Free Wheels For Kids Crit

I raced last Saturday. 

That's two weekends in a row of racing. 

I'm back, baby!

This time it was a crit. The last crit I raced ended with a broken collar bone. I avoided that this time. 

It was the Free Wheels Crit in KCK and I raced both the 4/5 and the 3/4. I lasted 9 minutes in the 4/5 and 7 minutes in the 3/4. If it hadn't been so dreadfully hot you could add at least two minutes to both on those times. 

I quickly developed a side cramp in the first race and while I was able to avoid this in the second race I think this increased breathing ability only allowed me to reach blow up status quicker. 

I knew I would do bad but it was shocking how hard it was. 

Racing ain't easy. 

Despite all this it was good to be back. Shoot, even double nickel was there. It felt like old times. 

I was hoping to get in a complete race between the two so since I didn't I rode more upon returning home. Geez was it hot. 

I'll be at the Lawrence crit this Sunday. 

See you there.  

I raced! (Masons Midsummer Meltdown)

I did a race on Sunday. Masons Midsummer Meltdown. It was a mountain bike race over at Wyandotte Lake.

Im planning to race cross this year so it seems like its about time to get back out there. This was the perfect race to start with. Low stress and low risk. 

I've been riding when i can, which has been commuting to work a couple days a week and then riding on the weekends. That adds up to about 6 hrs a week. Not a lot but also not much less than i used to ride. Plus i think the smaller amount will force me to focus on quality, we'll see how that goes.

I should also mention that i've been pulling the little man around in the trailer. That s*it is hard. 

So back to the race...

There were 8 or 9 guys in my age group (cat 2 30-39) and i was pleased to see that my deliberately slow start still had me in 5th once we hit the single track after the long downhill gravel section.

It's been about three years since i was last on these trails so i was riding conservatively. Plus it was damp and slick. Plus i was worried about blowing up. Despite all this I never forgot that this was a race so after about 5 minutes of acclimation i took it up a notch or two.  

I'd say i had a solid 30 minutes in me, then still felt okay for the next thirty, then was pretty empty for the last 37 minutes. It was extremely humid so thank god i was decently hydrated, otherwise it could have been ugly. I still cramped up towards the end but noting severe. And thank god i threw some extra food in my pocket right before heading to the start line. I raced for 1 hr and 37 minutes and i needed all the food i had.

i had one minor fall but besides that i thought i handled the slippery conditions pretty well. It really had me thinking about how great the race would be if i had the fitness. 

Fun trails.

Looking at the results i was 3rd in my age group, no bad, but if i had been in the 40-49 i would have been next to last.  

Im registered for Single Speed KC on August 1st and im hoping to hit up a few more races between now and then. I'll be doing one day at our crits next weekend in KCK (free wheels crits, check it out) and then maybe one day at the Tour of Lawrence and hopefully another mountain bike race or two.

Between my wife and all her Roller Derby commitments and our awesome son, who knows what races i'll be able to do so the basic plan is to ride so that im ready when the opportunity comes up.

Or that could all fall apart and i'll just sit back with the little man and play with toys.

it's a win win. 

Adios.

Needed Beer...

6:15 pm Sunday and hadn't been on a bike all weekend...

Wasn't raining.

Picked shorts to show off smooth tanned legs.

Hydrated.

Choose wisely.

Returned home and consumed. 

Enjoyed Game Of Thrones (not pictured).

Parisi Team Ride

Hit up the team ride today. 

For a change of pace we started at the Parisi Cafe down at Park Place. Have you been there. Out at about 119th and Nall? It's like a generic three year old Europe. 

After some chit chat and free coffee we rode around a while and tried to look cool. 

Plus Double Nickle is back! If you see the yellow Pinarello, pay homage.  

Drinking beer at Volker Bicycles and hanging out with Double Nickle... It's like the old days. 

This ride was a good reminder that I'm slow. At the moment I think my prowess on a bicycle directly effects my prowess as a dad. The faster I get the worse of a dad I become. 

I'm a pretty amazing dad right now. Planning on being a dead beat dad for about 3 months starting in October.

(This blog kinda stinks but I'm trying to get back in the flow. Thank you for your patience.) 

Lake Wilson Mountain Bike Trip

Took a one night trip to Lake Wilson, KS last weekend. We pedaled Mountain bikes on their awesome singletrack on Saturday and Sunday.

Do you like to ride singletrack?

Have you been to Lake Wilson, KS?

If you have the means, i highly suggest you go. The trails are sweet and unlike anything in KC. Plus theres about 23 miles worth! I did a full loop each day which totaled 5 hours of riding. 

It feels like Colorado or Arizona. Smells like it, too. 

If you do go, i also strongly suggest you bring Johnny Pot Pie with you. That boy cooks good.

Steak

Cheesy risotto

Shrimp cocktail

Cherizo, egg and bean breakfast burritos

Pringles (my contribution)

We gorged ourselves. 

You should also stop at Salina's Cozy Inn on the way home (also suggested to us by Johnny Pot Pie) for their amazing hamburgers. Certainly the absolute perfect meal after two days and five hours of hard ass mountain biking. If you can eat more than 10 sliders your a real man. I had 5. 

As to the performance of yours truely... thank god for electrolite pills and coasting. 

Our group was 7 and i was somewhere between the fastest and slowest. I'd been out there once before so that gave me a bit of an edge over some, plus my mountain bike is firing on all cylinders right now (thanks Volker Bicycles!) and my confidence was sky high. Plus this was akin to my World Championships. I had some major pain face on day one and was loving every second of it.

Free time is like gold when you have a kid.

So it was an awesome trip. 

Solo Road Bike

Went for a Sunday ride. 

Solo. (You feel faster that way). 

It was awesome. 

Keep on keeping on, everybody. 

Mountain bike ride yesterday, on mostly pavement.

As X and I get the baby thing down we're finding more time for our own activities. 

(Coffee helps).

Roller derby for her and bike riding for me. 

The time we do get is short but appreciated. Free time takes on a whole new meaning after baby comes, its like winning the lottery. This is more so for me than for X. She gets the lions share of the 'me' time. After her annoying pregnancy filled with bed rest and hospital visits I gladly told her I'd pick up some slack if she wanted to give derby another go. 

So I'm getting my dad on, big time. It's awesome. 

During my new 'compact' rides Ive found myself thinking about the past, my single days. I could ride whenever I wanted. Then I think about the married but pre baby days. I could still ride a whole hell of a lot. Then I find myself thinking about my current situation... Married with baby, riding time a fraction of what it was, finding time for that fraction more difficult than ever... and I couldn't be happier. 

Then I get back to thinking about nothing but the simple pleasure of pedaling a bicycle. 

(Then I start breathing very hard because I'm terribly out of shape). 

Life is good. 

I'm sure marriage and fatherhood are going to throw me for about 1,000 more loops and I'll go from thinking I've got it all figured out to realizing I don't know what the hell I'm doing, but I'm ready for that. And after the 'I want to pull my hair out' spell passes, and I remember how lucky I am, I'll get back to my life complete with finding any time possible to pedal. 

Ride on!

(By the way, the good folks at Volker Bicycles did some fine tuning on my mtb. Single chain ring up front and switched from grip to trigger shifter. Me likey.)