January Update

Wow, it's been a while since I've updated. Well, 2010 is well underway. I'm all fixed up with Gary Fisher again for 2010, as well as Notubes, and a couple new sponsors this year with SRAM and some help from Crankbrothers. With this combo, I should be able to make one of the lightest, most bad ass 29ers on the planet!

The training has been going pretty well. I got a nice block in over the holidays with little Stewy, and with the MLK holiday and my regular Friday off, I'm working on another big block this week. I switched over to the paved roads instead of my typical dirt rds as the dirt is still pretty moist with the higher temps. Art's keeping a close eye on me and trying to keep me healthy as possible. He's been a great coach, and a great friend.

Looks like Barry Roubaix will be the first race on my calendar as Southern Cross was postponed to a later date I can't make. The beird will have to grow till March now. I'm full on for the NUE races starting with Cohutta. I was also thinking about Dirt Sweat and Gears 12hr in TN too. Lots of cash there up for grabs.

On another note, I turn 30 years old this week! Egads! I always said I was going to something crazy for my 30th, but I'm not sure I have the energy for that right now. I'm still recovering from New Years... thanks to the Collins' ;-)

Well that's it for now. Stay healthy and get ready for another awesome season of mountain biking!

Mileage Wars

Nothing like a good old fashioned mileage war to keep us motivated as the winter season draws near. I had a good week going with all the commuting I did over the week. Rumor had it that Robert Herriman held the working mans weekly milage record at 488 miles. We both decided to make a run for it over the weekend in a little gentlemans bet. 65 miles on Saturday, and another 65 on Sunday had me at 500 miles by noon with a bonky Herriman in tow. He left my house and headed home with 40 miles on the day and roughly 415 for the week. I had done it! I stole the title! I thought Herriman didn't have a chance. I topped His bottles off with Gatorade and stuffed a GU in his jersey and sent him on his way. Little did I know I awakened the milage beast from depths of Mordor.

Later that night as it was dark and nearing bed time, I got a text message. It was Herriman! He was still out riding! It read, "481 for the week so far. Gonna put the lights on and push for a few more miles. The ZYM revived me." He ended up with 505 miles for the week and took back the record. Oh yeah... did I mention Herriman is 49 yrs old. The guy is a milage machine. Incredible.

Off Season at the Simonsters

That's A Wrap

Well... Iceman didn't quite go as planned. I put a lot into the preperation and I felt ready. I had good legs and I even got off the front in the first section of singletrack. Then to my demise I was burried too deep going into Tornado Alley and watched the front group of 6 roll away into the distance. I should have known better than to be so far back. I put in a pretty hard chase for a few minutes, then pulled the plug. Mentally defeated I rolled along just barely pushing the pedals till I pulled off the course at Williamsburg Rd. In a split second I went from thinking about where I was going to put in an attack to thinking, oh crap my race is over. Looking back, I should have pressed on, but the truth is I expected to be in that front group and anything less was a huge disappointment and embassment for me. It was one of those all or nothing races. I didn't even carry a tube with me.

Ahhh well. It's time to kik back and relax for a while. I have a big year planned for 2010 and much more hard work and preperation ahead of me. I'll certainly be fired up and motivated come April. You can't win em all, but you can always give your best.

18 Lbs Flat

Pullin out all the stops...

Back 2 Back Peak 2 Peak

Back again for the Peak to Peak fall classic. This year the race grew with almost 500 racers in attendance. This race has a little bit for everyone. Fast technical downhills, long flat power sections, lung busting climbs, and not to mention a beer tent. Nice! Endoman promotions did a great job with the venue and with bringing in tough competition.

The first lap went out with a bang as Anderson attacked like a maniac about half way through which pulled out me and Derek Graham... very similar to last year. Derek pounded away at the pedals up the back side of the ski hill on lap one. We would trade pulls all the way to the middle of lap three where Derek and Anderson got tangled up with a lapped racer. I steered around the tangle and kept moving on. Anderson bridged shortly, which left just the two of us to duke it out on the last lap.

It came down to the final ascent up the ski hill on the final lap where I distanced myself from Anderson on the early slopes, and kept a little gap over the top. I kept the pressure on through the downhill and rolled in for the win!

Getting the win feels great coming into the final weeks of the Iceman preperations. It was a long race at just over 2-1/2 hrs, so I think that may have played to my benefit.

Thanks goes out to Endoman promotions for putting on another great event to add to the fall classics in Michigan. The legs are coming around and I'm feeling good for the final show down of the year at Iceman. I cant wait!

Countdown to P2P

Peak to Peak is this weekend! Been looking forward to this one. Rumor has it that Pro's are doing 4 loops for a ball busting 44 miles. Get yur camelbacks ready... it should be a fun one.