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Planet Bike Orono CX Race (Cat 4, 30 Minutes) This was my first cyclocross race. I had done a bunch of practice and was well aware of things from the persepctive of being well read. That said, it is one thing to be well read and another to be genuinely experienced. I had been looking forward to this race for a long time and was pretty nervous in the days before the race. Come race day I realized I was a bit under the weather, not sick in a big way, but not at my best. Driving down to the race I remember thinking I wanted to take a nap. That is not my usual feeling when I am hours from a race of any sort, let alone one I had been thinking about for months. Anyway, I decide that I might not be on my best day but there is no turning back. I do all the normal stuff pre-race -- register, look at course, and the like. I was excited to be using my new cross tubulars for the first time. Rolling through a warm up lap, I hit a tricky off camber uphill and I am suddenly slipping and it looks like I'm about to fall down the hill. I save it and am only confused for a second as I look behind me and the rear tubular is not on the about half of the rim anymore. I am now really pissed as I debated about whether to do it myself or pay someone to do it. I opted for later figuring I didn't want to mess it up. Luckily I brought a spare set of wheels and got those on. At this point my motivation and body are not good. I figure there is nothing to do but keep doing what I need to be doing. I ride for a while to warm up and then return for my clothes change and all. I get out for a couple of laps and get a bit of a handle on the course, though I would say it was not as strong as it should have been. I was really happy to see my wife and kids who came to watch. It was fun to chat with them a bit and hear my sons yell at my while warming up. I line up reasonably cloes to the front but not on the first row. I just didn't have the fire, confidence and/or whatever else I needed to be up there. The gun goes off and we're out very fast, as cross races always go. I tuck into a reasonable part of the field, about 1/3rd of the way back. We hit the downhill off the cinder track that starts the day and I'm being a bit cautious.
Here I am moving up on the early laps. Laps go by and I am working hard. I made an error on the 2nd lap. The course includes a sand pit and I ran it well in warm up and on the first lap. I am also thinking that it is almost always faster to ride than run. Coming into the sandpit on this lap, I decide to give it a go riding it. I follow the tracks and am doing pretty well. With about 5 feet to go, my bike jumps out of the tracks and I push down real hard to keep it moving. After a couple of seconds of much work, I come to a ocmplete stop. I get off quite slowly as I was not expecting to dismount and my run through the last part of the pit and the remount are terrible. It took me about half a lap to recover from that experiment and I resolve not to try things in a race I haven't nailed in warm up.
Me doing it the right way in full run through the sand pit. I hold a reasonable amount of technique and am doing okay. With a couple of laps to go I find myself tucked behind a couple of guys. I suck wheel for a bit into the headwind section of the course and then use my secret line through one part of the course to gap them.
Following here before moving forward in the field. I keep working and find another guy with about a lap and a half to go. I mark him for half a lap. The course had an uphill drag on a dirt road right before the sand pit. I decide that if I am going to get rid of the guy, now is the time. I punch it up the hill and neearly blow myself up completely. I made it through the sand pit and am really tired now. I do what I can on the last half a lap, really happy that I put a good gap on that guy as if he'd have marked me, he likely could have come around me as I tried to get over my attack. I make it up the run up one last time and make a good lap around the track working as hard as I could. I am reasonably pleased with my finish, it was okay all things considered. I am looking forward to giving cross another go next weekend to see if I might do a bit better when feeling more on top of things physically.
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February 14 Who says you have to take it easy in the winter? Tony did a great job at the Austin Marathon and set a new PR today. Nice job Tony! February 4 Coach Jason is teaching two classes at GearWest University this Sunday, one on race execution and the other on using power for multisport. January 23 The year is young but the Dig It crew is off to a great start. It was a day for winter running races and PRs as several among the Dig It gang got their year started with personal best runs today, nice job gang! January 17 Riding/racing in the middle of the night on an indoor soccer field? Really? Yeah, really!
January 13 Hey the weather outside isn't frightful, at least here in Minnesota. Who wants to ride?
January 1 Dig It wishes you a happy and successful New Year. December 14 Coach Jason discusses his passion for racing cyclocross despite being bad at it, at least so far.
December 3 Coach Jason reflects on training in the off season.
November 22 Dig It's Dan made his Ironman debut in Tempe at Ironman Arizona. He might have been new at the Ironman distance but Dan was fast and had a great performance. Nice job Dan! November 17 Debi finishes 2nd in the Virginia Triathlon Series, not bad given that she's over 50 racing against women who are literally half her age. You're an inspiration, keep it up! November 14 and 15 Dig It was out at the Minnesota State Cyclocross Champs this past weekend. It was a fun time with great weather, good racing and a general festive atmosphere. Looking forward to next year already. November 7 Scott has a great race at IM Florida, avoiding the sophmore jinx with a huge PR. Nice job Scott! October 17 Dig It athletes can run, and fast at that. Jill sets at major PR at the Whistlestop marathon where Sascha did a great half marathon as well. Maria ran a big PR as well at the Indianapolis Marathon. The dig it gang runs and runs fast! October 3 and 4 Minnesota cyclocross season is underway and rolling. Michael and Coach Jason got their seasons going with some fun and hard racing this weekend.
Michael in action at the Hudson CX. Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com.
Jason at the Planet Bike Orono CX race. Photo courtesy of Seth Iverson Photo.
September 26 It was a wet and tough day for everyone at the ITU World Short Course Duathlon Championships. Dig It athletes were out to play and did what they could on a challenging course in the midst of a downpour.
Debi is among this group of fast ladies before the skys opened again.
Here Justin Hurd closes in on the transition after a speedy first run. September 13 Forrest showed off his great fitness with a 5th overall at the Bad to the Bone Duathlon.
Forrest was indeed bad. Here is runs towards the finish. September 13 Wow, what a day for the Dig It gang. Debi was 12th overall, and 3rd woman, at a sprint tri in Virginia. Maria set a new half marathon PR in Chicago, and Forrest set a 5K PR by over a minute in Kentucky. Oh and then there was Ironman Wisconsin which was the scene of outstanding performances by Andrea, Lindsey and Henry. A successful debut and 2 PRs made it quite the day in Madison. Jason was there to cheer and take it all in.
Here Coach Jason hangs with Andrea after the race.
August 30 Keith completes his first Ironman at IM Kentucky today. On a great weather day, Keith executed a great race making all his time goals. Way to go Keith!
Josh shows his endurnace with a strong run at the Salsa 2-4, yes the 2 and 4 refer to how many hours it lasts. August 16 Dan rocks the fastest run and 2nd overall today at the Northeast Maryland Triathlon, the regional championship. Nice job Dan!
August 3 After a freak accident, Eric shows great perseverance to train for and race strong at the Calgary 70.3.
Looking strong on the bike, Eric moves along on his way to a great finish. July 19 The Dig It gang was throwing down some great performances today. At the Heart of the Lakes Triathlon Jill and Cliff achieved their season goals of making their age group podium, Jill was 2nd and Cliff 3rd on a great Minnesota summer day. At the Door County half IM, Andrea and Lindsey rocked it and showed they are on the way to great races at IM Wisconsin.
Jill and Cliff show off the hardware. June 6 Jennifer crushes her half IM PR today at Mooseman with a well executed race across the board.
May 31 Dig It's friend Justin Hurd captures the US National Long Course Duathlon Championship today in California at the World's Toughest. National Champ baby, that's a good thing to call one's self!
Photo courtesy of Auburn Events May 23-24 What a weekend for the Dig It gang. Excellent performances at the Apple Duathlon in Minnesota.
Here Cliff speeds towards the finish at the Apple Duathlon.
Also, Andrea set a half marathon PR and Forrest got his first duathlon top 10 finish with an AG win, and Jennifer got a 3rd among women and a 2nd in her age group in a sprint triathlon in Utah
Jennifer showing off some hardware! April 26 Coach Jason was in Richmond for USA Triathlon's Duathlon National Championships. It was a hot weekend but the Dig It gang did a great job.
Here Coach Jason poses with Forrest after his race. Forrest got the luck to start at 11:30 on a day that got to well over 90 degrees. Did I mention his race was hot? October 11, 2008 Justin Hurd, who Coach Jason advises, shows shows his strength at IM Hawaii. On a challenging day, for the big island no less, Justin did great in his first attempt at the World Championships as a pro. September 28, 2008 Jason in racing mode at the ITU World Duathlon Championships in Italy. It was a fun day of action.
Here the bike awaiting its trusted rider.
September 27, 2008 Jason serves as Assistant Coach with the elite athletes of Team USA at the ITU World Duathlon Championships in Rimini, Italy. It was a fun day filled with great competition for Team USA.
Here is the women's team poses for photos immediately after their finish.
October 6 Coach Jason wins the inaugural Kickin' Leaves Duathlon in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The new race had a small field but a great course. Hope everyone can make it there next year.
Jason poses with bike and trophy at home after the race.
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