The team’s plan was simple.  Hemme and Popper would get the hole shot and try to split the field appart. The rest of us would try to shield Jamie and Stan from the wind and make the rest of the field work.  Part 1 of the plan worked flawlessly.  Hemme and Popper threw a grenade into the field from the start by setting a relentless pace of 25-28mph. By the end of the first lap, I heard the announcer say they already started to gap the group I was in.  Sadly, Jensen and I were unable to help protect Jamie and Stan as they were able to bridge up to the Hemme/Popper group.

At one point during the race, I tried to give it a go off the front, but was unsuccessful. With all hope of reconnecting with the lead group dashed, I settled in with a group of 20, just trying to stay safe.  At minute 30, we received the signal that we had one lap to go before being pulled. On the descent of the last lap, I lost my powertap computer over some of the rough road.  Not wanting to lose a $200 piece of equipment, I stopped to pick it up, but I lost contact with my group and was lapped in the process.  I finished my lap and assumed I’d be scored at the back of my 20-person group completing 9 total laps.

Given my low expectations of finishing well and treating the race as a “training” event, I didn’t care about where I placed.  After checking out CBR last night, I looked at the chip timing results from our race.  This is where it gets interesting.

1) I was not even placed.  You’d think with chip timing, it’d be able to count the total number of laps I completed and they’d place me accordingly.  This happend to Popper as well.  2 DNF’s ….

2) The best lap time for the Cat 4′s was 2:59 while the best time for the Cat 3′s was 3:03.  The best time in the Cat 1-4 Masters 45+ was 2:58.   This tells me we have some fast Cat 4′s that should be Cat 3′s at the very least.  The upgrading process is broken in my opinion.  Our IL official should take a look at the lap times and consider upgrading at least 10 individuals from the 4′s. 

3) With cycling becoming more popular, in a way we are limiting our growth by not properly upgrading people based on their ABILITY.  There were 2 full Cat 5 fields of 50 riders and 1 full Cat 4 field of 100 riders.  How can the sport grow when the developmental categories are completely filled? 

Food for thought on this Monday morning.

Get to gluing my friends, but remember to do so in a well ventilated area.

I think I’m going to take a different approach to racing in 2011.  Since I won’t be able to “train” hard until after 5/26/11 due to the CPA exam, there’s no way I’ll be able to be competitive in crits.  While I’m hoping I’ll be good to go for CX, I think I’ll incorporate a Olympic Distance Triathlon into my training regimine. 

Currently looking at the Chicago Triathlon at the end of August (even though the thought of swimming in Lake Michigan gives me the creeps….blech)  or  the Lake Geneva Triathlon in September.   I’m 100% confident I can complete the run and the bike legs, but the swimming leg will be nerve racking in open water with everyone else.   Swimming has never been my strong suit (as Bobbi can attest), but with a little training, I’m sure I can avoid drowning.  What would make this experience even better would be for Bobbi to compete in it with me.  Guess we’ll see

In other news, CX is right around the corner.  With the CPA exam in full swing, you’ll probably see me laboring in the back due to lack of adequate training. If that’s the case, please give me a beer. See you at the races.

Head to a park with friends.

Race bikes around said park.

Add $$$, cookies, beer, and cheese fries.

Scream until you’re hoarse.

Go home eat the pot roast you put in the slow-cooker before leaving! 

Bobbi & Helge get ready to heckle the 4b's

The 1/2/3′s race had me blowing up about 20mins in, but luckily i only got lapped once, and none of the fast guys y yelled at me for getting in their way! That’s a positive thing.

Another double header awaits me in Dekalb this weekend. It’s my goal to finish on the lead lap of the 1/2/3 race while racing a double this year. I guess we’ll see what happens.

Raced the Cat 4 40 mile Road Race Championships in Western Springs IL and finished 15/56.  Good times and great team Love.

Last night I entered race #9 of the 10 I need to upgrade from Cat 5  to Cat 4 on the road.  One more to go,  which will be checked off the list this Saturday at the Tour of Elk Grove, as I race back to back in both Cat 5 races at 9am & 9:30am respectively. 

I had spectated and pre-rode the course on 7/1 earlier in the month to determine if it was safe.  I liked the course, some-what technical with good speed, which I felt would play well to my strengths.  Signed up for the B race with Mike Hemme and 48 other riders.  As always seems to happen, I line up in the third row to the far outside.  Whistle blows, and off we go.  The first few corners are dicey, as people are hitting the brakes where they shouldn’t be.  Lap 1 goes by with no incident, and people start settling in.  I move up into the top 6 on the road and am sitting in comfortably. In hind-sight, I should have just stayed here all race to contest the win, but Hemme was off the front and I wanted to try to bridge up to him.  So, like the idiot I am, I flew off the front for about a lap, bringing the field with me.  When I saw everyone still behind me, I wanted others to pull.  Being only 4 laps in, it was hard to convince people to take over the lead and the pace quickly fell.  I dropped into the pack to recover.  Unfortunately, I dropped too far back and would have had to make some big gambles to get back to the front. 

The laps just flew by as they tend to do when you’re red-lined. Every lap I’d hear Julie yell encouragement and tell me to move up.  I wanted to, but it was hard to go around more than 2 people a lap.  So, I was content to sit in and rotate around the people directly infront of me. Came up on 3 to go, and Hemme’s tire blows coming into the start/finish straight.  I figured there would be a hell of an accident.  Luckily everyone made it through just fine. The next 2 laps were pretty much all-out and I just focused on beating the guy in front of me (which coincidentally happend to be team-mate Danny).  I did beat him on the last lap and with no results up at this time, I figure I finished in the upper 20′s / lower 30′s out of 50.  Not glorious, but another great work-out done and one step closer to attaining my goal to upgrade.

Saturday will bring race 3 and 4 in one week’s time. Then it’s time for a break until Oakbrook or Cyclocross.  Look out dirt, the big blue Half Acre train is coming to tear you up, and I can’t wait!

The credit is 30% of the total paid for certain qualifying energy efficient insulation, windows, doors, and roofs, as well as, certain heat pumps, hot water heaters or boilers, and advanced main air cirulating fans on your principal residence (ie. where you live during the year).

The maximum credit is capped at $1,500 for all expenditures over 2009-and 2010. So, you can use it all in 2009 or any variation over the two years. 

A good place to start your search for qualifying energy efficient products is http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits. This site will provide you with a list of requirements for each product category.  Be sure to check the product package materials or website of the manufacturer to ensure the product satisfies the required energy saving requirements.  The IRS states you can rely on the manufacturers written certification statement included with the product packate materials or on the website.  Make sure to keep a copy of the certification for you tax records incase of an audit.

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