Check it out

http://www.cxmagazine.com/2010-nact-season-continues-in-gloucester#more-14382

Yup, Gloucester this weekend. This is one of the best cross races of the year..I think there were 90 guys in the mens filed and almost 50 in the womens, that's a lot of people on 3km of track!

DSJ

Wednesday morning update

Ever wonder where they get those cyclists to do ads and photos...wel I guess some of them are racers after all.

http://www.louisgarneau.com/lang_select.php

You can check out the specs on our new cross bikes on the LG website as well. Our b bikes are pretty much specked out like the retail high end version available to consumers.

http://www.louisgarneau.com/ca-en/product/381525/1303062/Cyclocross/STEEPLE-X_ELITE_BIKE

Which reminds me, Natasha will be selling her "A" bike from last year, the blue steeple x elite, size medium, with full dura ace, EASTON ecx 90 FORK.

Now that I think of it, she is also selling her LG MNT bike, size medium, XT and XTR, with rock shock SID, XT wheels, Kenda tubeless. It's in great condition as she rode the bike a grand total of 4 times! Send me a mail, derrickstjohn@hotmail.com.

So if you know anyone that needs a cross or mountain bikes, gives us a shout well be glad to give you a smoking deal on either.

Alright, now that all the buisness is out the way...

We did the Rochester UCI Cross race this past weekend. It was a a great day.

We basically decided that after Seattle and Vegas, we didn't want to do the trip to Wisconsin and totally blow our budget for the year in the first 10 days, not to mention that is alot of racing, travelling, logistics...so we penciled the Rochester race in, one day, four hour drive...it was

Tasha took her first win of the year. She got the hole shot and never looked back. True it was a smaller field than usual, but we used it as a bit of a training race, to work out some kinks and pick up some points and cash. Gotta make a living right?

I think I may have pushed it a little too hard Friday, as I was feeling bagged on Sunday before the race. I hate to say that I was counting the money before I even put my shoes on and sure enough it was a bit early for that. Another "fast guy" showed up and I had to put myself in a world of hurt that I wasn't really expecting just follow his wheel. He (Justin L) won the race the day before in New Hampshire, so I knew he is in top shape. We put on a great battle, jockeying back and forth, I attacked so hard a few times that I thought I face was going to explode and I began to really hate just how hard I could push myself for what seemed like an unusual amount of time. In some ways it was harder than going up Megantic...more like going up Megantic and getting off every now and then to run, and then somehow not eat shit in a crazy down hill corner...I messed it up a bit by pushing myself so hard that I came into a technical section in the wrong gear and had to dismount to not loose too much speed, he took advantage of this and I could not make that 5 seconds back and I had to settle for 2nd. Just goes to show you how hard it is to actually "win" races, show up 5% down and it makes it so hard to win. But I think it was a success in many ways, as to put in an effort like this for a "training" race, was awesome and the cash at this race was great, so with the exception of not getting the cool trophy it was a 9/10.

Admittedly I was nervous as hell cause I knew it was a great chance to win, but it will have to be another day. Great to see Tasha hit her stride again and just make it look so effortless, although I know she is giving it, she just has a way of making it look so nice. Plus after what we went through this winter, you have no idea what it means to both of us to have her not only on her bike, but on her game making her way back up.

DSJ

Vegas baby, your money baby

Not sure if you've seen the movie Swingers, with Vince Vaughn, but I always think about that line when I hear Vegas.

Below, pic from Tim Gasperak, from Sunday's Rad Racing GP in Seattle...yah that's why I spent 4 hours cleaning bikes before our flight to Vegas...

Alright. So how dry is it in the desert? Nose bleed dry. Bone Dry. Dry Cleaners...ok that doesn't make any sense, but you get get the picture.

SO for me, I feel like I 'm really close to where I want to be. I finished 16th, which doesn't really sound all that great, but I was in the lead group for most of the race. The lead group of 16. Haha I was the first one to get popped off of it as I was at the back and Trebon's accelerations out of the corners were killing me at the back, definitely felt the elastic. There are times when I thought, holly shit I should have ridden my cross bike more than 5 times this year, but the technique and the fluidity will come over the next couple weeks, as my technique gets better as I race and get accustomed to my bike. I know it sounds dumb but the geometry on the new bikes is alot different, so I just didn't bother riding the other one too much, no sense in getting used to it, cause I had to change. Maybe I'm just lazy.

So back to the race, I was riding in the group and I was just making my way to the front when Driscoll attacked and I started to go up high and I was going to try and follow, but Tim J shut the door and I had to jam on my breaks and I ended up losing a few spots and being at the back of the train again. I just kept thinking..."feel like shit, must attack, feel like I am going to die, probably a good time to attack"...but I just couldn't quite get up there enough to launch it.

WE rode a pair of file treads I glued the day before...usually the tires take a day to dry, but cause there is no humidity, the tires were dry in a bout 3 hours, crazy. Anyways, probably would have helped to ride the files a few times, as I didn't really push them to their limits, but rode them respectably none the less. Great to be in the mix(for a bit) in this race, a few tweaks here and there and I'm in striking distance.

On the last lap two guys caught me, I had done so much work to ride by myself in no mans land for 3 laps and I wanted to fight for my spot. SO I'm running up the final Barriers and I hear a guy yell..."c'mon you ve worked so hard for this, if you don t do it now when are you going to do it". That was enough motivation for me me to just crank it up over the last km and crush the sprint.

It's really funny what you can take from small moments like that. Cause if you can't teach yourself to win from a small group fighting for table scraps, how are you ever going to win when the stakes are 10 times higher right? Anyways it the little things like that I believe are important to focus on when you are trying to progress to taking things to the next level.

So next time your in a little group , fight for those small spots, cause eventually, those small victories add up and could make the difference between landing on the podium or just off the mark.

Tasha rode well. She wasn't totally overcome with joy about her performance, but the race on the weekend and the travel, and the jet lag did kick in a bit, a little more for her than me. But her plan was come out strong at the beginning of the season, and get stronger. Where as in previous years she has come out blazing, and faded, the plan was to be on fire in November, so you gotta go with the flow.

Huge thanks to Phil Cortes and Pierre Perron (Director of LG USA) for standing in the pits and giving us a hand at the race.

No rest for the wicked as we leave again tomorrow to race the Rochester UCI race on Sunday, should be good times. A little bit of a smaller venue and race, but should be good none the less.

West Jet flight, Vegas to Montreal...less than four hours, and 3bike bags...0$...insane...West Jet is the way to go...seats were more comfortable as well.

DSJ

Seattle to Vegas

Man, what a week. So busy, barely had enough time to breath before we arrived in Vegas.

We are staying in an absolutely breathtaking house in Vegas, the more you look at the intricate architectural nuances of this home, the more appreciate the fact that some one spent alot of time designing this place. Not to mention that our host family both families here on the West coast have been absolutely fantastic and in a strange twist, are both husbands are Anesthesiologists. What are the odds?

Speaking of odds, also time to double down tonight for the showdown in the desert. Gonna be fast,hot and fun.

Ok, I think you can check the race out on line but women's is at 8 pacific and men's 920...so most East coasters will be in bed.

DSJ

Star Crossed

So we are just about to hit the hay, but I ll give a little blurb.
Got the new bikes Wednesday, i built both of them as the factory couldn't get them to us in time built, so i did em. Shit, ever build 2 bikes in a day, then take em apart and pack 4 bikes before a flight...long day.
Flew out to Seattle Thursday, paid an insane amount for bikes...can t even think about it makes me nauseous.
It's always raining here in Seattle, but it;s a really cool place. We are on Lake Washington, great view from he third level of our hosts house...who are really nice and generous, I feel like I live here.
Had the best Sumatra Aged coffee..so good.
Tasha raced first, opted for "normal" tires, but she crashed then grabbed the other bike with the muds and she was good, finished 5th, i think it will be up from here. She was happy with that as she s been away from racing all year so not quite sure how it would go.
http://www.cyclingdirt.org/coverage/237604-10-NACT-1-Star-Crossed-2-Rad-Racing-GP/video/356410-Natasha-Elliott-Post-Star-Crossed
I somehow managed to get my glove caught in a cassette or chain on the first lap crash, after i recovered, i put down what I would say was one of my better "muddy" rides, as i was 10-15 seconds behind a close battle for third, after I had to claw my way back from 20th or so.
I'm happy with this. I think i ll sleep well i ll take lucky 7 for the first one.
Im just not happy with the laundry and bike cleaning that will have to be done.
Star Crossed is an awesome race, wicked fans, awesome atmosphere, lots of fans cheering their brains out, good times. Have to say though racing at 8pm Pacific time is not easy though...i m more of a morning person.
K bye , I will eat some cabbage and go to bed.

DerRICKYism

What exactly is a DerRICKYism it's when you are trying to say

something but say something else cause you are so messed up from training. You'll notice every now and then I forget to hit the spell check...sorry.
Anyways chaos this week getting everything sorted out...total panic at times...lots of frigin Vittoria glue all over my basement and lots of sweat on the floor below my computrainer and lots of mud tracked over our house from our new bikes...which are the bomb! Man they are Fantastich(DerRickyism). Huge thanks to all the people at LG for pretty much trying to bend over backwards to have all systems go by Thursday.

Lots of getting up at 5am to get the day going...but from the Ranch coffee taste pretty sweet watching this...

Up top a sneak peak of the new bikes, protoype kits, prototype shoes, and effects of my only eating cabbage and carrots and fish for a month.

DSJ

For pleasure or pain

SO big little chunk of training done. My sisters wedding reception is tonight so I have a well deserved "off" day. Lately I've not been scared to really push the training a bit more and when I need to be off, I just take a day or two until I'm fired up and ready push myself extremely hard. For me this approach seems to be working pretty well, we'll know for sure in a few weeks.

Tash and i got out the other day to teach a beginners level Cross Clinic. I was surprised hoe hard it was to explain things and pic certain techniques apart, I mean I don't really think about jumping on or off it just happens...but it took a few years to make it effortless that's for sure, I remember plenty of bruises to the groin.

We're doing a more int/advanced clinic Monday. I have some surprises for that one.
Technique aside, in some ways Cross training hurts so much more than anything. You got an hour put all the suffering in to. I make myself do workouts that hurt really bad, but eventually I'm able to find the pleasure in the pain and them I'm on.

I read something the other day that I thought was interesting...the athlete says..."do the intervals have to be that hard?" Coach says"well in general to win in cycling it is hard, if you are not prepared to do this, perhaps this sport is not for you". Really there's not much more I can say.

Sometimes when I hear about the "sweet burn" I think of drink a nice glass of lemonade...but to me most of the time you gotta eat raw limes...the sweet pain is good but the sour pain separates the best from the rest.

DSJ