24-9 I've Got a Confession to Make

Going into this I wasn't sure how I was going to do or if I was going to even make it, but in my mind there was nothing that could get in the way of me crossing that line just after 10 am on Sunday morning.

Thursday I had set up the canopy that both myself and Jim were pitting out of and was pretty happy with the area we had. Friday was a different story. Since I actually have to work Monday through Friday with no vacation to speak of till September, I found myself camping along the WORS leadout which lead to a lot of hauling the supplies the next morning and setting up before 10 am on Saturday.

When the gun went off I was stuck behind some dude that obviously has never ran in a pack like this before and looked like his limbs were detached as he was flailing them all over and for what to walk through the chute with me right on his heels anyway as he struggles to catch his breath...all I could think is wow is this early to blow up. So as I get further down the racks of bikes I can't help but wonder where is my Nitrous? There has got to be some easy way of finding your bike at the beginning, but moving right along I jumped on and found a hard yet smooth pace and settled in right from the get go put down three clean laps and refueled. Did two more then the same and so on through the night laps. I ended up falling down to 22nd but knew at some point people were going to drop for various reasons, this kind of race will do that to you, but I really don't know where it came from, but I developed heartburn so to the point where I wasn't sure if I was going to puke, take the browns to the super bowl, or it will go away in time and of course after braggin about how cycling doesn't affect my pitella tendonitis, it came on strong during the first night lap, but as long as I kept the cadence up and didn't apply too much force all was well, but at any rate, a 20 minute nap was good enough to get rid of it and so I changed into some Twin Six gear and back out I went. I ended up doing 13 laps finishing in 18th place for a first timer not to bad and I know now that I can push a lot harder, but I have a confession to make. I have never done a ride longer than 70 miles nor have I been riding that much at all during the month of July. I've had my wedding all of the classes that you go through with the pastor and so on and so forth. So next year I will actually prepare for something like this and earn a better result. My goal is to earn a top 8 cause most strive for top five or top ten I figure lucky number is a great number and I know that level is in me I just need things to fall into place and direct focus more towards my goals now that the time will allow for it. 363 days and counting.

Words can't express how I felt when I crossed the line or when posner gives you props as your about to complete a lap. This isn't something I would have imagined doing even 2 years ago as a citizen rider racing with both number tags on the front and back of my shirt at Iola in basketball shorts. I hope that this is only the beginning of something much bigger and I have so many people to thank so here it goes.

Turner Bikes for the flawless Nitrous. I only used one rig the whole time and it was money all over the course.

TwinSix for the great gear that isn't for the everyday soccer mom. I love the fact that they support "individuals" and strive to be unique. Probably the one company I could blindly point at a order form and say "one of those" knowing full well that it will be cool.

Crank Brothers for some eggbeaters that wont quit.

Spy Optic for keeping my contacts from gluing themselves to my retnas from the sun.

DV8 Clothing in Tomahawk for some seriously comfortable threads

Sammy's Subs in Tomahawk for great sandwhiches

And most importantly my wife Samantha, without her support and attention to detail there would be no story here and without Toni's help Sam wouldn't have stayed awake.

Ride the Nitrous into the Dark

Hey Fellow Solo Freaks

I went to nine mile to get some more miles and abuse on the new bike and ride some of the sections of 24-9 I didn't feel strong on when I rode with the Cole brothers on Saturday ho chi minh and #6 to be specific, but that is all now cured. In all I spent about three hours riding all over the map and I finally got shifting, tire pressure and suspension adjustments out of the way. The geometry of the nitrous not only feels comfortable, but I felt more efficient and was turning a higher speed at a much higher cadence than ever before. For a race such as this it's hard to say i am prepared for it, but if I had to make a decision on whether or not I am I would have to say yes. I still have some last minute items to take care of, but will be ready by the time I set up friday afternoon. I have to say that although I am crazy for switching bikes a week before the race but with the Turner Nitrous I wouldn't have it any other way WHAT A RIDE!!!!! I absolutely love this bike. Thank you Turner Bikes for putting out in my oppinion the alpha male of full suspension frames.

I am down to two people for support at 24-9 but this should be okay I really only need one to be awake at a time during the night for food and fuel stops, but I am looking very much forward to this weekend.

I don't even know why I came into work at all this week I can't focus on anything but the 24 hours of 9 mile.

Misc Wedding Photos

Wedding Reception Photos (no humans nor animals were harmed during this production)

Wedding + 4 bottles of Champagne = This!!!

And this!!

Our Solution to saving all those starving kids in China our parents always told us when we didn't finish our dinner!

Proud of being the receipients for the Nobel Prize for excellence in Physics

Do not try this at home we are trained professionals

Oh the pride in being passed the Green Turtle Soup

Let's do the Time Warp Again!

Enjoy!!!

Bike Porn

Tieing the Knot

I was not at Green Bay this weekend, but that was fine cause I was busy tieing the knot with Samantha. We have been together for over 4 years now and finally all of the planning was done and time to celebrate and have a good time. We did the whole church thing and proceeded with the party where many drink were consumed (3 kegs of miller and 15 bottles of champagne) We even tried sending a little bit of beer in a pitcher to our friends across the city via 15 or so hellium baloons. What a good time I would like to thank everyone that showed up for coming and the gifts, but now it's time for progress on building the Nitrous and getting ready for 24-9 roughly a week away.

I got my Twinsix gear today so I am pumped to be wearing the gear. Happy riding guys I'm out.

Wedding, bikes, and Twinsix Oh my.

I've been getting in some good final rides in on the rockhopper at nine mile despite the weather and getting myself lost trying to follow the course. This bike is going to be converted to a singlespeed because it's time to start building my Turner Nitrous for 24-9. I need a few odds and ends (chain, seatpost, cables) and I am checking off items on my spreadsheet in preperation for the 24 hour race in Wausau.

Ordered my roadie that should be in my posession sometime next week as well in which will be in the form of a SCOTT frame.

I would like to thank Jarret and company at Turner Bikes for their excellent support and Sponsorship. It's great to have a good working relationship with a company that cares about the needs of each rider that orders a frame it was great talking with them and they certainly helped me with my frame selection of the Nitrous over the Flux merely based on the type of use. I also would like to give a shout out to the Twin Cities very own Twinsix for their support for the 2007 season. I went to college in the area and it's only fitting to work with a company that knows what riding in the Midwest is all about (Goooo Twinkies).

This weekend is my wedding so I wont be able to make it to Green Bay for the WORS Marathon race. Hopefully it doesn't go to the dogs!!! (insert wors board whining posts here)
On that note the wedding is up here in Tomahawk lots of friends and family coming from all over the country coming to party hopefully none of the hillbilly folk from the Hodag Country Music Festival show up cause I have no patience for voice cracking my wife left with my truck music loving toothless people. If you are one of these people that's your choice if you're coming to my wedding prepare for some Slayer or CKY or my personal favorite NoFx. Lots of beer to drink although I'll probably stay away from it for as long as I can, but it's going to be a good time most are quite excited.

Riding in the Heat!

Friday I went to nine mile (imagine that) to get in long day of riding the singletrack. I put in roughly 2 hours before Brett and Jim showed up and then did another 1:45 and then stopped a bit to setup lights, eat, and refill bottles. We then did some night riding and I dangled off the back for quite some time battling my left contact lens (wish I got lasik) and about 1:35 minutes later my light died in the pines singletrack where you would lap through in the wors race so I rode along side of jim and brett to the cars. It was a fun ride we had hit all of the single track out there minus the flower garden cause we couldn't find it at night strangely enough and not to mention some logging may have something to do with it. Saturday I attempted to go to Washburn lake and I was extremely dissapointed with the condition with the trail I guess I have to bring a leaf blower and rake anywhere I ride up there now so remind why we pay fees to ride at some of these places? I did however make it to hanson lake and those trails were confusing, but fun and in great shape.

Update to 5k results I did place 23rd but instead of 183 people there were 217....what a turnout.

Finally, I ordered my frame this morning and am excited to be riding such a quality frame in my favorite color plus the Fox rp23 is going to be a step up from the float r I had on my sugar. I have a few odds and ends before I build due to the different sizes on my current rides. I think I am going to keep the same components but next year get some of the new xt stuff.

No racing for me this weekend for it is my wedding. Wish me luck.

4th of July

Every year on the 4th of July since I was a Freshman at Tomahawk High School, I've been participating in the Pow-Wow Days 5k/10k fun run. This event has been growing year after year and finally this year we've had the largest turnout with roughly 350 runners from all over the country participating in the three divisions (5k, 10k, and 1 mile fun run). I've placed well throughout the years in preperation for some good ol' lumberjack conference cross country, but this year I got a little dose of reality. I started off in the 5k running a decent 5:18 first mile with the leaders but faded quickly some would look at it as if I bonked, but I looked at as though this was only the first time I raced in shoes that laced up instead of velcro straps. I dropped off the lead group and finished with a time of 20:58 and placing 23rd of 180 runners.

Fun night laps will be ridden at nine mile tommorw night with Jim and Brett. Saturday I think I am going to Hanson Lake in Rhinelander and Sunday I'm either going to explore some new ST at Underdown or back to nine mile. Interested???? Let me know.

Finally!

The dirt circus better known as WORS rolled through Eau Claire last weekend for the Chippewa Valley Firecracker. I absolutely love this course it could use a little more climbing, but if it meant changing the overall route, I'm fine with the way it is....fast.

Once again not having a call up got me into the second row alongside of Brett and Shawn. At the start Shawn ate after getting pinched by a couple of non-experienced riders according to his account. Brett and I kinda held off the back for a little while considering that the whole group was within seconds of each other so no reason to push to the front before the first little riser. It still baffles me how you can get to a little sketchy rocky downhill and everybody is stopped in their tracks. Keep in mind that I have my moments to out there to I've only been riding for 3 years, but most of the time I can handle the hardest terrain with little effort on way less expensive and not the most cutting edge equipment (that will soon change) I think the leaders opened a big gap from that early mess and cruised through a fast course. I think this will teach me to hang off the back and I really need to work on that. The first lap was fast as all hell I kept it in the big ring for about 75% of the lap and same with the second lap. The third lap the lower back issues started reaking havoc again but nothing like phillips (did I mention I hate that course?) At the start of the third lap I started catching some age group riders including tony, but I made my move way to early on the leadout and that allowed him to catch me after I popped and he got the placing ahead of me by about 20 or so seconds. I think I am still in a learning process about attacking and using other riders in the flats, but some things are coming together and it's showing some promise. It's good to be feeling well on the bike again after a poor showing at phillips just being frustrated with poor training from losing the roadie in a crash. Figuring a way to get the time in and speed workouts was an issue cause this is all new to me, but now that I have it under control things are coming full circle just in time for 24 solo at nine mile. I did manage 10th in age and 64th overall so roughly midpack all around which is better than previous races and will now get much better as it gets closer to my next race at 24-9. Jesse and Marko are continuing to build on their reign of terror shaking up the results at each and every wors race with a 1st and 3rd overall on flippin singlespeeds. Landon nailed down another comp overall win and Nate Dog Jasperson earned a top 5 sport overall and 1st in age group (comp is calling you buddy)

In other news I am going to receive the insurance money for the bike hopefully today and on Monday for other issues stemming from the accident so the shopping and purchasing a frame or two is about to go down. Issues are forming with parties in this transaction that's taking place and I am considering other options due to it. I've got some ideas, but you'll see what I have when I finally have them built.

Finnally, My cousin Steven was seriously hurt in a car accident on 6/6/07. We were all worried about the outcome, but after seeing how he was doing this weekend he'll definitely make a full recovery(rods, screws and staples) but it's going to be a long ride for him, but he's a very talented guitarist so he'll have plenty of time to perfect that art and make me look even worse I can't play 1/4 of the stuff he does. His dad is also in a band from Eau Claire called Contradiction and I haven't been able to catch a show yet, but heard they have no problems packing the bars full of people.

The wedding is in two weeks so you wont be seeing me at Green Bay, but that's fine I'll have plenty of time to ride that course when I do the 12 solo later on this season.

Okay so now that my long winded post is over time to celebrate the 4th of July. Nine Mile rides Saturday and Sunday any takers? Scott? Nate? TBS guys?