Monday, February 6, 2012

BBN Track: 04/02/2012

Summer of Track at BBN. B grade. Format: Scratch, Handicap and Motor Pace.

Scratch: 15 Laps. Rider at front of paceline broke early - I (2nd wheel) chased him down - shouldn't have - break would never had lasted. 3 laps to go x2 riders jumped off the front - I chased them down (yes, I do chase everything) - then the 'ol 1-2 played out - feeling the pressure after the chase I put my head down and immediately jumped as the counter attack came past. Held 3rd place until final meters - rider came around me. 4th Place.

Handicap: 6 Laps (combined A/B). Full gas until group had formed that could work with - back markers came around 3/4 lap to go - I held on but got boxed in as they came around - think was 3rd place B grade. ? Place.

Motor Pace: 15 Laps. By 8 laps remaining I felt the pace was hot and maybe faster than normal, or I was more fatigued than normal. I was considering how everyone else was feeling, and thought a few might be dropped (I didn't look back). 2 laps to go I rolled off the back of the derny and looked down - a quick double take moment followed as there was only x1 rider left on my wheel - now we were down to a race for 1st or 2nd. 1.5 laps to go derny pulls off - other rider rolls through. I pull 1/2 lap turn and signal for other rider to roll through - he won't come by. Head down for 1/3 more lap - other rider attacks, I didn't have enough gas to get on his wheel. Other rider holds to win. 2nd Place.

3rd overall.

I have a tendency to chase moves when it's not warranted - got to put a lid on that urge. Anyways, it's all good training. The format of these races is too short for any sort of enduro engine to be able to shine - so maybe it's good I keep voluntarily driving myself into the red - more lactic bang for my enduro buck..

Friday, February 3, 2012

Log: 03/02/2012

03/02/2012 
In a hole, climbing out..

The "Paperclip"

My Quarq CinQo wouldn't pair with my Edge 500 on Wednesday. It worked Tuesday, end every other day before that. I was irked, but felt that there was a chance it was a battery contact issue, magnet, or battery charge issue. I had no time to troubleshoot - had left the house to race at Kew Blvd and left myself no time to spare..

The race itself was just plain painful. I was now feeling the cumulative fatigue of the previous week. My throat was burning and unusually dry for most of the race and I was concerned I was tasting the beginnings of a viral onslaught. Big effort just to hang in the initially large but gradually diminishing pack. Ave speed (no power) was similar to previous weeks that had tended to yield an NP of ~290 watts. It always seems high to me - (NP for crit at that particular circuit) at 4.5 watts/kg, but on the other hand, it never feels easy..

Chapeau to Brendon "Barney" Mahoney, new recruit to 6am-er ranks - on his 3rd place in the BGrade race. I didn't see much of Brendon as I see-sawed my way up and back through the peloton - throat on fire and praying for death, but he clearly handled himself nicely over the duration..

Thursday I took a nice easy ride out to pick up my new saddle - feels Ok, will def need to work on the position to get it just right.

Thursday night I removed the Quarq after trying all suggestions in the troubleshooting section of the user's manual, and finding no relief from the ANT+ radio silence. Took it back to the place of purchase. Please be only a week on turnaround of a new unit.. Please.. (I understand that the distributor will replace the spider).

I also got to wrenching on Thursday night - making sure my old ride, affectionately known as the "Paperclip" is ready to assume the role of main ride while sad Quarq unit is gone away. The Paperclip is a circa 2006 TCR Advanced frameset- which is no piece of junk, and was ridden in the professional peloton back in the day - but I have got to say, compared to more contemporary carbon framesets - this ol girl just bends like a paperclip - even under my hardly overbearing ~64kg self.

Today I just took it easy on the bike, no Friday Muntanyes - still little tired. I'll see if Ol wants to race track tomorrow, and make a call on that front based on his response..