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Sorry for the lack of updates. The last day of tri peaks was a bust. It was a 72 mile race with a 4k climb at the end that averaged 27% grade! i was really excited for and my legs were feeling awesome. However, 12 miles from the finish some retard decided to crash mid pack. i had no time to react and hit the deck. After a minute of rolling around, getting up and checking the bike i was rolling again. Toyota United was drilling the pace and i wasn't able to pace back on. I soloed in and lost about 8 minutes on the field. Bummer. After the race it was time to head back home, not boulder but Austin. After nine hours of driving i was back for the first time in awhile. Unfortunately i got sick along with everyone else that raced in Arkansas, its weird. If you raced joe martin or tri peaks and i talked to you, you and everyone else was sick. fricken Arkansas. Anyway I'm feeling better now and just spending time with friends and family. Ill update again soon with some pictures. Hope everyone is well.

Tri Peaks Day 3, part 2

The Time Trial, the road version of the hurricane of pain. Todays 5.5 mile course was dead flat. After the previous 3 stages the legs just were not there. I gave it all she had and rode in with a time of 12:06. That averages out to be around 27.7 mph but thats not good compared to everyone else. I placed 87th or so out of the 120, uhg. Oh well, i felt fast in all my barrowed TT gear! the winner someone on health net posted a 10:04 or close to it, thats about 32.8 mph....eeeeeee. Anyway i wasnt expecting much but i tried and i guess thats what counts. Tomorrow is going to be interesting, Menzies is in the lead but tomorrows NEBO climb with 28% wont do him much good against Baldwin and Baj. Hopefully its a medium tempo to the climb and not a slaughter fest for 70 miles. ok well i just got done taking my 5th ice bath in 5 days so im going to go to bed now. Good luck to those racing Battle at the Bear! if anyone out there is racing maxxis 310's i bet they're going to kick some ass!

Tri Peaks Day 3, part 1

Today was the crit. My first P1/2 crit at an NRC. I thought to myself, there's no way a crit can be much faster than any other crit ive done. WRONG. These guys just go go go go go go go go go go go go go go go. It sucks! on top of the pace, which was manageable, the course had 8 90 deg. turns in it. the race was basically a big yo yo. The only open straight section was a gutter fest with a nasty cross wind which just intensified as the race progressed. At about 40 min in there a crash. I pulled a nice cyclocross move if i do say so myself across the open park to avoid the crash and rejoin the group. However i thought it was in my best advantage to just take my free lap. As the pack whizzed by, the guy holding my bike said "go!" right as the last rider passed! i sprinted and made it back on. However i burned about half my tank as not a single fucker would let me into the pack. Everyone at the back was desperate for the wheel in front of them and i was quickly joining in on their mentality. Finally someone let me in and the yo yo effect was to the max. Several guys opened up gaps and i was forced to close them. With 50 minutes down and 5 minutes left i popped trying to close yet another gap. I jumped on a train that caught me and finished with that group, about 10 minutes from the end of the race. While I'm pretty bummed that i didn't really finish the crit im pretty sure next time i will, considering my mishaps/mistakes i had today. Later on this afternoon is the TT, not my specialty but hey who knows what can happen. I'll give it all shes got and hopefully pull out something respectable.

Tri Peaks Day 2

Today was pretty hard. The stage was 105 miles with climbing spread over the whole stage. We rode the climbs at a decent tempo, i felt really good and just focussed on eating and drinking. Health Net drove the race for most part. the pace was pretty quick. I almost got dropped twice today. One was during a flat section at the top of a climb when the Health Net guys laid down the hammer and the field was not ready! Gaps opened up everywhere but i managed to bring myself back to the pack. The second time was near the end with about 4 miles to go. We went down a decent full of sweeping turns and switchbacks. The pack got so strung out that big gaps opened up. I got gapped along with a Ciaco guy and a Mercy guy. The two pulled me along until we were about 40 yrds away when they both turned around and looked at me. The caico guy in broken english said, " I go no more". So i gave it all she had and pulled the three of us back to the pack just as we hit another little climb. That was almost bad. The last 5K were really fast. i managed to stay with the pack until about 500M to go. then this guy just blew up. I tried to bridge the gap as i crossed the line. So we'll see if they score me with the pack or 1-5seconds later. Oh well im happy. We finished the 105 mile race in well under 4:20hrs. Brian was allowed to start today, they ended up not sending anyone home after one stage, wohoo! Tomorrow is the crit and TT, we'll see how that goes.

sry no pics.

Tri Peaks Day 1

Today started a little earlier than i had hoped. After the hour long drive to Mtn. Magazine we got suited up and lined up. While it was cool lining up with the "big dawgs", it didnt have near the xxxXXXcoolness factorXXXxxx that lining up with the other big dawgs in Puerto Rico did. The road scene is quite different. Yea you actually race with the guys here, nobody really seems nice. I tried talking to one or two people and no one wanted anything to do with it, well, except for Noah Singer who talked the shit with me a little bit. I also managed to get yelled at by some big Jelly Belly guy, really for no reason. "move the fuck up"......hmmmm, didnt your mother ever teach you any manners. My main boy Brian had super bad luck today. He flatted in mile one and was unable to catch the pack as it descended as death defying speeds down mtn. magazine. I barely missed the time cut after soloing for 60 miles alone. Hopefully they will let him race tomorrow. I managed to have good legs and finish with the group. Results still arent up, thanks sportsbaseonline! Tomorrow is the big 105 mile day. im just hoping i can stick with the group, and or make the time cut. Wish me luck!

Skeeterville

Well the level of skeetness is intensifying as i move south. From Boulder to Kansas, the Skeeter Factor intensified. Then from there to Russellville, AR, the level has risen from orange to red. Collegiate Nats was a great time. Sry i don't have any pics but it was hot, humid and sunny the whole time. The Road Race went well. I did team work for most of it. Then cramped with about 6 miles to go. Got more fluids in me, got a second wind and finished strong. I got 45th, not bad. Kiel got 2nd after working in two breaks during the day. The after party was a shit show but whats new.

Now I'm in Russellville AR for the Tri Peaks NRC. It will be my first official P1/2 race. I guess its one way to start things off. It will also be my longest stage race to date, 5 stages, i hope i make it.

The other morning i woke up after a 11hrs of sleep and slept through breakfast (12pm). So i was directed to the Cracker Barrel, where breakfast is served all day.


No one told me i would be the only one under 50. Collin would have cleaned up shop here!

I'm staying here with long time friend Brian Kendall. In an attempt to fit in with the locals we cranked up the bass in the Windstar and rocked out to some skeeter tunes.


Then hit up the local Whole Foods for some quality.


Brian also needed some Chamois creme.


The past few days have been spent doing pretty much nothing. And while the skeeterness of Arkansas is pretty intense. The riding out here is pretty nice.



Well that's really all i got. Kinda lame i know. We'll see what else happens. Hope everyone is having a good summer and best of luck to Kiel who is racing in Europe and hopefully turning some heads.

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We're not in colorado anymore. No we're in kansas.

Party Time

Well sorry for the lack up the promised updates but after conference finals had come and gone the realization that my finals were just around the corner. The last few weeks have been extremely chaotic and fast paced. Along with finals, I was trying to make the collegiate nationals road team, study, and move out of the dorms and into the bike house. Well im happy to say that today officially marks the completion of everyone of those goals. I passed all my exams with flying colors and am hoping for a solid sweep of A's, made the nationals team and have completed the pain staking task of moving in. SAWEEEEEEET! The time to celebrate is short lived though. Thursday I leave for nationals, after nationals im driving down to Arkansas for Tri Peaks NRC race which will be my first official P1/2 race...eeeeeeeeeee. Then after TP, ill head down to spend some quality time with family and friends in Austin for a few days before making my way back up to Boulder, Sheesh!
Well how about some fun stuff to read. Last Wednesday, I did a 5hr march up toward Estes Park going up S.St. Vrain. That ride ceases to make me happy. I think I could count the number of cars that passed me on one hand after I got out of Lyons. The climb was beautiful as usual.



Along the way i needed to refil my bottles and asked the local in Allens Park where i could do so. "Right yonder, about 3/4 mile down the rode, across from the pine oak lodge is Crystal Springs, Purest water in the country". Well, the guy wasnt lying.




The water came straight out of this hose.


After riding for awhile, I made it back to Lyons where I found myself starving and thirsty. The usual was just what I needed.



Riding was relatively lame through finals, although two days ago Shep, Bryan and I went mountain biking at Hall Ranch. A ways into our ride Bryan let me ride his "Silver Steed".


The SS rigid was a blast, possibly the most fun I have had in awhile. As Bryan would say it adds a whole new element to riding. With that rigid, you know when you take a shitty line!

Last night i was an Honorairy guest with the Chamois Army Fort crowd. We went to Japango for all you can eat sushi for $25. I think we came close to eating $400 worth. Not bad. I thought i didnt like sushi but after last night my whole outlook has changed.

Today is packing for my road trip. Nationals, Tri Peaks, Home. It'll be a long haul. Kiel driving down with me so it should be that bad. I think im gonna try to bring my mtn bike back to austin see if i can ride some trails while im home. OK, well ill have my computer so hopefully i can update through nationals and tri peaks. Hope everyone is having a great summer!

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Tallest man i have ever seen!