Excuses - we all have them. Some of us have them all, but we all have some. I'm ready to get rid of my biggest (and heaviest) excuse (my bike) so that I can move on to bigger and faster excuses. The problem with getting a new bike - made from carbon not aluminium - is which one to get? I hear Specialised is all the craze, can dream of Pinarellos, Trek, Look, Cervelo but you are limited by your bank balance. Having never held a full-time job, mine is measly (excuse 673), but I'm working on it! After choosing the frame you have to consider groupset, the wheels and anything else you fancy, like the fashion! I've heard a rumour that Cannondale make pink frames, and the Orbea Diva is pretty swanky but do I need pink to go fast? I'm still convinced, unfortunately, that it's the engine that counts the most. Spending $12,000 on a bike doesn't guarantee you victory.
So, can you upgrade the engine? The problem with bike engines is that they are powered ultimately by the brain and there is terrible feedback from the legs to the brain - pain - attempting to switch off the motor. Apparently, you need mental toughness and the strength to suffer to race, because at the end of the day you aren't the only one suffering, just the first one to pop. This is my biggest downfall and something I hope my friends, the hills, will smash out of me soon.
Whilst the overall attitudes presented in the following blog don't totally concur with my own racing attitudes, I think BikeSnob NYC explains racing somewhat accurately in a
Pass/Fail system.
BTW according to BikeSnob I failed both races in Albany. Hence the carbon envy...
Change your losing game. Don't change your winning game.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Dreaming up pyramid schemes
I have found training this last week quite hard. One of our regular sessions is pyramids - this involves going flat out for a set period of time (1 minute or lap) and then resting before gradually increasing the length of the effort. You keep increasing the length of the efforts to a maximum and gradually reduce the efforts to your start point. Basically, a lot of suffering.
What I find the worst about these efforts is my timing - there must be quite a few people in Perth wondering what the hell is wrong with that girl in lycra - as I normally ONLY pass people on the cycleway right after I've finished an effort. Did they see how far or how fast I was pushing to get in that state? No, they only see me crawling along, drooling, wheezing and in tears. You almost want to stop and explain that you're not really unfit, only slightly unfit and actually, I have just been flogging my guts out.
These sessions must be really getting to me as I've now started to do efforts in my dreams. I wonder whether or not my legs are moving, could I be getting stronger in my sleep? One can only hope - or dream...
What I find the worst about these efforts is my timing - there must be quite a few people in Perth wondering what the hell is wrong with that girl in lycra - as I normally ONLY pass people on the cycleway right after I've finished an effort. Did they see how far or how fast I was pushing to get in that state? No, they only see me crawling along, drooling, wheezing and in tears. You almost want to stop and explain that you're not really unfit, only slightly unfit and actually, I have just been flogging my guts out.
These sessions must be really getting to me as I've now started to do efforts in my dreams. I wonder whether or not my legs are moving, could I be getting stronger in my sleep? One can only hope - or dream...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Ready for Round 2
Why is it that a rest/recovery week goes so fast? At the end of our week off we met with our coach - you should always be worried if the coach has a smirk on her face when handing you the next round of training!! There are some intense sessions and long weeks ahead of us. It's also 'funny' that my work deadlines seem to coincide with major races, resulting in me being flat out at work and on the bike at the same time - not an ideal situation. Next big race - State Champs and that night I fly to the US to give various presentations. It's not all bad because I'll be holidaying afterwards!
Sunday we entered the Peter Clark Memorial race in Wangara, a bit of a pot luck race, only 1 week after the TdP. But, most of the girls who entered had also had light weeks and sore legs as they too had entered the TdP. Our main concern was the late registrant, Sarah Fraser. I think she may have been opting for the, I'll wait and see who enters or I'll wait and see if it rains, before committing. Well, committment is probably the wrong word because she pulled out in the first half of the race by jumping onto the back of B grade. After that there were a few attacks that got hauled in. Cherie Bonasera dragged the bunch around for the second half of the race and put a few surges in on the last lap. It wasn't enough to shake up the group and the race finished in a bunch sprint. I attacked at the bottom of the hill and got away for the win!!!
Sunday we entered the Peter Clark Memorial race in Wangara, a bit of a pot luck race, only 1 week after the TdP. But, most of the girls who entered had also had light weeks and sore legs as they too had entered the TdP. Our main concern was the late registrant, Sarah Fraser. I think she may have been opting for the, I'll wait and see who enters or I'll wait and see if it rains, before committing. Well, committment is probably the wrong word because she pulled out in the first half of the race by jumping onto the back of B grade. After that there were a few attacks that got hauled in. Cherie Bonasera dragged the bunch around for the second half of the race and put a few surges in on the last lap. It wasn't enough to shake up the group and the race finished in a bunch sprint. I attacked at the bottom of the hill and got away for the win!!!
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