DZ Nuts Is Where It's At !

Yesterday was my return to cyclo-cross racing. Ok, its not like I left it as some champion and am coming out retirement. I raced three CX races in 2006 and had big plans for continuing on, but its in the fall so you wait all summer to race. In 2007 we had a baby, Sofia, and I only had time to do a few races--which were duathlons. Then I got into tri's and haven't been interested in road or cx. However, thanks to Joe (Moyer) for buying a cx bike, it rekindled my interest.

The race yesterday was pretty intense! Joe & Ann Moyer, Jeremy Ekman and I all carpooled. Ann and Jeremy spectated and took pix while Joe and I suffered! I will post some pix up in the next few days. Skinny Ski has a ton of photos already--here are just a few (top: Mario, Joe below):

The plan was that Joe and I race the C race (30+ minutes) then we register and race the B race (45+ minutes). However, this race was more of a mountain bike race than a CX race--there was a pretty challenging section of single track too. Joe and I preroad and decided 'not' on the B race. Joe has very little off-road riding experience and no mtb racing experience. We road at Eastwood park (former home of the MN CX Championship--years ago) last weekend then he raced in Hudson on Oct 18 so thats the extent of his CX resume. If Green Acres was an open plains with trails type of CX course he could have done the B race and done well, but this course was a bit too technical. It was a bit technical for me, but the mtb skills came back after a couple warm up laps and I had a pretty decent race. I am pretty suprised that Joe didn't go down at all, but if it involves a bike, he seems to adapt pretty fast. As far as my effort goes, I was pegged at 184 at some point and averaged 172 (which is my threshold).

For the CX impaired, they set up races by time: C= 30 minutes, B= 45 minutes, A= 60 minutes. Then they put categories in each race. I don't have an annual license anymore so I can only race with a one-day license and that puts me in the C race, or the A race in the 'open age 35+' ). They have an age 45+ in the B race, but no 35+. NO WAY am I racing the A race for 60 minutes with pro's Cat 1's and 2's. So, after the C race we cleaned up, when and got something to eat, then came back and watch the A race as we waited for the post-race awards and drawings. They gave away a ton of little stuff, plus a Fuji Cross bike (ultegra equipt), set of $1000+ HED road/cross wheels, and an $800 set of HED carbon aero bars. Joe won a LG skull cap, but I didn't win anything. Results from the C race are HERE. Other results are here.

Here are some random pix--poor guys: (Mmm...The sweet taste of mud in the morning!)

(How did he get that far from his bike...?)

Oh, about DZ Nuts (pronounced 'deez'). DZ Nuts is a chamois cream created by David Zabriskie (if you don't know who David is, you should, so google him). Their slogan is:
"DZ Nuts - Protect your junk." Anyway, I have been so used to little to no padding in my tri shorts or suit that when it came time for racing in an off road/road uniform, it was like I had a diaper on. But not a good diaper. It was getting uncomfortable and I asked Joe if he had the same problem. He didn't, but it was because he used DZ Nuts. I told him I have mainly used Chamois Butt'r or Aquaphor, but didn't use anything yesterday. After he explained how 'awesome' DZ Nuts are (I mean is), he said "DZ nuts is where its at!" Taken out of context, its a pretty funny (or disturbing) thing to hear. You gotta go the DZ website and watch the video footage of David, Lance, and Levi, talking about DZ products. Pretty dang funny!