Damian Schmitt

My mouth is agape, my heart pounding and my legs burning.  A third of a lap ago, I pulled ahead of the rider that I’d been battling for 2 laps and now I’m holding a slight advantage nearing the finish.  A rabid spectator is running along side of me through the mud slog.  Her voice is familiar as she screams at me to pedal as hard as I can while her blue cape flaps behind.  I want to look over and tell her that I’m going as hard as fucking possible, but I can’t.  I’m at my limit and it’s taking all I have to push the pedals and concentrate on the next corner.  We approach the long, steep stairs and although my legs want to shuffle its steps, I bound, two steps at a time until I reach the top.  As I run the corner and remount I have no idea where the other rider is.  Riding away, the announcer is running along side me with a microphone, but I can’t hear a thing.  The wall of sound is deafening and it’s all for me.

I’m on my home turf for the Masters 30-34 category at the National Cyclocross Championships and I’m about to take the most important corner of my season.  My right hand is out on the hood, but my left is on the top of the bar.  I want it on the left hood.  I need my brakes.  I can’t mess up this corner, not after these people have pushed me to where I am.  I’m cross-eyed and can’t seem to move my hand to where I want it.  I keep pushing and cross over to set up for the turn.  I reluctantly let go of the bar and move my hand out.  One way or another, this next corner is going to define my season. Continue reading →

Photo: Dave Roth dmroth.com

I showed up to the Portland round of the USGPs with some high expectations.  I had worked hard since June to see how I would stack up with the fastest cross racers around.  I had just finished a big two week block of training and my biggest goal of the year was only a week away.  I was eager to push myself harder than I ever had and I knew my biggest competition for Master’s Nationals would be there.  What followed was a series of disappointments. Continue reading →

Oh Boy!

Cross Nationals 2010 had descended upon us here in Bend!  Last year I was a little flustered with all the events that I put on with my friend Scott (and a little help from Amber) and felt like I had taken on too much considering I was racing as well.

We did the first (and an updated once marked) course preview:

Pre-Ride Tips with Carl Decker (many of these tips will work for this years couse too)

A QnA with some locals

And hosted the official Sunday night after party.

WELL, NOT THIS YEAR!

Wrong…although I was able to spread the work load this year, so I am much more relaxed and clear minded.  Here’s a list of what I’m involved with/in this year.  Hope to see some of you out there and if you’re a random reader, say hi!

NeighborImpact Benefit by Rebound Physical Therapy.  Come hear about Adam Craig’s knee rehab and chat it up with some local hot shots…and me!

Lazer/Pedro’s Athlete and mechanic night.  Come meet the Cannondale boys, LUNA Chix and their mechanics.  What really goes on in the pit???  Plus there’s a Wii Dance off!

Breast of Bend Cancer fundraiser.  I get to dress up in fancy clothes from Vanilla and walk around with good looking people.  I <3 Boobies!

Pedro’s, Vanilla Bikes, Cielo and Chris King at Thump Coffee.  Come check out great brands and a great coffee shop!

And…The Sunday night after party hosted by The Summit!  A little more low key than last year.  No raffle and no roller races, but great music from DJ Mud and special guest (amazing local hip hop).  Drink specials all night!  Come let off some steam after a long cross season.

Here’s a schedule of all the amazing things going on in Bend this year!

Oof. I'm tired. Photo Dave Roth

Ah, rest.  A term all of us cyclist are familiar with.  Your body must rest in order to recover and return stronger.  Makes sense right?  Do you rest as much as you should?  I do!  Oh man, I love rest weeks.  When I get a rest week and it says ride/or not, I tend to NOT.  Feels so good.  We spend so much time the previous weeks structuring our days around riding that it feels really, really good, for me at least, to not ride and NOT feel guilty about it.  An extra cup of coffee in the morning, a second breakfast, extra snuggles with my dog…and my cat…and my roommates cat.  Ok, forget that last part.  My point is I like rest.  Not as much as I like riding though and since my last update, I had a week of rest that I wasn’t really planning on.

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You may or may not have noticed a few new Sunnyside skin suits at the last couple of races.  I got them made to represent the work I’ve been putting in with some personal sponsors over the last few years.  I’m on a bit of a different program than the other Sunnysiders since I’m a shop employee, but I/it still represents the same Sunnyside Sports team.  Matt and Serena have been a big help this year too, so they’ve been sporting them a little also (as well as Mike Schindler, one of the shop owners).  The original idea was to have a new suit for Cross Nationals in my home town.  I got in touch with Castelli and the ball got rolling.

The first line up in the new kit. Photo: Dave Roth

The customer service I received from Castelli blew my mind.  Awesome communication with Rich, a small minimum and just the right timing meant that my kit was ready a lot faster than I thought it was going to be!  I could not be happier.  The suit is designed for cyclocross.  It fits better with more fabric from the waist up and has a beefed up zipper.  Perfect for the abuse that they take.  If you’re looking for new team clothing, call them up.  Good pricing, easy to get people on the phone, quick turn around and based in Portland.  What more could you ask for?

Check out all those little Sunnyside logos! Mmmmm Deschutes Beer and Silverado Jewelry.

Before I tell you what it is, I’ll give you a quick recap of Astoria day 1.  After a long day at the shop Friday, Ambeer and I loaded up and got out of town around 9pm.  We figured that we would drive to Portland, sleep a few hours and then drive the last few hours to Astoria for the Halloween weekend of Crusade racing.  We hit the road, made it to Portland safe and got some shut eye.  We woke in the morning and with bagels and coffee in hand finished off the drive to Astoria arriving early enough to see Don race around for victory in the 60+ category.

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Excuses at the top, race reports at the bottom!

It’s hard to motivate and do a blog post when things aren’t going the way that you’d thought they would. After an amazing Alpenrose experience I found myself in a world of hurt. The day after, actually the entire week, I had a solid black eye and abrasions on my face. At work customers were constantly asking if my head was ok.

“Yeah” my head is fine, I would say, “but I can barely move my neck, arms and back.”

What followed the statement was a poor excuse for the robot dance that I so love to do at parties. I would rotate my head, arms and torso about 5 degrees in any direction. Not good. I couldn’t lift bikes to put them on hooks and I generally was just feeling sorry for myself as I struggled through my Monday and Tuesday work shifts.

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