Blowing out the cobwebs

Ok...here's something I just realized on my 3 hour solo ride home from KC yesterday. I haven't really raced since 2 crits & a TT in July! I did do an 84 mile RR on September 6th. What the hell have I been doing since July? Somebody? I guess I was just doing training rides, I think. Its almost October, again...I can't even remember what I've been up to.

Yesterday. CX in Lenexa, KS. 1/2/3 race, 22 starters, I got 14th. It was pushing 90 degrees & my race time was 1 hour & 11 minutes & change. Brutal, epic, tortuous whatever you want to call it. Bad start (something I'm good at, bad starts that is), dropped my chain later on, & I hadn't gone that hard in a long time...a long day. Other than that, I guess it went ok. Preseason, right? It is still only September.

Besides the chain drop, on the bright side, my bike handling was ok, not superb, but just ok & my bikes ran great. BTW - the chain came off in an extremely bumpy section, if there was one place on the course where I would expect a derailment it was right where it happened.

Preseason starts NOW!

For the last 3 years I have started my CX season w/ trips to IA. I always thought of it as the preseason. A chance to get the motor started & see some different faces from the usual KS/NE scene. Not this year. First the original race in IA for this weekend was canceled then a new event popped up in its place, but by this time my mind had started to look for other alternatives. Alas, I'm headed for Lenexa tomorrow, a day trip, solo. I'm looking forward to it.

Photo below is from last year's Spooky Cross in the Des Moines area. It rained all Saturday night & Sunday morning leaving the course a sloppy mess. This was one of the best courses I have ever raced on. Some paved sections, fast/technical/flowing grass, nasty run-ups, & mud. The venue has moved this year but JJ & Tony won't disappoint with their course design I'm sure. http://www.spookycross.org/Spookyflyer08.pdf
Yeah, it's still September...but you want to do well & you need to find out "where you're at". It's all about the build to the 2nd week in December anyway, right? I've moved into the 45+ realm this year, yikes I am old! Am I going to hide out in the Master's races, hell no! Except Boulder that is, the master's races are the real deal out there. I'm still planning on taking/giving my licks in the 1/2/3's locally as usual. Geez...I'm getting kind of psyched.


Don't look for me next weekend in Omaha. Friend/team mate Scott is getting married in KC. He's found an awesome companion & his single life will be brought to an abrupt end next Saturday evening. A wedding day ride is in the works. Don't worry man, we'll get you to the church on time!


See ya in KC. Tomorrow & next weekend!


TK

whats been going on....................?

Saturday the team put on a mtb race out at Branched Oak, between work & putting that together it was a hectic week. Thanks to everyone on the team that gave up there day to help. I heard too many good comments to list from participants.
Chet...you & Scooter (not Scott Stevens, the dog Scooter) get the lonely guy(s) award. I've been there. The last two races I helped w/ I got stuck out at a road crossing as a marshall & went partly mental. BTW - I've got your inverter, I'll get it back to you.

Spent Sunday a.m. w/ Craigio, Tom, & Ryan getting our cross on at various undisclosed spots. I've had my B bike done for about 2 weeks & put the finishing touch on my A bike yesterday, I was waiting on bar tape. Its official, I'm ready.

My season begins this weekend. 2 days in IA or a day trip to KC on Sunday? Probably KC, we'll see.

Random photo from yesterday. Hudson & a very large zucchini.




Have a great day! Have a great week, if I don't post again.

Later,

TK

SEE-EX

I'm on the back end of a forced week off the bike. Work related. I raced last Saturday & only did my short commute 3 of the 5 days this week. I call that off the bike. Weather has been crappy for a good part of the week so wasn't hard from that respect. Itchin' to ride this morning, a bit of rain in the air but looks like it's going to happen. I'm unfamiliar with "off" weeks. Makes me feel slow, makes me worry about getting back, makes me second-guess my fitness, it's making me mental.




Random photo...a worn out Pontiac Fiero w/ faded wolf/moon graphics. The motto across the windshield screams " Spirit of the Wild". F'n-a right!

I had a dream Thursday night...cattle killing themselves to escape an enclosure. Disturbing. Cements my resolve.

Tentative CX schedule:
9-28-08 KC
10-11/12-08 Topeka/Lawrence
10-18/19-08 Topeka/KC
10-25/26-08 Des Moines
11-1/2-08 Boulder
11-22/23-08 Lincoln
11-29/30-08 Jingle Cross
December - Nationals KC

October looks a little hectic, something's gotta give. Had planned on Louisville, KY at the end of October but that's falling apart, a lot of effort to make that happen & then go to Boulder the next weekend. November's got some gaps?

Later.

TK

Long day in the saddle

Here's something pretty cool, finished racing a little after 1:00pm got this email @ 4:57pm.

"Thank you for competing in the Nebraska State

Road Race Championship. Below are your

personal results:

Name: Troy Krause

Distance: 84 miles

Time: 3:39:30

Average MPH: 23.0

Category: Pro Cat 1-2-3 Male

Place: 9 of 9

The complete results are available at

www.lincolnrun.org/images/RoadRaceResults.pdf

Since this is the first roadrace that teamFIRE

has put on, we welcome any feedback on what we

did right or wrong."

84 miles, the longest RR I've done @ BO, actually It may be the longest RR I've ever done?
23 avg, pretty pleased w/ that, I'll elaborate on that.
9 of 9, whoops!

I could go into a lengthy story of how it all played out but...ok here we go...

With 3+ to go Chet, Kevin Limpach, & myself let a gap open through the feedzone. Not good! If you've raced at BO you know that the right hander after the feedzone is a nightmare if you're trying to close a gap. People always gas it out of that corner & if your not on you've got trouble.
The 3 of us chased all the way to the top of the big hill, finally got back on.

Fast forward to the long straight on the North side, an acceleration by the group & both Kevin's & myself find ourselves gapped. Limpach's on the front chasing hard, Burke lets him kill himself & then hammers it past him, I jump on Kevin's wheel & we get back to the group. Limpach is off the back. Soon as we get on another acceleration up the hill past the shooting range. I'm in too big a gear trying to keep contact & bam, I'm done, I've losing contact w/ the group. Basically 2.5 laps remaining & I'm in no man's land. Here's the effort of the day...Limpach catches me on the dam & then rides right through me, he takes the term grinder to a new level. Not only did he blow by me but he eventually caught the group a lap or so later!!!

So I rode 2.5 laps of this race solo, that's why I'm pretty pleased w/ 23 avg. I will give mother nature some credit though, light winds & cool temperatures made it possible.

Shout outs:
Chet, excellent work!!! He attacked up the big hill & was off the front in a break for a full lap w/ Joe, was super-strong in our 3 man chase to get back to the group, & then has a great sprint to finish 4th overall!! BTW - Joe DNF'd.

Coach...as always knows what he's doing, knows where to be, & how to meter his effort in a race. He let Jon V. lead it out to the line & then pounced for 3rd overall.

Aaron, great to have you back. I know you didn't finish like you wanted but you had the others on edge by your presence.

Kevin Limpach, enough said.

Finally...Team Fire, you really pulled this off. Positive-vibe was everywhere. 50 Cat 5's, alot of them first timers, awesome! Chip timing, the fastest results I've ever seen, personal results via email w/in hours...first class. To Janna & everyone who made this race happen, thank you. Also...thanks for not reducing laps.

Road seasons over, actually I've been done for a while. I'm spent.

September 28th, CX in KC. 3 weeks & counting.

Later,

TK

NE State RR Saturday

I'll be there...