With may coming to a close the final prep for road nats has begun. Just like before Defi I find myself on my TT bike close to every day, and if its not the TT then its the track bike. My rides consist of longer rides and efforts on the aggressive torture device or I find myself at the track in LA, looking for tenths of a second with my standing start.
Friday brought excitement in that I hit the deck at the track once again. This time it was equipment failure and I walked away missing little skin but a large part of my ego. I love the track more and more. It hurts a lot, but we're not in this sport to have a pain free experience. Plus, track days mean an easy spin on the road bike in the morning and a day off from the TT machine.
I got back on the TT the past few days for my least favorite workout ever, race simulation. This workout involves riding my bike as fast as possible up the highway 33 outside of ojai, then flipping it and racing back to the start. I love the 33, pretty empty, good pavement, high speed descents, except when climbing it in my aero bars. Last week i wanted to die as i blew up early on an early pitch of the climb and suffered through to the end. Today my effort was more controlled as i rode hard into the steep section an used it to catch another gear as i clawed my way to the turn around. The way back was another story as i attempted to ride flat out, not get killed by gravel trucks barreling down the hill, and not puke on myself at the same time.
I made it down, faster than last week, with more time spent cranking a huge gear on the descents in my aero bars.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
High time to quit messing around
The Brea criterium yesterday was my first race since returning from Canada. With a few good weeks of training under my belt i was confident in my form. With the Dannies in tow I headed south the evening before. Last minute bike was in order, race wheels adjusted, frames scrubbed clean.
My goal for the race was not to win, but to finish in a high position, one in which I would eventually achieve. With crosswinds and slight rises people weren't willing to bury themselves in a breakaway but willing to wait for the finish. As six laps to go approached I found myself slipping backwards in the turns, every time I reached for my breaks. Flipping my brakes open forced me to ride faster, allowing me to hold position and advance past the more timid cat 4's.
With one to go i found myself fifth wheel as we flew through the finish, controlling my effort and thinking about my chances in a sprint. Turns one and two were golden, the pace quick enough to discourage people from moving up the sides. The uphill section was where it went wrong, i felt the surge coming around me and was powerless, my body already in full sprint mode trying to hold the wheel ahead of mine. we came around the last 2 turns and I was scrambling to hold position, thrashing my legs trying to find one more match to burn. I crawled through the finish in nineteenth, my best cat 4 result to date, but far from where I want to be.
My goal for the race was not to win, but to finish in a high position, one in which I would eventually achieve. With crosswinds and slight rises people weren't willing to bury themselves in a breakaway but willing to wait for the finish. As six laps to go approached I found myself slipping backwards in the turns, every time I reached for my breaks. Flipping my brakes open forced me to ride faster, allowing me to hold position and advance past the more timid cat 4's.
With one to go i found myself fifth wheel as we flew through the finish, controlling my effort and thinking about my chances in a sprint. Turns one and two were golden, the pace quick enough to discourage people from moving up the sides. The uphill section was where it went wrong, i felt the surge coming around me and was powerless, my body already in full sprint mode trying to hold the wheel ahead of mine. we came around the last 2 turns and I was scrambling to hold position, thrashing my legs trying to find one more match to burn. I crawled through the finish in nineteenth, my best cat 4 result to date, but far from where I want to be.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
a quick glance back
It's been a week since I got back from Canada and only in the past few days have I realized really what happened. As a naturally excitable person i tried to forget what I was really doing and where I was to focus on the task at hand. Looking back I realize how well I rode, and it still amazes me. While I told myself I could ride standard in the time trial I didn't think I could get as close as I did, being just 3 seconds off the pace.
My victory in the circuit race was awesome but I couldn't have done it without Meg and Matt, we rode as a team and that is what I remember, us all working until the end. More than anything my races at defi made my time off from school has been worth it, and truly showed my transformation into a bike racer. Coming off the weekend I realized what is possible and have started thinking about the next few years leading into qualification for London.
A big step is my move home in a few weeks. While I love life in Santa Barbara, It's an expensive place to live while not in school and paying to race my bike. I'm moving home into the "Tuscan Villa", or the pool house at my family's home in Carmel Valley. I won't be there much in the first months, nationals prep and racing look to occupy much of June and July.
While I am there I look forward to great food and training, as well as maybe reconnecting with all my friends i left as I went to college, as a kid unsure with what he wanted to do with his life to maybe a slightly wiser one with a slightly stronger grip on his future.
My victory in the circuit race was awesome but I couldn't have done it without Meg and Matt, we rode as a team and that is what I remember, us all working until the end. More than anything my races at defi made my time off from school has been worth it, and truly showed my transformation into a bike racer. Coming off the weekend I realized what is possible and have started thinking about the next few years leading into qualification for London.
A big step is my move home in a few weeks. While I love life in Santa Barbara, It's an expensive place to live while not in school and paying to race my bike. I'm moving home into the "Tuscan Villa", or the pool house at my family's home in Carmel Valley. I won't be there much in the first months, nationals prep and racing look to occupy much of June and July.
While I am there I look forward to great food and training, as well as maybe reconnecting with all my friends i left as I went to college, as a kid unsure with what he wanted to do with his life to maybe a slightly wiser one with a slightly stronger grip on his future.
Monday, May 3, 2010
A little trip to French Canada
My trip to Defi started a bit rocky, with the absence of a front wheels and enough bike boxes a few days before my flight. My friends had it covered, boxes and equipment were in my hands with plenty of time to spare.
The day before my flight found me wrestling bikes into boxes, packing enough cycling clothing to cover weather from the arctic to the sahara. Craig was awesome enough to over night me a skinsuit from Colorado. Nick lent me his beloved edge wheel and Sarah and John hooked it up with the pair of hard cases.
My flights found me going SB to LA to Chicago to meet the rest of the squad. I tried the trick used my para athletes and called my bikes "wheelchairs", saving a good chunk of change and leaving a good feeling in my gut.
After a late meal we all boarded to fly to Montreal, missing Meg due to a missed flight. it was almost midnight when we landed, caught a awesome crippled tram to customs and collected our luggage, feeling blessed as all our bikes rolled out onto the carousel.
A midnight snack was in order when we arrived at our hotel downtown famished. Delivery was ordered and we fell into bed exhausted at about 1:30 in the morning.
I looked and felt like death in the morning, though my personal caraf of coffee at breakfast helped my tired mind stir. Bikes were soon assembled and 4 disabed cyclists were released onto the streets of the city. After many consultations with the doorman we determined our route to the race course.
Our opener ride took us past a huge molson brewery, over the saint lawerence river and onto the circuit gille ve nueve. Corners were scouted, winds examined and lines determined on our recon ride around the blazing fast car track.
With our ride out of the way massages arranged by the organizers were well welcomed. With one last check of equipment, clothes were laid out for the task ahead we all welcomed an early bedtime.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The day before my flight found me wrestling bikes into boxes, packing enough cycling clothing to cover weather from the arctic to the sahara. Craig was awesome enough to over night me a skinsuit from Colorado. Nick lent me his beloved edge wheel and Sarah and John hooked it up with the pair of hard cases.
My flights found me going SB to LA to Chicago to meet the rest of the squad. I tried the trick used my para athletes and called my bikes "wheelchairs", saving a good chunk of change and leaving a good feeling in my gut.
After a late meal we all boarded to fly to Montreal, missing Meg due to a missed flight. it was almost midnight when we landed, caught a awesome crippled tram to customs and collected our luggage, feeling blessed as all our bikes rolled out onto the carousel.
A midnight snack was in order when we arrived at our hotel downtown famished. Delivery was ordered and we fell into bed exhausted at about 1:30 in the morning.
I looked and felt like death in the morning, though my personal caraf of coffee at breakfast helped my tired mind stir. Bikes were soon assembled and 4 disabed cyclists were released onto the streets of the city. After many consultations with the doorman we determined our route to the race course.
Our opener ride took us past a huge molson brewery, over the saint lawerence river and onto the circuit gille ve nueve. Corners were scouted, winds examined and lines determined on our recon ride around the blazing fast car track.
With our ride out of the way massages arranged by the organizers were well welcomed. With one last check of equipment, clothes were laid out for the task ahead we all welcomed an early bedtime.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
An international victory
After 3 years of racing, today was the day I got a win. I was happy with my 6th in the TT yesterday, but knew I was a favorite for the flat, straightforward 50 kilometer circuit race.
My teammates were with me as we covered breaks, split the field, and out rode the heavily Canadian field.
With 500 meters to go I was 3rd wheel, and as we went under a bridge there was the screeching of carbon wheels as the field went down. It was just me and a Canadian national team member who led it out. coming into the final meters my crit racing days kicked in, and I was able to slip around him for the win.
I still can't believe I won, having never experienced crossing the finish line with a clear view of the course ahead. I head home tomorrow, full of hope for the next few months.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
My teammates were with me as we covered breaks, split the field, and out rode the heavily Canadian field.
With 500 meters to go I was 3rd wheel, and as we went under a bridge there was the screeching of carbon wheels as the field went down. It was just me and a Canadian national team member who led it out. coming into the final meters my crit racing days kicked in, and I was able to slip around him for the win.
I still can't believe I won, having never experienced crossing the finish line with a clear view of the course ahead. I head home tomorrow, full of hope for the next few months.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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