Geoff Gunderson's Blog (9)

So, Team Oakland is sponsoring this particular race in the BASP series. Automatically it becomes a bigger deal, at least in my world. We have to represent, and do right by our sponsors. Working w/ Pilarcitos for going on 7 years now makes things easier, as we have developed an outstanding relationship with them. They did up the banners and entry way to the race, and the team showed up and partied and the rest of the teams showed up and partied and ended up being a great night.



Sierra… Continue

Surf City did a double race weekend for their series, not sure how it turned out for them, but since I work on Saturdays, and I'm already taking the Saturday off for the BASP night race (we are sponsoring the race, after all...) I get to miss the Halloween race. Darn, I like festival races. So the next day, Dia de los Muertos, I go down and hit it up. The course this time was a mix of Surf City and Peak races of the past few years. The course stayed up on the...East(?) portion of the grounds… Continue

Pilarcitos had to come up with a course in a tertiary location in order to keep the series going smooth. The original location, Candlestick Park is a victim of park closures, and negotiations w/ the East Bay Park and Rec Dept regarding an East Bay location got stalled by one well placed ass. So adjust, Coyote Point is a great place. They came through with permits and the crew designed a course that stayed away from the beach and flats that will be preserved for the series final in Dec. So using… Continue

Surf City #1, Soquel High School, Soquel. After last weeks total kick in the kidneys I was looking forward to a flatter course, and Soquel HS is pretty flat. Also it's a great venue. I had thought going into this season I had a better fitness base than last year. Not entirely evidenced by last weeks performance, I was humbled in the reality that I may be in better shape to start the season that last year, but don't go thinking I'm in great shape. Regardless I looked forward to this race as the… Continue

BASP #1: McLaren Park, SF. Once again Tom Simpson has punched us all in the collective gullet for the series opener. The upside is that it's done. I don't hate this course the way some others do, although it's not friendly to anyone whose not in total supreme shape, which I'm not. In December, this course would be better for me, since I'll be stronger then than now. But it's the opener, and it's hard. The course this year is the 4th version in as many years, and I think that's a good thing. I… Continue

Over the past few years I've learned that not everybody shares my affinity for Candlestick Park. I used to live in Portola, and the stick was a place that was rideable to from my house pretty easily, and had dirt. I have always liked the layouts and the courses that I've raced there. Although I've not always enjoyed how bumpy and sandy it can be, I've gotten my best placing ever in a cross race there.



First I want to give a shout out to young Isaiah Rapko, who is killing it this year… Continue

The venue that is Soquel High School is top notch, and the Velo Bella and Surf City crews put on what I think was just about the coolest bike race I've ever been to.



The course was excellent, a bike riders' course. A fit bike riders' course, but one that favors confidant riders. I wouldn't say it's really technical, just that you are not off the bike very much. A ditch, a run up and that's it. Other "run ups" were completely rideable, and reminiscent of the small pitches we'll be… Continue

This course has quickly become infamous. This years' edition was as miserable as previous, but a better course I thought. I got there early, set up, and tried to get my number and a warm up in. I did the best I could in my sweats w/ about 40 minutes of riding time. I had to stop and stretch periodically, so I could get on and off the bike. It was a cool overcast morning, perfect racing weather. I started feebly in the back of the pack, actually felt good on the run up, and then preceded to get… Continue

First CX race of the year, and I was completely shocked at how the intensity was so much more than what I'd been training at. Wow.



I mean, not that this course SHOULD be all that bad, but for me it was. For climbers and those who have good threshold, it's a quickish climb, and then a large recovery. It opens on an uphill, and cuts across a side slope, before going up a longish (for a cross race) climb up a paved path. This climb killed me 4 of the 5 times we went up it. Once up on… Continue