The 2014 Season was a season that I was hoping for some big results. I put in a solid learning year in 2013 and was ready to attach 2014. I was stronger and improved my bike skills. There was some big plans in the works for the summer. Goals and expectations were high for myself.
With school being crazy busy in the Spring 2014 semester I had little time to ride the trainer. I did some running but overall I had a fairly weak indoor training season. The first race of the year would be Barry-Roubaix in March. This race did not go very well but it was still very early in the season. The next race would be Mud Sweat and Beers in early May. This was my first race on the new bike and first true test of the season. This race went well and things seemed to be looking positive. A week after this I went to Brighton for a Tailwind Series race. For me this was to qualify for nationals. This race went fairly well. There was some fast riders in this group. It was still early in the season so I knew things would keep getting better if I played it smart. Toward the end of May I completed the Hanson Hills 100 Challenge. This was a very hard race and it was different from the type of racing that is normal for mountain bike races. It was much much longer. For me this race was something that was on the bucket list and it happened to fall on my birthday so it was special to complete this long race on that day.
Right after HH100 I did not take the time off like I should have. I started putting in the work and keeping my speed up. Three weekends after HH100 I raced the Chain Drive Festival in Houghton-Hancock, Mi. The week leading up to this race I felt different and was a little off on my speed. The race went OK but I knew something was wrong. That entire next week I tried to rest up and figure out the problem I race a 5k foot race that weekend and actually ran a PR. The next Monday I went to the doctors and I was diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus. This virus is a form of Mono and it takes a lot out of your system. During this time I was starting to get some coaching help. The day I got diagnosed with the virus was about 3 weeks before the USA Cycling Mountain bike Nationals. I was advised to push through it all and then take time off after to get it out of the system. Nationals came and went. That event was an experience even though I rode horrible
A month or so after Nationals I was cleared to start training again. I was very cautious about doing to much to quick. I started with some easy running and got on the bike a few times a week for short amounts of time. I was advised to worry about putting in miles instead of speed workouts. The time leading up to the Copper Harbor race was a joke. I did little training that was not organized at all. Right after Labor Day weekend in Copper Harbor I sat down and made a legit plan. That included all types of rides that I was advised to have. I started doing longer road rides on the weekends and within a few weeks of this plan my riding improved. I was putting down times on the speed and hills that I had never done when I was healthy. My confidence for Iceman was improving and I was feeling great about what was to come. I had about 5-6 weeks of solid training before Peak2Peak and Crystal Cross. That weekend was a warm up for Iceman and for me it was a speed test to see what my legs could do. That weekend went pretty well. The following three weeks leading up to Iceman were a challenge. The weather in the Soo was very wet and school was starting to control my life. I did what I could with the training and tried to be fully rested for Iceman. Iceman was hard this year. I did not race a smart race and it cost me in the end.
Overall the 2014 Season was very challenging. It really shows that even when you think you are looking to have a solid season, one mistake can haunt you for the rest of the season. Once I got the virus it gave me time to think over what I was doing with my life and why I was doing all this training. I couldn't answer some of the questions that I once was able to answer without thinking. Racing bicycles is something that I am so blessed to be able to do and I wouldn't change my experiences for anything but there comes a time when one has to rethink about why they are doing something. I don't know if it was the illness talking or what but there was a good two or three months that I was really sick of training and doing all the work that comes along with bicycle racing. Now that the season is done and I can take time off the bike it is time for me to be away from the sport for the winter and enjoy the challenge I put in front of my self.
All summer I had the idea of trying to run track and field again at the collegiate level. Well this is happening. The Monday after Iceman I started track practice as a team member for the first time in 4 year. I'm not expecting much from this other than getting in some quality off season training and learning new things that I could add to my cycling training if I choose to continue for 2015. As of now I plan on racing in 2015 but I am not sure how much. I will try and hit the bigger races like Iceman, Ore 2 Shore, Peak2Peak and a few others. Next summer I will be completing my internship and depending on that will depend on what I will be doing for 2015. I'm getting things lined up for next year with the mind set of racing.
I need to thank everyone who helped me throughout the 2014 season. Between my sponsors, family and friends this season went smoother because of you all. I wish I could say I had a killer season but realistically it was a very tough season in every aspect.
Thank you all:
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Thank you for your continue support when I live 6 hours away. You guys helped with any bike problems I had and get me set up for every challenge that I faced this summer
Mom and Dad
I could have not done any of this without you support. You both allow me to continue me to chase something that many other would see as a waist of time and money. After all the years of racing motocross and running you are both helping me do this racing thing. I can't even begin to repay you for any of it. Love you both so much.
Squeak
You are my cheerleader at all my races. Even though I don't get to see you much I appreciate all the support you give me. You keep me training hard because I don't want to let you down. I hear stories about how much you brag about me and I need to live up to those stories.
Hammer Nutrition
Thank you for all of your support this season. The feedback after each race report was encouraging and I am so happy to be supported by such a great company who support grass root athletes like myself.
Friends (to many of you to single out)
You all have helped in some form or another. Buddy has came to all three Iceman's I have raced and been there through all types of weather. Huge thanks to you all.
Crank Brothers
Your pedals lasted all summer. Such a great product. They got put through all types of riding and never disappointed me. Thank you for the support in 2014
Schwalbe Tires
Your tires are the best on the market and they have helped me become a better rider. With your tires on my bikes I have more confidence and I feel like I can attack all types of course without having to worry about flats. Thank you for your great support.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Monday, November 10, 2014
Iceman 2014: Mudman 2014
The 2014 Iceman marked the 25th year for this historic race. This year was a special one for all 6000 racers who traveled to the area. With the race being a week later this year the weather was on everyone mind. Was there going to be snow or will it be like the past when its been fairly nice weather? Well mother nature had something special for the 25th year. All week the weather predictions keep changing and everyone was preparing for the worst or at least they thought. When sitting in my hotel room in Kalkaska the night before I looked outside to find it snowing. Was this going to be a legit Iceman this year? I was praying for snow the entire week. The little dusting of snow was quickly followed by rain that night and the all race day
The morning of the race I felt fairly relaxed. In the past I would be so nervous it would make me sick but this year was different and I didn't know how that was going to play out. After making eggs on my flat top in the hotel room, we got everything packed up and headed to a parking spot that I went to last year to get everything ready and warmed up. I sat on my trainer for about 10 minutes then got the final prep done with my riding gear to make sure I would stay some what dry. I then jumped back on the trainer for another 10 minutes to keep the legs loose. During this warm up time a reporter from the Record Eagle out of Traverse City was taking pictures and asking question about the race. Normally I would prefer to listen to music and get into the "zone" but this guy was friendly and I was happy to help him out. On my warm up I felt fairly relaxed. There was a calming feeling in the air.
Sitting in staging the nerves started to come and I was finally in the zone I was wanting to be in. It was in the low 30's, windy, and raining steadily and increasing as time went on. This year I was in wave 4. As the race took off everyone was fighting to stay out of the wind but without getting the splash from other riders. The opening roll out was very cold. I fought my way to the top 4 and was the first one to hit the dirt. Once we get the first couple of k done in the woods the pack shrunk to 3 riders and we worked off each other to fight the wind. I had my strengths in the singletrack so I took the lead during those sections when I could and sat in the draft in the other sections. Once the pack started to catch the first few waves we made quick work of them and made passes in places that shouldn't have been passing lines. Thankfully I was comfortable riding in the slop and I took some risk in the tight sections and on the descents. The small 3 rider pack stuck together for about half the race but once traffic became a problem I found myself in front of the pack and just started working off others and passing people when I could. I didn't want to settle into a pace that wasn't fast enough. My bike computer didn't work the entire race so I was unsure of the pace I was riding at. I felt good and was riding smooth. I took a huge risk that ended up biting me in the last 10k of the race. My hands were so cold and muddy that it was hard to reach back and grab gels or even water from the bike. I pulled a rookie move and didn't take in anything other than grabbing the water bottle 3 times. Every aid station was packed with slower riders so I just flew through these sections. The last 10k of the course is the most challenging parts of the course. There are some famous hill in this last section of the course and the include Anita's and the Icebreaker. I blew up hard after Anita's and really tried my best to ride it in to the finish. I had a few chances to push but it wasn't anything to make up time I was loosing. I struggled with the last 2k just worked to get to the finish in one piece. I crossed the finish with a time of 2:27:15. I was not happy at all with this but I finished.
I ended up finishing 15th in the Men's 19-24 age group. This was my best placing in the 3 years I have done this event. So on paper my results looked OK but the reality is that I rode like a rookie and I pulled a huge risk that probably cost me a top 10. On the plus side, I finished. My bike lasted the muddiest conditions I have ever raced a bicycle in. A lot of top riders had to DNF or fix the problem on the side of the trail and crossed the line with horrific times. The only bike problem I had was a very common problem for everyone and that was loosing my rear brakes within the first 10-15k of the race. I can't be to upset with my actual time because the course was so nasty and everyone had fairly bad times this year. The logging sections that everyone dreaded was a single file mess that looked like a swamp and not a bike trail. For me there are some mixed emotions about the entire event. I'm happy with the placing but disappointed with how I actually rode. I'm happy that the 2014 mountain bike season is done and I can walk away from what had been a very rough season in one piece and with a decent result. Two months ago I would have questioned the ability to get a top 15. Even after the warm up race at Peak2Peak I was questioning my fitness. So to finish the season like this is something I can live with. I will be back again for 2015 for another shot at it. 2014 was a huge learning year and I'm excited for 2015. Now it's time to spend time off the bike and transition to something else that I have kept quiet for some time. You can find the answer to this when I do a write up on the Entire 2014 Season.
I couldn't have done any of this if it wasn't for the support of some amazing people in my life. It has been a roller coaster of a year and Iceman is always a race that people bring their A game to. I had a lot of great people pushing me and encouraging me to keep pushing when things seemed like they were done. I couldn't thank you all enough for the support and love.
Thank you all for everything
Mom and Dad
Squeak
Buddy Kurjiaka
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Hammer Nutrition
ESI Grips (esigrips.com)
Spy Optics
Schwalbe Tires
Crank Brothers
The morning of the race I felt fairly relaxed. In the past I would be so nervous it would make me sick but this year was different and I didn't know how that was going to play out. After making eggs on my flat top in the hotel room, we got everything packed up and headed to a parking spot that I went to last year to get everything ready and warmed up. I sat on my trainer for about 10 minutes then got the final prep done with my riding gear to make sure I would stay some what dry. I then jumped back on the trainer for another 10 minutes to keep the legs loose. During this warm up time a reporter from the Record Eagle out of Traverse City was taking pictures and asking question about the race. Normally I would prefer to listen to music and get into the "zone" but this guy was friendly and I was happy to help him out. On my warm up I felt fairly relaxed. There was a calming feeling in the air.
Sitting in staging the nerves started to come and I was finally in the zone I was wanting to be in. It was in the low 30's, windy, and raining steadily and increasing as time went on. This year I was in wave 4. As the race took off everyone was fighting to stay out of the wind but without getting the splash from other riders. The opening roll out was very cold. I fought my way to the top 4 and was the first one to hit the dirt. Once we get the first couple of k done in the woods the pack shrunk to 3 riders and we worked off each other to fight the wind. I had my strengths in the singletrack so I took the lead during those sections when I could and sat in the draft in the other sections. Once the pack started to catch the first few waves we made quick work of them and made passes in places that shouldn't have been passing lines. Thankfully I was comfortable riding in the slop and I took some risk in the tight sections and on the descents. The small 3 rider pack stuck together for about half the race but once traffic became a problem I found myself in front of the pack and just started working off others and passing people when I could. I didn't want to settle into a pace that wasn't fast enough. My bike computer didn't work the entire race so I was unsure of the pace I was riding at. I felt good and was riding smooth. I took a huge risk that ended up biting me in the last 10k of the race. My hands were so cold and muddy that it was hard to reach back and grab gels or even water from the bike. I pulled a rookie move and didn't take in anything other than grabbing the water bottle 3 times. Every aid station was packed with slower riders so I just flew through these sections. The last 10k of the course is the most challenging parts of the course. There are some famous hill in this last section of the course and the include Anita's and the Icebreaker. I blew up hard after Anita's and really tried my best to ride it in to the finish. I had a few chances to push but it wasn't anything to make up time I was loosing. I struggled with the last 2k just worked to get to the finish in one piece. I crossed the finish with a time of 2:27:15. I was not happy at all with this but I finished.
I ended up finishing 15th in the Men's 19-24 age group. This was my best placing in the 3 years I have done this event. So on paper my results looked OK but the reality is that I rode like a rookie and I pulled a huge risk that probably cost me a top 10. On the plus side, I finished. My bike lasted the muddiest conditions I have ever raced a bicycle in. A lot of top riders had to DNF or fix the problem on the side of the trail and crossed the line with horrific times. The only bike problem I had was a very common problem for everyone and that was loosing my rear brakes within the first 10-15k of the race. I can't be to upset with my actual time because the course was so nasty and everyone had fairly bad times this year. The logging sections that everyone dreaded was a single file mess that looked like a swamp and not a bike trail. For me there are some mixed emotions about the entire event. I'm happy with the placing but disappointed with how I actually rode. I'm happy that the 2014 mountain bike season is done and I can walk away from what had been a very rough season in one piece and with a decent result. Two months ago I would have questioned the ability to get a top 15. Even after the warm up race at Peak2Peak I was questioning my fitness. So to finish the season like this is something I can live with. I will be back again for 2015 for another shot at it. 2014 was a huge learning year and I'm excited for 2015. Now it's time to spend time off the bike and transition to something else that I have kept quiet for some time. You can find the answer to this when I do a write up on the Entire 2014 Season.
I couldn't have done any of this if it wasn't for the support of some amazing people in my life. It has been a roller coaster of a year and Iceman is always a race that people bring their A game to. I had a lot of great people pushing me and encouraging me to keep pushing when things seemed like they were done. I couldn't thank you all enough for the support and love.
Thank you all for everything
Mom and Dad
Squeak
Buddy Kurjiaka
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Hammer Nutrition
ESI Grips (esigrips.com)
Spy Optics
Schwalbe Tires
Crank Brothers
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
ESI Grip Review
In my year's of racing motocross I have found grips that I found a liking to. In the last few years I took a liking to the Renthal half waffle grip. So when I transitioned from the motocross scene to the mountain bike scene I found out that Renthal made lock on mountain bike grips. After a year of racing with these I wasn't very happy with the feel. They became slippery when they got wet and they wore out very fast. The grip didn't allow me to have the feeling on the bar that I would have liked. I found that my hands would slip off more than I would like and the overall comfort wasn't to my liking.
When getting ready for the Hanson Hills 100 mountain bike race I looked for a grip that would not only provide a sticky grip but also something that was soft and wouldn't spin on my. A few friends advised me to try the ESI Grips. After looking into them I was very impressed what they provided and how cheap they actually were. I bought a pair of the racer's edge grips. The 100 mile race was not only my first race on the grip but also my first ride with the grips and I was beyond impressed. They provided a sticky feeling that I was looking for, even when my hands were wet from sweat. Since switching over to ESI Grips I have bought a few more pair and they will be on my mountain bikes for as long as I keep riding. For 2015 I will try the RCT wrap for road bikes. Since my road bikes are in need of new tape I will give it a try and if they are anything like their famous mountain bike grips then I can't wait to try them.
For more information on ESI Grips check out their web site.
http://esigrips.com/
When getting ready for the Hanson Hills 100 mountain bike race I looked for a grip that would not only provide a sticky grip but also something that was soft and wouldn't spin on my. A few friends advised me to try the ESI Grips. After looking into them I was very impressed what they provided and how cheap they actually were. I bought a pair of the racer's edge grips. The 100 mile race was not only my first race on the grip but also my first ride with the grips and I was beyond impressed. They provided a sticky feeling that I was looking for, even when my hands were wet from sweat. Since switching over to ESI Grips I have bought a few more pair and they will be on my mountain bikes for as long as I keep riding. For 2015 I will try the RCT wrap for road bikes. Since my road bikes are in need of new tape I will give it a try and if they are anything like their famous mountain bike grips then I can't wait to try them.
For more information on ESI Grips check out their web site.
http://esigrips.com/
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| 2014 Bell's Beer Copper Harbor Trail Festival |
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| Both Bike's rocking out ESI Grips for the 2014 USA Cycling XC Mountain Bike Nationals |
Monday, October 20, 2014
Crystal Cross October 19, 2014
The 2014 Crystal Cross
is a race like no other this season. It falls the day after Peak2Peak at a
great venue. The 2013 Crystal Cross was my favorite race of the X the Bay
Series. It has short laps that have plenty of challenges. Between the stair
section to the tight switchbacks that include small climbs makes the course
flow and room for a lot of good racing.
This year the course
was slightly different but still a very great one. They put a challenging sand
wall in the course that proved to be a challenge for everyone. The fastest way
through it was to ride it but you had to put the power to the pedals hard
during the short run up to it.
Last year I won the B
class riding my hardtail mountain bike. This year I chose to ride my full
suspension mountain bike because the hardtail was shifting funny after the mud
race the day before. So I went with a bike that shifted smoothly even though it
put me at more of a disadvantage because of the weight.
The morning of the race
it was in the high 20’s. By 10am it was slowly getting warmer and the sun was
out. As the B class lined up it was noticeable to see who could be heavy
hitters. My warm-up was very short because my legs were trashed from Peak2Peak.
I wasn’t expecting much as far as speed. I would have been happy to make it
onto the box but realistically I didn’t think it was a possibility. As the race
took off the paved walkway I put myself toward the front. I made some time up
on the opening stair section and pushed hard riding the wheel of Jacob Ellis.
After racing with Jacob last year I knew how fast he was so I tried by best to
ride his wheel as long as I could. I knew I had no chance in pulling time off
him so I rode his wheel to
open a gap up on 3rd and 4th
place. It was fun riding toward the front for a few laps. After about 15
minutes of the race my legs decided to give up and I just tried to maintain
solid lap times and continued to open up a gap on 3rd place. Jacob
took off and opened up a huge lead that I couldn’t bring back even if I had
fresh legs. This race was full of lappers and that almost messed me up on lap
14 of 16. It was a slow lap and I lost another 10 seconds in the short lap. The
last two laps I just rode it in with solid lap times to finish off 2nd.
Congrats to Jacob for winning it this year.
After the B class race
there was an hour for me to recover for the A class race. I decided to ride the
A class just to put in some more miles and get my money’s worth out of the
race. Plus the course was so fun I just wanted to put in another hour worth of
laps in. I rode this race easy. I tried to put in as many laps hard as my legs
allowed but after 20 minutes my legs gave in and I just tried to maintain a
solid pace and not look like too much of a fool. The best part about the A race
was the awesome spectators. The PBR and Twinkie hand offs were so fun. The beer
hand off people were offering beer 10 minutes into the race and when I passed
them one lap and didn’t take the beer I got heckled and just laughed it off. The
next lap came around and they offered me a beer again and I missed the grab but
the guy ran across the course to the next corner and did a great hand off. I put
down half of the can and continued onto my race. That morning I planned on
taking the B race serious and do the A race for fun.
Overall it was another fun Crystal Cross. The guys at Einstein Cycles put on a fun race. Big shout out to Cody Sovis for his awesome announcing during the B race. Made the 45 minutes even more enjoyable. Racing two days in a row like this is something that proved to be a challenge but it was well worth it for the great experience. Cyclocross is a fun type of cycling and I enjoy doing them. The next three weeks are going to be dedicated to preparing for Iceman to hopefully end the season off with a bang.
Great job to all the racers who raced either of the days or both days at Crystal Mountain.
Thank you to all of my sponsors and people who support me.
-Mom and Dad
-My Sister and Niece.
-Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon.
-Hammer Nutrition
-Crank Brothers
-Spy Optics
Overall it was another fun Crystal Cross. The guys at Einstein Cycles put on a fun race. Big shout out to Cody Sovis for his awesome announcing during the B race. Made the 45 minutes even more enjoyable. Racing two days in a row like this is something that proved to be a challenge but it was well worth it for the great experience. Cyclocross is a fun type of cycling and I enjoy doing them. The next three weeks are going to be dedicated to preparing for Iceman to hopefully end the season off with a bang.
Great job to all the racers who raced either of the days or both days at Crystal Mountain.
Thank you to all of my sponsors and people who support me.
-Mom and Dad
-My Sister and Niece.
-Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon.
-Hammer Nutrition
-Crank Brothers
-Spy Optics
2014 Peak2Peak October 18, 2014
The Peak2Peak mountain bike race is held at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thomsponville, Mi. This was my first year doing this race. For most people its a great test before getting ready for Iceman in a few weeks. This year the weather was playing a huge factor in the outcome of the race and it was the talk of the morning as the beginner and sport classes took off early.
For me this race was going to be a test to the work that I have put in 5-6 weeks after the Copper Harbor Trail Festival. With Iceman coming up I wanted to use this race as a test to see what the legs were going to produce. Since I ride 100% by myself up here in the Soo I had no way to judge my fitness besides off of past rides.
For this race I was racing the 18-29 Expert Class. For the Elite and Expert Classes we had to do 3 laps on a 12 mile loop. The race is called Peak2Peak for a reason. The course takes off at the base of the mountain and then travels on a flat ground for 10 mile of the loop before making a very steep mile long climb to the highest point of the hill then making a fast switchback decent to the finish or on to the next lap.
My wave took off at 12:33. As the race started the pace was very high. After a short road section the race hit its first dirt section. This is when there was a big crash. I just seen bikes flying in the air. Then as the race proceeded the pace was high. This entire race was like a road race but in the dirt. There was no room for error and no room to rest on a decent or through some technical single track. I made it through the first lap in a decent time. I new I was feeling a little off today. The long hill at the end was getting to me and the fast paced race wasn't what I'm use to after racing in the U.P. I worked off of groups and tried to hold a solid pace for all the laps and tried to have solid lap splits. With about 4ish miles left my legs blew up. I tried my best to bring it home with a solid finish. I finished 6th out of 15 in my age group with a time of 2:33:28.
Overall I'm not thrilled about my race but I rode a smart race and did what I had to do. I just didn't have it in my legs. It has only been just over 2 months since I got over the mono and I've only put in solid training for about the past 5 weeks. So to end up the way I did in a hard class there is nothing to complain about and I just need to take this as a learning experience and get rested up for Iceman.
Thanks to all of my sponsors and family
-Mom and Dad
-Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
-Hammer Nutrition
-Crank Brothers
-Spy Optics
For me this race was going to be a test to the work that I have put in 5-6 weeks after the Copper Harbor Trail Festival. With Iceman coming up I wanted to use this race as a test to see what the legs were going to produce. Since I ride 100% by myself up here in the Soo I had no way to judge my fitness besides off of past rides.
For this race I was racing the 18-29 Expert Class. For the Elite and Expert Classes we had to do 3 laps on a 12 mile loop. The race is called Peak2Peak for a reason. The course takes off at the base of the mountain and then travels on a flat ground for 10 mile of the loop before making a very steep mile long climb to the highest point of the hill then making a fast switchback decent to the finish or on to the next lap.
My wave took off at 12:33. As the race started the pace was very high. After a short road section the race hit its first dirt section. This is when there was a big crash. I just seen bikes flying in the air. Then as the race proceeded the pace was high. This entire race was like a road race but in the dirt. There was no room for error and no room to rest on a decent or through some technical single track. I made it through the first lap in a decent time. I new I was feeling a little off today. The long hill at the end was getting to me and the fast paced race wasn't what I'm use to after racing in the U.P. I worked off of groups and tried to hold a solid pace for all the laps and tried to have solid lap splits. With about 4ish miles left my legs blew up. I tried my best to bring it home with a solid finish. I finished 6th out of 15 in my age group with a time of 2:33:28.
Overall I'm not thrilled about my race but I rode a smart race and did what I had to do. I just didn't have it in my legs. It has only been just over 2 months since I got over the mono and I've only put in solid training for about the past 5 weeks. So to end up the way I did in a hard class there is nothing to complain about and I just need to take this as a learning experience and get rested up for Iceman.
Thanks to all of my sponsors and family
-Mom and Dad
-Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
-Hammer Nutrition
-Crank Brothers
-Spy Optics
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
2014 Bells Beer Copper Harbor Trail Festival
This race was held on Labor day weekend up on the famous Copper Harbor Trails. This would be my first race since Nationals in mid July. Like I have mentioned in the previous post, I had a flair with Epstein Barr starting in early June. After Nationals I took some time off to rest up like I should have been all through June and July. Long story short, I was cleared to start training again about 3 weeks after nats. Going into this race weekend I had only a few weeks of easy training. I was running more than biking early on then slowly started biking again on and off for a few weeks. The week going into this race weekend I focused on the bike and started to incorporate intervals again.
I went over and stayed in Houghton, Mi a few days before the race to chill after a 5 hour drive across the U.P. I spent the Saturday before the race checking things out in the town and on the MTU campus. Since I'm part of helping start an outdoor recreation center on campus of LSSU, I wanted to see how a school like Tech ran their center. So I spent some time talking to students who work at the their outdoor center. Later on that day I came across a pair of 1983 Trek road bikes sitting on the side of the road for free. Of course I couldn't pass this opportunity up. I've been looking for bikes like these for a few months now. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and working on these old bikes that I picked up. Later on in the afternoon I went out for a ride with a few friends who go to school in that area. He showed me the awesome flow trails on the MTU campus and then we rode over to Hancock and rode the flow trail there. Normally I don't ride much the day before a race but this was different. We rode just under 2 hours. Nothing to hard but still a longer ride for me at this point in my training.
The next morning we went up to Copper Harbor for the race. I had to sign up and get everything ready. Since I haven't been training that long going into this race I decided to race the short (17mile) race. Normally I do the longer race but racing the short one was a smart choice.
As the race started everyone took off at a good pace. Most people knew what challenge was up ahead. This would be of course Brockway Mountain. This climb is a few miles long and has some very steep sections. Going into the climb I got up to second then once the climbing started I got passed by a big group. I wanted to attack this climb smart and play it safe. I attacked the climb while holding back some. Once the course went into the single track the group was very spread out. I attacked the single track sections. I was feeling good with my technical riding abilities and had more confidence about riding on rocks and through fast twisty sections. I made up a lot of time in the first section of single track. I passed one rider and caught up with another at the end. For some reason during this race I struggled to push on the open areas. It was probably due to being a little out of shape and still weak. The rest of the race was rode at a solid pace and going back and forth with another rider. I would catch him in the single track and he would catch me on the climbs and through some open areas of the course. The last section of single track was pretty technical. I don't normally ride this kind of trails and I had no prior experience with theses specific trails before. I felt like I was able to get through the sections smooth. I was happy to not crash and not have any major slip ups. I came across the line in 8th overall, 6th in the division (2 single speed riders ahead of me) and 2nd in the Male 19-24 age group.
Overall I am pretty happy with this result. It was a good speed check to see where I stand with my training. I now know I have A LOT of work to do in the next coming months before Iceman. It was a fun weekend riding some of my favorite trails in the state and to spend some time in a different area of the U.P.. It was also a great way to get one last vacation in before school get really busy. I am looking forward to pushing for the next few months to see if I can gain back some strength I had back in May. With the help of my family, friends and sponsors I know I can make some smart choices leading up to Iceman and then put it all out there to end the season in November.
Thanks to all my sponsors and the people who help me out the most
Mom and Dad
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Crank Brothers
Schwalbe Tires
Hammer Nutrition
Spy Optics
I went over and stayed in Houghton, Mi a few days before the race to chill after a 5 hour drive across the U.P. I spent the Saturday before the race checking things out in the town and on the MTU campus. Since I'm part of helping start an outdoor recreation center on campus of LSSU, I wanted to see how a school like Tech ran their center. So I spent some time talking to students who work at the their outdoor center. Later on that day I came across a pair of 1983 Trek road bikes sitting on the side of the road for free. Of course I couldn't pass this opportunity up. I've been looking for bikes like these for a few months now. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and working on these old bikes that I picked up. Later on in the afternoon I went out for a ride with a few friends who go to school in that area. He showed me the awesome flow trails on the MTU campus and then we rode over to Hancock and rode the flow trail there. Normally I don't ride much the day before a race but this was different. We rode just under 2 hours. Nothing to hard but still a longer ride for me at this point in my training.
The next morning we went up to Copper Harbor for the race. I had to sign up and get everything ready. Since I haven't been training that long going into this race I decided to race the short (17mile) race. Normally I do the longer race but racing the short one was a smart choice.
As the race started everyone took off at a good pace. Most people knew what challenge was up ahead. This would be of course Brockway Mountain. This climb is a few miles long and has some very steep sections. Going into the climb I got up to second then once the climbing started I got passed by a big group. I wanted to attack this climb smart and play it safe. I attacked the climb while holding back some. Once the course went into the single track the group was very spread out. I attacked the single track sections. I was feeling good with my technical riding abilities and had more confidence about riding on rocks and through fast twisty sections. I made up a lot of time in the first section of single track. I passed one rider and caught up with another at the end. For some reason during this race I struggled to push on the open areas. It was probably due to being a little out of shape and still weak. The rest of the race was rode at a solid pace and going back and forth with another rider. I would catch him in the single track and he would catch me on the climbs and through some open areas of the course. The last section of single track was pretty technical. I don't normally ride this kind of trails and I had no prior experience with theses specific trails before. I felt like I was able to get through the sections smooth. I was happy to not crash and not have any major slip ups. I came across the line in 8th overall, 6th in the division (2 single speed riders ahead of me) and 2nd in the Male 19-24 age group.
Overall I am pretty happy with this result. It was a good speed check to see where I stand with my training. I now know I have A LOT of work to do in the next coming months before Iceman. It was a fun weekend riding some of my favorite trails in the state and to spend some time in a different area of the U.P.. It was also a great way to get one last vacation in before school get really busy. I am looking forward to pushing for the next few months to see if I can gain back some strength I had back in May. With the help of my family, friends and sponsors I know I can make some smart choices leading up to Iceman and then put it all out there to end the season in November.
Thanks to all my sponsors and the people who help me out the most
Mom and Dad
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Crank Brothers
Schwalbe Tires
Hammer Nutrition
Spy Optics
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
2014 USA Cycling XC Mountain Bike Nationals Mens U23
Like stated in my Pre-National Blog http://jonstuder.blogspot.com/2014/07/pre-usa-cycling-xc-mountain-bike.html the 2014 USA Cycling cross country mountain bike nationals was located at Bear Creek Resort just south of Allentown PA. This was the second year for this location. I decided for this race I was going to race the U23 class. As mentioned in the previous blog, I was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr which is a form of mono a month before the race. I was advised to back the training off just a little the weeks before the race and just power through the race. So the weeks going up to the race I didn't do much speed work. I just rode typical rides. Some rides has some short sprints through the single track but most of the time the rides were laid back.
I raced on July 18th which was a Friday. The U23 classes and Cat 1 junior classes rode the pro course. I was able to put in a lap of the course on the day before. I should have done more laps but I needed to save myself for the following day and realistically more time on the course wouldn't have done much good. This course was very challenging. It had a lot of climbing and a lot of rocks. After the lap on Thursday, I went back to the hotel and made a few bike changes and just tried to relax for the race the following day.
The morning of the race I got in a good warm up on the rollers and some riding around on the race bike. I got up the start area once it was time and then the officials proceeded to line us up as we were seated. I was seated 40th out of 45. Not very good but considering 5 riders had UCI points I couldn't be to upset with starting in the back. As the race started the group took off like a rocket. Unfortunately with having mono I was unable to put in the fast pace to keep up with the group. I tried my best to stay on the wheel of the rider in front of me but I just had nothing in my legs. It felt like I was dragging an anchor. Racing with mono is the most frustrating experience I have ever had. As the race went on I just tried to keep the bike on two wheels and not crash. After the first lap I started to get in the groove and just tried to ride hard and finish the race with out any injuries or mechanicals. I had plenty of issues getting through the rock gardens and struggled with the climbs. Normally the climbs are my strong point but the illness truly messed up any chances of having a solid finish. The 4 laps that I did were getting better and better but between the illness and the heat I felt like I was out for a easy stroll through the resort. I have never felt that weak on a bike. I came across the finish 1 lap down and in 35th place out of 45. I was scored of being 2 laps down.
After the race I was really upset with myself. I knew I could have done much better if I was healthy. I felt slightly embarrassed about how I rode. Like most people I am harder on myself that others are so I just was upset with myself for the first few hours after the race. I was upset knowing that I could have been in the top 25 if I was healthy. I put so much emphasis on this race all season long and its what I trained so hard for in the off season and the early races. Since this was my last year in the U23 class I wanted to go off with a strong finish and get my name out there in the sport. I felt like I let people down with my results. On the drive home I was able to think things through and have some great conversations with my dad and friends. They put things into perspective for me. The top riders in that class are some of the top riders in the world cups and are getting paid to ride. I'm just a typical college student who does this out of my own pocket with the help of my parents. I don't get paid for this. I have some amazing sponsors but it's nothing compared to a factory ride. Also a lot of these riders have been riding for year. This is only my second year racing mountain bike and only my 4th year riding bicycles competitively. I really haven't been around the sport that long and to already have my Cat 1 card is a great accomplishment.
The experience I had with this race was amazing. I got to ride a course that had elements that are not even close to the stuff that I ride in Michigan. I got a chance to compete with some of the best U23 (19-22) riders in the country. I didn't get any injures or have any bike problems. I learned so much about how I need to be setting up my bikes. This race was like no other. It really reminded me of the motocross world. You can be one of the top riders in your home state but when you take that to a national level you can be just another rider in the class and nothing special. The opportunity to race in a state that I have never been to was great. I have never got a chance to see that part of the country before so that was an experience in it self. Even though my results were not what I was hoping for or what I know I could have done it I was healthy it was a great experience and I am happy for taking the risk of going out there knowing that I was going to struggle with this illness. I had many thoughts about giving up the trip because I was ill but I am so damn happy that I didn't give that up. It was so fun.
I want to thank those who help me the most. I couldn't do this with out you. From sponsors to friends or family. You are all equally as important to my racing and I couldn't thank you enough
Mom and Dad
Sister and Niece
Cody and Wes Sovis
Eric Statt
Jason Luther
Sault Cycling Club
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Hammer Nutrition
Crank Brothers
Schwalbe Tires
Spy Optics
I raced on July 18th which was a Friday. The U23 classes and Cat 1 junior classes rode the pro course. I was able to put in a lap of the course on the day before. I should have done more laps but I needed to save myself for the following day and realistically more time on the course wouldn't have done much good. This course was very challenging. It had a lot of climbing and a lot of rocks. After the lap on Thursday, I went back to the hotel and made a few bike changes and just tried to relax for the race the following day.
The morning of the race I got in a good warm up on the rollers and some riding around on the race bike. I got up the start area once it was time and then the officials proceeded to line us up as we were seated. I was seated 40th out of 45. Not very good but considering 5 riders had UCI points I couldn't be to upset with starting in the back. As the race started the group took off like a rocket. Unfortunately with having mono I was unable to put in the fast pace to keep up with the group. I tried my best to stay on the wheel of the rider in front of me but I just had nothing in my legs. It felt like I was dragging an anchor. Racing with mono is the most frustrating experience I have ever had. As the race went on I just tried to keep the bike on two wheels and not crash. After the first lap I started to get in the groove and just tried to ride hard and finish the race with out any injuries or mechanicals. I had plenty of issues getting through the rock gardens and struggled with the climbs. Normally the climbs are my strong point but the illness truly messed up any chances of having a solid finish. The 4 laps that I did were getting better and better but between the illness and the heat I felt like I was out for a easy stroll through the resort. I have never felt that weak on a bike. I came across the finish 1 lap down and in 35th place out of 45. I was scored of being 2 laps down.
After the race I was really upset with myself. I knew I could have done much better if I was healthy. I felt slightly embarrassed about how I rode. Like most people I am harder on myself that others are so I just was upset with myself for the first few hours after the race. I was upset knowing that I could have been in the top 25 if I was healthy. I put so much emphasis on this race all season long and its what I trained so hard for in the off season and the early races. Since this was my last year in the U23 class I wanted to go off with a strong finish and get my name out there in the sport. I felt like I let people down with my results. On the drive home I was able to think things through and have some great conversations with my dad and friends. They put things into perspective for me. The top riders in that class are some of the top riders in the world cups and are getting paid to ride. I'm just a typical college student who does this out of my own pocket with the help of my parents. I don't get paid for this. I have some amazing sponsors but it's nothing compared to a factory ride. Also a lot of these riders have been riding for year. This is only my second year racing mountain bike and only my 4th year riding bicycles competitively. I really haven't been around the sport that long and to already have my Cat 1 card is a great accomplishment.
The experience I had with this race was amazing. I got to ride a course that had elements that are not even close to the stuff that I ride in Michigan. I got a chance to compete with some of the best U23 (19-22) riders in the country. I didn't get any injures or have any bike problems. I learned so much about how I need to be setting up my bikes. This race was like no other. It really reminded me of the motocross world. You can be one of the top riders in your home state but when you take that to a national level you can be just another rider in the class and nothing special. The opportunity to race in a state that I have never been to was great. I have never got a chance to see that part of the country before so that was an experience in it self. Even though my results were not what I was hoping for or what I know I could have done it I was healthy it was a great experience and I am happy for taking the risk of going out there knowing that I was going to struggle with this illness. I had many thoughts about giving up the trip because I was ill but I am so damn happy that I didn't give that up. It was so fun.
I want to thank those who help me the most. I couldn't do this with out you. From sponsors to friends or family. You are all equally as important to my racing and I couldn't thank you enough
Mom and Dad
Sister and Niece
Cody and Wes Sovis
Eric Statt
Jason Luther
Sault Cycling Club
Breakaway Bicycles of Muskegon
Hammer Nutrition
Crank Brothers
Schwalbe Tires
Spy Optics
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