We're Still Fighting It

Went down to Indy Fab today to take some measurements. You know your in IF country as soon as you get within a ten mile radius of the place. Matty B picked me up and we hit up a local coffee shop to get the morning started off right. Sure enough, locked up to the railing outside the shop was a Ti/Carbon XS fixed gear messenger bike. It's not every day you see a $7,000 bike locked up outside the local bean joint. After that it was back to the factory for all the specifics and a little meet and greet with some of the new guys. Now a lot of you have some sweet set ups out there regarding teams and sponsorship. But how many on the start line can say they were fit for there custom ride by the president of the company himself. It's not every cyclist who meets the team that will be designing, preparing, tacking, welding, finishing, painting, packing, and shipping there bike before hand; having the ability to discuss every aspect of your future ride, down to the last millimeter. Did your team ask weather you wanted your brake cable routed on the top or bottom of your top tube? Did they design the length of your top tube around the set back of your favorite seat post, or adjust the trail of your bike depending on your fork of choice and the race courses you want it to best perform at? probably not. That's not to say that your not getting the hook up, I'm just saying, Independent Fabrication kicks ass.From the coolest place in B-town to the most depressing place on earth. The RMV, otherwise known as the bingo hall from hell. "Now serving, B-42." Listen to that shit for 2 hours and you'll want to burn out your eye balls with a cigarette lighter. The time passed easier having a couple mid terms to study for, but even so, that is not the place you want to study for a test. Don't be surprised if you accidentally answer B-42 on every multiple choice question.Back to school for a little class, and a little fill in the blank. There was an astronaut sitting next to me on the red line this evening. I wonder what he’s doing in Boston? there was also a cowboy, a pirate, and a kid who was wearing a whole lot of toilet paper. Some sort of wacky convention going down at Harvard i guess? also out tonight were an alarming number of prostitutes ( or so they'd have you believe. ) Since when is skank an acceptable costume to trick-or-treat in? And further more, if you are one, dressing even skankyer on Halloween does not constitute a costume. Show me some creativity, not just fish net's and your cleavage. If the pillow case your carrying is the largest piece of fabric on your person, you've gone horribly astray. Me? I'm dressing up as a bike racers/ college student with 2 bikes to pack and a mid-term to ace. I know, scary hu? I thought about just giving in, and dressing up as a whore myself, ( Fat Marc, the Spot brand whore, that is ) but i just wasn't sure the neighbors would get it.

Memoirs of a C Cup

Another Canton Cup is in the books. This year was by far the biggest C Cup I’ve witnessed through the years. The early day’s races were all pushing 100+. Despite the apocalyptic rain that should have surly washed the earth away on Saturday, the course held up swimmingly. A little too swimmingly for my liking, but I’m sure the promoters were thrilled. The did a great job of keeping it all in tactMy day started bright and early. First on the schedule was NERD cycling’s own Chris Hong (seen above) rocking the socks off the mountain bike in the C race. He put up a good result for his first ever ‘cross race. He’s definitely got a few things to learn, like how to adjust your leg warmer mid race, for one. Next up was Junior NERD rider J.C. in the Junior/Master B’s field. Gavin and Luke ran away with it from the gun, but J.C. held strong to take the last step on the blocks. He was on his way to holding off the entire masters field before going down hard on the pavement stretch along the lake. Despite a blood soaked kit and skin flapping in the air, he got himself up and hammered home to hold onto his spot. That’s pretty much all he’d need to put on an application to my team. Regardless of how strong you are, you can’t be a rider who wins races if you can’t first be a rider who finishes races. After half a day of feed zoneing/ pitting/ and being a spectator, the pro men’s race rolled around. As with the rest of the days races, we had an impressively large field for a non-UCI race. I felt decent off the line, and got a good wheel coming off the pavement into the grass. Coming around the first corner, some bozo tried to sneak by me on the outside of a fast sweeper. I was a split second away from pulling a Bart Wellons and drop kicking this fool, when I caught the Clif bar logo out of the corner of my eye, and realized it was Jessie, trying to get back on the lead group after messing up his start. So after almost making a fool out of myself for trying to block the 6 time national ‘cross champ, I settled into a rhythm and put down a good first few laps. That’s when things turned a bit sour and my stomach started a rebellion against my legs. I sat up a bit, and tried to feel things out, but it was just a funky day physically. I can tell the form is there under the surface, but after a long week in the saddle, I just didn’t have the snappiness there to unleash it. Hopefully with this week to rest up a bit and get in a couple more speed workouts, things will be good for the upcoming races. The highlights of the race were some fun corners, a couple bunnyhoppable barriers, and being able to turn things back on in time to catch a handful of guys on the final lap. A-Wall killed it in the ladies race, but came up just short if Mo. back to school for the week, then I'm out.

C Cup

It's that time again! The Canton Cup is upon us. I can count on one hand the number of races I do in the state of Massachusetts every year, so to be racing 'cross in my very own home town is just nuts. I'd like to say I rock this race every year, taking advantage of any sort of home "court" advantage it's location might present, but i don't. The truth is, I probably ride that park as often as you do, and historically, have never really pulled out a super star result there. The promise of deluge rains on the eve of the race is a promising sing for a break out ride this Sunday. Thus far I've hardly had to wash my bikes after a race, giving me little opportunity to really take advantage of my mountain bike like sloppy skills. If all plays out right, it'll be a slow rolling slugfest on wheels.Got a call from my buddy Mr. Eric Blood at CMU last night. He's part of this team that builds and races these "buggys". They have runners that push them up hills and a driver inside that steer them on the descents. He was interested in some aerodynamics info from the cycling world, and well, I've got plenty of that. I can't tell you any specifics on our discussions, as I have been sworn to secrecy for the sake of there team maintaining it's advantages, but there were definitely some interesting ideas we cooked up that may make there way to the race track. personally, I find the idea of the whole thing extremely bizarre, but if ripping around at 80 k's an hour while wedged in the human equivalent of a carbon fiber hotdog bun is your cup of tea, then by all means, do it to it.

Threesomes Galore

So me and the twins have been going at it all day every day these past couple weeks. With the break from racing last weekend it really opened up a good block to get some nice steady miles logged in between all those easy days and grass crits that usually make up a week during fall. It’s been a relief to finally have the bikes built up and ready to go. Closest to your screen is Rosemary and to her left would be Delilah. There big, orange maenad, and my BFF(F?)’s. There never busy when I want to get together, and they always return my calls within the hour. Unlike, for instance, Matty B, Who decided to take a little vacation from the office this week, leaving me to sit, wait, and wish… Went out at an ungodly hour this morning to meet up with the latest cross’ convert, Chris Hong, for a tour of the Blue Hills. He’ll be the one rocking my moms old MTB in the C race this Sunday is Canton. Make sure to give him some hoots and hollers. We swung through the mass hospital school where they hold the race this morning, and there’s some interesting new twists and turns compared to years past. The field section out back seems to have been extended with some new sections cut and the run up on the far side of the track has a few new twists and turns that bring you into it. Things should still play out status quo but the new topography will be a nice change of scenery, if nothing else… Ladies: Alison Dunlap is going to be holding a women’s clinic at the course Saturday afternoon. Check it out on bikereg. I’ve got 6 house guests flying in this afternoon, so I should go make some beds up.

keepin it consistent

If you see any pigs flying, that could be attributed to me not racing this weekend. Saturdays shin dig in CT was a no go as I opted to stay home and get a little training in for a change. Sunday met up with JC (NERD) and Chris Hong (Harvard) for a nice fall 100k. JC started here with me and we met up with Chris at the Starbucks down by Wells Ave. The weather held up beautifully and it was a nice change from racing around soccer fields all weekend. the NERD (North East Regional Development) team is all coming together nicely. The final roster is a couple days from being finalized with two spots still to decide on. The team took another step forward this weekend when we took our third nationals win of the year. Tim Halliday won the B men STXC at the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships this weekend in Angle Fire, NM to go along with my own Marathon National Championship and Cross Country National Series Championship! Tim is pretty much the man and it's about time all his training paid off with a much deserved W. I don't know if it was quite as good as the Viking Biking State Championship he won back in 04' though, you'll have to let him pick. The rest of the team is really shaping up to be the dream team of North East mountain biking. As it stands today, the team can account for two national champions, a national series champion, three regional champions, and a state champion from 2006! I like to think I've earned the right to brag after so many months of work trying to get this team together and ready for 2007. The web-site will be up and running soon and you'll be able to find out everything NERD at http://www.nerdcycling.com/.

Worst Movie Titles Ever

Part two of the three hundred and forty six part series: movie taste. (see:part one) "The Hudsucker Proxy"- This sounds a lot like a sexual prohibition law. Just saying. "You Got Served"- The Title That Went Up A Hill And Came Down A National Catchphrase "Cannibal Women In The Avocado Jungle of Death"- I think we can all agree that it's the "avocado" that throws this title off-balance. "Operation Dumbo Drop"- Another code word for going number two in your diapers? "The Human Stain"- I hear "human stain" and I instantly think "bedwetter". I don't know about you. "SSSSSSS"- I would've loved to have been at the pitch meeting for this film. Loads of hissing from grown men and women, I bet.

IF 2007

Check out the 2007 IF Catalog. They threw in a nice little quote from me on the Ti Deluxe page. As Ferris Buler said, If you have the means, I highly suggest picking one up. I've got a couple on the way my self...

Collegiate nationals

Good luck to all the college boys and girls in New Mexico this weekend. D1 is going to be an interesting one to watch this year for the team standings. CU Bolder is coming in as defending champs after upsetting Fort Lewis last fall. Then throw in the three year running D2 champs Les Mecres, now racing D1, and you're going to have yourself quite the battle. The same old, 28 year old seniors will be throwing down at the front, but the real race to watch is some of the new freshman. Long time road and cross champs Brady and Peter will be throwing down against the likes of Trevor Downing, Macky Franklin, and some of the other first year semi-pro stars on the NORBA circuit this year. Timo was the subject of poor coaching, and is having to race with the Killer B's. Hopfully he goes big and brings home a second stars and stripes for NERD cycling... we'll see...

Come On Down

So this Sunday will mark a vary rare, non-race day of this fall's cyclocross season. This means a chance to get out for a few hours with no specific target other than having a good time. Hope some of you guys/gals can make it out. It'd be a good chance to meet a few of you in a non race-day atmosphere. We're looking at a sub noon start and about 3 hours of shammy time. Ride leaves from the Blue Hills Ski Area parking lot in Canton, MA. If your coming from the City, you'll want to take the red line to South Station and hop on the Fairmont/Franklin to Reedville. It's a 5 minute ride from there. McElwaineC@NERDcycling.com if you're interested... It's not like you're doing anything better that day.

On Saturdays, I drink heavily

This nice little feature pretty solidly sums up my weekend. Lets make note of second:31 and second:50. That's the ok start we talked about. What we wont see here, is where that 16th place (in a matter of two minutes) became three hundred and fifty ninth place. Skip ahead to around the three minute mark. If you know what you're looking at, you can pick out me and my back of the pack buds, just after getting lapped. I'd be the one sitting around, waiting for Tom to catch back on, and then uglying up the log hop. As you can see, I was all smiles at that point, as my day was far past salvageable. I want to see the footage of the times a made it, being the only real high of my day. ( 3:55-4:10... Best chearing section this year! )

New F'ing Gloucester

a nice backdrop for a but whooping. so I never got around to that post about the new ride... Here she is! Lynn Basset ate the other pro women for lunch on her way to another back to back win weekend.This was before J pows cursed me out for putting in a long pull for TJ and Mark when they lapped me. Sorry about that bro. Just trying to stay on the lead lap as long as possible. ( and I vote they bring back the old Jelly Belly kits. )the North West U23's were tearing legs off all weekend.Kat stayed with Basset both days until Lynn decided to finely start racing on the last laps. Real men put there foot out in the corners,Toby is back to training again, and its paying off.Could I look any more thrilled? So I'll get this over with fast. Saturday: same typical New Gloucester course only minus the long run up. (strike 1) same typical dumb ass mud pit, that has no use but to bring the weight of my bike up a few pounds. (strike 2). And same bad luck mechanicals to start the race.(strike 3). Skip back to my last showing here. Pulled an egg beater right off the spindle 100 meters in to the race and rode around with one leg. Later that day, trying to redeem myself in the B race, put my chain between the cassette and the rear wheel to the point of no return and ran with my bike on my shoulder for the entirety of the race. This past Saturday went right along with the trend. After a good start, dropped a chain on the fast down hill section, and crashed soon after remounting it. On to Sunday. By New Gloucester standard, I guess this was a great race for me. Had an ok start to things, and slowly rode my way backwards. Actually, I went backwards quite fast due to slow forward progress, to be exact. The good news in all this: it's finely time for a little recovery period and two strait weekends of local races. This means some fun rides on the MTB for a change. Tuesday morning never looked so good...

The Annexation of Gloucester Mass

"Trying to get through the crowd a bit faster on the first run up on lap one, I was using my vertical advantage by running with the bike over my head. It makes fitting through those tight spaces effortless. All was going well, and I had just enough time to catch a," hey, look! That's a really good idea!" from a spectator before getting a face first introduction to the hard pack. I clipped the back of one guys leg and, BAM, I was down for the count."...Some photos are finely arising of my secret cyclocross carry from Gloucester. It's just a matter of time before someone out there sends me the money shot of my nose in the dirt...

I'm leaving on a jet plane

Some big news to come when I have the time to give entry's worthy of such magnitude. For now, some not so blatant hints: "Never have I been so keenly aware of my palms ability to produce sweat."

While each and every other sucker sits home eating butter

people lacking imagination would just label this "INTENSITY".So Sunday. Things warmed up and the wind made a 180. The course was for all intensive purposes, the same. A few new twists here and there, but the flow of it all remained consistence. So much for that “get a better start spot”. Those fools were sitting there on there trainers the second the women’s race went off. If it means that much to you, you can have your 5th row call up. I got a decent start despite the back row line up. I seem to have a knack for making sketchy passes in tight turns. Maybe it’s a mountain bike thing? Trying to get through the crowd a bit faster on the first run up on lap one, I was using my vertical advantage by running with the bike completely over my head. It makes fitting through those tight spaces effortless. All was going well, and I had just enough time to catch a “hey, look! That’s a really good idea!” from a spectator before getting a face first introduction to the hard pack. I clipped the back of one guys leg and, BAM, I was down for the count. I made fast work of getting back up, but all pride was left on the spot. The next 6 laps went by pretty quickly. I held up a bit on lap 4 to join up with a hard charging old guy behind. We worked well together until I saw Trebon coming up behind. I took off like I was being paid, trying to make it to the line without conceding a lap. In the end, he came up, wise-cracked, and rolled on to take his second win in as many moons. In retrospect, it was a good weekend. Results in the pro’s are hard to swallow, but I can see the progress from the past weeks and feel confident in continuing the forward momentum. It was also great to meet up with so many old friends. Road guys I hadn’t see this summer and mtb’ers I haven’t seen since CO. Thanks to all you readers who made a point to say hey out there. It was really great meeting a lot of you. You forget what it’s like to have “home course advantage” when your living out of your back pack all year, so it was really awesome having you all lining the course pushing me on. To the girls on the bench screaming,“Go Big Sexy!” you guys basically made my race. So that’s it, my 7th annual Gloucester is in the books. Here’s looking at Maine next weekend! ( p.s. maybe the best part of the weekend: watching Todd Wells and Rudy Bear drive up behind my dad in the passing lane Sunday, and flip him off for driving too slow. Hilarious!) this guy is totaly checking me out.

Running on empty

Why does cyclocross kick so much ass. I don’t know, but I’m committed to spending the rest of the calendar year investigating the issue. Day one in Gloucester went off without a hitch. Made it to the race with time to spare and made good use meeting up with countless friends from along the road. Skip to the start line. All 110 of my pre-registered pro men friends were lean, mean, and 5 minutes earlier to the start than I. So there I was, 100th on the grid, doing my best to make conversation with the national team from Hattie. With the gun, we were off, and things spread out pretty fast. The pro-pro’s rolled off the front with ease wile the wanna-be pro’s attacked each other like wild animals. I was content to sit on wheels and sneak around a handful of riders in the corners. Three laps into it I was in familiar territory. All by my lonesome. Nacho Estevez was hot my heals all hover dam day. I hardly noticed the riders I was catching and passing. All I was watching was the Porto Rican chasing me around the park. With a coupe to go, he finally bridged the gap along the back side by the water and slowly rode away. I had been riding too far over my head to give it anything more to match his move. From there it was a painful few laps of chasing down the random straggler one by one. The last lap hurt so bad I thought I might have ruptured an artery or something. Five heart beats below bleeding out my eyes is in no way comfortable. But then, neither is cyclocross. To think, people are willingly pay to do this stuff. For you non-crossers, imagine paying $30 for Barry Bonds to repeatedly beat your legs with a wiffle-ball bat for 60 minutes. And then having such a great time, you do it all over again the next day. In the end I was right about where I was hoping to finish. Beat the U23’s I was worried about, but still left plenty of room for improvement tomorrow. First to do is show up to the start on time. Next, it’s but whopping time all over again. Pictures on the way. Results at cycling news.com.

On the eve of the battle

These are some of JSM's pics from this race last year. My toes are still thawing from that one. The weather is looking better for tomorrow, but the pain won't be any less. dryer=faster and faster=more painful. (see: transitive property of cyclocross) Had a nice ride this morning, high quality pasta this evening, and hopefully a good nights rest before my date with the nation 110 best 'cross racers. updates on the way. ( and as for this, i don't even know what to say.)

Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you

I can assure you, the lack of updates is for good reason. For a rest week, it sure has been busy on and off the bike. Took Monday and Tuesday pretty easy to try and kick the crap out of my legs from the Hampton’s. Wednesday was back to the pain cave with some fun race simulations and more than my fair share of running around with a bike on my shoulder. Wednesday afternoon was a high school CC race down at Houten’s Pond, and those runner types were all up in my ‘cross course. I came round one of the corners on a hot lap and was met by the Norwood girls squad in its entirety. Had there been warning of such company, I might have wiped the snot that was surly oozing from my anaerobic nostrils. To end the day I was doing some handling drills on the beach and some runs ups on the stairs. By that times, I was being giggled at by enough teams to realize I should probably wrap it up and leave the park to them. Tonight was another easy skills session down at the park to keep my sane. Some rock drops, a few picnic tables; the usual. Coming up this weekend is the big dance down in Gloucester. Rounds one and two of the United States Grand Prix of cyclo-cross series. Saying the competition is going to be though would be like saying World War II was kind of bad. Everyone who’s been sitting on there couch since the end of the road and mountain bike season are back in the swing, and fully trained up to kick of there cross campaigns here in MA. I don’t what’s going on this year, but it just seems like field sizes ( and depth of talent ) have exploded. I’ll be looking for a good showing in the U23’s. Therese some big news to report about for who as well as on what I’ll be racing for the remainder of this ‘cross season. I wont say anything for sure until things get finishing touches this weekend, but I can say It’s big, orange, and has been around the block ( or across the pond ). Check back Saturday and Sunday for the first Gloucester coverage and results you’ll find anywhere. Peace.

IF

Race one in the Hamptons

So race number three. Saturday afternoon. Southampton, NY. After a relaxing morning with plenty of time to spare, I meandered over to the course a little after noon for the 3:30pm start. This was my first trip down to the Long Island UCI events, so I left a little extra time to walk around and take in the whole course. It was a moderately fast middle distance course that featured a fair share of climbing, two mandatory dismounts, and sharp ride up that forced all the non-pro categories to dismount and hoof there way up the grassy slope. Skip ahead to the start line. All the names made it out for this one. The twin towers, the shark, ½ of the J-M duo, the Canadian, The Jam boys, the Chocolate Factory boys, Leach, Timmy J, Rudy Bear, J Anthony, Mr. 100, Noah T and the Richard Sachs experience, the Millionaire, AHM and the NERAC contingent, Tyler J, a few foreigners, and then me. With its UCI C1 status there was big money on the line and no one was there to play around. From the gun wick nasty and pork chop took turns making there moves until Ryan finally got away solo for the rest if the day. I had a good start coming off the pavement and through the first half of lap one coming into that sharp ride up made run up by the fluster cluck that is the first lap of a cross race. I let a little gap open coming into and way able to carry enough speed to ride that pitch and make up a couple spots coming into the single track top section. I held this position down the off camber S turns and through the beer tent, which, oddly contained no beer what so ever. Things stayed pretty consistently painful from that point on. Holding off a few while the real racing took place a quarter, and then a half, and then three fourths of a lap ahead. Id catch the random road pro here and there as they sat on the side of the trail pulling the course tape out of there cassettes, but for the most part, it was a long day of suffering alone OTB. (off the back). With a bit left in the race I heard the tell tale, Trebon is about to lap you sound, which is the crack of a dropped chain and a belting of profanity. After watching him lacklusterly fix his chain and ride off into the sunset, I turned on the afterburners and gave it everything to the line to make for a decent day in the saddle. Ended up on the proverbial U23 podium, but it’s hard to get psyched sometimes about ending the day in the second half of the second half of the field. It takes some serious reminding of who “they” are, who “you” are, and “what” you are trying to achieve, to keep a positive perspective on your days efforts at one of these international affairs. Post race festivities and Sundays C2 next. ( If your reading this after the fact, pictures can be found under “September 2006” in the Archives. )

The Hamptons

...A couple pics to snack on while I catch up on some shut eye. Race pics and recaps coming later today. waterSome Killer B actionRPS looser wound up on the floor.august 2005, Camp Gorham tennis courts. Skip ahead one year. Tree Farm cozyed up in the packing blanket.Roadies + mud = bad wheels to follow. Trebon and The ShaaakWicks is so old school. What the hell is "film"? home. Rest. Race reports and images on the way.

more pictures.

more pictures

and more pictures

The real

In rebuttal to my blatant, yet greatly missed sarcasm. Here's a real trip down the isles on a race weekend.