FEBRUARY 08 REPORT

Wow! I can’t believe it is already the middle of February and we just got home from the first USA Cycling National race in Texas. We had a great time although the weather was a little sketchy until we were ready to leave. Kind of cold and windy but nothing compared to training in Oregon!

Speaking of training, I started training after the holidays with two main objectives: lose some body mass, learn to ride PowerCranks for all types of training. I also incorporated the Compex EMS unit for all my strength work rather than going to the gym and wasting time and money there. So far, I am right on track. I have lost 3 kg and feel pretty awesome. I have been able to go from <1hr on the PowerCranks to over 7 hours riding time last week! If any of you want a challenge, I suggest PowerCrank-ing! Unfortunately, I got sick on a business trip about 2 weeks ago. This didn’t hinder my training too much, but definitely bothered me when the pace picked up in the race last Saturday. Oh, well, I haven’t been sick in years so it has to happen sooner or later. On to the race… The Mas O Menos 100k event is a two lap affair contested way down in Terlingua, Texas each President’s Day weekend. Last year, I managed to set a one lap course record of 1:56 before cutting a tire and flatting twice before finishing 4th overall. I came into this years race with high expectations based on my previous performance. The race started much the same and I ended up getting gapped off the back in some singletrack shortly after the start. I didn’t think too much of it until the course turned west and north into the wind. I immediately realized that I had made a critical mistake and tried my best to reduce the deficit. Didn’t happen, and I rode solo about :30 to 1 minute behind for most of the first lap. Too bad because I was climbing well regardless of being sick and there was a $100 prime for first to the top of the climb. The wind increased as the day went on and I lost even more time in the middle part of the second lap. By the time I reached the mid-way checkpoint I was around 3 minutes behind, while working up to 5th place… not good. I was already pretty disappointed in myself, but if there is one thing that I have proven in 13 years racing bikes–I am not a quitter! I passed Nat Ross (Gary Fisher/Subaru) fixing a flat. In 4th now, I thought maybe I still had a chance. I put my head down and rode a 5 minute time trial straight north into the wind. By the time I reached the base of the climb, I had caught the third place rider and could see the leaders about 1:30 ahead. I plodded up the climb and caught a fading 2nd place Bryan Fawley near the top. Being the gentleman I am, I gave him my water bottle and wished him the best. Time had ran out to catch former winner Jason Sager, and I had to settle for 2nd place 1:15 back. All in all, it was a good race and proved my fitness despite being sick. I am still disappointed, though. It would have been nice to come home with 1st place, a nice trophy, and $300 more in my pocket to cover expenses. Here is a little article with some nice pictures: http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=mtb/2008/feb08/masomenos Thanks to all of you who help me out with sponsorship. Some of you really stepped it up for me again this year and I cannot begin to express my appreciation. Some of you experienced budget cuts and consequently so did I. For your companies, I want you all to know that I am a loyal guy and I still use your product because I believe in it and because you’ve helped me in the past… Hopefully you can make it up in the future!