Yankee TT

And my 2010 race season begins. Today was perfect weather for me. It was a little cool but the sun was shining and NO RAIN. We loaded up and headed to YS Rec Area with only two bikes this year. Izzy and Megan decided not to race the kids race this year, but Zack decided to do the long race. His report first:

Zack did sweet. I was a little worried because this was his first race and he had a change of heart on racing after last Sunday, but we made him do it anyway. He finished 8th in his class which was last in his class...but he was far from the slowest person on the trail today. He raced in the 11-14 Beginner Men category and finished with a time of 1:50:10.7 I am super proud of him and his results.

Now for mine:

I stated earlier that my goal time was 1:15 for this years TT. I had a decent training ride that planted me with a goal of shaving 5 minutes off of my best time from this year. The funny thing is that I actually did it!!! I finished with a time of 1:15.15.5 for an 8th place finish. I managed to shave 9 minutes off of my time from last year....and drop 3 places in the standings. LOL. Anyway, I am very happy with my results. It was a fun day of racing and camaraderie. I had to help a guy get his foot out of his clipless pedals when he fell over after clipping a tree. I asked if he was okay, then made a derogatory comment about clipless pedals....and offered to help him. He took my offer and I went on my way. It was a ride full of getting passed and passing a few people myself. It was fun to go flying past the skinny beginners while I was still feeling good. I had a nice short ride with a guy from across the state too. He was suffering. Now I see he was a sport racer that was in for a little more than he bargained for. He had never ridden over here and was not feeling well. Unfortunately I didn't have anything to offer him. When I got about 1/2 mile from the end I saw Sarah.......then Megan.....then Chelle. After a short jaunt and a climb I saw all three of them again. This is the best part for me because when I am suffering I find strength from seeing them. After the gravel section towards the end of the trail there is a downhill next to the road and then the finish area. I hammered it as best as I could to the line. I could hear some friendly yelling and then saw Kim and Jessica. My finish felt awesome. I was hauling ass when I got to where the people were standing and I hope some of them were impressed....I know I was...

All in all....good day of racing. Now looking forward to Fort Custer Stampede in a few weeks.

One for the RODE......

So.....I had my last training ride at Yankee Springs last night. I left work and got a little turned around on the way north...but got there eventually. I was glad I was a little late because I ran into Niel and Jody as I was heading out. I knew they would catch me...but more on that later.

Yankee Springs is a wicked trail. Sand, roots, rocks, sand, hills, sand, sandy hills, rocky sand, rooty rocks, ect. I wanted to get one fast (for me) ride in before the TT. The strange thing is that I started strong, but the 80 degree air was killing me. I was wheezing from asthma, which hasn't happened at all this year. The resulting lack of oxygen in my lungs was depriving good blood for my legs and I started feeling like dirt. Determined to keep pushing on I just decided to walk the longer hills and not kill myself. At the 1/2 way mark I still hadn't been passed by Niel or Jody. Then, I hear..."Hey buddy...how you feeling?" as Niel approached. I was walking and he was out of sight in a hurry. I kept pushing onward and started to feel a little better, but my breathing was still a mess. With about 2.5 miles to go I hammered it as best as I could. I went super hard on the flats...then when the trail tilted uphill even a little I felt dead. Just no energy......but Jody still hadn't passed me. With about 50 to go I heard "HEY"....as if my heart wasn't beating fast enough....she scared the bejeebes out of me and it started beating harder. LOL.

I almost made it around without her catching me...and I will take that as a victory.

Ride time: 1:20:20.

Now with 11 people in my class I know this will not be fast enough, but I will do my best. I am shooting for 1:15 or better because I hope that my race pace will be faster and that I will feel better. So, good luck everyone. I will post a race report on Sunday evening or Monday.

Let the season begin!

"I think I dislocated my......."

These were the words that my son used yesterday at Yankee Springs. He asked what the body part was called...the proceeded to use it in a sentence. It was as follows:

"I think I dislocated my urethrae"

While trying not to laugh because I could tell he was in pain.....I asked him if that was even possible. It drew a smile from him....thankfully. We were about 3 miles from the end of Yankee Springs and he was completely running out of gas. We had a good ride out there for his first time. He is about as ready as he can be for the TT on Sunday....and he will surely finish.....it just might take a while. Good thing there are sweepers.....at least he will have someone to ride with.

He did a great job for his first time out there. No major crashes and he climbed most of the beginning hills on his bike. When he got tired he started pushing but he kept right on going. He says he is feeling okay today, thankfully! I thought maybe we were going to have to take him in for that dislocated urethrae.....

Dropping in the standings....

This week really sucked for weight lost. Not only did I not lose....but I gained. I actually gained everything back that I lost last week. Upon further investigation I realized why I gained it back. There were numerous factors. They are as follows:

1. Easter Sunday. I ate all day.....good food.
2. Easter Candy. I started Saturday night and ended when the candy was gone....on Wednesday.
3. Rain. It makes me hungry.
4. Only ONE bike ride.
5. Deep Dish Pizza

These added together equal a weight gain.

On a positive note....I did two laps at Custer tonight. I wasn't feeling too good on the first loop and my legs were trying to quit on me. I was a little slower than last week, but the temps were about

30 degrees cooler too. I decided to head out for another lap knowing that I could take the road back if my legs gave out on me. I decided to ride the Red loop again but skipped the Amusement park. I did ride the Crazy Beaver loop and the new longer section towards the end and managed to hold my avg speed up. It is amazing to me that I was as fast as I was considering how I felt...but I will take it.

The standings....I am now guaranteed at least 3rd at the Yankee TT because there are only 3 people in my class. I am sure I will have to kick some ass to podium....and I am up for the challenge. 11 days to go.

Nature induced rest days

The last few days have been rainy. Today is snowed....not enough to stick on the ground....but still....it was 70 degrees two days ago. I did manage to ride on Tuesday evening. 10 miles of climbs followed by 10 miles of fairly flat. It was good to get out and ride for an hour and a half after no logging any mileage for 4 days. Wednesday and Thursday (today) were both nature induced rest days. It was rainy yesterday and snowy today. I am heading to Custer tomorrow for some good riding. I have heard that the trails are not muddy and that is all the green light I need. I am thinking of riding the Red and then the Red to Green combo again like I did last week. 19 miles of kicking my ass.

Yankee is quickly approaching. As of this post I am guaranteed at least 3rd because there are only three people signed up in my class. I know that will change and I will have to ride my best to get to the podium....but that is what I am shooting for.

Podium. GO!!!

Fried nerves....

I started a new job two weeks ago today. I have managed to ride Fort Custer twice a week for those last two weeks...with a great ride last Thursday. Unfortunately, I haven't ridden since. Saturday we were busy and Sunday was Easter. I was going to get up and ride on Sunday but I didn't...now I wish I would have. Last night I had no babysitter and then the forecast had rain until Thursday. Right now I am looking at partially clearing skies....and I have no babysitter. I really really want to ride and its looking like I will be riding in the dark....but that is okay....because I ride faster. Yankee is about 12 days away and I am already getting nervous thinking about it.....just thinking about it?!!? are you kidding? I have a little more riding on my race season this year because I am on a team and I am gunning for a series award. I want to be on the Podium on April 18th. I feel good...but need more miles. I am more confident...but need to lose weight. Good thing is this......I will ride my best and hope that it is good enough. Hopefully I won't worry about how Zack is doing in his first 'real' race and I can just focus on my riding.

12 days.

good news! I might have found a babysitter...gotta go ride!

'Fast" is a relative term....

Something strange is happening. I feel like I am pedalling the same speed....but I am covering more distance in less time. I almost made it around the entire red loop at Fort Custer tonight without putting a foot down. I got hung up on one root that stopped me....but other than that I never stopped. I can climb hills....but I still feel slow. I think the major difference is that I don't have to stop and rest at the top of the hills anymore. I can pedal a little slower for a short distance and get my lungs back. I have a mental block that tells me I am slow. After not getting passed again tonight I am beginning to wonder exactly how fast I am. I have a good feeling about the Fort Custer XC that is coming up in May. I know the course well enough and I can ride Custer twice a week until the race day. Yankee is the course that is bothering me.

Will I be 'fast' enough?

Tonight solidified my feelings that my training is definitely helping. I rode 19.28 miles at Fort Custer and averaged 10.38 mph. I have been trying to break into double digits on MPH for a long time. I have been close this year.....and the only other time I have been over 10 is during races. If I can hold over 10 on a ride (that is not a race) I should be able to ride faster than that during a race. Anyway.....I feel good and I am getting faster. Now, if I can lose more weight I will be seriously dangerous.