Monday, June 09, 2008

Can't beat em...join em

Last year racing I had a couple of big races where i things went well in the swim, but I got dropped like a sack on the first 3km on the bike, or things didn't go swell in the swim and I wasn't able to bridge up on the first k on the bike.

So this winter I did a lot of cycling. Simple really, get in the miles and lots of them. More hill work as well. And it has shown, at least in the first couple of mexican races where I have bridged up to the lead group, with some excruitating pain of course. What i haven't had yet though is a bike where there is a steep hill right off the bat, that test will come later.

The last two weekends I have done a couple of road races. The first was in Armstrong, just outside of Vernon, BC. NOw this was supposed to be a 100k "ride" but a quarter of the way in it was evident that was not going to be. The riders in this group i would say were right at my level and it was a good tempo ride with one long climb up thru Salmon Arm.

On the first of June I did the second road race. BC Provincials in Vancouver on the new westside classic course. I am a cat3 rider, but for this race Cat3's would race with the 1's and 2's as well. The course was 12x10k loop then 10x2k crit loop. THis was a ride where I have never been so scared and in a world of hurt at the same time. The group was quite large (100 to start) and as a result the corners were agressive and sprints on the exits. The climb in the course was about 1k, but not steep. I got dropped at around 80k from the peleton and rode the remainder in a smaller group. FUn race, just above my level.

Some pictures from the race:







I would have loved to have swapped legs with Svein about 60k in.


This last week the group has getting some quality training in around UBC and taking in the elite races. Congradulations to all the juniour, U23 and elite athletes! It was motivating and thrilling to watch you all race. I hope the elite men caught a glimpse of the streaking hockey stick Flag running up Thurlow!

THis weekend, Wasa Lake Triathlon.

1 comment:

Andrew McCartney said...

Notice the slipstream chipotle gloves?
Hint to new team?
Ciao ciao
Andrew