Running sucks! With the idea of training for cyclocross, I bought new running shoes a couple weeks ago. Start slow, go easy, avoid injury. Right. I got the correct shoes. I started by walking , then light jogging for 30 seconds, back to walking for a minute, and again jogging for 30 seconds. Repeat. Well I didn't make it past the third repeat when I felt a twinge of tightness in my left calf. Great, here we go again.
Last year I pulled my calf muscle running for the employee shuttle to get my cell phone I had left in my car. I thought someone hit me in the back of the leg with their rollerbag. Wow that hurt. I got some Bengay and went to work. That night I planned to race in SEA at the velodrome. Well, I limped to the track, got on my bike to warm up and to test the calf. After a lap, I completely forgot about my injured calf. I guess I just don't use that part of the calf muscle on a bicycle. Yay!
Fast forward to last night. My stressed left calf from last week is beginning to bother me early in the day. By the end of the day, I've got a full on limp going. And boy, does it hurt. So this time I get IcyHot. (always willing to try something different) Of course, I'm back in SEA and racing on the track again. This time when I get on the bike the pain doesn't go away like before. Oh crap. Do I continue to race or do I just call it a night and watch others race? You know I do love to watch bike races. But I also do love to race. Heck with it. My calf isn't going to fall off! Is it?
I raced strong all night. Chasing down breakaways (my favorite). Going with surges. Leading out sprints. And even being in the points for 4 points sprints in a row. I still don't have a good top end speed. Who really does need a calf muscle to ride a bicycle. It is over rated.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Boy, do I love the Olympics!!
Up late every night, up early in the morning and even up again in the middle of the night to watch LIVE races on the computer. The coverage this year is much better because of the internet. Primetime still gives you only the feel good stories. The cycling coverage is mininal. But the internet shows the whole 6 hour race LIVE. And the best part is no commontaters just raw sound.
I've been watching all kinds of different sports like badminton, weight lifting, beach volleyball, archery, field hockey, soccer, handball, equestrian, gymnastics, swimming and of course cycling. And this is only 4 day into it. We've got until the 23rd. Ok , I've got to get back to watching the Olympics.
I've been watching all kinds of different sports like badminton, weight lifting, beach volleyball, archery, field hockey, soccer, handball, equestrian, gymnastics, swimming and of course cycling. And this is only 4 day into it. We've got until the 23rd. Ok , I've got to get back to watching the Olympics.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Time for the long rides
After so much racing, I've decided to start going on some long rides to get ready for cyclocross season. I do things a little backwards. I kind of raced myself into shape and now I've got to get some endurance.
Today, Larry and I went out for just shy of 4 hours. Most of our ride was just at conversation pace. I did crank it up a bit on a nice smooth section of road from Jefferson to Seven Valleys. I couldn't help myself. It really wasn't smart, because we just limped in for the last few miles. ouch! I'm feeling it now sitting watching the Olympics.
Today, Larry and I went out for just shy of 4 hours. Most of our ride was just at conversation pace. I did crank it up a bit on a nice smooth section of road from Jefferson to Seven Valleys. I couldn't help myself. It really wasn't smart, because we just limped in for the last few miles. ouch! I'm feeling it now sitting watching the Olympics.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Back to T-town
It has been way too long away from the velodrome. It is so much fun. Ed, Spencer and I went for the last race of the track season in Trexlertown. This is Spencer's first track race and his first time riding rollers. All I can say is when Spencer gets more experience on the track he is going to be something. He is so strong.
Ed raced both the cat4 and masters races. That means he raced 3 cat4 races, 3 masters races and the feature race for a total of 7 races. That would have killed me. What a wild man. He did great!
We raced a 12 lap scratch race, a 20 lap points race and a miss and out. Plus a 24 lap feature. of course times two for Ed.
My favorite race is the miss and out. It has been since I was a junior. Thats because I can hang in and positon my way up in the group for protection. I got 5th.
My mom and dad came to watch us race today. I love it when they come to watch. But they missed my 5th place race because they went to go eat and came back. Very funny, they are so funny.
The feature event for us was a 24 lap scratch race. The Colavita team had three riders in the race. They tryed to breakaway twice. I brought them back twice. That is fun for me.
Next year we need to go to the track much more often.
Ed raced both the cat4 and masters races. That means he raced 3 cat4 races, 3 masters races and the feature race for a total of 7 races. That would have killed me. What a wild man. He did great!
We raced a 12 lap scratch race, a 20 lap points race and a miss and out. Plus a 24 lap feature. of course times two for Ed.
My favorite race is the miss and out. It has been since I was a junior. Thats because I can hang in and positon my way up in the group for protection. I got 5th.
My mom and dad came to watch us race today. I love it when they come to watch. But they missed my 5th place race because they went to go eat and came back. Very funny, they are so funny.
The feature event for us was a 24 lap scratch race. The Colavita team had three riders in the race. They tryed to breakaway twice. I brought them back twice. That is fun for me.
Next year we need to go to the track much more often.
Monday, August 4, 2008
End of My Summer Race Series
Yesterday we raced our last race of the Crossroads Cycling Classic in Winston-Salam. When I woke up in the morning my legs were painful to the touch and as heavy as they have ever been. I said to Matt ' if this wasn't the last day, I would take this day off '. We finished packing up our apartment and made our way to Winston-Salam.
During my warm up ride again I felt really bad. I just kept out of the sun and heat as much as possible. It was very hot with not much shade in the parking area. We have been freezing our water bottles all week long which has really helped me during the race. No more hot water in the face mid race. I rode the course backward during an earlier race to scope out the terrain. It looked OK to me because it had some shade on the back section with a couple little power hills that offered some recovery sections. I thought that I might be OK if my legs weren't so heavy.
About two laps into the race my legs loosened up and I felt great. I was really surprized. I could more up and back in the group at ease. Ted almost got caught in a crash early in the race but some how he got thru it. I really mean thru it because I thought the guy crashed right in front of him. But when I looked back Ted was still there. Amazing.
Matt was up working at the front for a good part of the race. With a little over a lap to go, I started making my way to the front to go get Matt. I was a bit to late as Matt was coming back and I didn't give myself enough time to get all the way up. I sprinted to 14th. Matt got 27th and Ted in 34th.
Again, what a great week. What a great summer. 14 races in 23 days. And if I can blow my own horn, I finished every race in the first group except Hunny Bop. What fun!
During my warm up ride again I felt really bad. I just kept out of the sun and heat as much as possible. It was very hot with not much shade in the parking area. We have been freezing our water bottles all week long which has really helped me during the race. No more hot water in the face mid race. I rode the course backward during an earlier race to scope out the terrain. It looked OK to me because it had some shade on the back section with a couple little power hills that offered some recovery sections. I thought that I might be OK if my legs weren't so heavy.
About two laps into the race my legs loosened up and I felt great. I was really surprized. I could more up and back in the group at ease. Ted almost got caught in a crash early in the race but some how he got thru it. I really mean thru it because I thought the guy crashed right in front of him. But when I looked back Ted was still there. Amazing.
Matt was up working at the front for a good part of the race. With a little over a lap to go, I started making my way to the front to go get Matt. I was a bit to late as Matt was coming back and I didn't give myself enough time to get all the way up. I sprinted to 14th. Matt got 27th and Ted in 34th.
Again, what a great week. What a great summer. 14 races in 23 days. And if I can blow my own horn, I finished every race in the first group except Hunny Bop. What fun!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Watching the PROs in Charlotte
Tonight we went to the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium in Charlotte NC. What a night. We got to see two great races. Won in two different styles. Both races had every team trying everything they could to be up front for all of the money being offered. $25,000 for the womens race and $50,000 for the mens race. And that is only the prize list, not including primes.
The course was shaped like a big dumbell with lots of weight on it, a four corner crit on each side of a long straightaway which went up hill a bit in the middle where the finish line was located. At the start of the womens race the bell was rung right away for a $200 prime. That started the fireworks and the primes coming lap after lap kept the fireworks going. With 10 laps to go there was a $500 prime that pulled Kat Carroll from Aaron's off the front and she just kept on going. The rest of the teams didn't get organized fast enough to bring Kat back and Aaron's did a great job watching the front. Kat held on for a very impressive solo victory.
The mens race started with 134 riders, we all knew it wasn't going to finish with anything close to that. Again primes, primes, primes and fast. I really don't know how they can handle such a high pace for that long. Supermen indeed. It was a straight line for the better part of two hours. You could just see the pain on the faces of every riders in the field as they struggled to hold on for dear life. And the guy behind him hoping he could get around to close up gaps. Pain. The race came down to 8 guys getting away with around 12 laps to go and holding off the remainer of the field (50 some odd riders left) with the help of their teammates in the field. Wow, it is just inspiring.
The course was shaped like a big dumbell with lots of weight on it, a four corner crit on each side of a long straightaway which went up hill a bit in the middle where the finish line was located. At the start of the womens race the bell was rung right away for a $200 prime. That started the fireworks and the primes coming lap after lap kept the fireworks going. With 10 laps to go there was a $500 prime that pulled Kat Carroll from Aaron's off the front and she just kept on going. The rest of the teams didn't get organized fast enough to bring Kat back and Aaron's did a great job watching the front. Kat held on for a very impressive solo victory.
The mens race started with 134 riders, we all knew it wasn't going to finish with anything close to that. Again primes, primes, primes and fast. I really don't know how they can handle such a high pace for that long. Supermen indeed. It was a straight line for the better part of two hours. You could just see the pain on the faces of every riders in the field as they struggled to hold on for dear life. And the guy behind him hoping he could get around to close up gaps. Pain. The race came down to 8 guys getting away with around 12 laps to go and holding off the remainer of the field (50 some odd riders left) with the help of their teammates in the field. Wow, it is just inspiring.
Just a parking lot crit.
Finishing late last night and racing again early today sucked. Ok, that is going to be my excuse. It was hot and of course fast but I just kept on losing the wheel on the straights. Just couldn't hold the speed. I got together with 4 other guys and traded off til we were lapped with one lap to go. Matt got 9th in the sprint and I got placed in 20th.
Now we are going to Charlotte to watch the Pros race.
Now we are going to Charlotte to watch the Pros race.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Downtown Criterium - Statesville NC Style
Fast, fast, fast, fun, fun,fun!!! 6 corner, L shaped, .6 mile course with a small power climb. My style. Lots of turns! Again these races start out fast and stay there. I got a good start and just settled in while looking for Ted and Matt. Matt was right beside me a couple laps into the race. I asked ' How do you feel ' Matt said ' I hate it back here ' and off he went to the front. A little while later, I was watching the front from a distance to see if anything was going on and I saw Matt trying to close a gap with no help from anyone else at all. I made my way to up to the front to try to give Matt a hand. When it came down to the sprint Matt got 9th and I came in at the back of the main group in 19th place. To my surprise, Ted was right there at the end. Great work Ted!!
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