Second post from Our new Junior.  Wayto go Alex. Keep on pushing.

The Bamacross State Championship race was at Avondale Park in Birmingham AL. this past weekend on the 28th of November.  The day before I went to the park and got an hour of practice in, there were a couple of Cat 1 guys riding the course so I followed them for a lap or two to help me with my lines.  I entered the Junior race and the two guys who are my major competition were both here for this race.  Once the race started I was in third place, in the first tight section I made a tight motocross style pass and was in the lead for a short while but they both got by me before the lap was over.  Both of the guys have better conditioning than me so it was my goal just to hang with them as long as I could.  I managed to pass a couple of the Cat 4 guys and was having fun racing with them.  Then on the last lap I was trying to run down one more Cat 4 guy before the end of the race when I crashed hard in an off camber rocky turn.  I tore a nickel size hole in my left knee, scarped my left elbow and hip up pretty good.  My dad was right there and saw the crash, he helped me up and got me going again so I stayed on the podium in third place.  The course was pretty challenging with a lot of hidden holes and rocks out there on the course. There was a pretty good run up on some old rocky stairs around an old amphitheater.   The next race is again in Avondale Park on Dec 5th and I am really looking forward to racing next week and doing my best for Team Crossniacs.

Alex Duldt.

Yep, you read it here first.  Cow pies  are slippery. But cowbells rock. As I understand it, cow pies are not that unusual out at Alpinerose;but here in Georgia I think this past weekend was a first.  It turned out to only be about 35 minutes away from home for me.  I had some family stuff to do, so it was much easier to do the Georgia race this past weekend.  I’m glad I did.  It was a fun course.  Plus I learned that cow pies are almost as slippery as sheep S*%T.  A few years back I travelled to England with my wife and her family to visit her relatives in England.  I rented a bike and went for a ride around a beautiful lake.  At one point I came around a turn right into the middle of a herd of sheep.  I tried to avoid them and ended up hitting the proverbial stuff that hits the fan.  Must admit it was one of my best crashes.  But I digress:

The Serenbe race was held on an old farm.  The developers have taken an old farm and turned it into a new “community of the future” with a real working farm, environmental consciousness, poverty adversion, etc.  The course was laid out over some fast, hard-packed gravel roads, service roads through the woods, and an actual cow pasture with actual live cows.  They didn’t seem to be fazed by us though.  But I did hit some cow pies and slip and slide a few times. 

In the “C” race, I got a good start and was top ten going down the gravel into the first big turn into the woods.  Got behind a crash and got passed by quite a few guys.  I just couldn’t seem to get it going though and slogged through the mud and cow pies to end up 23rd out of 50+.

I also did the “B” race to get some extra laps in.  I started at the back to stay out of the way.   The Women 1/2 started a minute back and yes, I must admit that Kim Flynn  passed me before the end of the 1st lap. She passed me so fast I couldn’t even hold her wheel.  I did give her a hard time about passing me so soon; But she was polite about it as she passed me and we shared a laugh as she apologized about passing me on the 1st lap.  She was flying and ended up about 10th or 11th overall in the ”B” race.  I stuck it out and ended up in 21st.  All in all, it was a good day.  I didn’t really have the legs to place as high as I wanted, but it was fun none the less.  I was sore Sunday night, but not too bad on Monday so I guess the fitness is starting to come around.  I’m still hoping for some decent finishes in December and January.

Last piece of advice:  close your mouth as you ride through the cow pies. More Cowbell.

Talk to ya’ll laer.

DS

We’ve got a new team member here in the Deep South.  He is young, but already shows promise.   He raced his first race under the Crossniacs banner 2 weekends ago.  Below is a short report from him: 

Hi my name is Alex Duldt and I am 14 years of age.  I am very excited to join the Corssniacs Cyclocross Team.  My first race with the team was on 20 Nov 2010 in Anniston Alabama with the Alabama State Cx Championship, “Bamacross” series.  I placed 2nd in the junior category which was a four lap/30 minute race on a very technical track held at night under the parks lights.  The track included fast and flowing grass, pavement, sand, off camber switchbacks, a run up and a long sand pit that you could ride through.  During my four passes through the sand pit I fell twice but got up unscathed, just sandy. 

Welcome aboard Alex.

David

I had to miss the BAMA CX in Anniston this season.  That is one of my favorite courses and I podiumed there in the Bama State Championship.  It is always a Saturday night race, but this year my girl was playing softball.  But I was really needing a fix.  So, I got up early on Sunday and did a 3 and 1/2 hour drive up into TN to hit one of the Cross the Way series races.  At first glance I was excited:  the course was flat; really flat.  But man was it tight and twisty, plus there was some mud through a field in the back.  I just never felt like I could open it up in the front part of the course.  It was just too twisty for me.  I only hit 2 trees though so that was good.  Then I just could not find a good line through the mud.  In the Cx4′s I ended up in 17th.  I turned right around and did the 35+ race without a break.  I died about halfway through that one and limped to the finish.  Have no idea where I ended up in that one.  At least I got 2 races in though.  Really working on getting that fitness around for the months of December and January.  Plus, people are starting to recognize the Crossniacs Kit and remember me from other races.  So, that is cool.  Not sure where I will race this weekend.  1 hour drive for the Georgia Series or 2 hour drive for the Bama State Championship.  It is also looking good for getting several racers signed up for next year.  So, I’m stoked about that.  More cowbell…More better!

Talk to ya’ll later.  

DS

The Georgia series tiptoed across the State line into to Tennesee to get our cross on this past weekend.  The original venue was a problem and Mark from Vantiaggo Fitness stepped up to fill the void.  I liked this course from last winter so I was stoked to hit it again.  Woke up Sunday morning to drizzle and colder temps.  I like the cold, but I don’t really like the rain. I don’t mind riding in it so much, but it is just so tough on the bike.  But at least it scares away the fairweather roadies who come out and sandbag!

I got there in good time, but there was a small snafu with registration.  The official wouldn’t let me do the C race and the B race.  She said it was against the rules, even though it happens all the time.  So, finally it was agreed that I would do the C race and then lock out my shifter so I could do the Single Speed race 15 mins later.  But by that time I only had 15 mins to warm up for the C race.

I hit the line and got stuck at the back of the field.  They had 75 sign up, but I think there were a few less that actually started.  I tried to move up on the start, but it was pretty packed.  There was a small uphill 180 degree turn over a small berm and there was quite a bottle neck there.  By the time I got through, the leaders and about 15 guys were already about 100 yards ahead.  I keep plugging along.  The course would have been great if it was dry (I know that’s not real cross) but the rain was just enough that it required me to dismount in a couple of sections. I don’t mind dismounts, but I really like a course that flows.  These sections really slowed you down.   There were also 2 sandpits.  Normally, I can handle the sand pretty well as long as there is room to keep your momentum going.  I could ride these, but for some reason I was really sinking into it and it caused a lot of sand to clog up my drive train.  I don’t know if it was just deeper than usual or the small amount of rain or what.  The first time through my chain got stuck because of all the sand caught up in it and I thought it was going to snap. So, I jumped off to knock some of the sand out. Then I decided to run it the rest of the race.  I went back and forth with several guys and had 1 pass me through the sand on the last lap.  But I was able to come back and pass him on the final straight to the finish.  I ended up 24th.  With that many starting, I was hoping for a top 20, but with my fitness I guess 24th isn’t too bad. 

I turned right around and hit the SS race.  Not sure how many started.  I really can’t ride SS that well.  I’ve only tried it a couple of times, but I just can’t seem to push out the power.  But I kept riding and ended up near the back of the pack.  At least it was a chance to get in some more laps.

 The past 2 weekends I have finally started to feel like I was getting my racing legs a little.  I still need to lose some of this off season weight and hopefully I will be ready to make a strong run in Janaury and into February.  But I’m still just happy to be out there riding.  Not sure if I will get to race this weekend.  We have softball on Saturday and the Bama CX is under the lights on Saturday and no Georgia race on Sunday.  So, I will have to play it by ear and/or see if I can find a race close by on Sunday.

Talk to ya’ll later.

DS

Forgive me, Brothers (and sisters).  It has been several weeks since my last crossfession.  No excuses, just been slammed.  Since my last post, I’ve eating too much; trained too little; but I’ve still gotten dirty.  So, please allow me to catch up on several weekends at one time.

October 17, 2010:  Dust Bowl. BAMA CX

I don’t realy like the course where they had the Georgia race.  So, I traveled back to B’ham to do the Bama CX race at Cooper Green.  Same place I went for the October 3rd race.  The course had a little too much climbing for me, but it was not bad.  But this day it was dry and dusty.  I had Dust in all my orifaces.  I decided to try the Masters race first.  Once again I got  a bit of bad luck: flat…I tried to ride back to pits but ended up having to run it.  Then got another flat.   urrgh!  So I packed it in and went to the car to fix the flats and try to get ready for the 4′s race.  I didn’t have much time, but got there ready to go.  I got a decent start and held a top 10 for the first lap.  Then I slowly started fading.  WE had 50+ start.  By my calculations I ended up somewhere around 30th place.  But they didn’t have the places after 16th because that was the point cut off.  So, I’m not completely sure.  But I got real dirty (dusty) and had dust coming out of my eyes, ears, and nose for several days.  But the good news was no mech. in that race.

Oct. 23, 2010  Softball rules again.  I had high hopes of hitting Lousiville for the weekend.  But my girl’s team had a tournament.  They played all day and we didn’t get home til about midnight.  Plus my lack of fitness at this stage did not bode well for hitting a big UCI race.  The GA race was all the way down in Savannah (about 5+ hours away) So I didn’t make the sunday race either.

Oct. 30–softball again…the girls lost thier last game at about 9:00 so we made it home about 11:30 but I had to race on Sunday the 31st.  The GA race was held at Life University.  Life has long been a Chriopractic school, but in recent years they have opened up to include a full undergrad program.  They now have a huge cycling club and they did a great job of putting on the race.  The course was back and forth through some nice woods on gravel paths and service roads, with some pavement and some nice grass sections and a nice sand pit.  I really liked the course except for the the hard downhill turns in the gravel.  I started the masters 35+ race and made it through half the race.  Then the weirdest thing happened:  somehow my chain came off and got stuck BELOW my chain watcher.  I don’t know how it did it. I tried to shove it back through but it wouldn’t work.  So I had to push it back to the car and fix it.  Then the 4′s race was right after that.  Not sure how many started, but we had about 50 finshers in the 4′s.  I got a good start and rode fairly strong for the first half of the race.  But then I started fading.  The climbs and gravel run-up on the back side just wore me out.  My lower back started cramping up.  I get frustrated with the other riders who have so much better fitness, but then they slow me down in the technical stuff.  Several times I had to slow up in the sandpit, barriers, tight turns, etc.  Several riders would leave me on the climbs and then I would catch them on the other stuff only to have to slow down trying to gt around them.  I just have to get in better shape.  I ended up in 40th place. Disappointing, but no mechs and I finished.  And the best part?  They had the students from the Chrio clinic doing free adjustments after your race.  So, they worked on  my lower back for me.  Almost like a pro team… 

November 7th, 2010 Sloss Furnace:  Birmigham AL.

I decided to skip the Georgia race and do the bama CX again this past weekend.  The bama CX was at the Sloss furnace.  B’ham is a old steel town and the Sloss is an old steel factory that they have turned into a historical attraction.  I love this course.  I did fairly well last year and was stoked to hit it again.  The course is flat and winds it way through the old plant and the grounds.  One short concrete step run up; couple of ups and down over a dirt berm; several times over the old railroad tracks; and some nice twists and turns through the field.  I snuck up into the first row for the start.  Basically everyone just ignored the cones and spread out about 60-70 feet across the paved start area.  I got an ok start, but slipped a pedal and ended up back around 10th.  After about 100 yards the course narrows to about 20 feet and goes through a left hand turn under the bridge.  I had the inside line, but was a wheel back and had to slow up to avoid the metal and concrete.  Lost a few spots but still felt pretty good.  I rode well but I could not really move up.  Then I got a slow leak on the last lap.  I managed to ride it to the line, but lost 2 spots coming in.  BUT I ended up in 15th.  There were 80+ starters and high 50′s finished, so I was pretty happy with 15th.  

Bama CX has basically cut out the B race.  They have moved the CX 3′s up to race with the 1/2′s.  They say that they have done this to encourage the B riders to move up.  But I think it has encouraged some “B” riders to stay in the ”C” race.  But I wanted to get a 2nd race so I signed up as a cX 3 as well.  55 minute race with the 1/2′s.   My goal was to finish and try not to get lapped.  I actually felt pretty good.  I was really surprised.  I knew I couldn’t keep up with most of the riders, but I felt like I was going pretty fast.  I didn’t really have anyone slow me down in the technical stuff so I flowed a lot better and it felt like I kept my speed up better.  Then I got another flat.  I don’t know what the *$%^ is going on with that.  I pitted and changed the wheel and keep going.  I still felt pretty good, but I figured there was no way I wouldn’t get lapped at this point.  But somehow I managed to stay ahead of the leaders until right before the next to last lap, and I only had about 7 guys lap me.  So, I figured that race was a good success.  Got some good training and experience and I finished AND I wasn’t last. Not sure what place, but I know there were 2 guys that I stayed ahead of.  The course was awesome; the crowds were great and it was cool to get cheered on and heckled in that race.

Sorry this was so long.  I will try to keep up with it each week.  The GA series race lost its venue for the 14th, but one of the guys from just over the state line in Chattanooga stepped out to help out.  The race this coming week will be just over the state line on a course that I like.  I just missed a podium there during the winter series last year so hopefully it will go well.

Talk to ya’ll later.

DS

While the rest of the world has been at it for several weeks now, Cross in the South has finally awakened from its siesta to try to catch up.  The 85+ degree tempatures seemed to melt the tread off my Grifo XS’s, but the clang of the cowbell was loud enough to clear the off the cobwebs and wake the slumbering warrior once again.  However, “life” once again ruled the weekend and crushed any aspirations of riding the rails to glory.  On Saturday, Oct. 2,  I heading down to The Rock for the first race of the Georgia series.  The Rock Ranch, the host for the race, is a property started by the founder of Chik-fil-A for the benefit of many under privileged children.  The property was a great place for a race and was great for the family with all of the activities going on at the ranch.  My real cross bike still sits in my basement after being taken apart for cleaning and a new paint job.  So, I threw my wheels on my multi purpose bike for the first weekend.  I was stoked to finally hit the dirt and hear the cowbells.  The field was pretty good for the first race of the year with 50+ starters.  I started off easy in hopes of saving my legs from their lack of training.  Once again I have started the season way over my “race weight” and sorely out of shape for the suffering necessary to compete.  Life seems to always get in the way.  Work, house, family activities and so much more.  I wouldn’t trade any of it, but it sure makes the sufffering less enjoyable.  But I was just happey to be there. I started off in the top 20, but the dust and high speeds conspired to prevent enough oxygen from getting to my brain, lungs, and my legs.  So, I ended up 31st out of about 45 finishers.  Not a great start to the season, but a welcome start none the less.  Bring on the Cowbell.

Sunday, Oct. 3rd and I headed to Birmingham for the start of the ’Bamacross series.  Once again there was a large field of about 60+ starters.  I felt pretty good and started out in the middle of the pack.  I tried to get settled in to a good pace and I began to pass a few people.  However, there was one tough, nasty section through a dry ditch where it dropped off about 4 feet, went across, and back up about 4 or 5 feet.  At one point, I approached this ditch in a pack of about 10 riders and everyone wanted to be first.  The resulting collision left me with a twisted seat post and a seat that was pointing up or down (depending on your pespective) enough that I couldn’t stay on it.  I knocked it back into place and tried to keep going, but after another lap and 4 stops to knock on it I realized that it was not to be.  The post kept sinking into my frame and the seat kept moving up and down depending on where I sat.  The sinking post quickly put too much pressure on my knees and 1 began to hurt.  So, as much as I hated to do it, I had a DNF.  I hate those letters, but the post was just too wrecked to continue.  None the less, I was happy to finally get a cross weekend going.

On Oct. 10, the 2nd race of the Georgia series hit Augusta.  The series just added the Augusta race last year for the first time and I was looking forward to it again.  However, life got in the way again.  If you’ve read some of my posts before you probably know that I coach my daughter’s fastpitch travel team.  We had our first tournament of the fall on Saturday the 9th.  We started at 8:15 am and the girls played great.  So, we didn’t finish playing until we won the championship game at about 12:15 am.  So, after a quick stop at Waffle House it was about 2:00am before we got home and close to 3:00am before I could hit the bed.  My 5:00 am wake up call to leave for Augusta came and went in a hurry.  2 hours of sleep just wasn’t enough to make it.  Again, I wouldn’t trade it.  The yells and smiles from the girls made up for it.

So, I have to wait until this coming weekend to hit the dirt again.  Both Georgia and Alabama have their races on Sunday this weekend, so I have to decide where to go.  Not a great start to the season, but it is great that the season has started.  All hail the cowbell.  Bring on the cowbell.  Talk to ya’ll later.

DS