Success but not first place

Well, the race went great, it was very tough lots of people walking the hills. I never had to put a foot down though I was close on one of the dirt climbs. It was Juniper Swamp, an 18+ % grade on loose dirt you couldnt get out of the saddle cause your rear tire would spin and it was hard as heck to stay in the saddle and get enough power to get up the hill. I ended up doing an S-turn so as not to stop and that gave me enough momentum to keep going. Overall I finished 38th out of 50 in my fields it was sprint between four of us which though it did not decide any part of the race it was fun for us. I came in second in that sprint for the finish by a tenth of a second what fun. If you want to check out the race here is the event website. http://www.tourofthebattenkill.com/

gun

Here we go....

Well, all checked in for the race its funny there are almost as many racers as there are residents of Cambridge NY. The town is all a buzz and the pros are showing up slowly. I am so hyped up and ready to roll, I feel great and am going for it. I am about to head out for a quick opening just to losing up I rode a mile to check up on my shifters and such and felt good already so I think its just going to be a quick spin and some stretching then a light supper and bed.
Hammer on
gun

Two more days

Two days till race day, I am on the race week of the build peak race format and I feel great but feel I am not doing enough guess its a situation where you just have to have confidence in your training. Getting ready to head to the bike shop and tune up the bike. I am very stoked and ready to rock. Its going to be a great day just being on the bike in a beautiful area like cambridge new york. gun
Two days till race day, I am on the race week of the build peak race format and I feel great but feel I am not doing enough guess its a situation where you just have to have confidence in your training. Getting ready to head to the bike shop and tune up the bike. I am very stoked and ready to rock. Its going to be a great day just being on the bike in a beautiful area like cambridge new york.
gun

One week to go....

Well, one week till the Battenkill Roubaix which is going to be my first major road race of the year and may be the toughest course all year (at least looking at the race schedule). I am really psyched about the race and cant wait to line up and get to it. Training has been good for the most part, I am a little concerned that I haven't done enough, but considering all that has gone on for the last two months (being sick for 2+ weeks, getting ready for the new baby, and life in general), I feel I have made some great gains in fitness and technique and have learned much about my own body and how it responds. I also know that I have (even in other activities) had the tendency to over train so that also makes me feel as if I haven't trained enough.

Race day will definitely tell the tale, regardless I will be pushing myself and be using some newly learned strategies and mental toughness, my enjoyment of this sport is not dependent on the out come of an event but the sport itself.

gun

First road race of the year "Fawn Grove Roubaix"

Fitness wise I was pretty good not exactly where I wanted to be but much improved. The race its self was very tough the the dirt roads which made up about 1/3 of the race was covered with loose gravel not all small either. I was told after the race that some of the local farmers thinking they were helping went out and graded the dirt roads. Well, that actually made handling even more horrendious. I finshed 37 out of 63 or so, and only 39 of the 63 starters in my 4/5 group finished the race. There was a crash in the first turn that I avoided by continuing down the road straight I then had to turn around go back up hill to the turn and get back on the course but was able to finish the a race on two wheels and no flats. One guy had three flats in 5 miles. For me the course was a little to technical, I just had to many things to think about, but it was a race for me to get ready for the Battenkill Roubaix; and that it definitly did. I was happy with my effort the rest of the race, I even made up 12 minutes to catch and pass the two riders that finished 38 and 39th.

Gun

Harvey

The last four days...

Well, havent trained in the last four days due to taking care of Didi and the new baby Nathaniel. I have eaten fairly well, considering I have been away from the house 95% of the time these last four days, I did this by taking good wholesome food with me. Last night though I decided to have some wings and two mixed drinks, bought the wings from dominos and made the drinks myself at home. Its funny, when I woke up this morning I was kinda (though I really knew it would not be the case) thought I would see the overweight self again. It actually felt odd to deviate from my new nutritional lifestyle. Thats good though that means even if I do eat garbage once in a while (though it would be a choice not a need we never need to eat crappy if we plan) I will not slip back into my old eating style. Tomorrow I am suppose to race its dependent on how everything goes and how Didi feels. I will then see how a day of not eating right totally affects performance. It will still be fun either way.

Gun