Iceman Cometh: Last Race of the 2013 Season 아이스맨대회: 2013마지막시합 후기

I competed in my first ever Iceman Cometh over the  past weekend.  Its actually the biggest race in America with over 4000 racers!  Unfortunately it didn’t go as well as I had hoped it would.  My riding was significantly slowed by my asthma which flaired up in a race for the first time in over 4 years since I didn’t have many problems with it in Korea.  Everything surrounding the race was a lot of fun however. 

The race and its proximately to Halloween provided the impetus for a small Purdue Bike house reunion.  In attendance were Greg, Chris, Joey and Alan(from MSU but still a biker).  I got to show Chris, his GF and Greg around Bloomington on Thursday before we headed up to Purdue.  I had a great time at Purdue catching up and seeing people I hadn’t seen in a long time a surprise visit from Doza and Zach. 

After enjoying Purdue Greg, Alan and Jess headed up to Traverse City for the Iceman.  The weather was pretty good for the race and despite starting at the back of the field I had a pretty good start and was briefly in the top 30 riders going onto the trails.  I quickly developed problems breathing however and couldn’t muster much more than a tempo pace.  I ended up just riding most of the race by myself and trying to enjoy the nice course.  It was disappointing but not completely surprising since when I was at Purdue I constantly had problems with asthma especially in the fall.  The Iceman is probably my last race of the season so I’m going to take a week or so off the bike before getting back into base training and weight lifting for the spring collegiate road season. 

나 지난주 미국 최고사람이많은 자전거대회탔어 아이스맨.  4천명참석하는대회에요.  엠티비 마라톤대회에요 코스 50키로.  근데 나 천식문제때문에 잘못탔지만 재미겟탔어요.  나 원래 미국살때 가울에 천식 많이 심해져요 근대 4년 동안 큰문제없었어요.  한국공기 나한테 좀더맞나봐요 ㅋㅋㅋ. 

지난주말에대회말고다른재미잇는거있었어요.  우리 대학친구 몇명 만낫어요  같이살았는친구 3명 그리고 다른 친구 도 많이만났어요.  우리대학에서 도같이놀았고 퍼듀에서 하로윈파티도갔어요.  내친구들 너무 오랜만에 못봤어서 너무재미있어요.  

이제 내시즌끝나요.  일주일동안 쉬고 다음주부터 대학부 싸이클대회 준비시작이에요.  나 웨이트트레이닝 하고 베이스 마일스 많이할거에요.  

Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals 전국대학부산악자전거대회 후기

I just got back from my 3^rd ever Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals.  It was a great week with some wild weather, fun racing and new friends.  I decided I wanted to do this race back in the summer when I realized that being in the US for the second year of my MBA program would allow me to compete in collegiate mountain biking for one last time.  Also since nationals were held in North Carolina at Beech Mountain it meant that they were within a days drive for me.  Nationals also happened to coincide with my weeklong October break.  The only problem I had was that no one else from the IU cycling club was interested in racing but luckily I found some great guys to stay with from Michigan Tech and University of Wisconsin. 

I started my trip out on Wednesday and in the middle of my drive I went for a ride on the new single track at French Lick Resort in southern Indiana.  This is one of the best built trails I have ever ridden and I highly recommend taking a trip down to ride it.  After my ride I continued my drive and I stopped to stay with a friend in Lexington, KY.  The next morning I got up and finished my drive.  Upon arrival I went for a preride of the course which had a huge climb and a lot of muddy rooty single track.  It was not an ideal course for me but I was looking forward to the race anyway.

I woke up on Friday to half an inch of snow on the ground and below freezing temps for my short track XC race.  This is usually my better event compared to XC so I was looking forward to it.  I had a good start and was riding in the top 20 for the first few laps.  I then settled in in about 22^nd place but on my last lap I broke one of the cogs on my cassette and couln’t pedal my bike up hill so I lost several spots.  I still ended up finishing 30^th though which I was happy with. 

The temp continued to drop and it was 20 degrees F for the start of my cross country race on Saturday.  The cold temp however meant that the snow covered course was frozen and not muddy however.  I had a decent start and was riding in the top half of the field but then I wiped out on a corner in the single track and got passed by about 15 riders.  I spent the rest of the race getting the flow and finally got a good rhythm on my last lap.  I had some late race passes to finish 43^rd which was exactly in the top half.  I was very happy to achieve my goal of finishing in the top half of both races (there were 86 racers in Men’s D1). 

Following the XC race I watched the down hill which was a good time and Saturday night out whole cabin group went out to an awesome BBQ joint at the base of the ski hill.  Overall it was a great weekend.  Its good to know I can still compete on the national level even though I’m not training as much as before too.  There is one more big mountain bike race to go this weekend.  The Iceman Cometh in Traverse City, MI.  My old roommates from Purdue Joey, Greg and Chris are coming back for it so its going to be a nice reunion for us as well. 

지난주 나 미국 대학부전국산악자전거대회탔어요.  너무재미있었지만 날씨랑 코스때문에 너무 힘든대회이였어요.  지난주수요일 나출발했어요.  8시간반동안혼자운전하고왓어요.  이대회 노스캐로라이나 비치마운틴리조트에서했어요 (해발 1800m).  나우리학교에서 혼자갔어서 다른대학팀 2개랑 콘도같이썼어요.  나미치간공과대학교랑 위스콘신이랑있었어요.  새친구 많이 만들었어요. 

목요일에 나코스 답사했어요.  이번크로스콘트리 너무힘들었어요 머드많고 오려운싱글도 많고 근대 목요일밤에날씨너무추워졌고 눈한2쎈티정도왔어요.  금요일 아침에 쇼트트랙 XC 경기있었어요.  이거 내가제일 잘하는 산악대회에요.  20분동안 크라이테리엄같은산악코스타요.  나 시작에서 좀잘탔지만 점점 나뒤로갔어요.  마지막바귀에도 나카세트 불어졌어요ㅠㅠㅠ 근 얼마안남았어서 끝까지 탈수있었어요.  결과 30등 (86명탔어요). 

토요일아침에 크로스컨트리 대회있었어요 3바귀 (1바귀10키로).  나 잘탔지만 싱글에서 오름너무많아서 몇번 너머졌다.  그리고 날씨너무추웠어요 (-5도C).  나첫바귀좀못탔지만 3번째 싱글아주잘탔어서 몇명 잡았어요.  결과 43등 (86명탔어요).  나 이번대회 50%안에 타고싶어서 기븐 좋았어요, 나 옛날보다 자전거 많이 못타지만 전국챔피언쉽대회에서 아직 좀잘탈수있어요 ㅋㅋ. 

토요일오후에 나다운힐대회보고 친구들이랑 맥주한잔마셨어요.  일요일은 다시 인디에나로 8시간반동안운전하고집에왔어요.  이번주말에 시즌 마지막대회있어요.  아이스맨 산악마라톤.  2000명타는대회에요 그리고 내가 대학교때 같이 살았던 친구 다올거야서 너무 재미있을거같아요.  


Going up the ski hill to watch the downhill race with Max from the University of Wisconsin.  

Collegiate Mountain Biking 대학부산악자전거대회

Since I’m back in school at Indiana University  now.  I decided that my goal for this fall would be to qualify for an participate in Collegiate Mountain Nationals.  To do this I had to do at least 3 conference races and be one of the top 4 individuals not on a qualifying team which lucky for me ended up not being very hard.  I raced at Marian’s race weekend in Indianapolis and again at Lindsey Wilson in Kentucky last weekend and now that regionals are over it looks like I can go to Nationals in two weeks in North Carolina. 

The racing scene in the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference has definitely changed over the 4 years since I graduated from Purdue.  Its not dominated by 4 teams that have varsity programs and barely anyone from other schools raced including Purdue which is kind of unfortunate.  I’m also the only rider from IU who raced mountain bikes and so I’m the only one going to nationals.  The level of riders has also increased with Marian, Lindenwood, and Ripon now fielding lots of really strong riders.  Lindsey Wilson has plenty of fast riders like they always have. 

The 4 races I participated in didn’t go as well as I had hoped they would but since I have the week of Nationals off from school I figure I might as well go give it my best shot.  I placed in the top 20 at each race but I never cracked the top ten.  I’ve got in some big rides this past weekend though so hopefully I will be in better form for nationals.  Here are a few pics of some of my races. 

나 여즘대학부대회타고있어요.  나 지금 인디엔나대학교경영전문대학원다니가있어서 탈수있어요.  미국에 대학부 모두대학생들탈수있어요.  이번가울에 내자전거 골 전국대학부산악자전거대회 qualify하고싶었어요.  그래서 4번 인디에나근쳐에 대학부대회탔어요.  근데 내가학교다닐때보다 좀달랐어요.  여즘 미국중부에서 장학금주는학교좀많아졌다.  그래서 너무 잘타는에들좀많아요. 근데 나 매대회20등안에탈수있었어요.  나하고싶은만큼못탔지만 전국대회 탈수있어요.  

2주후에 나 노스케로라이나 에서 전국대학부탈거에요.  그때까지 열심히훈련 할거에요.  거기서 레이스 두개있어요 산악크라이테리엄이랑 크로스컨트리.  다운힐도있지만 나 자전거없어요!  여기및에 내대회사진몇개있어요! 

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.