Monday, October 29, 2007

First Post

Well I finally decided to create my own blog. Most of the content of my blog will consist of events in the cyclocross world which I have enthusiastically become a part of. But, who knows what other content could fill this blog as time goes on. I will have some pics and other general info about myself posted as soon as possible.

Now i will speak about my cyclocross career which has consisted of about 12 races throughout the state. First off, i got my cross bike (redline conquest 2007) sometime in july. i rode all around town on that bike and then started doing cross specific training with my brother evan (http://evansandstrom.blogspot.com/). I reall enjoyed riding around at the park near our house hitting hills, sand, etc. I couldn't wait until cross season would arrive. My very first race was an eye opener. i got destroyed by the kids in my category but i had a lot of fun. the course was pretty technical and very bumpy but i didnt crash which counts for something. my second race was at the CU research park in Boulder, CO. i had a lot of fun at that course and felt much better than the week before. i was second to last in my category and probably 11 or 12 overall. The course was fun with a decent run up and some good drops and a fast pavement section. Nat ross was there to get all the juniors to pedal harder and babble on about other cycling related topics. My next race was at Bear Creek Lake Park in Morrison,CO. it was a fun course with a big drop and a running sand pit finish. i took second in my category and 3rd over all but i felt i was improving throughout the race. the next series of races for me was in Gunnison,CO. These races were lots of fun but a little bit on the chilly side. the course was all grass which was a nice change from all the dirt i had been riding the past few weeks. i had been training much harder in preparation for the racing in gunnison, so i was pretty anxious to get out and show myself atthe races in gunnison. i took third in the first race with the lead group pretty far in front of me in the first race. the next day, i took second with the tiaa cref kid about a minute or 2 in front of me but oh well, i had fun. next weekend was interlocken and evergreen. interlocken was a beautiful day with a mostly grass course with a sand pit and barriers and a run up conveniently placed for maximum pain also dont forget the most disgusting puddle i have ever seen that you had to run through and a nasty run up right after it too. . i felt super strong that day setting a wicked for myself and the fat blacksheep kid behid me. he sat on my wheel the whole race and never attacked. we passed a few kids throughout the race and on my last lap with the home stretch just around the corner, i dropped my chain. the blacksheep kid and a few more kids passed me so i took ninth. The field was pretty big but knowing i could have taken fifth or sixth had i not dropped my chain was kind of depressing. oh well thats how races usually work. the next day was ridiculous. when my dad and i arrived on the course there was probably 4 to 5 inches of snow on the ground a bitter 25 degrees and i chilly wind blowing across the course. i started the race and did ok but fell back. there was a muddy puddle that got my pedals all gummed up and shortly after the puddle they would freeze preventing me from using my pedals. this kind of sucked, the way mountain shoes work, your cleat is the only traction you have for gripping to your pedals. my race was good i finished top ten. the next weekend was fun which consisted of velo swap and the boulder reservoir race. velo swap was fun just looking around buying random little shit. but boulder reservoir was tons of fun. it was a sandfest for sure but the course appealed to a rider like me. decent hills sand and turns and a nice run up. i had a decent start and moved up throughout the race. the blacksheep cycling kid passed me for a brief moment but shortly after, i attacked and flew past him. by the end of the day i probably had about 1 minute or 2 on him hich felt nice after him beating me at interlocken. i finished in tenth place. so far my cyclocross season has been well. i am sitting first place in BCR points and have high ambitions for suceeding in the rest of the season.

thats all for now thanks for listening.

PS: my blogs will probably never be this long ever again, unless something amazing happens that requires a lot of words. Just wanted to post a little bit about my cyclocross season so far.