Or is that red? Wait is that blood? That's what I expected to spit up after my first venture down to Hardwood for the weekly world cup race. It was time to add a little top end work to that diesel engine. I'm attempting to slap a turbo to it, right now it's very very small. Like usual the start became an uphill grind full of smack talk with team race director standing on the sidelines armed with a camera. I'm assuming he wanted photographic evidence if we were pushing hard enough. I went out fairly hard but at a pace I could sustain. Lead half way up the long start climb when this blur went ripping past me and the trailing group like we were standing still. Not sure what was said pre race but with Andrew there I'm starting to figure Tristan was given another strategy talk. To say he was killing it was an understatement. Of course it was short lived and at the pitch of the hill the brakes in his legs kicked in.
I just settled in the top 5 as we hit the single track. It's been a long time since I've ridden the trails at full speed with my eyes crossed. Keeping myself in a controlled state without clipping a tree, harder than I remember. I do believe I say this at the beginning of each season. Kept the gas on as much as I could, and dropped one spot to Taylor on a double track. From this point on I glanced over my shoulder time to time. Partly to know if I had a gap for comfort, partly to know if my gap was disappearing and scare myself into pushing harder. Power sections I would loose a second or two lead, tech sections I would regain or build my lead. Nothing has changed there.
As the race came closer to the end the dust began to get thicker as all the different races started to come together. My lungs were not liking it much, my body was asking if it could remove the snack I had earlier and place it on the side of the trail. I continued to tell both body parts to shut up. They argued back constantly. Had the race been any longer I'm pretty sure that they would have ganged up on me and recruited the legs as the enforcer. Crossed the line, that hurt. I'm pretty sure the lungs were bleeding after that, max heart rate was higher than it's been all spring. Hopefully after the bleeding stops they'll be a little bigger.
I thought I'd seen enough pink for the evening, nope. A trip to Jacob and Liz's found a big box of goodies. team kits are in, Pink is an understatement. Shiny and new can't describe them enough, there will never ever be a problem spotting any of us during a race again. An evening I needed full of amusement.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Dealing with it
coffee, coffee, coffee. Need I say more????? The road to recovery is in my sites both physically and caffeinelly. Drinking twice as much as I normally do to make up for the loss last week and spending three times as much time stretching and getting the stupid pain in my ass, literally, under control. I've had problems in the past with peraformus, spelling? Its this tiny powerful muscle in your butt that can pull everything out of whack. Having the problem before is gear because you know the signs, of course curing the problem is not so quickly done. I could ask Dan to delay the race a couple weeks but Im feeling that the answer will be no so ill hold off on my request and just deal with the problem. Training is starting to trim back, holidays a almost here, quality time to recover will all hopefully lead to a great day on the bike when it matters most.
Some great weather is in the forecast, some riding to be done. I may even work on some tan lines.
Some great weather is in the forecast, some riding to be done. I may even work on some tan lines.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Solving problems
This is my life, it's what I do for a living, I'm not that bad at it either. Well I recently had a problem that I didn't realize, actually I had two, one being a repeat from the past. I'll get to that one soon enough. Last week was busy, work and just life in general seemed to be moving at a million miles an hour, a pace I normally love but for some reason I just couldn't seem to keep up. Was it that I turned a little bit older and with an instant change in numbers you get slower? I doubted it but you never know, it felt very much like hitting the wall. I just kept motoring along but each day I felt more and more behind, of course this put me into a rather bad mood. Of course being in a bad mood when busy just creates a snowball affect. You know where this can lead.
Welcome Sunday morning, my wonderful girlfriend was nice enough to make me the breakfast that will fuel me through the road race. This also meant that she was making coffee. She asked a strange question, a question that I'm not used to hearing in my house. A question that put a stunned look on my face and a returning question "EXCUSE ME????" I needed to know if this was some sort of a crazy agenda that she may start sneaking in on me as we start to blend our two households together. You've all heard those stories, they've made comedy movies about those stories. What was this stunning question, "do you want regular coffee or decaf"
Decaf??? Are you crazy? Are you trying to change me? Would you like to see my body shake in convulsions? She was serious and showed me the bags of wonderful coffee. The previous week I attempted to break out of my normal kicking horse addiction and try another companies blend, a local Ontario mix. I thought I should help support the local economy. Well I'm tempted to send a letter stating a minor complaint in their labeling. In the top left corner was a small white dot with the word decaf in it. So small that my old age wasn't able to spot it when I bought the bag last week. Yes, that's right, I drank decaf for a week. You've heard what happens to any druggie when he can't get his fix. Exactly!!!!
Unlike my old favorite BC blender who would never ever mix up this type of thing let alone making two versions of the same blend coffee with only a small marking to tell the difference, I feel that I need to protest and set up a picket line in front of the Muskoka coffee company and warning others so they don't fall prey to the same fate that I had. It's for the safety of others I feel that I should do this, caffeine withdrawal is one thing, done without one knowing is another. It's dangerous, it's cruel, it's sadistic and it should be illegal. If I was in the US I could soon for pain and suffering. Instead I'll be Canadian and apologize for being grumpy last week as my body went into full on withdrawal. The guilty bag will be sacrificed in a public ceremony later this week for who ever would like to attend. It won't happen again, ever!!!
I won't get into the other problem this morning, it's on it's way to being fixed also. 2 weeks to have it cured, 2 weeks till the 100 miler, a mix of mileage over the next couple weeks. That's it I need to stop typing to spend quality time with that wonderful thing inside my mug. More thrills tomorrow, in a good mood.
Welcome Sunday morning, my wonderful girlfriend was nice enough to make me the breakfast that will fuel me through the road race. This also meant that she was making coffee. She asked a strange question, a question that I'm not used to hearing in my house. A question that put a stunned look on my face and a returning question "EXCUSE ME????" I needed to know if this was some sort of a crazy agenda that she may start sneaking in on me as we start to blend our two households together. You've all heard those stories, they've made comedy movies about those stories. What was this stunning question, "do you want regular coffee or decaf"
Decaf??? Are you crazy? Are you trying to change me? Would you like to see my body shake in convulsions? She was serious and showed me the bags of wonderful coffee. The previous week I attempted to break out of my normal kicking horse addiction and try another companies blend, a local Ontario mix. I thought I should help support the local economy. Well I'm tempted to send a letter stating a minor complaint in their labeling. In the top left corner was a small white dot with the word decaf in it. So small that my old age wasn't able to spot it when I bought the bag last week. Yes, that's right, I drank decaf for a week. You've heard what happens to any druggie when he can't get his fix. Exactly!!!!
Unlike my old favorite BC blender who would never ever mix up this type of thing let alone making two versions of the same blend coffee with only a small marking to tell the difference, I feel that I need to protest and set up a picket line in front of the Muskoka coffee company and warning others so they don't fall prey to the same fate that I had. It's for the safety of others I feel that I should do this, caffeine withdrawal is one thing, done without one knowing is another. It's dangerous, it's cruel, it's sadistic and it should be illegal. If I was in the US I could soon for pain and suffering. Instead I'll be Canadian and apologize for being grumpy last week as my body went into full on withdrawal. The guilty bag will be sacrificed in a public ceremony later this week for who ever would like to attend. It won't happen again, ever!!!
I won't get into the other problem this morning, it's on it's way to being fixed also. 2 weeks to have it cured, 2 weeks till the 100 miler, a mix of mileage over the next couple weeks. That's it I need to stop typing to spend quality time with that wonderful thing inside my mug. More thrills tomorrow, in a good mood.
Monday, May 9, 2011
I got what I expected
That is pretty much the result of yesterday's road race. Got to the fair grounds with lots of time for social and warm up. It was a beautiful day, perfect conditions. The sun was up, it was getting warm, the wind wasn't blowing down houses. It was going to be a nice day to spend quality time on the bike. After a team meeting that was filled with sarcasm, something I do believe we learned should never be used when talking about race strategy we lined up with a pretty tough group 5.
So what was the team game plan, well let's just say what was put into action in the first 30 seconds lead to the feel of the rest of the race. Tristan, who has not done one of these before was told to just pin it right from the start for the first lap, take the lead and don't look back. Of course this was told to him in a very joking manor, to his defence which he brought up later in the evening, "When a world class rider named Watson tells you to pin it off the start, you just do it" Yes in the end this was Andrew's fault for what was about to happen. Normal starting for something like this is a gradual ramp up in the first lap, everyone working together, going a little faster etc etc until you hopefully catch the group ahead. Not today.
Go, Tristan blasts off the line full force, takes the right hand corner 50 feet ahead and continues to pin it. The pack of 8-9 of us are stunned, a few haven't even clipped in and there is already a huge gap. 2 packs are formed, Tristan leading with 3 other's, me leading the chase group, redlining my legs 20 seconds into the race. Closing in the gap, just as I expected to get a little help after the long full steam pull the little punk from planet energy instead of working together, jumps ship and sprints around the group to bridge the gap, There were some words used. The group did get back together and for the first lap that's all there was, fast paced and random surges. I'm not a fan of surges, my body doesn't surge well, I'm an endurance athlete with a diesel engine. I'm good at maintaining a pace. This showed soon enough.
Coming through the first lap I was at the end of the pack as I made the turn and yet again another surge, 3 off us were off the back, Shit. Head down and giving it I helped get one back to be able to bridge but I couldn't match the acceleration on the slightly rough pavement. The 3rd rider was back 50 feet and out of it. For the next half lap it was a tease. The group didn't really pull away, they just sat far enough away that, a huge ass carrot. I got as low as I could and pushed as hard as I could but couldn't gain, being alone I was able to ride the smoothest section of the road and I searched for every type of fast pavement that I could, taking the corners faster than I would in the pack, doing everything to gain a second or two on them. Wasn't happening today. Training!!!
Pretty much figures then to use this as a long TT. I haven't done much in the lines of long intensity to this point. Just settled in, stayed smooth and consistent, it wasn't long before I started catching people that had been blown out of different groups. Unfortunately they weren't of use to me, everyone I caught stayed with me for a minute or two and fell off. Keep riding alone, Lap 2, lap 3 etc etc I just kept motoring along. The legs felt pretty good most of the time but near the end of the race I felt a couple twinges that had me a little concerned.
Crossed the line, not last but most definitely not first. 2 hours of full on intensity, exactly what I needed to check the body. With 2 weeks till the 100 miler this showed me a few body issues that need to be resolved before spending an 8 hour day on the bike. As much as I complained that the team strategy was screwed up, being blown off the back was probably a good thing for me. The team did well from what I heard and continued to put some serious pain into the group, stories were retold last night at the first AWI Racing pub ride that was walked to where beers were drank, lies were told and a decision was made that before the next team race we actually have a serious meeting where only true ideas are told, we've learned that someone will jump when told, no questions asked.
I have some body repair to do now, lot's of time to recover and be ready. 2 weeks is a long time but not that long.
So what was the team game plan, well let's just say what was put into action in the first 30 seconds lead to the feel of the rest of the race. Tristan, who has not done one of these before was told to just pin it right from the start for the first lap, take the lead and don't look back. Of course this was told to him in a very joking manor, to his defence which he brought up later in the evening, "When a world class rider named Watson tells you to pin it off the start, you just do it" Yes in the end this was Andrew's fault for what was about to happen. Normal starting for something like this is a gradual ramp up in the first lap, everyone working together, going a little faster etc etc until you hopefully catch the group ahead. Not today.
Go, Tristan blasts off the line full force, takes the right hand corner 50 feet ahead and continues to pin it. The pack of 8-9 of us are stunned, a few haven't even clipped in and there is already a huge gap. 2 packs are formed, Tristan leading with 3 other's, me leading the chase group, redlining my legs 20 seconds into the race. Closing in the gap, just as I expected to get a little help after the long full steam pull the little punk from planet energy instead of working together, jumps ship and sprints around the group to bridge the gap, There were some words used. The group did get back together and for the first lap that's all there was, fast paced and random surges. I'm not a fan of surges, my body doesn't surge well, I'm an endurance athlete with a diesel engine. I'm good at maintaining a pace. This showed soon enough.
Coming through the first lap I was at the end of the pack as I made the turn and yet again another surge, 3 off us were off the back, Shit. Head down and giving it I helped get one back to be able to bridge but I couldn't match the acceleration on the slightly rough pavement. The 3rd rider was back 50 feet and out of it. For the next half lap it was a tease. The group didn't really pull away, they just sat far enough away that, a huge ass carrot. I got as low as I could and pushed as hard as I could but couldn't gain, being alone I was able to ride the smoothest section of the road and I searched for every type of fast pavement that I could, taking the corners faster than I would in the pack, doing everything to gain a second or two on them. Wasn't happening today. Training!!!
Pretty much figures then to use this as a long TT. I haven't done much in the lines of long intensity to this point. Just settled in, stayed smooth and consistent, it wasn't long before I started catching people that had been blown out of different groups. Unfortunately they weren't of use to me, everyone I caught stayed with me for a minute or two and fell off. Keep riding alone, Lap 2, lap 3 etc etc I just kept motoring along. The legs felt pretty good most of the time but near the end of the race I felt a couple twinges that had me a little concerned.
Crossed the line, not last but most definitely not first. 2 hours of full on intensity, exactly what I needed to check the body. With 2 weeks till the 100 miler this showed me a few body issues that need to be resolved before spending an 8 hour day on the bike. As much as I complained that the team strategy was screwed up, being blown off the back was probably a good thing for me. The team did well from what I heard and continued to put some serious pain into the group, stories were retold last night at the first AWI Racing pub ride that was walked to where beers were drank, lies were told and a decision was made that before the next team race we actually have a serious meeting where only true ideas are told, we've learned that someone will jump when told, no questions asked.
I have some body repair to do now, lot's of time to recover and be ready. 2 weeks is a long time but not that long.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Hoping it won't be a double breakfast day
It's that time, time to get the most bang for 5 bucks. I know it's going to hurt, there is a chance that I may leave my breakfast on the side of the road. I may be looking for a chunk of single track to recover on but it will still be fun. It's road race time, same thrill as last year only one step above. This year it's AWI Racing against the world. Ok we're starting a little smaller with three central Ontario clubs. Still I think that's part of the world, so technically it is the world we are taking on.
My expectations are high and low, high for the team low for me. I question my legs after a rest week filled of busyness and abusive physio have me questioning. I've also not done anything top end for that long yet this season. Yep, this is going to hurt. Being a self staging race with it going slowest to fastest and only the sandbaggers opting for the wrong group I'll be leaving in group 5(fastest) and hoping to hold on with the crew. We have beer in the list of post race activities which will hopefully motivate me. unfortunately our team kits didn't make it in time for us to sport some awesome gang colours.
There will be more thrills written about the day tomorrow and should be something up on the team site as well. For now it's getting some food in me that's easily brought up.
My expectations are high and low, high for the team low for me. I question my legs after a rest week filled of busyness and abusive physio have me questioning. I've also not done anything top end for that long yet this season. Yep, this is going to hurt. Being a self staging race with it going slowest to fastest and only the sandbaggers opting for the wrong group I'll be leaving in group 5(fastest) and hoping to hold on with the crew. We have beer in the list of post race activities which will hopefully motivate me. unfortunately our team kits didn't make it in time for us to sport some awesome gang colours.
There will be more thrills written about the day tomorrow and should be something up on the team site as well. For now it's getting some food in me that's easily brought up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
