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For the love of Cyclocross

September 9, 2010 in Austin, Texas, CX with 9 Comments

This past year has been great for me, physically. I participated in CrossFit for six months, which I credit for lost inches, found definition and the disappearance of 22 lbs of fat. I play ice hockey a couple times a week and have consistently finished in the top ten to twenty in scoring (and penalty minutes, too, much to my chagrin).

But they’re not bike racing, and certainly not racing at a level that I would like to be at. So I’ve made a shift in anticipation of the fall ‘Cross season in Texas.

Lone Star Cyclocross from Matt Haughey on Vimeo.

From now through the end of the year I will no longer head to CrossFit and I will play hockey just once a week, on a set day, so I can more accurately plan training rides and progression with my coach. I’ve hired David Wenger of Durata Training, my first one-on-one coach ever.

So far the training has been great. I’m reading my wattage on a Quarq Cinqo tied to a Garmin 705.

It’s all exciting to me – the electronics. For years I’ve been proud to be the guy with zero electronics to monitor progression. A real velo Luddite. (Yes, I lead an interactive dept for a living, don’t judge.)

Now I’m in it for results.

I often tweet my training results and routes, so be sure to follow me there to keep up. Coach is starting to intensify my training and I noticed something that said 375 watts for 15 seconds, then down to 185 watts for 15 seconds, and back up again. Man, that’s gonna be tough. But ‘cross is fierce, balls-to-the-wall, pain cave racing.

Here’s my schedule for the year:
Oct 16- Austin – season opener at Belterra
Oct 17- Austin – season opener w/Texas Custom Bicycle Show
Oct 23 Houston GCCA
Oct 24 Houston Woodlands CX
Oct 30 New Braunfels- WurstFest
Nov 6 Webberville p/b Violet Crown
Nov 7 Austin p/b Holland Racing
Nov 13 San Antonio p/b Bicycle Heaven
Nov 14 San Antonio
Nov 20 Ft Worth p/b Broken Films
Nov 21 Ft Worth p/b Think Cash
Dec 5 Chicago Cross Cup State Championships
Dec 12 Austin p/b Brain and Spine
Dec 18 Dallas – State Championship (Skills Based)
Dec 19 Dallas – State Championship (Age Based)

You might have noticed that Chicago date. Still in the works, but close to complete and puts a big smile on my face just thinking about getting back to the series I started.

Eye of the tiger, people. Let’s race!

Three-year check up for the twins

May 13, 2010 in Austin, Texas, Da Fam., Da wife., Katie, Patrick, Twins! with Comments Off

Katie and Patrick made their way to Dr. G’s office today for their three-year check up. They are getting so big!

As you can see it was fun for them. That is until the needles came out. Ouch!

But they are set for a whole year and we are happy they got a clean bill of health. Vision and hearing were a couple of the tests this time around and it turns out the kids are both sitting at 20/30 vision.

Patrick
38.5″ tall – 75% percentile
35.2 lbs – 75% percentile

Katherine
36″ tall – 25% percentile
27.9 lbs – 10% percentile

Spare a sawbuck for the LAF?

May 5, 2010 in Austin, Texas, Day in the life., LIVESTRONG, Mountain Biking with 3 Comments

Here we are on Cinbco de Mayo and I’m already behind in my fund-raising goals for LIVESTRONG (the Lance Armstrong Foundation). Doyle fashion? To be sure.

But it’s also in my repertoire to occasionally raise money and donate funds to a worthy cause. It’s been awhile, but this spring I feel compelled to raise at least $250 for LIVESTRONG. And you can help me get reach my goal with a simple $10 donation.

It’s a much smaller ambition that I had in 2001 and 2002 when I raised over $10,000 a year with Ole Mike Cacciabondo. The yearly reward for our hard work (as Peloton Project members) was a long weekend in Austin. We got to ride with Lance and connect with this amazing city. Now that I live here, I’ve come to see firsthand just how valuable the LAF is to our town, and even more so to the cancer community.

People affected by cancer visit the LIVESTRONG websites every day. Heck, every minute. It’s the first step for many, and a true inspiration to anyone who’s on the journey to recovery. Since I’ve become the Interactive Director at HC&B Healthcare, I’ve had the opportunity to work with two huge oncology organizations, and everyone in the field knows the prowess of the LAF. They are on the forefront of the cancer movement – helping many with information, resources and even funding cancer research.

In years past I would ride in honor of people I knew who were affected by the disease. But this year I plan to race in the Mellow Johnny’s Classic – a UCI Pro Mountain Bike Race that happens on Juan Pelota‘s ranch. I’ll draw inspiration on the trail from all the people I know who’ve beaten cancer – there are so many of you.

Racing on Juan Pelota's ranch last year. Photo: Jason Smith.

If you feel like you could spare $10, please donate on my LIVESTRONG page. I’m hoping to get one person a day for the month of May, and as you know I’m already late. So please feel free to donate even if you see another person has donated today.

Thanks in advance for considering it. You rule!

Joe

P. S. I’ll update here a bit more frequently this month. Updates to training and fund-raising, kid’s birthday fun and race results/day-of events.

I paid $8 for snow two weeks ago.

March 5, 2010 in Austin, Texas, Katie, Patrick, Twins! with 2 Comments

It’s true – two weeks ago there was snow day at the day care.

I never actually thought I’d pay for snow. That top-layer of ice from Chapparel probably melted in a few hours – it was 40º out.

Then last week the famous Austin Snowstorm of 2010 rolled through and my kids were able to play in the real deal. PJ seemed to love it (you can see a little of Katie in one shot).

Tomorrow we pay for even more snow via a trip to CO. Vail Mountain is calling our names, but the two that will cross our minds the most will be Katie and Patrick.

I miss them already.

On CrossFit

February 16, 2010 in Austin, Texas, CX, Hockey with 6 Comments

You know that feeling your body gives you when it’s firing the right way? Burning through calories at every turn, the dull ache that reminds you that you about the free weights, noticeable flexibility when picking up anything – the list is long.

I’m happy to report that I’ve found that feeling once again.

A couple months back I came to the realization that I have about seven hours a week to devote to training. Specifically, I was looking at saddle time – how much can I ride my bike? (This doesn’t include hockey, which happens at night after the kids sleep).

But it was the start of the off-season for a cyclocross racer and the start of the long mountain bike season, so I decided to try something new, Crossfit. If you’re not familiar, Crossfit combines weightlifting, sprinting, and body weight exercises that include some basic agility movements. And it’s tough. Stacey has been at it for a good half year, and I should have realized how demanding the training is through her voracious need for sleep, healthy food and the occasional groans from muscle ache.

You know, that feeling?

My class meets three times a week at 6:15am at CrossFit Central, just down the block. We’ve got 45 minutes to get in a workout that includes a warm-up of multiple (3+) rounds of fast footwork, pushups, squats, stretches, a 400m run and (as of late) 15-25 burpees. Once that’s done, we’ll complete the WOD (workout of the day) that is anything from a 2000m row combined with 75, 20-pound medicine ball tosses to 800m running sprints (x 4 rounds) or 135lb squat cleans combined with kettle bells and pull ups. It’s intentionally varied, which makes the classes exciting.

Some workouts have nasty names, like Fight Gone Bad. But others seem friendly enough, until you realize that Jackie is really a bitch. My coaches thus far (Big Mike and Mike and Crystal) have been wonderfully accommodating and genuinely concerned that you workout with proper technique.

Many people at the gym compete in “fittest” competitions that are nationwide and global, too. While that’s not my goal, I’m really anxious to see how I feel on the bike once training and competition starts again for me. I think the benefits will be easy to see – already in hockey I feel faster and can reach more pucks with extended flexibility. Plus the weigh is starting to shed and my whole body seems to be moving about.

I’m starting to dig that feeling, and hope to make it last.

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