Chrismas in March!!!

We should get this stuff in our hands next week! Thanks to Bill Marshall, Jeph Blanchard, and Hector Mendoza. Most importantly a big thanks to our clothing sponsor for 2009 VERGE!!!

THANKS & MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Moto

I think motor pacing is just as much an exercise in teamwork and patience as it is cycling fitness training. Last night I did the lakefront circuit behind the moto. It’s always mixed feelings when doing this but I definitely felt better than I remember it being last year. After the first 15 min I was thinking “this is a little too hard” as I was pushing up the bridge. Looking down I realized I had a flat front tire L. I put in another tube and then continued to pinch the tube flattening it too! I hadn’t done this in years (got a pinch flat while changing tires / tubes). I rode to the Triathlete area and didn’t recognize anyone. They sure do have a lot of new triathletes; I’m hoping we can convert some to road racers after the Ironman is over. I used to be able to pull up in the triathlete group and know at least half of them. Anyway, I saw Julie Ardoin climbing out of the lake in her wet suit. I asked if she had an extra tube in her car and she was nice enough to help, giving me a 650 tube that she had in her car! The tube stretched after some working at it and fit and I was off to the motor again. (I know Julie from back in the day when I used to do adventure racing. She stayed with the adventure racing and I kept progressing with more aggressive racing and fields – first MTB racing and now Road Racing. Julie’s a stud and has done Primal Quest, Florida Coast to Coast and even a race in Southern Africa.) I finished up the motor pacing and headed home to download and e-mail the data. Today I get off while I prep for the race this weekend. Back on the bike tomorrow.

RR’s cont. cont. ……

So the week immediately before the first “real” race of the season I was busy trying to get all the ducks in a row. Get food ready, train, sleep, eat, work, then there is the bike stuff which is a week in itself. New cassette, chain, clean bikes, new bottom bracket, install SRM on TT bike, switch pedals, tune up bikes, swap out wheels, check tires, etc….

I left on Friday after lunch and drove to Houston through some not too nice traffic / construction in between Lake Charles and Beaumont. Once in Houston I met up with Chris, Justin, Matt, and Becca. We all went to eat pizza and because Chris knew the waitress we ended up getting some free beer (always a good thing). We kept telling Chris he should take her out on a date – she was a cute girl and definitely looked like she could be fun to hang out with. Back at Chris’ house I crashed and with a wake up time of 5:30 am there was no time to waste.

Saturday and Sunday went by in a blur!

Saturday
Wake up
Drive to Race
Packet Pick-up
Team meeting
Road Race (65 miles)
Drive to Hotel
Eat / Sleep
Drive to Race
Warm up
Time Trial (6 miles)
Drive to Hotel
Eat /Sleep

Sunday
Eat
Drive to Race
Race (95 miles)
Drive back to NOLA (eat while driving :-)

Saturday and Sunday Highlights!
Saturday was the first time that I finished with the pack, in a regional road race. My numbers were pretty high too: 257 NP, 200w avg., finish time 2:48. I still need to improve in the TT. I did a 16:20 and that was one of the slower times. I did hit the marks on my power goals for the TT so I was happy about that. Sunday I got dropped in the road race at mile 80 of 95. I think it was more of bad positioning than not having the strength. I also got to hang with some teammates. Here are some points of interest!

TEAMMATES
Kolt’s a verified stud and riding super well!
Scott thinks he’s Lance and as such twitter’s nearly every time you look at him.
Adrian has big feet (Thank Scott for pointing that out)
Bill if he’s ever on a good day will tear the legs off of everyone (he rode all weekend with Diarrhea!)

Until next time….

RR’s cont.

After the Rouge Roubaix (RR) road race (rr) I was scheduled for an off day which by Wednesday progressed into some unscheduled rest and relaxation (R&R) to try and get better. At first I thought I had some bad food and had food poisoning. 36 hours later liquid was still coming out where it shouldn’t and medicine was quickly taken. The medicine helped and I was able to sit on my bike longer than 45 min again. But now I was only about a week away from the first team race weekend that I would be going to this year. I was prescribed some intervals over the weekend and in the rain on both Saturday and Sunday (I’m going to count that as rr too!) I went out and nailed it. I felt better about going into the race but still a little apprehensive; after all the races in Texas are always pretty hardcore! We would also have a maxed out field of 100 and included a handful of Pro’s. To be continued …….

a couple of RR's

Well, The first races of the season are done. A couple weeks ago was the Rouge Roubaix. I've determined that this is not a real race even though I think it is one of the most beautiful races ever. The race was on from the gun with a rider attacking in the neutral roll out and the official doing a poor job of making him come back to the group - he should have been DQ'd. I pre-rode the course a week before and before the first dirt section I noticed a road that climbed steadily for a while and while only 3-4% it was chip and seal which made it feel like 5-6%. I said - "This would be a perfect place to attack if it were closer to the finish." I was right this is wear the first real attacks came and where the first break of the day was formed. I was going to just follow the lead group until after the third dirt section - at least that was the plan. I ended up not making it through the first dirt section with them. I'm even more determined to do well at this race next year but the competition every year seems to get harder - and if the reviews this years race got doesn't push it to the next level nothing will. Check out the link .... http://velonews.tv/?articleID=2639 I'm actually in the video too! See if you can find me in the Mercy Kit!.

More later - Take Care