• Dakar (January 1 – 16)
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• Monterey Historics (August 12 – 15)
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• Baja 1000 (November 17 – 21)
• Art l Basel (December 2 – 5)

The 2009-10 Southern California Prestige Series of Cyclocross presented by Shimano is now officially half way through the season with stop number eight at Celo Pacific’s Storm the Beach Cyclocross in Oceanside, CA. Over two hundred racers came out to play in the sun, sand, and surf – and it seems that everybody had a great time. The course was a dichotomous balance of high speed and slow motion racing. Hard packed fire roads and a long, firm beach section saw speeds approaching those of your local criterium. These were punctuated by steep bluff-side climbs, a barely rideable sand-pit, and two deep sand runs. The bluff-top expo area which overlooked all the technical portions of the course gave the spectators a dilemma of whether to watch the riveting race action or gaze out at a stunning ocean view. After their races, appreciative riders took advantage of the bike washing station provided by Nomad Portable Power Cleaners to get that grinding noise out of their drivetrains. Other highlights of the day included SoCal’s youngest ‘crossers competing in the Clif Bar kids race; the “Please Pre-register” raffle for a pair of Revolution Wheelworks Rev-25x wheels won by Kermit McGovern; and an historic moment in SoCal cyclocross racing with Brent Prenzlow taking his 100th career Elite win. Now on to the racing action…

The juniors were first up and carving lines in the fresh sand. Tori Baldewin, Team Velocity’s up-and-coming racing star led the 10-14 Junior women’s race smiling as always along the way! In a hotly contested Junior 10-14 Men’s race…newcomer Quinten KIrby took the win! The warm SoCal sunshine brought in racers from as far away as Sacramento and New Mexico including National Masters Champion Tove Shere, (Nat’ls Project) in town visiting friend Renee Milton, made a powerful showing to win the Masters Women’s 35+ race (3 of the top 4 ladies were over 50! Go fast ladies!) with Milton finishing in a respectable 6th place in her first ever ‘cross race! Both had so much fun, they duked it out again in the Women’s Elite race! Jon Miller (Rock N Road) “aka Wave Dogg” surfed his way through sand to a smooth victory as the donimant series leader in the 55+ men’s race. Johnny O’Mara continues his winning ways in the 45+ Men’s race… winning two in a row with hid debut at Spooky Cross this season. Host club and Best Team Competition Leaders Celo Pacific took victories in starting with the Yourth-Jameson Campaigne, Ben Jones (SS 1/2/3), James Walsh (Men 3/4) and Brent Prenzlow (1/2/3) races. Mike McMahon (Velocity) returns to form with a close but powerful victory in the 35+ 1/2/3 race between 6 riders and coming down to the final lap uphill sprint finish.

Just as with every field on the day, a wicked fast start initiated the Women’s Elite race across the course’s long, hardpack dirt sections. The pack was led out by Tonya Bray (YOR Health/MTBChick.com) and followed closely by Megan Elliott (Black Mountain), Dorothy Wong (SoCalCross-CICLE) Lana Atchley (unattached) and Emily Katchorik (Beer). Once the race hit the sand, Megan Elliott (Black Mountain) and Dorothy Wong (SoCalCross-CICLE) attacked. Then taking advantage of their strong road backgrounds, the pair worked together and increased their lead on the hard packed fire roads. Megan proved to be the stronger rider and surged on the finish hill with two laps to go, opening a gap on Wong. Elliot kept the tempo high and maintained her lead to the finish. In the end it was Elliott, Wong and Lana Atchley (also a strong road and track rider) on the blocks with Tonya Bray and Emily Katchorik rounding out the top five.

In the Elite Men’s race, presented by Hoover and Nebrig, the action started out fast and furious through the dirt fire roads and resembled a (dirt) road race as the pack stuck together taking advantage of the draft. The early pace was driven by Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/B&L), Brandon Gritters (Rock n Road), Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air), John Bailey and John Behrens (Bailey Bikes). It was the deep sand sections, however, that would prove to be decisive. On the third lap, as the eight-strong lead pack wended its way through the sand, Prenzlow and Taberlay threw down the wattage and opened a gap. The two collaborated on the fast fire roads, but once on the beach Prenzlow made an acceleration into the B&L Bikes sand run and forged into the lead, leaving Taberlay in his wake. Prenzlow threw everything into this move and, upon re-emerging onto the beach from the fire roads on the next lap, Taberlay was nowhere in sight and would eventually slip back to the chase group. The last three laps saw Prenzlow increase his lead while the battle for second place remained close despite several riders being taken out of contention by flats including Kyle Gritters (Rock n Road) and John Bailey. Finally on the last lap, Prenzlow used the massive lead he had built up to savor taking his 100th career Elite win on his home course and in front of a home crowd: beaming a huge smile, high fiving the crowd, and dismounting to finish in classic cyclcocross style. The sprint for second resembled a tractor pull with rooster tails of sand being thrown up by the lead group of riders as they careened through the sand pit under full power. Taberlay held off a hard charging John Behrens with Gary Douville (Platinum Performance) and Fritz Bottger (PAA/Sixtumed) just behind.

Photo: David Lawson

Photo: Eric Colton

For more info go to: www.SoCalCross.com

Guest Editor: Mark Campaigne, Celo Pacific Cycling

I came across an interesting statistic this week. Celo Pacific’s own ace cyclocrosser, Brent Prenzlow, has 99 ELITE level cyclocross wins (does not include Masters or other races prior to reaching the Elite level). He will compete this Sunday at Storm the Beach, his “home” course, with the opportunity to reach the 100 Elite win milestone.

I want to take this opportunity to mention something just as remarkable about Brent, who as many of you know, is a relatively soft-spoken, humble guy. The time & energy he spends unselfishly volunteering for the club is off the charts. From website design and updates, building our cross courses, bringing in sponsors, to mentoring our amateur racers, he gives up countless hours of time he otherwise could be out doing something else…like training!

A little more on his bio: He has spent 15 seasons of hard work and dedication to cyclocross – almost all of it with Celo Pacific. He’s proud of his accomplishments, but never overly confident. With 100 wins just on the horizon, his goals don’t stop there…”The one thing missing from my resume is a national jersey. I need to take care of that,” he says.

I know he’d love to get the big win this weekend. This weekend brings Storm the Beach in Oceaside, California on his home course, in front of his team, family, and friends but we all know you can’t predict what will happen in a cyclocross race, or who will show up on good form. I assure you Brent will give 100% and we will all hope for the best. Please come on out and cheer him on.

Prenzlow’s most recent win, Spooky Cross
Picture: Kreative Shots

Here’s his complete resume: http://www.celopacific.org/2009/CX/BP_Cyclocross_Palmares.htm

March 8: OC Chili Winter Trail Run Series at O’Neill Park

March 29: XTERRA REAL

May 2: XTERRA West Championship- Lake Las Vegas

June 14: XTERRA Snow Valley

November 15: Big Sur Half Marathon

Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor

“A Virtuous Cycle: Bicycling in DC” examines how Washington, DC is incorporating bicycling into its transportation infrastructure. Much like cities across the world, DC is feeling the effects of years of dependence on cars: pollution, congestion, obesity. This documentary takes a look at why DC sees bicycles as part of the solution to some of these issues and what challenges it is facing with the increased popularity of biking.

A Virtuous Cycle: Bicycling in DC

Smartbike has been rolled out in the District, and I have seen quite a few people on these bikes.  I just hope that the local biking associations are doing all they can to protect riders by lobbying for new bike paths, etc, because I for one have had plenty of close calls.

Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) – With a fox locked onto her arm, an Arizona jogger ran a mile to her car, where she was able to dislodge the animal, throw it into the trunk and drive to a Prescott hospital. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said the fox, which later attacked an animal control officer, tested positive for rabies.The unidentified Chino Valley resident told deputies she was on a trail Monday at the base of Granite Mountain when the fox attacked, biting her foot. The woman said she grabbed it by the neck when it went for her leg and it latched onto her arm…

For the rest of the story go here:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D948V99O3&show_article=1

Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor

Top Golf

Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor

Yesterday the weather was beautiful. The rain of Saturday that we missed altogether by arriving near 3 PM for check-in had already come and gone. Becky and I found ourselves sitting in warm sun staring at a glimmering lake. Check-in was cheerful and I pulled the race bike out and took off to get a practice lap in. We met Stu after his on-road Tri awaiting the next day�s off road tri (by Sunday afternoon he was awash in race metals). Stu is awesome. On Sunday from the awards stand he said �there should be more parents and grandparents joining me�.

I got back to the Subaru and the seat post was still swiveling and I made a mental note to fix that later along with trimming my new running shoe laces. As I drove towards SLO on the 227 I was a bit frustrated that I couldn�t figure out my new Specialized bike computer, my throat was sore and I was tired. The computer was spitting out non-rational data and I was too. We had a big dinner and the shared a lovely evening catching up with my Aunt and Uncle overlooking Laguna Lake with Madonna and Bishop Peaks in the background into the night.

We left the house late and made in down Orcutt to the race with very few minutes to spare. I had no warm-up to speak of due to struggling with the seat post I had mentally noted to solve the day before. The laces never got cut. It is race time now and all that must go away. 26 weeks of training were complete.

With the help of the Eternal Timing system and my own watch, I put this together:
October 5, 2008 // Scott Tinley Extreme Tri // Bib #810

Swim Finish: 13:37
Bike Start: 15:57
Bike Finish: 2:02:00
Run Start: 2:02:43
Run Time: 54:09
Finish Line: 2:56:52
10th overall (of 31)
2nd in age group (of 7)

I got a bit confused on the swim forgetting that I needed to pass the marina to get to the Swim Out section. I made some of the time back by knowing the first two miles of the ride as well as anyone. That helped me pass one guy within 50 yards and hold off a charge until the last few yards of the first technical section.

Without a warm-up I was left gasping for air within the first 30 minutes. I had to slow, cough very hard and slow even more. The climb out of Boy Scout land was brutal. Very brutal. I remembered it pretty well from last year so it was easier this time but I found myself in no mans land. By slowing so abruptly during my gasping period I lost contact with the strong racers. I slipped from being third at one point to somewhere near 10. Second thoughts about training, sleeping and working filled my rapidly unfocusing mind. Now I was chasing two guys uphill off my bike and in the heat. I lost them and I took my eye off the trail and into the surrounding hill sides. Beautiful, stunning and serene. Soon I was descending. My new bike was still a bit new underneath me and I did my best to trust it. I stood to stretch my legs. I took a deep breath and relaxed my wrists. The trail was coming fast and soon I was sliding above my very fast tires that lacked many gripping knobs to slow my pace. I remembered some snowboarding techniques and made the delicate section.

Without anyone around my pace was solely mine. Probably great for Lance, Miguel or Greg � but not me. I gained focus into the second lap. Every section of the technical portion was made without touching down. I was able to pass slower racers from the sprint race in great locations. Thanks everybody for making that safe and easy.

On the run, I ran to chase down the next racer I saw: some sprinters, and hopefully one or two extreme distance riders. The finish line came up on time. Thanks Tri-California. Thanks Tinley.

Matt Smart
Outside All Day

Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor