So I'm finally feeling "normal" on the bike again. I've had some good workouts this week including some 2x20 action followed by 3+ hours of riding through baltimore county yesterday. It was a little over 4 hours on the bike and I felt good the whole time. It is a bit of a relief for sure. I think a lot of it has to do with my body finally adjusting the shedding a few extra pounds that I gained while finishing my dissertation. Now I just need to build a little more fitness and I think i'll be ready to mix it up proper with the new team.
Also I'm an idiot and forgot what order my upcoming races are. The Poolesville RR is May 3, not this weekend. This weekend I'll be doing the masters 30+/1-2-3 double at a local circuit race. Then it's up to Bling-Blignhamton to do another circuit race and visit my fams. I'm pretty excited as Mom and Dad will be coming to watch me race. They came to a lot of my track races in HS, but have never seen me race my bike so i'll have extra motivation to race well.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Dopers...
Apparently both my livelihood (work) and pastime (cycling) are riddled with doping link.I can't wait until some professor who is all hopped up on Ritalin powns me in a competition for NSF funding.
On a completely unrelated note I went to the local "Wed. Night Worlds" last night. All in all it was a solid 3+ hour ride, with 1.5 of it being during the training race. We had a good group of 25 or so. We ended up whittling it down to 5 of us at the end. The attrition was partly due to the strength of the riders, and partly due to sketchball descending antics by our local MTB hardman Chris. I swear I was sitting on John Rowley's wheel.
The "finish" is at the top of a long uphill drag and is not marked. I tried to ask for info about the line but due to tactics or more likely oxygen debt i got no response from my group. The jump came and I was a bit flat footed. By the time I realized that this was a "sprint" and not an "attack" it was too late. I probably didn't have the legs left anyway. It was a fun ride and just the right amount of suffering.
I return to racing next weekend at the Poolesville RR. 72 miles of fun on 9 mile loop which included a 1.5 mile stretch of dirt. I can't wait. I just hope I don't break another spoke like at Michigan State last year. Then again, I'll settle for a third place finish if it takes breaking a spoke.
On a completely unrelated note I went to the local "Wed. Night Worlds" last night. All in all it was a solid 3+ hour ride, with 1.5 of it being during the training race. We had a good group of 25 or so. We ended up whittling it down to 5 of us at the end. The attrition was partly due to the strength of the riders, and partly due to sketchball descending antics by our local MTB hardman Chris. I swear I was sitting on John Rowley's wheel.
The "finish" is at the top of a long uphill drag and is not marked. I tried to ask for info about the line but due to tactics or more likely oxygen debt i got no response from my group. The jump came and I was a bit flat footed. By the time I realized that this was a "sprint" and not an "attack" it was too late. I probably didn't have the legs left anyway. It was a fun ride and just the right amount of suffering.
I return to racing next weekend at the Poolesville RR. 72 miles of fun on 9 mile loop which included a 1.5 mile stretch of dirt. I can't wait. I just hope I don't break another spoke like at Michigan State last year. Then again, I'll settle for a third place finish if it takes breaking a spoke.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Keep your head up...
Remember kiddies, try not to drop your head in the middle of races. I know that when things get strung out, putting your head down is the natural reaction, but try not to, or shit like this happens.
My teammate ET did something similar at Stuporweak last year hitting a barricade at 30 per. Pieter O. From xXx racing died in a similar incident last year at Matteson. No more of this nonsense.
Big ups to all of my MW peeps that had good results this past weekend, especially C-Bach and Skeeter, who didn't grab stellar placings, but are starting to find their place at the front of the pack. Boo-hoo to le TSK who laid it down and snapped his bike in twain. I guess that is an acceptable reason for his first non-podium of the collegiate season.
As for me, I'm battling some allergy/illness shit that is leaving me pretty fatigued. I feel like poo most days on the bike, which is not helping me get into shape in the least bit.On teh plus side, I got a new bike. It is shiny and has carbon bits hanging from it. I christened her proper by riding in the rain on Sunday. Pix to follow.
My teammate ET did something similar at Stuporweak last year hitting a barricade at 30 per. Pieter O. From xXx racing died in a similar incident last year at Matteson. No more of this nonsense.
Big ups to all of my MW peeps that had good results this past weekend, especially C-Bach and Skeeter, who didn't grab stellar placings, but are starting to find their place at the front of the pack. Boo-hoo to le TSK who laid it down and snapped his bike in twain. I guess that is an acceptable reason for his first non-podium of the collegiate season.
As for me, I'm battling some allergy/illness shit that is leaving me pretty fatigued. I feel like poo most days on the bike, which is not helping me get into shape in the least bit.On teh plus side, I got a new bike. It is shiny and has carbon bits hanging from it. I christened her proper by riding in the rain on Sunday. Pix to follow.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Pwn3d...
Yeah, so yesterday was the debut with the new team, and overall it was a pretty rough day. Rite Aid (pro) was there and decided to drop some serious bombs early in the race. The majority of our squad was still caught up in the mess that was the field when Rite Aid got three, yes three, guys off in a 5 man move. By the time we got our guys up to the front en mass the gap was at 1:00. Despite our best efforts we just didn't make much headway at bringing the break back. In related news I gassed myself pretty badly and went from taking pulls on the front to sucking hind tit in the bat of an eyelash as we hit a steep little kicker. Racing is not so much fun when you are not at the fitness level you are accustomed to, so I plan on hitting it pretty hard in the next few weeks. I hope that the team fared a bit better at Jeff Cup today. I know a lot of them were busting their ass yestarday and It is frustrating that I was not able to b of more help.
On the brighter side of things, Bloomer, my LSV teammate who also races for Hopkins notched the Vee in the 3/4 race attacking out of a four man break with just under one km to go. Propers.
The racing here is pretty competitive and we had 99 guys and one lady (Van Guilder) line up for the start. The centerline rule is not observed or enforced. We had two moto-officials in our race and they were doing their best to push the riders back over the line, but it was all really in vain.
I hope that all of my midwest-peeps had fun at hillsboro. I was a bit sad to not be there with you all, but at the same time i didn't miss riding in the gutter for 88 miles. I did 60 at my race and that was enough.
On the brighter side of things, Bloomer, my LSV teammate who also races for Hopkins notched the Vee in the 3/4 race attacking out of a four man break with just under one km to go. Propers.
The racing here is pretty competitive and we had 99 guys and one lady (Van Guilder) line up for the start. The centerline rule is not observed or enforced. We had two moto-officials in our race and they were doing their best to push the riders back over the line, but it was all really in vain.
I hope that all of my midwest-peeps had fun at hillsboro. I was a bit sad to not be there with you all, but at the same time i didn't miss riding in the gutter for 88 miles. I did 60 at my race and that was enough.
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