Riding, Riding, Riding! 라이딩,라이딩,라이딩!

2 weeks ago I arrived in California to visit my parent in Santa Barbara.  It turns out that this is one of the best, if not the best, place to ride bikes I have ever been.  During my visit I went out for several road rides with my dad and even got to go for one with an old teammate of mine from Purdue, Stephen.  The weather was sunny and 75F every day which was basically perfect for riding.  The days I didn’t road ride I did some epic mountain bike rides. 

Behind Santa Barbara is a huge mountain ridge with a road going to the top of it (7 miles with a 10% average grade).  It’s a pretty painful climb but the riding and the view of the ocean on the top of the ridge is definitely worth it.  I road my mountain bike to the top a few times as well and each ride I got to go down a different single track trail to the bottom.  The trails were super technical but I definitely got some of my skills back that I will need to race mountain bikes this fall. 

In the middle of my time in California I went to Indiana for a few days to go to Jae and Rachel’s wedding.  I was a grooms man and had a great time (but it wasn’t so great for my training). 

After returning to Santa Barbara from the wedding I did some more riding and then my friend Niu Niu came to visit with her friend Charles.  We did a surfing lesson and went for an awesome hike. 

Unfortunately my time in California is over and I’m now in the middle of a cross country road trip to Bloomington, IN.  Right now I’m staying at my friend Joey’s house.  We raced together at Purdue and Joey moved down here to Tuscon after graduating.  The weather is super hot but I’m looking forward to doing some great rides here.  Tomorrow we are doing a 40+km climb from 2000ft elevation to 9,000ft!

나2주뒤에미국왔어요.  부머님이캘리포니아에서살고있어서 캘리포니아산타바브라로갔어요.  지금 부머님이있는거  내가살는것이중에자전거타고한태최고이였어요.  집에서 자전거10분타면 바다옆에탈수있고 집뒤에 15분타면 15키로 산얼어가는길있어요 그길얼어가면 내려가는 싱글 8-10키로자리 10개이상있어요!  그래서 매일 자전거타고 놀았어요. 찐자어려운싱글많이타고 좋으도로도많이탔고. 우리 아버지도 싸이클좋해서 같이 많이탔어요.   날씨도최고에요 매일 20도그리고 썬니!  

켈리포니아시간중간에 나 인디엔나갔다왔어요 왜냐하면 친구결혼식있어서.  나 그룸스맨이여서 좀재미있었어요그리고 미국결혼식끈나고 큰파티하니까 너무재미겟놀다왔어요.  

결혼식끝나고 내친구두명캘리포니아왔어요.  이친구들이랑 서핑수업받았어요.  서핑너무재미있어요!!  서핑하고등산하고  산타바바라시내에서 놀았어요.  

이제 내캘리포니아시간끝이에요 나대학원으로가야해요.  근데인디엔나너무멀어요 4000키로정도 캘리포니아에서.  나 지금 Road Trip하는중이야  월요일에 8시간동안 운전하고 투싼 엘리조나왔어요.  내대학교친구 조이  여기살고있어요.  조이도 자전거 대회너무좋아해서 우리 매일 자전거 타고놀거같아요!  목요일에 나도 운전하고 뉴맥시코주로가야해요!  

 This was my view most of the drive to Arizona.  엘리조나가는길에 아무것없다!

 In front of my parent house before embarking for Indiana.  인디에나가기전에 부머님집앞사진.

 My dad and I did some nice rides together while I was in Santa Barbara. 우리아버지랑 자전거 많이탔어요.  여기내자전거랑우리아버지자전거.

 View of the ocean while riding at the top of the big ridge behind Santa Barbara.  산타바바라뒤에있는령정상! 대박아름다웠어요!!

 

Tons of sweet single track in Santa Barbara too.  I see why people buy trail bikes with 6+ inches of travel now out here.  산타바파라에서 재미있는싱글너무 많아그래서 여기살은사람들 다 다울힐바이크같은거타요. 

Big Changes Coming Up 곧내생활많이 바궈겠네요!

In 2 weeks I’m going to move back to the US to attend Indiana University for the second year of my MBA program.  This means big changes for my racing since I will be going back to collegiate racing and probably not doing any regular races.  Also I will be racing for my alma mater Purdue’s rival.  It’s going to feel really strange the first time I race or even wear an IU jersey but I’m looking forward to hopefully getting another shot at collegiate nationals both on the mountain bike and for road.  I’m also looking forward to the riding in Bloomington which has lots of nice hills and quiet roads.  Hopefully there are some good placed to ride mountain bikes too. 

My final race in Korea was the Yang Yang MCT race and I DNFed because I didn’t feel good and wasn’t going to place well.  The race was held on a super difficult course and I wish I would have just stuck it out and finished now.  If I come back to Korea to work after graduating then I will definitely have to be in better shape if I want to race that course again!  That was my last race here and I won’t be racing again until September when the collegiate mountain bike race season starts. 

Hopefully I will be back in great shape by then.  My parents recently moved to Santa Barbara, CA and I will be spending 10 days there in August.  It should be a great place to train with nice weather and lots of climbing.  I’m hoping to be able to do some epic mountain bike rides there too.  I need to get some of my mtb skills back after living in Seoul and not being able to ride single track for a year.

I’m looking forward to going to the US to study for the year but I’m definitely going to miss everyone here in Korea.  Especially my Cannodale-Neowood teammates who I’ve raced with for the past 3 years.  Hopefully I get a chance to come back and work in Korea again in the future.

나 2주후에 미국다시가야해요.  인디엔나주립대학교 2학기동안공부할거에요.  그래서 내자전거타는것도좀바궐거에요.  9월부터 나 산악자전거 대학부로 탈거에요.  인디에나근쳐에 대학교 챔피언쉽 프리테스트 같은대회몇게타야하고  10월말에 미국 노스케로라이나에서 대학전국챔피언쉽탈거에요.  봄에도 로드 대학부대회도탈거에요. 

근데 이거 좀이상할거에요 왜냐하면 내 대학원  내대학교랑 라이벌이에요.  Purdue 대학교학생들  인디엔나대학교생 안좋아했어요 하지만 이제 나도 곧 인디엔나대학교져지입고대회뒬거에요! 

나지난 양양MCT 대회 DNF으로했어요.  나 잘못타고있어서 그냥 끊었는데 지금생각하고 끝까지타야했어요ㅠㅠㅠㅠ.  나 그대회부터 자전거 안탔어요.  미국가면 다시시작할거에요.  그때부터 대학부 산악자전거시합준비열심히할거에요. 

몇 달전에 우리 부머님 캐리포니아로이사했어요.  10일동안 켈리포니아에서 자전거많이탈거에요.  부머님사는거 자전거천국같은거예요.  산이많고 산악자전거 싱글도많고.  나 1년동안서울에서 살았어서 산악자전거 싱글타기너무 그리웠어요.  켈리포니아 가면 많이탈거에요!

미국가는거 재미있을거야지만  나 한국인 친구 많이 보고싶을거에요.  케논데일 네오우드 팀원들 그리고 다른친구다 9개월동안 못만날거에요.  대학원 절업하면 한국 일하로 다시 와볼거에요!

HongCheon Mountain Bike Race Report: 3rd Place 홍천며느리재대회후기 3등!

Last Sunday I got to race on my favorite mountain bike course in Korea.  Its my favorite because I won the first edition of the race overall in 2011.  Last year the course was made a bit longer though and its not quite as well suited to me as before.  Anyway there were 6 guys in the Top Category group racing with me and my goal was to get top 3 in my group.

The start went well and I was at the front of the group going into the first climb.  Then my old teammate Ji Haeng attacked and I decided to try to jump on his wheel.  This proved to be a bad idea though as I was only able to hang with him for about a minute before I blew up.  It took me a bit to recover and at that point I had been passed by a bunch of guys but I was still sitting 3^rd in my group.  I got on a guy from JiHaeng’s team’s wheel and drafted him over the next few miles of smooth rolling double track.  At this point the race was about half over when I noticed that Yong Su who was also in my group was right in front of me.  I bridged up to him dropping Hyuk Jin in the process and hit the next climb with YongSu. 

This same situation happened last year as well and on the last climb YongSu managed to drop me.  I was determined to put up more of a fight this time.  I couldn’t quite hold onto his wheel up the next climb though but I caught and passed him on the rocky descent into the final climb.  We hit the final climb together but unfortunately for me he had more in the tank than I thought and he attacked hard up the climb.  I fought to limit my losses but he was gone and I couldn’t catch him on the ensuing descent.  I still ended up 3^rd in my group though so I was pretty happy with the result.  This was the best I’ve ridden my mtb all year but unfortunately its going to be my last mountain bike race until September probably.  This weekend is my last race in Korea it’s the 5^th stop of the Korea Masters cycling tour and should be a good opportunity to score points toward the series ranking. 

지난주일요일 나 홍천며느리재자전거시합타고왔어요.  이코스 한국산악자전거코스중에 내가제일좋아해요 왜냐하면 2011년 여기서 전체일등했어요.  장년은 코스좀 변경했지만 좋아해요.  이번에 상급자탔어서 그냥 3등안에하고싶었어요.  출발하고 첫언덕에서 지행형 페이스 다다해봤지만 너무 힘들었어서 혁진형이랑 탔어요.  몇키로동안혁진형뒤에타고 리커버리했어요.  첫언덕내리고 용수형 봤어요 그래서 좀빨리타고 용수형이랑 2번째 언덕시작햇어요.  혀페이스 못다다했지만 다운힐에서 다시잡았어요.  마자막언덕같이시작했지만 용수형 너무 빨리탔어서 다시 못잡았어요 근데 상급자 3등했어서 기븐좋았어요 두디어이번시즌 산악자전거 좀잘탈수있었어요!  이번대회는 한국에 마지막 산악대회이였어요 9월부터 미국에 다시 산악자전거대회시작할거에요.  하지만 양양 MCT 남고있어요.  나 MCT 6차랑7차 못갈거에서 양양에서 포인트많이 받아봐야해요! 

100km MTB Race and Grand Fondo Report 박달재 100km대회 및 그란폰도 후기

2 weeks ago I participated in my second 100km mountain bike race.  The course consisted of about 70% double track and 30% road with a little bit of single track mixed in too.  Having not performed well in Gapyoung 2 weeks prior I wasn’t expecting much but I definitely wanted to use the race to get in better shape.  Lucky for me too the course is pretty easy for the first third of the race.  The gun went off and I was able to stay with the lead group for the first 40km or so.  After that the first really long climb started though and I was quickly on my own just racing to finish.  I ended up completing the course in a little under 5 hours which was about 15 minutes slower than last year.  I still had a great time overall though.  Big thanks to my friend Matt for letting me stay with him and his family in Jecheon before the race.  I think I’m starting to get into better shape though since I felt a lot better the next week at the Pinarello Gran Fondo.

Last Saturday my team and I participated in what was my first ever Gran Fondo ride.  Gran Fondos are basically big timed rides that have a podium for the top 3 overall finishers. Usually the courses are really tough and most peoples goal is just to finish.  This event was held in Muju in the south west part of Korea which has really big mountains.  The event started at 7am but my team decided that since we were there just to ride rather than race we would start about 20 minutes late.  This actually proved to be a pretty good idea because as we rode the course and caught and passed people I was able to catch up with lots of people I know and meet some new ones.  The course was a lot of fun but it was also pretty brutal.  There were about 7 climbs on the course one of which had cement sections that hit over 20%.  About half the people in the ride walked up it!  The course finished with a pretty long climb too and I was pretty worn out by the end of it. The total course was 130km and took me well over 5 hours to finish. 

I got to meet some one pretty interesting on the ride too.  As I was riding up one of the gradual climbs I saw two people with number 1 and 2 so I went up and said hi and started a conversation.  It turns out that I was talking to Fausto Pinarello the son of the founder of Pinarello and the current CEO of the company.  We rode for about 20km and talked about the bike market in Korea and other things.  That was definitely the highlight of my Gran Fondo ride. 

There are no races this weekend but my last 2 races in Korea are coming up fast.  Next weekend I’m racing a mountain bike race in HongCheon and the last weekend of June is the last race of the Masters Cycling Tour.

이주전에 저 박달재 100키로 산악자전거대회탔어요.  장년탈때 몸조그좋았지만  가평대회 잘못탔어서 이대회 그냥  훈련하로 했어요.  하지만 나 열심히해봤어요.  첫40키로 동안 나 앞그룹이랑탔어요.  하지만 첫 킨 언덕 페이스 못마췄어요.  마지막60키로 그냥혼자줄겁게탔어요.  기록 5시간 정도 나왔어요.  하지만 상급자에 2명박이안왔어서 2등했어요! 박달재타고 몸좀올로갔나봐요.

지난주토요일 무주 피나레로 그란펀도 타로갔어요.  나 첫그란폰도이얐어요 그리고 생각보다 재미있었어요.  시작은 7시이였는데 우리 팀 7시20분정도에 출발했어요.  이번에 대회아니여서 그냥 재미겟타고싶어서 늦게출발했어요.  코스타고 나 오랜만은친구랑 많이 얘기할수있었고 새친구 도마났어요.  코스 너무어려웠지만 재미있었어요.  내기록은 5시간반 넘었어요! 

하지만 제일 재미있는것는 나 혼자타고있었고 배번1,2번가지고있는사람봤어요.  외국인이야서 나 하이하고 얘기했어요.  그사람 피나레로 자전거 CEO 파우스토 피나레로 이얐어요!  20키로 동안같이타고 얘기했어요.  이것은 그란폰도 제일좋은추억.

이번주 자전거대회 없지만 다음주홍천 산악자전거대회신청했고 6월말에 양양 엠씨티 탈거예요.   

 

Gapyoung and This week's Training 가평대회후기랑 이번주 훈련

Last week I had my first mountain bike race of the season at Yeon In San in Gapyoung north east of Seoul.  I had raced the course 3 years ago and knew it wasn't really a great course for me mostly because it has a really long hard climb (like 10-15km of uphill).  But I wanted to do the race anyway since now that I live in Seoul I never get to mountain bike.  In addition to the course being pretty tough I got sick last week with the flu for about 3-4 days.  I was feeling better but my legs weren't really responding well to my efforts.  The race started an as soon as the climbing started I lost the front group.  So I just rode steady to the finish line.  Except for the huge tough climb the course is really pretty fun with some nice rolling sections and a nice fun downhill. 
Since that race I got some good long rides in and hopefully I will be in good condition for the 100km mountain bike race in Jecheon next week.  That course is a lot more suited to me since it plays out a lot more like a road race than an mtb race.  June wil be a pretty busy month of racing with a grand fondo race/ ride the week after the 100km race and then two more races at the end of the month. 

지난 주 나 가평 연인산 산악자전거대회 탔지만  결과 별로이얐어요.  3년전에 나 가평탔어서 이코스 내코스 아니에요 알고있었지만 나 지금 서울 살고있으니까 엠티비 못타요 그래서 그냥 신청했어요.  그리고 지난 주나 3일동안 심한프루거렸어요.  그거때문에 대회 시작할때 달리 잘안갔어요.  그냥 템포페이스타고 완주했어요  하지만 재미겠탔어요. 가평코스 다운힐재미있었어요.
이번주는 훈련조금했어요.  몇번 남산북악산타고 그리고 토요일에 장흥유원지 코스탔어요.  그리고 오늘 남산탈때 정성인형 만났어요.  그형 같이 타는사람 타이어 에어 없어서 펌프 빌요졌어요.  다음주일요일 나 박달재 100키로 대회탈거에요 그래서 이번주 도 한번 길게타야해요.   박달재대회 가평보다 탈수있으면 좋겠어요!! ㅋㅋ

Incheon MCT Race Report: 2nd Place! 인천 MCT대회 후기

Last Sunday was the 4th round of the Korean Cycling Federations Amateur Cycling series (MCT) and it was held on Ganghwa Island north of Incheon.  Having pre ridden the course the week before with my team I was excited for the race which consisted of 5 18km laps and contained 2 intermediate climbs per lap.  The rest of the course was up and down rolling and was sure to produce some fast fun racing.  The finish was at the top of a 1.5km long gradual(3%) climb which I thought I could do well in if it came down to a bunch sprint.
The race started off pretty fast with lots of small attacks but nothing was sticking until the start of the 3rd lap.  Hyung Mo Lee, my teammate Hwan Geol and a rider from the Scott team were off in a small breakaway and I had a feeling it would stick since it had most of the major players in the race represented.  I attacked going into a corner and bridged up and we were then shortly joined by some more riders bringing the group to 10 with my team having 2 and our rival in the series Scott having 2.  After this we worked together smoothly to gain a pretty good advantage on the pack.  Going into the last lap I was expecting our group to be attacked a bit but luckily we worked together pretty well until the last 2 climbs.  Hyung Mo attacked and was quickly joined by the 2 Scott riders while Hwan Geol and I struggled to catch up.  With 2km to go they were about 5 riders were about 10 seconds in front of us but we couldn't close the gap.  I finished 6th overall and HwanGeol 7th good enough for 2nd and 3rd in our age group.  Not a bad finish but both of us were hoping to place a little bit better.  Hyung Mo ended up winning and the 2 Scott riders got 2nd and 3rd. 
After the race our team went out for lunch with Arnold Kim, the Hed Wheels rep in Korea and he treated us to some super nice Korean Beef.  The whole day was going pretty well until I got home Sunday night and came down with the Flu which I've been slowly recovering from all week. 
I should be ready for this weekend's mountain bike race in Gapyoung though!

지난일요일나MCT 4차 인천 투어 탔어요.  이대회코스 마음들었어요 언덕 조금었었고 완전 크라이밍코스 아니얐어요.  원래 이코스 브레이크어워에이 할수없을거같았지만 생각보다 좀어려웠어요.  경기 시작하고 첫2바귀그냥팩이랑탔어요.  3번재 랲시작할때 땡모형, 환걸형, 스캇님1명 좀앞에있어서 나 갔어요.  3번재박위부터 10명이랑 같인 븦에이크어웨이탔어요.  우리 그룹중에 땡모형있었고 나랑 환걸형, 스캇팀2명있어서 팩에서 체이싱 한사람 별로 없었어요.  3바귀동안같이탔도 마지막 5키로에 땡모형 어텍했어요.  나다다해봤지만 힘이 없었어요. 앞에 5명있었지만 1명도 못잡았어요  그냥 나 6등환걸형 7등으로 왔어요 하지만 우리 종목에 2등3등했어요. 

경기끝나고 우리 팀 티에스 스포츠 Arnold Kim 사장님이랑 맛있는한우먹으로 갔어요!  너무 맛있었어요!  하로동안 좋아했지만 나 집에올때  몸이아팠어요!오늘 까지 플루 거렸어요!!  하지만 이번주 일요일있는 가평 시합 탈수있을거같아요! 

Naju MCT Race Report: 2nd again! 나주 마스터즈 후기

Last Saturday I participated in the 3rd race of the Masters Cycling Tour(MCT).  This is the national series that is being put on by the Korean cycling federation for amateur racers.  I was excited for the race because the course was fairly easy meaning there was a high likely hood for a sprint finish.  I was also a bit worried though because the race had 300 people in it and unlike in Gapyoung there wouldn't be any hills to split the field up making the possibility for crashes high. 
My team had a good group for the race though with 9 riders and my teammate HwanGeol currently sitting in second place for the series.  The weather for the race was great with sunny skies and just a little bit of wind.  The pace was pretty fast but like I predicted the course was too easy to break up the pack or allow a breakaway to go very far.  There were multiple crashes each lap but I was lucky to be in a good position for most of the race and avoid them.  I decided after the first lap that I would sit in the whole race and wait for the field sprint.  The next few laps were pretty uneventful and with 3km or so I moved my way to the front with my teammates Hwan Geol and Yeon Deok.  All 3 of us are good sprinters and if we played it right we had a good chance to sweep the top 3 spots.  The finishing straight was pretty straight and I decided to start sprinting first with about 250m to go.  I got a good gap and thought I had it but with about 30m left another rider just edged past me as I was running out of steam.  I started the sprint just a bit too early but I was still pleased with second overall and first in my age group.  Just behind me were Hwan Geol and Yeon Deok too meaning we swept the podium in our age group.  The guy who won is a former professional Keirin racer named Jong Chul Kang, who now owns a bike shop in the south part of Korea.  He definitely had a good sprint and I'm hoping for a rematch in 2 weeks at the MCT race in Incheon. 
The race wasn't all great for my team unfortunately though.  My teammate and our team's only female rider Myo Jin crashed hard and has a small fracture in her spine now.  It looks like she will make a full recovery but she won't be able to bike for a while.  I'm sure she will recover soon though!

지난주토요일에 나주 MCT 대회다녀왔습니다.  금요일 팀들이랑 내려가고  우리 리트칼턴 모텔에서잤어요 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.  토요일 아침에 대회준비하고 시작.  나주 코스가 내마음들었어요.  큰언덕없어서 라스트사움 될거같았어요.  하지만 300명이렇게 쉬운코스 에서 대회하면  너무지는사람많알거예요.  나 조심히타고 마지막5키로 까지 기다렸어요.  3키로남을때 나 환걸형이랑 연덕형이랑 앞에있었어요.  우리 다 스프린트 잘하니까 1,2,3등 할수있을거같았어요.  250m 남을때 나 스프린트시작햇어요.  1등할거같았지만 30m남을때 누구 내옆에 왔어요.  일찍시작했어서 힘이 없었어요 2등했어요 그리고 내뒤에 환걸형이랑 연덕형있었어요.  우리 cat 1종목에서 1,2,3등!  하지만 우리 팀 다좋은결과안나왓어요ㅠㅠ.  우리 묘진누나 넘어졌어요 그리고 허리 많이 아파졌어요ㅠㅠ.   누나 빨리나면 좋겠어요! 
이번경기에서 너무잘탔어서 다음주있는인천대회기대해요!  다시 라스트사움하면 1등해볼게요!