Training Log Archive: Mr Wonderful

128 w, 69 rpm. Ran out of time for a lunch time crack at single track.

Event: 2021 Spring Kensington
 

Took Harvey on his first White course.

Pre race, he had a banana.

We cleared and checked. He punched start. On the way to #1, he said he needed to eat a bar, so he ate a bar. Mike Keating caught us at #1, and Harvey would consistently be concerned for the whereabouts of Uncle Mike for the rest of our outing.

A family also passed us, and Harvey was concerned when that little girl turned off on Yellow.

Harvey got to pet a horse at #4!

I did carry him down the narrow slippery trail leaving #5.

Harvey got hungry en route to #6, so he ate my bar.

Harvey made a pit stop just before #7.

Harvey seems to have enjoyed himself.

C • Love this! 4

Super fun GYB, this year with Cris.

As is my custom, I will often do points sequentially, as that's easier to keep track of.

Go! We jog to #1. I accidentally trip on a dead branch, and it flips up and nearly impales Barbara. Sorry!

We are pretty good through this section. Also as is our custom, we end up several spots back, but we have some idea of our all day abilities and trust they will come back.

On to the bikes! We make decent time. I don't see red, although I'm slow up the back road. We have a minor wait at the light, but thankfully someone else had hit the crosswalk button. We maneuvered ahead here, then tried to reel in some family teams. This section is good for passing so not too bad.

The uphill in the single track got me up near redline. I was worried. But I was okay.

Then onto Old Planck and then Dawson. One of the mild hills on Dawson shoved me up into the high 160s and that didn't feel good, so I eased back. Thankfully there was not too much biking so I was able to keep going.

Ended up with a decent but not unbearable wait to recross Milford Road. Then in my exuberance, heading to the group camp, I forgot to punch 9, but we fixed that up. Then in Ken and Karl's exuberance, they overshot the group camp, and Cris was swept up in their energy, so I calmly parked and yelled a bit.

We opted to do this trek in order, since it makes things easy to keep track off. No real troubles here, other than trying to decide to river cross or jog around for 15-16. I couldn't figure out if the flood zone was solid or not, and then couldn't remember how deep, so we went around. Not terrible on 1:7500 anyway.

Then onto the boats! We saw Barbara and Todd headed to #16, so we knew we had a little margin, but would have to push hard to hold them off, especially if I went red again

We reeled in some of the single bladers and got through the paddle right on pace.

That opened the door to a probably clear of the final trek. We again went with sequential. #30 was confounding, maybe there is a case for that 2nd. But we saved it for the end.

We made good time, with no big bobbles. Brad from Thunder Road was HOT on our heels. He cause us at 24, Cris and I went cross country to 25, he went around, again just behind us. We went straight to 26 (well, almost, I drifted in the scratch a little), he came around, again, right there! We flew through 27, but I misread the open area a little at 28, and dropped below and came up. 28 was the source of all leg scratches. We didn't lose much time. I tried to be stealthy but Brad saw me again! (Plus he's well skilled, so it's not like I was going to make a difference).

We really thought he would reel us in on the uphills to 29, and then over to 30, but we must have had just enough lead to keep him from pushing. We walked the final hills but jogged all the flats and just held him off.

C • Congrats on a great race! 2

Wheelie mojo is coming back. #2 today was 1000'.

HR seemed stupidly high for the perceived effort. I didn't get perfect sleep, but that can't be all of it? I even ate closer to parity yesterday. :-|

Not much wheelie mojo either, although back tire was a little down so maybe that was a factor.

I took today off to relax and prep for a 9 am interview tomorrow. Also, to pack a little for GYB. And to see if I own anything dressy enough anymore or have to run to the store.

Power's not all there, but enough for GYB, especially as the Edge shorted me 10% versus the bike computer or Apple Watch.

Trying for as much sleep as possible this week to optimize the chance of the right one of Jekyll or Hyde to show up on race day.