Red Barn Cyclocross Classic

Red Barn ^ 6 is almost here

2010-10-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Red Barn enthusiasts!

If you've been checking this site and wondering what is going on with Red Barn this year, do not worry - Red Barn 2010 is happening!

This blog is slowly being phased out - we hope to have an event website for next year. In the meantime, check us out on Facebook for current updates.

Check www.mcf.net for this year's flyer!

"Red Barn CX Becomes a Classic"

2009-11-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

If you were checking out bikethrow.com for some MN cycling news, you would have read this headline, "Red Barn CX Becomes a Classic." The 5th annual Red Barn CX was a great event and we're proud of the progress our event has made. With temps in the 30s and light snow falling, 180 riders made their way out to Red Barn. The conditions were wet, the course was challenging, and the racing intense.

Results can be found here!

Big thanks to everyone who helped make this event happen. Please support our great sponsors: County Cycles, Erickson Brothers Tree Farm, Wildwoods Campground and Wild Mountain, and Hammer Nutrition.

We'll be posting race reports as we find them or as they are sent to us (email them to erik.shana@gmail.com). Here's an initial list

Red Barn CX Becomes a Classic - Bikethrow.com

Skinny Ski.com - photo sets for Mens 4 and Womens1/2/3, M45+, and Single Speed

http://jimmerc.blogspot.com/2009/11/crossin-in-minnesota.html

http://kayakscott.blogspot.com/2009/10/red-barn-cx-classic.html

http://www.super-rookie.com/main/?p=1430

Parking

2009-10-30T08:36:00.001-07:00

There are two parking areas at Red Barn. One is near the start finish/registration area and the other is the overflow lot near the alternate entrance to Erickson Brothers Tree Farm. Space is very limited in the lot near start finish/registration and will fill up fast. Please consider using the overflow lot, especially if you are doing one of the later races. It is only a short walk to the registration area and other amenities.

View Red Barn CX in a larger map

Please drive safely!

Press Release

2009-10-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

Contact: Erik Erickson FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tel. (c) 763.742.6395
e-mail: erik.shana@gmail.com

CYCLOCROSS RACE RETURNS TO TAYLORS FALLS

The 5th annual Red Barn Cyclocross classic will be held this Saturday, October 31st at Erickson Brothers Tree Farm in Taylors Falls, Minnesota. The Red Barn Classic is expecting 225 participants and over 150 spectators.

With the wet weather and Red Barn’s challenging course, this year’s event will be tough. Racing starts at 10:00 a.m. and events range from 30 minutes to 60 minutes in duration. This year’s events also feature a free kid’s race. The elite women’s event begins at 11:30 and the elite men’s event begins at 1:45.

Red Barn also adds a unique way to celebrate Halloween with an annual costume contest. Many riders participate in costume for the duration of their event, adding a lot of fun for both racers and spectators alike.

The Red Barn Cyclocross Classic has become one of Minnesota’s most popular cyclocross events and is part of the Minnesota Cycling Federation’s Cyclocross Rider of the Year series. This event offers a great introduction to this unique and growing sport.

Cyclocross has been steadily growing in Minnesota and the USA and is a combination of cycling and running as riders must dismount and run with their bikes through sections of the course.

# # #

For more information please contact Erik Erickson at 763.742.6395 or check out our event blog at http://redbarncx.blogspot.com

History in the making

2009-10-29T22:00:00.001-07:00

Some Red Barn History

Linda Sone is the only person to win back to back titles - in fact, she won 3 consecutive years (2005-07).

Doug Swanson is the only male to win two Red Barns (2005, 2007)

Aric Hareland is the only rider to place in the top 5 in three Red Barns. He was 2nd in both 2005 and 2007.

Dewey Dicky could become the first male to win back to back titles.

No one has won the costume contest twice.

Weather preparations

2009-10-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

The forecast for Saturday looks dry and sunny with a high around 45 degrees. Despite the good forecast, Red Barn is taking precautions to deal with the potential cold and wet conditions.

- Erickson Brothers Tree Farm will have their sales area open. Stop in to warm up in front of the wood stove, check out the trains and merchandise and have a hot cup of cider.

- Changing areas will be available for participants

- 10' x 10' tents will be set up around start finish area

- hoses will be available in the pit area and a non pit area for post race clean up if needed

- as always, free hot dogs to all participants! After running out last year, we've taken care to ensure that all racers will have a warm dog waiting for them after the race!

- Hammer Heed energy drink will also be available to participants

The bike giveaway will be held after the completion of the Men's CX 1/2 event at approximately 2:55. Remember that you must be present to win so stick around for a great day of racing and fun!

Single Speed Update

2009-10-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

Red Barn will be well represented at the Midwest Single Speed Cyclocross Championship! The winner of this year's Red Barn single speed category will receive a free entry (courtesy of Red Barn) to the single speed championship to be held November 7th at LGR's 3rd annual Velocross! In addition, the single speed winner will etch their name into history with our new single speed award to be unveiled on race day!

Costume Contest Awards

2009-10-27T20:10:00.001-07:00

This year's costume awards: Top 3 costumes in each race will be awarded $30, $20, & $10 gift certificates to county cycles. This will be to the overall top 3 in each race, irrespective of gender or category.

Costumes will be judged on a scale of 1 - 10 based on the following factors:
creativity (3pts)
originality (3pts)
"what was he/she thinking!" (3pts)
The Liger bonus point for awesomeness! (1pt)

Pre-registration

2009-10-27T04:32:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that Red Barn is experimenting with pre-registration this year.

You can pre-register this Friday night at County Cycles from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Get your goodie bag and race number early and avoid standing in line on race day!

Stay tuned for a few more announcements from Red Barn.
- Cold and/or bad weather preparations
- Costume contents awards
- Single Speed Award

Race day registration extended

2009-10-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

With the addition of the a 5th event, race day registration will now start at 9:00 am. Here's the link to a new flyer that reflects this change.

Don't forget about pre-registration at County Cycles on Friday evening!

Updated flyer available

2009-10-17T08:17:00.001-07:00

If you haven't heard, Red Barn is adding a 5th race to this year's event.

~~Get the new flyer here!~~ (new flyer link posted above)

Here's the new schedule of events

10:00 - Women CX 4, all juniors (30 min)
10:45 - Men CX 4 (30 min)
11:30 - Women CX 1/2/3, Masters 45+, single speed (45 min)
12:25 - Kids Race (free, 1 short lap)
12:45 - Men CX 3 (45 min)
1:45 - Men CX 1/2/3 (60 min)

Adding a 5th race

2009-10-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

Red Barn update

We will be adding a 5th race to our event list. Details will be forthcoming and a new flyer will be posted by tomorrow morning.

Also, just in case you missed it, Red Barn is happy to announce that we'll be giving away a complete Felt Breed to one lucky Red Barn participant! Big thanks to County Cycles for making this happen!

http://2009.feltracing.com/09-catalog/c ... breed.aspx

follow us on twitter: redbarncx
become a fan on facebook!

2009 Flyer online

2009-08-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

Check out the 2009 flyer here!

New Blog Template

2009-07-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

We're experimenting with some new templates over the next couple of days. Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Don't forget to check out our Facebook page and become a fan!

We're on Facebook

2009-07-27T17:55:00.001-07:00

Check us out on Facebook!

Become a fan!

The Red Barn crew is gearing up for this year's event - stay tuned - it's going to be epic!

Red Barn 2009

2009-02-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

2009 will mark the 5th annual Red Barn CX classic! Even though it's only February, we're getting excited for this year's race. In order to celebrate 5 great years of racing and the face that the Red Barn CX classic has become one of the premier cyclocross events in Minnesota, we plan to pull out all the stops! It would seem fate has smiled on us as well as this year's race will fall on Halloween day! We'll be upping the ante in this year's costume contest. You may even want to start thinking about costume ideas now.

Get out and vote!

2008-11-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

Red Barn CX reminds everyone to get out and vote!

More Buzz

2008-11-03T18:25:00.000-08:00

Generation Outdoors has posted a race report and photo set by TCworley
http://www.generation-outdoors.com/gobeta807/node/564

http://generation-outdoors.com/gobeta807/index.php/v/TCworley/Red+Barn/?q=gallery

Some more blogs:
http://silversone.blogspot.com/2008/11/november-cxing.html

http://jaredroy.blogspot.com/

Buzz

2008-11-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

There is already a lot of good buzz about this years race. Check out the following links!

Photos:
http://flickr.com/photos/thirteenofclubs/sets/72157608571532670/

http://picasaweb.google.com/fryeac1/RedBarnCX08#

http://gallery.me.com/seanburns/100690

http://gallery.me.com/seanburns/100698

http://gallery.me.com/seanburns/100705

Blogs:
http://wjc.fidean.net/log/2008/11/02/2008-cx-3-red-barn/

http://fryeontherivet.blogspot.com/2008/11/red-barn-cx.html

http://www.bikethrow.com/i/2008/11/01/red-barn-cx-dickey-goes-rogue/

http://smithersmpls.com/2008/11/01/red-barn-wrap-up/

http://crossniacs.com/index.php/archive/red-barn-minnesota-a-race/

http://www.super-rookie.com/main/?p=1146

Video
http://vimeo.com/2134087

Send us a link to your race report, comments, photos or video and we'll get it posted!

Record Year at Red Barn

2008-11-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Things just keep getting better! The 2008 Red Barn CX was another record breaking year. We had 203 race entries with over 190 participants. Just four years ago we only had around 100 participants. We are thrilled to have doubled the number of riders at Red Barn in just four years!

A huge thanks to all of the volunteers and Red Barn organizers - without their hard work this great event would not be possible. Please show them your support with a comment or quick note about your experience at Red Barn.

Links and race reports will be posed shortly.

For results, check the MCF message board. In addition, results will be posted to the Gopher Wheelmen site shortly.

Thanks again to everyone who came out to today's event. Please send us a link to your race report or photos: erik.shana@gmail.com!

A Great Day for Red Barn

2008-10-31T10:27:00.001-07:00

The weather forecast for tomorrow's race is looking spectacular!

Saturday
Partly cloudy. Highs around 55. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.

Could you ask for better weather on November 1st!

Check the weather underground for updated weather information.

Costume Contest Prizes Announced!

2008-10-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Red Barn CX is proud to announce a great prize list for this year's costume competition.

The best costume in each race will win a $30 gift certificate to County Cycles in Roseville, MN. Runner ups will receive large quantities of candy!

The costume contest judge will be announced on race day. Awards for costumes will be handed out immediately following the medals for each race.

Note: The costume contest will be judged on each individual race and not for each category.

Big Thanks to Trek

2008-10-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Red Barn CX Classic would like to thank Trek for their support of this year's event.

Check out www.trekbikes.com

Flex-Power on as 2008 Sponsor

2008-10-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

We're proud to announce that Flex-Power will be the official sports crème of the 2008 Red Barn Cyclocross Classic.

Flex-Power is a pre and post exercise crème used to warm muscles and joints prior to exercise, and to provide relief to aching muscles post exercise. Flex-Power uses nanotechnology to deliver its active ingredients quickly and deeply to provide long lasting relief without skin irritation. It also has a pleasant clean scent.

Flex-Power is an official partner of USA Cycling and USA Triathlon.

http://www.flexpower.com/

County Cycles Bike Giveaway!

2008-10-22T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Red Barn CX Classic is proud to announce that County Cycles has donated a Bianchi San Jose to be given away! One lucky winner at this year's event will walk away with a complete Bianchi San Jose single speed cross bike, courtesy of County Cycles! For more info on the San Jose, check out this link.

All 2008 Red Barn CX Classic participants will be entered into a drawing for the San Jose. The frame size will be determined by the winner. The drawing will take place immediately following the award presentation of the County Cycles CX 1, 2s race. You must be present to win.

County Cycles is located in Roseville, MN and has been one of the major sponsors of Red Barn since its inception. The support of one of the Twin Cities' premier bike shops is a key element of what makes Red Barn such a great event. Show them your support with a visit to their shop!

2008 Red Barn Logo

2008-10-05T12:40:00.001-07:00

We're proud to present a new logo for the 2008 Red Barn Cyclocross Classic. This logo was designed by Siv Nordsveen, a Norwegian animator and cartoonist. Red Barn CX, meet Sara Sahara. You can see Sara online at: http://www.nettserier.no/sarasahara/

Siv (pronounced seev) has also worked on the Academy Award Winning animated film, The Danish Poet along with the Norwegian animated series Halvseint.

Course Update

2008-10-05T12:29:00.001-07:00

Over the past few weeks some good work has been done on the course. The prep work was done for an addition that runs through the new vineyard at Erickson Brothers Tree Farm. This past Saturday, work was completed on this new section after discing an dragging it to smooth out some major rough spots. There weren't time for post dragging photos, but everything is looking really nice! Enjoy the slide show.

Super Rookie gives Red Barn thumbs up

2008-09-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

Super Rookie and Dis reviewed the entire CX season on bikethrow.com.

Super Rookie gives Red Barn CX thumbs up - "My favorite cyclocross race on the entire calendar."

(Dis)Spencer gives Red Barn CX a thumbs down just to spite Super Rookie.

Stay tuned for some photos of the course.

Race Flyer Released

2008-09-10T18:44:00.001-07:00

The Red Barn CX Classic 2008 race flyer is now available!

You can get it here or from the link on the right side of this page.

New for 2008

4 Race format
Kid's race
Pre-registration option
Chip timing

2008 Course unveiled

2008-09-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Red Barn CX course brings some new challenges and features. Check out the google map below for a rough outline of this year's race.

View Larger Map

Course work

2008-09-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

The Red Barn crew was on site at Erickson Brothers Tree farm today. As always, we're working to bring you the best cross experience possible. With the addition of about a 2 acre vineyard at Erickson Bros, a large amount of land has been opened up for this year's race. Highlights of this year's course include:

twisting and turning course through tree fields and vineyard!
more varied terrain
the return of the "clover leaf of confusion"
our signature run-up (which is in need of a nick-name)
increased length

Pictures to come in the coming weeks as coursework continues.

2008 Date Announced!

2008-07-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Red Barn Cyclocross Classic will be held on
November 1st, 2008.

As always, Red Barn CX continues to strive to be one of Minnesota's premier cyclocross events. We are excited to announce a four race format along with chip timing and the addition of a kids race. These new additions, along with the trademark run-up, costume contest, winding course through the tree fields, great rider benefits and race day atmosphere are sure to make Red Barn 2008 one of the top races in the series! This year's event will also usher in the completion of the Red Barn at Erickson Brothers Treefarm making this year a true Red Barn CX Classic!

Stay tuned for additional updates concerning this year's race.

2008 Red Barn CX - Planning Underway

2008-07-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

The 2008 CX season isn't all that far away and the folks at Red Barn are starting to gear up for this year's event. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks for developments on this year's race.

Also, feel free to comment with suggestions about this year's race!

Photos

2007-10-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

Enjoy

High Quality versions of photos available upon request.

Good Buzz

2007-10-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

At Red Barn CX we want to put on the best possible race we can! We love to hear positive feedback and want to share some of what people have been saying about our race! Let the shameless self promotion begin! :-)

Once again the Red Barn folks out did themselves today! Thanks you for a fantastic event, even though I lost the costume contest (I am gunning for you next year Cullen and Cleary!) I had a fantastic time and I all the door prizes were sweet.- Super Rookie

Thanks Ericksens for another great Red Barn Cross. I missed it last year due the the USGP's in Boulder and forgot what a great venue and course layout it was! Now that "Hack" David Hackworthy has upgraded to A's I have sort of lost my purpose, other than having fun and today was the best. I wish we could race out there a couple of times a season. Saw some pretty good costumes out there as well, I was diggin' Margo's Bunny or Dog suit? - Paul Schoening

Thanks for putting on a great race. The organization and course marking were top notch. - jadleman

i too had a wonderful time. Great job promoter. Custom h2o bottles, goody bags, raffle, beautiful day. - peetanderson

The Blogosphere

It's great to see racers recapping and covering races themselves - here are a few posts we've been able to find. Send us a link and we'll keep adding to this list!

http://silversone.blogspot.com/2007/10/red-barn-cx.html

http://dancleary.blogspot.com/

http://whatthedamnit.blogspot.com/

http://www.super-rookie.com/main/?p=770

http://jimmerc.blogspot.com/2007/10/i-got-my-kicked-today-by-fairy.html

http://cxsteven.blogspot.com/2007/10/red-barn-race-report.html

http://cxsteven.blogspot.com/2007/10/red-barn-drama.html

http://fryeontherivet.blogspot.com/2007/10/crossless-weekend.html The picture is worth the visit

http://barney.gonzaga.edu/~pbelknap

http://crossniacs.com/

Pictures coming soon!

Record Day at Red Barn

2007-10-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

The 3rd annual Red Barn CX Classic smashed its participant record with 163 racers competing in yesterday's events. We couldn't have asked for a better day and the racing was intense. Big thanks to all the volunteers and our sponsors; County Cycles, Erickson Brothers Tree Farm, Hammer Nutrition, and Wild Mountain for making this race possible!

C Race Recap
Jake Helmbrecht (ua) took the C race with Greg Lavick (WUSH) and Aaron Kadera (Gopher wheelmen) rounding out the top 3 on the men's side. In the womens race, Amy Campbell (ua) took top honors with Lee Penn (Gopher wheelmen) and June Sayers (Lake Superior) taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. We also had some fantastic junior competition with Raymon Warns-Ledesma (MNJRC) winning the C3 category (juniors 15-18) and also taking 11th overall. He was followed by Zach Stillwell (ua) and Nora Bengel (ua). In the C4 category (juniors 10-14) Jordan Cullen (Loon State) took the victory with Adam Kay (Riverbrook Momentum) and Ryan Kay (Riverbrook Momentum) taking 2nd and 3rd.

B Race Recap
In the B race Guy Alvarez (Crossniacs) eventually broke away from a tough battle with 2nd place finisher Peter Nelson (Brones). These two were neck and neck for the first part until Guy rode away. Chris Neulin (Team Weston) rounded out the top 3. In the women's race Linda Sone (Ridley Factory) took the win while in costume! She was closely followed by Margot Herman (Hollywood Cycles) and Casey Cessna (IS Corp) to round out the top three. In the masters (B2) race, Bill Kuster (Loon State) took the victory with Jeff Collbeth (ua) in second and Paul McKinney (Hub) in third.

A Race Recap
Talk about intense! Doug Swanson (Grand Stay) was able to ride away from the field for a concivincing win. The bad luck prize should go to Adam Bergman (Colivita) who was solidly in second place and riding hard when he rolled a tubular. I'm not sure how much of the course he had to run to get back to the pit. On top of that, in some crazy drama he got tangled up with another rider on the last lap, trashing his replacement wheel! Aric Harland (Silver Cycling) capitalized and took second place honors. Dewey Dicky (Mercy Specialized) rounded out the top, riding away from David Hackworthy (Ridley) and Paul Ellis (Bianchi GP). Hackworthy (Ridley), who just upgraded from the Bs, took fourth overall and the victory in the A2 category. Rounding out the top 3 in the A2 category were David Meyer (ua) and Matt Allen (Grumpy's). In the Master's race (A3), Dan Casper (Grandstay) fended off Peter Maxwell (Birchwood) and Ed Alpssa (Bianchi GP).

For full results check out the MCF Message Board.

Come Get a Free Water Bottle!

2007-10-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hope to see you at the race tomorrow! Racers can score one of these cool, Red Barn water bottles!

My Goodness, the Schwag!

2007-10-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

The good folks at County Cycles in Roseville have upped the ante! This complete Bianchi Pista (55cm), along with some other schwag, will be given away to one lucky Red Barn CX participant. Who says you can't give a track bike away at a cross race! All race participants are eligible, however, you must be present to win! The drawing for the bike will be held after the A race is complete.

Costume Contest

The best costume in each race (C, B, & A), will be judged by the one and only Mark Kotz. The wearer of the best costume in each race will be the proud recipient of a $30 gift certificate to County Cycles. There will only be one prize per race (men and women will not be judged separately). In addition, it is rumored that large amounts of candy may also be included in the prize list!

Clarification (added 9:17pm) - To be eligible for the costume contest you must complete the race in costume.

Single Speed

While we won't be offering specific single speed categories this year, we are impressed by the increased number of yahoos riding them ;-) Based on the number of riders this year, we will likely add a specific single speed category to next year's repertoire. However, we have decided to offer a great prize to the top single speed in each race! The top finisher on a single speed in each or race (A, B, & C), will be awarded a Surly Jethro Tule! We through this 15mm wrench/bottle opener would be appreciated.

Schedule of Events

2007-10-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday's event schedule is as follows:

11:00 am - Registration opens
Please arrive early so you have plenty of time to check out the course and be ready to start on time.

11:15 - Course opens for pre-riding

12:00 - C Race 30 minutes

12:45 - B Race 45 minutes

1:45 - A Race 60 minutes

Awards will follow each race.

Door prizes to follow A race.

Also, due to some technical difficulties, I've posted the race flyer as an image in case you are not able to open the .pdf.

Costume Contest prizes to be announced tomorrow night!

Prepped and Ready

2007-10-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Red Barn CX course is looking great! We walked the course this afternoon and it is holding up very well, especially with all the rain we've been getting. We made the decision not to use the new addition as it just changed the flow of our course too much. We'd be interested in some rider feedback on Saturday if anyone would like to check it out. For the last two years Red Barn has had great weather, sunny and warm. This year's course is sure to offer some new challenges with moisture and cooler weather . . . I wonder what it would take to make it an epic year?

Some reminders:
Race Flyer is linked - find it under the Red Barn logo on the right hand side of the page.

Costume Contest - Back by popular demand, we are hosting a costume contest. Prize list and details to be announced later this week.

Directions: for directions to Erickson Brothers Tree Farm, click here (or see map below)

Spectators Welcome!

View Larger Map

CRY 07 Kicks off!

2007-09-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

The 2007 MN Cyclocross Rider of the Year series kicked off this weekend with two great events, the Red River CX Challenge in Moorhead, MN and the Porkchop Challenge in St. Cloud, MN.

In Moorhead: Aric Hareland held off Dan Swanson and Pat Lemieux for 1st place honors in the A race with Steve Wenzel and Greg Rohde taking the Men's B and C races respectively. In the women's fields, Linda Cooper beat out Margot Herman and Casey Cessna in the B race and Marilyn Laliberte took honors in the C race. For complete results and photos coming soon, check out: Great Plains Cycling

SkinnySki was in St. Cloud and as always they have some great photos on their site. I've copied their race report here:
"Minnesota's cyclocross season fired up this weekend with events in Moorhead and St. Cloud. The Porkchop Challenge at Riverside Park Sunday experienced conditions more like mid-July than September as afternoon temperatures climbed into the 80s. All three events had strong numbers, emphasizing the growing popularity of cyclocross in the Midwest. Pre-race favorites Aric Hareland and Doug Swanson put on an early showcase, easily leading the field for the first few laps before mechanicals opened the door for veteran Dewey Dickey to take the A race victory. Linda Cooper won the top womens race, pulling away from Linda Sone and the tired legs of Chequamegon champ Jenna Zander."
Be sure to check out Skinnyski.com for more event photos and great coverage of events in the Minnesota!

The final work on the Red Barn course addition was completed this weekend and awaits test riding. We'll post some photos if possible before the race. In either case, we're geared up and ready to go!

Aric Hareland Interview on SkinnySki

2007-09-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Corey Coogan interviewed the 2006 Cyclocross Rider of the Year, Aric Hareland a few days ago. Aric had some nice words to say about our venue in Taylors Falls. Okay, so he just mentioned it, but we're glad to know he liked the race! I've include the full interview here. You can also view it here: http://skinnyski.com/racing/display.asp?Id=9381

Interview: Aric Hareland

by Corey Coogan
September 18, 2007

Aric Hareland was Minnesota Cycling Federation's Cyclocross Rider of the Year in 2006. Equally well-versed on the road, Hareland was the 2006 Masters 30+ Champion at Superweek and finished third there in 2007.

A North Dakota native, Hareland began his endurance sports career competing in running at the high school and collegiate levels.

Hareland, who has a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, is an instructor at both The Firm-Minneapolis and The Fix. He is well-known for his yoga instruction from a cyclist's perspective.

Where are you originally from? What sports did you do as a junior?
Fargo, ND.
As a junior, I didn’t race bikes at all. I was into bikes, rode a bit, but wasn’t very aware of races. I ran cross country, track and was a swimmer in high school then got an athletic scholarship to run in college.
When did you begin riding?
I did a little bit of BMX when I was a little kid until I got my first road bike when I was 12. It was a red Trek 330. Right after I got this bike, I did a bicentennial bike ride across North Dakota with a group of about 100. 5 days and 365 miles and I rode everyday and the complete distance. When I was 13, I did my first crit: The Fargo Downtown Crit—I was lapped once on a 10-lap race.
It appears that you once ran track for Valley City State and then rode for North Dakota State. How did your collegiate racing affect your athletic development?
Running in High school and college really helped me develop as an athlete. Running gave me that mental edge that taught me how to suffer. In college I ran mostly the steeplechase along with some other middle distance races. This makes cyclocross actually quite simple because the barriers are only 16 inches compared to 36 inches in the steeplechase.
Rumor has it, you once did a long-distance ride across much or all of the country. Tell us about this experience.
I could go on and on about this. In 1999 between my Junior and Senior year in college, I took my Bianchi touring bike and hopped on an Amtrak out to Seattle, WA. Leaving from Seattle at 9:30am, I rode up the coast and then started across the country. I rode through Washington, Idaho, Northern Montana and took a pit stop for 2 days in my hometown of Fargo. This first part of the trek only took me 3 weeks. From Fargo, I zigzagged through Minnesota, then I took one day to ride across Wisconsin (Somerset to Ironwood), crossed the UP of Michigan and up into Canada north of the Great Lakes, came back down to Niagara Falls across Northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and I ended up in a hostel in Bar Harbor, ME.
Total Trip: 4500 miles and it took me two months.
I never paid for a campsite. Instead I slept in my bivy tent in small city parks, under bridges and a few times in bars (don’t ask)—oh and also at the Stillwater Fire Department (They make great pancakes there).
I'm told that you work for TheFix and teach yoga. What classes do you teach there? How is yoga valuable for cyclists?
I teach one class a week on Sundays at The Fix during the winter months. I also teach Spin and Yoga at The Firm over on Glenwood Avenue.
Yoga is incredibly valuable for cyclist. In cycling, the core of your movement comes from the hips. If your hips are weak, then your upper body has to work harder and this can eventually cause back strain.
Also think about one of the main muscles at work during biking: a cyclist’s quads tend to become overdeveloped. To compensate for this, your hamstrings shorten and can become incredibly weak.
I often hear from cyclists that they do not do yoga because they are not flexible. The best way to improve in any sport is to increase your flexibility and your concentration.
Your name can be found in results sheets across all disciplines: road, track, CX, and even occasionally MTB. What is your favorite and why?
That’s a pretty tough question.
In road racing, there is nothing better than a fast technical crit. There is always action and it seems like your heart rate never falls below 170. I’ve raced at Superweek the last two years in a row and I can never get enough of the crits, especially when you throw in some 180 degree turns.
Cyclocross is the same way—they start out extremely fast and they seem like they never slow down. In the last few years, I have always looked forward to riding my bike in September mostly because of the weather, but also because I am able to jump on my cyclocross bike.
You are the defending champion of the Minnesota Cycling Federation Cyclocross Rider of the Year. What are your CX plans for the fall? What are some of your favorite CX races?
My plan for the 2007 CX season is to be the 2007 cyclocross rider of the year (ha, ha). It would be nice to repeat, but there are a lot of races and some good young cross racers out there. I will mostly be racing once a weekend but I may double up on both Saturday and Sunday a few times. I also plan on racing Jingle Cross in Iowa and I will also be heading down to Cross Nationals this year.
Favorite cross races: Without a doubt, I would have to say Basset Creek (state cross) is top notch. Also Hudson, Taylors Falls and Boom Island have great venues. There is no bad race out there, every course I’ve done I have walked away with a smile on my face whether I have won or lost.
What advice would you give to someone with either a road or mountain bike background who is eager to try CX for the first time?
Don’t be too serious about it at first, otherwise you are going to set yourself up for disaster. Burn out is an easy thing, especially when there are 14 races on the cyclocross calendar. I would start out and do a few of the closer to metro races as you can (Boom island, Powderhorn, Blaine, Ham Lake and Basset Creek). The Wednesday night series as Boom Island is also pretty fun and I know that The Hub does a training ride on Tuesday nights if you can make that.

Hammer Nutrition on board for 07!

2007-09-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

We're pleased to announce Hammer Nutrition as a 2007 Red Barn CX Classic sponsor. This is the second year in a row we've partnered with Hammer Nutrition to help bring you the best event we can. As always, Hammer Nutrition has a great line of products and you can find more information at their website: http://www.hammernutrition.com

New Cross Concept From Bianchi

2007-09-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

We just got a first look at Bianchi’s 2008 range and saw a very nice addition to the lineup. The Cross Concept has been a popular cross bike for years because it’s one of very few that is ready to race as is. Bianchi has now added a higher level, called the Cross Concept Race, based on the same Scandium/Carbon frame of years past.

In addition to new paint, the bike’s group was refined nicely. Notable improvements: SRAM Force/Rival group (no cables hanging out front), FSA compact carbon crank, and a lighter handlebar/stem combination (Deda 100 stem, Newton bars).

Improvements all around

2007-09-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Course Addition
The new section on the course is shaping up nicely. We finished clearing stumps and now just need to do a little rock clearing, cut the grass and do a little fine tuning. The new loop takes advantage of a greater part of the ravine near our run-up and crosses a stream bed. The stream is dry most of the year, running only in the spring and during heavy heavy rains. We thought crossing a stream would be cool, but there will probably never be water in this one in October. In any case, it adds some fun and exciting terrain.

pre stump clearing

post

More Prize $$
In addition, we've upped the A race prize money. Red Barn has always felt that people race because they love it, not because they might pocket a few bucks - although that never hurts. Thus we've upped the ante - The A race prize money now goes 5 deep at $50/40/30/20/10. As always, we still have a number of great give-a-ways and arguably the best medals around - not to mention the free hot dogs!

Course Update

2007-08-23T19:54:00.001-07:00

Erik and Mark scoped out the course today along with a possible new addition. The farm roads are all in good shape and the run-up looks great. We're hoping to partner with the neighboring campground again to be able to offer a wider variety of terrain. Stay tuned for future course updates.

We're always interested to know what you think makes a great CX course, so please leave a comment.

CX Season Begins in Two Weeks

2007-08-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota CX season begins in only two weeks with the Red River CX Challenge in Moorhead, Minn. Along with that, the Boom Island Training series is gearing up and I copied a post from the MCF message board below. It is time to start thinking cross!

<<
Boom Island Training Series
We are only 2 weeks away from the start of Cyclocross!!! I have been getting some inquiries already about the series, Boom Island is on! So, here is the deal on the Wed. Boom Island Training series. The series starts Sept. 5th and runs every Wed. night until October 10th. Open riding will start around 5:30 and parking encouraged off of main and Plymouth Ave. near the harbor. Payment is required to park there, however you can also park on Main St. NE on the NE corner of the park where we start the clinic and training.

The Wed. series course will be up above along main street near the abandoned road section of the course. Clinics will start around 6:00 and the training race around 6:30 and will run 30 minutes. We again plan to follow a strict curriculum that spans over the 6-week series. It is imperative to attend as many of these as you can to get the full benefit. I decided to start the series earlier this year to get riders focused on cross before the season started for a greater benefit during the season. This is a great place to start and learn cyclocross at all levels. There is a nominal fee of $10 which covers park permits, USCF permits and insurance. The clinic is free with your entry.

Look forward to the season start and seeing everyone out there again!

Thanks,
Paul Schoening
Ridley Factory Team Director
>>

2007 Red Barn CX is gearing up!

2007-08-18T18:53:00.001-07:00

Course preparations for the 2007 Red Barn CX are schedule to begin this week! We are excited to build off of last year's course improvements and create the best CX course possible. The trademark run-up and twisting turns through fields of pine tress are sure to stay. Check back for photos of any new additions to the course.

We're also happy to announce that County Cycles of Roseville, MN will continue its sponsorship of the event. Be sure to check them out for all your CX needs!

Race Report

2006-11-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

Sara Brokaw
2nd/9 starters
C women
30 min

Lined up with Pipi Longstocking, a cat (I mean Gopher), a Birchwood girl in a dress, Emily “the Motor” Mokelke (who’s been untouchable in the women’s C races this season), Experienced Velo Bella, Gopher Jules, a known Birchwood sprinter, and an Alan rider. This was a flat power-rider's course, but as I rolled around prior to the start, I felt like my rear wheel was stuck in mud (on a mudless course (note to self...limit to 1 beer the night before a cross race!)).

The course was interesting. After the start, the course narrowed and rolled by some pine trees, made a sharp left, a sharp right followed by a left onto a gravel road where one could recover a bit, and then made a sharp left through a campground where it turned back into the Tree Farm. Once back inside the Tree Farm, riders negotiated a double barrier section followed by twisty-turny sections through the trees (but nothing excessively sharp!), a second barrier section, and a few more corners through trees as the course finally made its way toward the descent/runup right before the S/F.

The Motor gunned it from the start, so I grabed her wheel. However, I nearly lost the front end in the first lap on the sharp left turning back into the Tree Farm, bringing back visions of my crashes in the off-camber U-turn at Boom Island. Great. Not that again. A Gap opened up between myself & The Motor soon after the first double barrier section, so I focused on riding my own race, figuring she would not be seen again. Experienced Bella was close, so I worked on keeping my own tempo high. In the early laps I was amused by nearly missing the hard right before the descent/runup section a few times, but thorougly enjoyed riding the crit-like twisty section just prior to it. Amazed at how fast the runup came after the descent & felt smooth in this transition.

After one runup I found The Motor standing at the top of the hill working feverishly on her bike (dropped chain, perhaps). Wow. I tried to make the best of this opportunity by putting the hammer down, but a lap or 2 later she caught me. Since she did not blow by and said that Alan was about 5 seconds back (Alan always comes on strong toward the end of the race), I attacked through the gravel road section and put a few (seemingly milli)seconds on her. However, that Gap was short-lived, and she soon rolled by at her characteristic tempo. Hanging on wasn’t in the cards so I let her go to focus on holding second position. Alan and Birchwood Sprinter were gaining and finally caught me on the last lap in the second barrier section. As I remounted, I heard &%$#@ and knew something did not work as planned for these two, so I put the hammer down & just tried not to make any mistakes through the end of the lap to hang onto 2nd.

2006 Photos

2006-11-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

A lot of great photos were taken at this year's race. Below are a few posted by Erik Erickson. You can also check out skinnyski.com for more. A flicker account is rumored to be in the works with over a gig of photos so stay tuned for that.

2006 Red Barn CX Classic Thanks

2006-10-30T14:38:00.000-08:00

This year's event was host to 104 participants and a great crowd! Thanks to all the volunteers, participants, and sponsors for making this a great event!

Special thanks to:

County Cycles
http://www.countycycles.com

Wild Woods Campground and the folks at Wild Mountain
http://www.wildmountain.com/

Hammer Gel
http://www.hammernutrition.com/

Paceline Products & Chamois Butt'r
http://www.pacelineproducts.com/

Peace Coffee
https://www.peacecoffee.com/

Red Bull
http://www.redbull.com

Erickson Brothers Tree Farm
Taylors Falls, MN 651-465-3039