Gettin ready for the Climb to Kaiser ER

Been on a very nice break from the racing scene and getting in the long miles. It's been nice and missed. I love the long days in the saddle at sub earbleed heart rates.

In preparation I made some mods to the steed.

1. With much resistance I have shortened my cranks to the suggested 170s from the 172.5s that I am used to.
   
   
2. Went and had a fitting session with Rick over at Eden Bikes in Castro Valley. He dropped me down and back and worked some voodoo on my cleat position. Rick says I have a good sweep through the bottom and need to back a little in order to use it. Result= faster cadence...much faster.
   

Training:
Death march like training with Nate Dawg, 3 times to the summit of Diablo last week for an even 100 round trip, followed by 2.5 hours on the tandem including the Wente course backwards (and we don't run a triple). Practiced the Diablo TT course on Wednesday, and hit the hills of Oakland/Moraga followed by a trip to the Diablo summit yesterday. Today, a 45 mile cruise in the morning up Calaveras Road with a detour up Welch (bitch) Creek Road.
On lower intensity periods (sub 145 HR) I have been forcing myself to breath through the nose. Not an easy task considering intake is 50% of what it should be. Kind of like riding with a restrictor plate, but it is forcing me to really expand the chest cavity and breath slow and really deep. Should help when I go in for the Taz roto-rooter treatment.

The weight is coming down (135), lowest it's been this year, and the RPMs are way up. I have lost my leverage, but I am getting used to the 100+ rpms.

C2K is all about riding within yourself, it would be nice if I can summit with The Shark, but I am not going to kill it to do so. If I am there we will have a good time running back to Fresberg, but if I am not I will sit at the top lounging and waiting for Gianni. Good times either way!

This week will be an easy week of commuting to work by bike with a hard effort on the Diablo TT course on Wednesday to make sure no cobwebs settle in. Rest is the order of the week.

Congratulations to Petite Pedals on a long overdue win this weekend. I hope to see more of that type of riding.

Official Spidey Crew casual shoe

Yippy Skippy! My Father's Day gift finally arrived!
Custom made Vans to match the Team Kit. SWEEET!

Iowa and Snake Alley Photos

(The Boys are back in town) (I like Thin Lizzy)

(and they are hangin down at Moto's)
(Mr. Moto's, a very cool pub and Coffee House)

(Carbon wheels on pre-ride only...too stiff for the bricks)

(Harlan aka Hdiddy dances up the Snake in his chrome Nalini shoes)


(Don't dance in the rain...too slippy)
(look at the size of the rain drops)

I have few more uploaded to Flickr, with more coming this weekend...
Click the link for more great images.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8951136@N06/

Shiny Happy People Holding Hands

Thanks Xbunny...

This photo is one of the best days cycling has ever given me. A day of truth and discovery, of friendship and teamwork.
I would have never thought in a million years that Groovy T and I would be standing on a podium at a bike race together. Talk about a new adventure... and it is really just beginning.

More than 1 way to sandbag

There is more than one way to be a sandbagger.

Often people think of the term "sandbagging" and relate it to a rider that won't move up just so that he can win more races.

I think the truest nature of the term is more in the essence of racing in a field where you can win more races just so that you can win more races. Forget the category of the rider for a moment and think about how this applies in racing in all fields...masters included.

Casey Kerrigan from the NCNCA has often said that your category should reflect your level of ability, it should not be seen as a trophy that you hold onto. Meaning if you are a Category 1 rider you should be competitive in a Pro/1/2 field. The flip side of this is, if you are competitive in a Pro/1/2 field, maybe you should be racing Pro/1/2 events.

Based on the above statements I would like to present a thought for your consideration:
If you are a Category 1 or Ex-Pro or even Ex Euro-Pro rider isn't it, under the same concept as above, quite possibly sandbagging by racing amateur masters fields?

As Casey has said, if you can't be competitive in a Pro/1/2 event, you should downgrade.
On that same note, if you are competitive in that field, shouldn't you be racing in that field.

My impression of this sport is that one should challenge one's self. If you are winning more often than not, how are you challenging yourself?
If you are riding away from a fields over and over again...solo...how are you challenging yourself?

Take out the semantics of the word and how can one see this different than sandbagging, cheating, or even worse...doping?

At the end of the day, who are you really cheating? I would say you are cheating Yourself.

Hats off to those aging riders who are challenging themselves and racing against a field that presents challenge...you know who you are.

Wag of the finger to those racing in a field that does not challenge you just so that you can win more... you know who you are too.

Honor is a hard thing to come by these days. Niceness and pleasantry aside, honor is different. Even an asshole can have honor.

Are you honorable?

-Nome out

Oh It's On baby...It is On!

Damn it PAB and XBunny, you just had to go and sign up for Tandem Mixed 70+ didn't you?
Here I wanted to put in a good ride on the single then have some fun with Groovy T, but NO you gotta go and make it EMC Vs. Safeway/Velo Bella.

So now I gotta just use the solo ride as a warm up and not kill it.


Actually, it should be fun, not a fair match, but it will be fun trying to hold you two off as long as we can.

323 11:14:00 Tandem Mixed 70+ Castia Ron 144264 EMC/Vellum Cycles
11:14:30
324 11:15:00 Tandem Mixed 70+ poulsen jeff 28533 safeway/ga communications


I am gonna get spanked by Vandershark, Hickman, The Boschanator, and Angerhoot anyway. May as well soften the blow.

(bitches)