Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Monday, 1 March 2010
quick post before I fall asleep
all done and dusted...149 laps...just one lap shy of my goal...I got into some difficulties at around 20 minutes...??hunger flat...worked through that then got cramps in both legs at about 40-45 minutes which took a few laps to resolve.....more later..sleeeep now
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Liz's marvellous adventures in Wangaratta..TT and the disappearing bed.
Got to Wang at about 2pm and promptly struggled to find the Wang Motor Inn, so I went to the visitor's centre to get a map. Found the motel but despite the fact that I'd rung and booked not only that night but 2 others for the other races, they appeared not to have heard of me.
This left me wondering if perhaps I'd got the wrong name, so back to the visitors' centre to see what other motels there were..just to see if there was one with a similar name. The lady behind the counter was extremely helpful and after a fruitless search to see if I was booked into any motel anywhere in town, booked me into the Ryley motel. (When I got back home I checked and yes I had been right.. their loss. But I was lucky it was a quiet weekend there, so no difficulty finding a bed).
I settled in quickly and was very happy with my choice until at about 2345 when some idiot dived into the pool outside my door, waking me up. I mean WTF..it was FREEZING cold. Once awake I decided to get my own back and put on the TV to watch the tour TT...saw most of it and then slept in, leaving at 1000 for the race.
It was cold, it was windy and after my trial ride of the course I couldn't feel my toes at all. The course was slightly different from race no. 1 and the finish was in a totally different place which caught out 1 very competitive rider completely. He was devastated.
I felt my time of 35 mins was ok..the length of the course was ~20.8km and it was mega windy going out (suffer/grovel fest) and so was a speed/hoon fest coming back. My focus for the race was to keep RPM high (for me) and watts at about 200. No speed on my computer so I've no idea how fast or slow I was going. I felt my recent cleat alterations was making me pedal better..smoother.
This left me wondering if perhaps I'd got the wrong name, so back to the visitors' centre to see what other motels there were..just to see if there was one with a similar name. The lady behind the counter was extremely helpful and after a fruitless search to see if I was booked into any motel anywhere in town, booked me into the Ryley motel. (When I got back home I checked and yes I had been right.. their loss. But I was lucky it was a quiet weekend there, so no difficulty finding a bed).
I settled in quickly and was very happy with my choice until at about 2345 when some idiot dived into the pool outside my door, waking me up. I mean WTF..it was FREEZING cold. Once awake I decided to get my own back and put on the TV to watch the tour TT...saw most of it and then slept in, leaving at 1000 for the race.
It was cold, it was windy and after my trial ride of the course I couldn't feel my toes at all. The course was slightly different from race no. 1 and the finish was in a totally different place which caught out 1 very competitive rider completely. He was devastated.
I felt my time of 35 mins was ok..the length of the course was ~20.8km and it was mega windy going out (suffer/grovel fest) and so was a speed/hoon fest coming back. My focus for the race was to keep RPM high (for me) and watts at about 200. No speed on my computer so I've no idea how fast or slow I was going. I felt my recent cleat alterations was making me pedal better..smoother.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
MTB....yup I remember that
It'd have to be 2 or 3 years since I was out on the MTB and probably 6 since I raced...and in that period of time my bike (Gary Fisher sugar 2) has become a dinosaur..... I think I was the only person not sporting disc brakes.
Anyhow there I was at the start line for the 25km 1/4 epic, alongside those doing the full epic (105km) and the half epic (50km). Wisely, I started near the back but since the start was one steep and very long climb, soon worked my way further to the front. My roadie fitness stood me in good stead and I was passing people like they were standing still...as indeed some were.
Then of course came the downhill and for the first few downhills I struggled as there were still people in front of me and with dust being stirred up I couldn't see well. Later on when we separated from the longer routes, I got to see better and my confidence rose.
Then I had the first of 2 humungous falls. I was lying 3rd overall and while I can't recall it in detail I have a recollection of a sandy track, my back wheel washing away and me grabbing the front brake (tch..you roadie you) and all of a sudden I was over the bars ...face plant no 1. By the time I'd untangled myself I was 4th overall. The next up and downhill were not too good for me..loss of confidence..but then I was ok again and grooved through a bit of single track up and downhill before I got too cocky and misjudged a left hand bend, hooking my bars around a tree. Ungainly face plant no 2. 5th overall.
The last bit of single track was awesome although I discovered that I STILL cannot manage acute steep uphill u turns..but I maintained 5th overall , 3rd female and got a great courier bag as my prize.
Alex did the 105km but suffered cramps for the last half and struggled big time. Ben was a DNS as he has yet another cold..he went house hunting instead.
Tomorrow I'll be at work in shorts as usual and there will be comments about the bruises..better get a good story going eh?!
Anyhow there I was at the start line for the 25km 1/4 epic, alongside those doing the full epic (105km) and the half epic (50km). Wisely, I started near the back but since the start was one steep and very long climb, soon worked my way further to the front. My roadie fitness stood me in good stead and I was passing people like they were standing still...as indeed some were.
Then of course came the downhill and for the first few downhills I struggled as there were still people in front of me and with dust being stirred up I couldn't see well. Later on when we separated from the longer routes, I got to see better and my confidence rose.
Then I had the first of 2 humungous falls. I was lying 3rd overall and while I can't recall it in detail I have a recollection of a sandy track, my back wheel washing away and me grabbing the front brake (tch..you roadie you) and all of a sudden I was over the bars ...face plant no 1. By the time I'd untangled myself I was 4th overall. The next up and downhill were not too good for me..loss of confidence..but then I was ok again and grooved through a bit of single track up and downhill before I got too cocky and misjudged a left hand bend, hooking my bars around a tree. Ungainly face plant no 2. 5th overall.
The last bit of single track was awesome although I discovered that I STILL cannot manage acute steep uphill u turns..but I maintained 5th overall , 3rd female and got a great courier bag as my prize.
Alex did the 105km but suffered cramps for the last half and struggled big time. Ben was a DNS as he has yet another cold..he went house hunting instead.
Tomorrow I'll be at work in shorts as usual and there will be comments about the bruises..better get a good story going eh?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
