REMINDER: USE #CALCUP OR #HELLYER TAG FOR POSTING NORCAL RESULTS
Even though I promote the track i actually like to race cross. I dunno why - the season is short, the races are closer, the weather is sunny and temperate - with a dash of mud, each race series (and race) has a different character ( i love the Surf City Halloween Psycho Cross and Pilarcitos races) - and the Belgian races are great internet TV. Rumor is DJ Snead has started to show up for some local crits which signifies the start of cross season training. NorCal is one of three official “Cyclocross Centers of Excellence” in the United States right next to Portland/Seattle corridor and New England. The NorCal scene is like Switzerland - we are so good we don’t need to join the European Union. Anyways…. August and September are clinic time…here are a few that I’ve seen coming across my desk.
Velo Girls Bike Skills 103 September 26 - LLL always gets a turn out and is beginner friendly. The class is going to be taught by John Funke who is threatening to retire. Funke has been talking retirement for the last year at least… i think everybody just needs to show up with “John 3:16″ signs to show him some love and cure what ails him my miracle if need be. We can’t lose a guy with that kind of passion to the Pro Bowling Tour.
Sterling Sports Group has a camp and a training series going in September. Matt’s pretty intense, and well versed in training details, so this is a good one for the information- hungry-engineering types. He’s even got a webinar scheduled for 8/27… Go Internet Man!
Clark Natwick - The master, the myth, the man who brought it all home to NorCal has a few clinic’s rolling. Clinic dates are 8/29, 9/5 & 9/12. Click here for more details. Clark Natwick Coaching. For those that don’t know Clark was an early US Cross Champ… for some reason i get stoked seeing he’s teaching locals. Its like the gods have descended from mount olympus and started handing out magic spears or something. Any-hooters - YEA CLARK!
The Alto Velo leprechauns usually hold a few early season low key clinics. Right now they are planning their get togethers for September 10 @ Byxbee Park, and September 24 @Arastraderro. 6 PM start time…and that’s loose. Keep an eye on the Webcor/Alto Velo email list serve for details.
During the season there are a couple of options. Las year Roaring Mouse put on some clinics for racers before Pilarcito’s Bay Area Prestige races and Velo Bella does a star studded clinic before the psych cross. Shoot them some emails and let them know you are interested early on.
Livermore Series - Even though its not a clinic Shane Huntoon’s Livermore series is a great way to start racing cross since they get rolling on early September 5th. Cool courses and kids under six race make this a great family event. Nothing says family like cross!
I’m missing all the good stuff going on in the East Bay, Marin,Sacramento and other cool NorCal spots but i don’t think they have put up any announcements yet. I don’t know if it is in NorCal but I’m sure Rodney Cox will be doing a cross race every other day out in Chico - that man is a one man wrecking machine! I want to go there just to see if those races are real or some kind of Facebook joke. Put up anything i’m missing in the comments section…
8.15.2009
8.14.2009
Pretty In Pink
I feel like Hernando’s off topic posts were kind of hit and miss. Not a fan of the political ones, mostly cause I can’t stand Naomi Klein - but i have a good long reason for that which you can ask me about next time you see me, but the more poetry type stuff works out some times. Here is a rambling ode the the style of hernando… and I will try to fit in some mentions for tonights’ big party at the track. Tonight at Hellyer Velodrome Hernando, Velo Girls, and La Dolce Vita are putting on the big party that are Friday Night Fights. It’d filled with beer, racing, food and costumes. The costume theme is new this year… not sure how it got started but Hernado usually gets all decked out as do a bunch of spectators and racers. Its like “The Rockey Horror Bike Show” Because of Velo Girls propensity to include pink in all ensembles and the recent passing of John Hughs this week was tagged “Pretty In Pink” where folks should either be:
1. Wearing pink
2. Wearing your best 80’s ensemble.
For me John Hughes movies and cycling are inextricably linked. Greg LeMond and Molly Ringwald both came to prominence at the same time and forever left a dent in my psyche. John Hughes understood the outsider and the feeling you get as a teenager that you can never quite belong.
Cycling in the 80’s had the same feel as the up and coming outsider sport. Lance was still a baby triathlete then and the prickly LeMond never quite connected with the US audience the way Lance would. Like Hughes cast in “The Breakfast Club” cyclists were a weird mix of athletes, nerds, and freds who would come together once a week for a club time trial on some deserted country road. In cycling we found, and continue to find a community of people we can relate to despite all of our social shortcomings..which cyclists seem to have in abundance. I’m sure some of your are normal but you still hammer yourself several months a year, and feel guilty if you don’t, for your job thats not really a job. My point being something ain’t right freak!
We may not always like each other but we have a common language, understanding, and respect for what each accomplishes in our clique. Events like the AVC, Friday Night Fights, Bay Area Prestige CX races, San Francisco Twilight, and San Rafael Twilight Crit bring us together to race, talk bikes, family and everything else in order connect in the most normal environment cyclists can manage.
If you are reading this you are in this crowd no matter what. Come out to party and race with us tonight.. and wear some pink leg warmers if you got em.
Originally published in NorCalcyclingnews.com with photos and links!
1. Wearing pink
2. Wearing your best 80’s ensemble.
For me John Hughes movies and cycling are inextricably linked. Greg LeMond and Molly Ringwald both came to prominence at the same time and forever left a dent in my psyche. John Hughes understood the outsider and the feeling you get as a teenager that you can never quite belong.
Cycling in the 80’s had the same feel as the up and coming outsider sport. Lance was still a baby triathlete then and the prickly LeMond never quite connected with the US audience the way Lance would. Like Hughes cast in “The Breakfast Club” cyclists were a weird mix of athletes, nerds, and freds who would come together once a week for a club time trial on some deserted country road. In cycling we found, and continue to find a community of people we can relate to despite all of our social shortcomings..which cyclists seem to have in abundance. I’m sure some of your are normal but you still hammer yourself several months a year, and feel guilty if you don’t, for your job thats not really a job. My point being something ain’t right freak!
We may not always like each other but we have a common language, understanding, and respect for what each accomplishes in our clique. Events like the AVC, Friday Night Fights, Bay Area Prestige CX races, San Francisco Twilight, and San Rafael Twilight Crit bring us together to race, talk bikes, family and everything else in order connect in the most normal environment cyclists can manage.
If you are reading this you are in this crowd no matter what. Come out to party and race with us tonight.. and wear some pink leg warmers if you got em.
Originally published in NorCalcyclingnews.com with photos and links!
8.11.2009
Primal Wear Inspiration
I was driving my way down Foothill today and I saw two guys in Primal Wear jerseys standing by the side of the road. I figured it was a flat but when i got closer one guy was looking awkwardly in the distance while his skinnier partner puked his guts out on the side of the road. Hell Yeah Bike Dorks - That is one hard a#$ mother-F^@#!%! I bet he got back on his bike and rode home to his big house in Los Altos Hills right after! If those dudes can get it together for a vomit inducing Tuesday morning ride I can at least try to post once a day till i’m out on vacation next week!
Track is top of mind since its Tuesday and all… Plus this Friday is a big track party so you all need some warming up.
TONITE 8/11 - WOMEN’S RACES + MEN’S MADISON TRAINING. If you want to give people a test to ride crits better make them pass a Madison test administered by none other than Hernando. This will solve all those Cat 3 crash issues you folks were emailing about last week…for real folks…a madison test! Dumbldore kinda genius right?
TOMORROW 8/12 Points Race, Scratch, Miss & Out, Points Race - Your “tired”, your “over trained”, your thinking next year is the time you will really dial it up and train 20 hours a week. It has been a long season and you are feeling like the best part of your summer, and your race season has passed you by. You know what… it is time for you to have some fun down at the track. I like Wednesday races because they are quick, short, and i can hang out with my friends on the tarmac. Its just the thing you need to get your passion back.
FRDAY 8/14 FRIDAY NITE FIGHTS - I dunno what Michael calls these races, I keep calling them Friday Nite Fights cause i like the similarly named show, but this is the monthly party night at the track. DJ, Drinks, Food and Lot’s-O-Track Racing are coming to Hellyer Velodrome this Friday night. Its not quite the “Matrix Style” Rave that will happen on September 18th but La Dolce Velo and VeloGirls put on a killer party as we saw from last years event. I’m not saying they can’t make it happen (cause if LLL puts the call out to her hoard of VG’s there is no telling what might shake out) …i’m just thinking all the road nerds (yeah i’m talking about you non-track-riding-skinny-folks beating each other up over the #CalCup) won’t be willing to get nutty till their “season” is over in September. Prove me wrong and shake the dust off your skin suits folks and give Hellyer some love.
9/12 - International Style Omnium Come get spanked by Beth - looks like she’s going fo sho!
9/18 - FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS BLOW OUT EVENT- Even though there are more races this is usually the last big PAR-TAY. No excuses…come get nuts, and race if you must. San Jose Bike Club will batten down the hatches for the storm that inevitably comes.
Track is top of mind since its Tuesday and all… Plus this Friday is a big track party so you all need some warming up.
TONITE 8/11 - WOMEN’S RACES + MEN’S MADISON TRAINING. If you want to give people a test to ride crits better make them pass a Madison test administered by none other than Hernando. This will solve all those Cat 3 crash issues you folks were emailing about last week…for real folks…a madison test! Dumbldore kinda genius right?
TOMORROW 8/12 Points Race, Scratch, Miss & Out, Points Race - Your “tired”, your “over trained”, your thinking next year is the time you will really dial it up and train 20 hours a week. It has been a long season and you are feeling like the best part of your summer, and your race season has passed you by. You know what… it is time for you to have some fun down at the track. I like Wednesday races because they are quick, short, and i can hang out with my friends on the tarmac. Its just the thing you need to get your passion back.
FRDAY 8/14 FRIDAY NITE FIGHTS - I dunno what Michael calls these races, I keep calling them Friday Nite Fights cause i like the similarly named show, but this is the monthly party night at the track. DJ, Drinks, Food and Lot’s-O-Track Racing are coming to Hellyer Velodrome this Friday night. Its not quite the “Matrix Style” Rave that will happen on September 18th but La Dolce Velo and VeloGirls put on a killer party as we saw from last years event. I’m not saying they can’t make it happen (cause if LLL puts the call out to her hoard of VG’s there is no telling what might shake out) …i’m just thinking all the road nerds (yeah i’m talking about you non-track-riding-skinny-folks beating each other up over the #CalCup) won’t be willing to get nutty till their “season” is over in September. Prove me wrong and shake the dust off your skin suits folks and give Hellyer some love.
9/12 - International Style Omnium Come get spanked by Beth - looks like she’s going fo sho!
9/18 - FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS BLOW OUT EVENT- Even though there are more races this is usually the last big PAR-TAY. No excuses…come get nuts, and race if you must. San Jose Bike Club will batten down the hatches for the storm that inevitably comes.
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