FOR SALE

Hey Everyone,

Cross season is just around the corner...look what I just found!  The trusty Blue Norcross SL in  a 56cm frame.  An oldie but a goody.  With all new cables and housing, and a new chain, this rig is race ready.  Complete with Shimano Dura Ace 7800 (46tooth DA cross specific big ring) & Easton Carbon Post and  Easton Carbon Bar you can't go wrong.  $1500 and its yours.  Wheels not included, but I do have some for sale...just ask tubulars and clinchers.  I have more pictures too if you want them...Just shoot me an e-mail brimatter@hotmail.com

back to back

Back to back big training weeks and back to back WORS races.

It feels good to take a little breather right now.  Everything seems to be coming together nicely and I'm on track as far as my plan for the season.

I raced the past 3 weekends in a row. Starting with Miners Revenge.  After Miners it was a hard week of training that left me feeling pretty drained for another HOT HOT HOT one at Alterra.

thanks Maja for the cold water

I'm not sure why, but I had it in my head that the Elite 9.9 was the way to go for Alterra and I was wrong.  I was not comfortable on the bike at all and couldn't turn a corner to save my life.  When I got to the climbs I was hoping to be able to stand on the pedals and accelerate, but it was so bumpy I was forced to sit back down and watch the leaders ride away.  In the end I was pretty lucky that a few guys flatted and a few guys crashed and I was able to secure a 3rd place finish after a good final 2 laps.

After Alterra my motivation was a little low and the fatigue was high, but a new road bike always helps that!!!  Meet the new Domane!

complete w/ Ultegra DI2 & a sweet paint job!

I started good and had a pretty solid first 2 laps.  Unfortunately a little lapped traffic mishap opened a small gap between Tristan and I that I just couldn't close.  I'm still missing just a little top end fitness, but I have plenty of time to get there :)  Sunburst is one of those courses where the harder you try the slower you go....and the lapped traffic just made it more challenging for me to get into a good rhythm.  I started to feel the empty burn as Tristan put 15-20 seconds on me per lap.  I thought for sure the chasing duo of Corey and Tyler would catch me, but again you can only go so fast on that course.  I finished a solid 2nd.

I felt great during the week of training, but again it left me a little drained for Sunburst...another scorcher of a race.  This time is was just as hot, but less shade to hide in...totally exposed.  I was actually feeling better after my bigger week of training than the previous week and I was back on the Top Fuel.

thanks Paul for the cold water

I started good and had a pretty solid first 2 laps.  Unfortunately a little lapped traffic mishap opened a small gap between Tristan and I that I just couldn't close.  I'm still missing just a little top end fitness, but I have plenty of time to get there :)  Sunburst is one of those courses where the harder you try the slower you go....and the lapped traffic just made it more challenging for me to get into a good rhythm.  I started to feel the empty burn as Tristan put 20 seconds on me per lap during the last half of the race.  I thought for sure the chasing duo of Corey and Tyler would catch me, but again you can only go so fast on that course.  I finished a solid 2nd.

Now its time for some much deserved R&R before Ore To Shore.  Thanks for reading.

Vacation!

Finished up my first break of the year with an awesome vacation 'up north'.  It was Oscor's first trip to the cabin in Eagle River, July 4th, and our 7 year wedding anniversary!  We celebrated in style with a long weekend of having fun and doing one of the sweetest races around!

exiting the mine

The Miners Revenge....you can't get much more old school and original than this one.  Racing through the Adventure Mine for an extended period of time, in complete darkness, with condensation dripping,  short ceilings (4ft at one point in the cave), huge puddles, cool temps(48 degrees in the cave)......but thats not even the cool part in my book.  The start line drawn in the dirt, the awesome UP atmosphere, the demanding technical climbs, and some real descending!  Add a crazy summer T-Storm to the mix Friday night before the race to make the whole thing a mud bath and you've got one crazy event.

With the mud and the hard climbing I opted to race my brand new Elite 9.9 from Trek.  Yep thats right...the most technical race of the year and this full suspension lover went old school and raced a hardtail.  It was pretty fun too.  The bike was lightning fast on the climbs, the XTR was flawless in the mud w/ a little help from the Pro Gold Xtreme chain lube.  All in all a great way to break in a new bike...check it out

Watch more video of Brian Matter on cyclingdirt.org

I broke my own rule and raced with a GoPro...with a lap to go I crashed and had to stop to put the GoPro in my pocket....thats why I don't race with a GoPro....

It did make for some awesome footage though...especially through the mine...however the lens did fog up a bit along w/ my Oakleys, from the 30+ degree temperature change coming out of the mine!

Andrea was pumped to win a new t-shirt from the raffle!

Back home now and into the next phase of training - intervals...things started off real good with the first 20 minute test of the year!  Looking forward to more intervals on Lakeshore Dr. and some WORS racing after 6 weeks away.  Ore To Shore is now on the radar...I've got my plan all set to go....do you know what you are doing?  If not check this out from Momentum Endurance!

Racing then Restin

Coaching has been great and with race season in full swing I've been busy.  Trying to balance my training, coaching, sponsorship for cross season, and being a full time mechanic is fun, but its challenging and definitely takes up a lot of time!  Especially when the last week of training was big...real big.

My last week of training was pretty tough.  I was shooting for 22 or 23 hours of solid riding.  Add on top of that the core workouts, the yoga, and the heat...yep the heat.  On Tuesday and Wednesday w/ some big hours on the schedule it was scorching.  I was already a little fatigued from Jr. Mtb Camp and racing the Keewenaw Chain Drive.  The heat did me in...I got too dehydrated and my body shut down.  I had to take Thursday and Friday completely off the bike....kind of ruined my plans for finishing big...but as a coach I know things don't always go to plan and you have to adapt.  So I did...I waited till my body was recovered and feeling good and then got back down to business.  Sunday was a solid 3 hours and with a change in schedule a new opportunity presented itself.  TOAD was in my backyard.  An 80 mile road race!

Driving the break w/ John Murphy -
photo credit - Karl

So I pinned on the numbers and went out and had a blast racing with the best guys in the country.  I worked really hard the first half of the race to get in the break...and I made it.  Towards the end I was hurting, but so was everyone else.  I didn't like my chance in the sprint...so I went for the suicide attack with 3k's to go.  I got caught with about 1k to go and ended up last out of the guys in the break....but I went for it!!!

After the race I cruised around for another 20 miles or so to make it 100 on the day.  Then I went out and put the nail in the coffin on Tuesday with a solo 5 hour ride.  By the end I was smashed and ready for a break.







I enjoyed watching the TOAD crit in Sheboygan from the sidelines.  I built up my new secret weapon thanks to Bontrager and Shimano!

I started up with a new client coaching.  I read a book.  I cleaned some bikes.  Andrea, Oscor the In-Laws and I went for a birthday picnic down by the lake.  Just living it up and getting ready for the next phase of training...until then I'll be cold chillin'!

My recliner just got sweeter!!!