Trail running and a cross workout

Last night Scott, Tony and I hit the outdoor YMCA up for a nice 40 minute easy trail run. I love trail running and would much rather run on the dirt and trails any day than run on the road, it is by far more interesting and you don't have to deal with irate drivers either. After cross season is over we plan on hitting the trails pretty regularly throughout the winter. Tonight we did a cross workout at the Y too. The grounds there were in pretty decent shape after all of the rain we have been getting. We did get muddy, but not that bad at all. My legs were a little fatigued though tonight from the previous night's trail run. Taking it easy for the rest of the week until Sunday's race. Hopefully we won't get too much more rain before then.

Stark Velo Cross

Matt Turi and Stark Velo did a great job on hosting their first CX race that was held at the Stark Co. Campus of Kent State University. The course was a mix of power sections with a long climb and technical off camber twists and turns. It was a great course that suited the strong road racer. The weather wasn't so great though. The B race had to be shortened to only 3 laps due to hard rain, thunder and lightning. There were 49 B racers that lined up and in the end when the race was called off, Scott was in 17th. place and gaining positions in his first ever CX race, way to go Scott you were looking strong on a hard course and, it can only get better from here.

The A race started out fast, as it always does. For the first couple of laps I was feeling ok, but not as good as last weekend. I was mid pack and trying to keep my position when I hit an off camber twist in the bowl section and went down and lost a couple spots. I hit the hill and hammered it and was anerobic by the time I came to the top, I came through the off camber sections and again drilled it trying to regain my lost spots. I hit the first set of barriers and the lactic acid set in on the slight uphill along the road. I continued to "ride" the rest of the race never really feeling like I was actually racing. I have no-one to blame or am I trying to make excuses for my performance in this race, it is purely my own fault for overtraining during the week, it has always been my downfall. I love to ride my bike and train during the week, but when the racing is this hard on the weekends you can't overdo it just in training during the week, I know that but I still continue to do it. Granted, I know I'm not 35 years old anymore and I do not have the speed and strength that some of the riders my age or older have, but I have a training plan that I should be following and I dont do it. That will be my last week that I dont follow my cx plan to a "T". If I continue to have poor performances after that, then I may have to think about switching classes or possibly building a shuffleboard court for my backyard.

Nuff said!

M.D.C Day 2

Day 2 of the Michigan Double Cross in my opinion was harder and faster than Day 1 and the racing was much more exciting. I would have to say that top honors for exciting racing action had to go to Robert who raced the straight up B's. For being only 14 years old he showed most of the field how to really race. He narrowly missed getting the hole shot, he was actually 4th off the pavement and into the grass in a huge field. He hung onto his position for about 1/2 of the race when he slipped into a serious race for rounding out a top 10 spot which was for 9th and 10th respectively. For probably the last 3 laps he and another adult rider were battling it out furiously when Robert would gap him over the barriers and attack only to have the other guy catch back up on the flat or in a twist section. On the last lap with only less than 1/4 of a lap to go afer Robert did most of the work on the lap, Robert gapped the other rider over the last set of barriers, clipped back in quickly, charged hard to get out of the twists and turns before the LONG 250 meter road section to the finish, gave a quick look back and opened up a massive sprint for the line. The other rider opened up his sprint too and what looked like a sprint win for 9th for Robert was ever so slightly taken away by the other rider. The two came across the line in a photo finish which had the officials unsure as to who actually did win it, they had to refer to the timing chips to be official.
It was a very impressive race for Robert, probably his best ever so far in his young career with many more to come. It is so awesome to see the young guys coming up in this sport and how fast they progress. I was telling Rudy this weekend that who needs a training plan anymore, we'll just ride behind these young guys and we'll get the best training there is :-)

The other races included Rudy winning the 45+ Masters race. Yes it was indeed a fine day for the Sroka's. Not only did he win the 45+ he also won the 35+ as well. Our race started :30 after the 35+ and it wasn't long that we caught and mingled with the 35+ guys, that's saying something for us old guys (I'm keeping it that way too)
Rudy worked his way up to the front and it stayed that way for the rest of the race. I think he made the race faster too because our times were faster than the day before and I do know that the racing was harder on Sunday that it was on Saturday. I managed to finish 6th in the 45+ and Nate was 6th. in the 35+

Julie again was 4th overall in the Elite Women's race and looked and raced very strong both days despite taking a hard hit to her upper lip with her handlebars while climbing the Orange Crush. Man those steps were steep!

Matt and Tony raced in the Elite Mens 1,2 race with Matt finishing 5th and Tony 13th.
These guys in this group really fly and Matt is on superman form right now, wow he's flying. Very impressive Matt, keep up the good work!
Tony came into this 2 day event with the idea he would try to race hard enough and not get lapped. Well he didn't even come close to getting lapped and was even in the front to middle for most of each race. It was good experience for him and good hard racing each day, I was very impressed by his speed and barrier skills too, wow is he smooth! You're only gonna get faster Tony, keep up the good work!

It was a great weekend with great racing both days on a hard, technical, very dry course. The local bike club that designed and set up the course (Flying Rhino Bicycle Club) did an excellent job and Congratulations to all of my teammates.

Michigan Double Cross

We drove up to Waterford Michigan yesterday to do the Tailwind Michigan Double Cross race Saturday and Sunday. Tony and I recon'd the course Friday night by riding 2 laps including the Orange Crush flyover, which we practiced a few times more to kinda get the hang of it, this thing is steep! The course is very technical with some good road sections that are on a sports car course similar to Mid Ohio, there are 2 sets of barriers, a dirt/sand runup and the ever looming flyover with quite a few zigs and zags thrown in to utilize all of the real estate that was to be worked with.

Tony raced in the Elite/1,2 race and finished 12th. He was with a group of 3 throughout most of the race and was riding very strong, he looked vey good in a very fast race.

I finished 5th in the Masters 45+ race which started out super fast. I was in a battle the whole race with 2 others as well which made this race fun. They started the 35+ group 30 seconds before our race and we ended up catching at least 1/2 of them. This was a chip timed race so there was no confusion to who was who.

Julie finished 4th in the Elite women, Robert was 1st in the Junior 15-18, Rudy finished but had a flat while in 3rd in the Master 45+, he was racing strong, too bad Rudy, Matt was 4th in the Elite 1,2 and Nate L. finished 9th. in the Masters 35+. Overall a good day for the team and were all looking forward to racing again tomorrow.

Wendy Park Cross Opener

What a great day it was. Great team participation with our largest cross event ever. We had 147 racers show up for the sufferfest on a beautiful day with lots of happenings going on in Downtown Cleveland, mainly the Browns playing right across the river from us. Our event had a much better ending than the Browns game though. Thanks to everyone that came out and raced, you guys and gals are awesome. The A race was hard, I was tired and pretty achy but there was no way I was going to sit this one out and watch. I decided literally a minute before the race started while sitting on the top tube of my bike as I scanned the line-up that maybe finishing top 20 and not getting lapped was going to be my goal for the day. Well I didn't get lapped and I don't know how... My legs on the last 2 laps, especially on the short steep climbs were out of order. I pushed hard throughout though with my heart rate averaging 174, so I know I worked my butt off. Its hard racing against, or should I say, "with" the young guys, but I keep telling myself it's going to make me stronger, that's if it doesn't kill me first...... :-)

Michigan CX this weekend.

Rest day

today. We did a nice easy training pace 60 miler yesterday, averaged 18 with a harder section toward the end, it was a perfect training ride. Sunday we got in a hard cross practice followed by a 15 minute trail run. Very nice weekend and Labor Day, hope everyone had a nice weekend. Wendy Park Cyclocross this Sunday!

Miller Marut Memorial 5k

run this morning in Concord. This is the 3rd. year in a row for this run and all the proceeds go to a scholorship fund set up at Riverside High School, so this is a very good cause. My Cousin Jeff and his wife Jenn lost their son 4 years ago, so what better way to remember his short life here with us than a sporting event. Today was the largest field ever for this event with between 350-375 runners and walkers, Scott organized this run in the begining and it really has gotten big in a few years, very awesome indeed. The course is probably one of the toughest 5k courses that you could run too due to the hills. It is downhill to rolling to the turnaround and then a tough climb back to the finish. We started out very fast with the top times being in the low 5 minutes per mile. I hit the 1st mile at 5:48 and seemed to be feeling pretty good. The half mile to the turnaround was a little harder cause that's where the rollers kicked in. I came through the 2 mile marker at 12:15 and now the uphill to the finish comes in. I ran at an above anerobic pace back to the finish with Scott catching me with close to a 1/2 mile to go. My hr monitor was telling me that I was above my old man pace but hey, it's cyclocross season and cross is all about being above your anerobic pace. Scott and I ran together to the left hand turn to the finishing area where he said to me, "how do you want to do this" I said you go, you are running strong, he said "no way, were running in together" Scott deserved to go ahead of me, he's really fit now and has really upped his training this year, Great job Scott. We finished 6th and 7th overall with a time of 19:10 and 1st in our age groups. Tony finished 2nd. overall with a 17:50, wow, thats fast on this course. The winner went 16:55, double wow and Congrats go out to him.

Great Job Jeff and Jenn and to all of our family members that supported this race and who were at the water stations and mile markers yelling splits, Lynn helped with scoring, Aunt Sue was the emcee and all the kids handed out awards. What a great race and a great morning. Aunt Sue is hosting a pig roast this evening, so it's more good times.

Life's Good!

What a great day

for a bike ride. Scott and I met @ Squires Castle this moring for a 2+ hr training ride. We did the usual hills in and out of the Chagrin Valley down to Chagrin Falls. Did a lap on the old crit course down there and then stopped for a quick coffee at Starbucks. Then we rode South out of town on the 5 mile running race loop and back toward town then rode West back to Chagrin River Rd. We ended up with 45 miles today with some beautiful weather to boot, can't get much better than that.

Bought some new Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier tonight to try too. I've never had this before and it's good, as is most S.A. It has a light taste of blackberry but not too much and not too sweet. It leaves somewhat of a malty hoppy sort of bitter taste in your mouth after a swallow, but it soon goes away. It's a nice light and refreshing beer, good on a warm day, give it a try if you haven't already.

Training stuff

Scott, Tony and I ran a nice 8.86 mile training pace run this afternoon in 1:10. Ran on dirt nursery roads, pavement and an old abandoned runway at Casement Airport. Great run today. Tomorrow is a 2+ hr training ride on the road bikes leaving from the North Chagrin. Kickin back right now with a nice Fat Tire Amber Ale straight from Ft Collins Colorado and from Mike Vanucci, Nice beer, Thanks Mike.