More than i can chew

Well, CX season is here and well underway, and i have to admit i may have bitten off more than i can chew, but i'm enjoying it nonetheless.  Last year after i managed to get used to my prosthetic leg and figured out how to unclip and dismount i did a few races in the 35+C category.  This year i thought i'd up my game a little and challenge myself and so i registered to race in the 35+A division. If you're thinking, "boy Matt, that's pretty ambitious of you," you are right.  I may have envisioned being much faster than i actually am.  I was a little realistic, however, in that my primary goal has been to not come in last place, and so far i have managed to meet that particular goal, but not by much.
At the first race of the season i knew there was a pretty good chance there was someone else, who like me, had overestimated their speed and abilities and mistakenly signed up for the 35+A category when they were in fact better suited for the Bs.  Sure enough, there was one other rider who was slower than me, and i came in second to last.  You can only count on this happening one time, however, as that rider will usually downgrade to a slower race category.  So the next day of the double cross weekend i took my place at the line, and was quickly dropped on the first lap when i had a mind meltdown coming into the barriers the first time and unclipped my wrong foot first and lost time trying to get my prosthetic unclipped.  This race i was saved from the uncoveted DFL when half way through the first lap my foot sole came unglued from the prosthetic foot and i had to pull out.  I was disappointed, however, because last place or not, i wanted to race.

The 3rd race up at Ft. Buenaventura proved to be my best performance so far, as i came in 3rd from last (not counting a couple of guys who dropped out).  Yes, i was able to hold off an attack from skibikejunkie on the last lap when he dropped his chain on some bumps around a tight corner and hold onto 3rd to last place (we had also passed stupidbike Bob who was doing his second race of the day, went out strong, then faded).

This last weekend up at Weber Co. Fairgrounds, i came in 4th from last thanks to mechanicals for my brother the artist (who snapped his derailleur hanger half way through the first lap) and Mike P.  Matt O. also faded about half way through the race, so i was able to pass him as well.

So, for the time being, i have still met my goal of not finishing DFL.  We still have eight races to go, so i hope that i can actually improve on my performance a little, but dang, those 35A guys are fast.  The Glenn Brothers are always talking about how they don't get any time to train, but i don't know how they are so stinking fast without training when i'm training my ass off and can barely hang onto the caboose of each race. 

At any rate, i'm excited this week to race at Wheeler Farm, because if there is such thing as a "home court," this is it.  Since it's only a few miles from my house it's where i usually go during the week to train.  I don't know if that means a whole lot in terms of real advantage, but here's to hoping.  I'm also excited for this weekend because it's the 2nd annual Cross out Cancer event.  Last year we raised almost $30,000 for the Livestrong foundation, and of course this year our goals are even bigger.  Looks like the weather is going to be perfect, so, bring the family out and help raise money for the fight against cancer.  I'm even more excited this year as well because the proceeds will be split between the Livestrong Foundation and the Huntsman Cancer Institute, which you know if you've read my blog for any time, is very dear to me personally. With the exception of the intern who didn't get my epidural right when i had my amputation, i have nothing but good to say about the great staff and doctors at Huntsman.

Maybe you're thinking, "i want to support this event, but i don't want to race," or "i want to support this event, but i'm a runner, not a cyclist."  Well, lucky for you, there are three options that are still available to you:

Option 1:  just go online and donate.  you can make a donation to my personal fundraising goals here at my page with the Huntsman Cancer Institute:

Option 2: If you want to ride a bike, but don't want to race, you can participate in the "fun ride" at 1:20.   This is a non-competitive ride on the race course with the specific goal of raising funds for Huntsman and Livestrong.  Bring your mountain bike down and take an easy lap.  You can register for the fun ride at the UTCX website. 

Option 3: And finally, for you runners who don't want to ride a bike, but still want to participate, we'll kick off the morning with a 5K at 8:00 am.  You can register for the 5k at the UTCX website as well.

There will also be a silent auction in the barn at Wheeler Farm thoughout the day, so come down and have a good time while helping fight cancer on a beautiful fall day.

getting some form back

Well, first of all, i have to say "Wow!!" i did not expect that the voting would overwhelmingly favor wearing the "Amputees need love too!" T-shirt on a first date, but you, the people, have spoken, so as soon as i get that first date, i will in fact wear the T-shirt. I'll let you know how it goes (and i'll also hold you all accountable if it ends miserably)!

Photo: Chris See

Alright, having addressed that, time to move on to other more interesting stuff, like bike racing. It's been almost a year since my amputation, and i'm starting to feel like i'm getting some form back and can actually be competitive in a race rather than just getting shelled out the back as soon as the racing really starts. In fact, this last weekend i took 6th overall in the Bikes4kids stage race, with a 3rd place in the TT. And last weekend i didn't let the hill pictured below take me out of the race.


I know it doesn't look like much from this angle (hills never look as steep in pictures or on TV), but the last little kicker is 8-9% and goes on just long enough to really hurt. At the state championship Road Race we did 5 laps of this course, with a rollout starting across the street from the hill to make for a total of 6 times up the hill. Since climbing is definitely a weakness since losing my right calf, i was afraid i was going to get dropped on the hill when the inevitable attacks started. But lap after lap i was able to hang on. On the 3rd time up the hill i made a strategic attack about a mile before the hill to get a head start. This worked out perfectly as the rest of the group caught me just as i was cresting the top, but this was also the time they took the hill the hardest and dropped half a dozen other riders. Fortunately my strategy paid off and i jumped back in the group for the rest of the race. Of course the last time up the hill the field splintered since the finish line was just past the crest of the hill and the attacks were furious. i got passed by most of the other racers, but overall i was happy to have stayed with the lead group for the whole race. At the beginning of the season i was unceremoniously dropped from every race as soon as we hit any incline, so it's gratifying to be able to stay in till the finish now.

I'm looking forward to Worlds in three weeks, and then after Denmark time to gear up for the 2011 CX season (is it ok to say i may even be a little more excited for CX then worlds). And i'm just going to put this out there. It may be pie in the sky, but i'm starting to entertain the idea that i may have it in me to upgrade to a cat 2. I've never thought this possible, even before the amputation, but with some hard work and dedication i think i can get there. I know i'm not there now, but am sure going to give it my all going into the 2012 road season. By making it public, that puts the pressure on to follow through, right?!?

End of one season, beginning of another

The artist after going down on a slick corner while warming up.

Yesterday was the last race of the UTCX 2010 series. I'm a little bummed, since i was out most of the season, you know with the whole amputation thing, i only got to race the last few races, and yesterday, finally felt like i was actually racing, actually in the competition. I wasn't at the front of the pack, but did start to feel like i had a little better fitness and could at least hang in there and keep up. Of course the big joke on me during yesterday's race was the extensive concrete stair run up. Although i get along pretty well in regular activities, stairs are still kind of a challenge for a gimp. First lap i got dropped on the stairs, and then even more so trying to clip in after the stairs. My cleat picked up all the slush left on the concrete making it near impossible to clip in once i jumped back on my bike. After some work, i managed to get my foot in and then reconnect with the group in the first tight turn. Throughout the rest of the first lap I even managed to pass a handful of other riders through some of the technical turns and straightaways. Then on the stairs on the 2nd lap they all came rushing past me again. And so it went. At any rate, i was feeling good, was feeling like i was racing again (albeit mid-pack in the Men's C group), and then with three laps to go my rear derailleur snapped clean in half.

Of course this would have to happen at the point of the course furthest from the pit as well. So i picked up my bike and walked back to the pit, switched bikes, and finished out the race and still managed to not take last place. Here's a vid of the first lap, my derailleur snap, bike swap, and finishing out the race. You can see the stair run up in the first 30 seconds of the vid, and then watch as i struggle to clip in while everyone passes me.

Utah Cyclcocross, race no. 11 from matt bradley on Vimeo.

And so another year is over, another bike season has passed, another semester has ended (though i've still got a good lot of papers to finish grading), and time to take a little break, then start all over again. Usually after the end of CX season i'll take a week or two off the bike, and then start training again for the next year's road season, but since i haven't had much serious training in the last six months, i'm going to forego the break this year and jump right back in. Yes, training starts tomorrow. And now that i've reached my immediate goal, race CX by the end of the season, i've set a new goal: race at the paracycling nationals in Augusta, GA in June 2011.
I know i've got a lot of work to do to get my fitness back, and then learn how to get power out of my residual limb (not to mention lose those extra holiday pounds), but i'm excited about the opportunity and ready for the challenge.



In other great news for the upcoming season, T-dub signed with the professional women's team Peanut Butter & Company/Twenty12. This is awesome, not only because she's now a pro and will get a supply of some of the best gourmet peanut butter you've ever tried (the "Dark Chocolate Dreams" peanut butter is so good you can just eat it with a spoon straight out of the jar), but because she gets to race on a team with so many up and coming riders as well as seasoned pros like Kristen Armstrong who won the Olympic gold medal for the time trial in 2008. Looking forward to making the best of the upcoming year.

R3 gets dirty!

Righty's Robot Replacement (R3) got dirty today. Well, not really, cuz it wasn't that muddy, but we did take the CX bike out for a little spin at Wheeler Farm. My right leg still isn't ready for complete weight bearing so i can't really stand to power up any short, steep inclines, and i still can't unclip, so barriers are out of the question right now, but it was great to ride in the dirt a little. I love riding Wheeler this time of year because all the little single track sections get carpeted in fall leaves.







Of course, you can't really see the nice fall leaves lining the trail in the video on account of the shakiness, but that's what you get when you try to hold your iphone on the handlebars while riding.

Remember, tomorrow is the Run for Bun. If you haven't registered, you can still register in the morning. :)

Help me pick an outfit for DC

This is my friend DC.


DC and i both have the same issue, we tend to put on a few extra pounds over the holidays. In order to help motivate ourselves this year to take that weight off we made a bet. We both set a goal weight for May 1st (DC's goal is 151, my goal is 162). If either of us does not meet that goal, the other gets to choose an outfit that the one who did not meet his goal has to wear on the next big group ride. DC's been threatening me with his daughter's pink tutu and a tiara. I have something special in mind for him as well, but i need your help in the final decision. Please take a look at the outfits below and then vote in the poll on the right to determine which luchador you think best personifies DC. If he doesn't meet his goal of 151 pounds by May 1st, i'll let you know where you can line the streets to cheer as DC rides by in his new luchador outfit.

El Ultimo Guerrero

El Tigre

La Flor


El Volador

Nacho Libre

a lesson in fast

Right from the onset let me clarify that i did not learn how to be fast, rather i learned what fast is this last weekend at the first CX race of the season. And in learning what fast is, i also learned that i am most definitely not fast. The good news, however, is that i'm not the most not fast, only the 2nd to most not fast.

Last year i did pretty well in the 35+B category, so i decided this year to jump up to the 35+A category. As CX season has been approaching i have been reconsidering this decision, however, since i am much fatter and slower this year than last. Check out the potbelly in my victory salute photo.

That's more of an ironic victory salute, because i was, in fact, the second to last finisher.

But i decided to go with the 35+A group because DC and the artist were both doing it and even though i knew i wasn't as fast as them, i could at least race with them. I started out with some firm goals: get more than half way through the race before getting lapped by the As and don't get lapped by any of the 35+As. I barely made my first goal. Bart, Ali, and co. lapped me about 34 minutes into the race. it wasn't too long afterwords, however, when my 2nd goal fell gracelessly from the bike seat and i was lapped by Art O'C and then a few other 35As. At this point i revised my goals and set the new goal of not getting lapped by my brother or either of the notorious Glenn brothers (aka MIB). That goal fell to the wayside not long afterwards as well when the three of them and Todd H. came by me wiping the dust from their pain-ridden faces.


At this point i revised my goals yet again, and since i could see Krachty slowly gaining on me i determined that he would not also lap me. Of course this goal was much more achievable since there was only half a lap left, but alas, i was able to hold him off for the last twisty turns before the finish.

Oh well, at least i made three bucks from Slyfox, enough to buy a chocolate milk and some cashews for the drive home.

Tucking a dollar bill into my bibs.

Despite getting run over by one of the MIB after he fumbled on one of the barriers, the artist pulled past everyone in his group of 4 at the line for an impressive 9th place finish.


And much to our dismay (because we looked forward to seeing him in his new skinsuit every week) DC went hard into one of the barriers when he couldn't get his foot out of the pedal on a dismount and broke his collarbone in three places for a tragic season ender. Lesson learned: don't race in a new pair of pedals you've never used before. Funny thing was we were talking about it at the start line, i guess it's actually not that funny now, but maybe next fall when DC is racing again it will be funny.

DC before he went down. photo credit: the epicurist flogger.

At the end of the day T-dub and i went home and made quite possibly the best hamburger i have ever had: Green chile (serrano, numex, annaheim, and poblano) relish on top of copious amounts of a queso ranchero sauce, a big slice of a hawaiian pineapple tomato and a toasted bun. Not gonna get faster eating this way, but it was sublime.

CX is fun (and muddy)

It was perfect blustery fall this morning when i got up and took the dogs out, but by about 11:00 it started to clear. The clouds parted here and there and the sun poked out a little and i thought we might have warm temps again for our race, but about 20 min. before start time a big cold front rolled in and brought more wind and rain. I was drenched before i had even finished a warm-up lap.
The race started really well for me, for about the first 500 meters. I got a good sprint off the line and was sitting right behind DC and Pasternaky coming into the first transition from dirt road to single track. With about 15 guys chasing hard behind me i laid it down sideways and skidded across the grass. Another guy t-boned my bike and did a beautiful endo right over the handlebars. Amidst the mayhem i grabbed my bike and jumped back on, but was now in about tenth position as opposed to 3rd. For the next three laps i worked hard and made my way back up to about 4th or 5th. I had come around a few guys on a straight away and had only one more guy ahead of me before i was in 3rd. I was sitting on his wheel into a tight, muddy corner and he went down, and i went down right on top of him (i know a few posts ago i said i didn't believe in karma, but this has made me reconsider).
While i was picking my bike back up, the six guys i had passed all swept by me, and i was playing catch up again. The crash had caused my front wheel to burp, however, and my rear tire skewer to come loose, so i rode half a lap with a low front tire and a loose back tire until i could get to the pit and change bikes. By the time i got going again i was out of contention for a good finish, so i just tried not to get caught.

TW flatted out on the first lap, but she got to hang out and cheer with this guy.



And super props for the superamiga support crew who came out in the cold, wind and rain to bang pots and pans and cheer me on, even while i was bringing up the rear of the pack.


Despite the lousy finish, i was bummed when i realized that we are more than half way through CX season. Only five more races! What a downer!

Oh Yea, but the worst part of the day was that my hot water heater went out yesterday, so i wasn't able to go home and take a hot bath. I was tempted to get in the hot tub, but was too dirty (it's amazing how much of that mud can get through your clothes). Instead i just opted not to bathe at all until i get the hot water heater fixed tomorrow. Probably doesn't matter much anyway because i spent most of the day before and after the race cleaning up the mucky, stinky basement which had been flooded by the leaking water heater.

CX is fun (and bloody)

I'm not gonna lie, RMR has never been my favorite venue for a CX race; too much gravel, no single track. Even after the new course today, that continues to be true. So far this year the venues have been great, but i wasn't real fond of the thick gravel and motocross woopdeedoos (ok the woopdeedoos were kind of fun, but the gravel sucked). They moved the course from winding around the oval to the motocross track (and gravel parking lot and then some more of the gravel parking lot), and although some aspects were better, it definitely didn't favor my strengths; actually accentuated my weaknesses, namely that i'm a lousy technical rider. The gravel took lots of riders out today, including TW who models her post-race legs in the pic above. Despite going down a few times, however, she still managed an impressive showing of 3rd place, even after upgrading to the women's A group.



The run-up and up and down (watch the third guy's technique for the 2nd barricade).


The nasty gravel corner that took out countless riders (though by the time i took this pic at the end of the day a lot of the gravel had been pushed away from the corner making it a lot cleaner than it had been for most of the races).

The run-up and down.

Fort BV

Congrats to TW for winning again! Even after knocking the course markers down, taking a wrong turn, and ending up mid pack on the 2nd lap, she still managed to work her way past everyone and win by a convincing gap (she must have a good coach). No more B races for her. Time to move up to the A group.




I didn't fare quite as well. Sloppy mount at the start put me in about 7th or 8th position around the first turn. I passed a few guys, but the lead group of 3 was away by the time i made it through the traffic and i could never catch up. Pasternaky worked his way up to join Leakman and i, but Leakman crashed out superman style on the barriers, so Pasternaky and i rode circles together for the last few laps and came in 4th/5th with a pretty good gap on the rest of the group.




Can't wait for the new course out at RMR this weekend.

Fall Break

I had lots of good intention to ride and write a lot this week over fall break. Unfortunately, i didn't get much of either done. Tuesday evening i came down with the nasty cold that has been going around and that waylaid my best plans. Instead of getting lots of miles in on the bike or finishing my diss revisions i spent a good part of my fall break right here:


By friday the worst of the sore throat had passed and i was mostly just contending with cough attacks and phlegm so i decided to get out for a ride. I felt alright, so saturday morning i determined to go race, even though i was still sniffling a lot. After a few warm-up laps i wasn't feeling too strong, and almost decided to sit this one out, but talked myself into at least starting the race. "You can pull out if you're feeling real lousy," i told myself. So i started, and i hung in with the leaders the first few laps. Team Revolution (Pasternak, Sherwin, and I) opened up a fair lead on most of the pack, thanks in part to some other riders crashing out over the bunnyhop log.

TW runs the small log that claimed quite a few riders who were bunnyhopping it.

After four of five laps it was down to Pasternak, Sherwin, a ski utah cyclist (Taft), and I. With three laps to go Pasternak got a little too showy with his bunnyhops and went down over the log, leaving Sherwin, Taft, and I. On the last lap, after the barricades i jumped and came around both of them on a corner, hoping to either draw Taft into an attack so i could block for Sherwin, or just take it, though honestly, since i have been sick, i didn't think i would have much for a sprint against two riders i had been struggling to hang onto for the last few laps. I'm not sure what happened behind me because i didn't turn around to look once i jumped, but i suspect Sherwin blocked for me and i made it through the technical multiple turns of the race and across the finish line in first place. Wow! Didn't expect that, especially since i hadn't ridden much all week and have been fighting this lousy cold. But a big thanks to my teammates for my first cycling win ever. Finally!

TW also rode strong and won her race by quite a margin. I promised her that when she won a race she would get props and pics on my blog, so Congrats!! Do it again next week!!


Much to my dismay, the weekend is almost over, which means fall break is more-or-less over, and i didn't get shit done. Feeling just a bit overwhelmed right now with all the stuff i've got to do, and not sure how it's going to happen. i think i'll go ride my bike.

CX no. 2

Last year we had warm, sunny weather for the first few CX races. Not so this year. Last week was windy, rainy, and cold. This week was windy, snowy, and cold.

Heber usually gets real awful in the mud, but despite the rain and snow, the course wasn't too sloppy today. They did, however, add a run up this time that made for some good, leg-burning fun.



I got a bad sprint off the line and came into the first turn in about 10th or so (out of only about 15 guys this time), but managed to work my way up to 4th. I stayed there most of the race. Dave C. and Macci were just a few seconds ahead of me and another guy was a few seconds behind me. I was trying to catch Dave and Macci, but they were spurring each other on. It wasn't until Macci went down on the barricades that Dave dropped him and i was able to catch him. We rode together the last couple of laps. The last lap i sat on his wheel hoping to be able to come around him for the sprint, but the sprint was too short after the hard, rutted turn, and Macci held me off. My lungs hurt, my legs hurt, and my heart was beating well above my LT for most of the race, but i just kept telling myself that what it's all about.

Macci held me off at the finish.


One of the things i truely enjoy about CX is harrassing friends while they are racing. Nothing beats trying to make someone laugh or smile when they can barely breathe. Mavis and Jamerson both started racing this year, and both races they have been neck and neck, trading the lead from lap to lap. I take pure pleasure in egging them on and chiding them for giving up the lead or letting the other pass when i know their lungs feel like they're going to explode and they're trying their best to ignore me.


Mavis in the lead on the run-up. That's Halverson in the 80s kit just behind him (i don't know if he pulled that out of his old duffel bag from when he used to race BMX as a teenager, or if he is really on top of the fashion thing and has jumped on the 80s renewal. My bet is he pulled it out of his old duffel bag). Jamerson is just behind Halverson—you can just see his front wheel and right arm).


Mavis' ass with J. in hot pursuit. In the end, Mavis flatted on the last lap and J. took the victory in the M/J showdown.

pleasure and pain

Today was the first official CX race of the season, at least the first that counts for points in the Utah CX series. The forecast called for wind, rain, and a drop in temperature from the balmy 80s we have been enjoying and sure enough saturday morning greeted us with wind, rain, and temps in the low 50s—perfect weather for the opening of CX season.
I've been frustrated with not having as much time to train now that school has started again and i'm teaching a full load, plus taking a few classes. I wasn't too strong at the warm up CX race at the Canyons a couple weekends ago or at the Harvest Moon Crit last weekend, but i reminded myself at the beginning of the race that CX is all about suffering and i psyched myself up to push as hard as i could and embrace the suffering.

Suffer i did.


The race started out with a three or four hundred meter climb up a paved road before it turns down into the gravel and single track. From the gun i pushed it hard and made it to the gravel with the lead group, but i already felt like i wanted to puke. i kept this pace up for a couple of laps, but then started to fade and watched in dismay as one rider after another passed me for the last thirty minutes. I don't have any top end endurance right now, and although i started in the top six, probably dropped down to somewhere in the top 15. Not very impressive. Time to carve out a little more time from the school schedule to train better.


The doodler, on the other hand, had a really strong race. He raced the B group and sprinted it out with JW for 2 and 3 place (one of those fast 18 y.o. kids had opened about a 30 second lead over the rest of the group and took 1st). He and JW were pulling a few Cyclesmith guys up the climb to the finish, but they pulled a little end of the race strategy and forced the cyclesmith guys to make a move, then came around them for the final sprint. JW ended up 2nd and the doodler 3rd.

On the other hand, i also enjoyed perfect pleasure this afternoon in the form of a Black from Tula Tomato pulled straight from the garden.


I'm saddened that summer is over and soon enough we'll have the first freeze, which will put an immediate end to fresh tomatoes. These tomatos have such rich, zesty flavor i take immense pleasure from eating them plain with just a dash of salt. Of course, they're great in cooked dishes as well and i would be amiss if i did not share my new favorite bread for the TCB (tomato/cucumber/basil sandwich). Recently i have been making these with Aspen Mills Jalapeño Cheddar bread. They are divine. I love the layered flavoring of the tomato, basil, and vinegar cucumbers all heated up just a tiny bit with the jalapeño bread. Highly recommeded.