okay, let me tell you a little story about brx

What can I tell you about Barry-Roubaix? it was more than just another number on the wall of fame in my office. Much more fun than that.

Lets start with the promoter Rick Plite who did an amazing job putting it together. I couldnt believe how smoothly things went, but Im getting ahead of myself. it all started with me, Doug and the papist jumped into the car and headed north. We stopped at Brussels Brugge in Indy for belgian food and house brewed beer. Fatty turned us on to this place after the Brookside CX race this year. Fantastic stuff. Fortified we turned the car back north.




Destination Kalamazoo to meet up with Coleman(50mile Jon). There will be video coming soon as Doug was documentarizing the trip. Im a little scared. Coleman was also videographer of the weekend and should have some killer footage from the event.

Jump ahead to race day morning, and I awaken to the site of Coleman filming me sleeping. Its my best event so I cant blame him. Between he and Doug there should be lots of video to come. Hopefully more about the race than of the nocturnal goings on.


Lucky for us, Coleman has a badass race vehicle. a quad cab truck that fit all the gear and racers with plenty of room. Huge improvement over the camry.
We hooked up with Osgood and Tpow from TSB in the parkiing lot and traded strategy on tires and course management. The bullshit you do when youre obsessing about a race. They seemed amp'd and ready. I guess we all were.

We lined up in the freezing wind coming off the lake(i was literally shaking) and were grouped by category. All four of us waiting for the neutral roll out along with 700 or so others.


As we started the roll out Pope and I moved towards the front of our group as traffic slowed others. @ the 2.5 mile point the gun was sounded and we jumped and jumped hard onto the gravel double track. The center was soft and deep sand. I crossed it once and realized it wasnt the place to be.

The papist and I worked together on the hardpack sections and road sections trading pulls and moving up thru the pack. We were surrounded by the expert group and some faster sport racers. Then, clang! I dropped my chain. I pulled over to fix it and burned a major match catching back up. The first 7 miles were a constant climb pitching upwards consistently(remember that chart that I posted? came in handy knowing the elevation) I caught pope and we got back into our rotation of short pulls. I was having some trouble shifting the front der, and dropped the chain again!! this time I knew I wouldnt be likely to catch him again. I worked with some friendly racers, very few teams of more than a handful.

After a 3rd dropped chain I found myself in a fast group of three rolling thru gorgeous country side and trading turns at the front. Although we were out in the boonies, the were still people lining the course banging drums and clanging cowbells to cheer us up the steep dirt hills. I kept thinking that this must be what the tdf was like in the beginning.

Knowing the distance and elevation paid off because I knew that the climbing was about to end and we were going to be descending for the final 5 miles. We were now on pavement and really flying. As we turned into the park we all got out of the saddles to sprint and crossed the finish line with nothing left in the tank, 35 miles of killer gravel road race behind me and 2:12 on the clock. Pope was already at the line and cheered me in. He had a great finish @ 21st in his age group. I followed w 25th in the ahem older category. Interestingly if we had raced expert we'd have done okay there as well.
We spun for a moment and waited for Doug and Coleman to cross the finish. We met up with Osgood and spun our legs out while we heard his tales from the expert group.

He'd also dropped a chain a few times on the rough road and tried to fix it while rolling downhill. His chewed up glove and fingers were evidence enough for me.

The instant results from the timing chips were a treat. Finish the race and line up to see how you did!

We found Powers in the lot and drank a few celebratory Founders Double IPA's and got ready to head back to Kalamazoo. I'll follow up with the rest later, but I'll leave you with the papist's quote, stolen and adjusted for us from Ole Miss
"we may not win the race, but we never lose a party"
No. We. Didnt.
More to come after we clear it with the attorneys.
Suffice it to say that these endurance type events seem to be pretty awesome blend of hard core racing and party after. I like balance.

Hmmm I wonder where this'll show up?

Nice work to Dug on the graphics, this could get interesting

So, I guess we're ready? (doug)

Yep, me. I thought I'd celebrate a 2 mo. absence with a pre-Barry-Roubaix post. I've been running a bunch (including 2 recent "speed" races that went pretty well - just a 5k and a 10k), got out on the trails a couple times with B, and even did a road ride a few weeks ago. I'm feeling pretty good about the whole thing, except for maybe the climbing thing. 2200 ft. sounds like a lot. I don't exactly know what it means, but I THINK I've done that much climbing in a ride before (never on gravel, I promise), so I'm hoping it doesn't land me in a SAG van. Essentially, this is a "ride" to me, not a "race", so it should be a blast, and I'll finish when I finish. I couldn't have a better group to do it with, that's for sure. For all of Brian's trying to get us on the Rapha Gentlemen's Ride (a VERY tough invite to even GET, let alone to refuse...twice), this could be the catalyst for the formation of a team that could actually pull something like THAT off eventually (before we're on medicare even). If nothing else, this, combined with the USGP, has the potential to create the perfect "home and home" with our Team Sandbag Racing (TSB) friends from Michigan each year.

Brian has unfortunately given away many of our training secrets recently. We've been tasting Belgian beers to give us 'cross mentality. We've been watching "do or die" tournament basketball to get us in the mindset of winning as underdogs. We've been drinking bourbon because...well, because it's bourbon.

So, beyond the spinning classes and the Nutrition, I don't have that much more to offer.



Note: So have I mentioned that 70% of my diet is Cottage Cheese? Luckily it's good to go all the way through training season. As you know,Passover is just around the corner, and it can sometimes put a damper on proper nutrition (especially carb loading). Thank g_d this race is when it is, because I'm pretty sure Chimay, Bell's, and Founder's is NOT Kosher for Passover.

I will give you, however, the one last secret that only LTP'ers will know out there on the icy, muddy, gravel roads of Barry-Roubaix. Self confidence is everything. You have to secretly believe that you can beat the rest of that field, and there is really only one best way to instill that self-confidence.



Yes, I'll have them on.

Almost Bound for BRX

As you can see from the big ticker above, we are getting mighty close to the Barry-Roubaix. Preparations have picked up and become more fervent. In the picture above you can see all 3 trays loaded onto the company mule.

Drinking has increased to match the training load. We'll be competing against the elites there, so we want to be at the top of our game. Doug and I even went to a special training session at the Louisville Beer Store, that really upped the ante.




I've been upping the distance and intensity of the workouts by doing things like 4 hrs on the mountain bike chasing Fatty, Garner and Mr Wine....from a distance that is. I've been riding the (kindly loaned) single speed mountain bike to work on flowing with the course better, and because its just silly fun that crushes you at the end.
Also, I've been researching the race as much as possible('cause I live to obsess about these things) and have figured out a few things. Here's a huge tip I got from a good friend about a change I need to make to my race day wardrobe.



Only good friends will tell you shit like that. So I've got the bike as ready as it will be and we are working on what "supplies" we'll need.
The papist threw his materials in first. Great delivery time as well.



Yeah, those of you that've been stopping by this space for a while know that as I get ready for a race, the mental preparation is something I always focus on. I try to visualize a strong finish. You know, see it in my mind. Like this...


It's all about the positive thinking right? I know its going to be hard out there, so I keep the wisdom of Jack Handy close by

"It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.”

Oh Jack it's like we were twins and then something happened and you got all the talent and became rich and I went on to race sport class in endurance events. Where did it all go wrong? Nah, wipe away those negative thoughts.

I want to feel like this on race day.



Thats right, I want a giant afro blowing in the wind and a stars and striped stratocaster "kicking out the jams" if you will as we hit that course until it hits us back. Maybe Handy's the wrong man to channel here. What we need is the Thompsonesque feeling of being ten foot tall and bullet proof, revving the engine of a bright red convertible across the desert. "buy the ticket take the ride" the man said, and I believe it.



hell, I'll probably look like this at the end(as usual)



Positive thoughts man, positive thoughts. That's it, ease into it....there now.
Im picturing all 4 of us ...me , dug, 50mile jon and the papist looking like Knievel strapped into our skycycles ready to take on snake river canyon, hoping that the chutes work when they need to.



Granted its probably just another bad idea that I've talked us into, just like last time..........



Granted we do have plans with Osgood and Powers from TSB to explore the Eccentric Cafe @ Bells Brewery after the vulgarity that the race will surely be.

So,, advice from any of you?

I'd Like to Echo His Statements In A Corporate tool Kinda Way

Check out the XXC Magazine Write up on the BRX
right....here

Word Up!!

BRX Update

As you can see from the counter at the top of the page, the Barry-Roubaix is drwing closer so I thought I'd let you in on some of the goings on. First and most importantly, the Papist has made some signifigant sacrifices and is hopping in the car and getting ready to race. You'll really have to ask him about that one.
Should be quite the crew.

Training has been going along well. Below are a few shots from our training camp as we get ready for the great unknown of the BRX!

Lots of strength and intensity work


You should've seen the dismount!


We arent completely sure what we've gotten ourselves into, but the ride seems to play out like this


Thats an elevation map based on last year's course. Granted, anything can happen.


We are also getting ready for the afterparty which is allegedly as epic as the race itself! We've each been training in our own way.

Here's a look at my efforts

You can tell the bike fit made a huge difference.

And a peek at Doug's "training" for the party.

Dont worry, we're recycling the empties.


The plan now is to stay in Kalamazoo(Im told its in Michigan??) and post up in close proximity to the Bells Brewery.
Majestic isnt it? Planning really does make a difference.
We're hooking up with 50mile Jon in K-town as we ready ourselves for the brutality ahead.
More to come as more comes. The countdown is getting scary.

I just remember the wisdom of one lance armstrong

where for art thou road racer?

At a 6 year old soccer game actually, and pretty happy about it. Today is the first road race of the season, and for the first time in a few years I'm not anxiously waiting to toe the line. I've been txting w friends and teammates who are getting ready, thinking thru lines and second guessing their fitness. As much as I miss being with everyone, I really wouldn't trade places.

Its funny how I justify it to road racers and even more funny is the look I get from their(charles') wives. Yes, I'm trying to find some balance btw cycling and everything else.

Woody Allen said that justifications are more important than sex, proving it with the question "can you get thru one day without one really good justification?". Granted he's sleeping with his step daughter so its a different metric, but still it holds water.

Seriously, from August thru December I race and train for cross. Okay maybe July thru Jan is more accurate. So there has to be a trade off, just ask the bosses both at home and at work. Balance must come. So, I have one race per month thru this spring. Epic misadventures of one kind or another.

We'll get race reports from our usual miscreants and my own spectation, but right now...well my kids got the ball. Race well...keep the rubber side down and tell me all about it when we ride.

Hello Larry

The other day someone posted the best quote from "Lawrence of Arabia" on Twitter.
Nothing more perfectly describes cycling and specifically cyclocross than this.
I probably should've waited for cross season to post this, but my memory isnt that good( i have witnesses). Rent the movie, great on a really big screen.
I'll bring the popcorn.

le mairde de la bang (the shithammer)

photography by dr sager

Im not sure how I get myself into these things. Maybe it was because with all the snow and ice we'd been riding the trainers too much, attempting to ride frozen trails and generally needing to get a good hard ride in. Thats how the shithammer came to be. A bunch of guys sitting around the cafe, having lunch and talking about rides that they'd like to do. It was kind of like a dare...Why don't we climb Blunk Knob...We could do the climbs in jmf...well why dont we do both? Now someone sensible should've walked up and smacked us, but at this particular lunch spot sensibility is a rare beast. So after a few weather delays, we set this Sunday as the day to ride The Shithammer. Now for those of you that dont ride these parts, this is a combination of two tough rides jammed together. Its usually one OR the other, but I'd not seen both before.

Seven riders agreed to meet at 7:30 Sunday morning. By the time we left the coffee shop there were only the four of us. Me, Fatty, Zack and the papist. Still this was the core group and I knew we were on to something.



We said goodby to Louisville while it was still sleeping, headed for Blunk Knob- a mile long climb that gains altitude with every switchback. As we traversered Southern Indiana en route we saw the original Rapha location.....Who knew it was a Hoosier thing all along.



We got to Blunk and the fun began..look at those happy faces




I look chunky without ears, Im noticing....hmmm.
Blunk Knob 1.01 mi 503 ft 9.5% off Budd Rd and 1½ miles west of SR 111 on Five-mile Lane, 5 miles SW of New Albany. The first of several climbs over the ridges that line SR 111 and the Ohio River
Blunk ends with a long series of rollers and a sweet downhill. The reward for all that work i ascending. We chatted about how amazingly gay cycling metaphors seem. Shithammer wasnt helping us here but neither were comments like "my ass hurts after riding that knob". Next ride is going to be a lot more butch, but then thats trying too hard isnt it?

Nonetheless, we made our way across the bridge and noticed that our new basketball arena looks strikingly like a trailer.



Usually we Ky folks are careful to avoid such things, it does make you wonder.

Dr Sager dropped off to attend to his studies leaving us as a potent power trio, sorta like Mountain.

With a quick stop at chez fatty to grab some fuel, and drop some layers of clothing we started off to the forrest. Fatty had quickly eaten his "belgian powerbar" or ham and cheese as we call it here in the states.

We hit Jefferson Hill Rd and brought the pain quickly. It was to be our only climb in JMF as we'd burned too much daylight.
Jefferson Hill 0.55 mi 247 ft 8.5%
One mile from Fairdale on Mitchell Hill Rd, turn right on Keys Ferry Rd, then left in one mile to Jefferson Hill Rd. The long run-up makes this hill about 1½ miles long in total.Again we were rewarded with an amazing downhill and a fast spin back to home base.

All told it was 82 miles and 4:42 of riding at a 16.2 mph pace, which, considering the climbing wasnt bad. 3,200 ft of climbing in all burning a Garmin alleged 4,500 calories.

sometimes fun hurts pretty f#cking bad

With a slogan like that I was helpless. C'mon. F-bombs, mtn bikes and endurance cross races? Exactly, and with the sun shining for only the 7th time this YEAR here in the village crazy shit was going to happen.
Crazy Shit the first? XXC magazine, owners of the title slogan. Fantastic transition from post-cross dreaming to springtime. Check out the free on-line mags.
http://xxcmag.com/site/eMag.html

Crazy Shit the second? Doug on the trails at Cherokee. Granted it only took me forever to trick him into it, and of course he
A) loved it
B) nailed it

He was slightly hamstrung by being both behind me and being on frankencross the bike from beyond.

I'd count on seeing more of this, especially as we get closer to Barry-Roubaix.

Who'd a thunk that something as inseperable as beer and mountainbiking would be a stretch for someone as insepreable from beer?

Exactly.

I predict a very strange mtn bike purchase for someone in the near future.