/elite riders do the switchbacks. My group started at 1, so I started warming up around 12:20. I was feeling good during the warmups and was making sure my new brake pads on my front brakes were working ok. I lined up at the starting line but ended up in the second row. I started off in the long line of riders into the singletrack. First section, someone fell and I was stuck behind them. First climb, someone fell and caused another traffic jam. I knew I was falling behind. By the time I came out of the second switchback, Daves group... which left a minute after me had caught up. I was pushing myself as hard as I could. I began having chest pains and felt dizzy a few times. I knew it wasn't from nutrition because I had a good breakfast this morning: 10 grain cereal. I did well on all the sections and only slipped once not making it an official fall. Problem was I'm just not as fast as the other sport riders. For a while during the ride I said "Maybe it's time to admit my defeat and quit from riding" then I thought "Maybe is actually something I cannot control... like my chest pains and my heart conditions." So I ended up 6th of 8. First lap was 36, second was 37 and third was 37. After I made it through the finish line, I was seeing stars for a while and decided that I'll make an appointment for my doctors soon and see if there are any problems. Next week is Fort Custer so hopefully I can get in before then. Miles to date: 443

Another Bloomer Pre-ride

Went out this time with Art and Matt. It was really muddy this time. Like riding on crisco. Art kept saying how out of shape he was. We checked out the Velodrome and I saw a fat raccoon. Miles to Date: 425

Bloomer race Pre-ride

I went to do Bloomer again on Tuesday to practice for the race. At the parking lot, I saw Dale. He waited for me and we rode together. We did 2 laps, and each were pretty quick in my opinion, but always slow for Dale. We added in the river loops totaling 18 miles. It was good watching him in the singletrack....where I need help the most. Hopefully I'll be ready by Sunday. Miles to date: 418

Ridin Bloomer with the Wife.

Well I planned on riding alone today and warming up before the race sunday. Brandy called and said she wanted to go. We stopped at RBS to drop off the tent and headed to the parking lot. We parked on the CRT and rode to the bottom of the course. not much mud until we started working our way to the top. We made it to the first climb and brandy made it all the way up without stopping. She was dead and we saw Robert from Tailwind so I helped him for a minute setting up a temporary bridge over a muddy stream. We got back to our way and she was doing good till the other side of the soccer field. She had a huge anxiety attack for a 10 strip of mud that you couldn't walk through or around... just had to go through it. She made it through and began to cry... the male side of me still doesn't know why. now the way back down... was good all the way...except for her first fall at the tight tree spot. hard climb back up... couldn't make it but she walked. around the corner overlooking the ledge was good. I had her skip the quick down and up again and met her at the snake section.... that was her nightmare... she hated every snaking inch. She was really tired so I had her skip the second snake section and we went to the last downhill. I told her to walk down since it was too scary and I rode the wall as she waited for me. The last section she did good round the river and out to the parking lot. She fell a few times and was breathing hard most of the time but she did good. It's awesome she even wanted to do bloomer with me. She can't believe that I've got to do 3 laps of this sunday though I don't think its that bad. Will try to get out there again tomorrow. maybe the rest of the family will come..hint, hint. Miles to date: 400

Yankee Springs Time Trial

In the car at 6:15. Picked up Dave at 6:30. Stopped for gas in Flint. Dave had to go to the bathroom stop first gas station off highway. Set up tent. Got registration packet. Start time 11:08. Was informed course was in esrever (reverse). Got clothing on. Got bike ready. Did one lap to say hello. Did adjustments on bike. Did one lap for warmup. Noticed lots and lots of people lined up at the starting line. Who's racing now? "Sport men 19-29" "Thats me but I'm not supposed to go till 11:08." "We're not doing the starting times." "They should have told someone." "WE ANNOUNCED IT OVER THE SPEAKERS!" yeah, the 2: 10 inch speakers pointing in the opposite direction as the starting line. "Well you've gotta get behind him." "I didn't even warm up yet" "Sorry you've gotta go now". What lovely drama before the race. Then mile 1.5, after the first photographer up the first hill.... puke... gross the last of my flu leaving me during a race. Well I felt strong but was lacking the umph to get the speed going. Well at least not till mile 7, but by then 10 or so people passed me and I only had 4 miles left. I finished 25 out of 29...so sad. my time was 1:04. Afterwards, Dave, Dale, Krug and I did a "slow" lap... ended up being faster than my race lap... thanks guys... slow my a$$. Miles to Date: 393

Karma!

Ok, talk about Karma.... I went to Stony today and planned on riding 50 miles. I started off hurting. I don't know why lately but I just don't seem right on my bike. I did two laps in an hour and stopped at the parking lot for a minute before moving on again. About halfway through, there was a guy by the road having bike problems. I pulled over and offered to help. He had a cheap schwinn and the chain was stuck between the cassette and frame. It was stuck really good. Well neither of us had tools to release the tire since schwinns use socket wrenches. I decided to use my pocket tool. I forced the allen wrench under the chain and wiggled it out. He obviously thanked me. I continued to ride and pulled over by the bridge to answer my phone. It was Brandy. As I continued to ride up the hill near the disc golf area, I noticed my tire was feeling weird. I got off to check it and noticed it was a little low. I made it to the top of the hill before it was unrideable. I was walking back to my car when the same guy that I helped earlier pulled up to my car and asked if I wanted a ride. I wouldn't normally accept rides but I figured I had my phone on me and this guy was kinda old, how dangerous could he be? He drove me back to my car and I thanked him for his help. Funny thing is, before he picked me up, and I was walking, there were several road bikers that went past me and didn't even ask if I needed help. How rude.... I obviously needed help... why else would I be walking with my bike on my shoulder. Miles to date: 371

Pontiac Lake Time Trial 3rd Place

Just got up from my recovery nap. This morning was the first tailwind race of the year. It was at Pontiac Lake. When we woke up, it was snowing and raining, and there was a dusting of snow on the ground and it was cold... somewhere around 30. I went online to see if it might have been canceled, laughed about about people saying they would picket and waited for my brother to show up at our house. He wasn't sure if he wanted to race or not due to the weather. We stopped and had MacDonald's for breakfast. I know... MacDonald's is not a good breakfast for race day... but it was the only thing to eat... we had no food in the house. I registered and then hit the portapotty, and again, and again before the race started. I've been fighting a stomach bug this last week. I started at 11:40:30 and at the starting line, my brother told me he was gonna race. I started off strong, and by the first small climb, I knew my legs weren't ready for the course. They felt tight. Some younger kid was at the starting line and we stayed head to head till mile 4 or so. Dale passed me just after the road crossing and I knew I was falling behind because he started 1 minute behind me. I continued to stay a few hundred feet back but was chasing him pretty hard. I was having pretty bad chest pains just before the road crossing and again after the model airplane field. I didn't fall once, or have any problems. Only disappointment was that I had to run up the steep climb after the snaky-downhill. I completed the course in 1:01 which was slower than last year, except last year wasn't muddy. I came in 3rd. Not bad I guess considering I didn't expect to win any awards in sport class. My brother started around 12:40 and it took him 1:32. We went to see him on the last hill and video-taped him. Even though he came in last, it was awesome that he decided to race, and his time is pretty good considering he doesn't train nearly as much as I do. Thanks to the family and the wife for coming out to support us. Miles to date: 341. Yankee Springs next week.

AHHHHHH! Ok, Today, my new Kenda small block 8 came in at RBS. I went down there, talked a while, got the tire and went home excited to put the new tire on. Supposed to be 150+ grams lighter than my ignitors. Well I took off the old tire, put the new on one, poured the stans no-tube stuff in, and began to inflate, and inflate, and inflate. No luck. So I got the bucket of soapy water and rubbed the sides of the tires/wheels. I then began to inflate, and inflate, and inflate. Still no luck. I tried the other tire. No luck. My neighbor saw me pumping away and offered to get the battery powered pump. 15 minutes later, plugged in, still no luck. Well I gave up because I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I couldn't seem to get a seal at all. I ended up putting tubes back into my tires... essentially adding the weight I just removed. This sucks! Hopefully tomorrow I can bring my bike to RBS and they can fix it for me....hopefully they won't be too busy.

Yesterdays ride was 7 miles of Orion Oaks with the family.. Orion oaks is blah (sorry Art, didn't mean riding with the family)..
Today my brother and I rode Pontiac lake training for the race this Sunday.
Rich wiped out really bad on the downhill section just before the rock garden and scared the crap out of me, good news is he was fine. It was his first time on the trails with clip-ins and it was fall after fall... was kinda funny after a while cuz he just about gave up unclipping and would just lean to the side to stop and fall. Lots of credit to him cuz he did really good today! Miles to date: 331

My a$$ is killing me! I just got back from a ride and I'm in a lot of pain. Jen, Art, Rich and I went to Stony again and did two of the long laps. This is the farthest that they have ridden and they were doing pretty good today. The nice weather was a big help. After they left, I decided to keep riding and did three more of the long laps totaling 50 miles today. It's not my skin that hurts but my muscles just below my butt. I saw someone from RBS on laps 3 & 4 but I didn't know who he was. Miles to date: 314. Riding again tomorrow cuz it's supposed to be nice!

Another day of riding around Stony Creek. I did 2 long loops (with the nature trail road) and 2 short loops. I ended up with 32 miles today. My mp3 player stopped working during lap 3.... crap! Riding to Bob Marley, The Chariot, The Deftones, Johnny Cash, and Death Cab for Cutie really gets me going. Miles to date: 264