I did the drives ride this week, not really meeting up with anyone in particular, but I ran in to Woody and Dan, Ashley D., and a handful of others. Woody and I discussed ways we could save the Philly International Pro Race. Fortunately, they didn't need our help.
I realized that, while it is a good workout, the benefits (hard effort, race pace, ?) don't outweigh the negatives (too big a group, lack of competitiveness, sketchiness, guaranteed crash, etc) for me on that ride. The AM sprint workout is harder, more race like, and even more competitive, for a more all around effort. And the smaller groups means there's no hiding.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Lower Providence Race Report
Craig Matt H and I lined up with one goal, deliver Craig to the line for the field sprint. We weren’t terribly concerned with breakaways, but we weren’t going to let something silly get away, like a group of 10 or something. The race was mostly status quo, save for the bakers dozen QCW riders at the line. Literally, thirteen of them. They raced smart and repeatedly counter attacked until they finally got two riders up the road, Sean and Tyler I believe. They only had 5-10 seconds for a few laps, and I wasn’t too worried about it. I asked Craig if he preferred I work to chase them down or save it for the lead out, as I only would have juice for one or the other.
Since he chose the lead out I just decided to forget about them. I was still surprised that the other larger teams couldn’t put a chase together. Everyone seemed to think they could bridge solo, instead of working together. With the windy course, that wasn’t going to happen. Due to the wind though, drafting was very key to staying safe, as there was a head or crosswind on three sides of the course. I think this was a factor in lots of people getting dropped.
What finally gave the break the last little push it needed to succeed was a terribly disgusting sounding crash, that I could hear echoing off of the buildings before I could hear the sound directly. I was in second wheel with Craig dutifully right behind me and all of a sudden there was the tell tale metal crunching, tire popping, brake squeeking nastiness of a multi-rider pile up. Matt H crushed some guy after sending his own bike (and Craigs wheels) sailing through the air. He was able to walk away thankfully. This happened in the right shoulder cross wind section and resulted from over lapped wheels.
So we’re down to the last three laps. Craig knows to hang onto my wheel like he owns it. We are doing a great job staying at the front and playing it smart and safe. We’re coming into the last lap and Craig starts telling me “all the way around, keep it up”. As a couple guys had tried attacking already on this lap, I was thinking “Okay this is it, grit your teeth and go”. I dial it up, not sure if it was actually fast, or just painful. I take it around two damn corners into the finishing straight. I’m thinking with Craig in second wheel I’m gonna drop him off too early. But I dig deep and start sprinting. I’m dying, digging so deep I can’t think. I shift it two gears harder. Out of the saddle not even looking ahead.
I can’t believe Craig hasn’t come around. In fact, no one has. Is Craig letting me take third?
RING RING RING RING RING goes the bell signaling last lap. FUCK!
I pull off, apologize to Craig for being a total idiot and leave him to fend for himself. I swallow the puke in my mouth, cool down for two laps, and go straight to the car and drink six beers while watching the ladies race.
Since he chose the lead out I just decided to forget about them. I was still surprised that the other larger teams couldn’t put a chase together. Everyone seemed to think they could bridge solo, instead of working together. With the windy course, that wasn’t going to happen. Due to the wind though, drafting was very key to staying safe, as there was a head or crosswind on three sides of the course. I think this was a factor in lots of people getting dropped.
What finally gave the break the last little push it needed to succeed was a terribly disgusting sounding crash, that I could hear echoing off of the buildings before I could hear the sound directly. I was in second wheel with Craig dutifully right behind me and all of a sudden there was the tell tale metal crunching, tire popping, brake squeeking nastiness of a multi-rider pile up. Matt H crushed some guy after sending his own bike (and Craigs wheels) sailing through the air. He was able to walk away thankfully. This happened in the right shoulder cross wind section and resulted from over lapped wheels.
So we’re down to the last three laps. Craig knows to hang onto my wheel like he owns it. We are doing a great job staying at the front and playing it smart and safe. We’re coming into the last lap and Craig starts telling me “all the way around, keep it up”. As a couple guys had tried attacking already on this lap, I was thinking “Okay this is it, grit your teeth and go”. I dial it up, not sure if it was actually fast, or just painful. I take it around two damn corners into the finishing straight. I’m thinking with Craig in second wheel I’m gonna drop him off too early. But I dig deep and start sprinting. I’m dying, digging so deep I can’t think. I shift it two gears harder. Out of the saddle not even looking ahead.
I can’t believe Craig hasn’t come around. In fact, no one has. Is Craig letting me take third?
RING RING RING RING RING goes the bell signaling last lap. FUCK!
I pull off, apologize to Craig for being a total idiot and leave him to fend for himself. I swallow the puke in my mouth, cool down for two laps, and go straight to the car and drink six beers while watching the ladies race.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Early Riding
Got up early to meet Mike C. to ride for a couple hours. Here's the sun rising behind the city and my big head. We headed out W. River and did six of the eight hills on the usual ride out to Conshohocken and back. Keeping a steady tempo, we were back at the Art Museum bu 8:15, a solid 1h45 of riding and a total of 2h15 for me, after a super hard 2 hours the day previous. I've had a nice two easy days since and I'm ready to tear up the wet roads tomorrow. I'm going to head over to NJ for the UNO ride, I hope there's someone else with the same idea!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
New Mobile Site
You can now access the basic details of my coaching fees via your mobile phone. Go to http://gofullgas.everywhereigo.com/ to view.
This is a cool new mobile application that optimizes your mobile browser viewing and even has a fully integrated direct customer marketing tool, that I won't be using mind you, but has lots of interesting opportunities.
This is a cool new mobile application that optimizes your mobile browser viewing and even has a fully integrated direct customer marketing tool, that I won't be using mind you, but has lots of interesting opportunities.
No rest for the weary
This past weekend was the 2-Day Philly Cycling Classic, hosted by Philadelphia Ciclismo and Cadence Cycling. I did both days of racing, working really hard for the team sprinters, Dan and Mike. With this new onset of allergies, I barely scraped together five hours of sleep the past four nights but I managed to get up this morning for the usual sprint workout in Fairmount Park.
Surprisingly, I actually rode stronger today than I did this past weekend. I handily crushed two of the seven sprints, attacked hard a couple times, and generally worked my butt off.
Now I find myself incredibly exhausted at work, after three cups of coffee to try and prop me up until 6:30. Yikes.
I am excited about my new team and the guys I'll be racing with, people I will work hard for and will work hard for me. I look forward to this racing season for sure!
Surprisingly, I actually rode stronger today than I did this past weekend. I handily crushed two of the seven sprints, attacked hard a couple times, and generally worked my butt off.
Now I find myself incredibly exhausted at work, after three cups of coffee to try and prop me up until 6:30. Yikes.
I am excited about my new team and the guys I'll be racing with, people I will work hard for and will work hard for me. I look forward to this racing season for sure!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday AM Sprints
Today was a great workout. It was only the second Tuesday that we have done these this year but already we had nine riders show up. Some new faces, some returning riders, and riders with varying fitness and handling skills, but all with the same ultimate goal: Get in shape, make improvements, and become a better rider.
I am excited to have joined the Philadelphia Ciclismo team for 2009 as I am making great new friends to ride with and hopefully hang out with in normal clothes at some point too.
After todays ride I am experiencing something new, fatigued forearms. I've had this happen after really hard training blocks in the past, but not after just two hard rides. Holy cow. Just sitting here my legs and arms are letting me know today was a tough workout.
I am excited to race with Dan and Csuy this year, as both have complementary characteristics with me and we should be able to have some good results together. With Craig hanging tight for the crit sprints, we should have all of our bases covered.
I am excited to have joined the Philadelphia Ciclismo team for 2009 as I am making great new friends to ride with and hopefully hang out with in normal clothes at some point too.
After todays ride I am experiencing something new, fatigued forearms. I've had this happen after really hard training blocks in the past, but not after just two hard rides. Holy cow. Just sitting here my legs and arms are letting me know today was a tough workout.
I am excited to race with Dan and Csuy this year, as both have complementary characteristics with me and we should be able to have some good results together. With Craig hanging tight for the crit sprints, we should have all of our bases covered.
Monday, March 30, 2009
University of Delaware Road Race Report
Tim, Dan and I discussed what our tactics were going to be for the road race as we were waiting for the start. Our initial idea was to mark attacks and sit in, to not initiate anything, but not to let the race go away without one of us. Somehow, I ended up taking care of that for everyone.
Off the start line a Boston U rider went up the road and I rolled around some people to stay with him. I wasn’t thinking breakaway at this point, just stay at the front of the field. But only one rider came with me. I pulled through on the Boston rider and we started a tentative paceline, but it quickly dissolved as the other two were concerned about going 68 miles off the front. I tried to tell them that there was no way other riders weren’t going to bridge up and that the break was the place to be, but they drifted back anyway. They seemed to think that you have to go either 110% or not at all.
In breaks during road races, there is more time for things to play out, so you don’t have to go full gas from the gun. There wasn’t one time in the break that I was holding on for dear life. Honestly, I think it was easier up front than it was in the pack. Dan mentioned there were times when he thought he was going to get shelled, and he is much better fitness than I. The break was smooth, throughout the course, and except for a lack of fitness, I didn’t find it that hard.
Just as I anticipated, a tall Rutgers guy came up with another rider and the three of us were now the break. Then a Vermont rider came cruising past all of us, followed by Bucknell and Columbia towing up the smaller Vermont guy with the orange sunglasses. Once we came together, we were eight riders, including John Hunter from Temple, with 30-50 seconds on the main field.
As we made it into lap two, I was trying to take it easy since I knew my fitness wasn’t as great as the other guys. I was climbing as well, and taking strong pulls, but I knew that I would crack after two hours at pace. I’ve done 3.5/4.5 hour rides, but nothing with three hours sustained intensity.
For the most part, everyone rode smart and kept the paceline smooth. The orange glasses UVM rider was touching everybody the whole time. I thought I was the only one, but John mentioned the same. I guess he’s trying to do what he sees in the pro races. My advice, unless you know someone, don’t touch them. That goes in the supermarket, the bus, in night clubs, and it goes in bike races. He would push me when I was in the slow lane coming back down the paceline. Apparently I was bugging the Bucknell and Columbia riders too, as they were making remarks. Eventually, I decided that if they were so annoyed, I would just ride in the back and stop pulling.
Unfortunately I made a rookie move and wasn’t paying attention as a gap was opening up in front of the Rutgers rider. John chastised him a bit and jumped across while I was too slow getting on his wheel. He was able to make it across but I was slammed in the headwind. Once they made the right hand turn into the tailwind it was all over.
I should have sat up then and worked with the Rutgers rider, but I kept going until I had totally cramped up. But I still managed to hold off the field for another half lap, managing to stay with them until the final hill. I rode the last three miles in solo after that. All in all a great course, great training, and good times on the bike.
Off the start line a Boston U rider went up the road and I rolled around some people to stay with him. I wasn’t thinking breakaway at this point, just stay at the front of the field. But only one rider came with me. I pulled through on the Boston rider and we started a tentative paceline, but it quickly dissolved as the other two were concerned about going 68 miles off the front. I tried to tell them that there was no way other riders weren’t going to bridge up and that the break was the place to be, but they drifted back anyway. They seemed to think that you have to go either 110% or not at all.
In breaks during road races, there is more time for things to play out, so you don’t have to go full gas from the gun. There wasn’t one time in the break that I was holding on for dear life. Honestly, I think it was easier up front than it was in the pack. Dan mentioned there were times when he thought he was going to get shelled, and he is much better fitness than I. The break was smooth, throughout the course, and except for a lack of fitness, I didn’t find it that hard.
Just as I anticipated, a tall Rutgers guy came up with another rider and the three of us were now the break. Then a Vermont rider came cruising past all of us, followed by Bucknell and Columbia towing up the smaller Vermont guy with the orange sunglasses. Once we came together, we were eight riders, including John Hunter from Temple, with 30-50 seconds on the main field.
As we made it into lap two, I was trying to take it easy since I knew my fitness wasn’t as great as the other guys. I was climbing as well, and taking strong pulls, but I knew that I would crack after two hours at pace. I’ve done 3.5/4.5 hour rides, but nothing with three hours sustained intensity.
For the most part, everyone rode smart and kept the paceline smooth. The orange glasses UVM rider was touching everybody the whole time. I thought I was the only one, but John mentioned the same. I guess he’s trying to do what he sees in the pro races. My advice, unless you know someone, don’t touch them. That goes in the supermarket, the bus, in night clubs, and it goes in bike races. He would push me when I was in the slow lane coming back down the paceline. Apparently I was bugging the Bucknell and Columbia riders too, as they were making remarks. Eventually, I decided that if they were so annoyed, I would just ride in the back and stop pulling.
Unfortunately I made a rookie move and wasn’t paying attention as a gap was opening up in front of the Rutgers rider. John chastised him a bit and jumped across while I was too slow getting on his wheel. He was able to make it across but I was slammed in the headwind. Once they made the right hand turn into the tailwind it was all over.
I should have sat up then and worked with the Rutgers rider, but I kept going until I had totally cramped up. But I still managed to hold off the field for another half lap, managing to stay with them until the final hill. I rode the last three miles in solo after that. All in all a great course, great training, and good times on the bike.
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