Please.
I seem to have a great ability to dig a hole. A knack. Here GeWilli, here's a keyboard and a chance to be funny, oh don't worry about the people who don't have a sense of humor, they won't egg ya on or provide more dirt to dig in. If ya toss the shovel in a river they'll get you a new one and let you dig the hole a bit deeper.
Email lists are great for that ya know?
Is it a bad sign when you are hanging out with JP and Timmy J in your dreams, watching TV and see the Twin Towers of Kona showing off their new orange Kona frames by some euro gas station? Doing the whole Price is Right model hand gestures? Funniest part was Wicks (or Treefarm, couldn't see, the TV had zoomed in on the seat cluster) took the fuel nozzle and pretended to fill up the tank, putting the nozzle against the frame.
Messed up dreams. I think i need to actually git out and race. All this build up is killin me. Making me dig really big holes.
SB sent me a link because he don't wanna post anything other than original content. And that's okay. It is a good link.
wikiHow - commute by bike
Yall go give it a look see. Eh?
Feltslave's Ode to Cronoman is NOT to be missed. It is true. There are bike racers, and there are players. And then you have loud mouths like being a smart ass dipsh!ts. How did the shovel wind up in my hands again?
Maybe it is cause i took the car today. It is my wife's day to commute by bike, and my turn to take the girls to school/daycare. I'm getting too old to commute everyday and then expect to race well on the weekends.
Slow your Roll's "Harden the fuck up" Link certainly got the cycling world abuzz. Was he the first? Kinda curious. I guess tho i should qualify DC IS the world. No?
But. Those sallys out there bitching about the weather? I'm gonna get all mean and humours and tell ya to "Harden the Fuck UP".
So with deference and understanding to those Masters who really actually did get hosed by some freezing rain on that fateful day in PVD at Nats in '05 that's pretty rare and for the most part yall need to do just that. Didn't Jens or someone at the tour make a bunch of "harden the fuck up bracelets" for team mates?
oh well.
G
Friday, September 14, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
A little history is always good
History is good. In all aspects and all fields. Sometimes it is the process of looking at old stuff leading to new ideas, sometimes it is just good perspective.
Ya gotta respect the past. In the same vein, a good measure of respect is due to those who were there and who can share.
Now the "past" might be as recent as 1999. Or as old as 1909. In the mid 90s someone caught some great photos of cross in New England.
If ya haven't seen em yet. Go browse. Take a look at what those guys are wearing in the snow and all that. Bare legs? None of that "I wanna be pro and rub embocation all over my legs instead of putting tights on so i can look PRO". that kind of retarded mentality lead to the tent of near death down here in Providence in '05. It likely prompted the local contributor to Velonews to add this to the Ask the Doc page:
So when someone on the list brings up all those people in the tent with hypothermia, all i hear in my mind is Dawn's last couple sentences: "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing."
One thing in particular to note is: what were they wearing there at the Leicester MA, 1995 CX Nats? It appears to be some smart guys who are wise enough to wear the right clothes.
Along with the retarded trend of embrocation and hotter and hotter and some kid at the start line talking about how hot his legs are and then telling his friends - "I accidentally got some on my sack the other day..." come on...
Those euro pros at best are only outside during race day. look at the post race footage and you'll them hop off the bike and jumping right into the trailer to dry off, clean up, and warm up. Immediately. Sure. They are pros. But. If they all showed up here in a regular "pro" event expecting the same stuff they'd be sorely pissed off, prolly never returning. Sure, never compare over here with over there.
Now on these second line of retardation. The stupid bars pointed at the rear freaking axle. I checked with a few guys who have been wrenching as long as i have or longer, but continuously without a break. Guess what. They've never understood why these monkey wrenches are fahking up the handle bar position. Bottom of the bar should always be parallel with the ground. Simple. Tilting them back means the drops are useless.
I dunno. What do i know.
Race smart. Don't do stupid stuff. Do stuff for good reasons, not cause so and so is doing it and he's the popular kid who's winning races. He may actually just be winning races because he (or she if you prefer) is actually genetically superior to you and he's actually making himself way slower by slathering all that smelly "PRO" crap on his legs.
YMMV (which in net geek speak is your mileage may vary)
That or i've been reading too much Bikesnob at lunch lately.
Peace
G
Ya gotta respect the past. In the same vein, a good measure of respect is due to those who were there and who can share.
Now the "past" might be as recent as 1999. Or as old as 1909. In the mid 90s someone caught some great photos of cross in New England.
If ya haven't seen em yet. Go browse. Take a look at what those guys are wearing in the snow and all that. Bare legs? None of that "I wanna be pro and rub embocation all over my legs instead of putting tights on so i can look PRO". that kind of retarded mentality lead to the tent of near death down here in Providence in '05. It likely prompted the local contributor to Velonews to add this to the Ask the Doc page:
Skin care, heat balm and keeping covered
I'm old and grumpy enough to observe two recent skin-care fads in cold weather cycling that I find puzzling and medically counterintuitive. The first is bare legs in the snow. I was a junior back when disco was king and all we had to go by was the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) cycling manual. The good book strictly forbade riding in bare legs below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. These are words to live by, even with the bad English translation. Your skin can only do so much temperature regulation. Cold, bare legs make it harder for your body to maintain core temperature and prevent hypothermia.
Second and even stupider in my opinion are vasodilating balms in a misguided effort to keep bare legs warm when underdressed. By using heat balms you are dilating the blood vessels, thus losing more core temperature. The physiological response to cold exposure is restricting blood flow to the skin and extremities to preserve core temperature. Heat balms to bare cold legs do the opposite and further threaten core temperature. Cold hands and feet and rapidly worsening brain function means you are underdressed, not that you should slap on more wintergreen and capzasin oil and accelerate core hypothermia. There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Hypothermia doesn't make you manly and it sure as heck won't win a race.
So when someone on the list brings up all those people in the tent with hypothermia, all i hear in my mind is Dawn's last couple sentences: "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing."
One thing in particular to note is: what were they wearing there at the Leicester MA, 1995 CX Nats? It appears to be some smart guys who are wise enough to wear the right clothes.
Along with the retarded trend of embrocation and hotter and hotter and some kid at the start line talking about how hot his legs are and then telling his friends - "I accidentally got some on my sack the other day..." come on...
Those euro pros at best are only outside during race day. look at the post race footage and you'll them hop off the bike and jumping right into the trailer to dry off, clean up, and warm up. Immediately. Sure. They are pros. But. If they all showed up here in a regular "pro" event expecting the same stuff they'd be sorely pissed off, prolly never returning. Sure, never compare over here with over there.
Now on these second line of retardation. The stupid bars pointed at the rear freaking axle. I checked with a few guys who have been wrenching as long as i have or longer, but continuously without a break. Guess what. They've never understood why these monkey wrenches are fahking up the handle bar position. Bottom of the bar should always be parallel with the ground. Simple. Tilting them back means the drops are useless.
I dunno. What do i know.
Race smart. Don't do stupid stuff. Do stuff for good reasons, not cause so and so is doing it and he's the popular kid who's winning races. He may actually just be winning races because he (or she if you prefer) is actually genetically superior to you and he's actually making himself way slower by slathering all that smelly "PRO" crap on his legs.
YMMV (which in net geek speak is your mileage may vary)
That or i've been reading too much Bikesnob at lunch lately.
Peace
G
The Hiada
This is the tribe i always admired growing up. At my school back there in Washington State, we had a couple classes about the Natives from the region. The Hiada always stood out for me. Maybe it was the stories of the morning ritual. The massive dugout war canoes. The Totem poles. The Potlach. So many rich tradditions. The hand made hooks to fish for Halibut. All that. I found it compelling. Still do.
So this morning's ride in was the re-awakening of my homage to the Hiada. I didn't go swimming in the Bay. Which of course would be pointless in paying respect cause the water temp is around 70° here. Up there in the Queen Charlotte Islands the temps are in the upper 30s to low 40s year round. Wicked damn cold. But. Every morning they would get up and swim naked in that water, year round. So this morning it was cool. Not cold but cool. A mere 53°F when i set out. The brilliant sun in spots felt warm and luxurious. But the tree covered shade was cool. Maybe Solobreak with his steel trap like memory will remember me waxing all romantic about the culture from last year. And it is true. This isn't the first time i've mentioned it.
But there is a basis for why i will hit a 53°F morning armed with nothing more than a short sleeve jersey and bib shorts. The same kit i wear when it is 100°F outside. It is about increasing my dermal respiration rate. In other words, the skin is a killer cool organ, and like your muscles, heart and lungs, not to mention brain, and stomach, it can be conditioned/trained to deal with adversities. Take the Hiada. The conditioning ritual of the swim braces and prepares the body for dealing with the cold. Raising the metabolic rate. What happens when you increase the metabolic rate? You create more waste energy. And that waste energy is heat.
If ya always slathering on embrocation, or arm warmers and knee warmers and leg warmers and base layers and jackets and gloves and hats and all that cold weather crap... ya'll never be able to use the cold to your advantage. Now. I'm not saying i'm gonna be wearing shorts and a short sleeve jersey when the temps dip down to the teens this winter. Heck i might start covering up the knees at 40 degrees this year. Maybe even 45 now that i'm getting all old and stuff. What i found was that for cross, the dermal conditioning meant that i was pretty comfortable when others were standing around shivering and unable to speak cause their teeth were chattering too much. And yes, lots of people are different. Some can't ever adapt. Some don't want to. And yes, it does consume more calories. Any time you increase your metabolism it means you are using up more calories. Going into caloric debt is fine if you are training and trying to drop the pounds but going into a race is not the time to have a caloric deficit. That will kill your recovery, and probably cost you a fair bit of watts. NO matter how efficiently you can burn fat, or how well your fat burning engine turns out to be. That said. The only, and i mean THE ONLY way to drop weight is to operate in a deficit. If like many off season pro's in the past you bulk up in the winter, you can turn that fuel storage to your advantage and in training get yourself to riding weight while operating in caloric red. But. Once ya hit riding weight/ideal weight, and all those reserves are gone. Ya are gonna suffer. Cross is unique in that the longest race is only an hour. Pretty much don't need a whole lot of food/calories to race for an hour. Maybe at most 1000-1500 calories.
Anyway. Not sure how to explain that whole tangent. The Hiada life and influence always comes back to me this time of year. The Wiki entry for the Hiada seems to be getting better lately. And that's the crazy thing about the internet. It is growing, and that growth is noticeable.
The remix is gonna be awesome!
Someone shoot me already. I can't get that song out of my head. And it ain't even been remixed yet!
Anyway. BKW has some killer content up today. Go give it a read! WHOOOO. Kieth rocks. I wonder if this Bontrager Cross bar that i'm so madly in love with was designed by him or some dude who works for the TREK BICYCLE CORPORATION... either way they are wide and the first ergo drop that i actually like. Cross goodness.
And SPEAKING OF BARS!! Scott said his bars were all titled up and stuff cause some one who raced in Boulder or something or somewhere who set up his Kona a few years ago said you are "SUPPOSED" to point the ends of the bars to the rear hub. WTF?
Greg, anyone. What is up with that shit? Am i so old school and so ingrained as to how to set up a GD bar that i missed the revolution of stupidity?
Here, let see if we can figure out how to make riding in the drops completely hopeless. It is cross, we don't want to look like roadies riding in the drops, lets come up with a way to make it impossible to shift or brake from the drops. Yeah. That'd be AWESOME. WTF?
Set your bars up the right freaking way! The FLATS of the drops, even the 2cm that it might be on the effed up ergo bars some are running, the flats of the drops should be parallel with the freaking top tube (assuming the freaking top tube is level).
And CHAIN TENSION. IF... IF you are gonna run one ring. Set it up so that there is nearly NO slack in the 39-42 - what ever you use as a single and the 25-27 in the rear. Okay? Simple. Right? Make it work.
And another mechanical tid bit. Front Deraileurs. I was hoping to pull out my collection and give a graphical tutorial, and time won't allow me to delve into the virtual world for the expo...
There are different curves for different # of teeth. Does anyone remember when the retards designing MTB parts thought it would be a great idea to come out with Micro-drive? Any of yall mechanics ever remember trying to get a non-microdrive derailuer to work flawlessly with that tiny stuff (that just wore out WAY faster than the bigger stuff)? Didn't happen. Ya want a Front Der to work with your 46-48 front chain ring and STILL work with your 38 inner ring? Get an old skool XTR one. It'll work. No rubbing. Ya wonder why that Ultegra/Dura-Ace Front Der won't work? Heck that whole compact road crank fad that's going on now. Different flipping deraileur.
So. Not to pick on the person who mentioned the "i can't get it to not rub" but it is just an example of, if it don't work it prolly is the wrong part.
There.
Mechanic Soap Box is gonna be put away.
Go do you 50-100 mounts and dismounts. Keep in mind your momentum and inertia. Forward keep going forward as you get on...
peace
G
So this morning's ride in was the re-awakening of my homage to the Hiada. I didn't go swimming in the Bay. Which of course would be pointless in paying respect cause the water temp is around 70° here. Up there in the Queen Charlotte Islands the temps are in the upper 30s to low 40s year round. Wicked damn cold. But. Every morning they would get up and swim naked in that water, year round. So this morning it was cool. Not cold but cool. A mere 53°F when i set out. The brilliant sun in spots felt warm and luxurious. But the tree covered shade was cool. Maybe Solobreak with his steel trap like memory will remember me waxing all romantic about the culture from last year. And it is true. This isn't the first time i've mentioned it.
But there is a basis for why i will hit a 53°F morning armed with nothing more than a short sleeve jersey and bib shorts. The same kit i wear when it is 100°F outside. It is about increasing my dermal respiration rate. In other words, the skin is a killer cool organ, and like your muscles, heart and lungs, not to mention brain, and stomach, it can be conditioned/trained to deal with adversities. Take the Hiada. The conditioning ritual of the swim braces and prepares the body for dealing with the cold. Raising the metabolic rate. What happens when you increase the metabolic rate? You create more waste energy. And that waste energy is heat.
If ya always slathering on embrocation, or arm warmers and knee warmers and leg warmers and base layers and jackets and gloves and hats and all that cold weather crap... ya'll never be able to use the cold to your advantage. Now. I'm not saying i'm gonna be wearing shorts and a short sleeve jersey when the temps dip down to the teens this winter. Heck i might start covering up the knees at 40 degrees this year. Maybe even 45 now that i'm getting all old and stuff. What i found was that for cross, the dermal conditioning meant that i was pretty comfortable when others were standing around shivering and unable to speak cause their teeth were chattering too much. And yes, lots of people are different. Some can't ever adapt. Some don't want to. And yes, it does consume more calories. Any time you increase your metabolism it means you are using up more calories. Going into caloric debt is fine if you are training and trying to drop the pounds but going into a race is not the time to have a caloric deficit. That will kill your recovery, and probably cost you a fair bit of watts. NO matter how efficiently you can burn fat, or how well your fat burning engine turns out to be. That said. The only, and i mean THE ONLY way to drop weight is to operate in a deficit. If like many off season pro's in the past you bulk up in the winter, you can turn that fuel storage to your advantage and in training get yourself to riding weight while operating in caloric red. But. Once ya hit riding weight/ideal weight, and all those reserves are gone. Ya are gonna suffer. Cross is unique in that the longest race is only an hour. Pretty much don't need a whole lot of food/calories to race for an hour. Maybe at most 1000-1500 calories.
Anyway. Not sure how to explain that whole tangent. The Hiada life and influence always comes back to me this time of year. The Wiki entry for the Hiada seems to be getting better lately. And that's the crazy thing about the internet. It is growing, and that growth is noticeable.
The remix is gonna be awesome!
Someone shoot me already. I can't get that song out of my head. And it ain't even been remixed yet!
Anyway. BKW has some killer content up today. Go give it a read! WHOOOO. Kieth rocks. I wonder if this Bontrager Cross bar that i'm so madly in love with was designed by him or some dude who works for the TREK BICYCLE CORPORATION... either way they are wide and the first ergo drop that i actually like. Cross goodness.
And SPEAKING OF BARS!! Scott said his bars were all titled up and stuff cause some one who raced in Boulder or something or somewhere who set up his Kona a few years ago said you are "SUPPOSED" to point the ends of the bars to the rear hub. WTF?
Greg, anyone. What is up with that shit? Am i so old school and so ingrained as to how to set up a GD bar that i missed the revolution of stupidity?
Here, let see if we can figure out how to make riding in the drops completely hopeless. It is cross, we don't want to look like roadies riding in the drops, lets come up with a way to make it impossible to shift or brake from the drops. Yeah. That'd be AWESOME. WTF?
Set your bars up the right freaking way! The FLATS of the drops, even the 2cm that it might be on the effed up ergo bars some are running, the flats of the drops should be parallel with the freaking top tube (assuming the freaking top tube is level).
And CHAIN TENSION. IF... IF you are gonna run one ring. Set it up so that there is nearly NO slack in the 39-42 - what ever you use as a single and the 25-27 in the rear. Okay? Simple. Right? Make it work.
And another mechanical tid bit. Front Deraileurs. I was hoping to pull out my collection and give a graphical tutorial, and time won't allow me to delve into the virtual world for the expo...
There are different curves for different # of teeth. Does anyone remember when the retards designing MTB parts thought it would be a great idea to come out with Micro-drive? Any of yall mechanics ever remember trying to get a non-microdrive derailuer to work flawlessly with that tiny stuff (that just wore out WAY faster than the bigger stuff)? Didn't happen. Ya want a Front Der to work with your 46-48 front chain ring and STILL work with your 38 inner ring? Get an old skool XTR one. It'll work. No rubbing. Ya wonder why that Ultegra/Dura-Ace Front Der won't work? Heck that whole compact road crank fad that's going on now. Different flipping deraileur.
So. Not to pick on the person who mentioned the "i can't get it to not rub" but it is just an example of, if it don't work it prolly is the wrong part.
There.
Mechanic Soap Box is gonna be put away.
Go do you 50-100 mounts and dismounts. Keep in mind your momentum and inertia. Forward keep going forward as you get on...
peace
G
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
"dude what's the matter..."
Made me chuckle. Of course you HAVE to book mark simon's blog now. But anyway the prompt was triggered by todays 'cross' lunch. So we do a warm up, ride around a bit, get a good solid 90 second 500+ watt interval cool down for 4 minutes or so and then go for a little run with the bike... Picture this. 3 people clad in fancy cycling gear, two of em in matching kit and one wearing the babershop colors of IBC, all running with their bikes. All the runners and the cars tootling past on the BLVD musta been scratchin their heads.
It happens to me all the time. Doing the dismount/remount drills. On and off, on and off. And inevitably some cyclist will slow down and make it a point to ask: "is everything okay?"
I generally just bite my tongue and say "yup, no problems" but deep down i wanna say something like "yeah, there's a problem, i can't pedal more than one revolution and then i have to get off the bike and run with it for a few steps so i can pedal one more..." or something a bit more clever.
Just kinda makes me wonder what people think when they see cyclocrossers out practicing... 3 people? all flats and they are in a hurry to get somewhere? anyway...
"Dude What's the matter."
practice practice practice...
g
Fly rods and cross
nope no connection but i hope to make one...
Details? Rod one 12 1/2' (380cm) 3 peice with 1 extra tip, never fished, made in late 1976 out of split bamboo. It is a Hardy "The Wye" "Palakona" rod. Cork is pristine. Varnish looks to be new.
It is the crown jewel of the collection and i would like to turn it into a nice LIGHT and STIFF cross frame.
So if ya wondering the vague attempt at soliciting interest the other day hasn't really amounted to much more than MIF saying "bamboo rod" in his best beavis voice...
--
Gotta make some of those Greg style backpack PVC barriers. Got a killer little loop with a run up and space for a double barrier - just long enough between both that it is a great work out when done over and over and over again. Would be nice to have some barriers to quickly set up that can be portable. And early lunch time cross practice worked out well today. Lots of fun. Hit the Chinese Food Truck after a many month hiatus. His prices went up a quarter. Still a good deal. I think next time we do the cross practice i'll have some video there and we can do some post practice analysis.
Can't wait to get up to Sucker Brook! WHOOOOO yeah!!!
g
Details? Rod one 12 1/2' (380cm) 3 peice with 1 extra tip, never fished, made in late 1976 out of split bamboo. It is a Hardy "The Wye" "Palakona" rod. Cork is pristine. Varnish looks to be new.
It is the crown jewel of the collection and i would like to turn it into a nice LIGHT and STIFF cross frame.
So if ya wondering the vague attempt at soliciting interest the other day hasn't really amounted to much more than MIF saying "bamboo rod" in his best beavis voice...
--
Gotta make some of those Greg style backpack PVC barriers. Got a killer little loop with a run up and space for a double barrier - just long enough between both that it is a great work out when done over and over and over again. Would be nice to have some barriers to quickly set up that can be portable. And early lunch time cross practice worked out well today. Lots of fun. Hit the Chinese Food Truck after a many month hiatus. His prices went up a quarter. Still a good deal. I think next time we do the cross practice i'll have some video there and we can do some post practice analysis.
Can't wait to get up to Sucker Brook! WHOOOOO yeah!!!
g
MRC breaking news
okay so it is 12 hours old...
I wish i was going. But i'm gonna do some drills and stuff around lunch and i'm just pooped. Gotta not ignore the rest side of things. The training race won't do me any good if i can't get the tank filled in time for a "real" race.
When i first saw this over at GoClipless.com i thought "Coach Curly is up to it again" but... no... freaky as can be? It seems to be rather actually for real? Wow.
I will say something great about the last couple days and riding in the drizzle/rain. lack of wind. Calm. Dead calm. AMAZING. Really amazing how much less effort it takes when ya ain't battling a headwind with the trailer. Of course this morning was sunny dry and cool (right at 60°) perfect temp for short sleeves all around and the wind was howling in. Okay it was only 15mph or so but there were gusts up to about 25 and it was mostly a headwind.
I've got a lot of positive anxiety working up about the first race of the season. So excited. Anxious in a good way. But i gotta work on figuring out how to get rid of the little nagging doubts and negative vibes flying around behind the endorphines released in anticipation of the event. Sure. It is just a race. It gives us meaning to race cross. Road riders can go out on Gumby rides and drop their "friends" on climbs and get a sense of accomplishment. MTB guys can go out and just get a wicked killer rush from cleaning a nasty section or waiting at the fork in the trail for the rest of the gang to finally show up. Cross racers, actually gotta go race somewhere. I guess it is sort of the same for a crit racer. But i ain't one of them and have managed to make it through the year so far w/o hitting a crit. I wonder if everything will come together. Will i manage to have eviscerated the double step by then? Last year i could settle back in and be happy just to race because there were no expectations. I was racing for the first year back since 1999... and really the last full season before that was 1998... This year is a bit different. So what will it be like this year? Same results? Can i find some measure of improvement? Can i apply things i've learned over the last year to advancing in the standings? Does it really matter? I do actually wish i could shirk the whole burden of placings. I wish i could just go out and race for the hell of it, never thinking about everyone else and just riding my race as hard as i can. People do it. I admire the folks who take that attitude. But i'm fiercely competitive in many regards and thats a challenge when physically i'm not competitive (ie Bob Beal). Well. there ya go. Introspective. Living up to my moniker.
Thanks to Hernando and the james brown pavarotti duet (i listened to that the morning he died, but felt the Nessun Dorma was the clip to post) i'm on my 3rd Pavarotti video. I might be slow but i have figured out that if you want to listen to a song on demand? Go to YouTube. They almost all there. Got a song in your head and ya need to listen to it to help it move on? Head to Youtube and listen to it and then find something else.
via Brooke's web page ErikV's cleaning up page is pretty good. I might have to see about gitting one of those sprayers... That is if the weather ever actually turns funky here. Last year. No need for it. The one muddy race it was raining so hard after the race that the bike was clean w/in 10 miles of driving with it on the roof.
Anyone find fault with this post? I guess tho the weather will cooperate in the temp department on sunday, but last time i looked it didn't appear to be calling for rain on the forecast.
peace,
practice,
practice,
one, two, three-up,
g
we've had to change the parking location for our training race.
please park along Prouty Dr, this is off Emerald rd (see google map)
we had a conflict with pop warner Football, they don't want us using the parking lot
next to the football field.
we have been accused of public urination and public nudity (people changing into gear)
the new parking area is exactly a mile from the race site
we will have signs and people pointing you to the new parking spot
if you need to use the bathroom, we have rented a Porta john
the Porta John is located at the top of the dirt road hill (at the race site)
please spread the info, and help us keep the race site!
see youtomorrowtoday
rob
I wish i was going. But i'm gonna do some drills and stuff around lunch and i'm just pooped. Gotta not ignore the rest side of things. The training race won't do me any good if i can't get the tank filled in time for a "real" race.
When i first saw this over at GoClipless.com i thought "Coach Curly is up to it again" but... no... freaky as can be? It seems to be rather actually for real? Wow.
I will say something great about the last couple days and riding in the drizzle/rain. lack of wind. Calm. Dead calm. AMAZING. Really amazing how much less effort it takes when ya ain't battling a headwind with the trailer. Of course this morning was sunny dry and cool (right at 60°) perfect temp for short sleeves all around and the wind was howling in. Okay it was only 15mph or so but there were gusts up to about 25 and it was mostly a headwind.
I've got a lot of positive anxiety working up about the first race of the season. So excited. Anxious in a good way. But i gotta work on figuring out how to get rid of the little nagging doubts and negative vibes flying around behind the endorphines released in anticipation of the event. Sure. It is just a race. It gives us meaning to race cross. Road riders can go out on Gumby rides and drop their "friends" on climbs and get a sense of accomplishment. MTB guys can go out and just get a wicked killer rush from cleaning a nasty section or waiting at the fork in the trail for the rest of the gang to finally show up. Cross racers, actually gotta go race somewhere. I guess it is sort of the same for a crit racer. But i ain't one of them and have managed to make it through the year so far w/o hitting a crit. I wonder if everything will come together. Will i manage to have eviscerated the double step by then? Last year i could settle back in and be happy just to race because there were no expectations. I was racing for the first year back since 1999... and really the last full season before that was 1998... This year is a bit different. So what will it be like this year? Same results? Can i find some measure of improvement? Can i apply things i've learned over the last year to advancing in the standings? Does it really matter? I do actually wish i could shirk the whole burden of placings. I wish i could just go out and race for the hell of it, never thinking about everyone else and just riding my race as hard as i can. People do it. I admire the folks who take that attitude. But i'm fiercely competitive in many regards and thats a challenge when physically i'm not competitive (ie Bob Beal). Well. there ya go. Introspective. Living up to my moniker.
Thanks to Hernando and the james brown pavarotti duet (i listened to that the morning he died, but felt the Nessun Dorma was the clip to post) i'm on my 3rd Pavarotti video. I might be slow but i have figured out that if you want to listen to a song on demand? Go to YouTube. They almost all there. Got a song in your head and ya need to listen to it to help it move on? Head to Youtube and listen to it and then find something else.
via Brooke's web page ErikV's cleaning up page is pretty good. I might have to see about gitting one of those sprayers... That is if the weather ever actually turns funky here. Last year. No need for it. The one muddy race it was raining so hard after the race that the bike was clean w/in 10 miles of driving with it on the roof.
Anyone find fault with this post? I guess tho the weather will cooperate in the temp department on sunday, but last time i looked it didn't appear to be calling for rain on the forecast.
peace,
practice,
practice,
one, two, three-up,
g
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Git Ur Read on
Bike Portland... gone Crossin? Sweet!
PEZ's Coach Josh has a bit of some metaphysical mumbo jumbo that sort of actually makes sense.
If my siblings are trendy, will it rub off on me? Little Sis has moved to Astoria in 'The City' and my little bro down in Philli is wanting to get a fixie so he can put his fancy Time pedals on it and wear his fancy Sidi shoes. He's one of the few people i know who actually need a bike to go with their shoes and pedals. He's going fixie. I can't believe it. But if yogurt boy is doing it... maybe it is okay? Nah. But fixie or SS or billions of gears or just a coaster brake, the fact that he's getting on a bike (again) is wicked damn cool. I kinda gave up hope of convincing him that a cross bike is the new hip way to go. Thing is. He's the one who knows hip. Knows what is going on. If he wants fixie? Fixie ain't going nowhere.
How the hell did i miss Issue #3 of Urban Velo Damn it. Well that'll wrap up the "Git Ur Read on" section for today.
Ah well. Time to go take some pictures on the coolest of cool microscopes. The Scanning Electron Microscope. I think honestly it is the one i love the most. Mostly because getting a good image takes a fair bit of skill, but the results are remarkable and eye catching as well as pure awesome art.
peace
G
PEZ's Coach Josh has a bit of some metaphysical mumbo jumbo that sort of actually makes sense.
If my siblings are trendy, will it rub off on me? Little Sis has moved to Astoria in 'The City' and my little bro down in Philli is wanting to get a fixie so he can put his fancy Time pedals on it and wear his fancy Sidi shoes. He's one of the few people i know who actually need a bike to go with their shoes and pedals. He's going fixie. I can't believe it. But if yogurt boy is doing it... maybe it is okay? Nah. But fixie or SS or billions of gears or just a coaster brake, the fact that he's getting on a bike (again) is wicked damn cool. I kinda gave up hope of convincing him that a cross bike is the new hip way to go. Thing is. He's the one who knows hip. Knows what is going on. If he wants fixie? Fixie ain't going nowhere.
How the hell did i miss Issue #3 of Urban Velo Damn it. Well that'll wrap up the "Git Ur Read on" section for today.
Ah well. Time to go take some pictures on the coolest of cool microscopes. The Scanning Electron Microscope. I think honestly it is the one i love the most. Mostly because getting a good image takes a fair bit of skill, but the results are remarkable and eye catching as well as pure awesome art.
peace
G
Rain = free watts
~20-30 to be exact...
Same RPE just 20-30 watts more power and well of course, i'm going faster.
Cross Talk Time:
I knew there was some physiological reason why i always feel better in sh!tty conditions.
One thing i keep thinking about... Single chain rings. Why? Seriously. Why. I know "why" people claim to like it. I've thought about it.
Sure, having one less shifter to worry about is great. very simple. no front der. But... I still remember seeing quite a few notable cases of riders with singles up front dropping the chainring, and with no der it is harder to get the chain back on. Sure ya *can* drop a chain off a double ring set up, but it ain't hard and as long as you aren't running a Solobreak style big ring without the pin, to get it back on while still pedaling. The added weight? Well actually some of the chain guards and the like weight more than the der and shifter removed. I dunno. I definately see the simplicity, but i also see people running chain tension like the 42 or 39 or what ever they are using as a single as they would if it was a small ring.
Take a moment (you single ringers out there) to look at your chain tension. The rear der should be close to maxed in the 25-27 (what ever ya got big in the back). If not? Ya asking fa trubba.
Now. Here's something a little different. Does anyone one know someone who collects super sweet vintage Flyrods? I'm thinking it is time to turn a few of the rods from my grandfather's collection (that i was given when the estate was divided up) into, if i'm lucky, some carbon scandium goodness. Why sit on rods i ain't ever gonna use if i can turn em into something i would use alot? Problem is, #1 they are amazing. Perfect condition. Unused and really really cool. So if ya got a suggestion lemme know, collector or reseller, fine, i just want to get them to someone who has the cash to pay for them and who will appreciate them. Specifically i've got a Hardy, and Orvis and Thomas and Thomas. Lemme know. (email is gewilli at gmail)
Thanks.
Now back to Cross. I'm diggin in the archives now. Rebecca's list prompted me to recall this. Actually, honestly i was thinking about posting it last night on the ride home.
Top 10 Reasons to Race Cyclocross in New England:
10.) You need to justify the $3k you just spent on your new pit bike
9.) You own a long sleeve skinsuit
8.) You need an excuse for why you had a crappy road season, and "I am really focusing on cross this year" is as good as any.
7.) Your name is Paul Curley
6.) You don't mind the cold
5.) You didn't get enough of Rich Fries' screaming during downtown crits
4.) It's the only chance you get all year to see several of the women you have slept with competing in the same race
3.) East coast mud tastes better than West coast mud.
2.)You were unsuccesful in picking up any women during summer and heard the Velo Bella girls were easy
1.) You drove half way across the country to some sparsely attended UCI race in the middle of nowhere so you could get your 1 UCI point and "earn" a call up to the front row.
Top 10 Reasons Not to Race Cyclcocross in New England
10.) You don't have a pit bike, because apparently you NEED a pit bike, even if you race the C race
9.) You're from the west coast and think that 45degrees is "cold"
8.) Your cycling wardrobe doesn't include anything thermal
7.) You can't fathom racing in leg warmers or anything other than one layer of lycra
6.) You've never raced a bike on snow
5.) You don't understand why Lewis Black's routine on "Weather in Boston" is funny
4.)You already crashed into a barrier and somehow managed to get a chainring stuck in your forehead once already, no need to do it again.
3.) Your name is Duane Skofield.
2.) You didn't sign up before the other 95 people in your category and now you won't get a prime starting position
1.) You can't pronounce "Gloucester" or "Worcester" correctly and you didn't think racing Providence nats in the snow was "wicked pissa".
Oh yeah... it is september 11th. That's the extent of my mention. K?
Oh and CTodd don't have a little ass. HE DON'T HAVE AN ASS!!! but i'm rollin on the floor watching it... Ya know... that kid is actually getting good at this thing... only took him 31 tries... but ya know he's good.
Peace
G
Same RPE just 20-30 watts more power and well of course, i'm going faster.
Cross Talk Time:
I knew there was some physiological reason why i always feel better in sh!tty conditions.
One thing i keep thinking about... Single chain rings. Why? Seriously. Why. I know "why" people claim to like it. I've thought about it.
Sure, having one less shifter to worry about is great. very simple. no front der. But... I still remember seeing quite a few notable cases of riders with singles up front dropping the chainring, and with no der it is harder to get the chain back on. Sure ya *can* drop a chain off a double ring set up, but it ain't hard and as long as you aren't running a Solobreak style big ring without the pin, to get it back on while still pedaling. The added weight? Well actually some of the chain guards and the like weight more than the der and shifter removed. I dunno. I definately see the simplicity, but i also see people running chain tension like the 42 or 39 or what ever they are using as a single as they would if it was a small ring.
Take a moment (you single ringers out there) to look at your chain tension. The rear der should be close to maxed in the 25-27 (what ever ya got big in the back). If not? Ya asking fa trubba.
Now. Here's something a little different. Does anyone one know someone who collects super sweet vintage Flyrods? I'm thinking it is time to turn a few of the rods from my grandfather's collection (that i was given when the estate was divided up) into, if i'm lucky, some carbon scandium goodness. Why sit on rods i ain't ever gonna use if i can turn em into something i would use alot? Problem is, #1 they are amazing. Perfect condition. Unused and really really cool. So if ya got a suggestion lemme know, collector or reseller, fine, i just want to get them to someone who has the cash to pay for them and who will appreciate them. Specifically i've got a Hardy, and Orvis and Thomas and Thomas. Lemme know. (email is gewilli at gmail)
Thanks.
Now back to Cross. I'm diggin in the archives now. Rebecca's list prompted me to recall this. Actually, honestly i was thinking about posting it last night on the ride home.
Top 10 Reasons to Race Cyclocross in New England:
10.) You need to justify the $3k you just spent on your new pit bike
9.) You own a long sleeve skinsuit
8.) You need an excuse for why you had a crappy road season, and "I am really focusing on cross this year" is as good as any.
7.) Your name is Paul Curley
6.) You don't mind the cold
5.) You didn't get enough of Rich Fries' screaming during downtown crits
4.) It's the only chance you get all year to see several of the women you have slept with competing in the same race
3.) East coast mud tastes better than West coast mud.
2.)You were unsuccesful in picking up any women during summer and heard the Velo Bella girls were easy
1.) You drove half way across the country to some sparsely attended UCI race in the middle of nowhere so you could get your 1 UCI point and "earn" a call up to the front row.
Top 10 Reasons Not to Race Cyclcocross in New England
10.) You don't have a pit bike, because apparently you NEED a pit bike, even if you race the C race
9.) You're from the west coast and think that 45degrees is "cold"
8.) Your cycling wardrobe doesn't include anything thermal
7.) You can't fathom racing in leg warmers or anything other than one layer of lycra
6.) You've never raced a bike on snow
5.) You don't understand why Lewis Black's routine on "Weather in Boston" is funny
4.)You already crashed into a barrier and somehow managed to get a chainring stuck in your forehead once already, no need to do it again.
3.) Your name is Duane Skofield.
2.) You didn't sign up before the other 95 people in your category and now you won't get a prime starting position
1.) You can't pronounce "Gloucester" or "Worcester" correctly and you didn't think racing Providence nats in the snow was "wicked pissa".
Oh yeah... it is september 11th. That's the extent of my mention. K?
Oh and CTodd don't have a little ass. HE DON'T HAVE AN ASS!!! but i'm rollin on the floor watching it... Ya know... that kid is actually getting good at this thing... only took him 31 tries... but ya know he's good.
Peace
G
Monday, September 10, 2007
This is new
it is raining outside...
rain? what's that?
i can't really remember the last commute when water was falling from the sky...
Another thing. Google Alerts for the keyword cyclocross is returning 2-3x more hits this year than last year. just kinda curious.
rain? what's that?
i can't really remember the last commute when water was falling from the sky...
Another thing. Google Alerts for the keyword cyclocross is returning 2-3x more hits this year than last year. just kinda curious.
Bump
Nah not a bump really... JJ's race deserves so much more. A double mention.
(granted i'm just pimping it based on reputation and the fact that JJ's a good guy and well... the race comes highly recommended)
So, if ya ain't racing. Come watch the duel to the deal. CTodd vs GeWilli vs Bill the hammer Doonan, vs Rob Bauer who's gonna come out on top? Will the MRC boys (with 5 stacked in the 3/4 masters race) try to overwhelm the field with sheer numbers? Or will CTodd work his promoter contacts to get a front row start and work to hold everyone off with the holeshot.
In the big master's field will (almost) hometown hero Yogurt Boy put the hurt into Curtis, or will Sir Boivin decimate the field with his gazelle like leaping on and off the bike?
Show up Sunday and find out. There ain't a better spectator sport in all of cycling.
The long rang forecast looks to be about as good as it can get!
See ya there!
(granted i'm just pimping it based on reputation and the fact that JJ's a good guy and well... the race comes highly recommended)
So, if ya ain't racing. Come watch the duel to the deal. CTodd vs GeWilli vs Bill the hammer Doonan, vs Rob Bauer who's gonna come out on top? Will the MRC boys (with 5 stacked in the 3/4 masters race) try to overwhelm the field with sheer numbers? Or will CTodd work his promoter contacts to get a front row start and work to hold everyone off with the holeshot.
In the big master's field will (almost) hometown hero Yogurt Boy put the hurt into Curtis, or will Sir Boivin decimate the field with his gazelle like leaping on and off the bike?
Show up Sunday and find out. There ain't a better spectator sport in all of cycling.
The long rang forecast looks to be about as good as it can get!
See ya there!
Cole
Slaw...
I made up a batch yesterday after the Beach. The Market at Cutler Mills had some local RI organic blah blah Cabbage. It looked good. I bought a 3 pounder.
Slice up 2 pounds of it (or if you wanna be less specific 2/3 of the head of cabbage). Turns out Lucy likes Cabbage. every sliver that dropped she sucked down. So i shred that cabbage up with the Santoku. Then, well ya can't have good ol' amurican cole slaw without some Carrots. 3 carrots get grated up. Then well ya need some zip, so i shaved 1/2 a small local red onion (organic too iirc, from the market).
Now that's just the base. I wanted to do get the dressing going. I didn't wanna do the old school mayo dressing tho. What about sour cream? Folks like that. SO i dig through the Gourmet cookbook/bible. Ahh there is sort of one. No like it. So i open up the old standby "The Joy of Cooking." I gotta say, when it comes down to the basic 'science' of cooking the Joy is bang on. I ain't wild about the recipies and generally find ways to make em better but the basics are there and it is a damn good resource.
So the mention i have is "use a bit of sugar and vinegar when making a sour cream dressing" most of the sour cream ones call for mayo. The whole point was to avoid mayo. So i grab some sour cream (ya could use the soy stuff if ya wanted it to be vegan) then add some seasoned organic brown rice vinegar, some apple cider vinegar, a touch of plain white processed sugar cane (old school white sugar) and a big bunch of celery seed. I like celery seed in my slaw. So i mix it all up. Wind up adding a bit more of the rice vinegar. And holy crap. This stuff is addictive. Mmm Mmm yummy.
With the wilted cabbage and the vinegar the dressing is not thick at all... almost a vinaigrette-ish. I'm just having a bit now (eating lunch early again).
And while eating lunch i'm catching up on the cyclocross news around the country or at least the pages i've got my fingers on.
First up is Victoria's recounting the Cycle-smart Cross camp. Sounds like it was a great time.
Crossnut.com has a video of the Milford Race.
JJ's write up about the course has it sounding not so fun, 180° turns on wet pavement ain't my favorite thing. But it was a cross race and well... how unfun can one be? Well watching the video it doesn't look too bad. Almost Brockton like though. Maybe because Brockton was the only wet race i did last year. Crazy eh? Granted the other wet race was UNH the day before. Oh well it did sort of rain at Eco-Cross. but not during my race.
Along the lines of JJ's post. Hannah even has pictures. OUCH. Kissed the pavement, more than a mere analogy. At least the new HUB and Circle A jerseys look good.
Then of course there is Anna's write up of the race. That's not a bad thing. Sign up for the race before yours (if possible) to pre-ride the course. Kinda makes alot of sense. Unless you can't. But if you can. Spend the extra couple bucks and double up. Esp if you are as talented as Anna and the likes.
Anyway. That's the lunch time round up. I'm rounding out my lunch with a bit of chili. but... i idiotically left the chips at home so, once again, i'm gonna be lacking on the carb side of things. For a while my body burned best on protein and fats... now... with the current commute and the level of intensity i usually throw at it, i need a much higher ratio of carbs... pretty much need to make sure i'm either making rice or pasta every night. Esp if i wanna avoid going into race weekends sub-optimally fueled. That said, it would be nice to be back to as skinny as i was last year at least in the weight category. But, in terms of sheer power? i can kick my ass from last year hands down. We'll see if that translates into cross. Might not, but... gotta be positive. I think it will. It'll be fun tho. How freaking cool is it just to be wicked excited to go race your bike?
It is like it should be. Ya should be geeked as hell to go race. It ain't a chore. I ain't racing to win to make a living. Racing should be fun. If it is a drag, a chore, a burden? Don't flipping do it! That said. I am very very excited about the season.
I was thinking, a recent conversation spurred this line of thought btw, anyway i was thinking, people call races by different names. Like Wayne Elliot vs Hey'vrill. Same race but different name. Brockton vs Travis. Sterling vs Bay State. BRC Shed Park vs Lowell. I realized i associate races with places. The towns. Destinations. And then thinking about that. I thought, one of the cool things about last year was going into each race completely blind. No idea of what the course had in store for me other than any bit of reports i could glean from the more experienced vets who'd share intel with me. The nicest guy in the peleton (cronoman) was one of the most gracious with his course descriptions, but he wasn't the only one. Many many rounds of thanks go out to those who gave advice last year. And in part, this line of thinking got me to sucker brook. I didn't do sucker brook last year. It is a new course for me. I can't wait. The kick off to a new season. It is like spring time when you see the first daffodil or the forsythia blooming... it gives hope, promise of a new life and an end to the darkness. The first cross race of the year is a bit like that in a way for those who love this sport. Many have tried to capture what cross racing means to them in words. I think though the best way to understand it is really a combination, a summation of all the words people have written about why the do it. About what it means to them.
Cross is special. Cross is different. If ya haven't experienced it and you have at least a mountain bike, take the bar ends off (if ya got them on) and register. Go out and have fun. Ya don't even need to worry about technique your first few times out. It will come. It is fun. And then at some point. Like me and many others, hundreds, thousands, maybe not millions but still there's a lot who have discovered that there just ain't more fun to be had on two wheels. There just isn't.
Eat sleep live,
Cyclocross!
G
I made up a batch yesterday after the Beach. The Market at Cutler Mills had some local RI organic blah blah Cabbage. It looked good. I bought a 3 pounder.
Slice up 2 pounds of it (or if you wanna be less specific 2/3 of the head of cabbage). Turns out Lucy likes Cabbage. every sliver that dropped she sucked down. So i shred that cabbage up with the Santoku. Then, well ya can't have good ol' amurican cole slaw without some Carrots. 3 carrots get grated up. Then well ya need some zip, so i shaved 1/2 a small local red onion (organic too iirc, from the market).
Now that's just the base. I wanted to do get the dressing going. I didn't wanna do the old school mayo dressing tho. What about sour cream? Folks like that. SO i dig through the Gourmet cookbook/bible. Ahh there is sort of one. No like it. So i open up the old standby "The Joy of Cooking." I gotta say, when it comes down to the basic 'science' of cooking the Joy is bang on. I ain't wild about the recipies and generally find ways to make em better but the basics are there and it is a damn good resource.
So the mention i have is "use a bit of sugar and vinegar when making a sour cream dressing" most of the sour cream ones call for mayo. The whole point was to avoid mayo. So i grab some sour cream (ya could use the soy stuff if ya wanted it to be vegan) then add some seasoned organic brown rice vinegar, some apple cider vinegar, a touch of plain white processed sugar cane (old school white sugar) and a big bunch of celery seed. I like celery seed in my slaw. So i mix it all up. Wind up adding a bit more of the rice vinegar. And holy crap. This stuff is addictive. Mmm Mmm yummy.
With the wilted cabbage and the vinegar the dressing is not thick at all... almost a vinaigrette-ish. I'm just having a bit now (eating lunch early again).
And while eating lunch i'm catching up on the cyclocross news around the country or at least the pages i've got my fingers on.
First up is Victoria's recounting the Cycle-smart Cross camp. Sounds like it was a great time.
Crossnut.com has a video of the Milford Race.
JJ's write up about the course has it sounding not so fun, 180° turns on wet pavement ain't my favorite thing. But it was a cross race and well... how unfun can one be? Well watching the video it doesn't look too bad. Almost Brockton like though. Maybe because Brockton was the only wet race i did last year. Crazy eh? Granted the other wet race was UNH the day before. Oh well it did sort of rain at Eco-Cross. but not during my race.
Along the lines of JJ's post. Hannah even has pictures. OUCH. Kissed the pavement, more than a mere analogy. At least the new HUB and Circle A jerseys look good.
Then of course there is Anna's write up of the race. That's not a bad thing. Sign up for the race before yours (if possible) to pre-ride the course. Kinda makes alot of sense. Unless you can't. But if you can. Spend the extra couple bucks and double up. Esp if you are as talented as Anna and the likes.
Anyway. That's the lunch time round up. I'm rounding out my lunch with a bit of chili. but... i idiotically left the chips at home so, once again, i'm gonna be lacking on the carb side of things. For a while my body burned best on protein and fats... now... with the current commute and the level of intensity i usually throw at it, i need a much higher ratio of carbs... pretty much need to make sure i'm either making rice or pasta every night. Esp if i wanna avoid going into race weekends sub-optimally fueled. That said, it would be nice to be back to as skinny as i was last year at least in the weight category. But, in terms of sheer power? i can kick my ass from last year hands down. We'll see if that translates into cross. Might not, but... gotta be positive. I think it will. It'll be fun tho. How freaking cool is it just to be wicked excited to go race your bike?
It is like it should be. Ya should be geeked as hell to go race. It ain't a chore. I ain't racing to win to make a living. Racing should be fun. If it is a drag, a chore, a burden? Don't flipping do it! That said. I am very very excited about the season.
I was thinking, a recent conversation spurred this line of thought btw, anyway i was thinking, people call races by different names. Like Wayne Elliot vs Hey'vrill. Same race but different name. Brockton vs Travis. Sterling vs Bay State. BRC Shed Park vs Lowell. I realized i associate races with places. The towns. Destinations. And then thinking about that. I thought, one of the cool things about last year was going into each race completely blind. No idea of what the course had in store for me other than any bit of reports i could glean from the more experienced vets who'd share intel with me. The nicest guy in the peleton (cronoman) was one of the most gracious with his course descriptions, but he wasn't the only one. Many many rounds of thanks go out to those who gave advice last year. And in part, this line of thinking got me to sucker brook. I didn't do sucker brook last year. It is a new course for me. I can't wait. The kick off to a new season. It is like spring time when you see the first daffodil or the forsythia blooming... it gives hope, promise of a new life and an end to the darkness. The first cross race of the year is a bit like that in a way for those who love this sport. Many have tried to capture what cross racing means to them in words. I think though the best way to understand it is really a combination, a summation of all the words people have written about why the do it. About what it means to them.
Cross is special. Cross is different. If ya haven't experienced it and you have at least a mountain bike, take the bar ends off (if ya got them on) and register. Go out and have fun. Ya don't even need to worry about technique your first few times out. It will come. It is fun. And then at some point. Like me and many others, hundreds, thousands, maybe not millions but still there's a lot who have discovered that there just ain't more fun to be had on two wheels. There just isn't.
Eat sleep live,
Cyclocross!
G
Good Morning Sports Fans!
It is monday. Monday. How many days before sucker brook?
Got in a great Cross session with the master Curtis. I didn't know this but he's been racing cross since 1986. How about that! Freaking cool. And yes indeed, he tried showing off a dismount/remount at 22mph... that boy's got some serious skills.
we set up a nice 1.5 km loop lots of variation and only lacking in a long run up. ifn on the weeks i can't make it to wrentham it'll be a great little place to work on the actually cyclocross side not just the skills that make it up.
We took a family trip out to Horseneck beach on sunday. Decent weather, warm but not hot, slightly overcast and deserted. The last time we were there was mid-summer last year, took almost 1.5 hours to get out of the parking lot. It was cool as a deserted beach. I did a little zen rock gardening while the girls played in the sand and the ocean. Nice having something like that pretty damn close.
And i'll fess up. I almost pulled the trigger on a new bike. Almost. I didn't. But i almost did. even bid a few times. but in the end, *sigh* i didn't. I don't have a reason to. The Croll works. It isn't unbearably heavy, it isn't unbearably flexy, and the bits bolted on work. I did however at one point in my mind swap the powertap for the bike. I mean buying the bike and then selling the 'tap. I had an offer to buy a used Polar recordable thing to replace it as a workout tracking thing. Some how i came to my senses and am ready to race.
Driving out to Horseneck i had remarked that Hey'vrill was happening, "did you want to do it?" asked my wife... "Nope" not this year... Cross. All about Cross... racing crits is like cross but not really. Not for me. Maybe some people race a cross race like they race a crit... but i find it to be rather dissimilar. Sure a crit helps ya get speed work at high power intensities... but it just ain't the same. The mental game for me is the one biggest weakness. In a crit race i ain't got that game play the same way i got the game play in a cross race. Maybe i'll figure it out. Maybe. At least i feel i have game play in a cross race. And from Josh's race report i'm glad we didn't make the trip. Woulda been rather miserable. That said - the speed work probably would have helped. Although I think, getting this old, the rest helped more.
I had almost 50 hours for the month of august. Highest all year. And so far i've recorded only 145,000 kJ on the 'tap since the 3rd week in Jan. Then well there was the month of june when the 'tap wasn't working and i was running around in HRM mode.
So the heavy month and now with the running intensity, coupled with my self enforced avoidance of the 39, sticking with the 49 on the cross bike (commuter right now) i'm getting extra torque work. I realized on Friday heading home that yes indeed, i had been working much harder than i thought the powertap was telling me. The temp change and all had the damn thing under reporting. Crap. So all those 300 watt days were actually much much higher... i knew it was wrong when i saw the average torque at a mere 9.9 N*m adn a peak at only 69. It was off by a fair bit. Oh well. No matter. Cross is about going as fast as you can, not slowing down, conserving momentum. On the bonus side. I *think* the dismounts are coming together. Ya know? This practicing thing might actually be doing some good! How about that.
I'll bump the Sucker Brook poster in a bit.
-G
Got in a great Cross session with the master Curtis. I didn't know this but he's been racing cross since 1986. How about that! Freaking cool. And yes indeed, he tried showing off a dismount/remount at 22mph... that boy's got some serious skills.
we set up a nice 1.5 km loop lots of variation and only lacking in a long run up. ifn on the weeks i can't make it to wrentham it'll be a great little place to work on the actually cyclocross side not just the skills that make it up.
We took a family trip out to Horseneck beach on sunday. Decent weather, warm but not hot, slightly overcast and deserted. The last time we were there was mid-summer last year, took almost 1.5 hours to get out of the parking lot. It was cool as a deserted beach. I did a little zen rock gardening while the girls played in the sand and the ocean. Nice having something like that pretty damn close.
And i'll fess up. I almost pulled the trigger on a new bike. Almost. I didn't. But i almost did. even bid a few times. but in the end, *sigh* i didn't. I don't have a reason to. The Croll works. It isn't unbearably heavy, it isn't unbearably flexy, and the bits bolted on work. I did however at one point in my mind swap the powertap for the bike. I mean buying the bike and then selling the 'tap. I had an offer to buy a used Polar recordable thing to replace it as a workout tracking thing. Some how i came to my senses and am ready to race.
Driving out to Horseneck i had remarked that Hey'vrill was happening, "did you want to do it?" asked my wife... "Nope" not this year... Cross. All about Cross... racing crits is like cross but not really. Not for me. Maybe some people race a cross race like they race a crit... but i find it to be rather dissimilar. Sure a crit helps ya get speed work at high power intensities... but it just ain't the same. The mental game for me is the one biggest weakness. In a crit race i ain't got that game play the same way i got the game play in a cross race. Maybe i'll figure it out. Maybe. At least i feel i have game play in a cross race. And from Josh's race report i'm glad we didn't make the trip. Woulda been rather miserable. That said - the speed work probably would have helped. Although I think, getting this old, the rest helped more.
I had almost 50 hours for the month of august. Highest all year. And so far i've recorded only 145,000 kJ on the 'tap since the 3rd week in Jan. Then well there was the month of june when the 'tap wasn't working and i was running around in HRM mode.
So the heavy month and now with the running intensity, coupled with my self enforced avoidance of the 39, sticking with the 49 on the cross bike (commuter right now) i'm getting extra torque work. I realized on Friday heading home that yes indeed, i had been working much harder than i thought the powertap was telling me. The temp change and all had the damn thing under reporting. Crap. So all those 300 watt days were actually much much higher... i knew it was wrong when i saw the average torque at a mere 9.9 N*m adn a peak at only 69. It was off by a fair bit. Oh well. No matter. Cross is about going as fast as you can, not slowing down, conserving momentum. On the bonus side. I *think* the dismounts are coming together. Ya know? This practicing thing might actually be doing some good! How about that.
I'll bump the Sucker Brook poster in a bit.
-G
Friday, September 07, 2007
reading theJP interview
um...
what about Peanut? She did the total immersion thing there last year. Apartment in Belgium... and all that? Doesn't that count?
(yeah sue me i just got around to reading it)
other good bits in there too...
notice the comment about the youtube video that the 3 bi boys posted?
who rode it clean?
Nasty. Among others but that big freak's orange kit was unmistakable as he made it through that mess.
And yeah i'm gonna keep bumping the Sucker Brook poster. Why? cause the artwork flippin ROCKS and well...
i'm very excited. esp seeing that Ctodd bailed on his romantic notion of racing at Mt Snow! I think JJ needs to have a few "Call ups" in the B-Masters race. Two Wild and Crazy guys deserve a pairing at the start, or not... would make for better video at any rate...
The total commitment to the sport and immersion in the European scene is something Page insists is absolutely necessary to have success on the world level. "So far I haven't seen anyone (who can make it in Europe)," Page explained. "It's not just me, it's my whole family - we moved there. My family and I have made that commitment to move there." Of the other racers in the US, he said, "I haven't found [another] person who has totally committed themselves to doing a European 'cross campaign."
what about Peanut? She did the total immersion thing there last year. Apartment in Belgium... and all that? Doesn't that count?
(yeah sue me i just got around to reading it)
other good bits in there too...
notice the comment about the youtube video that the 3 bi boys posted?
Page's prime example of the many factors that come into play in 'cross was captured in a youtube video that made the rounds on the internet forums after the Hoogerheide World Cup in Holland. "There was this section that was straight down, left 180 degrees - and it was like bloopers and practical jokes with all the guys falling down." Laughing, Page said "That was a tire selection right there!"
who rode it clean?
Nasty. Among others but that big freak's orange kit was unmistakable as he made it through that mess.
And yeah i'm gonna keep bumping the Sucker Brook poster. Why? cause the artwork flippin ROCKS and well...
i'm very excited. esp seeing that Ctodd bailed on his romantic notion of racing at Mt Snow! I think JJ needs to have a few "Call ups" in the B-Masters race. Two Wild and Crazy guys deserve a pairing at the start, or not... would make for better video at any rate...
And NOW for something completely different
Go over to this page and scroll down and click on one of the "completely different" wav sounds
This is really creepy!
Think of a letter between
A and W.
Repeat it
Out loud as
You scroll down.
Keep going . . .
Don't stop .. ..
Think of an
Animal
That begins
With that letter.
Repeat it
Out loud
As you
Scroll down.
Think of either a
man's/woman's name
That begins with the
Last letter
In the animals name
Almost there........
Now
Count out
The letters
In that name
On the fingers
Of the hand
You are not
Using to
Scroll down.
Take the
Hand you
FIRST counted with
And hold it out
In front of you
At face level.
Look at your palm
Very closely
And
Notice the lines
In your hand.
Do the lines
Take the
Form of the
First letter
In the
Persons name???
Of course not.......
Now TAKE THAT HAND AND smack
Yourself in the head,
get a life, And Quit playing Stupid games!!!
This is really creepy!
Think of a letter between
A and W.
Repeat it
Out loud as
You scroll down.
Keep going . . .
Don't stop .. ..
Think of an
Animal
That begins
With that letter.
Repeat it
Out loud
As you
Scroll down.
Think of either a
man's/woman's name
That begins with the
Last letter
In the animals name
Almost there........
Now
Count out
The letters
In that name
On the fingers
Of the hand
You are not
Using to
Scroll down.
Take the
Hand you
FIRST counted with
And hold it out
In front of you
At face level.
Look at your palm
Very closely
And
Notice the lines
In your hand.
Do the lines
Take the
Form of the
First letter
In the
Persons name???
Of course not.......
Now TAKE THAT HAND AND smack
Yourself in the head,
get a life, And Quit playing Stupid games!!!
Cross Racing
It is like the racing has started...
can everyone close their eyes, imagine a front row at G-ster?
Banging bars with CTodd and the rest of the gang there? Fighting for position up the starting climb (basing recollection on last year) hittin the funnel going absolute MACH fahking speed, hitting the grass, nailing that first turn... the next one... the next one... settling into a tight pace... gauging the effort, who's doing what around, who's redlining and gonna blow... who is just watching and waiting, are there people working up? can we get a gap, isolate a gang and work together? dare we? where is the first barrier, where is the dismount, what will it do to the group... is my tire pressure right? are these the right tires? the right wheels? pick the line, pick the line... push push push... stay within yourself on the first lap... gotta recover from the start effort... gotta focus, positive, positive, good feelings, stay focused... stay with the leader... don't let them get away... win win win... focus... they will die, you can catch them, the trailer is good training, i CAN do this... this hurts... I have to do it tomorrow... i gotta remember to eat after the race - stop thinking about after - stay in the HERE AND NOW GO GO GO GO GO Head down, stay out of the wind... fahking wheel suckers... make them pay on the road... weave the fahk all over fahking wheel suckers...
Will it be dry and dusty and windy like last year? Will it be snowing like the year before? Will it be raining? What will the weather be?
I'm so torn, i want cold, miserable, wet, windy sh!tty conditions... i want adversity on the bike... but, last year was perfect for the family spectators... in a way it is tough, do i hope based on selfishness or do i hope based on selflessness... Racers really have to be selfish in many demands... sometimes that's easy for me, but mostly it isn't.
The conditions will be a critical factor. That and, will CTodd's tubulars stay glued on this year? Will GeWilli have the juice in the legs to go go go...
No offense JJ but it took signing up for G-ster to get me this amped, to get my HR up and my BP pumping. I can't wait till sucker brook, but man, G-ster is gonna be awesome. It is the inaugural race of the season for Peanut and well... wow.
Who ISN'T excited? Who isn't excited?
can everyone close their eyes, imagine a front row at G-ster?
Banging bars with CTodd and the rest of the gang there? Fighting for position up the starting climb (basing recollection on last year) hittin the funnel going absolute MACH fahking speed, hitting the grass, nailing that first turn... the next one... the next one... settling into a tight pace... gauging the effort, who's doing what around, who's redlining and gonna blow... who is just watching and waiting, are there people working up? can we get a gap, isolate a gang and work together? dare we? where is the first barrier, where is the dismount, what will it do to the group... is my tire pressure right? are these the right tires? the right wheels? pick the line, pick the line... push push push... stay within yourself on the first lap... gotta recover from the start effort... gotta focus, positive, positive, good feelings, stay focused... stay with the leader... don't let them get away... win win win... focus... they will die, you can catch them, the trailer is good training, i CAN do this... this hurts... I have to do it tomorrow... i gotta remember to eat after the race - stop thinking about after - stay in the HERE AND NOW GO GO GO GO GO Head down, stay out of the wind... fahking wheel suckers... make them pay on the road... weave the fahk all over fahking wheel suckers...
Will it be dry and dusty and windy like last year? Will it be snowing like the year before? Will it be raining? What will the weather be?
I'm so torn, i want cold, miserable, wet, windy sh!tty conditions... i want adversity on the bike... but, last year was perfect for the family spectators... in a way it is tough, do i hope based on selfishness or do i hope based on selflessness... Racers really have to be selfish in many demands... sometimes that's easy for me, but mostly it isn't.
The conditions will be a critical factor. That and, will CTodd's tubulars stay glued on this year? Will GeWilli have the juice in the legs to go go go...
No offense JJ but it took signing up for G-ster to get me this amped, to get my HR up and my BP pumping. I can't wait till sucker brook, but man, G-ster is gonna be awesome. It is the inaugural race of the season for Peanut and well... wow.
Who ISN'T excited? Who isn't excited?
Are YOU registered?
Well Punk? did ya sign up?
Were you one of the folks with practice from registering for CX Nats last year?
Did ya pimp the first spot? At least the Front row?
Did your dedicated T-1-billion line get your CC# processed first?
Will the weather be epic or will it be like last year?
Ahhh Gloucester. Such History in that place...
See yall there!
Were you one of the folks with practice from registering for CX Nats last year?
Did ya pimp the first spot? At least the Front row?
Did your dedicated T-1-billion line get your CC# processed first?
Will the weather be epic or will it be like last year?
Ahhh Gloucester. Such History in that place...
See yall there!
Train and Tracks
It is/has been one of those "the train has left the station" sort of i had something but i switched tracks and seem to be unable to find in my head what it was i knew i wanted to write.
I didn't do any motorpacing last night but i did get out for a short run and a bit of dismount drills. The run i decided to do differently. I warmed up for a few minutes and then spent 10 minutes running on trails. Man alive. That deeply suppressed thrill of racing cross country in highschool came back. I hated the training, the running on the road, the beating i took, but get me on the trails, sand, sticks, roots, uneven, undulating... fahking really cool. I gotta make sure i reign in that feeling. Mt Biking is the same way too in many respects. But that whole flying through the trails. Amazing feeling. At some point running across uneven rutted grasss i got to thinking about kerry's dislike of the same terrian. And then got thinking of realtive foot/shoe size. Maybe like in cyclocross with the knee barrier ratio, the same can be said about uneven ground and shoe size... The same reason why 29 bikes are way better than 26 bikes... it just smooths out the little stuff...
After the little trail run i hit the bike. Dismounts. Then... i mixed it up. I actually picked up the bike and ran with it. Believe it or not the remounts are easier after running than just doing the on, off, on, off, on, off. That said i jammed my elbow HARD on the bottle cages. Damn it that hurts. But picking that bike up by the down tube, sliding it up to the crook of my elbow and grabbing the bar felt sooooo natural. Running with it there was fun. Man alive there is just something about Cross.
Gonna see about setting a course up tomorrow in the am. Gonna tap into a local super star's talent, experience and skills for a bit... a little more than a week out from the first race. And the one nagging problem i have is the lack of riding outside of the commute.
I'd probably be a good candidate for the "K Plan" if i was actually coachable and if they mentioned cyclocross in there somewhere.
Switching over to coffee: give Pat Nerr's Coffee Ed part 1 a read. Nice simple explaination for a phenomenon i experienced way back in 1991-1992. I would be heading up to work at the Pine Street Pro Shop, but ya see my commute was based on the Ferries. They would get me in with 30 extra minutes. Ya see the Pine Street Pro shop was the only bike shop i worked at where they expected the mechanics to show up 30 minutes before it opened to clean up, vacuum, and if all set, cleaned to get a jump start on the repairs. Well getting the cross sound ferry, and fortunately i managed to hit the passenger ferry on the good days, meaning i wouldn't have to fight my way across West Seattle. So on my way up the hill from the main terminal i would stop at the 'Bux on, of all places Pine Street. Ya know the one across from the old Fredrick and Nelson building? Between 5th and 6th? I had started my life as a coffee drinker liking Lattes with a bit of foam. But very shortly (budget driven) i moved on to the hard stuff. COD, black. Now the one coffee the one coffee that nearly killed me every time i got a big size (Pat would have to confirm when Grande came out, but it might have been around that time, well and long before that retard Venti thing), that one COD i looked forward to with some dread AND anticipation? Mexican Blend. Man that shit was high octane rocket fuel. More caffine than anything else i've ever consumed. Drink a large size one of those from that era and well, even if i had a massive mexican scramble in the morning (beans, eggs, cheese, salsa sometimes meat) i'd be shaking so much that i couldn't get the 2mm allen wrench into the tension screw on the Deore Cantis. Eating food usually helped but man... one of those in the morning and i had to stick with not so delicate repairs. Coffee don't do that to me no more. I think i'm old and solidly conditioned to having the stuff in my system. Right now my bean of choice is a dark (but not starbucks overly) roasted Tanzanian Peaberry. Great flavor, not too much caffeine but man i like it. Sure, it is some gimicky fair trade crap, but it is locally roasted and the shit is wicked tasty and at $9/pound don't break the bank like other "boutique" coffee.
There.
What to read today?
BKW - From Loved to Loathed
Peanut is back in the country and seemingly has time to write again!
Frank's got some good videos. In the Yozell Flying one you can actually see guys braking on the way into the barriers... at least that's what i'm seeing back in the pack. For crissake folks, just pick up the bike and run, don't kill your speed.
Tree Farm still is shirking the net after the rabid two timing attack from Adam and Richard Last year. Maybe those two were justified in their "actions" maybe not, still too bad, Ryan posted some funny sheet up there at times.
How many days till Sucker Brook? I just hope i can hang with Doonan!
peace
G
I didn't do any motorpacing last night but i did get out for a short run and a bit of dismount drills. The run i decided to do differently. I warmed up for a few minutes and then spent 10 minutes running on trails. Man alive. That deeply suppressed thrill of racing cross country in highschool came back. I hated the training, the running on the road, the beating i took, but get me on the trails, sand, sticks, roots, uneven, undulating... fahking really cool. I gotta make sure i reign in that feeling. Mt Biking is the same way too in many respects. But that whole flying through the trails. Amazing feeling. At some point running across uneven rutted grasss i got to thinking about kerry's dislike of the same terrian. And then got thinking of realtive foot/shoe size. Maybe like in cyclocross with the knee barrier ratio, the same can be said about uneven ground and shoe size... The same reason why 29 bikes are way better than 26 bikes... it just smooths out the little stuff...
After the little trail run i hit the bike. Dismounts. Then... i mixed it up. I actually picked up the bike and ran with it. Believe it or not the remounts are easier after running than just doing the on, off, on, off, on, off. That said i jammed my elbow HARD on the bottle cages. Damn it that hurts. But picking that bike up by the down tube, sliding it up to the crook of my elbow and grabbing the bar felt sooooo natural. Running with it there was fun. Man alive there is just something about Cross.
Gonna see about setting a course up tomorrow in the am. Gonna tap into a local super star's talent, experience and skills for a bit... a little more than a week out from the first race. And the one nagging problem i have is the lack of riding outside of the commute.
I'd probably be a good candidate for the "K Plan" if i was actually coachable and if they mentioned cyclocross in there somewhere.
Switching over to coffee: give Pat Nerr's Coffee Ed part 1 a read. Nice simple explaination for a phenomenon i experienced way back in 1991-1992. I would be heading up to work at the Pine Street Pro Shop, but ya see my commute was based on the Ferries. They would get me in with 30 extra minutes. Ya see the Pine Street Pro shop was the only bike shop i worked at where they expected the mechanics to show up 30 minutes before it opened to clean up, vacuum, and if all set, cleaned to get a jump start on the repairs. Well getting the cross sound ferry, and fortunately i managed to hit the passenger ferry on the good days, meaning i wouldn't have to fight my way across West Seattle. So on my way up the hill from the main terminal i would stop at the 'Bux on, of all places Pine Street. Ya know the one across from the old Fredrick and Nelson building? Between 5th and 6th? I had started my life as a coffee drinker liking Lattes with a bit of foam. But very shortly (budget driven) i moved on to the hard stuff. COD, black. Now the one coffee the one coffee that nearly killed me every time i got a big size (Pat would have to confirm when Grande came out, but it might have been around that time, well and long before that retard Venti thing), that one COD i looked forward to with some dread AND anticipation? Mexican Blend. Man that shit was high octane rocket fuel. More caffine than anything else i've ever consumed. Drink a large size one of those from that era and well, even if i had a massive mexican scramble in the morning (beans, eggs, cheese, salsa sometimes meat) i'd be shaking so much that i couldn't get the 2mm allen wrench into the tension screw on the Deore Cantis. Eating food usually helped but man... one of those in the morning and i had to stick with not so delicate repairs. Coffee don't do that to me no more. I think i'm old and solidly conditioned to having the stuff in my system. Right now my bean of choice is a dark (but not starbucks overly) roasted Tanzanian Peaberry. Great flavor, not too much caffeine but man i like it. Sure, it is some gimicky fair trade crap, but it is locally roasted and the shit is wicked tasty and at $9/pound don't break the bank like other "boutique" coffee.
There.
What to read today?
BKW - From Loved to Loathed
Peanut is back in the country and seemingly has time to write again!
Frank's got some good videos. In the Yozell Flying one you can actually see guys braking on the way into the barriers... at least that's what i'm seeing back in the pack. For crissake folks, just pick up the bike and run, don't kill your speed.
Tree Farm still is shirking the net after the rabid two timing attack from Adam and Richard Last year. Maybe those two were justified in their "actions" maybe not, still too bad, Ryan posted some funny sheet up there at times.
How many days till Sucker Brook? I just hope i can hang with Doonan!
peace
G
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Vanderhoot Shout Out
Ya'll know what a fan I am of the Cross. It's a sport that helps set to right all those imbalances to the body a full season of road racing creates. It improves bike handling, helps increase explosive power on the bike, and ... is just plain beautiful to watch. It's elegent and fierce and primal.
Racing cross is high-speed meditation. It's putting yourself in a state of mental calm while the body rages wild beneath you. The best cross riders are glassy-smooth patches in a swirling world of chaos around them. They see clearly, decide quickly, and ... practice, practice, practice.
get out on the dirt. everyday.
Right on Olaf... Right the Fahk on!
eating lunch late
ALWAYS, always, never fails to make the day feel all fahked up. The first of the day usually isn't bad because i'm pretty solidly occupied. Then i get done with that phase and have to catch up on the stuff that i didn't get done while doing that. Then i realize it is almost 2pm and think, damn i gotta eat something. Then i finish eating while still working to catch up and realize i am not living up to the lyrics of CTodd's song he wrote. Oh man.
Now i've got a crazy strong desire for a siesta.
I haven't heard a first person report of the minuteman cx race from last night but the big guns seemed to have turned out. If ya got a report somewhere lemme know. Maybe i can figure out how to get there one of these days. Props to Curtis kicking ass and for once again confounding the people trying to spell his last night right! (update - rumor has it that Mark's air pressure was way to high for the bumpy grass course)
Came across a nice tire review article. Best example of how to write a kick ass review in a while. And i'll add, i think i got ripped off. My tri cross II tires didn't come with Shredoffum TM and Wunride TM technology.
Speaking of tires. I dunno if i wrote about it or not. But those with nothing better to do might remember i mentioned riding with someone who had a dramatically lighter bike than i did. Well, one of the most curious and frustrating things was when i was drafting and my friend on the wicked awesome superlight bike would stop pedaling... usually it would happen when i was coasting in the draft... it would be like he put the brakes on. Rolling inertia. These sumbitch tires are amazing flywheels. Takes wicked amount of work to get em rolling but man once rolling... pretty nice. Although with a narrower profile and a slick tread the phenomenon would be even more pronounced.
Anyway, i guess i need to figure out how to work in a few motor pacing sessions to balance the running and cross drills. But honestly, if all the races here were like the Belgium national championships last year, i couldn't get better training than just lugging the loaded trailer around!
Gonna close with a link the The Bike Snob's entry for today... took me a while but i've finally warmed up to the stuff. I guess i just kept hitting it on the boring post days.
peace,
git out and ride
g
Now i've got a crazy strong desire for a siesta.
I haven't heard a first person report of the minuteman cx race from last night but the big guns seemed to have turned out. If ya got a report somewhere lemme know. Maybe i can figure out how to get there one of these days. Props to Curtis kicking ass and for once again confounding the people trying to spell his last night right! (update - rumor has it that Mark's air pressure was way to high for the bumpy grass course)
Came across a nice tire review article. Best example of how to write a kick ass review in a while. And i'll add, i think i got ripped off. My tri cross II tires didn't come with Shredoffum TM and Wunride TM technology.
Speaking of tires. I dunno if i wrote about it or not. But those with nothing better to do might remember i mentioned riding with someone who had a dramatically lighter bike than i did. Well, one of the most curious and frustrating things was when i was drafting and my friend on the wicked awesome superlight bike would stop pedaling... usually it would happen when i was coasting in the draft... it would be like he put the brakes on. Rolling inertia. These sumbitch tires are amazing flywheels. Takes wicked amount of work to get em rolling but man once rolling... pretty nice. Although with a narrower profile and a slick tread the phenomenon would be even more pronounced.
Anyway, i guess i need to figure out how to work in a few motor pacing sessions to balance the running and cross drills. But honestly, if all the races here were like the Belgium national championships last year, i couldn't get better training than just lugging the loaded trailer around!
Gonna close with a link the The Bike Snob's entry for today... took me a while but i've finally warmed up to the stuff. I guess i just kept hitting it on the boring post days.
peace,
git out and ride
g
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
