That familiar feeling

Five years ago, a friend of mine handed me an envelope with 30 sheets of paper inside and said, 'These will make you strong.'

On each of those sheets, which I still have, is a different indoor trainer workout. I may be one of the only people I know who doesn't mind getting on a trainer, but that's not to say I don't fear it just a little bit every time I climb onto my bike down in the basement. The attractive part of having to do this is the pureness and quality of each workout. You get what you put in...

I'm not one to watch movies or TV while the time ticks away on the heart rate monitor. It's all business and it takes as much focus as possible to survive through those workouts! I must say, after five years of doing these through the winter, the proof is in the pedaling and I'm staying loyal to the program. However, per an earlier post on this blog, I have diversified my training and I'm feeling the benefits of a new and fresh routine.

Nordic skiing has taken me in and I'm finding myself hoping for snow for the first time in almost 8 years! (I'll still appreciate the dry Front Range roads for the road riding...) AND, it's hard to imagine a better view on your way to a workout.



In other news, Filament just acquired a new Keurig coffee brewer (courtesy of Rachel) and with crazy looming deadlines coupled with tired legs and arms, it couldn't have come at a better time!

It's fun and humbling being a beginner

It's been quite some time since I've put pen to paper, er, fingers to keyboard on this dusty old blog. However, the reason for the neglect is a good one. I've started skate skiing.



Let me tell you, this is hard. Thanks to my elite and patient 3 member instructional team, I've been hitting the trails in beautiful Mazama, Washington.



I didn't think it would hit me the way it did, but yes - I'm in love with the sport. Now if I can just spend a few years working on technique, I may be able to hang with my friends out there...

To top it all off, I had an excellent Thanksgiving weekend with with top-notch company. I believe it was the first time any of us four 'young adults' really attempted a full-on Thanksgiving feast on our own. And yes - it all turned out amazingly...

Moules et Frites

Having never traveled abroad during the first 27-or-so years of my life, I've been making up for it with a vengeance over the last four. One aspect of traveling the world I really enjoy is meeting new friends. During the previous three trips to Belgium and France to shoot with the Leopard Trek athletes, I met Kim Tiebergyn, a seasoned, but young moto driver for filmmakers and photographers. Having driven for Getty Images and photographers like Tim De Waele, I felt like I was sneaking on to the back of Kim's moto. Although cruising (at 100km/h!) down a bike path (illegally!) in the town of Kortrijk following Fabian Cancellara from the back of a moto seems dangerous, I felt more than comfortable with Kim at the helm.

Turns out he and his girlfriend, Célien, have some culinary talents as well. Not taking 'no' for an answer, Paul, from Trek, and I were invited over for a nice dinner consisting of salad, mussels, and fries - the national meal of Belgium. Not sure how many mussels makes up 5 Kilos, but I can tell you it's a lot!




Another perk of being in Belgium is access to good ol' traditional waffle stands.



As November approaches, so does my memory of riding the trainer. I'm ready for it, though. And, since I don't race 'cross, my cycling updates have suffered from slow news days. For me, I'm looking forward to a new start in training for 2012. I'm also looking forward to seeing my friends out on those cold and snowy roads this winter in hopes to have some socializing during the upcoming long and chilly rides.

As Winter starts to show it's potential around here, I thought I'd share a couple nice photos from a great Fall.

Diving into the off-season (and Lake Michigan)

And.... It's a wrap on what's been a long, but fruitful bike racing season. That statement feels odd to write, but when I think back to our team training camp, it feels appropriate.

Although my season ended a week earlier than I wanted, I'm happy to be eating french fries, taking trips without having to fit workouts in, enjoying the Fall, and - of course - planning on how I'm going to be better next season. A big congratulations goes out to Josh Tostado on his 3rd consecutive solo 24 hour national championship. This man is an incredible athlete and one of the good guys of the sport. I know what I would have had to put myself through to compete against him last weekend and although that scared me during the run-up to nationals, I was looking forward to the rematch! Falling ill before your big event is never easy to swallow, but that's life. Next season...

I just had the best 4 days of Fall that you could probably have by spending them in Traverse City, MI. Having never been, I hit the ground running via the perfect local (and once local) contingent of new friends.

I could go on and on about how beautiful it is up there, but it won't do it justice. Instead, I'll post a very small slice of the photo pie here with the bullet-points of what we did.

The Bruski-Sturtz home-town reception. Wine tour. Movies and baseball at home. Great food. Swimming in Lake Michigan (in October?!). Gallivanting around town. Beautiful Fall colors. And most of all... I spent four days with great people.

No Outs.

It seems so much time goes by in the blink of an eye. (I say this, of course, when I'm under deadlines - but when it comes to racing a bike for 24 hours straight, well, that's another story)

The last two months have been filled with countless flights to everywhere for both film-making and cycling. As much as I love both, the truth is they don't always mix well. My journeys to Park City and South Dakota proved to me that you just never know what to expect when you've been traveling for weeks without a bike. The Park City Point to Point was an incredibly challenging and humbling day. I knew from the very first short climb that my time up front with the leaders was going to expire quickly - and expire it did. I cracked big time. Let me tell you, friends - when you have even a slightly bad day in a race that boasts 14,000 feet of climbing in 78 miles you will lose time. I didn't have a slightly bad day - I had a pretty disastrous day. My text message here to my friend, Kelly, the night before the race may have been the first clue into my ill-fated day! (And Kelly's maiden name is actually 'Keim' - sorry Kel)



Even with a disastrous day happening, it's hard to have a bad day on the bike for me. The PCPP is put on by some of the best promoters in the sport and the course is just amazing. I can live with that lackluster result given the fact I was treated to such great riding.

After my 'insult to injury' interval immediately following the race (I had to ride 5 more miles to the hotel where my car was) I was rushing to Salt Lake to catch a flight to South Dakota. I was pleased to open up a copy of Hemispheres magazine on my United flight and see, in all its glory, Rachel Sturtz's feature on the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. What was even cooler than that was seeing several other passengers flipping through their copies and stopping on that feature.




The Dakota Five-O is another great race put on by a great promoter, Perry Jewett. I was amazed at the fact I held on for 4th after the shellacking I received the day before. My whole family was out in full force handing up water bottles and cheering LOUDLY! The Five-O has sort of become a new tradition for my family to get together and have a small reunion and it's a weekend I look forward to every year.



A week later I found myself on the back of a motorcycle shooting footage of the Half-Ironman World Championships in Las Vegas. Paul and I are currently producing the 5th and final episode of 'Driven' for Trek.



One of the best parts about shooting with a group of athletes is that you get to know them really well and while your aiming a camera in their face all day while they suffer, I think it's a welcome face behind the camera that they appreciate.



Before the start, in the wee hours of the morning, I was grabbing some footage of Australian, Joe Gambles, as he prepped his bike and warmed up for the swim. I noticed from a distance he was hacking and coughing as he was putting his swim cap on. I knew something wasn't right, but I hoped the best for him as I knew he was on target for the worlds.

During the race he tore himself inside out and managed a respectable 5th place. Afterward I overheard him tell one of the sponsors that he woke up with a cold, but if he mentioned anything before the event he would have given himself an out. This is great information for someone like me, who feels like there are more than a couple 'outs' lingering in preparation for the national championships. The truth is, there aren't any outs. I've signed up for everything on my schedule and part of the challenge is doing the best I can.


Two weeks to go for the Solo 24 Hour Nationals. These two weeks are going to be packed full with some very exciting work happening. Stand by for some big news on the film front. (well, I hope it will be big news...)

A European Colorado

It's no secret that Colorado is an athletic state. When the US Pro Cycling Challenge rolled through the high Rocky Mountain passes and finished up in downtown Denver via Speer Blvd - we all saw that these weren't just your local road criterium crowds. This, my friends, was the realist deal there is in the world of cycling. Watching Cadel Evans, the Schleck brothers, Levi Leipheimer, the Garmin team, and many others suffer up our local training road, Lookout Mountain, I was covered in goosebumps. The crowds (and speed of the team cars!) were reminiscent of a European road race.



I'm actually not sure why I love cycling so much, but whatever it is, the grip it has on me is tightly locked. Over the last couple years, I've lost more of the tech gadgets - and a watch and ipod are about the only gadgets I ride with these days. I'm out to enjoy the quaint mountains and push myself to my limits. Pure fun.



After a 3-week hiatus from racing to shoot some Music Voyager episodes...




...I'm about to get a rude awakening in Park City, UT followed by a kick in the shin in Spearfish, SD. These two races are made up of incredible trails and terrain. I think the total mileage and altitude gain with the races on Saturday and Sunday weigh in at 128 miles with 19,000 ft of climbing. I guess I can chalk it up to training and experience with the latter being more important. I'm looking forward to seeing a huge group of my cheering family out on course in SD followed by homemade banana splits from my uncle Pat.

It's going to be a good weekend on the bike... and off - when I have some ice cream in my hands!

There's more than just Graceland here.

Memphis, TN has won me over. From it's less than shiny aesthetic to the talented and proud locals who've helped sculpt a part of American music history, Memphis is just one of those towns you have to visit to feel what it's about.

We're packing up and leaving today, but not without a solid send-off from our friend, Scott Bomar. Scott is a kind and unassuming guy who just happens to be one of the most talented people I've met on this trip. If you've seen the movies, 'Hustle and Flow' and/or 'Black Snake Moan', you've seen (or more appropriately, heard) his work. He composed the soundtracks for those films and others. He's also in a band and owns a studio here in Memphis. I'll admit that I couldn't get enough of his stories about the people he's worked with and the process of scoring films.

Well, we're off to Bristol next. We're staring at a 9-hour drive so I'm more than happy I brought my good headphones. I could use the break today from running, too. It's been a sizable challenge trying to stay in shape, but I think I'll be okay for when we get back to CO - and back to my mountain bike.

This was pretty powerful. I've seen it in photos so many times, but being there was incredible.


Our trip coincided with the 34th anniversary of Elvis' death. We were able to get an all-access experience for the vigil.


Amy Lavere and her band played in an old Victorian mansion. Although we were losing light fast, it turned out great.



The marquee pretty much says it all.


We've been treated like family on the trip. I was given some prize fruits and veggies from Jamie and Suzanne, (Grascals). Fun Fact: the tomato I'm slicing up here is Dolly Parton's absolute favorite vegetable. I happen to know this because Jamie, Suzanne and Dolly are good friends... What?!

The Tennessee Voyage

As I sit here in this Nashville hotel downloading hours of footage from yesterday's Music Voyager shoot, it almost feels like we were in Colombia only a few weeks ago doing the same. However, as the crew met up in the airport a couple days ago, we realized that it has been eight months since we shot our final episodes of season two. As Dax (our sound master) pointed out, it's nice having the same core group on the shoot as it was a seamless - and successful - start to our first day of shooting for season three.



Since I couldn't bring my bike with me, I'm falling back on my AIC training and running roots for the two weeks I'm in TN. I can already feel the effects of the learning curve. (AKA sore legs and joints) I was able to explore a little of Nashville yesterday morning on my run and I must say, this is a cool city. I'm looking forward to this whole shoot as we'll traverse across the state and surely see a unique slice of Americana.

The Roys


Alison Brown


Cinematographer Dave

Class defines this group

I owe quite a bit to my friend, Jonathon Davis (Trek Store rider). It seems that whenever I'm in a pinch, running late for a race, forgetting things at race venues, in need of a cross-country bike transport, or just moral support, Jon's there. This was the case this last weekend for the Laramie Enduro. With work breathing down my neck until the late afternoon hours on Friday, I rolled into Laramie well past the 8PM number plate pick-up. The website said 'no packet pick-up after 8 or on race day.' Needless to day, I was stressed on my drive - so guess who I called...



Sending me the numbers of the race directors, Jon bailed me out. With that out of the way and some calming phone conversations, I was able to go to bed, stress free.

Cut to: 4:30AM Saturday morning...

The Laramie Enduro is one of those races that has it all; singletrack, steep and punchy climbs, long climbs, double-track roads, technical sections, and most of all - one hell-of-a 2nd half to make sure you earn that finishing time.

The other thing the Enduro has plenty of is competition. After taking a quick gander around at the start to see who was about to put the hammer down, I realized that trying to reach the podium was in itself going to be a huge task - like it always is! As the race started to unfold, the elevated pace coupled with some mechanicals for the unlucky ones, whittled our group down to 4. Colby Pearce, Barkley Robinson, Jay Henry, and myself were working together before another split put Colby and I out front. I know from experience that Jay can never be counted out. Both Colby and I knew it was a matter of time before he would come steamrolling back - and sure enough - here came Jay!

As we were approaching the last climbs of the day, Jay and I found ourselves alone out front. There were a few moments where Jay lifted the pace and I ALMOST cracked, but I held it together knowing that I needed to keep contact before the last mountain. Proving he's one of the classiest guys in the pro field, Jay offered me a bottle from his own support which allowed me to keep rolling through the aid station before the final, grueling climb. I remember chatting with him on the dirt road leading up to the base of the climb, both admitting that the last thing we wanted was to reach this climb with someone next to you. The reason is that we were racing hard for 4 hours already - and who wants to try and attack at hour four in a mtb race?!

As we started the climb, I told myself (I'm keeping it censored here) that I needed to turn myself inside out, pain is temporary, and my legs don't have the right to yell at me just yet. As the tunnel vision worsened and the lactic acid filled every part of my body, I realized I had a little gap on Jay. For those of you who know Jay, you know that it takes a near miracle for that to happen!

I was able to hold him off by a slim 30 seconds at the finish. It took the best day I could imagine on a bike to pull this off against the likes of the talent who lined up. Jay pushed me to the max and that netted a finishing time under the previous course record for both of us.



For those who like a little more analytical info, the key to success for me is eating and staying hydrated. This is true for everyone, of course, but if I'm even a little off - I'm done, cooked, and blown apart. I chose to eat the Pink Lemonade Stinger chews the whole race because they went down easy, tasted good, and provided enough calories - in addition to some calories in the bottle. Boy does it feel good to have nailed the nutrition...

Again, huge thanks to Jon, Jay, Curt W, Honey Stinger, Trek, Bontrager and the classy group of gals and guys that make up the mountain bike community.

Sea breezes and thin air

It's pretty amazing how a little break from everything can recharge a person. This is, of course, if you let it recharge you. Most of the time, when I travel for fun I have way too many things on my mind to fully soak in new experiences, locations, food and sunshine. I'm proud to say that I've made leaps and bounds towards figuring out the balance of relaxing versus working.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm getting older - or less naive - but I'm slowly realizing that working and racing my bike take some serious energy. And that falling asleep in my chair at work (and sometimes wishing I could take a 20 second nap while training) isn't normal.

After the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, I raced in Winter Park the following Saturday. This gave me only 4 days to try and recover from that brutal effort we all put in the previous Monday. Although the race went pretty good, I had a big realization when it came time to dig deep, suffer, and try and stay with the two leaders. I pretty much said to myself, 'Oh man, not sure if I want to race these guys!'. Well, that's no good. Especially when it's your job as a pro to race. I did hold on to finish 3rd - and 3rd to two extremely talented gentlemen I might add. Upon finishing the race I realized I needed to not only take a break from the bike, but just get out of Dodge completely for a few days. Recharging was the only item on the to-do list.

An opportunity to visit Rachel in Seattle came up and I jumped at the thought of getting up there and to take in the Northwest. I've only spent a little time in Seattle, also known as the Emerald City. Think of the rich green forests. (thanks Wikipedia)

I did bring my road bike since I knew I had a day to explore - AND I was going to have a 'guide' who had some plans to cruise on the Burke-Gilman trail and head out to the beach. With this free week before the Breckenridge 100, (I'll get to that in a second) I was free to enjoy good food, relaxation and a casual schedule. I pretty much took advantage of this and enjoyed every minute of it.



I really owe a huge thanks to Rachel for being an incredible host and making this all happen. I was sent back to Colorado ready and recharged. (and not without the added bonus day after my return flight was cancelled...) I can only try and repay the favor.



One word can describe the Breckenridge 100. Ouch.

Around 14,000 feet of elevation gain over 100 miles, the B100 is a race that pretty much humbles anyone who tries it. Coming off a week at sea level, I found myself out of breath just walking up the stairs to our hotel room. Did that make me a little nervous? Yes, yes it did. However, when we rolled out of town at 6AM and up Wheeler Pass to start the first of three different loops, I felt incredible. I had the mental strength to push it and the legs (and most of my lungs) to push the pace.

Looking around at my fellow competitors in the group, I knew I was in for a tough day. Josh Tostado and Jeff Schalk are the real deals when it comes to 100 milers. I hung on for 50 miles and was feeling incredible, but at that halfway mark I started feeling the lack of endurance in my legs. I don't usually race this distance this time of year - and this was a slap in the face (er, punch in the nose) to remind me that you can't just show up without that type of fitness in the legs.



All in all, I had a good day and a lot of fun. Schalk took the win while Josh finished 2nd in a great battle. Two class-acts who both deserve to win.



As a cap to the crazy weekend, we're shooting a new top-secret project which has been a ton of fun. I even got to jump off a ledge into the Arkansas river...

Burnin' like a firecracker on the 4th of July

It's that time my friends. Time to say, 'I'm ready.'

As an athlete, I believe it's pretty easy to tell yourself that there's still room for improvement. Although this is pretty much the truth all the time, it's a dangerous place to be perpetually living in. That slippery slope of expectations can be frustrating, daunting, and often times pretty dark. Over the years, I've decided that I can no longer scientifically dissect my preparation leading up to race day, but instead focus on the mental side of the sport.

Coming into July I knew I had a few big races on the calendar I wanted to do well in. It's pretty amazing how easy it is to hide behind the '3 weeks until the race' factor and say, 'I'm going to be so ready!' Then, as the '3 days until the race' falls in your lap, it's just as easy to say, 'Well, I did have a stressful week at work, and I'm a little extra tired from not sleeping well, and . . .' These things may be (and probably are) true, but I've been learning to focus on the hay that's in the barn. We've done the work, which is the hardest part. Focusing on the hours and hours on the bike I've put in is much more productive then focusing on one or two little factors that really aren't a huge deal.

I lined up for the annual Firecracker 50 on the 4th, and as I looked around at the competition I got a little nervous - and yes, doubtful of my form. However, as the gun went off and we rolled down Main Street in Breckenridge, I put everything aside and had to tell myself that anything can happen, the work was done, and most importantly - I apologized to my body in advance for what I was about to put it through.

The Firecracker 50 is made up of two monstrous laps each measuring in at 27 miles and about 5,000 ft of climbing. The first 20-30 minutes of the race is a big climb and as we were all jockeying for position, I made it into one of the first selections. As a group, we were working well together, but what I didn't realize was that the guy who shot off the front, Peter Stetina, was fresh off an impressive 22nd place at the Giro 'd Italia. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone climb so fast in my life.

The 'check engine' light came when I reached the top and I thought my day was already done! I tried to relax and stay steady, which proved to be fruitful in my attempt to get back in the game. As the first lap unfolded, I found myself out front with Colin Cares - and just keeping a slight lead on Jay Henry. Those who know Jay know that it's only a matter of time before he comes steamrolling back towards the front.

As Colin and I worked with each other up that first big climb of the 2nd lap, I knew he was about a gear faster than me. I gritted my teeth to stay with him, but when we hit the top, I just couldn't keep it together and he put some time into me. As the race started nearing the end, Jay (looking and riding so fast!) caught and passed me. I knew if I could keep my cool I would hold onto third, but believe me - that's much harder than it sounds in this race. Good friend and super strong rider, Brian Smith, was just over a minute behind me towards the end. I'm glad I held it together to roll through in 3rd. This was definitely one of my best races due to the fact that it was a mental test as much as physical. For me to be in the same zipcode as Colin, Jay, and Brian is an honor. They're not only great athletes, but great guys.

Honey Stinger/Trek rider Jen Gersbach made the podium for the women's side with an impressive 4th place ride. Looking as fit as ever, I'd say she's in for a good 2nd half of the season.

To top it all off I had some friends show up for the race to spectate - and let me tell you, it's a great feeling to see friends after something like that. Thanks Chris, Britt and Livi.

Vive le Tour!

Today marks the start of the Tour de France. Already fanatical about this event, my interest in the 3 week grand tour has only been pushed deeper by getting to know some of the good people riding in this great race. The following links are products of several trips to Europe, interviews with numerous teammates, shooting looong bike rides, and all-night editing sessions.

Driven by Passion: Jani Brajkovic

Driven by Yellow: Andy and Frank Schleck

There's also been some racing for me lately. (which is good - because that's what I do!) I've said it before, but I still feel I don't say it enough - the Wednesday night Summit Mountain Challenge races in Breckenridge are some of the best races I've done. The courses, competition, and most of all, people involved have made this series a standout. The Gold Run Rush (SMC #2) was re-routed due to record snow this season, but the climbs and course were still really hard, yet a ton of fun. I was able to pull it off - although Josh B (who's flyin' right now) was breathing down my neck, making me earn it!



July is looking to be a big month for my race schedule - which is great since I'll be heading out on a 2 week film shoot in August. I'm lining up for the Firecracker 50 (first time since '08) and then I'll toe the line for the Breckenridge 100. (first time ever) Following that will be my final build-up for nationals, including some fun, but brutal events in Park City, SD, and of course, Colorado.

Here's to Andy, Frank, Jani, and the other 195 riders in the Tour - good luck!

The 'Great' in Grandmother

I've had the true privilege to get to know my great grandmother really well. She would sit with me and share stories of her journey from Russia to the US as a little German girl. She would share with me her experiences on the boat, (hiding inside of a trunk for most of it). She told me about settling on the Prairie in North Dakota. And when she told me stories about my family, I couldn't get enough. I began to realize why I've always held my family in such high regard. I come from a bloodline of great people and last week's visit with my great grandmother, ultimately my last, reiterated this. Two months shy of her 101st birthday, she was sharp and offered up her usual advice on life. I'm going to miss those conversations, but I feel blessed that I've had them. I'm going to miss you grandma.