4 Hours of Good Pain

Well I dont know how I forgot to mention this earlier...damn finals at school and work getting crazy busy...but I went and did the Coronado's Challange with a bunch of the High Gear Team and had a great time!! Its always a good time on the bike when you have got the likes of Jim, Tim, and Mike around you. Sadly Mike wasnt around for long...he was caught up in a crash within the first 50ft. of the race and some how trashed his cable housing.

This trail is got a insane amount of climbing...its pretty much a steep ass hill in the middle of no where! Not single speed friendly at all...that reminds me Brad Williams, another Emporian, made the trip and put the hurt on me early on with his single speed. I thought chasing him around for the first 2 hours was going to result in my having another DNF.

Myself, Tim, and Jim would spend the next 4 hours hunting eachother. We settled in 5th, 6th, and 7th after about a two hours in. Some how I got a break away and snuck out and put a couple minutes on the Tim/Jim combo.

I would stay out front the rest of the ride with Jim getting a little to close for comfort on the last lap. I have no been in that much pain in along time!

The race would end up with me in 5th, Jim in 6th and Tim in 7th. I would finish the race and could not even walk because I had given it my all, which was my only goal for the day. I went into this race with the idea of finishing and being so trashed it would hurt all week...and thats what happened.

Untill next time!

All Smiles Over Here

Big news coming from the High Gear camp this week. The brand new High Gear and Trek/Fisher team has finally been announced.



The team will be featuring the fallowing:

-Matt Brown

-Stephani Brown

-Schad Schreiner

-Randy Smith

-Dusty Sopoci

-Chris Wiggins(The lone roadie)

-Bobby Wintle

-Mike Wise

-Dustin Burgardt

-and Myself


And even more import our 2010 Sponsors:

-Trek

-Gary Fisher

-Bontrager

-High Gear Cyclery

-Planet Sub

-NOS Energy Drinks

-Oakley

-IM Design Group

-Emporia Fitness

These companies are amazing! Frequant them as much as possible! These companies are making this team what it is.

In other great news...yes there is alot actually...to start off with just finished enrolling in what will be my last semester of college(sad and happy moment), ordered my new Gary Fisher Superfly, just ordered a bunch of Bontrager clothing and other gear(like the new Race X-Lite Carbon Fork), and the Dirty Kanza 200 just picked up Salsa as a sponsor(Jim and Joel are gods of promotion).

Well I really have got to get to work...don't plan on any updates for a few weeks...really have to nail these last few finals before Christmas break.

'Till next time, Keep riding!

Rails to Trails

Got an awesome ride in with Matt Brown this weekend. Found some tasty little bits of road never hit up before along with checking out an old missle silo. We also jumped onto one of the rails to trails sections...probably one of the better roads in Kansas, if you can call it that. Great views the whole time. Enjoy the pics.

Ya you heard right!

Some rumors had been going around about next years team maybe getting a sponsorship from Trek/Fisher....well its official.

Fresh off Matt Browns website:

High Gear Cyclery: News!
October 5, 2009
Breaking News: High Gear Team will be representing Trek and Fisher Bikes for the 2010 season. We were approached this summer by Trek/Fisher and offered a deal to ride the best bikes in the world. We are currently working on a new team jersey design and promotional material. If your company would like to be promoted by the 2010 High Gear/Trek and Fisher Regional Team please contact Matt at 620-342-4977 for more details. Check back for Team roster and sponsors to be announced at a later date.
In other news.....Everyone likes videos, so here ya go.
Just in....Dirty Kanza 200 video teaser. Talked to the promoters the other day and sounds like 2010 is going to be bigger and better then ever. Check it out.

We are currently working on securing a couple more sponsors in hope of having the best team yet for the 2010 year. Roster to soon be announced! Get excited!

Also in other news Tim and myself decided not to go to Russell for the ride and stuck around Emporia. We went out to Council Grove and ride the section between there and Alma that we didn't make it to during the 2009 Dirty Kanza 200. I had forgot just how hilly it is up there, and yes Little Egypt Rd. is still just as rough as it was last year.

Forecast: Fun with a chance of freezing your ass off

Me and Tim Moahn are heading out to Russell, KS tomorrow to give the Ride to Paradise a shot. 60 miles of gravel and good times....well other than the forecast that is calling for snow and freezing rain.

Dirty Kanza 200 Video!

Ya its finally here. The IM Design Groups Dirty Kanza 200 promotional video. I am 100% sure you will have a instant need to want to go ride gravel...or atleast your bike! Check it out!

Finally a 24 Hours of 9 Mile Recap(Pictures)

A few pictures from what had to be the most fun I have had on my bike ever. It was an experience I wouldn't trade a thing for. I am already planning on being back for next year, so much learned about what this kind of racing is all about.

Finally!

Here it is all you gravel junkies. Dirty Kanza 200 video. Created by Lelan Dains.

Dirty Kanza 200 - 2009 from Garret Seacat on Vimeo.

A good little taste of the Dirty Kanza 200. The DK200 is a 200 mile gravel road race through the Flint Hills around the Emporia, Ks. The 2009 race would have a blistering head wind that changed direction throughout the day and was coupled with sweat drenching heat. 85 would start and a record low 15 would finish. www.heartlandrace.com Editing done by Lelan Dains

If you ride bikes you should be in Emporia this weekend. cRamp Alexander this sunday! Trail is in amazing shape and a promised good(cramp filled) time. Big time props go to Lelan and the whole High Gear Team. We have spent tons of time working on them come out and enjoy them with us.



Sponsored by:

Just a little overdue

A couple quick lines before I head out on the bike for a couple rides today. First things first...We are putting on a race here in Emporia, KS July 19th. For all the juicy details swing on over to crampalexandarrace.blogspot.com and check it out!

Second, another DK200 is in the books. Long story short, heat plus a constant head wind mentally drained me and I pulled the plug at mile 70 just outside Elmdale(sp?). I would call Matt down at the bike shop and beg him to come get me. He was nice enough to send out domestique Marvin out for me. That guy is a life saver. I owe a big thanks to the High Gear Cyclery, Marvin, Jenna(was going to meet me at the halfway point with my stuff), and anyone else along the way that has helped me out on this race. Be on the lookout for a video from the race coming from Lelan(check links to the right for his blog). By the way 15 out of 85 fiished...out of those 15 there would be no Team High Gear riders...damn the heat!

Third, Team High Gear would make a short road trip down to Wilson Lake a month or so ago. Everyone had a good ride. Mike and Lelan would take on the expert class with Bobby, myself, and Dusty spinning around in the sport class.

Fourth, I have started to kick up the training for 24 Hours of 9 Mile finally.

And thats about all I got. Peace suckas!

Climb Much?

(Preride on Saturday)

The crew(Tim, Dusty, Mike, Lelan, Bobby, Randy, and myself) headed down to do the Ouachita Challenge down in Arkansas last week and had a good/painful time. Myself, Tim, Dusty, and Mike all got down there on Friday afternoon just in time to check in to the hotel and grab some BBQ. (On top of first big climb)
The next day(Saturday) we would grab some classic small town cafe breakfast(Large portions and tons of coffee)and the head off to meet up with Lelan, Bobby, and Randy to get some preriding in. We would check out the last couple miles then hit up the first 8 miles or so. The first 8 miles had changed since last year and WOW! they added some major climbing. We would rap up the preride and head off for some pizza



(Fixing Lelans bike)

Sunday morning we would wake up to cold pizza and rain coming down. Once down to the race start the temperature would continue to drop but the rain let up.



The start of the race was a clustered mess and luckily Lelan, Dusty, Bobby, and me would bridge up to the lead group getting out of the mess that I knew would happen once the whole group reched the first large climb. Lelan would stick with the lead pack on the first climb and dissappear over the top. Im not sure when Dusty and Bobby backed off but next thing I knew I was all alone.

Once up the climb it was a fast decent to the first section of trail. When I finally reached the trail I felt like my legs couldn't go fast enough. I would eventually pull Lelan in and we both were stuck behind some slow riders for awhile.


From that point on till the first checkpoint I was feeling good. Once at the first checkpoint Lelan and Dusty would come in soon after I was there and they would pull my slow ass in on the long road/gravel section. Timzilla would eventually catch on and the High Gear train took in affect and ripped through the rest of the gravel.



We would enter the trail together as a group and that was all she wrote for me. I had to stop and catch me breath because I just couldnt keep it up and that would be the last I would see of the team.



So pretty much from that point on it was a pain train all the way in with 10 minute burst of energy fallowed by 10 minutes of me questioning what the hell I was doing out here. I would end up riding the last section pretty good for not being able to get into the small ring up front(great fun on those steep climbs).



Results would end up with Tim 41st, Dusty 46th, Lelan 59th, Myself 63rd, Mike 89th, Randy 138th,and Bobby 150th <----Bobby spent almost the whole race with no front brake so just finishing is amazing! His face below pretty much sums it all up. Feel like I left alot out of this post since its a week late but anyway there ya go.

Bad Weather

2 post in 2 days?! Ya obviously nothing else to do in this weather. Thought I would drop a quick update that Randy is now going to Ouachita taking the total to 7 High Gear teammates making a showing.

This morning me and Tim got together and mounted up the new tires(Hutchinson Toro).

Also bought a couple new water bottle cages and finally got my fork set up to my liking. I spent the last couple weeks playing with the +/- air pressure and rebound and finally got it dialed in.

-Seacat

Finally Race Time...

In a week that is. I have been getting excited to head down to Arkansas and have my ass handed to me. Ouachita is by far my favorite trail to ride! It hurts so good! This year it will be Timzilla, Mad Mike, Dusty, and myself heading down Friday and getting some preriding(and a couple beers) in on Saturday. Also 'Leggy' Lelan and Boobby(get it? like boobs? but his name is really Bobby!) are heading down Saturday to join up with us

Training is still going pretty decent for myself...I have started to teach Spinning on campus and I am having a blast doing it. Its always strange because I can never tell how hard I worked them 'till we are finished and they walk by me saying "thanks for killing me today." Haha Nice change to put the hurt on someone else for onc.

Speaking of the hurt, I rode with Tim this week and changed my brake pads...and well didn't get the pads pushed back in far enough on the rear wheel so I spent 2 hours on the bike with what felt like dragging a log behind me! It had planned to be an easy ride(which it was for Tim as he watched me suffer) but I was at about 80% or higher of my MHR the whole ride.

Well got to get to work and make that money! Enjoy the snow. Also signing up for 24 of 9 mile after we get back from Ouachita. They lowered the price as well to only $100!

Couldn't have been better

This Friday I totally lucked out. Walked out the door with bike in hand at 8:30 and didn't come home 'till 6pm. Almost a sunrise to sunset day of riding. Does it get much better than that?

I pulled out of town and headed to Madison, KS taking the DK200 route from last year. I was coming off a 2 day rest so the legs felt good and made good time. Once I made it to Madison I was taking a break and eating a sandwich and Matt Brown called saying he was hitting the trails at 3 if I could make it back.

So of coarse I shoved the rest of the sandwich down and chugged some coffee(I was still cold from leaving in 20 degree weather). Made it back to town with time to spair so Matt, his nephew(Donovon), and me headed to the trails.

Not going to lie...I riding had been happy with gravel lately but the trail was pretty much amazing! I ended up at 90 miles...10 short of my goal but hell it was a good time. After we finished at the trail it was off for mexican food and margaritas! Told you my day couldn't have been better.

Also thought I would mention that at some point on my way to Madison a group of about 6 horses sprinted against me up a hill. It was good fun but they won and as I went by at the top they all just looked over at me like "eat that!" Haha

-Seacat

Exhausted

I have been on the bike a pretty good amount lately(12-15 hours a week) and I tell you what, it leads to some great sleep and extremely vivid dreams, but thats another story! I have not slept like this ever. I hit the bed and pass out at night and wake up earlier than normal and feel totally rested and ready for the day!

This weekend I was able to get a couple rides in. Sunday Tim, Wiggins, and I headed out on a gravel ride in the 20 degree weather. I would like say the cause of my weak riding was the cold but truth be told Tim and Wiggins just rode my ass into the ground! We went to sprint at the end of the ride and when getting out of the saddle I pretty much feel apart. Its all good though. Props to both guys!

So today(monday) went out to go for a ride and made it about a block and my body was just telling me this is not going to happen today so I made a fast u-turn and headed home and passed out on the couch. I woke up still in my riding gear, minus the helmet of coarse, and was so hungry that I pretty much tore the kitchen apart making sandwiches like a mad man! But I now feel totally refueled and ready to get back on the road, gravel road that is, and get some more base miles in.

Also, little bit of good news, got the parents talked into coming to 24 Hours of 9 Mile with me as my support crew :) Big time boost right there!

Remember dont take life to serious or you will never get out alive!

-Seacat

Really?

So I have officially decided to do a 24 hour solo event. Dumb? Maybe. Stupid? Probably. Great time? Yep! I am planning on doing 24 Hours of 9 Mile in late July. I first started thinking about this a few weeks ago and did about 3 weeks of training to make sure I could balance the load of training, school, and work. And to my surprise I was able to do it just fine. I am putting in about 12-15 hours a week on the bike and feeling pretty good. So, as for now I need to get some sleep because it usually means I am dead tired before 10:00pm even though I am putting down a worthy amount of coffee.

Also had to restart the no red meat diet after the Super Bowl...I made one hell of a chilli and couldn't help myself.

New Year; New Season; Same Guy

It has been brought to my attention that my site is in need of an update so here you go.

Mainly just been on the trainer with the Niner set up with some road tires so I wont have the whole apartment building after me.

Lately when the weather isn't below 20 degrees and snowing I have been able to sneak out to the trail for some laps on the good ol' single speed and to my surprise I don't suck as bad as I thought I would. The trail is in decent condition other than the recent deforestation that occurred, but thats a whole other rant.

Also, I have decided to cut red meat out of my diet so its been one week and a couple days red meat free, personal record right there.