power? maybe?

Myerson or someone made a tweet about Cyclocross not being anything like a time trial at all, but i can't find it so maybe I'm imagining it. Anyway the point was that cross is the antithesis of a time trial. Never on the gas for long enough to sustain power like a TT. Of course you need the high threshold and other stuff you get and there are plenty of long sections, like in Bend last year, but those really aren't long in the TT/Road/even Crit sense.

It is all about transitions, on the gas hard, corner, gas, climb, brake, corner, power, off the bike, on the bike, off, run, power, corner....

Last year was great. I had no expectations as far as the plan went, I was just following a training plan. Right now I'm sitting here doubting myself. Should I start doing those really effective short power intervals now? Instead of waiting through a couple weeks of longer intervals? Do those longer ones provide a base for the short ones? Or do they just slow me down? Am I at a higher level than last year?

Well that last question... on the way home tonight, deadline and all to meet, kid on a 80's era road bike on my 6 coming into the hill up along the Vet parkway, I went full gas. And wasn't going slowly.

And I had the trailer. Tailwind, headwind, nowind. The trailer adds extra mass and a ton of rolling resistance with the two tires sitting at about 10psi. sure I could pump em up but then i'd have less drag. Drag is good. I was pushing over the 13 cog on the way home with the trailer like I was pushing it last night, except it felt easier to put the power down tonight.

I know, totally introspective to reflect on personal RPE or what ever. But, even with the messed up last couple weeks, after last nights ride, I felt pretty strong today. Does it translate into cross? I dunno. I'll probably be as fast as I was at the beginning of the season last year, in other words, not fast.

These last couple days i have taken the trailer along to carry stuff. And honestly I'm thinking that's really actually a good thing, for non-recovery days at least. Increases the power needs for the ride in, making it harder, no faking it.

Working on the bike build possibilities for the new cross bike. Things are hinging on a couple key elements, but it looks solidly like I'll be racing on the Giant again to start off.

I'm taking a page from Adam Craig, and am running the Giant like it should be run, with V-brakes. And damn. If it doesn't stop on a dime. With the travel agents there's even decent clearance. Crazy.

Some jackass in VT is trying to convince me to run 10sp on this new bike. 10sp? All i hear is chains wear out quick. I don't like hearing that. I've just used 9sp DA for so long I'm not sure what else to go with. Shimano is heavy but i really don't think i can adapt to SRAM double tap unless I change all the bikes and THAT isn't happening. Don't really want to try it. I'm sure it works great but why change now, I'm in the 40+ category now... (in cross at least).

Rice is cooked to the point where it is time to make the rest of the stuff for burritos tonight.

Taking my daughter to the women's cyclocross clinic tomorrow (she's SOOOO excited) - hopefully she's just as excited when we leave tomorrow. Not sure what I'm going to do, probably CX drills on what ever part of the course they aren't using and then something else. Sleeping in the car sounds good. Feels like i've said that before somewhere.

oh well

heddwch
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