Brown County and K201

At least this didn't happen saturday, but it coulda... Has happened before

Felt like I needed this much feed on Saturday......

Well this weekend was the Brown County Road Race. SUCKED.

This was the home of the 1987 PanAm Games. And I can see why.

This course was mega killer.

Jenna Johnson and I rolled outta here at about 10 am and got there at 10:30. We were kinda upset that we had to pay park entrance fees - MEGA GAY! First of all, Jenna is a chick, and second we were racing. We shoulda been able cop that entry fee and just go straight to race parking. But whatever. The DNR guy had a DNR hat on and he definitely looked like he was fitted for a DNR order at the hospital. (Do not resuscitate). He looked deathly

Any way, rolled up and registered. $40 Bucks to get in this race. Really 40 bucks? that's ridiculous, for a non superweek-style race. Anyway, kinda chilled out, hung with all the guys - it was cool practically knowing everyone in the race. It's totally different than from in Illinois - where you may see a few guys you train with at the races, but you see tons of other guys that you don't know from other teams but will eventually get to know by the end of the season.

But anyway, suited up and hit the tarmac for some warming up. Did a lap, all five miles of it and about died on just one lap. I would say of the 5 miles, 1.5 were straight up climbing or ascending. And the other 3.5 were either flat or mad descent.

Anyway, the race opened up, small field, little under 30. But whatever, it was a tough race. On the first lap, the field strung out on the first climb. and the second lap, I had gotten into a 6 man break, being drilled by Jake Rutletewski(?). He made it mega hard, practically sprinting up the climbs (why was this man not at Athens, or Saint Louis. He is on Rite Aid. But why not go to Brown County and kill some 1/2/3's and take their money... It's a living)

Anyway, I got pinched in hair pin ascent and didn't have the power to jump back up to the break, so I fell back and chased with Mike Sherer and some other guy who was just drilling. Well by lap 8, my legs had had enough and wanted no more climbing, but I had committed to finishing this race. So I did.

Bottomline, a 7th place finish, earned some money to cover entry fee. And maybe upgrade points?

Then JJ and I hustled back to get me to my final. Hit town at 5:25 and I was in the Student Building by 5:30. A miracle truly.

Anyway got up today, semi-studied, and went for a ride. Louise and Kirsten Ripped my legs off for 4 hours. Tomorrow's rest is going to be glorious.

Then after some studying, I headed out to give Jason the key to the garage back. We talked for a solid 2 and half hours.

I am tired, wanna sleep and have work in 7 hours

PS

I just wanna add, that our girls are badasses!
Not to mention total babes


This whole collegiate racing thing is pretty dope. I gotta say, I thought I would hate it and it would scare the crap out of me, but it has definitely made me a better racer, stronger and more tactically smart when it comes to team stuff.

Now let's open the real season. Up to CAT 2 is the goal!

One Muscle relaxer later and I am still tender...SWEET

So I just woke up, from a muscle relaxer induced nap and I feel a bit groggy, and greasy. Should make for a great night of sleep.

So this weekend... WAS AWESOME

We loaded up the crew and rolled 4 deep up to Sheboygan Wisconsin. Ok to clarify, there were 4 cars, all lugging 3 or more bikes with 4 or more people... It was pretty gravy.

We loaded up and got away at 9:45, with all the Little 5 riders grimacing at the fact that they should have skipped the banquet. But I don't care.

We got up to Wisconsin at about 2 am, their time. And we all just crashed.

Got up the next morning for a ride to the race course for 80 miles of pure road racing. I have never done a race this long, but I didn't let that stop me. Ren-Jay got into an early break with marian, North Western, and Wisconsin at 10 miles into the course. So Indiana, North Western and Wisconsin all saddled up to the front to take our turns holding the pack back and keeping things in check - Mission Accomplished. The group at one point had 4 minutes, nothing major but enough to insure that they were off. Ren-Jay finished up with 4th, securing our place at nationals. I think I pulled out a twenty something(?) I passed a lot of people on the climbing finish (once again, how do I climb? I am like a cat on drapery). Isaac picked up 12th in the sprint. Can't complain, I finished a long race, kept hydrated and well-fed, and just hung tight. Messed up a couple groups trying to rotate of the front...OOOO they were pissed. HA! I would have like to have launched another group and gotten with it, but Michigan got on the front and just drove, and kept everyone in check. OH WELL!

But it was a tough course. You were either climbing, geting ready to climb or descending

That night, we all headed to the new hotel in Madison, got cleaned up and got some dinner. PS me and Fajitas = rough combo. But then we came back and called it an early night. The boys got up the next morning and won the Team TT, and the girls picked up a strong second.

Then we headed to the Crit. DEAR GAWD it was awful I swear when people design crits they are like, hey let's find super shitty roads and just make it as fast as possible. Needless to say, I was pack meat. Just couldn't make a move. Too fast. By the time I would get ready it was time to turn. It was a cool course though, 4 corners around the Capitol building, with a little climb on the back side (once again, my saving grace). I wasn't last.

This course might as well been called the wheel eater. I saw a aluminum wheel snap in half, several purdue guys just get slung over their bars, etc. you get the point. Isaac killed his reynold's edges, and those things are cross-ready wheels... YEAH

All the same, put in a strong 6 hours and hit home at around 2 am.

I think I pulled something wrong, cause my back is strugglin. It feels like I just pulled up way too much and just popped it the wrong way. Oh well, Took a Muscle relaxer and I am ready to kick it.

All in all, good weekend, built strong relationships and got my mind off of school. Which at this point doesn't take much.

Prolly need to suit up for some work.

Wednesday World's

NEW WATTAGE HIGH TODAY.

I am embarassed to say it cause err one will be like "WEAK" But it's a record for me so I am happy.

Tonight was Wednesday World's, the 446 loop.

I hate this loop, there is sand and gravel and just not a really fun loop, as cliche as it sounds, it is organized chaos. You can't really get a break going, cause if you drop people, they can pick up on the next lap, it's aggravating, cause then they fall in and they gap you cause they aren't runnin' at the front.

Whatever, it was hard, it hurt, I didn't feel to hot but you know.

This weekend is Regionals, Double Points, 80 miles of road racing on Saturday and then a crit on Sunday.

Hopefully I can get up there, one way or another.

HAHAHA CHECK THIS OUT, Look at Boonen's face, this might be the biggest Oh Shit of the season - Boonen celebrated a tidge too early - BURN. He'll never celebrate until he has crosses the white again.

In count down and catching up

I don't think I have been smoking, but this cough tends to say otherwise. It has been almost a week and a half and I still hacking like I have been hitting the Marlboros with a passion. HMM!

Changed my major again yesterday. Well not officially, but in my mind, I am set. For those of you who have stayed current on my whole major flip-flops, I have gone from sports marketing to marketing to Pollution management and not to Dietetics. But I think I am going to stay with the Dietetics; it is definitely something that holds my interest and has value and meaning in my life. Let's see how long this lasts. I mean I think it must have some value because apparently when I was in the hospital all nurses and people who were trying to feed me were impressed by my knowledge of food... even on drugs, so that must mean it is awfully ingrained. HM!

Well the school year is starting to wind down and we all know what that means, hard core summer training hours, working and a class here but not so much there. But with that in mind, it is becoming incredibly difficult to focus or even validate studying and really trying. Don't get me wrong, I am still doing all the work and getting everything done, it is just a bit of a challenge when the sun is up and the sky is clear. Not to mention work really seems POINTLESS!!! Oh well, it's a pay check.

Mike Sherer is selling his TT bike, and I really wanna pick it up, so I can start tearin' it up on the TT circuits and do some stage races and not look like a punk with strap on aero bars. He is cutting a pretty solid deal considering it comes fully set up with aero gear etc. I just don't know how well it will fit. We will see.

Yesterday was a really good day.

Got up, went to class, came home did a little homework, and then jumped in the saddle for some interval action. Hurt like hell and it made me want to weep uncontrollably. Oh well, that's training. The one thing that I have learned this season is the importance of resting and easy days. For example, Monday, I absolutely crawled, I don't think I could have done anything above 200 watts, so I didn't.

Anyway, got home, didn't shower. Don't really see the point when I am not getting too cuddly with anyone.

Then I got on the horn and called Grandpa Webb. After talking to him, I feel HORRIBLE. He is really lonely. But I think he is keeping busy with woodworking and all that. It's good to hear he is back in the shop, but I suppose that means that the house will be soon filling with solid oak structures; sail boats, steam engines, oil pumps, China Hutches.

Then I kinda studied/had dinner.

Got on the phone yet again, called Chad and Ryan. It was good to talk to the guys again, throw around a little trash.. YOU KNOW!

Tonight is Wednesday Worlds. I am excited and nervous. I can never tell how I hurt until it is go time and some one is attacking......GNARLY, right!

Oh well. The school day is almost over and then some homework and napping.

Haven't been sleeping well, waking up in the middle of night; I don't know.

This weekend

So this weekend was delightful and restful.

Friday, I had the option to end classes at a little after ten, so I jumped at the chance. Then I kinda dicked around the crib. Then Gaz and I headed out for a really easy ride, and a giant face loop.

In case you're wondering it was little 500 weekend, so for Friday and Saturday, wearing spandex and riding a bicycle is dope as hell.

But so we face looped and scoped da honeys. And got mad props.

But then I kinda hung around the crib for the night, I have found with all my time on the bike, I need sleeping as much as possible. So I hit grocery store and crashed.

Saturday, I got up early to ride at like 7 am ( I haven't done this since my wheeler days). So I got out for four hours so I could be back to hang with Jame and Joe. They came over, we hit up wal-mart, jumped the car and headed to Nashville for some shopping and hiking.

Then we came back and had dinner at the Moroccan restaurant on 4th.

Then we all took part in a nap. In our perspective corners. Then headed to Borders to chillax and then they headed home. And I came back and fell asleep.

This morning I got up, and studied, and played some video games until the radar said i was in the clear. SO I opened a can of 6 hours of 12 minute intervals. IT SUCKS. I feel like garbage but you know it's all necessary. Next weekend I race; Milwaukee or Ceraland.

CRRRRACk

That is what my work out would have sounded like today if there was audio.

Chris had me on a bearish workout today. I guess it wasn't too terribly bad, but in combination with being sick and recovering from the cooker that I was put through this weekend, I was pretty burnt out by the end of the work out. Had barely enough to crawl back home.

I ran out of calories to burn and liquid to partake in half way through my last set. So I broke pretty hard.

Seriously, I crawled, and it hurt... BAD. I think this is what it meant to Bonk.

So I got back and just did everything I could do to get nutrition to my body, which was actually a challenge.

So then came back and dicked around, did a little homework.

Oh well, time to relax and Z

Purdue

OH CHECK THAT TAN.... YOUS SO JEALOUS.

Several things, I forgot to mention, more will probably come later as I get bored working on this paper. So we rolled around Purdue University yesterday... WHEW TALK ABOUT GRIMY. It's like Decatur, IL got it on with Champaign and this atrocity is what happened. The whole area was just really dirty and left you just saying... WHAT?! Traffic that went this way but not that way, parking lots that parked to nothing, construction sites that were working on... concrete? But we did eat a MacAllister's where I am pretty sure it seemed like we all had downs, cause we were all like "UHM SANGWICH with CHOCOLATE SAUCE, (drool)" we were pretty tired. But the girl at the counter was all about me and my smile. We decided it would be cooler if every time I slid my Discover card it would growl (it has a tiger on it). That would definitely encourage spending by the American population. People would buy just to hear what noise their card makes. Just think, the harley cards would like rev and stuff. WHAT A GREAT IDEA!

But back to where I was going, it smells like soybeans/or ethanol, Isaac and I debated that issue and if a place smells bad, Chris Kelley does not live there.

Overall, thank goodness for B-TOWN, home of the best School this side of the Mississippi

I GOT BURRRNED

Thought I would share that with the world, you know. Really makes you wonder....

So this weekend.... simply put SUCKED.

Friday, just did the noodling around thing with Isaac, and Mike. Did a couple pre-race sprints, nothing major. Somehow hit a new high wattage; would've been nice on Thursday, BUT NOOOOOO.

Then Went out to rotate the tires on the Old 6 and the battery is dead.... AWESOME

Saturday, slept in late, packed and headed to Marion with Brett, Mike and Isaac. HOLY CRAP what a technical crit. People weren't lying. Ridiculously fast and corner Railing. I got pulled which sucked, but my legs felt like garbage. So we packed it up and I came back for a little noodle and watched team pursuits.

Sunday, got up early and headed to Purdue with the Kiels. Little bit of road racing. I felt like CRAP! My lymph nodes were huge, my sinuses were just outrageous. But IU did some business. I chased a few attacks, brought em back, but always felt like my matches were not there. My saving grace was the hill. Even though I am horribly overweight, I can still climb like a squirrel. But all the same, we secured out place at nationals. I got a mega burn on my arms; I am pink like pork.

Something has got to give on this weight issue. I am eating very little, and training ridiculously hard, and no avail. What Gives?

Sunday night, came home and crashed hard core at like 9 at night. Then everyone had the urge to call me between 9 and 10. usually, I can't get a phone call if my life depends on it. but whatever, nice to know they care.

Jamie and Dad are coming over this Saturday. After my 5 hour ride, we are going hiking. WHEW!!

Now to make up a paper

Powertap....more like powercrap

Okay, maybe that title is a bit fierce, but I am seriously aggravated with Powertaps, but not to the point that I will drop the 3 g's and get a SRM (that would take my rear hub exploding, destroying my frame, not being covered under warranty, and a koala bear mauling me). But the deal is this, I finally got a powertap head. AWESOME, I was Pumpt to see my overly advanced calculator back in the dock. BUT WAIT what's this? I drop the head into the cradle, and the thing reads speed, heart rate, etc. BUT NO TORQUE. AWESOME, so I just tried every problem solving idea in the manual. NOTHING.

So I go down to revolution and I am like "KYLE FIX THIS!" Well after the technician at Saris went through the run down of questions, we decided the Torque Tube is toast, and I have to send in the PT. (at this point, I would like to add that the people at Saris are awesome, marvelous intelligent people. Seriously I have not ran into a better customer service department).

So after a lot of shuffling and confusion, we got the thing sent off, and apparently they got it today and probably worked on it. COME ON RETURN ON TUESDAY!!!

Got one of my new front wheels today. A zipp 404. HOLY CRAP it's pretty gorgeous. But it is not as deep as my front, so we are gonna hock that on ebay and pick up a matching front 404. Kinda pumpt to have a super schway bike. I finally have the bike people drool over.

Rode with Isaac and Sherer today. Hit a season record for power output. I was pretty excited. They were chattin' me up about racing and stuff and upgrades. Man if I could land on that team next year. What a gravy thing that would be. I mean I am hammering just as hard as them, if not harder, so I have to be looking pretty good.

Not to mention my intention to go to Cali for U23 nationals, has to look BONUS.

I think I changed my major today. At least I hope I did. I really want to switch into radiology. Yeah I know, whoa Business?! BUT, after a lot of thought and stuff, I really want to interact with people and have an established relationship with them and not just because I am trying to sell them something. They have two programs here, a two year and a four year. I kinda want the two year, I'd get out (by this time next semester) and pull around 40 k a year at a hospital. If I did the 4 year, I'd be in school for the same amount of time, but have to be at Indy hospital for 22.5 months. I don't know what to do there, but I guess there is my back up when I can't make pro.

Tomorrow is Marian and Sunday is Purdue. I am super scared, people say that Marian is the most technical crit but We will see.
That's what the old girl looks like, I mean not too bad but definitely technical. We are bein' point whores, so I imagine we are gonna be cocked and ready to rock. So I do that for 60 minutes and then 15 minutes later, if I can handle it, I do it again in a 123. YEAH!

Sunday is Purdue, Road Race baby. IU is gonna sit on top, we are all in good shape.

I'll update tomorrow and Sunday.

HAHAHA NO WAY