Blog
Last week I made a qiuck jaunt down to Austin to visit family and friends. It was a nice low-key trip and great time seeing some of the high school bros and Texas racing family. We took advantage of the lower elevation to do some power testing, and I came away feeling very, very pleased with how the strength and fitness has progressed since this time last year. I capped off a great week by racing the TMBRA State Champs series finale at Rocky Hill Ranch. The Texas racing series has to end their season in mid May due to the heat... we're ju...
A very fun and productive collegiate road campaign is now complete, and finished off with nationals this past weekend in Ogden, UT. Wednesday and Thursday was spent settling in to our swank host house, spinning out the legs, some picture-taking, and inspecting the TTT course- a rolling 32 kilometers on Antelope Island in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. Friday morning, after cheering on the ladies at their start, Rotem, Griffin, Willy, and I suited up for our race. There was a ripping tailwind on the way out, and consequently killer headwind ...
As I mentioned last week, I planned to finish off my winter break down south with a little racing action at the Excruciation Exam marathon. It turned out to be a super sweet way to cap off my time in Texas, but almost ended up not happening. The Wednesday before the race I woke with a sore throat. Not feeling too bad, I went out for a couple hour ride with Pa and hoped it was just a little one-day deal that wouldn't cause any issue. Unfortunately, as the day progressed I began to feel worse, and that evening while out at dinner with friends, I ...
I haven't written an update since Thankgiving. I apoligize for that, but frankly things have been relatively quiet on the bike riding front. However, while it's still (barely) 2011, I figured I should write the obligatory end of year post. Since last checking in, main agendas have included finishing up the semester at Fort Lewis College, and staying fit. The latter has been accomplished through an entertaining mix of running in the snow, hopping around in the local gym, and the occasional micheline-man road ride with Willy. (It hasn't act...
This past week I traveled back to Austin for Thanksgiving. It was a great week of catching up with family and friends with some warmer weather. I probably missed Yampa the most, our 6 year old rhodesian ridgeback. Those that have met him know how unique a dog he is, and leaving him back in August felt like leaving a little brother. Despite being so close, I wasn't sure if he'd remember me after more than 3 months away. He did remember me, and for the first time since he was a puppy, insisted on sleeping on my bed. Rocked the cowboy hat on...
After my first season racing bikes back in 2007, I was lucky enough to join Team Bicycle Sport Shop. Bicycle Sport Shop was one of the first bike shops in Austin, and I believe the first one ever to sell mountain bikes. Fourteen years ago I got my first bike there, a tiny black Dyno with 16" wheels. Fast forward a handful of years and I was now flying the "BSS" colors at TMBRA series races across the state. As I continued to work and develop as a racer, I began to have more success, and decided to chase my dream of becoming a professional racer...
Anyone interested in a 2011 Specialized S-Works Epic 29er, listen up! These bikes were used by a professional development team for the 2011 season. Most of the componentry on all the bikes has been replaced at least once, and all are in incredible condition. Sizes Medium and Large. These retailed for $9,900 (the 2012 is listed at $10,500). The asking price of these 1 year old, "like new" bikes is $6,000. You can take a look at the bikes here. Feel free to contact me: paysonmcelveen at gmail dot com
A few days ago I replaced the front tire on my road bike. I was planning to go for a longer ride on some rougher roads, and the tire had started to show some signs of its age in the form of some cracks and bare fibers. The tire was the original one that came on the bike when I got it back in December. It reminded me of some pretty striking irony. When I first took the road bike out on its maiden voyage way back in December of '10, I hit a small patch of mundane-looking gravel, and the rear tire blew. I fixed it, chuckling at the irony of flatti...
Following the knee injury I sustained at Sol Vista last weekend, I was not in a happy place. I've had quite a few injuries over the last 5 or 6 years, but they never seem to get any easier to stomach. Few things are more frustrating than being sidelined by a silly mistake that resulted in injury, especially when things are going well. So, I was very excited when I woke up the morning after busting my knee to see that the swelling had gone down considerably. The healing process has been refreshingly quick, and as of a few days ago I'm back on th...
A few weeks ago while I was still back in Austin, I was busy preparing for the big move. That included the usual things like packing and making sure I was outfitted for life without my parents, but also saying farewells to friends. Around that time one of my closest racing friends, Rick Wetherald, was headed down to San Antonio to a friends house for a weekend of bike riding and wakeboarding. Realizing I was headed off soon, he invited me along. We had an awesome weekend hanging out and having fun, complete with pleny of little "mini-adventures...