Training Log Archive: arg

Felt blah today on the bike and didn't want to ride. Was gonna meet up with some folks to ride the waterfront from Bastion Square but I was late. Head wind for the beginning of the ride, then tail wind along the waterfront - gotta love the sound your bike makes when you have a tail wind.

Launched at Cordova Bay - was hoping to play in the waves outside of the bay however the wind blew itself out about half way through my session.

Glendinning to Blenkinsop entrance, up little Mt D, counter and drop to farm and parkway, up to summit, drop back down to parkway and then beach, then up to main parking lot, outer path back to parking lot.

Waterfront - winds up. Ok ride

Home to waterfront and back

Road Race: VCL #1 at Caleb Pike. Raced with the "A" group. I raced the "B" group last year and came in 2nd over all. The top five in the B group are supposed to advance to the A group the following year...so I did.

There were only 6 "A's" this morning, including me and I knew them to be:

1) a lot faster than me;
2) a lot younger than me;
3) maybe somewhat better looking than me; and
4) had power to weight ratio's that would be considered medically impossible.

A's were 25 laps and B's 20.

Things were good for the first 5 - 6 laps, with great pace line going, but I was fading on the uphills, while the other helium filled A's floated up ahead of me. I felt like I was dragging the Titanic with the orchestra still playing . I would then expend more effort catching up on the flat, then settle in again with the pace line.

I had to let them go cuz the pace was too quick and I soon found myself in that forgotten zone, with no other riders around and no means to conserve energy. One of the other A's pulled out as a DNF however I wasn't going to do that, although sorely tempted to be able to stop and consider a beer now, rather than later. However, my pride told me to continue thus I did.

I was lapped eventually by the lead A group of three. Also, the lead B pack caught me which was somewhat demoralizing as well, however I healed my bruising ego with the fact that there are some fastees in that pack (11 - 12 riders) and they were distancing from the B chase group. I hung onto the back of the lead B pack and rested a bit, but this was only for a 3 - 4 laps, then they were done. I still had to complete the rest of my race, with 5 more laps to go. The last two hurt.

Great to get out to race and catch up with folks I haven't seen from last year.....and also, to put my new Orbea onto the road in race conditions. Corners fast and is very, very responsive compared to my aluminum Brodie.

Note: the top B group of last year did not make the move up to A, other than me.

C • War on Wheels 5

commute to work

Commute to work

Commute home - lazy route home

Mt Doug x 1 and Mt Tolmie x 2

riding to and from and around Mt Doug and Mt Tolmie

Commute to work

Work to home

Warm up and pre ride of course

First race of Island Cup Series Mtn bike - three laps. Expert level. Ouch.

That hurt.

My legs definitely felt tired from yesterdays road ride and I didn't have my usual power up climbs and short technical stuff.

Chain came off x 3.

Went out too fast on the first lap. I should know better considering there is absolutely no way I'll win this type of race. Once my heart rate settled I felt like I was in dialed into the course for the second half of the 2nd lap, but the third lap climb took it out of me. My lap times were progressively slower.

I figured I'd come in the top 1/3 of the bottom third of the expert field, but I was close to the back of the pack (Mar 15/10 - editors note, i.e. me: I was at the VERY back of the pack. About as far back as you can go. Sheesh. Room for improvement. I could have sworn there was someone behind me ;-)

But, on the plus side, I got muddy and had fun.

C • XC Cup 5

IRC - Home to Straight Up to join group. Rode the usual to the peninsula, then back to GH.

Pace was a lot faster than last week and I wasn't going to challenge the fastees this time around (I'll use the excuse that I'm racing Sunday @ the first of the Island Mtn Bike Series, Hartland) but I headed off with them and hung on for a bit then fell off. I was on my own in between so I bridged to a splinter group that fell off the back of the fast group and then helped pull to re-attach in Sidney.

Strong head winds heading back south into town. Pacelined in echelon, which was smooth for most of the time.

Stopped to help out with a flat and that's about it.

Met L at the local $tarbux then road home.

Commute to work. Lots of blow down thru Mt Doug Park - strong winds last night that continued past dawn.

Slower ride along the back roads with IRC. Home to my fav bike shop Straight Up Cycles to meet the club, then to the Goose and ride to VGH, the Watkiss to Burnside, then up Prospect L Road to Spartan, to Oldfield, the Brookleigh, Sayward to Lochside, to Royal Oak to Mt Doug Parkway, the I left the group and rode home. Nice ride, no craziness.

Planning on racing the 1st race of the island series this weekend. Mtn biking - haven't done much of that for a while.

Waterfront route: home south into city, the along the waterfront to Cadboro Bay, up Sinclair, onto Shelbourne then GH hood.

Headwind, front 1/4 wind until the golf course, then side wind, then tail wind to home. Twas good to get the hard work done first.

Mt Doug run - started at Glendinning, ran out to Blenkinsop entrance, then up Little Mt D, the contoured and then up to the summit, then back down and around the Blenkinsop side again to the cause way, x'd road, ran along the beach, then scrambled up the bank, crossed Ash, back into the woods and to the main parking lot of Mt D, then outskirts of park back to Glendinning.

IRC ride and what a day! Started out at Straight Up Cycles with about 15 bikes, then we collected more riders as we made our way up to the Peninsula. There was some frost on the roof when I left but the sun soon warmed me up pretty quick.

I was hesitant about going out as the Saturday ride is a hammerfest once we get by the airport and I'm not feeling that fit at that the moment. I didn't want to get dropped but figured that even if I did, it's all good training. Besides, I have been riding on my own since January and if dropped, I'd just continue on and complete the route

We pacelined out to West Saanich Rd and kept the speed up. We had a couple of big'ol 4x4 trucks give us some grief, but hey, that's the way it is in sleepy Victoria.

The pace rocked out and I was feeling pretty good so I stayed with the fastees and did my share of pulling. I was surprised that I was keeping up and equally surprised that my pack riding was ok too, since I haven't done any for quite a while. The group separated and we rejoined in Sidney. Then the pace picked up again heading south and I kept at it.

Now I'm frickkin tired.

Lazy commute to work.

Commute to work

Ride to the legislature and back to support Lana Pophams "No HST on Bikes" rally.

C • never really thought about it 5

Work to home

Commute to work.