I raced the whole cross season this year.  I wasn't super, but I was out there every weekend, and actually did have a couple good races.  Motivation was pretty high most of the time.  I still have this weekend to race, but no matter what happens it was already a success for me.  Next year for cross my goals will be a little higher, I'd like to get back to form where I can be racing for the W once and awhile.   Maybe I am just dreaming but that never hurt anyone!

Time to start to get the kit set up! 

 Zim, Rients and I rocked it at the superfarm yesterday.  My mtb skills are at about 90%.  I crashed 3 times but only because I was going so aggro.  I did a full 180 on a turn.  It wasn't quite like my 360 I pulled at spirit mountain one year, but still.  I raced last weekend if you want to call it that.  I showed my face, sometimes that is all you can do.

Who is zak daab?

 Did better this week.  I didn't quit, and I didn't get lapped.  Still not riding super though.  Just kinda rolled around.  The course was pretty fun at the YMCA, a few too many turns for my liking, but can't complain too much.  Frye took some cool pics.  

This brought me $10.

 Lead the first lap.  Then, well.  As Donimator11@twitter put it:

"I thought @Danswanson11 looked the best in the A race today.  Technically he put on a clinic.  Think he didn't?"

I kinda think the tour is bad for bike racing.  

Seems like during and after no one wants to race anymore?

Weekday racing is over for the year? 

Here is a pic to make the blog post a little bit longer.

Oh, I went mtbing.  I used to be a pro.  I think with 2 weeks practice I could be good again.  If only daytons woods wasn't banned to bikes.  

 It seems to be crit season now.  I have gained just enough fitness to no longer feel like I am dieing in all the races.  I am able to make some moves, and have fun out there.  Hopkins went well, for us.  We raced an "almost" perfect race in my view, but Zimmerman, and team flanders ruined it on the last corner.  I still got 2nd, but it would have been nice to pound that one home and break the hopkins curse.  The one race that our team has never won.  

Slaughter house was fun as well. Small fields this week, but we still had 3 guys race.  Mean Dawg, Williams, and I.  I thought Andy had the winning move on lap one, but it came back, and Williams got in the winning move, but got beat to the line by Hackworthy and Woell, The Dawg and I countered the field on the last lap, and got 4th and 5th I think? 

No racing for me this weekend.  Good luck to Grandstay up in St Cloud!

Did anyone see that Rhombus at Hopkins?   Best video of a bike race I have ever seen... 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=580242038479&ref=mf

Not sure if that can be viewed by the public or not.  

I am really good with lighter fuel!

Pretty much a perfect day on saturday.  Started my day with my family at the cabin, and finished with a bunch of friends watching fireworks.  Winning a bike race in between.  I haven't been riding as good as I would like this year, but helped the moral some.  Not the hardest or biggest field of the year, but still a fun and well run race.  Nice to win a microphone race, even if I get announced as Dougs Brother.  

Thanks Dan and Linda for the party afterwards and letting me run the grill.  Pics to follow hopefully.  

Played in the rain some on tuesday.  It was really hard to get going but once we did, it was fun.  Too bad more people didn't come out, but I understand. 

Photos from Cat6.

Mean Dawg graduated. Good Job.

Grandstay is racing in NVGP.  Good Job.

I turned 30. Good Job.

Rode my bike 145 miles into a headwind.  Good Job.

100% all around!

 Haven't updated for a long time.  Since my last update I have raced my bike 10 times.  I pedaled it really good sometimes and other times not quite as good.  It is fun pedaling the bike around with my friends.  I am going to do it again tomorrow.  Maybe I have a better update then.  

I was watching the tour de Giro on the you tube. and thought this was pretty fun.  Yeti found!

After the bike race on tuesday we are going to have a little party for the mean dawg.  He done really good at got him one of them degrees. 100%!

 Another fun day of racing bikes.   It has been alot of fun racing this year because our team seems to be riding pretty well together.  It makes it alot of fun.  A couple attacks but our team kept everything in check and didn't let anything get out of hand. Even together we tried to keep the pace somewhat reasonable to prevent attacks.  It seemed to work pretty good.  I got popped off on the top of the hill on the third lap.  Actually I almost crashed a nature valley rider david, and it got me flustered and I lost a wheel.  I slowly got myself back in the game thanks to Jimmer and then mean dawg, and we got back in a couple miles.  In the end our team had Doug and Casper off with Woell, so I estimated our chances at about 90%.  Our team patroled the front and tried to get 4th in the end.  I think we Ended up 1st,3rd, 6th,10th,11th,12th,13th,14th.  I was 14th.   It would have been cooler to have that bunch of 10th-14th 4th-8th but that is aok.  

Right now, I am trying to watch LBL live on some EURO feeds, it is good for a couple minutes then it bonks out.  I am starting to get frustrated with it!

I had a really fun time at durand.  The most fun I have had at a bike race in a long time!  I was really happy with all my teammates, everyone seemed to be in a good mood and rode well.  I felt really bad for mean dawg.  He flatted like 15 seconds into the race.  At least he got to hop in and ride around with the group for the last 4 laps.  He stayed at the back and out of the way of the racing.   The race it self was kinda uneventful.  No real breakaways that had any really threat.  I don't think anyone ever got more then a minute or out of sight.  Our team spent a good chunk of time on the front riding pace.  

A couple good moves at the end on the last hill, but it wasn't quite hard enough to stay away or whittle down the big group.  It was a crazy finish, and someone Doug and Ian latched up and made an awesome move.  Jens and I were on the other side, but didn't want to try to put that move in jeopardy.  I tried to follow wheels and roll in top 10 still, but got into someone, and broke my front wheel, and had to clip out, but at least avoided crashing.  Doug emerged from that group someone and held everyone off.  I couldn't believe it.  

High fives all around to the team.  It was too bad Micah and Matt couldn't have been there as well, next time guys!   Good job guys, it is going to be a fun year!

1.  Nice nice night out for bike racing.  Really fun to see everyone again. 

2.  Felt pretty slow, but managed a couple points.  Yup, Yup.  

3.  Doug got 19, so that was cool.

Alot has happened since the last update.  I'll try to be better once season starts up in a week. 

I have been riding some.  Not as much as I would like, but hopefully enough that I don't get dropped.  

We pedaled around real good for awhile this last weekend.  Legs are starting to feel better, yet right now they feel worse then they have in a long time.  

Doug missed out.  I guess some things are more important then bike riding.  Hard to believe.  

Great bunch of teammates I have.  Glad to get a couple new ones as well this year.  Should be fun, and hopefully we win some races!  

I am Dan Swanson, and I am SPECIALIZED!

Season is getting closer.  I rode the nice bike today.  The first ride on any new bike is unique.  It took a good ten minutes to get the seat height just right.  It was close from the beginning, but that mm is touchy thing.  The older I get, the more I notice as well.  After that the bike pretty much pedaled it self around.  I didn't have rocket speed out there, but it was fun.  The SRAM is going to take some getting used to.  I am not sure about the hoods either yet.  It is a different feel that is for sure.  It is smooth though, and never missed a shift, but that that double tap is going to take some brain reprogramming.