Racing Time! (almost)

So that time of year is almost here again, and I absolutely can not wait.

Last year at the end of Collegiate race season I found a new love for my bike and that love grew and blossomed over the summer, and into the fall, and even through the winter. I have trained and raced with fun in mind. Over the summer I only rode for fun, I raced and competed but only for the fun of it, I didn't have any goals or ambitions other than just to get out there on the bike. This fall I raced Cross bikes and found that to be extremely rewarding, I learned what it means to really suffer and leave it all out there. This winter I have experienced some of the worst riding conditions and yet I have been enjoying alsmot every second of it. Even now as I type this I am watching the rain fall and I know that the weather will continue to get worse before it gets better. I am hoping that all this riding is paying off and I feel like it probably will.

I have ten days until my racing season starts and I have only been this excited one other time in my life- I was once a triathlete and I trained and got super excited for that too- and that time it didn't really turn out the way I planned. See, every time I close my eyes I find myself racing and imagining the attacks and countering them and sprinting to the line for the win. Only when the race actually happens it never turns out quite like I imagined. So this year I have been trying something a little different- its not self doubt just not being over confident- I have only imagined all the different variables of the race, still seeing the attacks and covering them. I see the guys around me and the road under me and the gear I'm in and all that cool stuff but I try not to ever imagine the finish or my role in the race. I don't want to imagine victory- obviously that is close to impossible and every once in a while I do- so I just try to keep in mind why I am there and that is to have a good time and to learn and get experience.

My first race will be the Hincapie Spring Series Donaldson Center road race. I am extremely excited about that race. It will be really fun to be back in Greenville mixing it up with all the guys I rode with over the summer. I can't wait to line up with Pait an all the guys again. The next day is a Crit at the BMW test track in Spartanburg, SC. I have never raced there but I am really looking forward to that race because I want to learn how to develop my criterium abilities this year and the sooner I can start the better.

After that I'll do the Feb. 28th installment of the Donaldson Center road race and then I'll move on into my collegiate season. Following all that will be some Blair Cup action and Saturday morning Hour of Power rides and then some Tuesday night world Championships.

In other news I am officially a Cat 4 USAC road racer and a "B" collegiate racer- that is the Cat 4 collegiate class- so I'll get to try to earn some points to upgrade to Cat 3 this year. I also discovered how delicious Nutella is and that it goes best on a spoon. I have run out the first set of batteries on my powertap, I've always been told there were little gerbles in there- guess that was wrong. Oh and Mark Cavendish is pretty much my new hero, that guy is an animal and the way he gives credit to his team for his sucess is something he doesn't get enough credit for.

That's it for now.

Have fun,

- T Crotts

A Perfect machine??

Sprinting has always been a very interesting and favorable topic for me in the sport of cycling. I like being involved in sprints, watching them, critquing them, and learning how to particpate more effectively in them. I have learned a lot about sprinting this year and I attribute that to two things.

1. Sunshine Cycle shop Hour of Power rides

2. HTC Columbia's amazing team work and powerful accelerations to the line.

It seems that the HTC Columbia team can not be beaten in a Sprint to the line. Are they a perfect machine or do they just have the fastest sprinters in the world. I think it is a little of both. Probably 60% fantastic lead out and 40% fastest sprinters in the world. This week at the Santos Tour Down Under the Columbia team has been proving that Mark Cavendish isn't the only guy who can win a sprint on their team. Andre Greipel has been dominating the sprint for the line at the TDU and showing me and everyone esle that his Columbia team may be one of the best lead out teams the world has ever seen.

Here's a few videos to back it all up and to entertain:

Stage 21 of TDF: a great example of the tactics of a sprint and Team Columbia's ability to control it.

TDU: Andre Greipel and team HTC control the sprints again in 2010.

Cavendish puts it best:

With some of the best talent in the world in the lead out train and at the Caboose the HTC Columbia team will be nearly impossible to beat again in 2010. Guys like Bernie Eisel, Mark Renshaw, Micheal Rogers, Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel will show the world why they are the best sprinters team in the world.

Oh yeah and not to mention a guy named George Hincapie who was a pivotal part in all of the 2009 wins that Mark Cavendish racked up at the Tour. He will be hard to replace but it seems, at least from the Tour Down Under, that he is not irreplaceable.

2010

Wow, is it really already 2010? Life is going way too quickly. Well with the New Year comes a few new ideas some wisdom learned in 2009 has helped shape my 2010.

Last year I was so worried with just sitting in the right place in the pack to use the least amount of energy. It was my first season doing road racing and I was a little scared/intimidated and in the earlier races I was humbled by my fitness and the fitness of those around me. I had a great summer of training, racing and learning. That lead into a confident fall and I did a few cross races- which were loads of fun- and now here I am with spring just around the corner. My fitness and racing brain have developed a lot in a year. So that leads to the resolution.

In races this year I want to be more of a factor. I don't really care if I win or lose, I just want to participate- rather than just survive- and leave my mark on the races I do this season.

Another resolution I have for this year is to update my blog more often than I did last year. This is the first update in months and for that I apologize.

I also want to learn some skills on a mountain bike and race next mountain bike season.

I have made a training plan to get me to the start of road season and I would like to continue and get better at training myself.

Just an update on whats been going on since November:

I've been riding a lot more this winter than I did last winter thanks to Santa Clause and his elves. I got lots of warm goodies for riding.

Another semester of college has come and gone and here I am about to start the next one.

I put the first 1000 miles on my new road bike. ( For those of you who turn up your noses at that I also got a cross bike this year and I rode it a good bit)

I did a tempo workout the other day. Those things suck! But, they'll make me stronger so I'm gonna do them.

I think that covers everything.

Have Fun,

T Crotts

First Cyclocross Race

The steep hill

that had me dry heaving

on every lap.

.

Trying to recover

and not get blown up.

The lead in to the steep a very awkaward chicane going down and then a hard right turn up to the hill.

Tony and me on the climb. (Tony is in the guy standing)

Over the weekend I did my first real cyclocross race. The Greenville Spinners put on a great event for the South Carolina Cyclocross Championships. The race was on an abandoned golf course in Easley, the cart paths made things interesting.

I had never done a cross race before but I knew that it was all about position, so when the start was given I gave it my all and started out with a good position. I was 5th out of the first turn. The first turn dumped us out on to the golf course for about 200 yards of rolling straight away and then a hard left hand into a sand pit. The sand was probably 6 in. deep so I decided to run through it- in practice I tried to ride and only made about half way through the sand and my wheel would just stop. After the sand the course went into a fun chicane and then rolled towards the parking lot and the back of the course. The back side started with the most fun part of the race. It went down a really steep cart path to a section of grass and then up and around a tree. It was so fast through that section! After that, it lead to the barriers- that was the easiest part of the race. Then the worst part came.

The course went up another short puncher and then to a long gradual climb in the grass. It was the worst pain I've ever experienced. I almost lost my breakfast there on every lap- that makes two sections of the course that were filled with dry heaves.

The laps went by and so did the heaves and before I knew it I was on the last lap. I was thinking, "Thank God I'm almost done, just finish it Tyler.... you can do it". More on that in a sec.....

Tony Warmuth is a guy who used to work at Sunshine Cycle and has moved on to become the manager of a shop in Greer, Gusto Cycles. Tony talks almost as much trash as I do and he backs it up too. We haven't had the appropriate chance for a show down until the cross race. Tony was there to race and so was I- even if he want admit it.

So I'm on the last lap heading into the barriers and Tony comes around me. We were on the back side on a cart path when he came around, I just thought I need to take it easy and pull him back slowly. So I waited. I just rode my race and caught him right before the puncher before the big climb- that was such a hard course! I went around him on the hill just to get into his head a little. As we went up I heard him try to shift and knew then that he wouldn't be making it around me. His gears just weren't havin' it. We made it to the big climb and I heard it again there. Tony shouted an expletive and I really knew then that I had it. So I trudged on up the hill and looked back at the top of it to see Tony off running up. I put it on a little harder and checked my progress after about a minute. I had a pretty good gap. The gap lasted all the way to the sand pit, but I could tell that he was trying to pull me back. I tried not to panic and just keep the pressure on. Going into the chicane I got a little nervous, he was faster through that section than me. I came out of it and looked back, he was gaining on me. I shifted and stood up and gave it one more hard effort. I was getting a gap, or at least maintaining it. The little kick up to the parking lot sealed the deal. I stood and sprinted with all I had left. 9th place, top ten at my first cross race.

I was really happy with the result, not because of my placing but because I fought Tony off. It was loads of fun and I can't wait until this weekend to do it all again.

Have fun,

T Crotts

P.S.

I would like to give a few shout outs that made my first race fun and successful. T Cowie; thanks for the race and warmup advice. Baker Bill: thanks for the tip about re mounts, run back up to full speed then mount- thats the only reason I stayed in the top ten. Caroline: Thanks for taking all the great pictures. Mom and Dad: thanks for coming out and yelling at me to go harder when I was going as hard as I could already.

Tony and me bombing down the cart path, that was so scary

Cross Fever!

Its that time of year: the air is getting cooler, the sky is getting bluer, the nights are getting colder, the days shorter, the leaves are starting to crunch under our feet and the fat tires and cantilever brakes are going on the bikes. Its time for cyclocross!

Last year I was introduced to something that changed the way I think about riding bikes. I learned what cyclocross is. Cyclocross is a war of attrition. It is a fight with the human psyche. It is the most fun you can have while dying at the same time. Cyclocross is awesome!

The bikes are probably the coolest there could be, the people are nice and crazy strong, the atmosphere is fun, the courses are hard and technical and it hurts.

I cannot wait for the season to start so I can find out what this is all about- I've only done one cross race and It was on my mountain bike- and it wasn't really an official race. But, that was all it took and I was hooked.

So, my suggestion to you is to find a cross bike, start riding it, and come to the races. I promise that it will be fun.

I will keep you posted with race reports and the epic tales of the pain, but until then...

Have fun,

- T Crotts

Today's Go fast Tip

Somehow become Jared Graves. Sure fire way to become super fast really quick.

That is all.

Have fun,

T Crotts

Something to write home about

 

       I've had a lot going on the past few weeks. Summer was a slow blur and the beginning of school has been no different.  Looking back on it all my life has been a whirl wind adventure of bike riding and education and driving and everything else under the sun. 

     I'm back in Brevard at school now, thats a huge plus - I like Greenville but Brevard is awesome, its great to be back.  I've been riding the wheels off of my new bike- its amazing, I pinch myself at least twice every time I ride. 

      I got a powertap and a training plan so all you people better watch out I'm going to be throwing down some wattage.  -- Speaking of throwing down wattage its time for the Saturday morning shop ride race report. 

      Saturday started much like any other Saturday morning shop ride usually does. I drove down from Brevard in the early morning hours to good ol SC for some bike riding. I was one of the first to the Shop and got changed and ready for the ride. We pulled out at our usualy 8 oclock time and I was off the front for the first few minutes of the ride, just getting warmed up and doing a little head game playing.  I settled down just before the first sprint of the day, the school hill sprint- at least thats what I call it- is rarely contested by the big guns and it wasn't Saturday so I was happy just to sit back and watch some of the other guys go at it. We pulled out from the convience store parking lot and headed towards my favorite sprint, Meece bridge rd. The pee tree sprint as it is affectionatly called is a long straight sprint with a hard lead in. The lead in is pretty complex, there are two longish gradual climbs before the road flattens out for the lead out to the stop ahead sign. Louis attacked early and got a gap on the field with another guy. I was on Tony's wheel just waiting for the action to start. Tony put in a monster pull and brought back Louis. About that time John came around me with Randy, the greenville spinner, so I jumped off of Tony's wheel and on to their wheels. John put down a good effort to get the pace high, I think it was for me but i'm not sure, and then he pulled off leaving Randy and him side by side and me just between their wheels- the perfect place. I stood and started to churn the pedals, I had it timed perfectally- I was really pleased with it- and got Randy by about half a bike at the line. Sucessful first sprint. 

       I've been trying to win the Quarry sprint since about mid July and Saturday it finally happened. The Quarry rd sprint is probably the hardest one on the ride. Quarry road has two climbs the first one is not that bad but its a decider. The second one is steep and long. John had a break going from the road before Quarry all the way down to the bridge where the lead in to the sprint starts. I got on the front and tried to bring them back, Pait, Louis and I think Tony were right there with me. We brought John back right at the bridge but two other guys were still up the road. They were pushing hard but it was too much too soon- thats what makes the Quarry so hard if you don't time it perfectly its not going to happen. So, Pait got on the front and set out a monster piece of work, the man is a powerhouse and one of my favorite wheels to be on. He pulled over the top of the second hill and even down into the false flat before the sprint actually starts. The line is at the end of a false flat after the two hills. Pait pulled off the front with about 5 or 600 meters to the sign and I was 2nd wheel. That left me two options, pull of and try to get Randy to go around or attack like crazy and try to take it out right. I took the latter. I stood and sprinted as hard as I could. I got to the line with a considerable gap on them- I don't think they even tried to go with me. I was heaving when I crossed the line on the verge of losing my breakfast. Second succesful sprint. 

     On to the State Park Sprint. The State park sprint starts up a really steep short hill and then over a few rolling hills where the pace really picks up. Pait was out on the front again, right at the top of the really steep hill he told me to get on his wheel and he would help me out. So, I did and he pulled all the way until the road started to go downhill and then he pulled off. Randy-the spinner was off the front, he's got this thing where he likes to jump off the group on the hill and see how long he can survive. Louis was on my wheel and I was pulling down the hill towards the dam of the lake at the state park, that's where the road kicks up the entrance of the park and the sprint line. So, with Louis in tow I was pulling down the hill and had Randy in my sights. He never turned around to see where we were so I kept the pace right to catch him just as the road kicked up. I waited for the last second then hit it as hard as I could to set Louis up for the sprint. It worked and Louis jumped out from behind my wheel and up the hill to the park entrance. Another succesful sprint. 

      Saturday was a great day loads of fun. It was nice to get back out on the Saturday morning shop ride. 

     Some things for the future, I've got a cyclocross bike in the works so the pain is going to start really soon and I can't wait. I'm going to do some collegiate and some real races over the winter to see what that scene is all about. 

      Until then 

      Have Fun, 

     T Crotts

P.S. I will update this more than once a month for the next little while sorry for the dry spell.