DFL!

Those not familiar with the term DFL let me provide some guidance. The first word stands for “Dead” and the last word stands for “Last”. I will let your imagination conjure something for the middle word. DFL is the place I received at the 2008 Sea Otter Classic XC mountain bike race. This is single handedly the most embarrassing race I have ever competed. In hindsight I should not have started (bad knee, no intensity training and a brand new bike), but having a competitive nature, already traveled to Monterey, CA. and feeling the energy from the Otter, I felt compelled to race. Bad, bad, bad decision. The race was tragic from the start. I’m sure my wattage profile would resemble that of my 7 year old nephews on his BMX bike. Not to say that Jake (nephew) can’t throw down some watts for a 7 year old, but probably not the ideal results needed for my race. I have never wanted to pack in a race so badly. Sara (Andy’s wife and super-star support) greeted me after lap one with a smile (a worried smile) and encouragement to finish the race. I can honestly say if she had not been there I would have quietly tucked my tail between the legs and crawled off the course. I’m glad I finished the race, even though the sting of last place is going to haunt me for some time.

I’m not sure where this leaves me. Well, actually it left me in last place, but on the mental side, I’m in some darkness. I’ve counted on exercise as my therapy for the past 7 years, but the thought of getting fat, drinking and partaking in other extra curricular activities is sounding pretty darn good.

On the positive side, my new bike looked like a lightening fast cheetah and the Mafia Team kits were fresh. Now, I just need to get my head on straight, my pistons firing on all cylinders and find a way to get EPO prescribed to me. BC Bike race is less than two-months away! Blue Star is rocking and I need to find some extra HP if I am going to be able to uphold my end of the team.

Trying to find some umph! on the XC course, but could only find ouch!

Blue Star warming up before a solid Semi-pro finish!

Start of the pro men's short track race.

DT Swiss's new carbon mtb wheelset. The pair will cost you around $2400 and your good kidney! I'm tempted!

Top 10 of 2007

Wow, another 365 days in the books, another year of adventures and another year of great friends, family and memories. I am stoked for 2008 and extremely optimistic for all the unbelievable adventures and people that lie ahead. However, before looking too far ahead I should first tip a forty to 2007. Although this was a challenging year for me there were still many great experiences that deserve commemorating. Without further adieu I give you my top ten of 2007:

10. Easter Day swim in Lake Washington. Some find a cold water swim therapeutic. I found it downright asinine. Bundled in wetsuit, neoprene caps, booties and gloves I managed a 30 minute swim in 49 degree water with three friends. Ouch! I can’t wait for Easter in 2008!

9. I can walk! On February 19th I took my first steps (without assistance of a walker or crutches) almost 4 months after breaking the femoral neck in my left leg. I still walk funny, but that’s my swagger, my street cred!

8. Bamboo forest run, Maui, Hawaii. In late July I went to Hawaii with JP for some beautiful R&R. It also marked the return to running for me. Sloppy, ugly and in general discombobulating, my running was back and it was absolutely beautiful!

7. Haleakala climb, Maui, Hawaii. In addition to my new found running prowess, JP and I also road our bikes to the summit of the stunning 10,023’ volcano. The sights and smells of the climb were numbing in beauty and the descent was white knuckle, insanity with 30-40 mph winds trying to push me off the switchbacks.

6. 24 Hour Racing. I had a wonderful experience racing with two random groups of racers at the 24 Hours of Spokane in May and 24 Hours of Moab in October. In both races I had never met any of my teammates, but in both cases I lucked out and met a wonderful group of people with a passion for life and riding their bikes.

5. A return to tri’s. In late September I stepped back into the world of road triathlons, competing in the Black Diamond Sprint tri. I had only been running (very sporadic) for 7 weeks and was just hoping not to embarrass myself. After a lackluster swim, I threw down a decent bike leg and hung on for the run for a solid 2nd place age group and 13th overall.

4. Victory on the bike. Late June marked my return to mountain bike racing at the Indie Series Race in Winthrop, WA. My goal was to race solid and hopefully finish in the top 10. I did 9 spots better and won the race. After being heckled and called a sandbagger for racing in the Sport class I will be moving to Expert in 2008. Let the suffering begin.

3. Adventure Racing Victory. 2007 marked a year of “returns”, as it seemed my broken leg caused a long enough lapse in competition that each sport I entered seemed like a return to it…you know, huge PR events, media, fans, kissing babies, etc. I hooked up with my MerGeo.com teammates Matt, Murray and Yumay for the Challenge the Port Sprint Race in Port Angeles. My teammates rocked the house and we took home top honors in the four hour race.

2. Endurance Mtn Bike Racing 101. For my 33rd birthday I went to Park City with my buddy TMH for the Endurance 100K mountain bike race. This would be my introduction into endurance solo mountain bike racing. After 70+ miles, over 10,000’ of climbing I finished on the podium in 3rd place. SICK!

1. Friends, Family and Harley. I can not thank my family enough for the love and support they provide for me. My Mom, Dad, Brother and his family are solid and I wouldn’t be were I am today without them. 2007 was another year of amazing friends, both old and new friends. You rock! And last, Harley, my fluff ball of a cat that is scared of his own shadow, but provides a toasting foot warmer on cold days!

Project Carbon Goodness

The sweet goodness of carbon arrived on Christmas Eve by the gentle, caring hands of Santa (aka UPS Driver) and thus started Project Carbon Goodness (PCG). PCG is the project to develop a sub 20lb XC mountain bike. The project will be directed and engineered by Blue Star Racing. I will provide funding for the project and in no way handle any of the assembly. My main role is sideline encouragement, try not to get in the way and nourishment (I will also bring food for wages).

Are you kidding me?

The frame is disgustingly lightweight, to the point of being a bit scary. I think the scarier part is once this bike is complete it will be too fast for the rider. Combined with its older sister, my current Specialized Epic Carbon FS, I will have two of the faster XC bikes on the market. And let’s be realist, I am in no way worthy of riding either of these bikes. It’s like owning a Ferrari and only being able to drive a VW. A bit pointless, but hey, half the battle is looking good on the trail…right? What’s the other half???

Sick!

The biggest question now is what bike to race at the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo? Decisions, decisions…poor me! The race is less than two months away. My training is going very well and I think there is a good chance of finishing top 5 at this race. My teammate for the race, TH, is in limbo for the race and my backup teammate would be my Mafia Racing teammate Travis, but I am still waiting on his confirmation. I am truly lucky to have the opportunity to race with either and hopefully I will have a solid answer soon, so I can stop stressing.

I am not worthy

Until next time…Keep it Fresh!

Lady Latte III Ride

This winters training is an absolute blessing compared to last year. I have been dealing with a pesky back issue that has limited my training to biking and lifting, but I am not complaining. I am also not complaining about my recent weekend road rides. This is the first time since living in SoCal in 2004 that I have been able to establish some great base miles in the winter. I plan on building my base for another 5 weeks before I start working on some speed. Although, enough about training and let’s get back to the pertinent information in this blog…the Lady Latte.

The Lady Latte espresso shack is located on Broadway Ave in Snohomish. Andy and I were lucky to stumble upon Lady Latte during our abbreviated Pie Ride. The Pie Ride is a great 4+ hour ride to Snohomish with a pit stop at a Pie Shop in downtown Snohomish. The pie is great, but the espresso at Lady Latte is heavenly. The white foam that covered the brown goodness was light and sweet. The coffee was hot and peaked out from under the soft white foam just enough to allow your taste buds to imagine the sweet beverage before drinking. Once cradles in my hands the latte provided warmth and comfort, but lacked a bit of longevity. The relationship ended as soon as it began and it was back the bike for the cold ride home.

Ride – 4 stars
Coffee – 3.5 stars
Ambiance – 4.5 stars

One Year Anniversary

Today was the one year anniversary of breaking the femoral neck on my left leg falling off my road bike. To say the last year has been difficult would be an understatement. Besides breaking my leg I have been through multiple challenges and although I can not say I grown from each one of these experiences, it has definitely made me appreciate aspects of my life I had previously overlooked. I am looking forward to the end of 2007 and the start of 2008 and a new beginning.

But now, on to more important items. In relationships, it is customary to provide your significant other with paper as a present on your one-year anniversary. Paper? This may take the form of a book, stationary, board games, coupons, etc. Seriously, this is what I have to look forward to if I ever get married. Where do I sign up! Since my body and I have a wonderful relationship, I have decided to buy myself carbon fiber for my one year anniversary, roughly 4.5 lbs. of it. I will post some pictures of my anniversary gift when it arrives in a few weeks.

I think it’s sweet that relationships can survive on the gift of paper, but instead I will save a tree and give the gift of the beautiful composite material of carbon fiber.

Keep on, keeping on!

Stay Puff Marshmellow Man

These past several months I have been feeling very svelte. My weight is at a healthy state, my performance has been pretty good (sans Moab) and I've had a positive attitude. Then I received a photo from the road triathlon a did a month ago in Black Diamond and I look puffy! It may have been the several beers I had at the cross race the night before, but I doubt that could have a such a toll. Man, not the image I wanted to see, especially in my arms which usually provide some level of definition. I don't know, but I better be careful around the camp fire or some kid is going to poke me with a stick, roast me and sandwich me between two graham crackers and a piece of chocolate!

Umpa-lumpa on a bike!

I Passed Chris Eatough - 24 Hours of Moab Report

Yes, it's true, I passed Chris Eatough during the 24 Hours of Moab race. However, I should probably include a caveat to this statement...I passed him on my third lap at 7am in the morning, whereas he was probably on his 11th or 12th lap. My total riding time to that point was roughly 4 hours and he was nearing 20 hours on his bike. Yes, I know, pretty impressive. I should be hearing from Trek any day on that 6 figure sponsorship deal!!!!!

I'm not exactly sure how to comment on this race. I was thinking of a Haiku poem or maybe a short story, but since I am pressed for time and my venture back into the corporate world has been a bit taxing I will simply jot down a few numerical statements.

1. The Moab course is challenging! Between the technical riding and the sand riding your mental and physical game is constantly ON!

2. 24 hours of mountain bike racing is brutal. I've done 24 hours in adventure racing and it doesn't seem nearly as challenging. Hell, I only did three laps and I was pretty beat up. I have a new respect for 24 hour soloist. My hat is off to Mr. Hart!

3. I will do a 24 hour race solo!!!

4. My race was a Jekyll and Hyde situation. My technical skills were solid, but I my power and climbing ability were FLAT. It's a bit of a mystery, but there was no juice in the pistons. Very frustrating, especially with the amount of training I had been doing.

5. My team rocked. I could not have lucked out any better with a group of 4 dudes I had not met prior to the race. Solid group of guys, that raced hard, worked well together and encouraged each other along the way!

I will update with pictures as soon as possible. Until then here is the link to our teams photos from the race.

Tick Tock...

Or is it Tik Tok...I don't know and I'm not sure it really matters. Any lit majors out there? Which is correct? In any case, I need the father time to slow down for a bit. Simply too much stuff to do. My life goal of being a superhero would be very beneficial now. I could simply fly around the earth in reverse and turn back the clock of time. Although, I’m guessing if I was a superhero I would probably have to save lives and wouldn’t have time for extra curricular activities. In addition, I always wanted to be Spiderman, not Superman, so I’m not sure Spidey could rotate the Earth in reverse. That would be one massive spider web. Wow, did I just digress. Actually, to the point I have no idea what this blog is about.

Oh yeah, I am Leaving for Moab, UT tomorrow for a 24 hour mountain bike race. My bike, which had an unanticipated part failure, was completed today and I will pick up tomorrow morning at 10am, tear apart and put in its bike case and then try to get to the airport for a 1pm flight. In the next 6 days (in this order) I will fly to Utah, sign and fax over a new job offer, compete in a 24 hour mountain bike race, take over a lease for a new apartment downtown, fly back to Seattle, start a new job, pick up keys to my new apartment and move in!

It may sound like I’m complaining, but in actuality I love it! I wouldn’t have my life any other way! Yes, I should step back every so often, smell a few roses, kiss some babies, shake some hands, but I’m pretty sure I can do all those things will still riding my bike, sending an email, eating dinner and finishing a Sudoku puzzle.

Check out the race results of the 24 hour race here! I am racing with an male team called The Dropouts (named after a ride in Park City).

On The Road Again

It has been over a year since I competed in a triathlon (off-road), but it has been 3+ years since I had raced a road triathlon. As my leg is starting to heal and I can run again, the itch to do any race is intensifying. With the triathlon season winding down I decided to compete in the Black Diamond Sprint Tri held September 23rd.

The plan was to have a solid swim and bike and try to hang on during the run and lessen the damage, both to my ego and legs. I was extremely nervous for the race. Lack of any speed work definitely increased my anxiety, as the thought of only racing for 60-70 minutes seemed frightening fast.

The water felt reasonably warm for being in September and Deep Lake is synonymous for being a bit on the chilly side. I had a great starting position and when the gun sounded I found a nice swimming lane to find my form. Unfortunately my form never came. In all honestly it was the least amount I had been hit, bumped or pummeled at the start of a race, but for one reason or another I could not find a rhythm. I was hoping for a sub 14:00 800m swim, but instead settled on a 14:58...ouch. My swim was good enough for 25th fastest among the men, but I knew I had some work to accomplish on the bike.

The aero position, once a common position, could not have felt more foreign. It took a few miles to warm up, but once comfortable I started picking off competitors. I had a great battle with a gentleman in a QR Lucero tri bike. He passed me and I tried to encourage him to keep hammering, but he looked at me as if I was speaking Japanese. I will never understand why fellow competitors do not reciprocate a compliment. This really pissed me off. C'mon, we are not in Kona racing for world championships and we are certainly not professionals racing for a paycheck. We are recreational triathletes racing in the backwoods of Washington state. Give me a break. Regardless I used this energy to smoke by him and his $8000 tri bike. That's right chump I was the one who passed you on the road bike riding on the hoods. PUNK! I then went on to pass 7 more competitors to finish with the 7th fastest bike split.

I felt amazing coming into the run transition, but I knew the pain had not begun. Both my transitions were a bit slow since I hadn't practiced them in some time, but my second transition was quite funny. My legs were a bit wobbly from the bike and my hip is not strong enough to balance on my left leg so trying to put on my right shoe caused me to fall over. It wasn't graceful either. I could only imagine it looked like a tree falling in the forest. One fluid motion, no hands to catch me...wham on the ground. I quickly sat myself and my dignity up put on both my shoes while sitting in the grass and started the run. My current run gait is somewhere between Egor and a kid with polio (not funny, but sets the visual). I somehow managed to maintain a 7:10 pace and only let one racer to catch me on the run.

My final time was just over 1:10:00, which was good enough for 2nd in age group and 11th overall. I am usually not satisfied with any results, but I must admit I was not expecting a finishing place this high.

As all competitors I sat back after the race results where posted and tried to determine where I coulda, woulda, shoulda placed if I was completely healthy. I could have posted :45 faster on the swim, 1:10 on the bike and 2:15 on the run. I also could have eliminated close to 1:00 on my transitions. With all being said this would have put me in the top 5 of finishing times. Looks like I still have some worked to do if I want to podium.

Again, great race and definitely a nice spring board into winter training. I doubt I will do any more road tri's next year, but this revs the motor Xterra in 2008.

Back to the (race) Track

I traded in my cycling helmet for my old motorsports helmet this past weekend for a kart race. It has been years since I have put on my old helmet and fire suit and even longer since I raced a kart. The last time I raced a dragster was back in 03 and the last time I raced a kart was back in 99.

Ready for qualifying

Rusty was one way to describe my first practice heats. The track was wet from on and off rain showers which didn't help conditions, but when I wasn't driving the kart into the corner too hard and pushing the front end, I was letting off too early and unloading the chassis before the corner...either way the end result was spinning the kart. ROOKIE!

On the grid ready to rip!

Qualifying wasn't too much better and track conditions were worse. I decided to run the rain tires in the hope to gain more grip. Instead the track wasn't wet enough and it made the kart squishy and sluggish around the corner. I qualified last! Not too big of a surprise, since most of the other racers were surprised I could even get the kart around the track within a few seconds of the top qualifying speeds (pole was 32 seconds and I was at 37 seconds).

Coming out of corner 7

The skies opened up for heat 1 and everyone opted for rain tires. The embarrassment started early for me as I spun the kart even before the race started. The field waited for me to catch up, as all the karts needed to be up to speed and in a bunch for the rolling start. Heat 1 went well and the difference between the winner's fast lap and my fast lap was only 4 seconds. OK, now we are getting some where.

At this time I was really starting to feel the kart, how it chassis was rolling in and out of the corners, and really getting a handle on braking and acceleration points. Heat 2 was my best race. My fast lap was within 3 seconds of the leaders and I actually passed a few competitors.

I'm not sure I am ready to jump back into karting, but it was sure fun to feel the acceleration and braking power of these little machines that reved to over 13,000 rpm on the back straight away. To put these karts into comparison here is a power to weight ratio of some of the fastest race cars that run on road courses (I've been blasted by some of my engineering friends for some past errors in my mathematics, so in this case Power-to-Weight ratio is a measurement of actual performance of any engine). The equation will simply be Power (P)/Weight (W)

125 Tag Kart (kart I was driving) - 40 hp (horsepower)/200 lbs = .2 (hp/lb)

IRL Indy Car - 600 hp/1600 lbs = .375 (hp/lb)

Porsche Daytona Prototype - 500hp/2125 lbs = .23

Formula One Car - 730hp/1340 lbs = .54 (wicked)

Mr. Potato Head and me back at it again!



My nephew Jake ready to tear up the Kid Carts!

The Five Developmental Stages of Finishing a Race

Over the course of my 33 years I have noticed that many of life events occur in stages. There are defined theories as in the 5 stage Kuber-Ross model of dealing with tragedy and grief or Knapp’s Relationship Stages Model which explains how various relationships form, progress and dissolve. There are scientific based findings including the stages of alcohol on the mental and physical human body. And then there are also less academic models such as the 5 Stages of Online Dating (This is hilarious…not that I would have any idea about online dating).

I thought I would provide my own personal observation on the five stages of dominating a race (or merely finishing one). The five stages are sequential, meaning the stages are followed in the order in which they are presented and each stages builds upon the other.

It’s On – Stage 1 represents the initial formation (registration) of the event and is usually proceeded by several micro stages of positive affirmation and increased self-confidence including, but not limited to mass emailing to friends and family, who may or may not care or better yet not understand, about your next adventure, water cooler boasting at the masters swim class, track workout and/or trailhead or the ever increasing incoherent and irrelevant blogs on your personal blogging site. The “It’s On” stage varies in length and can be as short as 24 hours, but has been known to last up to 10-12 months.

Toeing The Line – better known as “It’s Go Time” (IGT) is the second stage and allows the racer to move from formation to activation. IGT can be difficult for some participants as the emotions during this stage are usually the most intense and confusing. The racer is usually in a Jekyll and Hyde battle with their internal and external persona. Internally they are rationalizing their training program, setting realistic goals and trying to manage their anxiety. There external identity is usually taking shape in one of two forms. One, they are downplaying their ability by over-exaggerating minor injuries or ailments that would cause a slower race time. By using this disclaimer prior to the race you can avoid any embarrassment from the poor finish or more commonly it allows you to boast about your strong finish, as if was some miracle that you overcame the hangnail on your middle finger to finish top ten (Tiny Tim would be proud. Tiny Tim of A Christmas Carol not the musician). The second identity created by the external self is the one of over confidence. This is rarely seen, but is used in practice during smaller or less importance races. The confidence can sometime also include a disclaimer of “I feel great for this race, but this is only a B race so I will be taking it easy.” Again, using the disclaimer as a verbal recognition of the races non-importance and the racers lack of concern for his/her results. The IGT stage is relatively short and usually lasts less than 1 weeks and up through the first part of the actual race

Wanting It – This stage occurs in the first stumble by the racer or a competitor, normally around the middle of an event. When related to individual racer, the first moment of weakness is usually when the initial internal dialogue is had. Normally the dialogue is encouraging, but on occasion it can be quite hostel in nation. Luckily for the other participants, spectators and children (please remember the children) the hostilities and subsequent vulgarities are all done with the racers inner voice. When the stumble is had by a competitor this stage intensifies. The “Wanting It” can come from quick physical exertions to pass the competitor and try to deposit them directly into Stage 4 (see below) or it can allow the racer to analyze their competitor from behind, pressure them and ultimately try to crack them. In either case, the racer must verbally or internally say, “you got to want this”, to signify the beginning of this stage.

The Hurt Locker – The intensity and brutality of this stage is sometimes too hard to watch. The internal dialogue turns from friendly banter to crucial bargaining. Emotional instability and loss of critical judgment are common in this stage. The racer at this point is reaching a moment of darkness, often promising ice cream for one last effort up the hill or a training day off if you can just pass the person in front of you. This however is a very important stage in the development of the racer for several reasons. First, they need to enter into this stage in every race and try to grow more and more accustomed to the pain associated with digging deeper into the locker. Second, they need to understand the management of this stage and avoiding falling into stage five!

The Wheels Have Come Off – Also known as “running out of gas” or “bonking”, stage five is the point of no return. Visualize a motor vehicle driving with no tires/wheels and limited gas. Not pretty. You have exhausted all reserves and are merely hoping for survival. The internal bargaining no longer exists as your mind is not capable of rationalizing let alone developing any thoughts. You motor skills start to lessen, vision is blurred and verbal communication slurred. It is really a state of confusion, disorientation and staggering gait. Personally, I think it is a good recommendation to try reaching this stage once or twice in your athletic career, so you can understand that the Hurt Locker may be painful, but still manageable.

Grandma Nellie 1911-2007

My grandma was an strong, loving and happy woman who had the most infectious smile. I was very fortunate to be able to spend time and learn from this great person. She passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 96 years.

Grandma Nellie was born in Niewenhoorn, Holland, and along with my grandpa, moved their family (including my father) over to America in 1948. They initially moved to Kent, WA where they started farming for another family. In 1953 they purchased their own farm and moved to Enumclaw, where she would raise her family and live throughout the remainder of her life.

One of my grandma's greatest gifts was gardening. An absolute perfectionist, her garden was a statement of hard work, beauty and love. A life full of adventures, love and principles, grandma was loved by most everyone that came in contact with her. She was so caring and would strive to put your happiness before her own. I see so much of my dad in my grandma. I don't think it has completely sunken in that I will not see my grandma's smile again. This will especially be hard during the upcoming holidays because of so many fond memories. I will miss my grandma dearly.

Christmas 2006

Endurance 100 - Podium Finish?

Endurance 100 – Podium Finish?

I just arrived back from Park City, UT and competing in the Endurance 100 race. I traveled down with my good training partner and arch nemesis TH. Beltro was also supposed to accompany us down to the race, but recent doping allegations sidelined his plans (see media update blog below).

I knew there was trouble when I was gasping for air building up my bike and walking up stairs. Similar to Superman’s vulnerability to Kryptonite, the 7,000’ elevation at the base of the mountain was immobilizing me with pain and suffering. My little sea level legs and lungs were no match for the forces of less oxygen. We would need to be strategic in our attack of the race.

Our strategy for defeating the villainous Park City was to wear it down…take it slow the first few laps and then unleash our astounding, superhuman attacks on the field and mountain. The first part of the plan (taking it slow) has never been a problem for me. However, unleashing any type of attack, let alone after 40+ miles of riding would be comical.

The race started; yup you guessed it, with an immediate climb. We rode on a fire road for roughly a mile then it shot us right into single track switch back climbs. The remainder of the race would see 95% single track…amazing. We rode very conservatively, as planned, the first lap and everything went well. I started the second lap a bit sluggish, but this started to feel much better. I picked it up half way through the second lap and into the third lap. The climb out of the transition area in lap three was simply nutty. Little did I know we would do this climb again on the fourth lap and then climb another 1,000 ft immediately after…BRUTAL. Going into the fourth lap someone shouted that I was only 10 minutes behind 2nd place. What? I was feeling good, but 3rd place??? With my new found energy and excitement of possibly placing on the podium I picked up the pace. This is a bit overstated since picking up the pace at this point meant my cadence went from 76 to 77...simply viscous!!!! When I reached the summit I was told I was only 6 minutes back on 2nd, but since the final 12 miles were descent my goal was to keep the rubber side down and secure 3rd place. I crossed the line in 9 hours and 17 minutes. Good enough for third place and the podium!!!!

Vicious attack!!!

The course was as follows:

Stage 1 – 20 miles, 3,000 ft vertical gain
Stage 2 – 23.5 miles, 3,590 ft vertical gain
Stage 3 – 11 miles, 2,054 ft vertical gain
Stage 4 – 17 miles, 3,055 ft vertical gain

The total distance was 71.5 miles with almost 12,000’ ft of climbing.

Machines ready for battle!

TH corresponding with Velo and Cycling News

Who doesn't belong on this stage?

E100 Media Update!

MEDIA REPORT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beltro withdraws from E100; cloud of suspicion looms darker.

Rapid rise to mountain bike stardom has some people questioning training tactics.

Anacortes, WA. The mountain bike world was rocked today when Jeff Beltro withdrew from this weekends E100 race in Park City, UT. The sudden withdrawal and the recent news of increased dope controls at the E100 have some second guessing the timing. The former Ironman and Xtrerra triathlon superstar, who has taken the 2007 Indies Series expert mountain bike series by storm this year, was rumored to be targeted prior to the E100 as one of the “men in black” – riders who try to avoid out of competition controls by training in anonymous clothing in out of the way places. The reason for the withdrawal is not clear at this time, but inside information tells us trichomoniasis may be the cause.

Beltro was the city of Anacortes big hope for taking the E100 title and wearing the cities colors for 2008. The withdrawal by Beltro leaves the victory podium stand a wide open race. Fellow sea-level stand out athletes AVW and TH would be the natural choice for filling two of the podium slots, but the high altitude could put these two in the hurt locker before the mid way point. In addition, AVW has never bested TH in their previous 16 match-ups. There is also rumor circling that Expert NORBA racer Andy R could be filling in for the battered Beltro. Phone calls to Andy R’s agent were not returned.

Wrench for Hire?

It was always a family joke, or more less an understanding (actually the entire racing community knew) that my dads mechanical genes were not passed onto me. Lets just say people where not beating down my doors to wrench for them. I remember vividly thrashing one spring...actually the thrashing of race cars was an annual VanderWaal Racing tradition. Some families attended church during the holidays, others cut down the family christmas tree...our family loved to assemble race cars at the 11th hour! It was usually two solid weeks of working on the race cars. We would finally fire them up the night before the first race weekend, make sure everything was working properly or close enough, put the cars in the trailer, get to bed around 1am and then drive to the track the following morning at 6am. No testing...straight to qualifying and then racing. Probably not the ideal race preparation, but it was an adventure. Sorry, I digress...back to thrashing to get the race cars engines together...I was actually helping with the assembly instead of relegated to senior parts washing, food gopher or janitor duties...my job was to install the valves so my dad and brother could do the more important part of setting the tolerances of them. The installation of the valves included two little valve lashings, which were the size of your little fingernail and slippery. There should have been a disclaimer on the package on how difficult these things were to hold onto. In any case one of the little buggers slipped from my hand, fell through an oil chamber, past the camshaft and somewhere into a cylinder, oil pan or ?? I can't describe how many emotions went racing through my mind at that time, but fear, rage and embarrassment where definitely at the top of the list. I sat there motionless like Ralphie in the Christmas Story when the lug nuts go flying from his hand..."Fuuuuudge", although I didn't say fudge either! I can't remember exactly what happened next, but I'm pretty sure I ran out of the shop cursing, spitting and crying, yes I said crying (can't a man cry sometimes). The best case scenario would have been the lashing fell into the oil pan...oh no, not so lucky. It was missing somewhere in the motor and the fear of turning the motor over and having the lashing scratch a cylinder wall or crush in the crankshaft was too risky. Instead we had to take the entire motor apart until we found the lashing sitting in on top of one of the pistons in a cylinder. Needless to say my wrenching abilities were not called upon too often, however, my part cleaning and janitorial skills increased immensely.

This past weekend, I dug my old Simpson wrench apron out of storage and worked on my mountain bike. It was fun to work on the bike and although quite a bit simpler than working on race car engines the tolerances for many of the parts are tighter and the bolts smaller...eek!

Reliving the glory days!

I spent several (successful)hours getting the red rocket ready for next weekend E100 race in Park City. Oh yea, I also spent a few moments cleaning her...I still have the touch! :)

What a beauty!!!!

I am definitely not worthy of riding this bike...way to pretty for me.