Well I haven't posted in awhile. After the last race I took most of the week taking it easy. My legs were cooked and mentally I was tired. I have been doing some rides during the last couple of weeks. I skipped last weekends race. (they drop the lowest) but I will be competing the last two races, this weekend and next weekend and the cross season is over.

I went out today with Tyler, Mike and James. We did just over 34 miles avg. 17.6. It was a nice ride. We ended up riding out to Perry and doing the Perry Roubaix course. Good times.

It was beautiful day in Dallas, Ga. Daryl Sawyer and gang put on an excellent race. Plenty of sand and mud. Grant, Ethan, and Mark made the journey, good group of guys. I had a great start, sucked in the middle, and held my own at the end outsprinting a guy for 3rd overall. Josh Stinger had some bad luck, he has won the last two races and I believe on the last lap he had a flat. That's why I was 3rd. As much as I like 3rd it sucks that I benefited by someones misfortune, he's a cool guy.

Ethan was 3rd in the C class, Mark and Grant finished in the low 20's, but don't qoute me on theirs.

Here are some photos taken by Mark.







On a different note, I switched from my SRAM components on the cross bike to Shimano Dura Ace 7800. I love SRAM components but for me the older hoods on the DA stuff is great for cross and I find it less effort to shift it during a cross race.

I got fouth in Savannah last weekend. I wasn't to happy with the outcome. I should have done better but thats racing. It did move me up to second overall in the men's B.

I am looking forward to tomorrow. We are headed to Dallas, GA. I heard on the forum that the lower part of the course will be extremely muddy. It shall be fun.

For your viewing enjoyment check out www.bartape.net. It follows the Cervelo Test Team. Pretty cool.

Video found here.

I think I am officially obsessed with cyclo-cross.

Gran Prix of Gloucester - A Cyclocross Film from Benjamin Eckstein on Vimeo.

I started off today with a nice 1 hour cruise to get the legs ready for this weekends punishment in Savannah. The state championship cross race is this weekend. Two weekends ago I placed 3rd. I had amazing legs but with this last weekend off I am interested to see how my legs respond to some hard efforts later this week. Ft Yargos race was canceled last weekend which was nice because that was going to be my dropped race. I had family things going on which were more important.

Tomorrow mornings ride will be mainly a cruise but with some short hard efforts thrown in. Thursday will be a nice 45min-1hr cross workout followed by some stretching. Hydration is always on my mind especially leading up to a big event.

We should have at least 6 guys going from the shop. I have to figure out all the logistics, drive time, eating, packing everything in the least amount of space, etc., stuff I like to do.