10th at the Epic

So everyone knows by now that the BT Epic this year was almost TOO EPIC! Conditions made a difficult course tougher than a piece of beef jerky on stale bread. But that brings out the best in Mt. Bike racers and everyone finished strong with miles of stories to devour over free beer and BBQ.

Enough cant be said about the quality of this race. I've done a lot of events over the years, and even in its two year infancy Scott and his crew from Springfield Bike have created the model for what endurance racing should look like. Smooth check in, prepped course with great markings, crazy swag and prize list, and of course a carnival atmosphere post race.

I never really got the mojo flowing Sun. A long season met sub-par training, and added up to a lackluster finish. The competition really stepped it up this year though, so I'm content.

Props to many BOCOMO riders:

HeavyD -- for "diggingdeep" , one word, to finish a long day

Cole - not from BOCOMO, but for coming from KS to ride and finish "real" single track

Daisy -- for beating the KS boys, and the figs

Evenslower -- for not taking this out on my EPR

Ozenpro -- for stopping to help a fallen rider

Junior -- for sticking it out in the cold rain, only to find the cabin "checked out." My hot tub is open for you anytime (man I felt bad about this one)

Green Beans -- for doing the double

BH -- for not razing me too hard after my poor showing

DoubleShot -- for drinking creekwater, and riding your brains out, to show'em how we roll in Mid MO, and of course taking the win and the $$$

Pics Here

Training and openers...please.

Last year between the Burning and the Epic, I pretty much did nothing cycling related. I had good legs for he Epic. So I'm following my lead from '08, sort of. Lots o'eating out, long walks in the park with the wife and dog, and multiple trips to the kegerator. Add in a 3 dayer to Tulsa this week, a night out watching the Leadville Documentary, and I should be flying come Sunday.

Training is overrate, as are openers.

2nd Again and 12 Years

Yep, 2nd again at the Burning, three years going. I'm speechless...


On the plus side, tomorrow, I get to celebrate 12 years with someone who puts up with way more than she should, lets me be a kid 24/7, and keeps me in line when its needed. She even rides with me on occasion:

Burning Domination

The Bridesmaids (formerly known as Double D and the A-Cups) are more than ready to own the top step of the podium this year. Let this post serve as a warning, that we’ll be breaking legs and crushing dreams Saturday.

Our team has an average resting heart rate of 23 bpm. Our VO2 max is off the charts. Combined we take in more air per minute than a Bugatti Veyron going full tilt.
We have been on a strict diet of PBR and bacon since 1-1-09. We are so lean and chiseled, we look like Maria Shriver after a ten day fast.

Our bikes are stupid light. Made from a proprietary blend of carbon nano-tubes and hemp fiber. They are so light, DoubleD’s asthmatic wiener dog can carry one to the trailhead. The hand sewn tubulars are made from the fur of unborn panda pelts, and are crazy sticky. We are running hydrogen in the tires for added lightness.

But what really puts us over the edge is our prototype cycling computer, which is a joint venture between the Tandy Corporation, and Fischer Price. It systematically monitors our vital signs during training rides and relays them back to our Cray supercomputer for analysis by Dr Fuentes. The Statistical Analysis Computer (or S.A.C as its know) is somewhat heavy though and attached with massive zipties, so we’ll cut off our SAC’s before the race.

We will dominate this year. Stay home if you don’t like losing.

Dead Legs Today...Chain Breakers Tomrrow...

Mine are day to day. Since Leadville, I've been on again, off again, with no rime or reason. I've had days were I rip the cranks clean of the bike, and others were I cant couldnt keep up with a 4 year old on a big wheel. I think some serious rest is in order. Something about starting your season with big races in April and putting it all together for one biggy in Aug, has me reeling. Hopefully I can pull one out of my arse for four laps around Council Bluffs...