And so little time to catch back up. Or not.
This coming weekend is an off weekend. Have no plans to get in the car and drive a while to race. Need a break from the car or just time to get out for a long road ride and make the muscles do something more than intensity for 40-50 minutes.
We'll see what the weather does, but anyway. Providence Race weekend.
And yes. Totally don't get how it is the Providence Cyclocross Festival Cyclocross (#PCFCX) seems redudant but it sort of goes with the weekend. So awesome in some many ways, and so many routine details we take for granted or that seem obvious completely overlooked.
BEFORE I START THE RANT:
Bottom line. I love this race. I love the course, I have a great and deep appreciation for all that everyone involved in the event did. I just hope at least some of these 'issues' are addressed next year and years to come.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
A departure from CX
Around the internet some stuff gets seen by everyone...
some stuff we stumble upon...
this i found as the most recent post at http://cabinporn.com/
rare is the gem that draws out the emotions...
(click through and view full screen in HD - this short film doesn't suck)
JACK from Grace Jackson on Vimeo.
but this did for me...
I've always battled internally between the desire for social interaction with the comfort of silence and being alone away from everything. The reading of my youth is probably responsible for most of that, Edward Abbey, Farley Mowat, Tom Brown's the Tracker... there are piles of others.
But in many ways my passion for cycling, and racing bikes is not compatible with the desire to have an off the grid tiny cabin alone in isolation... and I suppose that is where Jack's story resonates even deeper with me, in that it was a retreat for him until it was just him. at a point where with drawing makes sense.
My deep connection to the outdoors, to the tall trees of the Pacific Northwest, drew me into my professional field, and remains a part of me that sometimes gets lost in the challenges of life. I suppose in a way you can say Cyclocross is me embodied. A bit of pavement, some urban aspects, mixed with dirt and you're out there ultimately alone trying to do your personal best. It might be a stretch i suppose.
The surprising element was realizing that "Jack" is Jack English the bow maker.
http://bobtowery.typepad.com/bob_towery/2010/05/new-series-the-legend-of-jack-english-day-one.html
http://www.independent.com/news/2013/jan/30/jack/
I've run across his story a few times over the years with the connection in the music world. My bow is well suited to me. Basically a Viola bow. Thick and heavy, too much of both in the opinion of my sister the professional violinist. But combined with my deeply resonating violin and my slower 1st position play when i can/asked style, it works. I would never get enough use out of a bow Jack made to make it worth seeking one out, but the emotional connection makes the short film and the stories about this remarkable individual even more touching.
Honest truth, I had tears in my eyes at the end of this short film.
some stuff we stumble upon...
this i found as the most recent post at http://cabinporn.com/
rare is the gem that draws out the emotions...
(click through and view full screen in HD - this short film doesn't suck)
JACK from Grace Jackson on Vimeo.
but this did for me...
I've always battled internally between the desire for social interaction with the comfort of silence and being alone away from everything. The reading of my youth is probably responsible for most of that, Edward Abbey, Farley Mowat, Tom Brown's the Tracker... there are piles of others.
But in many ways my passion for cycling, and racing bikes is not compatible with the desire to have an off the grid tiny cabin alone in isolation... and I suppose that is where Jack's story resonates even deeper with me, in that it was a retreat for him until it was just him. at a point where with drawing makes sense.
My deep connection to the outdoors, to the tall trees of the Pacific Northwest, drew me into my professional field, and remains a part of me that sometimes gets lost in the challenges of life. I suppose in a way you can say Cyclocross is me embodied. A bit of pavement, some urban aspects, mixed with dirt and you're out there ultimately alone trying to do your personal best. It might be a stretch i suppose.
The surprising element was realizing that "Jack" is Jack English the bow maker.
http://bobtowery.typepad.com/bob_towery/2010/05/new-series-the-legend-of-jack-english-day-one.html
http://www.independent.com/news/2013/jan/30/jack/
I've run across his story a few times over the years with the connection in the music world. My bow is well suited to me. Basically a Viola bow. Thick and heavy, too much of both in the opinion of my sister the professional violinist. But combined with my deeply resonating violin and my slower 1st position play when i can/asked style, it works. I would never get enough use out of a bow Jack made to make it worth seeking one out, but the emotional connection makes the short film and the stories about this remarkable individual even more touching.
Honest truth, I had tears in my eyes at the end of this short film.
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
Thoughts... a sermon maybe
Riding home in the pouring rain on Friday... a speech, really a sermon, started to form in my head.
Chipstick had made a few suggestions about how to honor Amy D at the Singlespeed race... saying a few words was maybe something brought up.
(note: i made a revision to the 'sermon', and I make keep tweaking it a bit as things pop in my head that I meant to put in there originally)
Chipstick had made a few suggestions about how to honor Amy D at the Singlespeed race... saying a few words was maybe something brought up.
(note: i made a revision to the 'sermon', and I make keep tweaking it a bit as things pop in my head that I meant to put in there originally)
couple links... some comments
This guy. Love him.
gets it...
http://www.fatmarc.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-gift.html
And what I think is probably one of the best books with advice about training, and getting fast... even if i haven't really applied everything there to trying to get fast, it is a great read:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Obree-Way-Graeme/dp/1408196425/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
Back on the shelf i guess. Been a while since I've read it. Maybe time to re-read.
This through the twitters a bit too... somewhere... I dunno
http://www.ironguides.net/triathlon-on-a-low-carb-high-fat-diet/
I'm pretty sure it is impossible to race CX on a restricted LCHF diet. Might be fine if you just race once per weekend and maybe train at CX level stuff once mid-week. But back to back there just isn't enough time to replace all the lost glycogen. Obviously having a killer fat burning motor is key to success and body shape and power to weight. But like sprinting, CX is short, high intensity the whole time. This isn't a Triathlon where you can rely on steady state aerobic fat burning for a big part of the event. This is Cyclocross. You don't race that day, all day even, and then the next day for a Tri. You can't. But CX?
training for CX... i've hashed out so many theories and ideas of the years, trying this, that, getting amazing advice, ignoring it, following it, tweaking it.
I have something that sort of works. when I do it. But racing three days in a row, after racing two in a row the week before, with a not light pedaling week in between there was room for one very specific work out last week.
one. in addition to the commute.
hill sprints... in shoes. running shoes. no bike.
Not a long run. Nope. Sprints done just after the bike commute so everything is warm and loose. Jog up and over the couple hundred yards to the spot. three sets. easy, medium, hard. 17-18 sec first one, 14-16 second 11-13 third. same distance. walk back down after each.
Was going to do them this morning. Ran out of time. Life. it gets in the way. Kind of sad looking at the next pile of weeks. Racing on Saturday, then nothing sunday, and nothing the following weekend. But I think that is going to be good. I'm exhausted after this last batch of stuff. Going FLAT FUCKING OUT since quad cross.
And now my two rear race wheels are fucked. busted spoke, blown sidewall. need to make something work for Saturday then address getting everything ready for maybe Canton I guess.
On the plus side maybe w/o the weekend stuff I can focus on some solid training blocks. Maybe even head up for a Tuesday night training race somewhere.
Also. a good pile of CX races and I feel human again. Happy almost. Very strange.
heddwch
G
gets it...
http://www.fatmarc.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-gift.html
And what I think is probably one of the best books with advice about training, and getting fast... even if i haven't really applied everything there to trying to get fast, it is a great read:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Obree-Way-Graeme/dp/1408196425/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
Back on the shelf i guess. Been a while since I've read it. Maybe time to re-read.
This through the twitters a bit too... somewhere... I dunno
http://www.ironguides.net/triathlon-on-a-low-carb-high-fat-diet/
I'm pretty sure it is impossible to race CX on a restricted LCHF diet. Might be fine if you just race once per weekend and maybe train at CX level stuff once mid-week. But back to back there just isn't enough time to replace all the lost glycogen. Obviously having a killer fat burning motor is key to success and body shape and power to weight. But like sprinting, CX is short, high intensity the whole time. This isn't a Triathlon where you can rely on steady state aerobic fat burning for a big part of the event. This is Cyclocross. You don't race that day, all day even, and then the next day for a Tri. You can't. But CX?
training for CX... i've hashed out so many theories and ideas of the years, trying this, that, getting amazing advice, ignoring it, following it, tweaking it.
I have something that sort of works. when I do it. But racing three days in a row, after racing two in a row the week before, with a not light pedaling week in between there was room for one very specific work out last week.
one. in addition to the commute.
hill sprints... in shoes. running shoes. no bike.
Not a long run. Nope. Sprints done just after the bike commute so everything is warm and loose. Jog up and over the couple hundred yards to the spot. three sets. easy, medium, hard. 17-18 sec first one, 14-16 second 11-13 third. same distance. walk back down after each.
Was going to do them this morning. Ran out of time. Life. it gets in the way. Kind of sad looking at the next pile of weeks. Racing on Saturday, then nothing sunday, and nothing the following weekend. But I think that is going to be good. I'm exhausted after this last batch of stuff. Going FLAT FUCKING OUT since quad cross.
And now my two rear race wheels are fucked. busted spoke, blown sidewall. need to make something work for Saturday then address getting everything ready for maybe Canton I guess.
On the plus side maybe w/o the weekend stuff I can focus on some solid training blocks. Maybe even head up for a Tuesday night training race somewhere.
Also. a good pile of CX races and I feel human again. Happy almost. Very strange.
heddwch
G
G-ster Day 2 '13 edition
Rewind a bit...
Gloucester day two?
Yeah we need to cover that I think. Mostly because I think I had a good race. I say I think because it was a loooooong time ago.
Gloucester day two?
Yeah we need to cover that I think. Mostly because I think I had a good race. I say I think because it was a loooooong time ago.
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
providence cross weekend
was a roller coaster, both in cross results points, emotions and everything...
maybe i'll get to write about it soon enough
write about anything
sorry...
i know...
will have to make time...
some how...
heddwch
G
maybe i'll get to write about it soon enough
write about anything
sorry...
i know...
will have to make time...
some how...
heddwch
G
Friday, October 04, 2013
Total FREAK OUT TIME
Lets pause a moment, set the grief aside and have a moment of celebration of Amy.
Racing bikes.
But I made a mistake.
I checked how many people were registered for PVD in the elite 35+ race
we usually have a nice number. 50-60 riders in the 35+ 1/2/3 field.
WE HAVE 91 FASTFUCKINGDUDES REGISTERED FOR SATURDAY
HOOOOOLY SHIT
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK
But then I have Verge points. Starting no worse than 45th or so, maybe higher depending on who shows up who has points and what not.
But that means there are likely two rows of people starting right behind me that ARE GOING TO BE GOING REALLY REALLY HARD AND FAST WHO WANT TO GET POINTS!
This.
is going
to
be
very
interesting
Oh shit
i gotta leave and ride home and wash bikes and lube chains and get ready for
SINGLE SPEED FREAKOUT TIME TODAY
At work for the morning, then race home. try to figure out something to eat THEN GO RACING
and it may be raining out there. Racing in rain? Awesome. Riding home, not so stoked about it.
I MAY NEED MORE COFFEEEEEEEEE
or not
Racing bikes.
But I made a mistake.
I checked how many people were registered for PVD in the elite 35+ race
we usually have a nice number. 50-60 riders in the 35+ 1/2/3 field.
WE HAVE 91 FASTFUCKINGDUDES REGISTERED FOR SATURDAY
HOOOOOLY SHIT
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK
But then I have Verge points. Starting no worse than 45th or so, maybe higher depending on who shows up who has points and what not.
But that means there are likely two rows of people starting right behind me that ARE GOING TO BE GOING REALLY REALLY HARD AND FAST WHO WANT TO GET POINTS!
This.
is going
to
be
very
interesting
Oh shit
i gotta leave and ride home and wash bikes and lube chains and get ready for
SINGLE SPEED FREAKOUT TIME TODAY
At work for the morning, then race home. try to figure out something to eat THEN GO RACING
and it may be raining out there. Racing in rain? Awesome. Riding home, not so stoked about it.
I MAY NEED MORE COFFEEEEEEEEE
or not
Thursday, October 03, 2013
gutted RIP Amy
I'd opened this to write about G-ster day two.
Can't now.
Finishing up lunch i got a text. A friend just said they felt sick, then a DM saying they really felt violently ill. I was oddly just out enjoying the sun after lunch, in the sun, glorious summer day in early october.
Initially I thought, someone got something at Night Weasels, but then in the DM over to regular twitter section and saw...
my whole feed.
every
single
tweet
finally scrolled down through, not knowing how, or where she was or what happened till i got to one that said:
"American cyclocross racer Amy Dombroski has been hit and killed by a truck while training in Belgium."
and the incredulity and fear as to what happened were instantly replaced with absolute gut wrenching horror, sadness... and tears...
Dombroski
People talk about #NECX as having a distinct identity sometimes. We do. We identify like a family. A big fucking dysfunctional family but we are, a family. Some of us only talk in person, but we relish the time together when we all do get together. We can't wait to see each other again at the next race, or on the street, or for coffee, or beer.
We take for granted that we will see each other again....
Life is fragile. It is delicate.
a memory:
The Boston Luna MTB chicks spearheaded by Roz brought Amy down for a woman's CX clinic one year (a few years ago now). They held it at the old MRC course in Wrentham. Greg W and I were there, he had his daughters and this friend of his, Rachel trying cyclocross for the first time. My daughter did the clinic, had fun, why? Because Amy made it fun. It was a hugely positive experience for my kid. And Rachel is now a CX racer.
This weekend is going to have a layer of sadness on top of the celebration of bikes. At least it will for me.
Amy will be missed...
http://instagram.com/p/fA80yXsJ3P/
https://twitter.com/CyclismasEditor/status/385829866672648192/photo/1
https://twitter.com/MMDMcMahon/status/385833299291435008
Can't now.
Finishing up lunch i got a text. A friend just said they felt sick, then a DM saying they really felt violently ill. I was oddly just out enjoying the sun after lunch, in the sun, glorious summer day in early october.
Initially I thought, someone got something at Night Weasels, but then in the DM over to regular twitter section and saw...
my whole feed.
every
single
tweet
finally scrolled down through, not knowing how, or where she was or what happened till i got to one that said:
"American cyclocross racer Amy Dombroski has been hit and killed by a truck while training in Belgium."
and the incredulity and fear as to what happened were instantly replaced with absolute gut wrenching horror, sadness... and tears...
Dombroski
People talk about #NECX as having a distinct identity sometimes. We do. We identify like a family. A big fucking dysfunctional family but we are, a family. Some of us only talk in person, but we relish the time together when we all do get together. We can't wait to see each other again at the next race, or on the street, or for coffee, or beer.
We take for granted that we will see each other again....
Life is fragile. It is delicate.
a memory:
The Boston Luna MTB chicks spearheaded by Roz brought Amy down for a woman's CX clinic one year (a few years ago now). They held it at the old MRC course in Wrentham. Greg W and I were there, he had his daughters and this friend of his, Rachel trying cyclocross for the first time. My daughter did the clinic, had fun, why? Because Amy made it fun. It was a hugely positive experience for my kid. And Rachel is now a CX racer.
This weekend is going to have a layer of sadness on top of the celebration of bikes. At least it will for me.
Amy will be missed...
http://instagram.com/p/fA80yXsJ3P/
https://twitter.com/CyclismasEditor/status/385829866672648192/photo/1
https://twitter.com/MMDMcMahon/status/385833299291435008
Buy My Cahbon Bike
Please so I can get one that fits.
Long story? Blue/CXracing both sort of fucked up. They listed the EX as being made in a XL size. So I ordered and XL. Oh, wait what? They shipped a L? Well lets slap a 130mm stem on instead of my normal 120 and lets see if it works. Kind of like what happened to the cranks, Oh you have 180 bb30s? for that price? Great. You sure they are? YES. Okay. Hey before is send them and know you need them for this weekend, and can get them to you, they are 177.5 not 180... Le Sigh. So that's the short story of how i wound up with a bike that fits but is too small to drive well. Put it this way. I can easily ride a wheelie on the White blue, not on this bike. and the body position (hoods, saddle, BB) are nearly identical.
It worked pretty darn well. until I started racing on the White Blue XL as a single speed/pit bike. At Warwick when I flatted the big difference was weight. But swapping the lighter wheels onto the White bike makes it pretty damn tolerable and evens it out. Still heavy but being able to corner and drive it better/faster is well worth the weight penalty.
So.
Who wants this EX? anyone? Not crashed (well i've eaten shit riding it but not structurally). Not brand new but it was a $1650 list frameset. Just selling frame, so I can just plug and play a better fitting bike in its place. Somewhat sad to try and unload it, it works great as a road bike, bars flipped a million CMs of drop. Speedy. Rides and handles very much like the Klein in terms of stiffness and shit the rest of the ENGVT team is rocking these to much better results than I can deliver.
Long story? Blue/CXracing both sort of fucked up. They listed the EX as being made in a XL size. So I ordered and XL. Oh, wait what? They shipped a L? Well lets slap a 130mm stem on instead of my normal 120 and lets see if it works. Kind of like what happened to the cranks, Oh you have 180 bb30s? for that price? Great. You sure they are? YES. Okay. Hey before is send them and know you need them for this weekend, and can get them to you, they are 177.5 not 180... Le Sigh. So that's the short story of how i wound up with a bike that fits but is too small to drive well. Put it this way. I can easily ride a wheelie on the White blue, not on this bike. and the body position (hoods, saddle, BB) are nearly identical.
It worked pretty darn well. until I started racing on the White Blue XL as a single speed/pit bike. At Warwick when I flatted the big difference was weight. But swapping the lighter wheels onto the White bike makes it pretty damn tolerable and evens it out. Still heavy but being able to corner and drive it better/faster is well worth the weight penalty.
So.
Who wants this EX? anyone? Not crashed (well i've eaten shit riding it but not structurally). Not brand new but it was a $1650 list frameset. Just selling frame, so I can just plug and play a better fitting bike in its place. Somewhat sad to try and unload it, it works great as a road bike, bars flipped a million CMs of drop. Speedy. Rides and handles very much like the Klein in terms of stiffness and shit the rest of the ENGVT team is rocking these to much better results than I can deliver.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
G-ster '13 edition day 1
Day one... we got here already to this point where I was there...
that sentence made more sense when i wrote it the first time, i think referring to the back story post... lets got through the race though, in very impressionist broad brush painting style:
that sentence made more sense when i wrote it the first time, i think referring to the back story post... lets got through the race though, in very impressionist broad brush painting style:
Monday, September 30, 2013
What a weekend aka so glad i have a few verge points
Vermont. It was pretty much bottom of the barrel miserable on day two but day one and me placing IN THE POINTS means...
I HAVE POINTS
meaning all these big races?
I HAVE POINTS AND GET TO START IN FRONT OF EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE POINTS.
Points are hard to come buy, esp when the field is 60-80 deep. Points go down to 25th place. Sure VT was a small field but it wasn't a scrub field and I had a good race, and out sprinting Mukunda for 23rd place got me THREE POINTS!!!!!
After day two of gloucester there were only 28 riders in the field of 70 who had points. Day 1 fewer and I got a 3rd row start! Day two I was back in 4th row. No big deal.
BUT A HUGE DEAL FOR ME. I got a point or two last year at Sterling. And no, i didn't get points this weekend, but starting the race with points in a field this big, makes a difference.
True, true. Cronoman always says you wind up where you belong at the end of the race. The difference of being farther forward is undeniable. Less chance to get caught up in someone else's bad luck, bad choice, or bad line. And with the odd chance your legs are feeling not terrible, you may actually be benefited by the start position.
Day two was certainly better for me and I was 90 seconds or so out of a point. That's pretty much an eternity but compared to past track record? I guess last year i had a couple good races too. But they were muddy and I like mud and if this weekend were muddy, who knows what might have happened.
Anyway. Points are pretty damn sweet. And it feels pretty cool to get your name called up, when the rest of everyone behind gets called up by numbers.
Add to it I didn't realize we were getting called up with Verge points until we were at the start grid, very cool surprise.
Get to the race?
I suppose.
Back up, i got beat up, some knots taken out of the legs and the back loosened up a bit on Friday.
AND, AND I managed to sleep WELL most all of the week. Probably because i was so dead from the previous week.
Dragging ASS all week.
now? just a bit tired but no where near walking dead level of last week.
Got some secret training in on tuesday last week too. May try some again this week. We'll see.
So G-ster.
Dry. Hot. Hard packed. Like always. The only good grass on the whole fucking course was where we chewed the field up last year. Everything else was a fucking disaster, soooo many big rocks in all the racing lines in some sections.
But it was classic Gloucester. Like legit classic stuff. Some slight changes but all the major elements were in play and Saturday was going to be fast. Very fast. I was worried. honestly. Scared more like it.
No new elements, no Half Moon beach, no steep walled of a run up, no flyover. But there were a dozen sets of stairs it seemed on Saturday and SO MUCH PEDALING.
Pre-ride laps were not terrible. Found some good lines I was able to exploit during the race. Got all the proper warm up and flow and hit my well rehearsed check list right on the money.
Saw tons of people, totally didn't see others, some said hi but i couldn't place a name with a face (sorry, if I don't say your name right away i'm having a total brain vapor lock or i just can't put the face with the internet name/relationship).
And got lined up... and then it really started...
and will have to be continued later
heddwch
G
I HAVE POINTS
meaning all these big races?
I HAVE POINTS AND GET TO START IN FRONT OF EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE POINTS.
Points are hard to come buy, esp when the field is 60-80 deep. Points go down to 25th place. Sure VT was a small field but it wasn't a scrub field and I had a good race, and out sprinting Mukunda for 23rd place got me THREE POINTS!!!!!
After day two of gloucester there were only 28 riders in the field of 70 who had points. Day 1 fewer and I got a 3rd row start! Day two I was back in 4th row. No big deal.
BUT A HUGE DEAL FOR ME. I got a point or two last year at Sterling. And no, i didn't get points this weekend, but starting the race with points in a field this big, makes a difference.
True, true. Cronoman always says you wind up where you belong at the end of the race. The difference of being farther forward is undeniable. Less chance to get caught up in someone else's bad luck, bad choice, or bad line. And with the odd chance your legs are feeling not terrible, you may actually be benefited by the start position.
Day two was certainly better for me and I was 90 seconds or so out of a point. That's pretty much an eternity but compared to past track record? I guess last year i had a couple good races too. But they were muddy and I like mud and if this weekend were muddy, who knows what might have happened.
Anyway. Points are pretty damn sweet. And it feels pretty cool to get your name called up, when the rest of everyone behind gets called up by numbers.
Add to it I didn't realize we were getting called up with Verge points until we were at the start grid, very cool surprise.
Get to the race?
I suppose.
Back up, i got beat up, some knots taken out of the legs and the back loosened up a bit on Friday.
AND, AND I managed to sleep WELL most all of the week. Probably because i was so dead from the previous week.
Dragging ASS all week.
now? just a bit tired but no where near walking dead level of last week.
Got some secret training in on tuesday last week too. May try some again this week. We'll see.
So G-ster.
Dry. Hot. Hard packed. Like always. The only good grass on the whole fucking course was where we chewed the field up last year. Everything else was a fucking disaster, soooo many big rocks in all the racing lines in some sections.
But it was classic Gloucester. Like legit classic stuff. Some slight changes but all the major elements were in play and Saturday was going to be fast. Very fast. I was worried. honestly. Scared more like it.
No new elements, no Half Moon beach, no steep walled of a run up, no flyover. But there were a dozen sets of stairs it seemed on Saturday and SO MUCH PEDALING.
Pre-ride laps were not terrible. Found some good lines I was able to exploit during the race. Got all the proper warm up and flow and hit my well rehearsed check list right on the money.
Saw tons of people, totally didn't see others, some said hi but i couldn't place a name with a face (sorry, if I don't say your name right away i'm having a total brain vapor lock or i just can't put the face with the internet name/relationship).
And got lined up... and then it really started...
and will have to be continued later
heddwch
G
Friday, September 27, 2013
The big one
Is tomorrow.
Now normally sure i should write something about how big it is, how amazing the experience has been racing there over the years. How i've gone from a front row start to last row to mid pack to who knows this year (aka not caring, just accepting) is a story itself.
A better story is what Paully B has gone through over the last year. But thats one not yet to be told i suppose, maybe not by me.
My story should be about how i've tried to recover from last week this week. Gone to efforts... to well... try and regain what was lost with no sleep and no riding.
We are here and tonight is now. I still have to shower and shave. It is getting late i suppose, but at least it isn't terribly far away and the race not too early.
Twitter is what it is... sometimes you get gems that stand out. Tonight a friend wrote some good stuff
Now normally sure i should write something about how big it is, how amazing the experience has been racing there over the years. How i've gone from a front row start to last row to mid pack to who knows this year (aka not caring, just accepting) is a story itself.
A better story is what Paully B has gone through over the last year. But thats one not yet to be told i suppose, maybe not by me.
My story should be about how i've tried to recover from last week this week. Gone to efforts... to well... try and regain what was lost with no sleep and no riding.
We are here and tonight is now. I still have to shower and shave. It is getting late i suppose, but at least it isn't terribly far away and the race not too early.
Twitter is what it is... sometimes you get gems that stand out. Tonight a friend wrote some good stuff
Twas the night before @gpgloucester and all through the land
All the cxers were waiting for Ted King to try and ride the sand
Their tubulars glued to their rims with great care
In hopes that their trips to the pit would be rare
The cat 3s lay awake all night in their beds
While visions of a start-line pileup danced in their heads
Tire pressure was discussed at great length and in detail
Because of the turns they all hoped to rail
We checked the weather every day hoping for a flood
Because everyone but @boudreau_paul was hoping for mud
The beer garden was filled with rollicking fans
Less than 3 feet from the course, UCI be damned
I hope that you have a good race and Gloucester treats you well
Because otherwise your @crossresults points are going straight to hell
Monday, September 23, 2013
sorry 'bout it
the whole lack of posting lately,
i wrote a tremendous and long post on the airplane flying back to Vegas
about the adventures of Jerry, Rob and GeWilli and all those we hung out with that made it an awesome mid-week weekend.
but the phone ate it, or deleted it and
have been going non-stop since then.
and i think the flow and the content have dissipated a bit, i can try and find time but there isn't any.
I am going to take a few minutes and ignore a handful of problems, and write.
i wrote a tremendous and long post on the airplane flying back to Vegas
about the adventures of Jerry, Rob and GeWilli and all those we hung out with that made it an awesome mid-week weekend.
but the phone ate it, or deleted it and
have been going non-stop since then.
and i think the flow and the content have dissipated a bit, i can try and find time but there isn't any.
I am going to take a few minutes and ignore a handful of problems, and write.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Better GMCX report
I'm sure you've read it... But with the sort odd chance maybe you haven't. This is fuckn hilarious.
http://untilthesnowends.blogspot.com/2013/09/green-mountain-cyclocross-race-reports.html
That six to go card for him was my 4 to go. Oh shit. And his 80% was me seeing the junior leader coming and me hoping he was coming in to finish. Then when I got to the line... Before Peter did, I still had two to go. Meaning #1 I'm getting to ride one lap less, but all the kids are going to spend the next lap riding through me. But hey. I wasn't anywhere near bring lapped by the leaders in my race.
Unlike colon thank you autocorrect... I mean Colin, I had no legs. I knew it on the warm up. Well no legs compared to the day before. Not feeling exceptionally slow but I have crashed more on that day two course than most any other race. Those turns are in my head. Maybe I'll figure them out someday.
Problem is the day before sort of set expectations. And with Hubbell, David, Czerula, Boivin, and chaboom in the race pressure. Aaron and Gary were racing on fresh legs. Not good sign for me.
Whitey showed up too.
The start was actually really good for me but that was it. Everyone flowed around me there after that on the swoopy stuff. Head was just not in it. Hit the nut punch stairs and my legs felt like lead.
ON THE FIRST LAP.
And the short laps and the high speed turning just sort of got to me in a bad way and I tried. But could not manage to much.
Despite that total breakdown I kind of did what I normally do there. I sucked. Took me most of a scary tired drive home to come to terms with it, and get over the immediate feeling of being bummed.
Temporal blindness. Loss of perspective. Much better now.
ALSO I AM GOING TO VEGAS!!!!!!!!
writing this on my phone on the airport even. Marginally slower and less maybe but not as bad as I expected.
Heddwch
G
2013 [ENGVT] GREEN mountain cyclocross weekend
I started writing this yesterday. Got as far as writing the title. And then i of course had to change it just now.
It kicked my butt after a long week with pretty normal stress before the first road trip. It is always something.
But i managed to link two nights of good sleep together. Felt good. Guess I'm going to need it since I leave to get on a plane here pretty shortly for Cross Vegas. No. I am not bringing a bike. I am not racing. I may be pitting I may be helping but I'm not racing. I'm headed out for a bit of a vacation. Doubt it will be very restful but it will be a break that doesn't involve worrying about getting everything right for a race.
I'll save that worry for friday trying to get ready for White Park, that or i will just attempt to change the front brake pads and forget about pedaling.
SO HOW DID THE WEEKEND GO?
Saturday was off the hook awesome. Was fun. Had legs. Felt good on that course, the climbs were hard but didn't destroy me this year. The fast parts I wasn't as slow on as normal and I think i had most of the lines figured out. Good start, measured and relaxed. Held out in the zone with lots of people for a while. Second or third lap i slowed down for a second i guess but then felt stronger as the race kind of went on. Nick crashed big time right in front of snoop and it was pretty comical. took himself out going up hill on one of the zippers. He crashed clean off the course.
Come around past the pits after the barriers there was a big mud bog. Pre-riding i new the middle was dicey with a big wide deep rut, and the left was a conga line of 5-10 guys. Inside baby. I railed over to the inside and powered up and passed everyone who took the outside boggy line and then PVD tried to impale himself on a stake and held em up even more. Or he did that on lap two or something. Anyway, that section was my money maker. Gave me enough room to survive my shitty driving through the swoops over to the finish 'straight'. Usually Day one is a shit show due to legs or just being out of shape. or something. Saturday was my best ever result there and I got points. LEGIT POINTS!!!!
And the whole PVB battle. He kept me pushing it. F'n Nick killed it racing his ass off, no crash and he might have been able to give Curtis a run for the top billing on the team in that race.
Of course there was Mckittrick. Actually rode with him and Snoop for a long time then I slowed down or something stupid for a lap, and he got away, only for me to catch back up to him after an unfortunate bike change. AND THEN I PASSED HIM ON THE HILL? WHAT? And he passed me back somewhere else BUT THEN I PASSED HIM AGAIN AND SAID SEEE YA. As i heckled him saying "Dude if you don't stay on my wheel and beat me you will NEVER hear the end of it from everyone else." Sure enough. He wasn't able to. But man he made it tough. I was looking for that last finishing straight battle, as I'm pretty sure he was on my heels hitting that mud bog turn where I kept passing people and PVB tried to impale himself.
Last time through there, there was one guy leading through. took my line and then totally yardsaled across the course forcing me over to the muck that forced lots of people off the bike. TORQUE FTW. I managed to not run dude over or his bike and He sort of effectively gave me JUST enough of a gap to get through the swoopy stuff i sucked at before the finishing stretch.
So i get there. There's a light colored kit dude on my wheel. And he starts to sprint just when I thought he might, i was expecting Mckittrick, but it was a smaller dude. OH SHIT THAT'S Mukunda. Uh oh. GeWilli lit up the fuel map and matched his initial acceleration and then pulled a touch a way and Mukunda conceded but I pedaled my ass off and unloaded everything for good measure. And scored a verge point. And had a good race on a course i have NEVER EVER done well at.
Sure could have been better but man I'm super happy with it given the time of year and all that.
Sunday? well sunday... lets leave that for another time and focus on the awesomeness that was Saturday.
Right now I gotta get in the car and head over to the airport for a flight out to VEGAS. Me. Going to Vegas. Well it ain't Disney, and there's a big ass Cross Race tomorrow. And Interbike. Hoping to get into the show at least for a few.
But yeah G-ride and GeWilli gonna be lighting that shit up. What could go wrong?
updates may be happening, we'll see. going purely computer in the pocket, no keyboard. traveling light. Like holy shit am i bringing enough stuff? And of course i managed to be a total fucking moron and early in the day remembered i needed to check in for the flight and then got working on trying to switch a fucking broken "new" switch in to replace a broken old one and it not working frustrating taking apart putting back together no resolution.... kind of took me off the game and well I will be last on the SWA flight. But it is just me. lets see what sort of luck i have with seating.
Time to shove off and head over and sit around and wait for the flight to leave.
heddwch
G
It kicked my butt after a long week with pretty normal stress before the first road trip. It is always something.
But i managed to link two nights of good sleep together. Felt good. Guess I'm going to need it since I leave to get on a plane here pretty shortly for Cross Vegas. No. I am not bringing a bike. I am not racing. I may be pitting I may be helping but I'm not racing. I'm headed out for a bit of a vacation. Doubt it will be very restful but it will be a break that doesn't involve worrying about getting everything right for a race.
I'll save that worry for friday trying to get ready for White Park, that or i will just attempt to change the front brake pads and forget about pedaling.
SO HOW DID THE WEEKEND GO?
Saturday was off the hook awesome. Was fun. Had legs. Felt good on that course, the climbs were hard but didn't destroy me this year. The fast parts I wasn't as slow on as normal and I think i had most of the lines figured out. Good start, measured and relaxed. Held out in the zone with lots of people for a while. Second or third lap i slowed down for a second i guess but then felt stronger as the race kind of went on. Nick crashed big time right in front of snoop and it was pretty comical. took himself out going up hill on one of the zippers. He crashed clean off the course.
Come around past the pits after the barriers there was a big mud bog. Pre-riding i new the middle was dicey with a big wide deep rut, and the left was a conga line of 5-10 guys. Inside baby. I railed over to the inside and powered up and passed everyone who took the outside boggy line and then PVD tried to impale himself on a stake and held em up even more. Or he did that on lap two or something. Anyway, that section was my money maker. Gave me enough room to survive my shitty driving through the swoops over to the finish 'straight'. Usually Day one is a shit show due to legs or just being out of shape. or something. Saturday was my best ever result there and I got points. LEGIT POINTS!!!!
And the whole PVB battle. He kept me pushing it. F'n Nick killed it racing his ass off, no crash and he might have been able to give Curtis a run for the top billing on the team in that race.
Of course there was Mckittrick. Actually rode with him and Snoop for a long time then I slowed down or something stupid for a lap, and he got away, only for me to catch back up to him after an unfortunate bike change. AND THEN I PASSED HIM ON THE HILL? WHAT? And he passed me back somewhere else BUT THEN I PASSED HIM AGAIN AND SAID SEEE YA. As i heckled him saying "Dude if you don't stay on my wheel and beat me you will NEVER hear the end of it from everyone else." Sure enough. He wasn't able to. But man he made it tough. I was looking for that last finishing straight battle, as I'm pretty sure he was on my heels hitting that mud bog turn where I kept passing people and PVB tried to impale himself.
Last time through there, there was one guy leading through. took my line and then totally yardsaled across the course forcing me over to the muck that forced lots of people off the bike. TORQUE FTW. I managed to not run dude over or his bike and He sort of effectively gave me JUST enough of a gap to get through the swoopy stuff i sucked at before the finishing stretch.
So i get there. There's a light colored kit dude on my wheel. And he starts to sprint just when I thought he might, i was expecting Mckittrick, but it was a smaller dude. OH SHIT THAT'S Mukunda. Uh oh. GeWilli lit up the fuel map and matched his initial acceleration and then pulled a touch a way and Mukunda conceded but I pedaled my ass off and unloaded everything for good measure. And scored a verge point. And had a good race on a course i have NEVER EVER done well at.
Sure could have been better but man I'm super happy with it given the time of year and all that.
Sunday? well sunday... lets leave that for another time and focus on the awesomeness that was Saturday.
Right now I gotta get in the car and head over to the airport for a flight out to VEGAS. Me. Going to Vegas. Well it ain't Disney, and there's a big ass Cross Race tomorrow. And Interbike. Hoping to get into the show at least for a few.
But yeah G-ride and GeWilli gonna be lighting that shit up. What could go wrong?
updates may be happening, we'll see. going purely computer in the pocket, no keyboard. traveling light. Like holy shit am i bringing enough stuff? And of course i managed to be a total fucking moron and early in the day remembered i needed to check in for the flight and then got working on trying to switch a fucking broken "new" switch in to replace a broken old one and it not working frustrating taking apart putting back together no resolution.... kind of took me off the game and well I will be last on the SWA flight. But it is just me. lets see what sort of luck i have with seating.
Time to shove off and head over and sit around and wait for the flight to leave.
heddwch
G
Friday, September 13, 2013
what happened to this week?
Boom gone.
what to show for it?
no sleep (yeah back on the no sleep cycle again)
no training
I did finally get around to washing the bike last night. But washing bikes in the dark with poor lighting and nothing but a hose and a rag sometimes doesn't produce the best results.
But goal was to clean and lube the chain and put the SRAM cassette on the Zipps. One race and i had to improvise a chain whip to get the shimano cassette off. I'm not a fan of the alloy freehub bodies.
The SRAM cassettes do have more spline teeth so hopefully that will make a difference. But that's done at least.
Both chains are clean and since today was a drive in day, well they are staying clean even in the rain.
Except driving in i went light today. nothing to pack for lunch so I was just going to grab something.
Looks like I'm grabbing coffee too... left the coffee making stuff (the ground up beans) at home. After a night of little to no sleep, just lots of tossing and turning and all that, no coffee isn't good.
But i did get at least the grinding side of the rear brakes on the car replaced.
Of course it wasn't simple. Should have been. the actually brake pad replacing was simple.
But yeah the wheel was stuck. Drove around for a while with the bolts loose and the one i needed to do came loose. second and third trip had no success at knocking the driver's side one loose. Guess I go at that later, after vermont or something. Or find a bigger hammer.
Not packed for this weekend... food beer bikes kit... that's it.
the solo drive is going to suck something fierce at least on the way home on Sunday. But I know the way at least. just have to remember to grab the EZpass thing.
at least it is a somewhat slow morning here so far. busted scope is going on day 4 of service engineer making problems worse. nothing like the very last one in the territory and a scope from what? 1989? Probably assembled in 1990, but design is solid mid-late 80s. It was working. Now it isn't. But it did take out an super overpriced pressure switch on the facility air compressor. I gotta get that changed, some what complex to get it on, may mean removal of the pump from the tank to get the switch on and then all the wiring and stuff. not. this. morning.
The legs are going to be interesting this weekend. Heavy course sounds good, but i bet it drains super well. Only maybe thing we can hope for on the course (if they did actually get rain) is that it won't be dusty.
heddwch
g
what to show for it?
no sleep (yeah back on the no sleep cycle again)
no training
I did finally get around to washing the bike last night. But washing bikes in the dark with poor lighting and nothing but a hose and a rag sometimes doesn't produce the best results.
But goal was to clean and lube the chain and put the SRAM cassette on the Zipps. One race and i had to improvise a chain whip to get the shimano cassette off. I'm not a fan of the alloy freehub bodies.
The SRAM cassettes do have more spline teeth so hopefully that will make a difference. But that's done at least.
Both chains are clean and since today was a drive in day, well they are staying clean even in the rain.
Except driving in i went light today. nothing to pack for lunch so I was just going to grab something.
Looks like I'm grabbing coffee too... left the coffee making stuff (the ground up beans) at home. After a night of little to no sleep, just lots of tossing and turning and all that, no coffee isn't good.
But i did get at least the grinding side of the rear brakes on the car replaced.
Of course it wasn't simple. Should have been. the actually brake pad replacing was simple.
But yeah the wheel was stuck. Drove around for a while with the bolts loose and the one i needed to do came loose. second and third trip had no success at knocking the driver's side one loose. Guess I go at that later, after vermont or something. Or find a bigger hammer.
Not packed for this weekend... food beer bikes kit... that's it.
the solo drive is going to suck something fierce at least on the way home on Sunday. But I know the way at least. just have to remember to grab the EZpass thing.
at least it is a somewhat slow morning here so far. busted scope is going on day 4 of service engineer making problems worse. nothing like the very last one in the territory and a scope from what? 1989? Probably assembled in 1990, but design is solid mid-late 80s. It was working. Now it isn't. But it did take out an super overpriced pressure switch on the facility air compressor. I gotta get that changed, some what complex to get it on, may mean removal of the pump from the tank to get the switch on and then all the wiring and stuff. not. this. morning.
The legs are going to be interesting this weekend. Heavy course sounds good, but i bet it drains super well. Only maybe thing we can hope for on the course (if they did actually get rain) is that it won't be dusty.
heddwch
g
Monday, September 09, 2013
bike racing!!!!! OMG F'N BIKE RACING
I went.
I raced.
I had fun.
photo credit for this shot goes to Ginelle Czerula (this is single speed race, longer shadows and empty parking lot).
Either everyone else slowed down as much as I did from the end of the season (at maybe an arguable peak of my fitness) or i've not lost as much as I normally do.
And I raced TWO races and managed to only blow up half-way through the second, which is a feat itself. Cronoman always picks up on when i go thermonuclear. It happened in the singlespeed race. But still held on and one dumb mental error (opening up the inside of a turn while trying to block the rider behind) in the last almost time to finish section cost me two spots, but then if i had legs i'd have been much closer to the podium than I was.
http://www.crossresults.com/race/3233
That's the race..
I raced.
I had fun.
Either everyone else slowed down as much as I did from the end of the season (at maybe an arguable peak of my fitness) or i've not lost as much as I normally do.
And I raced TWO races and managed to only blow up half-way through the second, which is a feat itself. Cronoman always picks up on when i go thermonuclear. It happened in the singlespeed race. But still held on and one dumb mental error (opening up the inside of a turn while trying to block the rider behind) in the last almost time to finish section cost me two spots, but then if i had legs i'd have been much closer to the podium than I was.
http://www.crossresults.com/race/3233
That's the race..
Thursday, September 05, 2013
crossresults stuff
Kind of have had the good fortune that Colin's web site was here to document my return to cyclocross... Sure my first race was back in '97 which seems like not that long ago or compared to some of the old cranky masters to be like i'm still wet behind the ears in this sport.
and 125 races (minus a few mechanical DNFs or unreported races or something) since '06 when i got back to racing after the relocation to the east coast, they are all there.
I can go over and see a nice very slow progression in points.
But I can also see that I start the year slower and now recall that, oh boy, kiss these nice crossresults points goodbye until i get fast if i get fast this year.
The new Course performance feature is pretty cool. Looks like a tweak or two since their debut because I've improved a bit more in the wet and the hard conditions. And consistently suck at Green Mountain, the one with most hills. So yeah. Hill not good for me. SHOCKING.
But gimme some water? Oh yeah. Love me some wet slop. Probably due in part to trailer hauling torque and riding the white blue as a commuter with a rear wheel assembly (all but the QR) weighing 2.42kg
Course Performances
yeah... straight from the kind code monkey, or one of his minions.
This all brought on by the coming Quad Cross and thoughts of what race to enter. 1/2/3? or maybe the 40+ and Singlespeed... only single speed... the Singlespeed option only is a nice one but the double race is a better kick in the fitness nuts to start the season off with, however a full 60 minutes (or until i get pulled) racing the 1/2/3 is probably the best of both, in that it will be faster up front and more motivating (fear) to go batshitcrazy till i blow up. But the 1/2/3 means no singlespeed, but then no singlespeed means i don't have to think about trying to get shit together for it decide on gear and then i can just heckle the hell out of Jerry and the rest of the one gear gang.
And then there are the crossresults points.
Damn points.
I do not care about them but they are there. Can't but look at them. Sort of like... ah hell you pick your own colorful analogy.
Good think I have loads of time to ponder said question. Also I feel rather nice that I haven't needed to register for the big races, my fields are not empty but they aren't closed or full.
That and I have to race the Quad... too much of a system shock rolling into the grass of the slopes of Catamount w/o a race under the belt.
CXy time is here. Legs? Pfft, we'll see. Could be a disaster. But damn even the worst shit show results can be tons of fun.
heddwch
G
and 125 races (minus a few mechanical DNFs or unreported races or something) since '06 when i got back to racing after the relocation to the east coast, they are all there.
I can go over and see a nice very slow progression in points.
But I can also see that I start the year slower and now recall that, oh boy, kiss these nice crossresults points goodbye until i get fast if i get fast this year.
The new Course performance feature is pretty cool. Looks like a tweak or two since their debut because I've improved a bit more in the wet and the hard conditions. And consistently suck at Green Mountain, the one with most hills. So yeah. Hill not good for me. SHOCKING.
But gimme some water? Oh yeah. Love me some wet slop. Probably due in part to trailer hauling torque and riding the white blue as a commuter with a rear wheel assembly (all but the QR) weighing 2.42kg
Course Performances
 | HEY DO YOU LIKE MATH? I HOPE YOU LIKE MATH. So what we do is, we take all your results. Ever. Then we use some nonlinear regression to create a best-fit curve for your career's trajectory, based on the points scored in each race. The we look at each race result and see where it fell relative to that curve. This tells us if you had a "good" or a "bad" race relative to your normal performance. Then, we look to see how much the various course conditions (Technical, Hilly, Accelerate-y, Wet) correlate to you having good or bad results. Technically we do this by computing the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient between the two datasets. Lastly, we multiply the correlation coefficient ("R") by 20 so that we aren't showing you some boring number that is mostly decimals. In the vast hierarchy of things that are made up around here, this might be the most made-up thing. But it's still interesting. |
This all brought on by the coming Quad Cross and thoughts of what race to enter. 1/2/3? or maybe the 40+ and Singlespeed... only single speed... the Singlespeed option only is a nice one but the double race is a better kick in the fitness nuts to start the season off with, however a full 60 minutes (or until i get pulled) racing the 1/2/3 is probably the best of both, in that it will be faster up front and more motivating (fear) to go batshitcrazy till i blow up. But the 1/2/3 means no singlespeed, but then no singlespeed means i don't have to think about trying to get shit together for it decide on gear and then i can just heckle the hell out of Jerry and the rest of the one gear gang.
And then there are the crossresults points.
Damn points.
I do not care about them but they are there. Can't but look at them. Sort of like... ah hell you pick your own colorful analogy.
Good think I have loads of time to ponder said question. Also I feel rather nice that I haven't needed to register for the big races, my fields are not empty but they aren't closed or full.
That and I have to race the Quad... too much of a system shock rolling into the grass of the slopes of Catamount w/o a race under the belt.
CXy time is here. Legs? Pfft, we'll see. Could be a disaster. But damn even the worst shit show results can be tons of fun.
heddwch
G
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
words? Meh
Links?
yeah
http://sc-velo.com/2013/09/03/step-off-sucka/
there go read that
aka the reason why step through was there... also it is dumb.
super dumb.
but that's because
i'm Walter
and yeah...
anyway, probably true. I'm rarely wrong (but hell occasionally am) i'm an over thinking critical observer that tends to point out when shit is wrong and I guess people don't like that sometimes and yes...
I'm an asshole.
no surprise this song
probably should just be my theme song without an asterix
I try not to be but it was casually pointed out that generally there is almost no objection by anyone or by very few at least when i self describe that way. Honestly it kind of hurts because I am kind of soft and squishy and stuff inside but yeah, i see where it is coming from.
so switch to not asshole is Ezra. The anti-one. He is so the anti-asshole they took his out completely.
catch up
http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/
bidding ended on his assless and UTA bikes but catch the video and the story so far if you've missed it.
Got a nice ride in on Friday. Had coffee in boston, rode to the top of blue hill and home. then headed to farm...
not much riding outside of that though. Legs are going to be fresh maybe for Sunday, fast though? who knows.
i'll try and get back to writing more regularly sorry about the infrequent postings my friends...
heddwch
G
yeah
http://sc-velo.com/2013/09/03/step-off-sucka/
there go read that
aka the reason why step through was there... also it is dumb.
super dumb.
but that's because
i'm Walter
and yeah...
anyway, probably true. I'm rarely wrong (but hell occasionally am) i'm an over thinking critical observer that tends to point out when shit is wrong and I guess people don't like that sometimes and yes...
I'm an asshole.
no surprise this song
probably should just be my theme song without an asterix
I try not to be but it was casually pointed out that generally there is almost no objection by anyone or by very few at least when i self describe that way. Honestly it kind of hurts because I am kind of soft and squishy and stuff inside but yeah, i see where it is coming from.
so switch to not asshole is Ezra. The anti-one. He is so the anti-asshole they took his out completely.
catch up
http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/
bidding ended on his assless and UTA bikes but catch the video and the story so far if you've missed it.
Got a nice ride in on Friday. Had coffee in boston, rode to the top of blue hill and home. then headed to farm...
not much riding outside of that though. Legs are going to be fresh maybe for Sunday, fast though? who knows.
i'll try and get back to writing more regularly sorry about the infrequent postings my friends...
heddwch
G
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Lunchtime Film and some thoughts...
Absolutely fantastic
Brussels Express from Sander Vandenbroucke on Vimeo.
"We are all traffic."
we are... indeed. Has it changed much? I don't know but I am actually surprised how much more American the city acts than say the standard perception I have of European cities.
I'm not a messenger, i don't ride, no have ever owned a fixed gear city bike. But as a cyclists who's experience urban riding w/o any cycling infrastructure I can relate.
I think it was Joel Gwadz who first labeled the city riding as like constantly being in the matrix. Once you start to see the code suddenly it makes sense. You can spot the stuff out of sequence usually early enough.
Sometimes though once you leave the city you blink and the matrix is gone and you miss something, luckily instinct and good fortune have been with me and made a difference.
I rode the bike in this morning. It was absolutely pouring when I got in the shower to clean up before the ride in, but by the time I had put the shoes on, my cycling cap and my helmet it was a steady drizzle.
And warm.
It was peaceful. It was a ride in after a couple pretty shitty nights sleep that I decided was going to be an easy one. I've put the old sigma with HRM on the white blue, to monitor and reign in and avoid medium rides on the commute.
Every time i stick a leg over the saddle right now has to have meaning and purpose. The season starts too soon to be lackadaisical.
This mornings ride was just me. And the bike path.
There wasn't anyone else. Not a soul did I encounter once I turned onto the path in my neighborhood.
And maybe for the first time almost ever, both parking lots for the bike path up off of the parkway were completely empty. Not a car. not even the usual delivery drivers drinking coffee, or the morning crowd to watch the day unfold from the seat of their car looking over the city.
It was steady, and warm. Each seam in the pavement on the path would jostle a shower of water drops off my arms and the bike. The rain was light enough that my legs just had a consistent beaded load of drops, no sheeting just small drops of water as I propelled myself in, in the rain.
I found a new high, low speed though. 15 mph with 80 beats per minute heart rate, on the flats, on the heavy commuter wheels and bike. Was nice to note. Still was a slow commute but it was a bit focus and the rain is always magic I think.
Colin added a new metric to Crossresults.com one showing where you do better/worse. I'm significantly better when it is wet than anything else. Bring on the rain.
I can't deny it, the cool dampness, the better heat loss and the change in traction/torque dynamics are things that just make me feel good. The rain itself. That brief time I had a power meter, the rain would always give me a handful of watts, usually at least 20, sometimes more for a given RPE. Was it really changing things? Maybe, maybe only in my head. But my head, my mental framework is often my biggest limiter. I'm not slow, and I can be steady for a while, and I can be faster than most when I am challenged, but I can also find myself too easily and too early pulling the plug and saving something. Like last wed when Dave Kellogg and Becca showed up for the ride. Pine they just sort of took off after I had done a couple monster pulls. And I might have had something but I didn't feel like i did. it was an odd moment where the lungs were the limiter and not the legs. Up rocky hill a bit later, and after I dug deep to catch them and then pull a good bit down homestead my legs died and had nothing, were on fire, but the lungs were all set. Hillside? I had caught back up and more or less set tempo all the way to the base of hillside and I expected Dave and Becca to ride away from me. Dave took the pace down a notch and i was able to match it as we started that first section. And then gain a touch of ground and hold speed even. Then we hit the final little up down before the last steep pitch and Dave stood up and also slowed down over the crest but fatman here (me) held my same speed and then went for it attacking on the downhill and dug super deep to put a big gap in on the tiny legend of a man. And then out of fear of being caught just as I was literally fading I found another gear and emptied absolutely everything and held on for the win. I was luggage up Rocky hill the steep way. Mentally more than anything I think.
It is and probably will always be my challenge, this mental side of the game. Physically I think I've made some huge improvements over the years, esp in understanding what it takes to get fast, and get faster than I am, but also balancing what I know could be done with what I can do.
So it is mornings like this morning. Drizzling, riding slowly, super easily. That I almost love the most.
The bike path to myself, a commute with a good and required purpose, no stress about parking the car or moving it.
Just ride,
door to door,
in the rain.
I am traffic.
We are all traffic.
I think tonight my plan is to keep it simple, keep it solo, go home, put the knobbies on the black blue and make some turns on my course. Sprint from tree to tree, or at least make that attempt, and if nothing else get in a pile of dismount/remount to condition those muscles a bit more.
Watch that film if you haven't. It is worth the 19 min of investment.
heddwch
G
Brussels Express from Sander Vandenbroucke on Vimeo.
"We are all traffic."
we are... indeed. Has it changed much? I don't know but I am actually surprised how much more American the city acts than say the standard perception I have of European cities.
I'm not a messenger, i don't ride, no have ever owned a fixed gear city bike. But as a cyclists who's experience urban riding w/o any cycling infrastructure I can relate.
I think it was Joel Gwadz who first labeled the city riding as like constantly being in the matrix. Once you start to see the code suddenly it makes sense. You can spot the stuff out of sequence usually early enough.
Sometimes though once you leave the city you blink and the matrix is gone and you miss something, luckily instinct and good fortune have been with me and made a difference.
I rode the bike in this morning. It was absolutely pouring when I got in the shower to clean up before the ride in, but by the time I had put the shoes on, my cycling cap and my helmet it was a steady drizzle.
And warm.
It was peaceful. It was a ride in after a couple pretty shitty nights sleep that I decided was going to be an easy one. I've put the old sigma with HRM on the white blue, to monitor and reign in and avoid medium rides on the commute.
Every time i stick a leg over the saddle right now has to have meaning and purpose. The season starts too soon to be lackadaisical.
This mornings ride was just me. And the bike path.
There wasn't anyone else. Not a soul did I encounter once I turned onto the path in my neighborhood.
And maybe for the first time almost ever, both parking lots for the bike path up off of the parkway were completely empty. Not a car. not even the usual delivery drivers drinking coffee, or the morning crowd to watch the day unfold from the seat of their car looking over the city.
It was steady, and warm. Each seam in the pavement on the path would jostle a shower of water drops off my arms and the bike. The rain was light enough that my legs just had a consistent beaded load of drops, no sheeting just small drops of water as I propelled myself in, in the rain.
I found a new high, low speed though. 15 mph with 80 beats per minute heart rate, on the flats, on the heavy commuter wheels and bike. Was nice to note. Still was a slow commute but it was a bit focus and the rain is always magic I think.
Colin added a new metric to Crossresults.com one showing where you do better/worse. I'm significantly better when it is wet than anything else. Bring on the rain.
I can't deny it, the cool dampness, the better heat loss and the change in traction/torque dynamics are things that just make me feel good. The rain itself. That brief time I had a power meter, the rain would always give me a handful of watts, usually at least 20, sometimes more for a given RPE. Was it really changing things? Maybe, maybe only in my head. But my head, my mental framework is often my biggest limiter. I'm not slow, and I can be steady for a while, and I can be faster than most when I am challenged, but I can also find myself too easily and too early pulling the plug and saving something. Like last wed when Dave Kellogg and Becca showed up for the ride. Pine they just sort of took off after I had done a couple monster pulls. And I might have had something but I didn't feel like i did. it was an odd moment where the lungs were the limiter and not the legs. Up rocky hill a bit later, and after I dug deep to catch them and then pull a good bit down homestead my legs died and had nothing, were on fire, but the lungs were all set. Hillside? I had caught back up and more or less set tempo all the way to the base of hillside and I expected Dave and Becca to ride away from me. Dave took the pace down a notch and i was able to match it as we started that first section. And then gain a touch of ground and hold speed even. Then we hit the final little up down before the last steep pitch and Dave stood up and also slowed down over the crest but fatman here (me) held my same speed and then went for it attacking on the downhill and dug super deep to put a big gap in on the tiny legend of a man. And then out of fear of being caught just as I was literally fading I found another gear and emptied absolutely everything and held on for the win. I was luggage up Rocky hill the steep way. Mentally more than anything I think.
It is and probably will always be my challenge, this mental side of the game. Physically I think I've made some huge improvements over the years, esp in understanding what it takes to get fast, and get faster than I am, but also balancing what I know could be done with what I can do.
So it is mornings like this morning. Drizzling, riding slowly, super easily. That I almost love the most.
The bike path to myself, a commute with a good and required purpose, no stress about parking the car or moving it.
Just ride,
door to door,
in the rain.
I am traffic.
We are all traffic.
I think tonight my plan is to keep it simple, keep it solo, go home, put the knobbies on the black blue and make some turns on my course. Sprint from tree to tree, or at least make that attempt, and if nothing else get in a pile of dismount/remount to condition those muscles a bit more.
Watch that film if you haven't. It is worth the 19 min of investment.
heddwch
G
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