Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross, Day 2

I’m so glad to not have mud everywhere. The past two cross races have left me with grit in my teeth and my gears. Yesterday and today (especially today) were a different story. Today felt like summer. It was actually dusty on the course! Day 2 of the Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross was spectacular. The weather conditions in Northampton, Massachusetts couldn’t have been better. I wore a skinsuit for the second day in a row and it was noticeably warmer. The temperature rose to the high-60’s (F) and people were lounging around in shorts thanks to the brilliant sunshine and clear blue skies.

Cyclocross is supposed to be cold, windy, and wet, but no one was complaining today. Once again, I did the 35+ race with teammates Wade Summers and Matt Domnarski. Wade had a fine ride to lead our little group. Matt and I finished close together, but a ways back in the pack. Matt was the victim of a couple of crashes, including one where his tire rolled off the rim. He fought back and caught me on the last lap. I felt a little better today, but was still slow. I neglected to put my heart rate monitor on, so I didn’t get any HR data to compare with yesterday. The top three were a little different. Roger Aspholm took first. Matt Kraus was second and Kevin Hines took third. Yesterday’s winner, Jonny Bold, was fourth.

Unlike yesterday, when we left early to explore Northampton, we stayed to watch the elite races. I got to break out my camera and take some photos. The women’s race was very entertaining with Mary McConneloug taking her second win in a row. Laura Van Gilder was second and Natasha Elliot was third. Mary opened an early gap and was able to hold it by riding all of the toughest obstacles, including the sand pit and the uphill. It was impressive to watch these top women tackle the course. A fair number of spectators stayed to watch, but cyclocross isn’t like the old days when everyone who raced earlier in the day would stay to go nuts for the elites.

The men’s race started out wildly for the second day in a row. There was another crash in the opening 50 meters of the race (on the pavement) that eliminated several top riders from contention. Adam Craig, a top-level mountain biker, was one of the big names that lost time to the crash. It was a shame to see such a big pileup of guys that should know how to handle their bikes. At least one rider was taken away in an ambulance. A touch of a wheel or a rub of the bars is all it takes to go down when you are packed in tight. These guys are so aggressive and they let it all hang out in an effort to get that hole shot. I know that most of these guys are young, but wait till they settle down and have kids…they will probably mellow out.

Jamey Driscoll won today after taking second yesterday. He was followed by Nicholas Weighall and Derrick St. John. Today’s race was faster because there was one less run up and the course was drier. That made the gaps closer, though Driscoll was never really challenged. The speed at which these top guys ride is truly amazing. Their power and form is really top-notch, which is the combination required to excel at cyclocross.

The elite races were fun, but I think the most entertaining event was the kids race. They had a dedicated course set up so that the little guys could challenge themselves at cross. Our guys are a bit too young, but we thoroughly enjoyed watching the other little cyclists attack the cross course.

Look Park was glorious again. Our family took the time to explore the various playgrounds and the zoo. Chanced are that the rain and mud will be back next weekend, but for a day, it dry, sunny, and fabulous.

Day 2 Race Results

NoHo

After today’s race, we went to downtown Northampton for some lunch and shopping.

I finally got to eat at Bela Vegetarian Restaurant. We are mostly in NoHo on Sunday’s when they are closed. Today, we had lunch there and enjoyed the vegetarian fare. NoHo was hopping thanks to the abundant sunshine and mild temperature.

After lunch, we made a short walking loop of the downtown, stopping to peruse the clearance items at The Mountain Goat, a nice independent outdoor retailer. We also went to Thornes Marketplace and to a new toy store in town. It was a nice afternoon with the family. We had a new experience on the way home. We got to visit a rest stop/scenic overlook that we always drive by, but never stop at. It isn’t too scenic from the southbound side of Interstate 91, but the light was nice. Having a seven week old baby forces you to stop in the oddest of places…

Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross, Day 1

Today was day one of the two-day Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross at Look Park in Northampton, Massachusetts. Like The West Hill Shop Cyclocross last week, this is one of New England’s longest running cross races. It is a true classic. The race originated on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus in 1990 and moved to Look Park several years ago. Adam Myerson has been the Race Director since the beginning. He is one of New England’s most passionate cyclists and is quite the character. This course is one of the fastest on the circuit and my race today was no different.

I did the 35+ race again, and it was a large field of about 85 riders. I finished towards the back, but that is fine. I just can’t keep up with these guys anymore. Cross has gotten wicked fast and this isn’t my kind of course anyway. The race started like a criterium and then turned into a time trial. I had several teammates in the field. Matt Domnarski led us with the best team finish. Wade Summers was next, then Gary Aspnes, me, and Craig Kennedy. Paul Nyberg did the 45+ race. As for the top three in the 35+ race, the podium spots went to three of the best masters riders in our region. Jonny Bold took the top spot. Kevin Hines was second and Matt Kraus was third.

Cross is great because you end up having a race within the race and competing against the guys around you. You don’t have to be up front to have fun. One thing I don’t like is guys in 60th place that ride as if the victory is on the line. There isn’t any reason to throw elbows when you are so far back, but some riders are compelled to behave like the sport is roller derby. The other thing that is pointless is sprinting for the finish when you are so far back. I finished unscathed, but there was a big wreck behind me that required the ambulance crew’s presence. Not good.

Since the Cycle-Smart cross is part of the Verge New England Championship Cyclocross Series, we are racing again tomorrow. The Verge races are all double race weekends. The seven events (14 races) in the series are some of the most well attended races in the country. They attract the fastest racers from the Northeast. So, look for another report filed from Northampton tomorrow.

Day 1 Race Results

West Hill Shop (Putney) Cyclocross

Yesterday’s West Hill Shop Cyclocross Race was my 9th race on the classic Putney course. They have held the race 19 times, so the simple math says that I have missed 10 of them. After taking 2008 off from cyclocross, I’m happy to be back at it, even if it is just for fun. The Putney, Vermont race is one that I didn’t want to miss. It isn’t as large as it used to be and it doesn’t attract as many elite riders (because of competition from races outside of New England), but it still has the best vibe.

The course is laid out around the bike shop, and through the surrounding woods and fields. The course has a classic run up and classic descent. The tight turns make for a fun and challenging loop. Plus, it is in Putney, VT. What could be better? It was a ho hum race for me. I just don’t have the speed for cross right now. I haven’t trained and I’m a bit worn out from the long season. Putney was my 31st race of the year, and with more cyclocross races, the Manchester Road Race, Santa’s Run, Scrooge Scramble and maybe another running race, I’ll be close to 40 by year-end.

My body is sort of telling me to wind it down, but I’m doing cross just for fun. Manchester’s Thanksgiving Day Road Race is my last big objective, but it really isn’t an objective at all. I run it every year and haven’t trained for it in a long time.

With cyclocross, there is no pressure to perform, though when the starter yells, “Go,” I give it my all. I had two teammates in the race yesterday. Matt Domnarski, my shadow from last week, rode much stronger yesterday on the more technical West Hill Shop course. He was 13th in our field. Paul Nyberg was in the Masters 45+ race, but that didn’t stop him from starting a minute back with his field, and then catching me by the end of the race to finish at the same time.

The owners of the West Hill Shop have done a nice job at upgrading the place while maintaining the charm of the classic store. The shop was packed with cool bike and ski items. If you are ever headed north on Interstate 91, take the time to stop at Exit 4. The shop is right off the exit ramp. You won’t regret the experience.

1989 Connecticut State High School Cross Country Championships

Today was the Connecticut High School Cross Country State Championships at Wickham Park in Manchester. I rode by the course on my bike commute home from work last night and it brought back memories of 1989. 20 years ago, my East Catholic High School cross-country team won the Class MM State Championships on the same course. I was a Senior member of the team and was the 4th runner on the team. With that race, we met the expectations of our coach, Paul Haggerty, and ended a multi-year state championship drought (all sports) for the school.

Six days later, on the same course, in epic conditions (wind, rain, and mud), our team placed third in the State Open, which exceeded expectations. Even more spectacular, was the surprise individual victory by my teammate Christopher Ray (a Junior). Chris was seeded 25th and had shown promise all season long, but didn’t have any comparable results. He won dual meets and placed high in the invitationals, but never first in such a talented field. To go out and beat all of the favorites on a muddy course, proved his potential. We ended up getting tons of well deserved attention for both the team and individual results. Our number two runner, Daniel Feehan, also exceeded expectations with an 11th place finish. Dan Thiery was fourth runner for the team that day. I was third, Sean Valencia was fifth man. Greg Ciaglo and Craig Damaschi rounded out our seven man team.

1989 was the year that I really learned about setting goals. Our coach, Paul Haggerty, was an excellent runner with great discipline. He was credible because he could run with us and often outrun us. He was non-traditional. We did focused track workouts in the fall. We did tons of plyometrics, including bounders, and striders. He also made us run a lot of hills. He was a stickler for stretching. Like any group of teenage boys, we drove him absolutely nuts. The night before the class meets, we even phoned him from a pizza parlor and faked like we had been arrested for causing trouble. Looking back, I actually feel sorry for what we put him through, but it was classic rebelliousness at the time.

Coach Haggerty had a saying, “You peak when the leaves fall.” He also said it was good luck to catch leaves. I still maintain that superstition today. All season, we underwhelmed and underperformed. I remember that tensions were high, especially with some of the parents, because he had us training right through the early and mid-season races. We were going to peak late, which in his book, was right on time. He didn’t care about anything but the last two races. In pre-season, he assessed our talent and set winning the Class Meet and finishing top five in the State Open as the prime objectives. Everything else was training.

We nailed it and a much of the credit goes to his coaching. He molded us the way he wanted and fortunately, we all performed. One week after the Open, we went to the New England Championships and as a team, flopped. Several of us actually got sick. With the exception of Chris Ray, who took third place and was again the top Connecticut runner, the rest of us were cooked. We had peaked at the right time and then we were done.

It is cool to look back on that season and the end result, which was great success. My goal and objective setting in business and sport were permanently influenced by what we accomplished back then. Same for teamwork. Looking back, I now understand what Coach Haggerty’s methods were all about.

Vasque Clinic @ North Cove Outfitters

Two nights ago, Debbie presented at North Cove Outfitters, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. She represented the Vasque US Trail Running Team and shared her enthusiasm for trail running with a group of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Several people were new to trail running and looking for more inspiration. Several others had never run trails, but were interested in trying. A few brave souls were particularly interested in hearing about her ultra-marathon trail running adventures. Maybe a 50 kilometer, 50 mile, or 100 mile trail run is on their horizon…

I played the Sherpa Dad role again, which usually consists of multi-tasking with three or more tasks. I manned the audio/video system, took photographs, and watched the kids. I also enjoyed hearing Deb recount some of the awesome adventures that we have had trail running, adventure racing, fast packing, and hiking during the past 10 years. We had fun putting together her presentation because we got to pull out photos from many of our  past adventures.

The folks at North Cove were really helpful and appreciative of her contribution to their weekly seminar series. They have one of the best outdoor gear stores around. No one has more kayaks in stock! We got a chance to chat with the founder/owner, Norm Cavallaro. As a student of business, I know a successful one when I see one. They have a cool culture fueled by employees who love the outdoors. It was a cool night for a cool talk on a cool subject at a cool venue.

Hartford’s North End: Remembering the Old Neighborhood

Last month, I was searching for a gift for my father’s birthday, when I heard a report on the radio about a book called, Remembering the Old Neighborhood. The book chronicles the history of Hartford’s North End. I went on to read a Hartford Courant story about the book. That led me to stop off at the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford, to pick up a copy.

Rather than review my comments about the book (I haven’t read the whole thing yet), which I gave to my father, a North End native; you can read a summary at this blog, called Tracing the Tribe. My father, Stanley Livingston, was born in Hartford and grew up on Edgewood Street, a short walk from Keney Park. He is a Weaver High School graduate. My grandmother, Sylvia Hurwitz Livingston, also grew up in the North End. Horst Engineering was founded on Garden Street, four streets over from Edgewood. The business started on the second story of a barn and my grandfather, Harry, operated the business in Hartford for four years before moving it to East Hartford in 1950. We haven’t moved our domestic plant since, and we are badly in need of more space and more modern digs, but that is another story.

Hartford’s North End was a cultural and economic hub for much of its modern history. The neighborhood has changed a lot in the past forty years. A mass migration of predominantly Jewish families, to the suburbs, left the neighborhood to a new generation of residents. My grandparents moved to Bloomfield in the late 1960’s. Nowadays, you cannot ignore the fact that the North End is home to many of the city’s poorest residents. It is also a place where crime thrives. This doesn’t make it a bad place, but it does mean that some of the cultural heritage is lost and that visiting isn’t as pleasant an experience as it once was. I will occasionally ride my bicycle through the neighborhood on a quiet Sunday morning. Fortunately, this new book does a good job at reviving some vibrant memories for the neighborhood’s past residents.

Hartford Cyclocross

The second half of our family fitness double-header was the Hartford Cyclocross at Riverside Park. The race was co-promoted by the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance and the Connecticut Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association. These two groups worked together to bring cyclocross back to the Connecticut River waterfront. Riverside Park is a spectacular setting for a cross race, with a great mix of open fields, steep run ups, a treacherous downhill, sand, twisty pavement sections, and fast singletrack.

I donned the cycling gear and planned for a muddy ride. Yesterday’s rain and wind soaked the course. Today’s dry weather was a blessing, but it wasn’t warm enough to dry out the course. That made for a slick tricky loop. There were several category and age group races. I opted for the men’s 35+, as did my teammates Wade Summers, Matt Domnarski, and Art Roti (the co-race director).

I got my Garmin GPS working and it recorded some good data. I didn’t feel that good and the numbers show it. I still had a lot of fun, especially because I spent most of the race riding with Matt. We alternated pulls because he was stronger in some sections and I was stronger in others. I had no snap. Of course, this is only my second cross race in two years. My first was last week at Mansfield Hollow. If I keep at it, I’ll come around. I want to get faster by the end of the season. The 45 minute anaerobic effort takes some getting used to. I’ll give it a go again next Sunday at the classic West Hill Shop Cyclocross in Putney, Vermont. Today’s race was a little longer than the planned 45 minutes. My GPS said 55 minutes at the finish. Matt and I raced a third rider hard for several laps, but we couldn’t shake him and our tactics ultimately didn’t work, and he came around us just before the line. Oh well, like I said, we had a lot of fun.

With the extra mud, we had no problem selling several sets of Horst Spikes. They were in demand, especially after people saw the steep slippery run-up on the dike. I had a fresh set of spikes in my brand new pair of Sidi Dominator shoes. I was product testing in perfect conditions. I would imagine that if the rain keeps coming every couple of days, we might sell out of our stock by mid-November. Hopefully, CCBA and CTNEMBA can collaborate again in 2010 because Hartford deserves to have a cross race every year.

Ray Crothers Memorial 5K Run

Today was the 1st Annual Ray Crothers Memorial 5K Run. We had so many racing options today. The Groton Forest Trail Race was in Massachusetts. The Bimbler’s Bluff 50 Kilometer Trail Race (Connecticut’s only trail ultra) was in Guilford. We decided to stay close to home and take turns racing. Debbie ran and I played the role of Sherpa Dad for the running race. Then, I did the Hartford Cyclocross later in the day, while Deb handled the parenting duties.

Ray Crothers was a legendary Connecticut runner who passed away in 2008. All proceeds from the race benefitted the Central Connecticut State University Ray Crothers Scholarship Fund. Ray was an alumnus.

We carted the whole family over to Wickham Park for a classic cross-country race.  The morning weather was gorgeous, after yesterday’s wash out. The course was wet in spots, but Debbie had fun in her first official comeback race after giving birth five weeks ago. We had beautiful sunshine and the leaves are just past peak. That combination made for some great photographs. It was a wonderful reunion for many of Ray’s old friends. His partner from The Run In, John Vitale, was the honorary race starter. Ray’s wife, Robin, spoke eloquently about Ray’s passion for running, community service, and his devotion to his customers.

Debbie said she felt slow, but I guess that is to be expected. She will improve every time she runs. I once heard someone answer the question, “How do you run 100 miles?” They said, “One step at a time.” Today’s race was only 5 kilometers, but it is part of the process of rebuilding her fitness to pre-pregnancy levels. The race was won by Manchester native, Drew Best. Mark Hixson was second. Ashley Reichelt of Manchester was the women’s winner in 19:34. The race results show 108 adult finishers. The Hartford Courant’s Lori Riley was at the race, and sporting a Soapstone Mountain Trail Race t-shirt. She posted a report on her own blog, “Running Around Connecticut.” Last week, Lori posted an update about Deb’s pregnancy. Earlier this year, she wrote a newspaper article about Deb’s running. From my perspective, the event was a great success. Ray had a lot of friends running in his memory today.

Race Photos

Race Results

If it isn’t Wall Street or Main Street, it must be a Side Street

What is going on with the economy? Don’t try to answer. That was a rhetorical question. I have to admit that I follow this stuff closely. I’m practically addicted to the numbers. I have to be. My decision-making as CEO of Horst Engineering requires that I be well-informed. Truthfully, whether you are a CEO or not, you should pay attention to issues that impact our global economy. I follow the local, state, national, and international news in an effort to gather as much information (intelligence and knowledge) as I can.

At times, I’m overwhelmed. There is so much information out there and it has become a cliche to state that information is traveling faster than ever. There is no shame in admitting that one cannot keep up with the depth and breadth of information that floats through the air. It is also important to remind oneself that just because it is news, doesn’t mean it is fact. Regardless, there is a lot going on right now. This massive stimulus plan has created a bad situation. The fact that the equity markets (public equity markets) have roared back makes the situation even worse.

Dow 10,000 masks the true problems. We all pay too much attention to the fortunes of the largest companies on this Earth. Fortune 500, S&P 500, Forbes list, NYSE, NASDAQ, FTSE, DAX–whatever the list is, this isn’t reality. Reality is that the vast majority of businesses are still small businesses. Small businesses employ most US workers. They are the ones that create value. I was reading about the top global brands in BusinessWeek, and I wanted to vomit. Sure, I cheer on the stock market rally when my mutual funds loaded up with GE, Coke, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Google, Microsoft, and Apple rise. I also want our customers, many are on these lists, to succeed so that we can succeed.

But, that isn’t reality. How come Horst Engineering’s value hasn’t shot up 50%+ in the past six months? We seem to still be struggling with the real problems that are squelching growth and job creation. We continue to invest in our enterprise, but there are major disincentives to hiring. The cost of doing business (especially in manufacturing) are horrendous and the government continues to put up road blocks. The next road block is even higher health care costs.

In Connecticut, this is particularly bad at the state level. Rather than lowering costs for businesses, the state is driving our costs through higher taxes, fees, and mandates. This will not encourage growth. Certain things, like environmental regulations, crime, and homelessness, need to be legislated and governed, but government should allow the free market to work. This is particularly important for small businesses. Unfortunately, we get lumped in with ALL businesses. This is not good.

This whole Wall Street vs. Main Street debate is hilarious. I actually joke that Horst Engineering is on a Side Street. We stay out of the fray by keeping our nose to the grindstone and focusing on what we can control. Most successful businesses are off the radar. They go about their business and contribute real value to our society. You have to believe that most business leaders are altruistic. The greedy crooks may garner all of the headlines, but they are not representative of the true work ethic that makes our economy strong, even in recession.

It was ironic that Jeff Skilling, the former CEO of Enron, made headlines last week. He is seeking a re-trial. He is locked up for a long time, but he has peers who have been just as greedy and crooked, who are walking the streets. Heck, many are still leading the firms that are seemingly so important to our country and our economy. His decision-making hurt a lot of people, but it isn’t fair that others have been treated differently.

The real problem is that our bureaucratic politicians, our two-party system, and our massive government spending need reform. That last statement is vague, broad, and not meant to offer any solutions. I’m simply stating that as an example, government financed projects that result in more asphalt (an oil product) being laid down on roads, isn’t going to strengthen our economy for the long-term. I’m afraid that we are headed in the wrong direction, and I’m not alone. We need leadership and debate at every level of government. It is painful to think that we may be stuck in a position where no real good can occur. With the cyclical nature of the economy and the cyclical nature of politics, we may be in for a long rough ride.

Battles with Deb & Her North Cove Outfitters Seminar

I’ve written much about my epic trail running battles with my spouse, Debbie Livingston. She got me into the sport of trail running 10 years ago, and I have hated every minute of it. She would say, “Not true.” Well, truthfully, I have grown to love the sport, but in the beginning, it was painful, and I’ve got the scars to prove it. I tried way too hard to beat her and I ended up paying the price. At one time, we were a good tandem adventure racing team, but the fierce competitiveness between us, often caused strife. Well, it wasn’t that bad, but it is fun to laugh about our bickering now. Mostly we argued over navigation and my wining. When we are battling each other, our true desires come out. I’ve learned that if you intend to match her stride for stride, especially on a steep and rocky descent, then you better be insured. Seriously, I’ve warmed to running trails, my legs are used to the feeling, and now I’m out there in the woods every chance I get.

A week from tomorrow, Debbie is speaking at one of Connecticut’s best known independent outdoor retailers, North Cove Outfitters. I don’t know what she is going to say. I expect she will discuss how she got started trail running, and how that took her to the even more specialized discipline of ultra-marathon trail running. I’ll be honored if she mentions me, because that means I rate in her world! She and I are pretty evenly matched up to marathon distance, but when it goes to 50km, 50 mile, and beyond, I’m dead meat (and that’s coming from a vegetarian). I would rather crew for her at that distance.

She has done some amazing races in the past 10 years, and I expect that she will reflect on those experiences. From the Arizona desert to the California headlands to the Blue Mountains of Australia to Table Mountain in South Africa to the European Alps; she has run interesting trails. Those trails have given her some great stories to tell and in appreciation, she has given back to the trails. As President of the Shenipsit Striders, and Race Director of the Soapstone Mountain Trail Races, she has returned much to the sport that has given so much to her.

Coming off a year of pregnancy and after the recent birth of our second child, she is primed to regain her form. My days of finishing in front of her are likely to be numbered. I had my chance when she was carrying an extra 20 pounds around her midsection. I’ll be afraid to challenge her on our tricky New England trails when she gets her fitness back to peak strength in 2010 and 2011. We have been compared to the tortoise and the hare. I go out hard and blow up. She paces herself and always gets to the finish first.

She has gotten amazing support from the Vasque US Trail Running Team. I think it is really cool that she stayed involved with the team throughout her phenomenally active pregnancy. In 2009, while her teammates were winning races all over the globe, she was setting a new fitness standard for expectant mothers. She is my inspiration and I know that she inspires others too. If you are in the area, join her at North Cove on Wednesday October 28th for a fun fall discussion about the joy of trail running.

Hartford Cross/Connecticut Riverfront Cyclocross

Several years ago, Horst Engineering was instrumental in bringing the sport of cyclocross to the Connecticut River waterfront, when Team Horst Sports hosted an event at Riverside Park in Hartford. Cyclocross returns to Riverside Park on Sunday October 25th. This time, the event is being promoted by the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance and theConnecticut Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association. The venue is managed with help from Riverfront Recapture.

Photos courtesy of Amanda Lawrence

Click here for information about the event, including directions. Cyclocross is the most spectator friendly type of bicycle racing. The discipline requires speed, endurance, and excellent bike handling skillls. Riders negotiate a loop course with both natural and man made obstacles, including steep run ups, mud, sand, and barriers. It has been described as steeplechase on a bike. Horst Engineering is proud to support CCBA, CT-NEMBA, and Riverfront Recapture. Crosstube.net is a great resource for seeing what the sport is all about.

Compared to a decade ago, cyclocross is a much different sport, at least in New England. The entry fees have gone up, the expectations are higher, and the number of quality races on the schedule has increased. Team Horst Sports used to promote the Frank n’ Horst Cyclocross in Keene, New Hampshire, but when we struggled to attract enough riders, we called it quits. Bigger races with bigger prize lists, outside of New England, but in adjacent regions, were scheduled on the same day as our race. It made no sense to compete. The glut of races is good for local riders who don’t want to drive, but last weekend, there were four races in New England on Saturday alone. That is too much to support the sport. This weekend, we have the Hartford race on the same day as a big race in Maine. Regardless, cross is a fun sport for spectators and riders alike.

Cross Spikes Won’t Drive the Bottom Line

So, I finally did a cyclocross race again, and cross spikes are now top of mind. I didn’t encounter the expected mud bog  on Saturday because the Mansfield Hollow course was dry and sandy. However, elsewhere in the Northeast, it was a quagmire, especially yesterday. So, what does one do? They call Horst Engineering for a set of precision machined aerospace quality stainless steel toe spikes for their cyclocross/mountain bike shoes.

 

Horst Engineering is a contract manufacturer, otherwise known as a job shop. The business is high tech, but the design of products are handled by our customers. We produce what they design. Plain and simple, well sort of. At Horst Engineering, the manufacturing processes need to be designed, and they are pretty complicated; but the branding and sales of the product to the end users are handled by our customers.

So, back to cross spikes. This is one of the products that we do sell to consumers. They are called Horst Spikes and they are popular in these parts at this time of year. We made our first batch in 2008 and we are still selling from inventory. We don’t sell direct because we aren’t set up to take credit cards and we don’t offer any other cycling products. We sell to distributors, like www.cyclocrossworld.com. They are good at what they do and we are good at what we do, so it is a good partnership.

We aren’t going to build a new factory with the revenues generated from cross spikes. My rough calculations suggest that we would have to sell 645,161 sets (four in a set) at the wholesale price before we ever consider a plant expansion. That has to be decades of sales, though there hasn’t been a significant market study done by the folks at Harvard, Wharton, or Kellogg. I could be proved wrong by the bean (or spike) counters. I’m just going on a hunch here since we restocked our main distributor with 30 sets last week. That should last him a while, unless this post triggers a rush on the global stock of this product.

I got an e-mail from a New York City crosser this morning who was pleased to discover us on the Internet. He was still cleaning the mud out of his ears after a weekend of crossing in hellish conditions. He went on to surmise that “…cross spikes won’t drive the bottom line at Horst Engineering…” but he thanked us and said that it is cool that we are giving back to the sport. Well, that is pretty cool. Another happy customer! Harry Livingston, our founder invented a lot of stuff in his day, but he was better at making stuff (high quality stuff) for high tech customers. We didn’t invent cross spikes, but we aren’t ashamed to say that ours are the best. Who else makes cross spikes with precision roll formed threads? Did you know that the tensile  and fatigue strength of rolled threads is 30% greater than cut or ground threads? You can learn lots of cool business lessons when you design, market, manufacture, and sell your own products. Do yourself a favor, pick up a set of Horst Spikes, whether you cross or not!

Zaslow and Sully…and Hoelzer Too

I always enjoy reading Jeffrey Zaslow’s byline in the Wall Street Journal. His writing is high quality. He once wrote about the “Huntsville Rocketeers” who emigrated from Germany to Huntsville, Alabama. Helmut Hoelzer was one of those rocketeers and he was a friend of my grandfather, Harry Livingston (Horst Liebenstein back then). They traveled in similar circles in Germany during the 1930’s. The rocketeers became the nucleus of NASA’s rocket program. Gramps knew Helmut and many of the other rocket scientists from school and work before he got out of the country in October 1938. I contacted Zaslow about the rocketeer story and he was very kind in his reply.

Zaslow’s byline caught my eye again this week. He wrote about Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who famously landed his commercial airliner in the Hudson River after its engines failed following a take off bird strike. Sully, has been the toast of the United States media for months now. His heroics have been discussed, dissected, and debated. Zaslow nabbed an awesome responsibility as the co-author of Sully’s book, “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters.” The story of Sully’s journey is fascinating and there are some awesome lessons to learn from this man’s humility. I was engrossed by Zaslow’s story in the WSJ. I’m deeply behind on reading (books), so I’ll need to wait for the abstract. No time to read another one cover to cover. With the rocketeer story and now the Sully story, Zaslow has added to his aerospace credentials.

Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross

Today, I had to shake off the cobwebs at the Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross. It was my first cross race in nearly two years. We packed the van and drove the short distance from Bolton to Mansfield Hollow State Park. I was fortunate that at registration, they had a print-out of the Wikipedia definition for cyclocross. It had been so long since my last cross race, that I had forgotten the rules! To make matters worse, I was so rusty, that I missed the start of my race, the Men’s 35+. When the other riders took off, I was still standing at the van, struggling to take off my knee warmers. By the time I got going, I had conceded a 30 second head-start to the field, and my heart rate was jacked to the maximum from the gun. It was a fine way to ease back into the sport…

It worked out for the best. I haven’t done any intensity in my limited training regimen, and I’ve only had a few bike rides (commuting to work) in the past month. Cyclocross requires good handling skills and I will need more practice before I’m ready to ride with confidence. I picked my way through the small field, eventually moving up to eighth spot, where I ended up at the finish. My time was 49:24, a little less than three minutes back from the winner, Doug Mosher. John Aspinwall finished second. Horst-Benidorm-Property Research Corp. teammate, Wade Summers, had a nice ride to finish third.

Cyclocross is my favorite type of cycling. I love riding in the fall and cross is one of the best ways to get out and hammer during the season when the leaves fall from the trees. The races are only 45+ minutes, so you don’t trash yourself. Compared to trail running and triathlon, they are over in a flash. I’m planning at least five more races between now and the holidays. We were fortunate to race in dry conditions this morning. The Mansfield course really is beautiful, but I might not have gone to the race if it was raining when we awoke this morning. I’m not ready for the mud yet.

One of my favorite cross races of all time was some years ago on this course, when they held the race in December. That race started in dry, but overcast conditions. There was a “snow sky,” and sure enough, 10 minutes into the race, the flakes started to fall. It was epic with the wind driven squall obscuring the course. That day, we finished with huge smiles on our faces. That is what cross is all about. Today, the rain held off and it was worth it to make the family trip to the Hollow, one of Connecticut’s beautiful places.

For those who are unfamiliar with cyclocross, the best way to learn is to check out some of the videos on www.crosstube.net. The final lap of Sunday’s World Cup Race in the Czech Republic was just posted. These are the real crossers!