Hussein Smithers MINNEAPOLIS

Hudson

Thanks to Linda for taking one of the only photos of me yesterday that did not display what a total fat ass I am.

I need to keep in mind that this whole cyclocross project is really just an experiment this year. The last time I tried cross racing I went into it with no specific training and a way heavy bike. My season started slow this year and I am still on the heavy side, but I have been moderately happy with the result so far this year.

Gear I brought to the race:

-Bike (TIME Cross Proteam)
-heavy wheels, Fulcrum R5 with Vittoria tires
-light wheels, Fulcrum R1 with Challenge tires
-trainer rear wheel
-trainer
-two skinsuits, one for warm and one for cool
-two pair of shoes, one for mud (1997 TIME World Cup) and one for dry (2008 Time MXS Carbon)
-two helmets, one for mud and one for dry (both Lazer Genesis)

I used the bike, the light wheels, the trainer for 15 minutes, the warm skinsuit, the mud shoes and the mud helmet. Maybe I need to bring less crap next time.

Following the trainer warm up I took a practice lap with Ped to figure out the course. Grass straights with switchbacks, asphalt path into the woods, narrow wooded trail with switchbacks, thick muddy turn, log dismount, option ride/run muddy turns, beach sand run, back to grass straights with a double barrier.

I lined up at the back with Ped and Jimmer, the fire engine horn blew and it was on like Falun Gong (in your face Dave Towel).

I was all amped up on the first lap and tried to move up as quickly as I could passing guys just before turns and accelerating through the straights. After about 2 laps of that junk I kind of cracked a bit and had to relax and recover. I wanted to ride with Ped but he ended up having some mechanical problems. I wanted to ride with Jimmer but he caught and passed me about 4 laps in and I could not stick to him. I wanted to ride with (dis) but he had a horrible day with mechanical problems. So I pretty much rode alone. I have not seen results so I don’t know where I ended up other than towards the back. I don’t think I was last.

Things I was happy with:

-No crashes
-No mechanicals
-Comfortable on the bike
-Was able to handle mud sections without much problem
-60 minutes was difficult but not as bad as I thought it was be
-Never attempted to bunny hop log there by saving my face from certain destruction

Things I was unhappy with:

-Went out too hard and paid for it later in the race
-Stayed on the bike sometimes when it would have been faster to run
-Continually mis-judged speed required for corners

I think if I would have started a bit more conservatively I would have had more in the tank to stay with some people who went by me.

It was faster to run the muddy section after the log dismount but I did not run it every lap, probably just every other lap. The problem was that running the mud section meant that you would only have 20 or so seconds of on the bike recovery before you had to dismount and run through the beach sand. There were numerous times that I could just not bring myself to get off the bike even though I knew it would be faster. I need to toughen up mentally a bit.

At one point early in the race I was carrying a lot of speed through the start/finish and onto the asphalt path. I totally blew the corner back onto the grass. DC was standing right there and knew what was going to happen and stated in a rather monotone voice "Coming in hot." He helped me get untangled from the course tape and told me to get going and he took care of the course, thanks DC.

Other than that things went OK. Lessons for next week:

-Start a bit easier. I am not going to win so there is no reason to try and bust to the front of the race.
-Commit to riding the course as fast as possible in all sections.
-Work on corner speed, in slow and out fast, not vice versa.

All in all it was a good first event. I’ll learn as much as I can this season and hopefully be up closer to top of the results next year.

OK, so I guess Frank took a good picture of me as well. Thanks Frank.

You can check out more pictures from yesterday:

Ray

Frye 1

Frye 2

Frank 1

Frank 2

Posted by Smithers at 10:37 am in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 9 Comments »

cross practice

I was worried how I would feel after a week off the bike. Turned out I felt OK.

Cyclocross practice for me is more than just getting a good workout and trying to be smooth over the barriers. It’s also about how I feel after the effort and the next day.

I am going to get a real good idea how I feel after a crash tomorrow morning.

I came in too hot to a barrier on the backside of the course and stacked it really good. Landed on my left side hard on the ribs. I almost knocked the wind out of myself and had to lay there for half minute or so before I could get going again.

Very sore now.

I have cracked ribs in the past and it does not feel that bad, but I am sure that I will feel pretty sore in the morning.

40 years old now, we’ll see how fast I bounce back.

Cyclocross has hurt me pretty bad in the past, I hope this is the worst I get this year.

Posted by Smithers at 1:31 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | No Comments »

reflections on a practice race

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment of activity, convincing yourself that your current level of exertion is beyond anything you have every done in the past. At the time I was pretty sure that this mornings practice race was really tough.

Upon my arrival back home I took some time to think about it. I still think it was really tough.

As opposed to the course last week, which was mostly flat with only one short run up, this course today had a lot of up and down. A long run up, some short punchy climbs, and two long descents. There were not as many technical sections, save one corner where you could gain a real advantage if you could convince yourself to lay off the brakes. Last week you could gain some advantage if you could ride the technical sections smoothly. Today was more of a pure fitness test. I give myself a B-.

There were some problems. I hit one of Ped’s self destructing barriers and spent a bit trying to put it back together. Later I dropped my chain and had to dismount to put it back on.

I still have some work to do to work on uphill leg speed and smoothness over the barriers. But I have some more time before my first race of the year.

Posted by Smithers at 12:34 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 2 Comments »

Cyclocross Practice Race Wrap Up

Ped, ScottERob, The Red Lantern, Little Frye, (dis), FPA, P-Max, T3 and I made the event. Jim R showed up in time for the last few laps and the special bonus treat on the bell lap.

Ped and I modified the course from last time a bit. We added another barrier section and lengthened the sand pit. We also added a longer grass section on the back side that made for much work before the fast street section. The longer sand pit was rideable if you had a clear shot but it may have been faster to run. I started running after watching ScottERob run through fast. I found that riding through kicked up so much sand into my rear wheel that I could not even keep the chain on the cogs.

I made an effort to really put some good work in the whole time. About 20 minutes in, as usual, my lower back was killing me. But I kept the head and hammer down to get the training in.

On the last lap P-Max reported that he hit a barrier and somehow this angered a hive of yellow jackets. I came through the same section a few minutes later and was rewarded with stings to my left ankle and right ass cheek. The Red Lantern went through the same section and I heard him hollering from across the park. Little Frye got a few stings as well. Jim R got some. Fun for just about everyone.

All in all it was a great course and great training but I could do without the swollen ankle and cheek now this afternoon.

We’ll probably do this again next week if you are interested. Let me know.

We’ll try and avoid the yellow jackets next time.

View this activity in a separate window here.

Cyclocross Practice Race

Posted by Smithers at 1:58 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 3 Comments »

Tuff Ride

Sometimes you gots it and sometimes you ain’t.

5 souls headed west for the Tuff Ride last night but as soon as we hit Wayzata ScottERob wheeled around. I asked him what was up and he said "not feelin’ it tonight." He read my mind.

We had a leisurely ride back home. Upon my arrival I was delighted to find that I was home in time to tuck the little boy into bed. Then I ate an entire pizza.

Posted by Smithers at 1:30 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 1 Comment »

Tuff Ride Wrap Up Bed Time Story

All the favorites were there except B2B.

Either the pace was slower or I am gaining a slight amount of fitness. My moving average was faster than any other Tuff Ride so far this year, so I chose to think that I am gaining some fitness. So step off suckers.

Posted by Smithers at 9:41 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 4 Comments »

Cyclocross Training

View this activity in a separate window here.

Checkbook and I went out and turned a few laps. The new portable barriers worked great.

Posted by Smithers at 8:46 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 7 Comments »

track report

Both races sucked for me and the last race, pretty much the sole reason that I went up there tonight, got rained out.

I think I am done with track racing for 2008.

Posted by Smithers at 10:52 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 9 Comments »

Tuff Ride Wrap Up Rap

All your favorites showed up plus more. P-Max, Pedikins, BillyD, ScottERob, EPno, TeamScrew, plus MeanDawg, NiceDawg, BadDawg, Classic and the Gut Buster.

I don’t really know who all these people are but they were riding really fast and I got my ass dropped again. I took a little detour and picked up the ride again after the real hard guys decided to peel off. So at that point it was just the semi-hard and hard guys left along with soft and doughy Smithers.

Classic did a ton of work earlier in the ride so he was no help later in the ride. The semi-hard guys went up the road so I made the rotation along with Pedikins, ScottERob and BillyD. It was some good work.

I forgot to mention that the crowd went wild when I beat P-Max for 3rd place at the Wayzata sprint. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and he helped me spank P-Max’s monkey ass.

Cyclists please note, there is a big new yellow sign on the run in to Wayzata that says "CYCLISTS - the rules of the road are strictly enforced!" I guess for motorists they are only sorta enforced.

Tomorrow I commute to and from work because my car is at the shop. I’ll have a full report.

Posted by Smithers at 11:00 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 5 Comments »

Cross Practice Race

Ped set up a good course. Off camber sections, fast road sections, 4 barriers and a sand trap.The longer I rode the worse I felt so I tried to concentrate on smooth transitions.

I forgot how hard this sport is…

Posted by Smithers at 1:47 pm in Race/Ride Report | Permalink | 4 Comments »