The University gave me everything I needed tonight...

A view of the center of the universe:

stairs to run:

sand pits to play in:

that was fun...

respect
fatmarc

Blogdom Wasteland

I love blogs.

Outstanding crew for the Elk Neck Ride today...

I love to read the stories of other cyclists, struggles and racing and rocking out.
I love reading about cyclocross racers, and how they make their way through their seasons.

Heather climbs to the look out...

Monkey Climbs to the look out...

Blake climbs up to the look out...

Travis looks out the look out...

I generally find blogs are slowest this time of year. One of three things is happening:

1. bloggers/riders just finished cross and are done: "It's been a great/awful season I'm enjoying riding longer than an hour, and enjoying a normal life again."

2. blogger/riders taking a break: "I'm enjoying the holidays, just ate 10,000 calories today... I'm going to have another beer."

3. Blogger/riders logging long base mile: "I rode for 5 hours today, it was really fucking cold, but it will pay off later."

like I said, hard times for blog readers...

In the meantime, I'm riding my bike with friends, and playing with my cross bikes and waiting for better blog reading... And giving my best trying to write better stuff myself... More interesting blogging... Not just the one of the three above...

Elk Neck seems like a glowing beacon for me every winter...

thanks for suffering through with me.

respect
fatmarc

never get tired of watching richie jackson skate

enjoy:



respect
fatmarc

Hey Now, can you lend me a hand?

My buddy Oliver is working to get a Montessori Charter School Set up here in Delaware.
There website is here.

Please check it out, and if you live in or around Delaware  and think this would be a good idea, think your kids or other Delaware children could benefit  send a note here saying so. Maybe a line or two saying you think this is a good idea...

Very few times in as long as I written this silly blog have I pointed to a cause outside of blogdomn.
 I hope that tells you how much I respect you the reader, and how much I respect Oliver and what he's bringing to the table.

Support emails need to be collected by noon on 12/20/2011.

thanks for taking a look.

Rode my mountainbike with a great group of guys last weekend. My mind is still cross focused, and my timing on the bike was off. I am not smooth on the mtb right now. But it was fun, it will come.

check out Oliver's site...

thanks man.

respect
m

Promoter Legs

Promoter Legs. If you have ever promoted a race and tried to race your own event, you know what I'm talking about. Cross races don't happen by magic. They are put on by people who love the sport and who want to give back... People that love cross, often love racing cross. This is when things get crazy. When you promote, and then you want to race your own race! I have to admit my best MAC race, and frankly one of my best races ever was an 11th place in a muddy Granogue a couple of years back.  But I've also felt the other side of the sword...

Geler Votre Cul Race Director L-Web getting it done...

As much as I hoped for the good promoter legs this weekend, it didn't happen. Sadly, what was the last weekend of the Mid Atlantic Season, might gave been my worst legs of the season.

Fairhill: Geler Voltre Cul (Freeze Your ASS off Cross)...

I lined up on the grid, and was surprised to see Birner next to me. Good on him. I love to race the dude, because I think our strengths are generally complete opposites, which makes for some good racing.

Birner's massive elbow couldn't hold me back in this corner...

 The kind of racing I used to have with J.Dunn back in the B's... But I digresss, I got a good start sitting in pretty good. Legs felt empty and even a little crampy. Weird.  Two and a half laps in, I was actually sitting in a pretty good spot, in a group with Johan, Birner, Alex, Shirmer, Kruger, Hennessy and that ex-wrestler, world champ Wetzel Guy. I'm guessing we were 15thish... I moved to the front, smashed a stake and lost the group. Despite not losing that much time, I tired to get back to the group, and it just wasn't happening... Auer came back to me, and I said to him, "promoter legs ?"

He nodded his head. I suggested that we ride it in together. The course was so freakin' fun; why waste a good day to ride? He agreed.  We were soon joined by Benny da Jewlar, and we rode in the final laps... Silly Bike Racing, sometimes it means everything, sometime well, friends riding bikes together is much more important.

I was really proud of Diane who with Benny da Jewlars help, laid out the course for the weekend. Diane spent a lot time rolling the loop, and had a clear vision in her mind of how the course would flow. Tom, course maestro of Granogue, took great pleasure in watching her move stakes, and set out the course. He would chuckle as Diane would work a corner, and restake a section. Ben was critical in making sections extra techy and worked hard to help the loop come together. Good on Monkey, and Good on Ben... IMHO the course was rad. One of my all time favorites...

Limestone at the Kiln: MAC FINAL Race...

Despite walking around the house with knee high compression socks, drinking as much water as I could hold and getting to bed early. I woke up with really hurting legs. Hampstrings felt Hamstrung. Calves ached when I walked. I wasn't happy.

So I lined up on the second row. Got a good start. Fell off the lead group a bit on the second lap. Third Lap feeling pretty good, cornering hard. Dave Lowe cheers for me to corner hard. I lay it down hard. Totally bent my derailer hanger, bike sounded awful. The group I was riding in gets clear of me. I pass the pit despite the horrible noise my bike is making... This was a mistake... I realize it, bikes not shifting, I kinda realize that my drive train is about to blow up. I make it back to the pit, get my pit bike.. and I'm off... Spend the rest of the race chasing Dan Rapp. I tried my damnest, would close the gap, but never quite made it back to him... Rolled in with my best mac finish (on paper) of the year.... You know, with my legs feeling like they did, I'm not gonna complain one bit...

Three final thoughts on this race:
1. Barriers were about 13 inches high or so. I was able to bunny hop them every lap... felt so pro...

2. Yozell did an amazing job laying out a course that was 22ft wide the entire lap, but was really technically challenging,,, really fun course.. Thanks man. Such a blast...
3. The crowd on the back woods section went nuts when you went through. thanks for making an old midpack fatdude feel pro (2x in a race).
4. The best image of the weekend for me was Jimmy Rock and Anne Rock finishing the race together as Jimmy caught Mom right at the end of the lap, and they crossed the line together hands clasped.  Brought tears to my eyes... That was rad...

Okay... Anne and Jimmy not pictured... But I like this picture...

Thanks to Anthony and Cycling Captured for sending this one over....

Can't really believe the MAC has wrapped up another season, can't believe that the Mid Atlantic season is now over... What a great year...

thanks for reading...

Photos by  Jay Lazar, Dennisbike...

respect
fatmarc

Geler Votre Cul Cyclocross

Loosely translated: Freeze Your Ass Off Cross.

Cyclocross at the Fairhill, MD Fairgrounds.  Saturday, Dec 10.
About and hour from Philly, and about an hour from Baltimore.


Brought to you by the people who bring you Charm City Cross and Granogue Cross.

Perhaps you ask yourself  self, "why the hell would the folks who put on two of the biggest cross weekends in the Mid Atlantic promote another race? are they gluttons for punishment?"

Yes, we are gluttons for punishment. Yes, keydecision makers (Auer, L-Web, and Monkey) were drinking.
But most importantly,  because we love cross and our community needs it.

It's not that we love the of finding a venue, or sorting the call ups, and answering awesome emails, or loading up a truck full of equipment, laying out a totally new course, knowing all along that we will likely lose money on this venture. It's because we love cross. We love this community and we need to race in December.

Friends, I probably don't have to tell you that Nationals and Masters worlds are in January.  While in the past, the mid atlantic season wrapping up the last weekend in November, or maybe in the first weekend in Dec was cool. But with another month to go, if folks really want a shot a doing well at nationals they need to race. And thus, after a few beers , this weekend is happening.

What's that you say, "Hey Fatmarc, I am so over cyclocross right now. My season is done. I'm not going to nationals or masters nationals! I'm drinking like a fish, and riding my mtb with hippies every day! "

That's awesome, I hope you are enjoying the offseason, you should support this race anyway. Come out, race your mtb in the cross race, or bring both bikes then go ride the tons of trails that Fairhill offers. I can't guaruntee hippies, it is in Cecil County after all.
 
I encourage you to be a little forward thinking, Maybe  next year you find the form you've been looking for and you are totally targeting nationals, and if this race or even our friend up in PA's race aren't supported, well who is to guarunteed they'll be back next year.

Both races offer UCI C2 Payout for the elites, the normal payouts for all other races.

The course is really fun, 3-4 dismounts a lap, lots of corners.

so seriously, go here and register.

And for the limnstone at the kiln race, go here.

thank you for your time.

If you have any awesome questions about the race, hit me up here

respect
fatmarc

MABRA- MARYLAND STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

One of the things that I love about cross is the intensity of the season. Racing pretty much every weekend from Early September through December. Very rarely is a cross season defined by one race, one event, but much more so when looking back over the entirety of all the races in a season. A bad race, is quickly erased the next day or next week with a "redemption" ride. Series points reflect a riders consistency, and ability to manage different conditions, and the grind of racing week in and week out. I love that grind.

In very few cases, can one race define a season, but certainly Nationals, and for me the State Championships are races that while may not define the entire season, but certainly help to emphasize the story of the season.

So with that, and frankly not knowing what my legs would feel like; not sure my skin suit wouldn't just explode off of me after days of consuming massive quantities, I went into Taneytown with lots of hope and ambition.  Taneytown has always been a good venue for me, and with the right conditions who knows, I might just beat crossresults.

Nachos...

I lined up on the third row, and by some stroke of luck the field parted like the red sea and I was able to hurl myself into the top 10.  My teammates and I spent a lot of time pre-riding, and discussing tactics regarding the heavy mud sections. Let me say that I really enjoy this time with my teammates, it's one of those times i really look forward to, and helps me get ready to race. Jay LAZER "BEAM", talked about running sections saving power and at least trying to keep the bike clean. That Jay Lazer is fast, and smart, and hell I'll say it damn good looking too.

But, I digress I held on to the lead group as long as I could and at the end of the second lap I found myself in a group with Gwadz and Johan. Third lap I bobbled the remount up the run up, and they gaped me a bit. I chased hard, even had hope of bringing them back on the last lap as I got really close to Johan, but it was just enough to hold me off. End of the day I had a solid ride, beat cross results, finished up just outside the top 10 and walked away with a Bronze Medal for 40-44. Yeah, I was pretty stoked.

Who's got 2 thumbs and a Bronze State Medal? This Guy that's who.

The sun shines on every dog's ass once in a while...

The State Championship weekends are always a big deal for me, and I definitely get myself up for them. Hats off to Tracey Lea and her crew for putting on a great show. Thanks to my teammates for their help sussing out the course, and Sam for pitting for me!

Is it wrong to wear my State Medal to work? Just checkin...


thanks for reading.

respect
fatmarc

photos from Galen Wallace and Jen Riskus

What's Bigger Potter or Gloucester?

Ask Richard Fries:




thanks to Henry J for the rad clip

respect
fatmarc

(happy thanksgiving)

SUPER CUP OF CROSS- EAST MEADOW -NEW YORK

Somewhere along the line Diane and I made the decision to drive up and back to Long Island from Fairhill Maryland for the SUPER Cup of Cyclocross weekend.

Bad Kat shows how to make money in crosses races...

We’ll file this one under the “happy wife, happy life” category. With that set up, L-Web piled into the Honda fit with Monk and I as we headed off to long island for Saturday’s racing.

Dennis Looks smashing in orange... Pictures from my I(phone).

For those scoring at home, we had 5 bikes, wheels, three people, a trainer, and 3 cycling bags stuffed full of clothes, comfortably in the Honda fit. Honda Fit=LOVE.

Lauri with great technique, not that "i love you man" shit her kid Jeffy does.

The courses at The SUUUPER Cup of Cross in  Long Island are really fast, and really fun. Open flat out sections that find me searching for a wheel to suck, and lots of hard tight corners.  Triple F: Fast, Flowy and Fun.

Saturday’s race saw me get into a nice group with Benny the Jewlar, Krueger, Johan with the Chad chasing hard. The middle two laps I felt a little flat. Todd and Johan got clear from us and Ben and I worked together pretty well. I think Ben and I each wanted the other one to drag us around. We might train together too much.

Final two laps, we are starting to claw Johan back, when the junior party came through. Johan is strong and smart, and he grabbed some junior wheel to stay clear of us. Chad was getting a little closer than I wanted him on the final lap, and I went to the front and drilled it, leading into the final barriers just 100 meters from the finish. I had a clear shot to the finish, I decided to bobble my remount and open the door for Ben, who was happy to come into my house, sit in my chair, drink my beer, and pet my dog. I lost the sprint by half a wheel, with one foot clipped in. Fuck. Good on you Benny.

Is it better to lose a sprint to a stranger, or a dude you train with every week? Not sure I know yet.

Monkey had a good day, pulling down 11th both days.

Drive home was pretty spectacular because Diane and Laurie refused to eat at the rest stop, so we wandered off the turnpike for 50 minutes, ignoring GPS and Apple Food Aps, to get totally freaking lost, and end up eating at Wendy’s. Freaking Wendy’s. At least the frosty was good. Sometimes when it’s spiraling out of control, it’s just best to paddle out and ride the wave to the end. “cowabunga!”

Does this photo make my butt look big?

Sunday was a race of anger for me. End of the first lap, I’m sitting inside the top 15 or so. We are lined up pretty much head to toe. The dude just in front of me imploded over a small curb, and as we get gaped off the race, my front wheel hits his chain ring, or something as I try to squirt around him, and my tire goes flat pretty instantly. I watch the rest of the race pretty much ride away from me. I get my B bike, and proceed to ride a solo, angry ride, picking up a spot or two, bridging up to Howard, only to lose him at the end of the final lap. My legs were pretty good Sunday, so I was kinda grumpy about this one…

I refused to leave the turnpike for food on the way home.

What's Missing from this picture? Fatfreaking Marc, that's what's missing!

Don’t tell Diane, that despite all the driving, It was really nice to sleep in my bed Saturday night… Fun weekend of racing, despite feeling like I left some stuff on the table.


0-1-1 against Crossresults this weekend.
8-6-3 for the season

Thanks for reading.

Respect
fm
Pictures from Dennisbike.com; Appletans; and my crappy I(phone)

Carrie Fisher was right...

Star Wars is totally better than Star Trek...



I mean the new Star Trek Movie was okay...

See all the CollegeHumor Original Videos here.

Just sayin...

geeky? yes. I'm crosser what did you expect.


thanks for reading.

respect
fm

Fairhill and Beard Endorsements

Masters Racers working the Pit after our races..

The last month or so of my life has been pretty much the weirdest ever. One of the odder things to come out of that is the fact that now I have a beard. In the past I have set out to grow a beard and done well, but for whatever reason, this one is my best effort, and it was never intended.

My theory is that when it got to the stage were canoodling would be impacted, you know because Monkey doesn't love cuddling with a porcupine, She got sick. So no canoodling was happening, and thus, my beard was able to flourish.

Beard Endorser

I have also noticed that Dudes generally appreciate other Dudes strong facial hair. I've never had so many of my dude friends say "beard looks great man..." On the other hand, I find most women hate my beard. It's like Krypotnite for the ladies. I walk by old friends, and I see the look of contempt on their faces, "don't even come near me with that thing!"

Hot Beard Action

Now Mrs. Vanderbacon has been pretty quiet on the entire beard thing. That was until yesterday as she is starting to feel better, and with any luck canoodling will commence shortly! Attempting to sway the  vote to a positive for the beard, I sought out and received some  endorsements of my beard from some other awesome women. Deidre, CC, Theresa, and Michelle. Michelle, did qualify her endorsement, "Visually it looks good, but I just have to look at it, I don't want Monkey to be mad at me!"  No worries, while I certainly appreciate the endorsements, Monkey might not yet be sold....  We may have a canoodling vs beard issues soon. I think we all know how that one ends up...

Beard Endorser

Oh, and hey I did a cross race Saturday.  I got a good start, maybe a bit of an over start, but it kind of unfolded that way, and I did my damnest to stay on Fergies wheel for the better part of two laps. I kinda got gapped off at that point and a nice chase group of 10 or so reeled me in a bit. With two to go found myself in a group with Mark P, Wilson from VA, and Johan. I had a master plan to win the group, and as I started to execute my plan going into one to go, I realized they all had master plans of their own, and apparently they were executing much better than I. Still a good ride, solid result in the MAC, and generally speaking I felt good to day on the bike.

Michelle and Team Bike Therapy: Beard Endorsers

Congrats to the FSVS crew for a really fun course and race this weekend.

8-5-2 vs. crossresults this year.

thanks for reading.

respect
fatmarc

Photos from Dennisbike.com 

Jeff took these...

pretty nice shots, makes me look like I know what I'm doing or something.

that is all.

respect
fatmarc

Northhampton: CycleSmart International...

Blake ripping though the barriers

 

Blake and Monkey warm up

Fatme

Monkey

Monkey

Odin is pretty cute, wait until he's 170lbs

Junior Identification Program

Potter likes cute

me looking at wheels all day...

Taylor= Junior Identification Part 2

The North Hampton- Cycle Smart International, might be my favorite weekend of cross. For one, other than racing, and supporting my friends and teammates, I have no other responsibilities. The level of competition is wicked high, the courses are generally super balanced and very fun, and the weather always seems to be amazing. Add in the fact that my brother and his wife are kind enough to host a motley crew of racers from the mid atlantic, and it ends up being just a great time. Every year.

This year, it was a much needed get away…

I was pleased with my races both days. Amazingly, despite the bulk of the course being under 18inches of snow a week before the event, the course was bone dry and wicked fast. The top section remained technical with tight turns and off camber sections, while the lower course was full on pedal to the medal racing. I swear the lower level was faster than I remembered it ever being. The course encouraged pack riding and I did a lot of that this weekend. I was happy with both of my races, although Sunday’s result was 10 spots better. What was the difference?

Saturday about 50 feet into what I thought was a good start, the dude in front of me locked up the brakes, and I slammed my junk on my stem, and had to put my foot down while the field sped away from me. I tried to stay cool, but really I’m not good enough that I can spot anyone any space, and especially at the CSI. The lower sections of the course were so fast all I can remember was starring a wheels, and jumping out of every corner. Again, while I wasn’t super stoked about my result Saturday, I was really happy with my effort, and how I moved up into my final group, and raced those guys to the line.

Sunday was the best cross I think I have ridden this year. I hung on wheels in the fast sections, worked to move up in the top technical section. On the final lap up top I got a little ambitious and laid it down trying to make one more pass; I bounced up quickly, and held my spot at the finish… It was a really good day…

Saturday after my race, I had forgotten my recovery drink. Blake offered me a bottle of chocolate milk. I was still cooling down a bit, and had just won a sprint at the line, so my body felt a little worked over, I take the milk and I chug down the whole bottle. My stomach was really not happy, as I finished off the last drop. I hand the bottle back to Blake saying, “you know, I’m not sure that’s gonna stay down, I better spin some more.”

Blake, with eyes as big a saucers looks at me and says, “ I never meant for you to slam the bottle like it was a shot… “ She smiled fully expecting me to hurl chocolate milk everywhere. I spun down, and luckily kept it down…

One of my favorite things about racing with Skinny Craig this year, has been going out and pre-riding the course together. We take a couple of laps, talk about lines, carve corners, talk shit. It was this weekend, as I was struggling to follow Craig through a couple of corners, that I had a realization. The Dude is a better bike handler than I am. It was rad, he showed me a couple of lines I couldn’t figure out, and I raced them all day. Craig did his first Cat 3 races this weekend, and he did well. I really proud of him…

Lots of other great stuff going on this weekend. Thanks again to Craig and Beth for hosting our crew, and thanks to everyone who came, it was an amazing weekend…

Thanks to Benny da Jewlar, Dish, Blake, Travis, Bad Kat, Bad Andy, LVG, Tom, L-Web, Jeffy, and Gunnar for joining us on this fantastic voyage...

Thanks for reading
Respect
fatmarc