Well it has been the HOTTEST summer ever, and so along with that, my training has not been what I would like it to be.
I have been mostly indoors working weights and strength but not quite as much endurance training. But......Nonetheless, I have been hankerin' for some racin', so I decided to go ahead and sign up for the Bonk Hard Racing Wakarusa Off-Road Challenge in Lawrence, Kansas. I don't usually like to drive 6 hours one-way for a race that will last less than 4 hours, but I can't help it. I need to get my race fix on. September 8th, 2012.
http://bonkhardracing.com/races/wakarusa_challenge/default.asp
I think this race looks pretty fun. We shall see.
Post by Bryan Greaser
The Cyclewerx Adventure Racing Team. Pushing the limits both physically and mentally.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
"Nice rack"
So wanting to build more power in the legs to supplement my endurance training, I started checking the internet to see if I could find any ways to make a home made squat rack/power rack. Well as you might imagine, there were plenty of ideas. So I narrowed it down to this one, and here it is and this is the one I built.
So when people see it, they think it's metal. I just painted it black. The upright 4 legs are 2 x 6's doubled together for strength and then spotter pin holes are drilled through every 5 inches. The things holding up the squat bar and bench bar are 45 degree street elbow 1 inch galvanized plumbing pipe, then a 4 inch pipe goes through the hole and out the other side where it is capped with a washer or you could use a flange. Super bomber strength.
This rack enables me to do squats, bench press, pull-ups, chin-ups, and a dip station which are the bars you can see coming out the front. They come on and off within seconds so they are not permanent. The best thing is that you don't have to go to the gym. I dislike gyms for alot of reasons, but mainly, they tend to be social scenes and the next thing you know, you see people wanting to talk to you and taking up 15 minutes of your limited time already which cuts into your workout.
This rack is super sturdy, and took a weekend for me to build, all for probably around $150. When it'something that you built yourself, you take an even greater pride in it and are more likely to be motivated to use it. I really enjoy working out on it. I think there are additional elements that I can add to this if I want but I think it has everything covered with the bench that inclines as well.
post by Bryan Greaser
So when people see it, they think it's metal. I just painted it black. The upright 4 legs are 2 x 6's doubled together for strength and then spotter pin holes are drilled through every 5 inches. The things holding up the squat bar and bench bar are 45 degree street elbow 1 inch galvanized plumbing pipe, then a 4 inch pipe goes through the hole and out the other side where it is capped with a washer or you could use a flange. Super bomber strength.
This rack enables me to do squats, bench press, pull-ups, chin-ups, and a dip station which are the bars you can see coming out the front. They come on and off within seconds so they are not permanent. The best thing is that you don't have to go to the gym. I dislike gyms for alot of reasons, but mainly, they tend to be social scenes and the next thing you know, you see people wanting to talk to you and taking up 15 minutes of your limited time already which cuts into your workout.
This rack is super sturdy, and took a weekend for me to build, all for probably around $150. When it'something that you built yourself, you take an even greater pride in it and are more likely to be motivated to use it. I really enjoy working out on it. I think there are additional elements that I can add to this if I want but I think it has everything covered with the bench that inclines as well.
post by Bryan Greaser
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
May 2012
Wow, what can I say. Apparently I haven't posted on this blog since last fall. That's pretty bad.
So, for anyone who cares, just an update of what has been going on.
This winter was pretty great. Mild temps, and TWO western US snow skiing trips. Yep, I said TWO.
First trip was in early February. Flew to Portland, OR, then drove to Bend, Oregon and skied a few days on Mt Bachelor. What a great mountain to ski. Normally being a snowboarder on all of my previous winter trips out west, I decided to mix it up and ski this time. While it started off as a fiasco, it got a little better as I worked my way around the easy intermediate runs.
Fast forward to late February and I did a family ski vacation to Salt Lake City, UT and then nearby Park City, Utah. Stayed in Park City, skied every day I was there, which was Wednesday through Sunday. Well, Sunday was a travel day. Anyway, we skied at Park City and nearby Deer Valley too. Only my second ski trip on ski's, and I was really really ripping it. Super confident on hard blues, so my good buddy Tom lures me onto a mogul'ed up Black Diamond. Boy that was a fiasco, but at least I tried it. I'll hit the blues again next trip and then progress to Black Diamonds again though. But the blue runs are plenty fun for a person who only snow ski's once or twice a year.
In April I camped out and rode some sweet singletrack at Council Bluffs National Recreation Area with good buddies. Rode part of North Trace Creek of the Ozark Trail, then the next day rode part of South Trace Creek. Incredible singletrack out there in that region. What a hidden jewel that area is.
Other than that, I've stepped up my training alot lately, mixing it between mountain biking and running. I've got a 50 mile trail run I am signed up for in October of this year out near Branson with Ken Chappell who will definitely be pushing a redzone pace throughout.
I am still hopeful to do some adventure races this year but they pretty much taper off in the hot humid summer months, so it will probably be fall again. I'll also be looking regionally for some duathlons (mountain bike and trail run versions) since my old time favorite, the Berryman duathlon, won't be happening in June any longer.
In the meantime, still training. And living, L I V I N.
post by Bryan Greaser
Monday, September 26, 2011
Ozark Trail
Well I was up at the Berryman on Saturday, Sept 24 and Sunday, 25th, manning a Checkpoint for the 36 hour race of the Berryman Adventure, and of course, being in the vicinity of "ground zero" for Missouri's finest mountain biking, I HAD to take the bike along for some post-race fun for myself.
The biggest and toughest decision for me was, "Which trail should I hit?" Berryman Trail, Council Bluffs loop, Trace Creek, or Middlefork? Decisions, decisions.
Well it was sunny and cool Sunday morning as I drove from Bass River Resort towards Potosi, and it clouded up fast, really wicked fast. Sure enough, without notice, it began raining. It was not an isolated shower, this was a "socked in and not going anywhere for a while" type rain. Well that made my decision even easier. The Middlefork trail has a really small rock/chat type trail surface with incredible trail design allowing it to resist mucking up during a rain, and sheds water very well.
Despite the constant light rain and 51 degree temps, I was dressed properly and made the most of it. It was a good ride. Looking forward to going back to the Middlefork very soon. The guys and gals who laid out that trail design and cut it in should be put into the IMBA Hall of Fame.
post by Bryan Greaser
The biggest and toughest decision for me was, "Which trail should I hit?" Berryman Trail, Council Bluffs loop, Trace Creek, or Middlefork? Decisions, decisions.
Well it was sunny and cool Sunday morning as I drove from Bass River Resort towards Potosi, and it clouded up fast, really wicked fast. Sure enough, without notice, it began raining. It was not an isolated shower, this was a "socked in and not going anywhere for a while" type rain. Well that made my decision even easier. The Middlefork trail has a really small rock/chat type trail surface with incredible trail design allowing it to resist mucking up during a rain, and sheds water very well.
Despite the constant light rain and 51 degree temps, I was dressed properly and made the most of it. It was a good ride. Looking forward to going back to the Middlefork very soon. The guys and gals who laid out that trail design and cut it in should be put into the IMBA Hall of Fame.
post by Bryan Greaser
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Broemmelsiek 'almost' race'
Well my bud Matt O and I headed to the Lou Saturday morning with the fam's to spend a nice day at the STL Zoo and many other fun things, spent the night in a hotel, woke up to a delightful stlbiking post on the message board that the Broemmelsiek race was still ON! Right on! We stayed in the Brentwood/Clayton area, and it stormed pretty hard on Saturday night, but the race was miles away, so the way summer storms can be, we figured it could have missed the race location. Well about 7:15 Sunday morning we check the board and the race was a GO.
We woofed down some Continental, packed up the bikes (didn't pull into the parking garage with bike on top) and started heading W out 64/40 towards St Chuck. We hit Chesterfield area and it started raining, and approaching the Missouri River bridge, I can't decide if it was raining buckets or cats and dogs? Hmmmm. Still wondering if it was raining at the race location, I decided to check stlbiking and sure enough, Mitch had to pull the plug on the race, noting that it was pouring at the trail.
Oh well, we had a great weekend anyway. Matt and I were really looking forward to riding a new trail we had never done before, especially for 3 hours in the Marathon class. But that's life.
post by Bryan Greaser
We woofed down some Continental, packed up the bikes (didn't pull into the parking garage with bike on top) and started heading W out 64/40 towards St Chuck. We hit Chesterfield area and it started raining, and approaching the Missouri River bridge, I can't decide if it was raining buckets or cats and dogs? Hmmmm. Still wondering if it was raining at the race location, I decided to check stlbiking and sure enough, Mitch had to pull the plug on the race, noting that it was pouring at the trail.
Oh well, we had a great weekend anyway. Matt and I were really looking forward to riding a new trail we had never done before, especially for 3 hours in the Marathon class. But that's life.
post by Bryan Greaser
Monday, May 30, 2011
And another gravel grinder....
Stepping up the gravel grinder rides the last few days. Did 42 miles on Saturday, followed up with another 25 today. Legs are feeling oh so good.
I'm not really an early morning person, but getting up at 6 and doing long rides is pretty dang fun! And great training for some fall racing hopefully.
Post by Bryan Greaser
I'm not really an early morning person, but getting up at 6 and doing long rides is pretty dang fun! And great training for some fall racing hopefully.
Post by Bryan Greaser
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Shawnee National Forest gravel grinder
Got up early this morning with two friends Jeff Smith and Brad Brown, met at the bike shop at 6:30 am, and the three of us took off for a 30 minute drive across the river into Illinois and set out to do a 28 mile gravel grinder. Legs were feeling good, weather was mild, so we kept going, exploring a little bit, and eventually we logged 42 miles this morning, about 3 hrs 20 minutes or so. Some gravel roads, paved roads, fire roads, doubletrack, you name it. No singletrack though.
I paid close attention to the Trail of Tears State Forest layout, and the trails within it... A race there someday I see. Lots of trails and acreage to work with.
Anyone who thinks for a second that this part of Southern Illinois is flat should think again.... Fun times, good training ride.
post by Bryan Greaser
I paid close attention to the Trail of Tears State Forest layout, and the trails within it... A race there someday I see. Lots of trails and acreage to work with.
Anyone who thinks for a second that this part of Southern Illinois is flat should think again.... Fun times, good training ride.
post by Bryan Greaser
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