Training Log Archive: devil

Cotter-condor-uriarra. Good bunch and a good morning for riding. I'd put the new dura-ace wheels on the metal bike which made it a lot better to ride. Smashed a few of the hills, had to have milkshake instead of bacon as it was getting too warm by the time we were back.

Slept in instead of getting up for the norman

Supercrits, after the big win on Sunday I was promoted to C grade on a windy evening. I managed to hang onto the back of the peloton for about 3 laps then was off the back. A few others came off but gave up while I plugged on. Think I was lapped about 3x by A grade and at least once by everyone else left on the course - no doubt a learning experience!

Dunlop loop, most of the fast group was away so I joined James and a few others in fast. Only 7 of us but we worked pretty well together, although it wasn't as quick as the medium fast has been recently. This wasn't helped by getting every red light in belconnen

Tuesday morning mountain goats, 6x Red

Bilbys extra long. Legs a bit tired so not much speed, not surprisingly it didn't get any faster through the 9x800(200) set. Threatened to p$%s it down but luckily it waited until I was home

Warm up ride from Tharwa with kate, it wasn't very far to the start so we did a bit more and a couple of 30s surges

The Honeysuckle Hammer road race, I decided to do this instead of the TrailACT race that was on at the same time. Signed up for D grade seeing as that's my crit grade at the moment, it was pretty big with a few of the former novice group, kate and some other boss girls, the tiny kid from the crits, and krusty the crit monster. It was all pretty controlled at the start along from the model plane airport to the apollo road turn, where there was a U-turn. The turn was supposed to be neutral but krusty did a bit of a surge coming out which attracted a chorus of complaints, but we were soon back together. There were a few little breaks, I was just being watchful near the front and chasing down a could that looked like they could go somewhere. Back at the start where there was another u-turn, this time a bit more neutral, and he bunch was pretty much still together. I was up near the front watching a few attacks from people who clearly weren't going to be quick up the hill, then Zak went off the front, I figured he'd be a good climber so went after him, sat on his wheel a bit then went past to take a turn on the little climb over the ridge of mt tennent. When I looked back I had a 100m gap, so as I wasn't doing a massive effort I kept going and had a bit more by the top of the hill. I decided to hammer down the hill then try hang on till the sprint point 5km or so away. There didn't seem to be any organisation as I increased the gap until I couldn't see anyone then time-trialled to the apollo junction and kept it going the 2km to the sprint point, objective achieved. Then it was onto the climb, I hadn't ridden this but have been up a fe times by car so had a bit of an idea what to expect. t starts steep, so I just hit the low gears and tried to keep out of the red, half expecting someone with fresh legs to appear from nowhere. Then started seeing back markers from C grade, which made for good little targets. I could see the hanging swamp coming up and knew that the gradient would ease up a bit there. Once it flattened a bit I kept pushing along, passing a few more stragglers, past the booroomba road and on to the finish. Won $20 for the sprint and the glory of hoisting the big hammer.
Ride includes the roll back to the cars - the honeysuckle valley is looking great, will have to get out there running again soon.

C • semi-pro 3

Late afternoon swimming followed by snacks