Dragging this morning after an evening of thrills, spills and weakened legs. One may have been caused by another as the MNS/AWI Racing meet up to do our thing. Those that raced the previous day showed their vulnerability as soon as the trail went vertical. Good ride with a lot of tire bumping which lead to a few of us eventually attempt circus style acrobatic over over random logs and rocks. No deaths, no injuries. Pretty sure everyone was slightly distracted with the plan of post ride ice cream. This is where things went horribly wrong.
Barrie is a city, not a huge city but a city for sure. Ice cream is a popular evening treat that is wanted during the summer. Who would have thought that a not to be named ice cream shop would close as early as they did on a Monday. When did this change? It was open last year when went post Monday ride. What changed? To say that the group was disappointed was an understatement. After a weak protest in front of the store with hopes they would reopen, just a couple swear words and some stomping of feet, 8 disgruntled cyclist really don't put up much of a threat, we reorganized and headed to the boobie prize ice cream shop that is known for their super size. Yes we were all disappointed.
Training resumes, some new exercises for my hands. Seems that they have way to much power and need some facial tearing and releasing. Yet another body part that needs work, the list is growing. I was much happier to get that answer for the cause of the numbness than something much worst. This can be fixed. Some quality time with the Chuck Norris bike will give them a break this week. It's been a while since I road and looked around. It could be a nice change.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Canada Cup Hardwood
I'm not sure if it was my wisest decision in the last couple years to throw my hands in the ring and derailleur out the window. I really didn't know what to expect, I didn't have any expectations and I didn't realize how much it was going to hurt. I also forgot how much fun it is to race for only and hour and a half. When you get used to riding all day it's a bit of a cheap thrill to just beat yourself up for what felt like only a few minutes, yes slightly understated.
Saturday morning was filled with rain in the morning, opted not to change my tires and avoid getting hit my lightning. Late afternoon social and a couple laps once things cleared up. Made my usual F$(% up on bone shaker during the first lap. I seem to do that every year now and every year someone from the Norco tent seems to see it and cheer. This year was no different. Get it out of me before the race. A few minor tweaks to the bike to be made in the evening,
Sunday morning was spent cheering Shannon on at a local 10 km run. She had fun, it was a great course which finished up on the Orillia rail trail. Some good swag also. Awesome time, just a hair over 50 minutes. A little this and a little that and we were at the start corral cheering on the Elite race. For anyone who saw the start, ouch, the pace was crazy right off the line and just ramp up from there. AWI had a couple in the top 20, More of this and that including a warm up blah blah blah.
They shove the Single speeder in with the Cadet's this made for a very confusing pack which I was sitting right at the back. The word go meant a huge surge which had me about 20 feet behind. I'm a typical slow starter and not having the ability to shift and jump in the pack kept me already settling into my own pace and this was 30 seconds into the race. Like usual the first climb showed who pinned it way to hard at the beginning. Picked off a few before the single track and settled in. The course was in great shape, lots of grip. I let the bike run and took advantage of anyone who choose the wrong line and snuck pass. I knew I was back, maybe top 10 at this point and just rode. At around the halfway mark of the course I came close to pulling the plug. I've been having those hand problems and for some reason today I opted on wearing gloves. My left hand was numb, I had a little fear of not being able to hold on to the grips. Every time I could I had them as relaxed as possible but not being able to shift gears meant death gripping the bars and torquing them on every climb. I was concerned but after I removed the gloves things settled back to normal.
Finished the first lap and saw a pack ahead of me, this included Tristan who had left like a rocket of the start. Didn't get impatient or anxious and stayed stayed. I've learned pretty quickly that you need to conserve your legs for those important high power outputs. Passed a few and I was on Tristan's wheel. There was hopes that we could work together and pull a few rider in. Tristan hammering the double track, myself leading the single. This worked for a bit until my front wheel drifted out in a soft berm that I took a stupid line through. Hmm and I was the one leading the single track, rethinking?? Caught back up to the pack and started to lead again, As we came through Coffee run Tristan dropped off the wheel. Team strategy was done, I started to look ahead and saw the next target. It had an HBCC jersey.
Starting the last lap I was still a little stunned that my legs were still feeling pretty good. I'd been concerned before the race, I was almost a little shocked. I caught Mike on the start climb and tried to use my top secret ninja skills and hide quietly behind him in his draft. This worked only in my mind. He would attack, I would debate and only do the minimal I needed to. We were running into some traffic and every effort he put down seemed to almost be wasted as he hammered the double track I was able to slip in with half the effort and roll up behind in the single track. It was like this for most of the lap. Mike did finally get a big gap on me just after the first side of the feed but I think the efforts were catching up with him and I slowly gained on him as we headed into the last couple km's. As we came up to coffee run I started to scheme my plan. There isn't much of a race left, I knew where I would have to go and what I had to do.
I stayed right on his wheel through the fast downhill that I always giggle on, as we rolled towards the little climb just before the 2nd half of the feed it pulled to the right and stopped, I didn't know what was up. I kept going made the turns into the feed looking back. Mike wasn't there, I didn't slow down. Kept on the gas just in case and a minute or two later crossed the line. 5th, not bad for not knowing what would happen. i think I could go faster. Found out later that Mike's hub froze up. That was not the way I wanted to get past him. Would have loved it to turn into a sprint at the line.
What was my overall opinion of the single speed division and the race.. One of my favorite courses to date at Hardwood. A good mix of everything. Single speed is fun, I will do it again. I will never do it longer than one of these races, it still hurts more than I like and I love my duallie way to much. So does my body. A few more tweaks to be done to the SS including a really big wide riser bar. I need all the help I can get. The body is feeling the abuse but overall feeling strong considering all the aches and pains. They seem to go away when I'm on my bike. Time for more coffee and food.
Saturday morning was filled with rain in the morning, opted not to change my tires and avoid getting hit my lightning. Late afternoon social and a couple laps once things cleared up. Made my usual F$(% up on bone shaker during the first lap. I seem to do that every year now and every year someone from the Norco tent seems to see it and cheer. This year was no different. Get it out of me before the race. A few minor tweaks to the bike to be made in the evening,
Sunday morning was spent cheering Shannon on at a local 10 km run. She had fun, it was a great course which finished up on the Orillia rail trail. Some good swag also. Awesome time, just a hair over 50 minutes. A little this and a little that and we were at the start corral cheering on the Elite race. For anyone who saw the start, ouch, the pace was crazy right off the line and just ramp up from there. AWI had a couple in the top 20, More of this and that including a warm up blah blah blah.
They shove the Single speeder in with the Cadet's this made for a very confusing pack which I was sitting right at the back. The word go meant a huge surge which had me about 20 feet behind. I'm a typical slow starter and not having the ability to shift and jump in the pack kept me already settling into my own pace and this was 30 seconds into the race. Like usual the first climb showed who pinned it way to hard at the beginning. Picked off a few before the single track and settled in. The course was in great shape, lots of grip. I let the bike run and took advantage of anyone who choose the wrong line and snuck pass. I knew I was back, maybe top 10 at this point and just rode. At around the halfway mark of the course I came close to pulling the plug. I've been having those hand problems and for some reason today I opted on wearing gloves. My left hand was numb, I had a little fear of not being able to hold on to the grips. Every time I could I had them as relaxed as possible but not being able to shift gears meant death gripping the bars and torquing them on every climb. I was concerned but after I removed the gloves things settled back to normal.
Finished the first lap and saw a pack ahead of me, this included Tristan who had left like a rocket of the start. Didn't get impatient or anxious and stayed stayed. I've learned pretty quickly that you need to conserve your legs for those important high power outputs. Passed a few and I was on Tristan's wheel. There was hopes that we could work together and pull a few rider in. Tristan hammering the double track, myself leading the single. This worked for a bit until my front wheel drifted out in a soft berm that I took a stupid line through. Hmm and I was the one leading the single track, rethinking?? Caught back up to the pack and started to lead again, As we came through Coffee run Tristan dropped off the wheel. Team strategy was done, I started to look ahead and saw the next target. It had an HBCC jersey.
Starting the last lap I was still a little stunned that my legs were still feeling pretty good. I'd been concerned before the race, I was almost a little shocked. I caught Mike on the start climb and tried to use my top secret ninja skills and hide quietly behind him in his draft. This worked only in my mind. He would attack, I would debate and only do the minimal I needed to. We were running into some traffic and every effort he put down seemed to almost be wasted as he hammered the double track I was able to slip in with half the effort and roll up behind in the single track. It was like this for most of the lap. Mike did finally get a big gap on me just after the first side of the feed but I think the efforts were catching up with him and I slowly gained on him as we headed into the last couple km's. As we came up to coffee run I started to scheme my plan. There isn't much of a race left, I knew where I would have to go and what I had to do.
I stayed right on his wheel through the fast downhill that I always giggle on, as we rolled towards the little climb just before the 2nd half of the feed it pulled to the right and stopped, I didn't know what was up. I kept going made the turns into the feed looking back. Mike wasn't there, I didn't slow down. Kept on the gas just in case and a minute or two later crossed the line. 5th, not bad for not knowing what would happen. i think I could go faster. Found out later that Mike's hub froze up. That was not the way I wanted to get past him. Would have loved it to turn into a sprint at the line.
What was my overall opinion of the single speed division and the race.. One of my favorite courses to date at Hardwood. A good mix of everything. Single speed is fun, I will do it again. I will never do it longer than one of these races, it still hurts more than I like and I love my duallie way to much. So does my body. A few more tweaks to be done to the SS including a really big wide riser bar. I need all the help I can get. The body is feeling the abuse but overall feeling strong considering all the aches and pains. They seem to go away when I'm on my bike. Time for more coffee and food.
Friday, June 3, 2011
2 wheels, 1 gear, 0 common sense
Stage is set, bike is now ready to go. It's funny how many times this bike has changed roles. Who would have thought that a small named bike companies carbon hard tail would have been capable of playing so many roles in its short life. 4 years ago I got a little deal with Blue, took advantage of it and ended up with the bike mentioned and a great cross bike. both have been beaten up, ridden hard, put away messy, been used and abused. So much that I may have a hard time selling either of them down the road. The xc carbon, it's official name has gone from main race bike to single speed, to winter bike, then back to a short course race bike and now has returned to it's permanent life. It does make a pretty good single speed.
Test ride with the final build was tested last night in the big back yard. I like the gear ratio I've set up. I found the 18 could get me up most things and most things in Copeland are steep. I know I'll loose a bit on those rare flat double track sections but I'll take my chances that I can spin my legs at 140 rpm. I found out the hard way that my tire choice was a failure. The feeling of sidewall flex and twist is such an interesting feel. The wheel was going one way, the tire the other. Retirement time for this set. Besides the small tire inconvenience the bike worked flawless. Climbed well, descended well, no problems with the chain setup and tensioner. My hands were finding things a little confusing though. Every hill they automatically started looking for the shifter. I'll be wishing for them by mid race, or the first hill. It should be another epic play day.
Weekend is almost upon us, lots to do. Coffee included.
Test ride with the final build was tested last night in the big back yard. I like the gear ratio I've set up. I found the 18 could get me up most things and most things in Copeland are steep. I know I'll loose a bit on those rare flat double track sections but I'll take my chances that I can spin my legs at 140 rpm. I found out the hard way that my tire choice was a failure. The feeling of sidewall flex and twist is such an interesting feel. The wheel was going one way, the tire the other. Retirement time for this set. Besides the small tire inconvenience the bike worked flawless. Climbed well, descended well, no problems with the chain setup and tensioner. My hands were finding things a little confusing though. Every hill they automatically started looking for the shifter. I'll be wishing for them by mid race, or the first hill. It should be another epic play day.
Weekend is almost upon us, lots to do. Coffee included.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Deciding at speeds
Am I that easily swayed? Does it take so little to push me to a decision? It wasn't a life altering decision, it was a playing one. A solid ride on the Canada Cup course before the usual Wednesday night excitement made it a pretty easy one. I'm racing Sunday, I love the course. I like it enough that I wish I could get my big boy licence so I could race with the group that I should. This more because I'd like to do more laps. Not many race to say that but it's fun and flowy. It's also a course that I would much rather be on my Anthem. There is just enough rough stuff for you to crave the suspension. There isn't however enough climbing that I won't make myself hurt for 3 laps with one gear.
Lot's of momentum into the climb, great flow, lease climbing than in previous years. Roughly 550 feet of climbing per lap but it doesn't feel that bad. That didn't stop me from changing out the gear ratio on the SS. I'm guesstimating that 32-18 will be perfect for me, I'll give up the flats to make it up on the climbs having legs to rock the single track and downhill. Work your strengths, do every thing to bury your weakness.
Besides the thrills the course has on it, my body was yet my bigger concern. Will I have strength, will it last at intensity, are there still traces of bad things in there from the 100 miler. I'd have to say no. Except for the crash in the first section of single track, somehow I caught a pedal on a stump which felt that I was moving to quickly. It was one of those WTF just happen crash followed by watching a slow motion crash as Jer attempted to go around me. Luckily there was a bit of a gap over the next group, sorted out things and continued. Lost maybe 20 seconds with the circus act. After a second or two of regaining focus it was back on the gas with 3 riders ahead. The first guy in my sights was pretty easy to catch. It was the next that was the big problem.
Chasing down my teammate. I will give him credit, Tristan was rocking a single speed and when the trail got tight I was able to gain, pass then put time into him. One last rider ahead, one of those senior ex guys from Mountainview CC Tom is riding well this year, will be moving to Elite after the Canada Cup. I saw him, I pushed hard, he heard me, he pushed. There was a small gap that got filled in by a couple young riders as the trails merged. Not on the brakes but just a little slower than I would have been rolling. It's still awesome watching how fast some of these kids can roll the tech stuff. I guess being 4 foot nothing on a small bike with little fear becomes the perfect combo. Crossed the line about 10 seconds back. Feeling really good, better than I have in a while. This was the bigger influence in my decision.
Lot's to do between now and then, a bit more training, some more house rearranging, some more moving. The month of June is going to be a busy one. Lucky I'm not drinking decaf.
Lot's of momentum into the climb, great flow, lease climbing than in previous years. Roughly 550 feet of climbing per lap but it doesn't feel that bad. That didn't stop me from changing out the gear ratio on the SS. I'm guesstimating that 32-18 will be perfect for me, I'll give up the flats to make it up on the climbs having legs to rock the single track and downhill. Work your strengths, do every thing to bury your weakness.
Besides the thrills the course has on it, my body was yet my bigger concern. Will I have strength, will it last at intensity, are there still traces of bad things in there from the 100 miler. I'd have to say no. Except for the crash in the first section of single track, somehow I caught a pedal on a stump which felt that I was moving to quickly. It was one of those WTF just happen crash followed by watching a slow motion crash as Jer attempted to go around me. Luckily there was a bit of a gap over the next group, sorted out things and continued. Lost maybe 20 seconds with the circus act. After a second or two of regaining focus it was back on the gas with 3 riders ahead. The first guy in my sights was pretty easy to catch. It was the next that was the big problem.
Chasing down my teammate. I will give him credit, Tristan was rocking a single speed and when the trail got tight I was able to gain, pass then put time into him. One last rider ahead, one of those senior ex guys from Mountainview CC Tom is riding well this year, will be moving to Elite after the Canada Cup. I saw him, I pushed hard, he heard me, he pushed. There was a small gap that got filled in by a couple young riders as the trails merged. Not on the brakes but just a little slower than I would have been rolling. It's still awesome watching how fast some of these kids can roll the tech stuff. I guess being 4 foot nothing on a small bike with little fear becomes the perfect combo. Crossed the line about 10 seconds back. Feeling really good, better than I have in a while. This was the bigger influence in my decision.
Lot's to do between now and then, a bit more training, some more house rearranging, some more moving. The month of June is going to be a busy one. Lucky I'm not drinking decaf.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Two different riding styles
Good day on the bike, it hurt, it wasn't fun, but yet it was. The first return of intensity of sorts and I wasn't sure what to expect. Shannon decided to join me on the road and got to see first hand the self abuse I put on myself. As she toured just behind as I blasted out full effort sprints over and over again she enjoyed the scenery, I enjoyed staring at the road as I slung my body over the handlebars after a round of puke paced exertion. Hmmmm Someone has the right idea, someone may not.
Things were not to far off from what I expected, the body is not in the most pleasant shape. I'm far from gumby by flexible right now and I feel that when on the road bike. What was the highlight, despite that I was almost forcing myself to puke, it was from the sprints, not from overheating. The body is adjusting well to the heat, there doesn't seem to be any signs of recourse from the thermal meltdown at the 100 miler. I'll still be watching things very carefully over the next few weeks.
Finished up the ride with a stop down at the bay, plans of a ice water flush were pretty much destroyed when I stepped in and felt bath warm. The bay is warming up quickly, still felt great. This is the first sign of true summer. No bugs, great weather, etc etc. Bring it on, but let it go by slowly. The 3 months of summer usually go by as a blur. Maybe this year will be different?
Wednesday night World Cup tonight. Preride the Canada Cup, should be another good night.
Things were not to far off from what I expected, the body is not in the most pleasant shape. I'm far from gumby by flexible right now and I feel that when on the road bike. What was the highlight, despite that I was almost forcing myself to puke, it was from the sprints, not from overheating. The body is adjusting well to the heat, there doesn't seem to be any signs of recourse from the thermal meltdown at the 100 miler. I'll still be watching things very carefully over the next few weeks.
Finished up the ride with a stop down at the bay, plans of a ice water flush were pretty much destroyed when I stepped in and felt bath warm. The bay is warming up quickly, still felt great. This is the first sign of true summer. No bugs, great weather, etc etc. Bring it on, but let it go by slowly. The 3 months of summer usually go by as a blur. Maybe this year will be different?
Wednesday night World Cup tonight. Preride the Canada Cup, should be another good night.
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