This blog/site is a collection of my thoughts, articles and
other general excitement tied into cycling, training and competing
as a vegan bike racer and athlete.
Hey there sports fans, it's been a bit slow on the posting front, but i'm alive and well!
After the last BC Cup, i took a few weeks off the bike (pretty much completely, and a nightmare 'adventure' to Oakland, CA), then started to get back into training mode. Come December, i'm back to doing my Muscle Tension intervals (50rpm, uphill, started with 5x5min, work up every session.) Marty's been joining me, as did Kevin until he grew up and got a job. ;)
We got in a couple weeks before xmas, then took a week and a half off, and are back at it for another three weeks, Thursday we'll be doing 6x8mins repeats. Really starting to feel it in my legs, which appear to be putting on some mass again...!
The long-term forecast will be to switch over to CTS Tempo intervals (30+ mins riding 70rpm) to further build muscle strength and endurance. Then, in late Feb is the OrganicAthlete training camp in California, and a bunch of us will be heading down -- ROAD TRIP!
I've also been back to the gym, mainly working out my upper-body to balance things out a wee bit. Mainly focusing on core, chest and back. I'm surprised at how quickly strength returns, i'm practically back where i left off last year.. Also throwing in the occasion high-rep squat session. That does something awful to the legs..tho the next day, when i'm on the bike, it seemed like it really only 'hits' muscles i use while out of the saddle sprinting, so i have to question how useful squats are for me, at the moment...they don't seem specific enough...but i don't know, i'm certainly no expert!
I've also been doing weekly climbing sessions at the local gym, Crag X. We've got a little OA crew that's turning up (Ian, Tashie and Marty), more photos here.
Last week did a marathon 2.5hr session with my main climbing mate Ian, tried the 5.9 overhang, but only made it 2/3rds of the way up, my grip just isn't up to the job yet.... Still, did a bunch of straight-up 5.9's and 5.8's with relative ease. I'm liking the climbing. Ian did a great job battling up a 10a overhang..holy crap it looked tough!
Other than that, not too much exciting going on. I've been experimenting with a 'low protein diet', literally trying to cut out bigger sources of protein, and sticking to my whole foods diet, and it's been going remarkably well! I've been reading up on the issue, and i'm pretty confident that we need very little protein. Certainly not more than 1g/kg, and likely half that. I'm writing an article on it, and will post it in detail when published.
On the supplements front, i've switched things up a bit. I'm totally off Vega now -- i just don't need the protein!! I'm using two of the main ingredients independently however: maca and chlorella. I'm also still taking cordyceps and have added in Siberian ginseng. I'm feeling this to be a good mix, i've been on these for perhaps three months now.
Got some more pics to post, one set from a hike, and another Ride Cam. I've also picked up a new camera, an Olympus Stylus 790SW. It's a small unit, 7.1 mega-pixels, and is shock and waterproof, which is perfect for toting in my jersey pocket. Don't have to worry about all the sweat ruining it. (YUM!) I've also been quite happy with the photographs it's been taking, and remarkably long battery life. Oh, and it comes in orange..haha!
I don't think it's been quite as rainy as last year, thank goodness, but most days have to bring along the rain jacket.. This is out on an OBB group ride.
Zoiks Scooby, it's been a while again since this has been updated!
Cyclocross
'Cross ended for me on Nov 4th, in Nanaimo, which had yet another technically demanding course...i'd really like to try a 'fast' course some time. ;)
Once again, i finished 16th. That makes 16th in 3 of 3 'cross races..hahaha! I felt good the first three or four laps, then faded as usual... Roland and Marty got around me then, and finished a couple places ahead of me (great racing guys!)
And that officially ended my 'cross season, and i've installed fenders on the Salsa, and am ready for the rain!!
Final BC Cup Event (Nov 9-11)
It was a long time waiting, but this was the conclusion of my racing season...i had no idea what was in my legs, since i hadn't raced on the track for two months, but in the weeks leading up Marty and i had some excellent training sessions, and my PowerTap told me that my sprint was just as strong as it had been in the summer....so there was 'something'.
The competition for the event was STRONG, which left me, frankly speaking, scared. Heavyweights like Kenny Williams and Kirk O'Bee, as well as Daniel Harm and the regular cast of Burnaby speedsters like Matt Chater, Chris Reid, Jon Gormic and Jeff Ain meant that there'd be a relentless barrage of attacks...and there were.
I can't recount details from too many events this far after the racing, but i do recall the Tempo race averaging ~56kph for the first 5mins. Completely insane speeds. I think i was lapped twice that race (along with most of the pack), tho most of the time i hung in with the bunch, while Williams, O'Bee and company rode circles around us. It was amazing to ride with these guys (and hang in for the most part!) Kenny was quite nice, and gave me some compliments, which was pretty darn cool.
In the end, i managed to stay close enough (or ahead of) both Chris and Julian, and held onto my 2nd overall position in the Track BC Cup - yay me! Big up to Matt Chater, who rode strong as ever, especially in the sprints. All the best with the Omnium focus, i think you'll find much success there, being so strong in all those areas. I'll be sticking to your wheel in these events. ;)
Marty was out as well, racing in the B category, and in the Madison(less) section, took the overall victory! Nicely done!
We also got 5th as Team Green Bean in the Team Sprint, inviting Burnaby vegan rider Brandon Edwards to join us, and gave it a good spin. Thanks to all the folks in Burnaby for organizing another excellent event. =)
2007 Conclusion
It was a fun and very successful race season for me, i'm very happy with how i rode, and where i got to. Biggest improvements were in my bunch racing, where i've learned to ride smarter, as well as be willing to take chances and attack, etc.. In the local weekly league, i finished 2nd (congrats Cooper for beating me!), although my goal wasn't to win, but to practice strategies and attacking, etc.. I think i learned a lot, and it all was a big boost to my confidence.
My pursuiting also improved significantly, taking over 10 seconds off my local PB from last year, riding a 5'26 at Provincials (i think i could have ridden a 5'23 had my start been a bit more smart..) I don't see why i can't get that under 5'20 for 2008.
TT riding was a bit of a write-off, not even matching my best time from last year, tho i think i was cursed with very little traffic and cold nights on all my attempts. ;)
'Cross was a hoot, and i'm looking forward to finishing closer to 12th each event next year...haha
The Future
I've taken a couple weeks off since Burnaby (including some time in San Francisco, the hills near Oakland were quite nice to ride, it was great to ride with OA teammate Emily Thurston as well, thanks for the loaner!), and am itching to get back into the swing of things. I'll prolly ride not-too-hard over the next week or two, and then it'll be back to the hills, and lots of muscle-tension repeats, in an effort to create even stronger legs for 2008.. I'm going to focus less on the Pursuit, and a bit more on sprints, to become an even strong Points/bunch racer. I think this year i proved to myself that my strengths aren't quite so much in my aerobic efforts, so much as anaerobic/recovery, and will push these areas even more... I'd like to get a bit stronger as well, and get my 200m down under 12'5... I think it's totally do-able (i'm already capable of sub 13's), so mainly just gotta do it. ;)
Will compose a more formal list of goals for 2008, but that's pretty good for now!
Hey everyone, it's been a while since i've updated, but lots has been going on, mainly, it's 'Cross Season! And that means more suffering for me. I feel like where i was 3yrs ago when i started track racing... All the guys i have no prob keeping up with on the track are booting me in the hiney on the 'cross scene, pretty funny.
You see, i'm a very conditioned athlete - i do high cadence and low-torque very well. Put me in a situation after doing that for 8 months where it's the opposite - low cadence and high-torque, stop-and-go, and you've got a world of hurt for The Shish. But ahh well, it's all for fun!!
The ultimate worst for me are long stairs or run-ups...i practically come to a standstill on those areas. Otherwise, i'm fairly well skilled, my barrier-hopping is pretty solid, as are mounts and dismounts. The other tough area is cornering on grass, but i think the used tires i bought are too worn, and so we'll see how this changes when the Block 8's i ordered arrive.......
I'm LOVING my Salsa Chili Con Crosso. It rides like a dream, super comfortable, looks awesome and fits me great. I can hardly wait to take off the 'cross tires and winterize it, and await the rain....this will be excellent motivation for the crappy days. After a month and a half riding it, it was nice to hop back on the Argon18 too tho...i'm liking my bikes. =)
Below are my latest race reports, and i'm also excited to have finally met Christine 'Peanut' Vardaros in person, after a million years of emailing! This was at the San Francisco Vegetarian Festival, and she at Art Eggersten shared an excellent presentation.
Art is brilliant, he's a coach of professional and olympic-level athletes and specializes in whole-foods vegan nutrition, and is one of the few people you'll encounter who will tell you that most people are getting WAY too much protein. He advocates something like 0.384 grams per kg of lean body mass per day. That puts me under 30 grams a day - i'm trying it out, and so far so good the last few weeks. Art's food blog is here.
The gist of this is that most people are suffering from acidosis, their body remains in an acidic state, which inhibits recovery and leads to long-term problems like osteoporosis. By focusing on whole foods (ie, raw or steamed veggies, fruits, grains) this state is avoided almost completely, allowing for much faster recovery, and a much higher density of nutrition than processed foods can offer. I've been leaning this way, and am finding it to be favorable. I feel *much* better after a hard training ride after eating a bunch of greens and some grains, than if i were to eat something more traditional like pasta. It's really noticeable. His ProBar is also pretty damn tasty, not available in Canada unfortunately!!
Here's Christine and i from the SF Veg Vest, Blue Steel!! Follow along in her blog as this vegan is tearing it up at the World Cup cyclocross series.
Awesome course, i felt totally at home, as 333m of each course was around my turf, the velodrome! The rest of the course wove around the Juan de Fuca center, including over the BMX course. Go motto or go home!
I've been stricken with a lingering cold since SF (too many planes and people!), and so wasn't on my best game, but got a good start position, and stuck with the front group for the first lap, then faded in the following laps, finishing ~16th (out of around 25 starts in Intermediate.) Worst part for me was the run-up, best part were the long and flat sections, like the velodrome. =)
I was given'er tho, my average HR over nearly 50mins was 186bpm. Zoiks Scooby! I wonder if maybe i'm going *too* hard, and if i backed off a bit if i'd do better...?
I wasn't quite as fond of this course, tho there were a few really neat elements, like a huge mud pit, and a sand pit you'd hit 90 degrees off a big fast straight-away which i thought i'd die in each lap! The big sandy run-across was a nightmare, filling cleats with sand, and all the grassy corner wreaked havoc on me.. Once more finished 16th with ~23 starters in the Intermediate category.
There's also been an underground Wed series, which has been a hoot, thanks to the peeps for organizing these, much appreciated!! There were pretty big turnouts, upwards of 40 i'd say.
Two more ridecams have been posted, shots as i'm out and about, including a bunch from SF, and the Wed 'cross races.
I'm also happy to announce that OA Victoria has expanded, and i've got two teammates for the 2008 season on the road, track and 'cross, my pals Emile and Marty! Look out, as we'll be tearing up the track scene. =)
Lots more pics of them in the galleries as well. I'm excited to have teammates, after racing solo for more than 2yrs! OA Vic is expanding as well, we're up to 15 members, most are triathletes, but some are getting lured to the road and track as well. ;)
Two races remain this year, the 3rd 'Cross on the Rocks event in Nanaimo on Nov 4th, and the fifth and final Track BC Cup in Burnaby on the Nov 11th weekend, where i'll be defending my 2nd place standing in the series. Matt Chater should be declared the champ, no way anyone is going to catch him, fantastic racing buddy!!
After that, i finally get to rest for a bit...phew!!
Yay, i survived last weekend!! Two days of hell, one great day, how's that for racing?
Friday
Last Friday night was the inaugural Bear Mountain Hill Climb. 3km of 'up'. Not terribly steep, except for a few portions. Fastest guy (Marcel Arden i believe) did it in 7:47. Helps being 135lbs i bet. ;)
Me, i slogged it off in 10:28. Beefcake!! Strange for me, since i can do 3km on the flats in 4mins..haha..
I'm not a hill climber. At least i did it faster than my fellow trackies..tee hee!! I was happy to have some team mates tho, both Kevin and Casey were out, and rode impressive times!!
One good thing is that i got a new 10min power PB, held 330w, previous was 313w. Here's the file:
Pretty steady. I was careful, knowing that just over 300w was all i could handle, so didn't go out hard at all. I'm not sure if i could have held much more than that. I remained seated for all but the final steep climb to the line...i'm curious if i would have done significantly better if i stood on either of the other steep bits...or would i have just leached it from my final effort..?
Saturday
This morning was the Oak Bay Crit, i raced in the huge B field, with ~45 starters, from Cat 3 to Cat 5 and unlicensed. I really love this course, it's pancake flat!!
I made a few strong attacks early on, but no one came along, and being full aware that i'm no TT rider, i didn't opt to ride solo. ;)
Finished 6th after Brad Smith (who's raced on the track!) launched off the front early, and stayed away. I was just a few inches away from 5th. Casey and Kevin didn't fare as well, but for Kevin, it was his first time racing in a bunch, so it was quite different for him. He'll do a lot better next year i'm sure!
Here's my power file for this event, i wasn't at all over-extended at any point, which was good for the confidence:
It was feared the Bastion Square crit would be rainy, and it was. Normally, i'd opt to sit out, but figured 'what the hell'. I hadn't raced in the rain before, and i doubt i will again. =P
In the Cat 4 race, about 18 riders started. The course was awful. All four corners had numerous spots where you could slip or slide out...but crash corner (Yates & Wharf) was the worst. There was a crash about 9 laps in, and a few of us sped by. Then i got on the front, took us around crash corner, and ZIP! My wheel goes out (rear i think), and down i go. Luckily, not too hard.
I'm back on my feet as the last rider zips by, and i get back on and start to chase....i'm ~20' back..bleh.. Whoever is at the front is keeping up the pace, and from this point i continue to lose ground. Crap.
So, i chase for about 25 laps, fun race. Mike Elkink (who also races at the track!) was the clear winner, nearly lapping the field (i'm pretty sure he could have, but stayed just behind the pack to avoid any crashes), caught me with about 15 to go, and i sat on his wheel for several laps..i was kind tired from chasing for so long, so didn't hold on too long. He was also a superior rider in the corners, and despite trying to follow his line, my tires were doing whatever it was his were, so i lost time each lap, and eventually he was gone.
Shortly after that, i caught Chris A, and with a few laps remaining, caught another rider.... Near the end, i come around the corner to the finish line, and everyone is staring! They're all waiting for Mike - so i take my moment, and blow everyone kisses:
hahaha... Although i didn't win the race, i certainly won the hearts of the spectators...hahahha
I'm currently listed as finishing 10th, but i believe they've made a mistake (and at least one has already been admitted), and i *believe* i may have actually finished 8th, but 9th for sure. 10 or 11 finished.
I learned shortly after finishing that when you crash in a crit, you're supposed to go to the pit, where they ensure your bike is safe, and then push you back into the pack (again, where i was sitting at the front). I'm not sure if i'd really want to be back in the pack tho, riding solo in the rain is bad enough, having a wheel splashing you in the face for 30mins seems even less appealing..
On to 'cross season! I've already swapped the tires on my wheels, and went out for an hour today, playing on the bike, getting used to how it handles, etc.. I'm really liking my Salsa, feels awesome, tho today i sort of injured my quads - i'm still waiting for a non-set-back seatpost, and shorter cranks (currently borrowing 175's), i need to move much more forward, and shrink the cranks, this set-up is screwing with my musculature!! I'll practice skills for now, rather than going on extended rides...
Madisons - i paired up with speedster Julian Base who has the coolest wheels. For most of the two races, he thought that he needed to maintain 30kph in the corners (like in Burnaby) so while everyone else did about 1.5 lap exchanges, i was doing 2-2.5...add to that i raced the first one in a 79" gear (oops! I was in a rush..), we did alright finishing 3rd both times (out of four teams.)
500m ITT - felt great, but was spinning out...realized i put on the 15t instead of the 14t cog...d'oh..got my slowest time in a while of 39-something..5th of five starters. Marty, my new OA teammate, raced B and came in 2nd behind Cooper.
30 Lap Scratch - really surprised myself with my best ride of the day, finished 3rd in this event, which normally leaves me further back.. I just took it easy, no big moves, saving for the final sprint, and it paid off! Fast race, averaged nearly 44kph.
Sprints - i don't do matched sprints, but again, Marty came in 2nd behind the indomitable Mike Cooper!
25 Lap Tempo - man, this race was a lot of work! Of course, it was just attack after attack...finished 5th, but only four points separated 2nd thru 5th. My Madison partner Julian was the sprint king and took the most points.
Keirin - my keirin mojo has returned! I got myself into a good position and held it, got on Chater's wheel when the sprint began, and stayed there to the line, finishing 3rd! Hit 62kph, woohoo! I haven't mentioned that i've been trying out 165mm cranks (instead of the 170's i've been using for years) and at these high cadences, they feel AMAZING!!! I'm really liking the short cranks. =)
Marty had an even more impressive performance - he got a crummy position off the start, but in the final stretch coming out of the corner, he powered up, around and over the entire field to nip Cooper at the line! Woohoo!! Victory for Marty and OrganicAthlete Victoria!!! Marty finished 2nd in the B Sprint Omnium, kick ass dude!!
Points Race - my favorite event, but was a bit tuckered since i'd done another Madison right before. Still, gave it what i could, collected points in all but one sprint, and finished 4th. Chater and Base were in full control this race, leaving Emile and myself to fight for the scraps.
Overview - i'm quite happy with my riding, i thought i'd suck ass due to an overall exhaustion from all the racing this year, but i rode quite well, perhaps even better than previous events in some respects! I think i'm learning how my body works, and optimizing as much as i can... I finished 4th in the Endurance Omnium, and in the overall BC Cup standings, i'm now solidly in 2nd...hopefully i can hold that at the final BC Cup in November! I think it's pretty unlikely i'll be able to catch (and beat!) Matt Chater, who's well away in 1st.
More TT Thoughts
My previous posting has a huge outline of my TT performance (or lack there-of) this year, and TT guru Don Gillmore suggested that the traffic on the course might be the difference... I did note that in my last effort, there were practically no cars, and lots of traffic can mean flying down the highway portion 6kph faster (or more!)
Don said that if i've improved in every other area (including Pursuits) and not this one event, then it's likely that this event has changed....i think Ockham's Razor is appropriate in this instance.
I absolutely *love* my new bike!! It's so damn cool!! Marty and i took off for it's first ride, and it was SO FUN! We cruised around, looking for parks, and would zip around on the trails, then hit the road again, and look for the next park. It's so great to ride around the roads at speed, and then be able to cruise around on other terrain! CX bikes are so much fun, i didn't realize this before! (Since i hadn't bough 'cross tires before.)
Anyway, the bike is *nearly* complete. Currently i've got my road wheels, Chorus groupo, Ritchey Comp bars, Specialized Team stem (it's kinda weird being 'high', but rides nice!), and the new Specialized Phenom saddle, which is basically the Toupe for offroad. Light.
For brakes, i've taken the original XT V-Brakes off my MTB, and while they feel a bit different, they're working quite well. When i get my new Mavic wheel, i'll be switching over to a disc brake on the front (got a 29'er coming, complete with bladed spokes, yip!)
I'm still waiting on the cranks, so have a cheap, heavy BB in there, and Tiagara cranks (thanks Marty!), but it'll be replaced with more Chorus. I'll also find a black anodized seatpost, not sure if i'll go with carbon yet, or maybe just another Thomson...i've liked the one on my Argon18.
I'm also on a quest to locate those funky orange Maxxis 'cross tires that you see people like Kabush riding around on....if anyone can score me a pair, let me know!!
That's all the excitement for now, a bunch of road racing this weekend, including my first hillclimb..eeep!
Did the final TT last night, weather conditions were pretty good, ~24C, little-to-no wind. Arguably better than last week.
I rested all week, even took Sunday off ENTIRELY! No big effort Monday, just rode out to the track and back.
Ate well Tuesday, hydrated well. Rode out at an easy pace.
Started the TT, decided since previous efforts had considerably less power for the second lap, i decided i'd be conservative for the first lap, so rode a bit more 'easily'.
It actually felt *really* good. My legs felt loose and light, and the cadence felt just right. (Sorry, i'm apparently waxing poetic about TT's..) I complete my first lap (of two), and i peek at my time: 13mins even. WOOT! I rode that, without too much effort, very nice.
I decide to crank it up just a tad, and continue it through. It starts feeling not-so-great, but still good. "I'm Doing Great" becomes my mantra as i'm on the highway, halfway through the final lap. I pick up the pace a but more, hit the final corner and dump what's left in the final 400m. I cross the line, look down at my clock, and WHAM - immediate, severe disappointment.
My goal this year was to at the very *least* beat my time last year, of 25:57...or at least break 26mins. The time: over 26mins. 26:13, to be exact.
FRAAAAAK!! I don't think i could have rode this any better. Anyway, here are my stats:
Date
1st Lap Time
Pwr
Cad
HR
2nd Lap
Pwr
Cad
HR
Total
Pwr
Cad
HR
05/01
13:36
261
105
172
13:21
252
104
180
26:57
256
104
176
05/08
13:36
283
108
174
13:41
257
107
179
27:17
270
107
177
08/21
13:00
266
111
180
13:04
249
111
185
26:04
259
111
183
08/28
12:59
281
111
183
13:14
284
111
187
26:13
283
111
185
The power rating *may* be off, i've been having problems with it not zeroing properly, but it should be relative to itself, so while it may not be 281w, the numbers are relative to themselves.
Anyway, let's pretend the power is accurate (since it's not a huge stretch for me to sustain, that's about my LT, and after all it could be correct too. It felt like what i rode.)
You can see that my second lap was actually stronger than my first. As i said, i did it pretty much 'right'. Yet my time doesn't reflect this at all.
There are other factors on this course - traffic can play a pretty significant role..more cars means faster time. Don Gillmore says that it can account for upwards of 20 seconds. I will confess that there wasn't much traffic while i was riding, esp. the second lap.
But this misses a bigger, more urgent issue.
I took a look back at my 2006 and 2005 times (never rode before 2005.) My times are about the same as 2006, and shockingly, 2005. Two years ago, without even having aerobars or remotely aero wheels or frame (let alone an aero helmet!), i was still riding about the same time. (Tho then we didn't have to slow down for the corners, but that's no more than 20-30 seconds on the course..and following a few other riders through the corners, i've found i'm quite fast - so they're not slowing me down a heck of a lot as i barely brake.)
So, WTF?? How is it that i can Pursuit quite a bit faster, and bunch-race a LOT faster/stronger than two years ago, or even one year ago -- but my TT time is not changing??
Perhaps my biggest improvements have come in the form of anaerobic capabilities, peak power and recovery...and while i haven't done any TT-specific training, surely this should improve by *default*?? I can only think that my training the last two years was much more conducive to TT efforts than Pursuits or bunch races. 2005 i mainly just 'rode' and went in weekly races. Winter of 2005 was a lot of time in the gym. 2006 was more focused, but still more general riding and racing than specific training. No gym in winter of 2006, but lots and lots of muscle-tension hill repeats. This year, less racing, more specific training, mainly for Pursuits, and secondarily for bunch races.
I would have predicted *some* improvement, even 20-30 seconds.. Consider this: if my (kill myself) 5:40 Pursuit time from last year is expanded five times over the 5:30 i can do with relative ease this year, wouldn't that translate into a 50 second improvement on the TT?
Now sure, i'm a fair bit more aero on my track bike, and the drivetrain is more efficient (fixed-gear supposedly puts an extra 5% wattages into the wheel), it shouldn't matter for the TT, since i've been riding the same bike on the road, and should be relative to my road times.
Does it make sense at *all* that my Pursuit can improve significantly, but not my TT? I don't know the answer to that question.
Anyway, i'm left feeling like TT's really aren't my thing. Maybe next year, i'll train more specifically for them, and perhaps see some gain in that area. I'll also likely make a dedicated TT bike, since i'm going to get a new road frame, and can use the Argon18 for the TT bike without having to pick up too many new parts.
Here's the PT file from the effort, click to zoom in:
Bleh. It's frustrating even looking at this. You can even see how i picked up the power on the final portions of the event...
Anway, i now have a winter to contemplate this..
Oh, and to add insult to injury, i stopped in the OB Rec Center to weigh myself (haven't jumped on a scale since the spring, i think i was about 155lbs then) - turns out i'm becoming a fat potato as well, peaking at 160lbs. I barely weighed this much when i was going to the gym twice a week and building quite a bit of upper-body mass!! Now, i don't think i've got much more body fat, i think it's mainly in my legs. This year, i've still got a LOT more muscle mass in my legs than i've had in previous years. By this time, the last two years, my legs slimmed down a LOT. This year they've retained mass, which is interesting.
So, that's my TT story for 2007. Constructive thoughts on the issue would be much appreciated!
What's coming up?
Trackfest 3/BC Cup #4 on Sept 8th. I'm not entirely sure how i should prep for this..i'm feeling a bit burnt out from the intensity, so will have to consider other types of intervals rather than risk frying myself.
Vic Race Weekend the following weekend, the 14th thru 16th. Fri night has the Bear Mtn hill climb. Sat has the Oak Bay crit. Sunday is Bastion Square. Looking forward to all three!
Cyclocross! Come Oct, there'll be weekly riding, plus a few 'big' events! This is mainly for fun, i'll train specific skills (like mounts and dismounts), but prolly not much other than that..i don't have any expectations this year. Looks like cranks might be ordered, which leaves the shifters as the last item remaining...hopefully will be built by mid-Sept!
BC Cup #5 in mid-Nov (9th-11th) - woot! Final event of the year for me... After that, i'll be chillin'.
PS - I've been really happy with my year so far, don't get me wrong. I just find this TT thing to be exceedingly frustrating since, to me at least, it's such a mystery!! I've been having a banner year otherwise!
It's hard to believe, but Provincials have come and gone! It was a fun event, a bit stressful to both organize and race at the event, but i think i managed it alright, tho both aspects prolly suffered a bit..
The weather was not entirely cooperative - we got rained out in the afternoon of the first day, and the morning of the second day. So the first day had my 'big event' of the year -- what most of my efforts were geared towards: the 4km Pursuit!
It went pretty well, although i goofed it with a totally newbie move -- after sitting down from the start, i look down, and i'm going 50kph. Not good, since i was planning to get up to 46kph, and hold that.
Then i make newbie mistake #2: 47kph was feeling 'alright', and so i decided to hold it as well. Looks like the aero helmet was on a bit too tight.. Ahh well, i still rode a 4'26, which is a PB in Victoria, tho still off my (suspect) time of 4'22 from last year. I figure i could have hit that had i ridden it a bit more smartly, but c'est la vie! I'm still really happy with that time, and the knowledge that i've still got more potential in this event. Next year, i'll be aiming for a 4'15. =)
That was all that i rode on Day One, sprint semi's happened, and one Scratch race for the Masters Men, and then the heavens opened up and spewed moisture on this part of the world.
Day Two opened with much the same, the infield was a bog...haha.. By the afternoon, it cleared and warmed, and we were back in action.
The Scratch Race was my next event, and it was pretty fast, once more. Instead of getting pulled for getting lapped, as happened last year, i was in with the front bunch the entire time, and even had a few little attacks of my own. I finished 8th of 8 (several DNF's), failing in an attack a few laps before the final and burning myself up then.. My buddy Chris Reid launched off shortly after, and managed to stay ahead of the charging pack to collect the win, nicely done!
Almost immediately after this was the Points Race, which was a blast. Lots of attacks, and i managed to score in 4 of the 12 sprints, giving me 8pts, and leaving me in 5th (our of 8), much better than the -40 or so i finished with last year! Again, finished with the main pack, and only one rider, the winner Jonathan Gormick, lapped the field.
I opted to skip out of the Keirin and Kilo, as they were packed in between the two Endurance events, but looking at the Kilo times, i should have gone -- i would have likely medaled..haha..
I'm pretty happy with my racing, i'm much smarter and stronger. I think i had more pop at the last Trackfest, i certainly felt stronger, but hey, i did what i could.
More pics from Provincials can be found here and here.
Also did the Sidney TT last week - finally got it down closer where it should be, with a 26'04, but i'm still gunning for well under 26!
I clearly have a problem with the first lap being too hard, tho i'm curious how the second lap can have less power, but still be pretty darn close in time.....what a weird sport, anyway, here are the details:
I'll be trying it again this week, final TT of the year. I've been trying to rest this week (tho killed myself in a Points race on Thursday, very fun tho, also didn't take it too easy on the weekend group ride! Got 2nd in the sprint, averaged 655w over 30 seconds, tho Cooper, who won the sprint, held 1340w - holy crow.)
So i'll chill tomorrow, ride out to the track and WATCH pursuits, and then one final hurrah at the TT on Tues, final night for the Victoria Track League points on Thursday with Keirins -- Cooper is 9pts ahead of me, and there's no way i can get ahead of that in one night...so my hat is off to my nemesis of the year who bested me!! =)
Again, i'm happy with my racing this year, in the Thursday night events, i mainly screwed around, attacking lots, and trying out various tactics. Next year i should be able to use these with much deadlier affects..hehe..
My next few months will have little rest... The 8th is Trackfest '07 3, and #4 in the Track BC Cup series. After that is a few months of Cyclocross, then Nov 9th-11th is BC Cup #5, the final event in the series, over in Burnaby. THEN i get to rest....eeeps!
I'll prolly report back in by Wednesday on that TT...
PS - RideCam 04 is online. Various pics i've taken as i'm cruising around, enjoy!
On the 29th was the BC Masters Oak Bay crit around Windsor Park - i think only the second actual crit i've ridden (i rode Bastion Square last year and SUFFERED in Cat4!)
I went in with the plan not to finish, as i wanted to save my legs for the thing this entry is named after. =)
I sat in for ~35mins, and i was quite happy with how i rode! Off the top, i made sure i was near the front of the pack, which is really a huge factor in being able to stay in the race for me...the yo-yo-ing that occurs further back just kills me.. At the front the speed was steady, perfect for me.
The course was fantastic, technically five corners, tho only two required you to stop pedaling. It was a mere 700m round, two long stretches, and a light headwind in the back stretch. About 20 riders started, many regulars here, and some guys i've raced on the track and always kicked my ass. The Masters were broken into two groups, the 45+ group went first, and i was with the 45 and under of course. =)
Not much to say except that i was amazed at how easily i was hanging in, and there were several times i was sitting there itching to make a move...but after 35mins, i decided i'd maintained enough intensity pulled out. This was a good boost for my confidence, and i'm looking forward to the big event mid-September.
Next up: the first ever GVVA Omnium! The outcome is already known, and i'm quite happy with my riding for this, i really played my 'A' game. Below is a (Shish-centric) write-up/report i sent out to the GVVA list, giving a play-by-play from my perspective..hahaha.. I was excited and happy to earn a fairly big victory for OrganicAthlete. =)
Before that, a few other fun items of interest.
I've been carrying a camera with me when out riding, and so here is Ride Cam Album One and Album Two. Fun times.
In the FLORAGlo Track BC Cup standings, i discovered i'm currently in 3rd place overall with 27pts - woohoo! Click here for the PDF standings. Chris Reid is totally cleaning up in 1st with 37pts, and the ever-indomitable Matt Chater (30pts) will be impossible for me to challenge (unless he skips another event!), but i can at least claim this small piece of glory for now! I'll continue challenging my buddy and series co-organizer Glenn for 3rd. =)
Alright, on to the Omnium write up, buckle up! Additional comments in [bold].
Message Subject:
Headline: Vegan Devours Racers In Omnium Challenge
Message Body:
You read it here first folks! In the first (ever?) GVVA Omnium Series, after five events, the vegan came out on top!
The series, combined Monday and Thursday night, brought out lots of tough competition in the A category, but Dave Shishkoff (me!) managed to pedal his way to the top, both in the small Omnium field, and in the racing field. Malcolm was unbeatable, winning the top spot in the Omnium in each event, and for the C's, we'll leave the mystery until the end, as it was a close match between David Richardson and Michelle Lasota.
Onto the racing! Monday night brought racers out for three events: the Flying 200m, 500m ITT and a Scratch Race. Thursday saw the Pursuit and Points Race.
In order of competition:
Flying 200m ===========
The 6 sprinters got to show off with mostly blistering sub-13 second times. New-to-Victoria racer Marty Machacek, claimed to be a B racer, but after landing on top with a 12.60, was quickly promoted to 'A'. It should be highlighted this humble rider has raced for the Czech National Team. Speedy Mike Cooper took 2nd, 8 hundreths of a second off, and Chris Anstey took 3rd, a hairs width behind that. In the Omnium, that put Marty on top, followed by Chris, Dave S, and Dave Mercer. (To qualify for the Omnium, racers must finish all five events. These are the four A's who held on for all five.)
In the B's, Malcolm Falkner nabbed 1st, followed by Jim Holtz and Dave Emery. Get used to these names and this order, as it is repeated for the entire Omnium series!
In the closely matched C series, David Richardson edged Michelle Lasota in the sprint in their first match.
500m ITT ===========
In a shocker, Dave Shishkoff tied (the injured) Charles Durrant for 1st, with both racers riding a 38.7, which was also a new PB (Personal Best) for Shishkoff. [Hey - didn't i just get a 500m PB?] Cooper zipped in for 3rd, 4 tenths of a second back. In the Omnium, Dave took the glory, followed by Marty, Chris and Dave M.
The B's saw Malcolm ride into 1st with a 41.60, followed by Jim and Dave E.
In the C's, experience continued to give Dave R the advantage over Michelle.
Scratch Race ===========
The A's headed out for 27 Laps (9km). The pace was high off the start, and two riders dropped out of the race (and Omnium), leaving Chris A dangling 1/4 lap behind the Dave's and Marty. After the group holding this distance away from Chris for many laps, Chris pulled up, and caught back on, a lap down. With four laps remaining, The Shish attacked hard, shelling Marty and Dave M, but took Chris with him. Unconcerned with the sprint final against a lapped rider, The Shish ensured at least a 1/3rd lap between him and his Omnium contenders and let Chris take off on the final lap to take the sprint, but still finished 4th. This race finalized the competitors in the A Omnium. Marty took Mercer in the sprint to finalize the scoring.
The B's and C's raced together, with a predictable outcome for the B's, with Malcolm taking the win followed by Jim and Dave E. Michelle got the upper hand at the end, collecting her first win in the series!
Pursuits ===========
The fourth event in the series, beginning Thursday night, were Pursuits, 3km for the A's, and 2km for the B's and C's.
The A field was large, with 9 racers, and lots of close times. Don Gillmore was out to show us how it's done, and handily took 1st, and set the fastest 3km Pursuit time for this year, and several years back, with a 3'44, and a new PB for Don. In the Mortals competition, Dave S raced conservatively, remaining just behind Chris A each lap until the final two, where he powered ahead to win by a second, with a 4'04, setting another PB for himself. [I haven't done a 3km Pursuit for a couple years i think..previous PB was 4'26!] It's worth listing the times for the rest of the riders, to see how close this was - racers typically finished one second ahead or behind their match:
3rd - Chris A - 4'05 4th - Stephen Price - 4'07 5th - Emile De Rosnay - 4'09 (new to Vic, raced at the track in Dallas) 6th - Marty - 4'15 7th - Mike Cooper - 4'16 8th - Dave M - 4'17 [FANTASTIC RIDE BY DAVE!] 9th - Simon - 4'30
I believe this resulted in PB's for most riders! In the A Omnium, Dave S continued to enjoy being in 1st, followed by Chris, Marty and Dave M. After four events, Dave leads in Omnium points, followed by Marty, then Chris and Dave M.
The B's saw more close racing in the 2km distance. Malcolm continued on his winning streak, edging out Roland by 1 second, tho both setting new PB's as well, with Malcolm riding a 2'55 and Roland a 2'56. Jim rode a close 2'59, with Gerry Loster coming out to ride a 3'05, and Dave E rounded out this group with a 3'11, not bad at all for this old-timer!
In the C's, three more riders joined the group, tho the two Omnium competitors held top spots. Once again, it was David R vs Michelle, but Michelle liked the taste of victory from the last event, and savored it some more, knocking a second off Richardson's time, riding an impressive 3'15. They are now tied in the Omnium standings. For the rest of the C's, a second separated Harry Ladds and Tasha West, but Tasha charged on the final lap to edge out Harry, with a 3'32, and Dale Marat, riding with one healthy and one injured leg, completed the race in 3'49.
Points Race =========== [YAY - MY FAVORITE RACE!]In the A field, seven riders started (and finished!) this event. The group held it together through the 1st sprint (of five in this 30 Lap, 10km event), and predictably Don 'The Immortal' Gillmore [MY NEW NICKNAME FOR DON, HE APPROVES THO IS WORRIED ABOUT LIVING UP TO IT 30yrs FROM NOW!] just kept on riding through after the sprint. The Shish, predicting this, and choosing instead to attempt to take advantage of this, passed on competing for points in the sprint, opting to attack hard after the sprint and catch Don. But to back up for a moment, the 1st sprint points were awarded to Don, Emile, Chris and Dave M in that order.
After a lap of chasing Dave S managed to catch Don's wheel. The remaining five riders worked together to chase, a half lap back. This didn't favor Dave well, however, and after three laps, started to drift away from Don's wheel. Ahh well, the ambition was worth the price of the ticket. Don wheeled through collecting 1st place points again, Dave cruised through alone collecting 2nd, and Emile took 3rd, and Chris A took 4th in the chase group. [BIG EFFORT ON MY PART, NEAT EXPERIENCE, BUT DON WAS TOO STRONG!!]
From there, if memory serves, Emile broke off from the chase group, and Marty tagged along for the ride. This left Chris A, Dave M and Simon as the 'peloton'. Dave S, seeing two riders catching from behind, and Don G way off on the horizon, slowed up and began working with these other two chasers to try and minimize the damage of the Immortal. Unfortunately, Marty had to drop and rejoined the chasers.
Don was just about to catch the 'Pack' on the third sprint, and a confused Emile attacked a lap early, allowing Dave to easily score 2nd place points on the 'real' sprint lap (Don got 1st). Chris A collected 4th in this sprint.
Emile and Dave continued their efforts to stay away from Don, and managed it through the 4th sprint, giving them top sprint points as they were technically in the front. Emile was paying more attention, but Dave still nipped him at the line in a hard sprint. Since Don had caught the pack, he was up 20pts, but no longer the lead rider. So he collected 3rd place points in this sprint, and Simon collected 4th, tho he was lapped by the field at this point, so 20 points down.
Don carried through his attack on the second-to-last sprint, breaking away from the pack, and spent several laps chasing Dave S and Emile, who in turn were chasing down Chris, Marty and Dave M (aka The Pack). The Dave's met before The Immortal caught up with them, and the three collected 20pts at this time (20 points for Dave and Emile for catching the remaining riders, and Don collecting 20pts for catching Emile and Dave, the two chasing riders - don't worry, it makes sense!)
With two laps remaining, The Immortal got on the front of this group and once more accelerated. The pack held together, with Dave S at the end, enjoying the draft and some rest.[THIS WAS KEY FOR MY FINISH.] On the 2nd corner of the final sprint, Dave S attacked hard, catching Don as the pack was splintered by his acceleration. Dave and Don drove hard for the line, but of course Don edged out Dave, tho they made it look good. Emile collected 3rd place points, and Dave M charged through to collect the final points of the the event.
The final tally had Don in 1st with 62pts, Dave S in 2nd with 34pts, and Emile 'I'll Race B too' De Rosnay in 3rd with 32pts. Further back, where points were sparse, Chris A earned 4th with 3pts, Dave M got 5th with 2pts, Marty collected 1pt for 6th, and Simon, who rides/races considerably less frequently than the rest of these guys, finished 7th, with -19pts. He'd collected a sprint point, but was also lapped by the field, thus losing 20pts.
In the Omnium, this solidified Dave's lead with a fourth 1st place finish, finishing with 7pts. [OUT OF A POSSIBLE 5!] This event propelled Chris ahead of Marty, who had been ahead in series points, giving Chris 11pts, and Marty finished with 12pts. Dave Mercer, the oldest, and possibly most impressive rider in the group, finished 4th with 18pts. (Note: in Omnium scoring, you get one point for each placing, so three 1st place finishes gives you 3pts. So in the totals, lowest score wins.)
Phew!
Unfortunately i can't recite the B & C races, but to summarize: once again the riders were all combined, and 9 riders began the racing. Unfortunately, new-comer [AND ORGANICATHLETE VICTORIA RIDER] Tasha West got clipped in a lap exchange, and crashed out. She's healing up fine, and looking forward to more racing! [TASHA WAS OUT TODAY FOR THE LEARN TO RACE CLINIC, FEELING BETTER! YAY TASHIE! HEAL QUICK, YOU'RE A TROOPER!]
In the B's, Roland rode a strong and consistant race and captured 1st, finally knocking Malcolm off the top of the podium! Unfortunately, Roland wasn't a part of the Omnium, having missed Monday out wandering around in the woods or something instead. ;)
Due to this, the Omnium finish for this race was identical to the previous results, and the final Omnium saw Malcolm win the series with 5pts (5x1st), Jim collected 2nd with 10pts, and Dave Emery earned 3rd with 15pts.
In the C's, David Richardson never collected any points in the combined race, with the five B's outsprinting him in each effort, but he succeeded in hanging in with the pack, while Michelle finished a lap behind with an impressive effort from this newcomer, and in an otherwise male event!
This final victory edged David ahead of Michelle, as the series was tied until this race. David R finished with 7pts, and Michelle finished with 8pts.
Congrats to all riders for coming out and participating in Victoria's first Omnium event!! I hope you all enjoyed it! Extra respect is now due to the Omnium riders, and especially the 1st place finishers, who have earned the title of Omnium Champ in their category - great riding!! =)
Hope you don't mind my self-serving race report, see y'all out there soon!
It's been a rest week for me, so not too much going on right now..
BMX Worlds are here in Victoria, right beside the track, and they've taken over the infield; we're off, so i'm chilling this week. =)
Had a good 'last race', a week ago. It was a longer Points Race (42 laps), and i *finally* beat Mike Cooper - yeah, baby!!! Sorry, don't mean any disrespect, he's a great racer, but he's been kicking my ass all over the track all year, and it's nice to return the favor for once. =)
Typically the local races are shorter, 30 laps or less, so he's always got extra gas for the line...but that night i managed to keep the pressure on, scoring about 8pts more than him. Didn't win the race tho, Don Gillmore the Immortal was out, and lapped the field three times..hahaha.. Finishing 2nd after Gillmore is a feat in itself tho. If anyone *did* latch onto his wheel...look out!
It's been an interesting Tour de France... Rasmussen (or Ras-Use'n, if you ask me) was ejected due to highly suspicious circumstances. This after Vino, and another rider testing positive. Nice to see them cracking down. I was joking with my fellow OrganicAthlete riders that we should post our Anti-Drug Policy on the OA website. He joked back saying we should test for pesticide residues...that might be an interesting thing to offer while touring..hehe!!
It'll also be interesting to see how many riders actually donate their year's salary, as they all committed at the beginning of the race, if found doping.
As for the finish...i'm cheering for Cadel Evens. A while back, there was a rumour that he was vegetarian, but unfortunately it's not true. Still, i'm cheering for the guy. And Levi, who doesn't like Levi. =)
On the 'cross front, i've order the Campy Chorus parts, so they'll likely be in fairly soon, and then can build it up -- yeehaw!
HELP WANTED
I'm looking for a front wheel, if anyone has any suggestions.. I'm going with a disc brake for the front (i do a lot of hill repeats, often in the rain, and don't want to change brake pads every two weeks), and so looking for something that's a bit more 'aero', with a lower spoke count, but of course has a disc brake on it....any suggestions, as to pre-built wheels, or something i could build up? Is there a hub with disc brake bolts that is low spoke count..?? What rim? Thanks for any tips. =)
That's about all for now. I'll be racing in the BC Master's crit on Sunday, around Windsor Park here in Victoria, should be fun! Then Monday and Thursday i've planned an Omnium week, which should be pretty awesome. Monday will have the 200m and 500m sprint, and a Scratch race, and Thursday will have Pursuits (3km for me) and a Points race. The idea is to compete in all five, to be the best overall.....looking forward to it!
If you haven't seen it before, i publish a monthly vegan newsletter here in Victoria, called The Victoria Vegan. There's a vegan sports section, and i write about a number of items, the most recent is about all the yummy summer fruit. Check it out!
I'm looking forward to building this thing up.. Will race it in the fall, then add fenders and ride as my winter bike after. I'm planning on more Campy Chorus, and since i'll likely be doing a ton of hill repeats on this thing, i'm going to get a disc front brake (canti rear). That way i won't wear through rims or go through a pair of brake pads every two weeks from all the wet descents.
As for the world of riding...i did a couple more TT's, and have been pretty unhappy. I got down to 26'31 the day after my Pursuit PB, but then floundered back up to 27'18 the following week. I can really only suspect that i was fatigued...so now i'm resting more carefully. Not sure when i'll do the TT next..i'm pretty focused on my Pursuit and track training for the next month. I've laid out my training plan, and will stick to it as much as i can.
Haven't ridden a whole lot that's worth mentioning otherwise, track has been rained out several times..
Sat, Jun 30th had the Sidney Twilight crit - i dropped in for the hell of it. It actually went quite well, i started relatively close to the front, but need to make sure i'm AT the front from now on. No more mistakes.
After a while, i ended up in a chase group with three others, and we were pretty well matched, and held a nice steady pace. The course was great, didn't have to brake in any corners, and we held out speed well. Unfortunately, Steve Baird (see video below) was also there, and demolished the field, with 7 of 46 starters finishing. We lasted about 20mins. My buddy Mike Elkink came in second, in the pack sprint - woohoo!
Sunday i managed to get myself out of bed at 5am and headed down to the ferry to ride Hurricane Ridge! Album of pics here.
It's a great climb, tho spending 1hr 15mins at 65rpm really killed my legs! It's sort of a race, tho i didn't really truck it, just keeping a steady pace. Fastest guy was around 54mins. I also slowed-up big time after thinking i should eat. I was under the impression it was a 1.5hr climb.. I was actually about 15mins from the top when i decided 'gee, i should eat!' and cramped up trying to stuff some food in my face.
There we are at the top - proof! 5,000 feet of elevation.
From there, we went back down (25mins descent!) and did a fantastic 80km loop of Sequin, very nice terrain. Wonderful day, thanks for the great ride Joe, Kim, Scott, Paul, Jamie, Doug and...older dude who's name i've forgotten! (It's funny, you can't really see, but in that pic i'm wearing one leg warmer, and a knee warmer on the other side..haha)
Coming up is Trackfest #2 this weekend - woohoo! I'm not in great condition for this, back to a 'build' phase, but i'll truck on anyway. My buddy Jeremy (veganpotter) is going to be visiting as well, so i'm back in action as a Vegan Cycling Destination. =)
I'll sign off with a few neat links i've come across:
That last video is insane... For those who are curious, that's the 'Observatory' climb - yes the one i do repeatedly in the winter, tho not nearly so quickly! Enjoy the climb. =)
Steve does the climb in 5'03 or so..breaking the previous record by about 30 seconds, incredible! On top of it, i just got an email from him - he did the Sidney TT in 22'51 tonite - WITHOUT a proper TT bike. Holy crap. He's coming out next Monday for a Pursuit - this will be awesome.
Monday, went out to the track to help organize the sprints..rain.
Tuesday, considered the TT, but the weather was crap, so didn't ride.
Took an extra rest-day on Wednesday. I also considered the VCL Crit, but had a GVVA meeting in the evening.
Thursday, was back at the track. First event was a Chariot, as there were only three A's (two others came out, but had a tumble in the initial Madison. They're healing up and fine!) As could be predicted, Simon and Cooper stomped me in the 1-lap sprint. I managed to stay on their wheels tho, not bad considering i was in an 82" gear. ;)
Next up was a Miss'n'Out, combined A's, B's and C's. I stuck to the 82" gear, knowing my strategy off the top.. The race started, and a sprint goes by, and i slide up at the front, and i get up there and pin it at 40kph, and hold it. For about 15 laps. =)
There was one odd attack from Simon, who sprinted by me, but i got up on his wheel in a few moments, and let him draft me for a lap, then he fell back, and i just carried the speed through. Cooper was still on my wheel (i think he was the whole time) - and so we traded pulls for a couple laps, and to my surprise Roland (track photographer extraordinare!) guns past Simon, to join us in the Final Three (in a Miss'n'Out, once there's three riders left, an extra lap is added, and it's basically a Matched Sprint between the finalists.)
Crap -- Cooper pretty much has this in the bag...ahh well, i've got to try something! We're going into corner 3, and the bell will be rung as we come out of corner 4.... We're not moving very fast, but i see he's slowing down, and is a good 10m behind me....so i drop the hammer! I dash away as fast as my little legs can carry me, the bell's ringing, and i'm flying by! I glance back, and i've got some decent distance! I keep spinning away, but sadly, but the time we hit the line again, he's caught me and edged ahead...ahh well. I couldn't have played my cards much better...will have to keep trying strategies on that guy. ;)
Friday i chilled. Saturday was the Oak Bay group ride, and due to MORE RAIN, only about 10 peeps turned out (as opposed to ~50 that we've been seeing!) We got a decent ride in, despite the foul weather.
Sunday was more of the same, tho lighter rain. I couldn't bear to ride in it, so i decided to spend an hour on the trainer instead, which was actually a really good idea. I've got to start logging tons of miles in the aero bars, and so hooked 'em up, and did a few long intervals in them, to start acclimatizing myself to them again.
Monday was an awesome day for me - Pursuits at the track. My goal for the night was to get ~5:40, and hold ~43kph. I was a bit nervous, as it was getting cooler (which means everything slows down! You can go 10-30 seconds faster depending on the weather..!)
I went out fairly hard, got myself up to 49kph, then spent a couple laps coasting down..and accidently went too low - i got down to 41kph - oops! I was feeling really good, and picked it up to 43-44kph, and basically held that. I got a bunch of the other guys to start on the other side, so i wasn't riding all by myself...and i was getting pretty close. I was happy with how i was riding, so i eased up a bit with a few laps to go, and then gunned it for the last lap. Before i was even finished, i knew it was a success! I was holding 43-44kph, and it was relatively effortless!! Not only could i have easily smashed my own PB on the track that night, but i would have done it on a cool night. That felt really good. This means that i might be on track for hitting my goal of getting under 5:20 at the Provincials in August...fingers crossed!
Anyway, here are the splits, there's one lap 'missing', and we actually finished one lap short (i inserted the 11th lap with 28", that would have been a fair guess.)
There i am, holding the front of the Miss and Out. From 07-06-07 - Track
Sweet!! That's my fastest time in Victoria. (Or it would have been, again, this is a lap short, i'm just filling in the blank, but it's unlikely i would have lost 2 seconds, which was needed to get a new PB, the old being 5'37 here in Victoria.)
That feels really awesome. To think, a year ago i got a 5'48, and i actually remember the night, with my buddy Kevin on my wheel! Funny, i got the exact time he got during that effort! (This blogging thing is way too cool to track past events!)
In other news, i've decided on my next bike! The good men over at OBB helped me pick out my future Cyclocross / winter bike! I'll be picking up a Salsa Chili Con Cross, a scandium race frame, that, of all things, comes in GREEN! It'll be light and comfortable - music to my ears.
Also, by the luck of the universe, i'll be scoring an orange fork from Scott, that comes from a Salsa Las Cruces. It's gonna be one SWEET looking bike!!! I'll be building it up with Campy Centaur, and my Powertap and Kysiruim Elite will get moved over as well, and should come in under 20lbs - the frame is 2.94lbs, and the fork is 1.6lbs. A winter bike i'll be excited to ride - how do you like them apples? There won't be much of a rush to build this up tho, i'll keep the Norco as my wet ride bike for now, and race this through the 'Cross season here, and then put on fenders, and retired the Norco to permanent commuter duty. =)
Before i start dumping cash into this, i still need to get an aero helmet.. Any suggestions on where to find a good price on the Bell models?
Got a couple hours before i head off to the Trackfest / BC Cup, so i figured i'd catch up a little!
Nothing too exciting has happened the last week, i've been tapering, in anticipation of today..
Monday of this week i did an easy Team Pursuit, Tuesday i went to the track in the afternoon where the La-Z-Boyz were out motorpacing. I jumped in a few laps, but mainly my focus was to do a couple short sets of 30s max intervals. They're feeling a lot 'better' to do now..haha..
Wednesday was a rest day, and Thursday was back out at the track, where we did another Madison and Keirin.
The pic on the right (thanks Don! Cool shoes, huh?) was on the final lap sprint, and i managed to hold Simon off for a lap and a half - woot!! Malcolm was my partner this time, and we worked well together, with some really solid tosses. The main skill i gotta work on is the 'drop', where i come into relieve my partner -- i tend to drop a bit early, and with a bit too much velocity. Should be able to perfect that soon enough tho!
Below is a vid (thanks Roland!) of the Maddie:
It starts with Malcolm (my partner)..watch for him..
0:35 is our first exchange, and got tossed on Simon's wheel pretty solidly.
1:03 - i see the next exchange about to happen, so i try to get away a bit..Cooper chases hard, you miss the exchange with Malcolm...off camera
2:09 - final exchange, i attack, bell goes, final lap! I don't really make much ground on Simon, but i held him off! I figured my 200m time there was 13.5 seconds, which after half a lap of riding already is pretty good for me!! Malcolm got the first sprint, and the second was mine, so we won the race. =)
Next vid is the Keirins, i don't really do so much:
0:05 - in the first one, i get on Simon's wheel...
1:00 - Matt and Wayne get away fairly easily, but i manage to keep the gap to a minimum! 3rd place finish.
1:27 - 2nd Keirin, i let Matt squeeze in front of me, he's a fine wheel to be on
1:40 - for some reason i'm boxed in! Kinda limits where i can move..then Chandler attacks, Cooper, Wayne and Matt are all quick to respond..
2:02 - i chase hard to catch up, and remarkably, close th
