Unfortunately I decided not to race the Silverdale crit yesterday as the weather wasn't looking so great. Turns out it was a good decision as it started raining 10-15 minutes before the men's races. Thank goodness I'm finally back to racing this week. The Thursday PR series is back on and the 2nd Lake WA Velo race is this Saturday. I've been dying to race with the new bike. Already I feel like I can ride faster and easier on this bike than the old one -- I can't wait!
I was finally feeling pretty tired last week and I didn't run, ride, or workout for four days and now I'm all better :) I go 200% for a few months at a time then finally have to take a few days off every once in a while when I drop dead. Last week was that week I think.
I just kicked off my new and improved training program and spent the weekend at the gym getting my ass kicked. Joe started me on my new leg workout Sunday and is pushing me pretty hard. Today I did my chest/back workout and after three days in a row in the gym I feel pretty sore. I can bench press 60-lbs now at 15 reps -- woo! I was doing roman chair leg raises on Saturday and Joe said, "Stop...you're not doing those like that anymore." Then he brought over a 15 lb weight and made me grab the weight with my feet and continue. Man does that suck! Six-pack here I come...
My mom is flying in on Wednesday from Indiana so Marcus and I have been trying to put the house together so she doesn't walk in and instantly leave. Haha! One of Marcus' friends called the house 'unbelievable' and I don't think it was in a good way. We cleaned a ton and it actually looks pretty nice now. Having the basement cleaned up and seeing the progress we've made is exciting. All I have to do is finish the bathroom tile tonight, then I'll post some pictures.
I'm getting ready to start running again for real this time. I signed up for Escape from the Rock in September so hopefully I'll be ready. I also need to start getting in the lake and swimming. I think I'm targeting Dec/Jan to try a qualifying marathon for the Boston Marathon. I'll probably do either the Las Vegas Marathon in December or the PF Chang's Marathon in Arizona in January. We'll see how this new endeavor goes...
Monday, July 31, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The baby is here!
After careful consideration last week I decided to go back to Center Cycle and get the Ruby Comp. I figured a $600 savings was more worthwhile than Ultegra components. The Comp and the Expert are the same frame, just slightly different wheels and components. Enough people on Zoka said the component difference wasn't worth the price difference and I agree, so, I have a new bike!!
I picked it up last Thursday and then rode for four days in a row...haha! My legs were shot by Sunday. This bike is awesome! It takes SOOO much less effort to move it compared to the Giant and it has an unbelievably smooth ride. I can't wait to race it! I'll post some pictures shortly.
Marcus finally got the jet skiis licensed yesterday and we took them out for a few hours last night. It was a blast! Lake Washington is so warm it feels like bath water. I rode around for a while just sitting on the ski until my feet started hurting, then I made over 100 bad attempts to stand up and get balance, drinking half the lake in the process. I finally was able to get up and stay up for a few runs.
In case you're wondering, Marcus has the stand-up jet skiis, not the sit-down kind. He's awesome at them but I have a hard time getting going. Once you're standing and going it's not too difficult to keep going as long as you go fast. The difficulty is that transition from sitting to standing. The faster you go the more stability the ski has, but it takes a while to find a sweet spot that lets you get up and running without totally wiping out. One of these days I have to find a way to get pictures of this...haha.
I picked it up last Thursday and then rode for four days in a row...haha! My legs were shot by Sunday. This bike is awesome! It takes SOOO much less effort to move it compared to the Giant and it has an unbelievably smooth ride. I can't wait to race it! I'll post some pictures shortly.
Marcus finally got the jet skiis licensed yesterday and we took them out for a few hours last night. It was a blast! Lake Washington is so warm it feels like bath water. I rode around for a while just sitting on the ski until my feet started hurting, then I made over 100 bad attempts to stand up and get balance, drinking half the lake in the process. I finally was able to get up and stay up for a few runs.
In case you're wondering, Marcus has the stand-up jet skiis, not the sit-down kind. He's awesome at them but I have a hard time getting going. Once you're standing and going it's not too difficult to keep going as long as you go fast. The difficulty is that transition from sitting to standing. The faster you go the more stability the ski has, but it takes a while to find a sweet spot that lets you get up and running without totally wiping out. One of these days I have to find a way to get pictures of this...haha.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Baby on the way...
No, not that kind of baby. I'm adding a new bike to the family soon -- yeah! After last weekend's incident with the Giant I realized it's time for a bike upgrade. I paid $400 for my Giant and it's been a great bike but I think it's time for something lighter, faster, and a bit newer. My poor Giant got pretty beat up with the winter riding this year and it seems the components are just not handling racing very well.
After test riding a ton of bikes the winner hands down was the Specialized Ruby. I normally don't buy the most hyped things but this bike is phenomenal. I knew the minute I took it out it was the one. The ride is silky smooth, it fits like a glove, and I can reach the brakes and shifters in the drops without even trying. I can barely get my hands around the brakes on the Giant which is a little scary for crit racing. I took the Ruby for a test spin and nearly didn't bring it back.
Unfortunately the shop only has my size in the Ruby Comp model, which is the entry level model with Shimano 105 components. Since I'm racing I'd prefer the Expert model with Ultegra components and a stronger, lighter wheelset. The bike shop put in an order for me and expects one in early August. I guess I have to wait a few weeks.
After test riding some new Specialized and Cannondale bikes I hopped back on my Giant and it seriously felt like I was pulling around bricks. Now I know what everyone means when they say "Wow...that bike sprints well!" When I sprinted on the Ruby it felt so light and responsive. What a huge difference from what I'm riding now. I always thought people were smoking crack when they talked about fast bikes, but now I can feel it!
Since I've tackled this big decision the only one left is figuring out if I want to head to Spokane for the weekend for the State TT Championship and a 65-mi road race on Sunday. If I had the new bike it'd be a yes for sure. Why can't these races be somewhere other than Spokane, which is forecast to be 100 this weekend? I suck at time trialing but I figure the more I do them the better I'll get.
After test riding a ton of bikes the winner hands down was the Specialized Ruby. I normally don't buy the most hyped things but this bike is phenomenal. I knew the minute I took it out it was the one. The ride is silky smooth, it fits like a glove, and I can reach the brakes and shifters in the drops without even trying. I can barely get my hands around the brakes on the Giant which is a little scary for crit racing. I took the Ruby for a test spin and nearly didn't bring it back.
Unfortunately the shop only has my size in the Ruby Comp model, which is the entry level model with Shimano 105 components. Since I'm racing I'd prefer the Expert model with Ultegra components and a stronger, lighter wheelset. The bike shop put in an order for me and expects one in early August. I guess I have to wait a few weeks.
After test riding some new Specialized and Cannondale bikes I hopped back on my Giant and it seriously felt like I was pulling around bricks. Now I know what everyone means when they say "Wow...that bike sprints well!" When I sprinted on the Ruby it felt so light and responsive. What a huge difference from what I'm riding now. I always thought people were smoking crack when they talked about fast bikes, but now I can feel it!
Since I've tackled this big decision the only one left is figuring out if I want to head to Spokane for the weekend for the State TT Championship and a 65-mi road race on Sunday. If I had the new bike it'd be a yes for sure. Why can't these races be somewhere other than Spokane, which is forecast to be 100 this weekend? I suck at time trialing but I figure the more I do them the better I'll get.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
The Poo Circuit Race Series
The course smelled like poo and so did my performance. Ugh. I spent an hour driving to Silvana for the first race in the Lake Washington Velo Circuit Race Series and ended up racing for a whole of 10 miles.
We had a great turnout of around 30 riders for the Women's Cat 4 race. I had told myself that this was going to be it -- my first pack finish. We did five laps on a 5-mi circuit and the course was pretty nice except for a brutal headwind between the first two corners. Unlike Ravensdale the pack today had a lot of sketchy riders. I really need to work on my positioning at the start as I found myself at the back behind most of the scary people. One girl would not stop pounding on her brakes and I was continually overlapping her wheel. That's the fastest way to crash so I started trying to get away from her but just had nowhere to go.
The first lap started fast and almost immediately we had a 7-8 person breakaway that no one seemed interested in chasing. I felt strong and was hanging in there just fine but was still getting unnerved by the sketchy riding. On corners the pack would string out a bit so I decided to use a corner to move up and away from the bad riders.
As soon as we hit the 1st corner on the 2nd lap I shifted and stood up to power ahead of people and all of a sudden my chain just stuck. I swear I nearly endo'd but somehow recovered and sat back down. At that point I realized I couldn't spin at all as my stupid derailleur was all jammed up or something. I started shifting and trying to pedal and finally got the chain coaxed back together but by that time the pack had ridden away. Of course I picked the windiest spot on the course to try to chase back on and there was just no way it was going to happen with the headwind. Not even two laps in and there I am working as hard as I can and seeing the pack ride away.
I was so pissed when I came around the 2nd lap that I bagged it and pulled off at the finish line. I have no idea what I was doing. I have never quit a race before and it's not like me at all to give up. I seriously thought I was bringing up the rear and I just did not feel up to riding solo AGAIN. Shortly after I pulled off I saw another girl standing by the side of the road and then about 5-6 girls riding by on the course. As soon as I saw them go by and I realized how many people had been behind me I got pissed at myself for quitting.
On the 4th lap a girl from Starbucks and a girl from TiCycles pulled off as did a rider from Wines. The TiCycles rider and I started talking and were both pretty irrate at ourselves for pulling out. She said, "What was I thinking? I didn't even realize there were more people behind us." We decided to go back out and do at least one more lap to feel better and had a great chat on the way around.
I still can't believe I did that! If I had stayed in I would have finished probably above at least 7-8 people. I guess I just got frustrated. I can tell you for sure that I'll never be quitting another race again...this feels horrible! Even when I roll across the line last I feel better than when I pull out. Ah well, I'll be out there again next Saturday for more punishment.
We had a great turnout of around 30 riders for the Women's Cat 4 race. I had told myself that this was going to be it -- my first pack finish. We did five laps on a 5-mi circuit and the course was pretty nice except for a brutal headwind between the first two corners. Unlike Ravensdale the pack today had a lot of sketchy riders. I really need to work on my positioning at the start as I found myself at the back behind most of the scary people. One girl would not stop pounding on her brakes and I was continually overlapping her wheel. That's the fastest way to crash so I started trying to get away from her but just had nowhere to go.
The first lap started fast and almost immediately we had a 7-8 person breakaway that no one seemed interested in chasing. I felt strong and was hanging in there just fine but was still getting unnerved by the sketchy riding. On corners the pack would string out a bit so I decided to use a corner to move up and away from the bad riders.
As soon as we hit the 1st corner on the 2nd lap I shifted and stood up to power ahead of people and all of a sudden my chain just stuck. I swear I nearly endo'd but somehow recovered and sat back down. At that point I realized I couldn't spin at all as my stupid derailleur was all jammed up or something. I started shifting and trying to pedal and finally got the chain coaxed back together but by that time the pack had ridden away. Of course I picked the windiest spot on the course to try to chase back on and there was just no way it was going to happen with the headwind. Not even two laps in and there I am working as hard as I can and seeing the pack ride away.
I was so pissed when I came around the 2nd lap that I bagged it and pulled off at the finish line. I have no idea what I was doing. I have never quit a race before and it's not like me at all to give up. I seriously thought I was bringing up the rear and I just did not feel up to riding solo AGAIN. Shortly after I pulled off I saw another girl standing by the side of the road and then about 5-6 girls riding by on the course. As soon as I saw them go by and I realized how many people had been behind me I got pissed at myself for quitting.
On the 4th lap a girl from Starbucks and a girl from TiCycles pulled off as did a rider from Wines. The TiCycles rider and I started talking and were both pretty irrate at ourselves for pulling out. She said, "What was I thinking? I didn't even realize there were more people behind us." We decided to go back out and do at least one more lap to feel better and had a great chat on the way around.
I still can't believe I did that! If I had stayed in I would have finished probably above at least 7-8 people. I guess I just got frustrated. I can tell you for sure that I'll never be quitting another race again...this feels horrible! Even when I roll across the line last I feel better than when I pull out. Ah well, I'll be out there again next Saturday for more punishment.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Another good PR race
As is usually the case, I thought there was a good chance we'd have a rainy race at PR but luckily the rain stayed away. The track was a little wet in places but nothing major. For a while I even wondered if we'd be having a race since there were only three of us there a few minutes before 7. Luckily some more girls showed up late due to traffic.
I think there were about 7-8 of us but this was the first time I was the only one in the beginner's group. I figured I'd be in for a butt-kicking but it really didn't turn out that way. I had another good race and was able to bridge to a break, stick to the pack, and push the pace a bit in places.
My hamstring was a bit pulled and sore from Wednesday's workout so I decided to refrain from really hard sprints until the end. I saved my energy for the final lap and for the second week I stuck to the pack around the last corner. When the sprint went off I wanted to go but sat back a bit since I wasn't sure my hamstring was feeling up to a 150% effort. I still cranked hard but stayed seated and rolled across the line in 4th spot.
I'm happy with my performance but I regret not going all out at the end. I think I could have caught the top three girls sprinting for the win which would have given me a huge confidence boost. Oh well, I figured I'd rest the hammy for the Lake WA Velo race on Sunday. I'm starting to get the fitness level but I need to be more aggressive. I'm definitely competitive but sometimes I second-guess my abilities and find myself saying "Hmm...I don't think you can outsprint those girls", so I sit up and give it a good effort but I don't bury myself. I've never had that problem before, so not sure what's up with that. I think as I start to gain confidence with my strength I'll get more aggressive. Last week I buried myself and look what happened -- I got the win!
The first race of the Lake Washington Velo series is this Sunday and I'm absolutely seeking my first pack finish. It's a flat course and flats aren't my forte but I think I have the fitness to stick with the pack.
I feel like a slacker today for missing my workout at Headquarters. I didn't sleep too well and was beat this morning so I opted for some extra sleep. Oh well, since the gym is closed Mon looks like I'm stuck with a T/W/Th/F workout from hell next week. I guess I better rest up...
I think there were about 7-8 of us but this was the first time I was the only one in the beginner's group. I figured I'd be in for a butt-kicking but it really didn't turn out that way. I had another good race and was able to bridge to a break, stick to the pack, and push the pace a bit in places.
My hamstring was a bit pulled and sore from Wednesday's workout so I decided to refrain from really hard sprints until the end. I saved my energy for the final lap and for the second week I stuck to the pack around the last corner. When the sprint went off I wanted to go but sat back a bit since I wasn't sure my hamstring was feeling up to a 150% effort. I still cranked hard but stayed seated and rolled across the line in 4th spot.
I'm happy with my performance but I regret not going all out at the end. I think I could have caught the top three girls sprinting for the win which would have given me a huge confidence boost. Oh well, I figured I'd rest the hammy for the Lake WA Velo race on Sunday. I'm starting to get the fitness level but I need to be more aggressive. I'm definitely competitive but sometimes I second-guess my abilities and find myself saying "Hmm...I don't think you can outsprint those girls", so I sit up and give it a good effort but I don't bury myself. I've never had that problem before, so not sure what's up with that. I think as I start to gain confidence with my strength I'll get more aggressive. Last week I buried myself and look what happened -- I got the win!
The first race of the Lake Washington Velo series is this Sunday and I'm absolutely seeking my first pack finish. It's a flat course and flats aren't my forte but I think I have the fitness to stick with the pack.
I feel like a slacker today for missing my workout at Headquarters. I didn't sleep too well and was beat this morning so I opted for some extra sleep. Oh well, since the gym is closed Mon looks like I'm stuck with a T/W/Th/F workout from hell next week. I guess I better rest up...
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