Sssssssss....

(Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand four-letter words)

8.15.09 Downers Grove Criterium
Cat. 3/4 / DNF

Flatted with four laps to go. That's three flats in two weeks if you're counting.

Note to self: Get new tires.

DNF

8.8.09 Grayslake Cycling Classic Criterium
Cat. 3 / DNF

I've never had a flat in a race. Today I had two.

Five or six guys went off the front early in the race, and as I had been sitting in the middle of the field I was going to need to make a serious effort to bridge the gap. Me and a couple other guys jumped away from the pack to get to the break and shortly thereafter found myself, all alone, in no-man's-land - that hellish place between the breakaway and the rest of the field. I had managed to get within 20 or 30 meters of the lead group when I started feeling my rear wheel fishtailing around the corners - flat. SRAM was providing neutral support so I walked back to the start and got a replacement wheel (much nicer than mine, bonus). By this point the breakaway is crushing the rest of the field so I say, "I was just off the back of the breakaway when I flatted," in hopes that I could get back in where I was and not with the main field. So he lets me jump in as the break rolls by on the next lap and I quickly (and mildly guiltily) join the breakaway. So now I'm in the breakaway and whether I belong there is probably debatable at best. This lead group of 7 or 8 guys was really moving and I just didn't have the horsepower to be much help. So here I am - holding on for dear life, trying my best to hide my exhaustion, and taking brief pulls at the front to at least maintain the appearance of legitimacy. "Six laps to go!" shouts the announcer and all I can think is how am I ever going to keep this up for six more laps?? As it turns out, I didn't have to. A lap or two later my bike starts feeling all sloppy again - front wheel flat this time. Frustration and relief washed over me in equal measure. Then, I did what I always do when I get frustrated...I started screaming obscenities and threw my bike into someone's front lawn. Okay, actually I just walked back to where my family was watching and finished the race as a spectator - disappointed but thankful for the pain to be over.

The Smiler

Photo by Luke Seemann

8.1.09 Tour of Elk Grove Criterium
Cat. 3 / 23rd

Wind, rain, tight turns and narrow roads made for a treacherous course...resulting in multiple crashes. Luckily I managed to stay off the ground and out of trouble, however, I also managed to stay out of the money - which went 20 places deep. The long, narrow, and winding homestretch required that you be in a decent position coming off the final turn before it got too fast and packed to move up. Lesson learned. Returned on Sunday to see all the big guns in the pro race - even got to meet Chris Horner ("The Smiler") afterward!

3.

7.26.09 Chicago Criterium
Cat. 3 / 34th

My first race after upgrading my license from category 4 to category 3. Others had told me, "Oh there's not really much difference, except that it's a lot safer in the 3's because everyone's had more experience" and other things of that nature. Well it may or may not be safer, but it's definitely faster. It was easily the fastest race I'd ever been a part of (averaging 27 mph) and was a bit of a shock to the system. I was able to hang on and play along, but never really factored meaningfully into the race. Disappointing finish but was really excited to be racing at a higher level. What doesn't kill me will make me stronger - right?

Chicago Personal Photographers got a nice picture.

Future Stars

7.19.09 Evanston Grand Prix Criterium
Cat. 4 / 3rd ($55)

Got into a 3-man breakaway in the latter half of the race which was slowly reeled in and caught by the final lap. Stayed at the front after the catch and sprinted for 3rd. Highlight of the day however was the kids' race, where my niece and nephews got their first taste of "competitive" cycling.

Big Hills, Small Field

7.18.09 Mississippi Bluffs Road Race (ABR State Championship)
Cat. 4 / 1st

Great course with some nice hills and I got to race with some of the Freeport Bicycle Company guys, which is always a good time. The only problem was there were only 3 other guys in my category, which made for a fairly uneventful event. Nevertheless, I raced well and won with a decisive sprint to the finish.

Unemployment Benefits

7.15.09 Ray Basso Bensenville Criterium
Cat. 4/5 / 2nd ($65)

Not having a job sucks...except when there's a bike race on Wednesday morning. Lost to Joel Friedman, who was making a brief appearance in the 4's as he blazes his way to the top of the cycling category system (his brother is a pro riding for Garmin-Slipstream). Got to hang out afterward and see my dad ride a stellar masters race as well - retirement has its perks too.

Road Rash

7.12.09 Elgin Cycling Classic Road Race
Cat. 4/5 / 39th

Beautiful course. Beautiful day. Raced exactly how I wanted to and was right where I wanted to be heading into the final turns... And then I crashed - hard. It was my own fault, too fast into the 2nd to last right-hand turn on uneven pavement...wheels just skidded out from under me. Thankfully neither my bike nor I were broken...just minor damage to both. We lived to race another day.

Burrito Primes

Photo by Carolyn at Velosnaps

7.1.09 Soldier Field Cycling Series: Chicago, IL
Cat. 4/5 / 1st (3 burritos)

Chipotle sponsored the race tonight and was generously offering burrito primes throughout the race - my solo break for several laps earned me three foil-wrapped beauties. Nice. Breakaway effort got caught with a couple laps to go...stayed up front and started my sprint early to avoid getting robbed at the line. It worked...this time.

Home for the Weekend

Photo by Katie Leibman

6.28.09 Carl Zach Cycling Classic Criterium: Waukesha, WI
Cat. 4/5 / 2nd ($45)

I'll take 2nd any day of the week, but it was definitely a bit less thrilling than the win from the day before. Nevertheless, had a blast racing in Katie's hometown with the whole fam cheering.

Victory!

6.27.09 Downer Classic Criterium: Milwaukee, WI
Cat. 4/5 / 1st ($50)

Came around the final turn about 10 wheels back... then sprinted up the right side for my first win!

Happy Father's Day

Photo by Katie Leibman

6.21.09 Fox River Grove Cycling Challenge Criterium
Cat. 4/5 / 2nd

Sharp climb after the first turn made things very interesting. Field dwindled following each climb until there were 15 or so at the front. I tried to solo away from the pack on the last lap...went over the climb with a nice gap and then started time-trialing my way down the long and winding descent hoping to hold off the charging field. They caught me coming down the home stretch and I had to settle for second. So close...

Snoopy

6.7.09 ABR National Criterium Championships: Winfield, IL
Cat. 4 / 4th ($45)

Felt good and raced well, but just didn't have the kick at the end and lost a couple spots at the finish. I did get to pose with Snoopy on the podium though.

"Mr. Outside"

6.6.09 ABR Winfield Twilight Criterium: Winfield, IL
Cat. 4 / 4th ($85)

Won a $40 "King of the Mountain" prime and finished 4th. On the final lap I earned my dubious racing nickname and this blog's namesake, "Mr. Outside": "I’m setting up my turn and plotting my sprint for the win, when Mr. Outside, an ABD rider, goes inside on me and takes away my line. Dammit."

Breakaway That Stayed Away

6.17.09 Soldier Field Cycling Series Criterium: Chicago, IL
Cat. 4/5 / 2nd ($20)

Training crit in the south parking lot at Soldier Field, field of 75. Joined a two-man breakaway with a few laps to go and managed to stay away to the finish. Reeled in a $20 prime in the process. After pulling for the entire final lap, one of my break mates pipped me at the finish. Doh! In the end, however, I'm afraid the Pepsi Max podium girls stole any show we the cyclists might have been trying to put on.

Photos by Kevin Keeley

Podium

5.24.09 City Bikes RFK Criterium: Washington, D.C.
Cat. 5 / 2nd

Visiting a friend in D.C. for Memorial Day weekend and was lucky enough to be able to jump into the Cat. 5 race at the last minute. Tried my first breakaway. My solo effort quickly became a two-man break with a pretty decent gap. After trading pulls for a lap or so, my breakaway partner crashed around a tight turn and I was swallowed up by the pack shortly thereafter. I caught my breath, regrouped, and was able to sprint for 2nd. It felt great to finally get on a podium (one of my goals for this season).

Photo by Scott Pollock with his camera phone

A Lesson in Humility

4.25.09 Leland Kermesse Road Race: Leland, IL

Masters 30+ / 13th

Stacked field + 20mph crosswinds = Adam getting dropped 20 miles into a 50 mile road race. Luckily I was joined by a couple other stragglers who made the remaining 30 lonely miles slightly more bearable.

Photo by Ted Burger

A Brief History...

8.18.07 Downers Grove Criterium (my first bike race ever!)
Cat. 5 / 15th

8.29.07 Glencoe Grand Prix Criterium
Cat. 5 / 10th

5.24.08 ABD Memorial Day Master's Criterium (ABR)
Masters 30+ Cat. 4 / 7th (first payday!! $25)

5.31.08 Winfield Twilight Criterium (ABR)
Cat. 4 / 16th

7.6.08 Wood Dale Criterium (ABR)
Cat. 4 / 10th

7.20.08 Evanston International Cycling Classic Criterium
Cat. 4/5 / 10th

8.2.08 Tour of Elk Grove Criterium
Cat. 5 / 11th

8.9.08 Grayslake Cycling Classic Criterium
Cat. 5 / 5th

8.23.08 Tour of Oak Brook Road Race
Masters 30+ Cat. 4/5 / 24th

My very own blog.

My first post on my first blog.

Me and Ellery after a race - courtesy of my favorite photographer, Katie.