tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88849512268598609032024-02-06T21:11:08.661-08:00MaxLifeOutMaxLifeOut was born from a near death accident. It is a declaration to being the most we can be by striving to overcome that which holds us back. Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-39531827668050201812018-09-22T13:33:00.000-07:002018-09-22T13:33:21.083-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 7 Woodland Park - Colorado Springs<h2>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">Please consider a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my </span><a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">fundraising page</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">, no amount is too small.</span></h2>
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Stage 7 (Last Stage): Woodland Park - Colorado Springs (Pikes Peak)</h2>
56.7 miles<br />
7,171 feet<br />
High Point: 14,114 feet (Pikes Peak)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibqK13RZqc5gXDdpI129jwKMZDogTpqD7VKt_d57A7a-vxc2v6eR4jVIjBeKQK6BlzS1NN6FH_Zh7hozvlEIZ85MUvHOd9RbGqnTMCZMGaf-LhjoiYp76fXQSjTICJ6cKT90XKhjJeAQ/s1600/Day7-Elevation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibqK13RZqc5gXDdpI129jwKMZDogTpqD7VKt_d57A7a-vxc2v6eR4jVIjBeKQK6BlzS1NN6FH_Zh7hozvlEIZ85MUvHOd9RbGqnTMCZMGaf-LhjoiYp76fXQSjTICJ6cKT90XKhjJeAQ/s400/Day7-Elevation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8sglSnCbF_g1lI8WjlQAP1h2hUe4mdLv0yr6PGbey-gi7o6FN2CENKOpfvWXqQWE-6_7kNMeSXRD5ShI793ZX2_UHmrCwTx1de4NXFasGacUY9XYGVzVDz5RJxRvtiSJx2FRjRgmmbc/s1600/Stage+7+Timed+Sections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="1037" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8sglSnCbF_g1lI8WjlQAP1h2hUe4mdLv0yr6PGbey-gi7o6FN2CENKOpfvWXqQWE-6_7kNMeSXRD5ShI793ZX2_UHmrCwTx1de4NXFasGacUY9XYGVzVDz5RJxRvtiSJx2FRjRgmmbc/s320/Stage+7+Timed+Sections.jpg" width="246" /></a>4 AM and wide awake for the last stage of the Haute Route Rockies 2018. After 6 eventful days in the saddle I was only a 56.7 mile ride away from finishing the longest bike event I have ever participated in. The 56.7 miles however would consist of 2 timed sections, the last of which would be the 12 mile climb to the top of Pikes Peak (14,114ft).<br />
<br />
During training I had planned to join my coach and ride Pikes Peak. Unfortunately things, as they often do, conspired against me and I never got the opportunity. I really would have liked to have known what lay ahead, but it was too late now. I would just have to make it up as I went along.<br />
<br />
I was sitting 19th overall and 3rd in my age group and that in itself was beyond what I thought I could achieve going into day 1. Now as I got ready for breakfast and the day ahead my thoughts turned to the task of defending my position. I was tired and hurting but in surprisingly good spirits. The plan was simple, find the numbers of the riders closest to me and mark them - what could possible go wrong.<br />
<br />
I walked into the breakfast room at 5am. Thankfully this time I knew
exactly where to go, which was a good thing as I needed time to eat well before
joining the team for the transfer to Woodland Park and the 8:15am start.
Despite my best efforts I was still the last to get to the team car thanks to
the infernally slow lifts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb87fgWxwPUT8dFJZlfP61XIlXDLn4I0kGgZiy0AJFKnyUg8cBTvgegIpQYNmbpSqvmC5-p6We9jVDuE2GfDOGqjbFRIE71NvcEu0MZZnNICbo052fUlOJNKtyscBpj1G9thZSAbzPCqA/s1600/IMG_3462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb87fgWxwPUT8dFJZlfP61XIlXDLn4I0kGgZiy0AJFKnyUg8cBTvgegIpQYNmbpSqvmC5-p6We9jVDuE2GfDOGqjbFRIE71NvcEu0MZZnNICbo052fUlOJNKtyscBpj1G9thZSAbzPCqA/s200/IMG_3462.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
After a 2 hour (ish) transfer from Breckenridge we arrived in Woodland Park where we pilled out of the car and geared up. At the start line I found myself separated from the Team Type 1 riders. Looking around I saw faces of familiar strangers, those I had shared the road and journey with but had not met in person other than maybe a few words here and there. I also saw fresh faces of riders joining for the day and ready to throw down on the big climb ahead. I had time for a couple of quick pictures before the official count down. Then we were on our way.<br />
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I felt pretty good as we approached the first timed section. Now it is worth mentioning that the first timed section would take place on a private gravel road. A short 2.7 mile climb to get everyone warmed up for the main event. I had finally figured out where all my rivals where and I was diligently marking the rider closest to me in time.<br />
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<br />
Timed Section 1 +703 feet over 2.7 miles<br />
High Point: 9600 feet |<br />
Start: Mile 3.6<br />
Finish: Mile 6.3<br />
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I should have been ready for the surge and in my defense I was. I let them go whilst staying on my mark. I figured out to late I had made a miscalculation, which is a fancy way of saying I screwed up. I could see the riders ahead but the effort to bridge would be a big one. I decided to limit my loses and conserve energy for the big climb to come.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSRu6-lVZCaaaMXwdfYuaPHnqVrzzFQR4F1S4EiaZIqks14wtTVJ9n8bh9dpWsw3ESxhk4HNx_uxuwWAZ7irrJbwFUh1-4XkxSY-w5KqcU15sUQssOKT-1G_RCJFHygapTYqgb8rf0DU/s1600/IMG_3474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSRu6-lVZCaaaMXwdfYuaPHnqVrzzFQR4F1S4EiaZIqks14wtTVJ9n8bh9dpWsw3ESxhk4HNx_uxuwWAZ7irrJbwFUh1-4XkxSY-w5KqcU15sUQssOKT-1G_RCJFHygapTYqgb8rf0DU/s200/IMG_3474.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpM-4PkPRWuS3FEWyGI8dFbmY2i23Q6aq008ZtKK1ab-u-gPhpHKUzZ6Fe4qpFRkEwXm835KdboTl-4vcxAIXxztqWILJelZE_A9WjT21ezhm-tzxyrKEpgtvVhPQMnQT2FqlMRvNMseo/s1600/IMG_3471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpM-4PkPRWuS3FEWyGI8dFbmY2i23Q6aq008ZtKK1ab-u-gPhpHKUzZ6Fe4qpFRkEwXm835KdboTl-4vcxAIXxztqWILJelZE_A9WjT21ezhm-tzxyrKEpgtvVhPQMnQT2FqlMRvNMseo/s200/IMG_3471.JPG" width="200" /></a>I put the mistake behind me as the gravel extended past the end of the timed section giving me time to enjoy the scenery. It was a great section of road and I was having fun. The corners were loose gravel and decidedly sketchy. I wondered why some were riding so hard and taking unnecessary risks before a big climb. I put it down to a combination of last day enthusiasm, a passion to go fast or fresher legs than mine. Whatever it was, I let them have at it, whilst I cruised. It was therefore very sad to see a rider down and to learn later that he had been forced to abandon on the last stage. I don't know his story but I felt for him and mentally wished him well. After pulling over for a few pictures the road kicked up slightly and went from rideable to unrideable although it was fun to watch many try. It made for some great pictures. Once over the rise I was back on the bike and coming to the end of the gravel. At the feed station I pulled up at the team car in great spirits. It had finally sunk in that I had one major climb to go and I knew I could make it.<br />
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<br />
Timed Section 2 - Pikes Peak +4756 feet over 12.2 miles<br />
High Point: 14114 feet<br />
Start: Mile 9.6<br />
Finish: Mile 21.8<br />
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I was riding high, mentally and physically as I started into the last time section. To keep my spirits high I cracked open a playlist on my phone which was mounted to my stem as I pushed on. To start with the gradient was gradual and I felt really good. I was able to lay down consistent power and make my way through the field. I had no idea what lay ahead but for now things were going well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjri3twfDptA2ls1rKzNDcRRYVGVSbq3rfli2gq2_eiU5gIuPqJrt9A_mfhBIrOOLY3xJr1d3dRWdgbPJLMNutf7Z3WEx924gGHkBft8hNLINoljeJjGW4ph7krRr5rZ3JiqR4Gc0kbWH0/s1600/36369998_198765724120166_981823150134132736_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjri3twfDptA2ls1rKzNDcRRYVGVSbq3rfli2gq2_eiU5gIuPqJrt9A_mfhBIrOOLY3xJr1d3dRWdgbPJLMNutf7Z3WEx924gGHkBft8hNLINoljeJjGW4ph7krRr5rZ3JiqR4Gc0kbWH0/s320/36369998_198765724120166_981823150134132736_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I continued to climb well, catching riders that had left the feed station ahead of me. Then gradually I noticed I was not closing the gap as quickly as I was before. Then my progress stabilized but I was still laying down a good power number so I settled in. At the 10K point and somewhere around 11,000ft things started to go wrong. I was finding it harder to breath and both my heart rate and power dropped. I tried to lift the effort but my body simply would <br />
not respond.<br />
<br />
It was not long before I was no longer spinning smoothly but starting to grind my way up the climb. My power continued south and it was frustrating as I watched riders I had out-climbed ride by. My body was simply not responding to the altitude. Then as I rounded a corner and looked up my heart fell into my shoes. The magnitude of the climb hit me like a hammer as I saw an imposing set of switch backs ahead of me. Already suffering I knew things were going to get much worse before the climb was over. I forced those thoughts out of my head and instead concentrated on turning the cranks, I would not let my mind abandon me even if my body was doing a good job of it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtxU094K5FUVqnIfYRAHe9ofs8EvQbP5WjK1fA4wmFdkHmyfnCOr8vWkOqi1uQr0PE1bjhIM21rFb5aUrzTZ8BMMxti_GXZLFVRJFd9lAVc5vaznnwEs5f-MenpUBbLfQsiMBP3iKBeA/s1600/PikesPeak02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtxU094K5FUVqnIfYRAHe9ofs8EvQbP5WjK1fA4wmFdkHmyfnCOr8vWkOqi1uQr0PE1bjhIM21rFb5aUrzTZ8BMMxti_GXZLFVRJFd9lAVc5vaznnwEs5f-MenpUBbLfQsiMBP3iKBeA/s320/PikesPeak02.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
I was digging into deep reserves and still the mountain had more to throw at me. On the switch backs the road was exposed and each time I turned a corner it felt like I was riding into a 20mph head wind. It took a force of will to hunker down and push on.<br />
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During planning I had been torn between a 11-30 or 11-32 cassette. In the end, since I needed a new derailleur anyway, I went with the 11-32. I can tell you that decision might have made all the difference.<br />
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I had no gears left and I was quite literally marking out the meters to the top. I alternated between talking to myself and looking for the next meter to pass on my computer. At last the wind dropped and the road leveled out a little. For those of you who don't know Pikes Peak, this was just a false summit. After a gradual descent the road kicks up again to the real summit. Although I had gone from racing to surviving the change in gradient and drop in wind gave me a hint of a second wind. I really mean a hint. I changed into the big ring and turned the cranks to carry as much speed as I could over the easier section and into the final part of the climb.<br />
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In the stories this is where the hero finds a second wind and fly's up the last part of the climb. I would love to say that happened, but alas in this story there was no second wind. I had left everything on the road. I gritted my teeth and ground my way slowly to the top, and the top could not come quick enough. At last the finish was ahead of me and although it took what felt like forever to arrive, arrive it did and I was finally across the line. I had done it, I had survived. The racing was over, all I had to do was finish the day. I crossed the line in 58th place losing 51:02 to the leaders and 2 places in my age group dropping from 3rd to 5th. I did however defend, if defend is really the right word, 19th place in GC (General Classification).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DvAh_2aqQXe4ARTa6RbhmoMU7Q4AG1BWQsgDrJggYXRsok_g4gg2hNxrYIM_j4Li-k4s_hQcPy1ecnPbtIRWh3JXXTcB9dKvZM9kEMLKxTVQRYLZisxfz3y82YQXztazW9hhkUdiOJ0/s1600/DSC02580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DvAh_2aqQXe4ARTa6RbhmoMU7Q4AG1BWQsgDrJggYXRsok_g4gg2hNxrYIM_j4Li-k4s_hQcPy1ecnPbtIRWh3JXXTcB9dKvZM9kEMLKxTVQRYLZisxfz3y82YQXztazW9hhkUdiOJ0/s320/DSC02580.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
At the top my good spirits returned and I hung out at the team car, ate and then got the camera out for some hard won pictures with my trusty steed, Blue. As the wind chill started to kick in I headed down. Sadly the descent was the most tedious one I have ever ridden. I was stuck behind cars driving at 25mph forcing me to ride my brakes. It was slow, cold and hard work. In fact the complete opposite of what it should have been. At one point I thought my rims were going to melt. Later I would learn that others actually damaged there wheels. Finally I reached the entrance to the park where Phil and Dan were waiting for the team to re-group. It was good to see them and I pulled into the parking lot.<br />
<h3>
35 miles To Go</h3>
After 15 -20 minutes there was still no sign of the rest of the team. The sun was shining but the warmth was not getting through. Instead I was starting to shiver with the cold. I hung in for a little longer but when a member of the team rolled in and announced they were going on I decided I needed to move, so leaving Phil and Dan I joined him.<br />
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I had nothing left in the tank, my backside was so, so sore and it was just now sinking in that I still had 35 miles left to ride. On the up side we were going down hill and I was no longer forced to ride my brakes. With the road pointing down I was able to carry speed, I unintentionally distanced my team mate and soon found myself riding solo. I was simply trying to survive to the end as I watched the kilometers tick by. The descent was so long that I started to hope against hope that it would be downhill all the way, and for a while it felt like it would.<br />
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The road started to level out just as I approached a rider ahead. I rolled up on her and we chatted for a bit, she was a local one day rider and I was silently envious of how fresh she looked. She told me I was in for a treat. I asked why and she told me we would be riding through the Garden of the Gods. There would be no we and it was a treat I would happily of forgone. As the road pointed upwards I had nothing in the tank to stay with her, I simply let her ride away from me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzJOyCnZzcaqBN3awkUwJdP6f7Msvvec34Kna1LI0nxpanPwEGbJgLFu3ymWi4xOlITo90D5Xpa7palZU-3hg-WaCinsfzI6wmZHS6LwckNAXroHn7o1IatJUb7qOsLFYP0tWEeMXLrs/s1600/IMG_3478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzJOyCnZzcaqBN3awkUwJdP6f7Msvvec34Kna1LI0nxpanPwEGbJgLFu3ymWi4xOlITo90D5Xpa7palZU-3hg-WaCinsfzI6wmZHS6LwckNAXroHn7o1IatJUb7qOsLFYP0tWEeMXLrs/s320/IMG_3478.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Now I know the Haute Route wanted to show off Colorado but I was in no condition to appreciate the scenery and the Garden of the Gods felt like torture. I did stop to take a couple of pictures but in truth it marked the start of the death march to the line. By this point I could barely sit on my saddle and every up hill section of road was punishing. At last the finish was in sight. I would like to say I felt a sense of achievement as I rolled through the finishing barriers but all I wanted to do was cross the line and get off my bike. I am sure I was not the only one feeling like that and it would have been great if the Haute Route had a photographer at the end to make the final few feet more memorable.<br />
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Instead I was handed a medal, told where to get a T-Shirt and headed to the team tent to collapse in a chair and wait for the rest to arrive. It was all a little anti-climatic as things quickly went into motion to have my bike broken down and packed ready for drop off.<br />
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I headed into the hotel to buy myself lunch which I ate at the bar by myself before heading to my room to catch up with Sarah. She was very excited to hear from me and asked if I had a photo crossing the line. Prompted by our conversation I went back to the finish line to get a photo.<br />
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<h3>
Final Results</h3>
General Classification (GC): 19th (+180:06)<br />
Age Group 45-54 (AG): 5th (+112:20)<br />
<h3>
After Party</h3>
With my bike dropped off at Fed-Ex and my bags mostly packed it was time for the after party. Jim my coach stopped by for a quick visit just before I boarded the bus to the party. I had no expectations and was looking forward to it. The venue was nice and the food was good, there were gluten and dairy free options for all courses except desert, not even fruit. The rest of the evening however was disappointing.<br />
<br />
It felt like a promotional event vs a celebration of an epic adventure. The videos in my opinion did not capture the true essence of the event, they came across as polished promotional material lacking the raw effort and personal stories we had experienced. We then went into the award ceremony where I was shocked at the decision by the organizers to recognize only the first place rider in each category. I felt really sorry for the 2nd and 3rd place finishers. For the most part professionals or ex professionals cleaned up all the awards and prizes leaving me feeling that there really should have been an elite category just for them. With the award ceremony wrapped up the after party came to a close and I was not unhappy to hop a ride back to the hotel.<br />
<h3>
Afterward</h3>
During the after party the cough that had been developing over the last few days finally took hold and I spent the night coughing and blowing my nose. The experience was that of a high grade fever without the other symptoms and I was just a little worried. I put it down to a form of altitude sickness and took heart in the fact I was flying back to sea level the next day. Back home the symptoms improved but took over a week to clear. Maybe it was something else but I was happy to see the back of it. It had been a real adventure with highs and lows but when all is said and done I was very proud of the achievement.<br />
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Would I do another one. I really thought before I went that I would get hooked and want to do more. I certainly met a few serial participants. Personally I am glad I did one but I would have to think hard or be persuaded before signing up for another one. I simply did not feel as connected to the event in the way I thought I would be.<br />
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I trained hard for the event with the intent to race and do as well as I could. I certainly learnt a lot about myself and made many mistakes along the way one of which literally lead to a pain in the butt. With the Haute Route behind me it is now time to regroup and focus on the upcoming Cyclocross season. Talk about a radical shift in training from long distance endurance to short duration threshold intensity. Bring on the next adventure ...<br />
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<b>Until Next Time MaxLifeOut and Keep It Rubber Side Down ...</b><br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-86906242350194934672018-08-16T21:51:00.000-07:002018-08-16T21:51:06.015-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 6 Breckenridge - Breckenridge (The Queens Stage)<h2>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">Please consider a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my </span><a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">fundraising page</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">, no amount is too small.</span></h2>
<h2>
Stage 6 Breckenridge to Breckenridge - The Queen Stage</h2>
113.6 miles<br />
11,178 feet of climbing<br />
High Point 11,991 feet (Loveland Pass)<br />
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<h3>
Stage Results</h3>
General Classification (GC): 19th (+136:47)<br />
Age Group 45-54 (AG): 3rd (+81:31)<br />
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The queen stage, is the name given to the most challenging stage of an event and the Haute Route Rockies 2018 queen stage was about to start and my nerves where on edge as I fought to control my emotions. A few hours earlier my alarm went off at 4:30 am but I was already awake and ready to get a head start on the day. What I did not know was that my well laid plans were about to go sideways starting with my kit which had been picked up from reception by the team to keep it safe and was now somewhere in the hotel and not at the team van. The fun continued with incorrect directions to breakfast, not once but twice. Then when I found breakfast I did not have time to eat properly before having to rush back to the van to find that my kit was still missing. I was hoping from one foot to the other as calls went out for my kit. When it finally arrived I tried to rush back to my room, yes I said tried as both the distance and speed of the lifts only served to heighten an already stressed out me.<br />
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Somehow despite all the delays I was at the start line on time. I was not relaxed or composed but I was there and that was what mattered most. The night before I had traveled in the slowest elevator in the world and met someone who was riding the stage as a one day event, so it was no surprise to see new riders at the start line. I thought no more about it until after the stage when I was disappointed to learn hey were ranked along side those of us with 5 stages in our legs. <br />
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Timed Section 1 - Loveland Pass +2464 feet over 8 miles<br />
High point: 11991 feet |<br />
Start: Mile 15.6<br />
Finish: Mile 23.6<br />
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Rolling through the start line and into the first 15 miles of the day I was plagued with saddle sore. I wish I could put into worlds just how uncomfortable I was, those of you who have had saddle sore will know what I am talking about. I had fight not to let the pain mess with my head at the thought of the 113 miles that lay a head. I told myself "you just have to get through the first few miles and it won't be so bad". I was able to compartmentalize the pain. Yup, it can be done but it definitely took effort. Over the last 5 days I had learnt a lot about how to ride the event and what my body was capable of but I also knew I had just scrapped the surface of what there was to learn. The one lesson I was learning over and over again was "do not change your saddle unless you are absolutely 100% certain of the fit" and even then think twice.<br />
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To help with the discomfort I thought about what I would do in the first time section. I would go with the leaders, that's the plan. Right, that plan lasted until the start of the segment because once across the line an observer might have thought we were on the last climb of the day not the first. I was playing the long game, I hoped, as I let them go and watched them ride away from me.<br />
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Despite meeting lots of new people and making a few new friends I was a little surprised and if I am honest disappointed that I was spending a great deal of time riding solo, even when in a pack. I put it down to the fact that I was racing and also the nature of endurance riding.<br />
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I needed to ride smart and account for the accumulative fatigue as well as symptoms of altitude. That said with the day stretching ahead of me I was in surprisingly high spirits which would have been even higher if my butt would quit hurting. I had a gut feeling I could put in a good day and hoped that my gut was not lying to me. It does that from time to time. I finished the first time section in 31st place 9:47 down on the leader but only a minute or so off the pace of my main rivals. One down, three to go. We regrouped as a team at the feed station and joining a larger group we flew down the mountain to the start of the second segment.<br />
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Timed Section 2 - Guanella Pass +3030 feet over 10.1 miles<br />
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High point: 11670 feet</div>
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Start: Mile 40.6</div>
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Finish: Mile 50.7 </div>
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At mile 40.6 we crossed the timing gate and started the Guanella Pass climb. I decided to stretched myself a little by raising my tempo. Sadly looking back, I can't remember anything more than the effort and an image of tarmac or riders just ahead, which is a shame because I am sure the surroundings were epic. I now understand when professionals say they don't see any of the scenery we see when we watch races like the Tour De France. The reality on that climb was one pedal stroke after another as I worked to squeeze a little more speed out. Despite the increased effort I would later learn that the lead riders had out paced me. I finished in 37th place 25:30 down from the leader and 7 minutes down on my rivals. Two down and two to go. I regrouped at the feed station and joined the pack to the next segment. The bridging distance was 13 miles into a strong head wind and I was really grateful to be able to shelter in the group. We passed through Leadville, <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States and the home to Floyd Landis cannabis company, </span><br />
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Timed Section 3 - Kenosha Pass +1383 feet / -466 feet over 10.9 miles </div>
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High Point: 9997 feet </div>
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Start: Mile 63.9 </div>
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Finish: Mile 74.8</div>
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Timed Section 3 to Kenosha Pass was an up and over segment where the advantage would be with a group over a solo rider. I knew the key was going to be staying with the pack. As we approach the time section I realized a little late that I had far to much clothing on. The group was forced to slow into a T junction and I followed the queue of a team mate to take off my vest and arm warmers and hand them to a support car that appeared right with us. It was a good decision but poorly timed. As we where handing off our clothes the front of the pack started to accelerate into the timed section leaving the two of us gaped off of the back and having to chase hard to reconnect. It was really frustrating as we had to bury ourselves to bridge the gap that suddenly appeared. It was a gut busting chase as we shared the effort and dug really deep. I knew that if I did not make contact I would bleed time and that was the inspiration I needed to grit my teeth and squeeze out the power to connect with the back of the pack. With a last push we were on and able to sit in and recover a little. The chase had put me in the red and the recovery was short lived as the pack pushed hard up the climb and I was again forced to dig deep into my reserves to stay with the pack. My team mate was unhitched and as I saw him drop away I told myself "not far to the top, not far to the top, just a little longer" it hurt but I stayed with them. The next section was a rolling decent were I was able to recover and then move up to the front of the pack where Phil and Dan where changing off and driving the pace higher and higher. The finish was gradually down hill to the line and I followed Phil as he pulled through to the front, Phil pulled off and I was leading the train when Dan launched a blistering attack. The group reacted and lifted the pace as riders rolled to the front. This is were staying with the pack made all the difference as the collective speed increased as each rider lifted the pace either incrementally or as a result of an attack. I crossed the line at high speed with the front of the pack finishing in 21st place and 9:52 down from the leaders and only a minute off of the pace of my rivals. Hanging in with the pack had paid dividends. Three down and one to go.<br />
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We then had a 20 mile transition to the next feed station. It was along a major highway into a head wind whilst gaining altitude over rolling terrain. Put simply it was a brutal and frankly unpleasant 20 miles of riding. It was made even more unpleasant by the pace, a glance at my computer confirmed I was riding near or at my race pace. I had no idea what the leaders were thinking but I forced myself and hung in with the pack for a few more miles before the surges up the rollers forced me to weigh up the benefits of shelter against burning energy I would need in the timed section to come. I finally made the decision to fall away from the pack and conserve energy. It was the right decision but it made the remainder of the ride to the feed station even more grim and scary. Out of the shelter of the pack and with no support motor bike in sight big trucks came screaming past me so close I could feel the hairs on my arms stand up before I was sucked into the back draft. I was very happy and relieved as I entered the town limits of South Park in one piece. I just wanted to find the feed station and seeing a support car at the side of the road I stopped and asked. He did not know and could not tell me how far as ironically his map was in miles whilst my queue sheet was in KM - go figure. I gave up and followed the road. Fortunately it was not long before I saw the station off of one of the side roads.</div>
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I arrived minutes before the group I had dropped away from decided to move out together. Phil said "are you coming" and I replied "you go on, I need a moment to eat and get ready".<br />
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Timed Section 4 - Hoosier Pass +1443 feet over 9.6 miles </div>
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High Point: 11542 feet </div>
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Start: Mile 93.4 </div>
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Finish: Mile 103 </div>
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After a few minutes I was ready to go, but there was no group to ride with. I started out solo but then remembered that the first part of the timed section was flat into a gentle climb. A group would travel much quicker than a solo rider and I was not about to make that mistake again. I slowed down and stopped, waiting for a group of riders. The problem was that most of the fast riders where now ahead of me. After a short wait I saw a small group approaching, I am embarrassed to admit I was that rider that messed things up. I was rolling far to slowly and the group piled up around me as I joined them earning me shouts and admonishments, of "what the .... idiot", well you can guess what they might of shouted - it was totally justified. Apologies made, we got over it quickly and crossed the line as a group. As a small group there was going to be no free ride as we all had to take turns, I noticed that a few individuals where taking longer pulls than needed which was slowing us down. A couple of well placed suggestions that were accepted without question and the group formed up into a rotating echelon. I want to say right here that it was an Awesome echelon, in fact once of the best I have ridden in and I wish I could of shared that with the group. Individually we might not have been the strongest riders but we carried good speed and style across the flat section. Alas it would not last as the road started upwards the group started to crumble. One rider attacked and invited me along but I declined the surge and stayed at a steady tempo allowing me to pull away from the others. From there on out it was a solo ride and whilst I was emptying the tanks I was riding strongly. Up the last section I had a rider on my wheel that gave me the encouragement to keep pushing the pace. He lifted the pace towards the line and I matched it with the last reserves. I had nothing left as I crossed the line in 29th place 11:07 behind the leaders.<br />
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The rest of the ride was mercifully down hill for most of the way and I can tell you I was ready to be done. Why oh why was the last kicker to the finish line up hill and boy did it burn. At last I was across the line and sitting with the team at the team tent. A text from Sarah confirmed that my gut had not been wrong and the long game had paid off, I had moved up 1 position on GC and into 3rd for my age group. I was on the podium for the day and inwardly pretty stoked.<br />
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I was so tired I just needed to recover, I excused myself and headed to my room before the long, long, long walk for a massage, yes again I silently cursed the distance I needed to walk. When I got on the massage table I told Tina "I might crash" and sure enough despite the deep massage I could not stop myself dosing in and out of sleep as she work her magic and the day out of my muscles. With no time for a longer nap I got changed and headed to the rider briefing thinking at least today I will be on the podium even if it is just a picture. So imagine my disappointment when on this of all days, the day I make the podium they decide not to recognize category leaders - I felt robbed and disappointed but I was simply too tired to do anything about it. Looking back I should have said something after all it is hard enough to make a podium without it being ignored, I will never get that moment back again but hey I did it.</div>
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I joined the team for dinner but quickly realized that I was in no shape for socializing or the struggle to figure out what I could safely eat. I was shattered after just spending under 9 hours in the saddle and I needed food and sleep without drama. I decided to leave the team and get a take out from the place I found the night before. It seemed such a simple plan as I left only to turn into another walking fest due to a transport mix up that left me walking back from the town center to the hotel which I can tell you sucked. Back in my hotel room I would like to say I reflected on the highs and lows of the day but I simply ate and fell into bed after getting my gear ready for the morning. Tomorrow was the last stage and I would be defending my 3rd place up Pikes Peak. <br />
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Reflecting back on the day it was the longest and hardest day I have ridden to date and I was proud of the performance I put in, overcoming saddle sore, fatigue and altitude whilst riding smart over 8h:42m and moving up in GC and moving into 3rd overall for my age group - Seriously though No Podium on the Queens Stage - What were they thinking!<br />
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Keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut</div>
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-45036436286225294502018-07-29T19:59:00.000-07:002018-07-30T22:21:58.753-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 5 Avon to Breckenridge<h2>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">Please consider a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my </span><a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">fundraising page</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">, no amount is too small.</span></h2>
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Stage 5 Avon to Breckenridge</h2>
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93.8 miles</div>
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8441 feet of climbing</div>
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High Point 11,318 feet</div>
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Stage Results</h3>
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General Classification (GC): 20th (+87:22)</div>
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Age Group 45-54 (AG): 5th (+51:37)</div>
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I woke up and ran a full body diagnostic, wiggled my feet, moved my head, lifted my arms, raised each leg and finally slid out of bed, yup I was in one piece. Whats more I actually felt, dare I think it, good. My Heart Rate Variability (HRV) reading was up and the app, in friendly words informed me I was ready to resume training. All in all a good start despite a quite literal pain in my butt, My saddle sore felt like Mt Vesuvius. Still whilst I was not on a bike and standing up I could almost forget about it, almost. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_qq81T9HuXbIkRWzamCojdLTwmj-6gB_8xEoirOUGLASZSA8uB00aBlNrdN5VJAEUVmo8sRDr5HH4YoA1L-Ayn4zlKblbKJBrvwwKeuTfz0zvMUX2ZG2rPzaVSkyi6K5XIeUX-ky0IQ/s1600/IMG_3441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_qq81T9HuXbIkRWzamCojdLTwmj-6gB_8xEoirOUGLASZSA8uB00aBlNrdN5VJAEUVmo8sRDr5HH4YoA1L-Ayn4zlKblbKJBrvwwKeuTfz0zvMUX2ZG2rPzaVSkyi6K5XIeUX-ky0IQ/s200/IMG_3441.JPG" width="200" /></a>At 7:30am the race started with a police escort through Breckenridge. There was time to settle in and get used to the pain as I sort to find the best position on the bike before the first timed section of the day. That would be Tennessee Pass, starting at mile 10.3. At the start of the timed section and climb it was no surprise to see the race brake apart. Clearly I was not the only one feeling fresher after the time trial day. As the lead riders rode away I slipped into a now familiar tempo as we headed upwards. I wanted to do well but the next few days where firmly in the back of my mind. They included the Queen stage and they would be hard and I would need to reserve energy. I found myself riding solo pacing myself towards the riders ahead of me. I was concentrating on my cadence as the medic on a motorbike came along side to check in with me. "you doing alright" he said, all I could think to say was "its a pain in the butt" and then nod as he moved on up the road. It was nice of him to check up on me.</div>
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The strategy was holding and I slowly connected with and passed a number of groups on the road. As we crested the first peak of the timed section I connected with a small group for the descent. It contained one of the women riders and her groups coach. He was providing both pacing and encouragement. As we transition from the descent onto the next climb he marked the transition letting her know they were on the climb and for her to watch her pace. I wont lie I felt a fleeting pang of envy at the support and then pushed on into the wind. As I rounded a turn I could see another group just ahead. I controlled the urge to lift my pace and close the gap, instead I pegged them just ahead of me without investing additional power and effort. I crossed the line in 34th place 16:07 behind the leaders and less that 5 minutes behind my rivals.</div>
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At the feed station the TT1 team re-grouped and moved off together to cover the 10 miles to the next timed section at mile 37.1. Timed Section 2, Turquoise Lake was 15 miles of rolling terrain and here I made my a big mistake. Previous experience should have told me to wait for a group, instead still feeling a sense of well being and strength I rode into the timed section with only 2 other riders. In a group I would have been able to shelter and make use of the velocity of a group whilst in a small group the effort was constant and punishing. What's more the riders I was with were feeling stronger than me and I soon found myself having to drop back or risk going to far into the red, I would not recover. Even though one of them was on my team we were not riding as a team and I was soon off the back and having to do all the work myself. It was demoralizing to find myself isolated and I was frustrated with myself knowing I was giving away time due to a tactical error of my own making. I could do nothing else other than measure out my effort. The results confirmed what I already knew. I finished the 2nd timed section in 76th place. The only saving grace was that the time lose was not as bad as it could have been, 17:05 down on the leaders and more than 10 minutes to my rivals. The cost in effort however was my biggest concern.<br />
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The distance between time section 2 and 3 was only 3 miles and I rejoined most the TT1 riders and a good size group still smarting from my mistake. Timed Section 3, Fremont Pass was an up and over with a 10.5 mile climb and over 10 miles of descending. I would not make the same mistake twice in one day. The group started the timed section together and worked well as the pace was slowly lifted. With around 3 miles to the summit stronger riders started to move to the front and push the pace putting the group in difficulty. In contrast to my earlier decision this time I raced smart. I knew we had a long descent and both Phil and Dan were in our group. Both are powerfully skilled and fast descender's and given the length of the descent I felt confident that controlled losses on the climb could be recovered over the top.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq7gGuHrZm99K4oD6Wfnkrg9yZkH6z3w5ffZ6UdZ45AbFevJM0Br4K9kuTX8BVsfvD6-gJb0z5c5FfDY0sCn0ZtpZC1spFfTziOjJLthRSz53IFQO0QPBDUl52iQnh07Id3tiaGG44mc/s1600/36257479_197336887596383_8222566144884604928_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq7gGuHrZm99K4oD6Wfnkrg9yZkH6z3w5ffZ6UdZ45AbFevJM0Br4K9kuTX8BVsfvD6-gJb0z5c5FfDY0sCn0ZtpZC1spFfTziOjJLthRSz53IFQO0QPBDUl52iQnh07Id3tiaGG44mc/s320/36257479_197336887596383_8222566144884604928_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had moved up to second in line when the rider ahead of me put in a small kick. I did not respond, instead I maintained a hard but steady tempo. The lead riders including one of our team members pulled away as I stayed on the front joined by Dan. We kept the pace hard without blowing the group apart. Later that night Phil texted me "Yo! You rode really really strong today and professional. Kept a solid (hard) pace up the climb without blowing the group. You impressed me today!" that was high praise indeed and I let Phil know it meant a lot. His reply was "Thank you man! You made the Jersey look good!". By the time we reached the top the leaders were out of sight but the chase was on.</div>
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In quick succession Phil and Dan lifted the pace with others contributing to the overall speed of the group. The descent was open and not technical lending itself to faster and faster speeds as each rider used the rider in front to propel themselves forward. It was exhilarating and whats more the plan was paying off, the breakaway was in sight and we were closing fast. In no time at all and to their surprise we had bridged the gap. At the feed station Sean came up to me and said "How did you guys do that!", I told him I had a good feeling that as long as we did not give too much time away with riders like Phil and Dan we would have a good chance of bringing it back together.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKWkk7bkdO1JJnoZdWVVoZYKtTp_Jyzd9jVwkaTjp-VT50v6r9_utEgrQL6T0lBPYgPASSKyrDnNTSiWIDfi76JZaq1yti949bCFP21t7bLSBWcSOfy06s1uz_7hgRh-LR8pUlcynhaY/s1600/36320138_197334454263293_6345274839321804800_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKWkk7bkdO1JJnoZdWVVoZYKtTp_Jyzd9jVwkaTjp-VT50v6r9_utEgrQL6T0lBPYgPASSKyrDnNTSiWIDfi76JZaq1yti949bCFP21t7bLSBWcSOfy06s1uz_7hgRh-LR8pUlcynhaY/s320/36320138_197334454263293_6345274839321804800_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>All back together and screaming down the mountain we were approaching the end of the timed section which without a doubt would be a bunch sprint to the line. As we approached the line I watched the riders ahead of me and started looking for position, at the speeds we were travelling positions were changing fast. With 500 meters to go I slotted in around 4th place and waited. It all came together as a rider accelerated on my left, I moved onto their wheel. I was carried forward rapidly, it was now or never so I opened up and accelerated hard off of the wheel to take the bunch sprint on the line. It felt awesome after such a hard day of racing and a personal victory after my earlier mistakes. I would later learn that I finished the 3rd time section in 15th place overall 3:35 adrift from the leaders.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7-hzwdap60W83pUpgBESw6C5uuKN6j9cVspk1LPdcY6wWoLSzXCen6V1Drgd9uKHCspHbtcBSgVqstSqFLJU-Qgf-egmvF9gsQ1hm7HijWdVVX3apMiI5piF9MLHvuEFXTjl9qeJUMY/s1600/IMG_3450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7-hzwdap60W83pUpgBESw6C5uuKN6j9cVspk1LPdcY6wWoLSzXCen6V1Drgd9uKHCspHbtcBSgVqstSqFLJU-Qgf-egmvF9gsQ1hm7HijWdVVX3apMiI5piF9MLHvuEFXTjl9qeJUMY/s320/IMG_3450.JPG" width="320" /></a>We stopped at the feed station to fully regroup then headed out to complete the last 17 miles to Breckenridge. The ride took us on swooping downhill bike paths which was a lot of fun to ride.. It would have been even more fun if I was not feeling exhausted and my butt was not on fire, but the scenery was spectacular, that was until we exited the bike paths. The last part of the ride was on road the went ever so slightly uphill. It was a grind, and I spent the last few miles watching the wheel ahead and willing the distance to the finish to close. Then just to run salt in the wound there was a last little kicker up to the finish.<br />
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Once across the line we gathered at the Team Type 1 tent and I gobbled up an energy bar and sat there listening to the arrival of riders and contemplating the day. I was bone tired and wanted to get to my room and start the recovery. I was 20th overall and 5th in my age group so I could not be too disappointed. There was however still apart of me that wanted to give myself a slap upside the head for the stupid decision in time section 2.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3AtTNsM2TAcarqOaK3imUfEtlj_DwqgGA41OoRmMZIwYn-upftxOy9rVlAuJ3vuqIr2q2ubRUQa-3-eTepkgPWOtiLawLUQjsGlBDr8dGO7o6tpv7kvlgkYo4dGWtDtmEzrGoL-97kU/s1600/36270689_197335834263155_8893673360618160128_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3AtTNsM2TAcarqOaK3imUfEtlj_DwqgGA41OoRmMZIwYn-upftxOy9rVlAuJ3vuqIr2q2ubRUQa-3-eTepkgPWOtiLawLUQjsGlBDr8dGO7o6tpv7kvlgkYo4dGWtDtmEzrGoL-97kU/s320/36270689_197335834263155_8893673360618160128_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>The downside of long days in the saddle is the lack of time to get a massage and nap before having to get ready for the rider briefing. On this day I would soon discover it would be even more condensed. Firstly the hotel we were staying at was a short walk away. An easy walk if you had not just ridden 93.8 miles. Once at the hotel I discovered I was on the 9th floor. Not normally a problem but at this hotel getting to my room was to put it bluntly, a hike, requiring a long walk from reception to a slow lift that stopped on the 7th floor. On the 7th floor there was another walk to a second elevator up to the 10th floor. By the time I got to my room I just wanted to stop moving. But no, then I got the text asking if I was ready for massage, I was, only to discover that Tina was in a completely different wing of the hotel requiring multiple elevator trips and a, you guessed it, long walk.<br />
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By the time I was done with massage and hiking around the hotel I had no time for a nap and resigned myself to getting to the rider briefing to be held in an outdoor tent attached to the hotel across the road. Yup more walking. It was obvious that I was not the only one tired as the turnout for the briefing looked considerably lighter. Still tomorrow would be the Queen stage and I wanted to get all the news. My butt on the other hand wanted me to stop sitting on a hard surface - like now.<br />
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Up until this point Team Type 1 had organized dinners but tonight there seemed to be some indecision. Phil was staying at his place and others had decided to make their own plans. I was hungry, no scratch that, I was really, really hungry but that was warring with being really, really tired. I wanted food to magically appear so that I could eat and sleep. It is amazing how poor your thinking and decision making muscle can be when you are tired and hungry. Given the lack of dinner direction I thought I would be able to get food at the hotel and retire to my room. Yeah like the universe was going to let that happen.<br />
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The plan fell apart immediately I got back to the hotel. I was informed that the restaurant was closed because of some issue, staff, and some other excuse I can't remember. Bottom line I would have to go into town to get food.<br />
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I found myself walking yet again as I worked my way into town to a restaurant I was hoping could cater for my diet. Reception had neglected to tell me there was a hotel shuttle service when directing me, like that wouldn't of helped at all. I found the restaurant and at last a break, I could eat the food. I promptly ordered take out and on the way back to the hotel called Sarah to help pass the time as I walked back "UP HILL". I can only think that the fatigue helped me avoid a melt down.<br />
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Once back in my room, I unceremoniously scoffed the food down before getting ready for the morning. Normally I got my bike clothes and food ready so that things went smoothly in the morning. With all that had gone on I realized I did not have my laundry back. One of the nice things about riding with Team Type 1 in addition to the massage time and personal support was that our full kits were washed daily as opposed to once by the Haute Route and only allowing 2 items. I texted and decided I would deal with it in the morning, that is how tired I was. I got into bed, turned over and coughed, I then realized I had been coughing quite a bit but I had not paid attention to it. Phil had been coughing for a few days and so had a few other people. I really hoped I just had a dry throat. <br />
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I was just dropping off to sleep when the phone rang. I reached over to hear the receptionist informing me they had my laundrey. "Great" I said. "I will pick them up in the morning" hung up and finally went to sleep. It would be a monster day tomorrow.<br />
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MaxLifeOut and keep it RubberSide Down ....</div>
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-21813674117758087962018-07-17T22:15:00.001-07:002018-07-17T22:15:16.446-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 4 Avon Mountain Star Time Trial<h2>
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">Please consider a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my </span><a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">fundraising page</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400;">, no amount is too small.</span></h2>
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Stage 4 Avon Mountain Star Time Trial</h2>
9.6 miles<br />
1,898 feet of climbing<br />
High point: 8546 feet<br />
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Stage Results</h2>
General Classification (GC): 18th (+51:56)<br />
Age Group 45-54 (AG): 4th (+30:05)<br />
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As nights went I had a good one only waking a half a dozen times in the night and using the time to drink water and stay hydrated. Not having to get up at 4 am was certainly a bonus. I had time for a good breakfast. After breakfast I thought I would get a jump on the day by taking my bike to the Mavic service van. It turned out that the start line was further from the hotel than I had anticipated, but having already started I decided to continue even though I was not in my cycling clothes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXscvRxXSJogBGl23cDOXlnG1JUEvsi1gzJUAvoT6hURRt9TWfwvaKK2y-erV14Z7ib9WfpITK9F2mbMifF7IrhCaPWrQVa0BbBkNs_3Vmmb-Mu5e2xKWB2fDSsat1wjFIUwy3yKTMmQE/s1600/Stage+4+Timed+Sections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="1046" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXscvRxXSJogBGl23cDOXlnG1JUEvsi1gzJUAvoT6hURRt9TWfwvaKK2y-erV14Z7ib9WfpITK9F2mbMifF7IrhCaPWrQVa0BbBkNs_3Vmmb-Mu5e2xKWB2fDSsat1wjFIUwy3yKTMmQE/s320/Stage+4+Timed+Sections.jpg" width="228" /></a>Sitting on the saddle, well simply sucked. Every revolution of my legs resulted in a stabbing pain that I had to ignore. When I got to the start line the Mavic team was just arriving. I explained my discovery after the work they did yesterday and they asked me come back a half hour before my start time to look at it. So much for getting it resolved early. At least I knew where to go.</div>
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Back at the hotel I applied lots of cream to my saddle sore and got ready. I wanted to give the Mavic team additional time to look at my wheel as my intuition was telling me it was not going to be a quick fix. I arrived an hour early and handed over my bike. After initial troubleshooting I was offered a spare wheel so that I could continue to warm up whilst they worked.</div>
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45 minutes later I checked in and the news was not good. Sometimes it sucks when your intuition is right. The lead mechanic told me he had replaced everything that could be replaced and the problem still persisted. I was told that the behavior was better but that the wheel needed to be returned under warranty. They could lend me a spare wheel but it would not be tubeless. I was surprised and mentioned that I thought they had the new wheels for testing. They did but it was just my luck that they only had disc brake versions. I really did not want to switch to tubes so I opt'ed to trust the improvement and modify my riding to accommodate the problem. Thankfully the work that was done reduced the effect considerably and I was able to use the wheel for the remaining stages without the chain being thrown. I was impressed by the support and the effort to resolve the problem, and it was backed up with contact details for the North American Mavic GM and assurance I would be taken care of.</div>
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With my wheel back on my bike it was fast approaching my start time and before I knew it I was up. This was my second time ever on a TT ramp and it really was a cool feeling being held ready to go. Up until I got on the ramp the riders were being sent out 15 seconds apart so I got ready expecting to go quickly when the marshal said "2 minutes to go". I had a double take moment followed by a "What". I had to reset myself as they decided to wait 2 minutes before sending out the last wave. Great I thought, there goes my carrot to chase. 2 minutes later the starter said "Are you ready?", I nodded, I was counted down and with a solid push and I was off. Time Trials get real quickly and with the adrenaline pumping I replayed my conversation with Jim (my coach). Stick to the plan and tempo the climbs, I still had the biggest days of riding ahead. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2xTKygK15Tz67Aejmph2QkGpqVT8WAkKU8bJnwGMtubR9lcrhczJzJSyriS2yBbZqT11lZJZdkeLUaOs2oOMi6rs0xMzzuo6WVfF3t9n7560aWJKv_hyphenhyphenq-j3cWAdRtmJYPTVFBqPwKw/s1600/36228728_196533357676736_102631726756397056_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2xTKygK15Tz67Aejmph2QkGpqVT8WAkKU8bJnwGMtubR9lcrhczJzJSyriS2yBbZqT11lZJZdkeLUaOs2oOMi6rs0xMzzuo6WVfF3t9n7560aWJKv_hyphenhyphenq-j3cWAdRtmJYPTVFBqPwKw/s320/36228728_196533357676736_102631726756397056_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The start was a long slightly uphill straight. It took time to adjust to the pain but I soon established a tempo, putting the pain out of my mind allowing it to become part of the motion. Left at the roundabout to shouts of encouragement from the police monitoring the coned off course and traffic. Short climb, quick descent and onto the first major climb. With riders leaving 15 seconds after me It was no surprise to be caught on the climb. I had to put my ego aside and stick to the plan. I told myself "ride a hard tempo but do not bury yourself". Over the top of the first climb and into a long fast descent. I crested just behind Matt Busche and held pace out of his draft as we dropped into the last climb. Matt powered away from me at the start of the climb as I settled back into my tempo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgg7QUyYIqzzGQEAaWeDw6sYXI42X9r8lWBXxzEdgfiKAiVIaeTIcnmpw989k22p5JznFIlcqqr-Vhnk2yLsTf_1rkPIBbwDTe0obnR5D5brmFv5vsiKVNXSWC8HtpETcOi9tuYcBvk4/s1600/36256150_196534457676626_7500942125110919168_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgg7QUyYIqzzGQEAaWeDw6sYXI42X9r8lWBXxzEdgfiKAiVIaeTIcnmpw989k22p5JznFIlcqqr-Vhnk2yLsTf_1rkPIBbwDTe0obnR5D5brmFv5vsiKVNXSWC8HtpETcOi9tuYcBvk4/s320/36256150_196534457676626_7500942125110919168_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>Half way up the climb I started to increase power, lifting the pace to finish strong and limit any loses. I crossed the line tired but not empty, finishing the day in 30th place with a time of 43:13.20 which was 10:41 down on the leader. I dropped 1 GC place and defended my age group position of 4th. When I reviewed my results I found that I lost 5:43 to Colby Pearce the former US hour record holder and leader of our age group. Overall I was happy with my performance and my ability to stick to the plan. Later I would learn that Matt Busche caught Phil Southerland who was minutes ahead of him but just before the line, Phil always the showman hit the line with his arms in the air just ahead of Matt. Phil tweeted the picture in good humor and it just goes to show pictures don't always tell the whole story.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhva3LXOCNM0C59rIo4P8TPQJpHSD2s9rSFuqsOJxd7Db5_zPaOSI8SwTa7o1-4iM788a5LXuxsOst5q1OMbVQ-yAWYGWD8byf3q2FlriDKzQxawDRsd6Dk-fhzI2_ayHPy26zNxaKn74s/s1600/IMG_5157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhva3LXOCNM0C59rIo4P8TPQJpHSD2s9rSFuqsOJxd7Db5_zPaOSI8SwTa7o1-4iM788a5LXuxsOst5q1OMbVQ-yAWYGWD8byf3q2FlriDKzQxawDRsd6Dk-fhzI2_ayHPy26zNxaKn74s/s320/IMG_5157.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I rode back to the hotel with the TT1 Team and then took advantage of the day by heading to the hotel, getting an early massage and falling asleep for the rest of the afternoon. I know exciting stuff, but I really needed the rest and recovery. After the rider briefing I was really grateful that the team had dinner plans at the Mexican restaurant in the hotel. It was great to know that the restaurant could cater for my diet and that it was a really short trip back to my room for, you got it, an early night ready for another hard day in the saddle. </div>
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<b>Afterword: </b> Looking back on the day there where certainly highs and lows. I was impressed by the help Mavic provided. I received support from the lead mechanic and he left no stone un-turned in trying to resolve the issue. When it was clear it was a warranty issue, he contacted his management and provided me with a contact to get the issue resolved once I got home. It was great service and I am glad I received it. Without the help I suspect diagnosing the problem via the bike shop and Mavic would have been difficult and very time consuming.</div>
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The TT from the ramp to the finish was a professional rider experience and one I really enjoyed. There seemed to be Haute Route photographers everywhere but disappointingly that did not translate into pictures. Surly it would not have taken much effort for every rider to be photographed both on and leaving the ramp and the finish but sadly that was not the case. </div>
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Lastly I feel the need to comment on the prizes which for the most part were being swept up by the professional or ex professional riders. I can't help feel that there should be an elite and non elite GC ranking where the pro's and ex-pros could compete against their peers whilst giving amateurs the ability to compete independently but still compare there times to the elite riders. At the end of the day it is the amateur riders that fund the Haute Route and I was starting to feel that more could be done to recognize them.</div>
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Keep It Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut ...<br />
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-24907892371829344922018-07-13T18:16:00.001-07:002018-07-13T22:33:40.541-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 3 Winter Park to Avon<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px;">Please consider a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my </span><a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;" target="_blank">fundraising page</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px;">, no amount is too small.</span><br />
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<h2>
Stage 3 Winter Park to Avon</h2>
94.8 miles<br />
6,751 feet of climbing<br />
High Point 8,913 feet<br />
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<h3>
Stage Results</h3>
General Classification (GC): 17th (+41:15)<br />
Age Group 45-54 (AG): 4th (+24:22)<br />
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Thankfully a 8 am start gave me a little longer to recover overnight from the exhaustion and cold of stage 2. I woke up feeling a little groggy. I should mention that my morning routine is to take my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and then Weigh myself. I was not surprised to discover that my HRV was down after stage 2. It was good to be aware of my nervous system and although I would not be backing off for another 5 days, I resolved to try to address the need for recovery . I then focused on getting ready for the day ahead. The fact that my power meter was not working was playing on my mind since it worked flawlessly during stage 1 after replacing the battery. The only thing I could think was that the battery provided might have expired. It seemed a long shot but I met up with Ben the TT1 mechanic and we changed the battery. A quick ride around the car park and to my great relief (I may or may not have punched the air) the power meter popped into life. Ben mentioned seeing a little water inside the battery housing so as a precaution we taped the battery door closed to protect it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqjkloFcllERddjFC9uOQUqvGWjKDLozPL3BRz2ws8zbioUAOJHLHmaf95xOyoPpuIO2SMb1deeEG_dcqfHfybkMhcHB0skhtwiXTilEVFELuz-CWnt2NLH0EN0c520lsYaTSfl-zLLE/s1600/IMG_3413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqjkloFcllERddjFC9uOQUqvGWjKDLozPL3BRz2ws8zbioUAOJHLHmaf95xOyoPpuIO2SMb1deeEG_dcqfHfybkMhcHB0skhtwiXTilEVFELuz-CWnt2NLH0EN0c520lsYaTSfl-zLLE/s320/IMG_3413.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
My limited impression of Winter Park was one of a small purpose built ski resort. The hotel was rustic and not somewhere that left me with the desire to return although the place will forever be remembered. I am sure it is much more scenic in the winter and to be fair I did not do any sight seeing. The hotel breakfast was limited with scrambled eggs I could not eat (not dairy free), when I asked for plain eggs they told me I could order them but it was too early for the kitchen. With the kitchen opening around the time we would be starting it was going to be a limited breakfast supplemented with bike food.<br />
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When we arrived at the start line we received official confirmation that Stage 2 had be neutralized and all riders were required to get a second transponder fitted to there bikes for timing going forward.<br />
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The effort to fit new transponders meant that we left a little later than the scheduled 8am start. The first timed section would start at mile 6.5, a short ride distance yes, but I had not factored in that we would be going downhill from Winter Park. Once again I was under dressed and soon found myself shivering as we descended in the chill morning air. Fortunately it did not take long and soon we turned left and into the first timed section where all thoughts of cold vanished in the heat of competition.<br />
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The group was all together as we hit the gravel and I found myself near the front with the race leaders. In my morning talking to, I had told myself that I would ease into the day and feel out how my body was doing. <br />
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That plan went out the window as I found myself reacting to a sudden surge in the group. I was now hanging onto the back of the fastest riders in the field and we were moving. A small gap appeared as one of the riders ahead folded, I heard encouragement from a team mate to go with them and I redoubled my effort and closed the gap. I knew I could not afford to maintain the power I was putting out but held on for just a little longer. Finally I had to make the decision to let them go or pay dearly for the effort. I unhitched with a good lead on the rest of the field and focused on getting to the finish. The last part of the 14.7 mile segment was a short but brutal up hill climb to the line. I could see others weaving across the gravel just to maintain momentum as I fought and weaved my way to the line, finishing 17th and 4:24 down from the leader of the race.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwD0Jiwv28oCk-_Fsesl39qyPArxSS4UPrYuTjAdlovLqHLEv958JjooIrAr0BZ0I6Kt6_Cq4sUctQndJ-Cb6RJU3zYJBageIurJjcsZa8urT37t1t5EPHmUUtFn-P9M6zEuO48PE7IQ/s1600/IMG_3424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwD0Jiwv28oCk-_Fsesl39qyPArxSS4UPrYuTjAdlovLqHLEv958JjooIrAr0BZ0I6Kt6_Cq4sUctQndJ-Cb6RJU3zYJBageIurJjcsZa8urT37t1t5EPHmUUtFn-P9M6zEuO48PE7IQ/s320/IMG_3424.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>Regrouping at the feed station I took on fuel and joined the main group to cover the 23 miles to the next timed section. I sheltered in the pack and tried to recover at the feed station before timed section 2, a 10.1 mile rolling gravel segment.<br />
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When we arrived organizers held all the riders to ensure the road ahead was clear. It was an opportunity to take in the scenery and to meet <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Busche" target="_blank">Matthew (Matt) Busche</a> and ex pro and all round nice guy with seriously wicked hair. He may be retired but boy did he pass me like I was standing still.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9yV74xFrwtSz8UbTy7e1qJKSYv2eORckv0UT4cU_kLHCTKaBL3WXnBq_VnpE1J410KelQCrl8VGmFlIhsygOWuWamgoKhxVYYRzd_sTXFlDx0A33OKL_7GdV36-akbWVZRN7m6zFHss/s1600/IMG_3428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9yV74xFrwtSz8UbTy7e1qJKSYv2eORckv0UT4cU_kLHCTKaBL3WXnBq_VnpE1J410KelQCrl8VGmFlIhsygOWuWamgoKhxVYYRzd_sTXFlDx0A33OKL_7GdV36-akbWVZRN7m6zFHss/s320/IMG_3428.JPG" width="320" /></a>I thought the group might ride together with the GC contenders attacking once a rhythm had been established. I was wrong. It might have been different if the group had started together but everyone left in a staggered formation which meant a group needed to form. My strategy was to wait for the train and jump on. Well it would have been a good strategy if it had worked but right from the line the group exploded as everyone went full gas. It was an unorganized mess and I found myself isolated and chasing as riders all around me buried themselves or went backwards. I eyeballed my power meter and knew I had to establish a steady state pace and ignore the mellay around me. Getting myself under control and riding within myself I slowly joined up with a small group of riders. Over the next few miles the group swelled as individuals joined and as a group we brought back others. Soon we become the second group on the road. Mission accomplished I was in a strong group.<br />
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The rolling terrain comprised of short hard climbs and fun fast swooping gravel descents. The importance of being in a group on rolling terrain was driven home as the group dynamic moved us far quicker than solo riders. The climbs were not steep enough to negate drafting and in the descents the rolling surges accelerated the group to faster and faster speeds thanks largely to Phil and Dan's enthusiasm to go as fast as possible down hill. We picked up strong riders who had been tailed off of the lead group and forced to ride solo. The group stayed together pushing each other along. Climbing the second to last hill Will announced to the rider pulling "you know I am here to Help". Will is a tour lead and strong. He took over the lead and the rider he was helping asked him to ease up as he un-intentionally applied pressure and almost split the group early.<br />
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With 5K to go I found myself off the front having created a small gap on a fast descent. It was down hill and I felt good but I reigned in the urge to attack. I knew the group would move faster than me and I did not have the strength to crush the last climb without committing far more than I wanted to. I cruised until the group picked me up and slipped into rotation. Right at the end of the section the trail kicked up into a nasty little climb. The group slowly picked up speed as the strong riders looked to shed the others. With 1K to go I was holding with the group, I felt strong and considered my options. With 500 meters I decided I would try an attack, I kicked hard and put space between myself and the others, I held the attack to the line finishing 14th and reclaiming a few seconds and a little bit of self pride after taking a pounding yesterday. On retrospect it was not a sensible move. The time gains were minimal and the energy cost high. As my coach was drilling into me, at altitude you do not recover like you do at sea level, once you go into the red it is hard if not impossible to recover. I spent matches I should have kept for later.<br />
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The 3rd and final timed section "Walcott Climb" was just 2 miles away and preceded by the last feed station. It would be a climb followed by a long descent covering a total of 10.1 miles. I joined the group at the start of the climb and they immediately went hard. It had been a good day of racing and I had to considered the pro's and con's of going with them. I gritted my teeth and decided to stick with the plan of pacing the climbs. It was still only stage 3 after all. I still found it hard to be sensible but my training kicked in and I settled into a hard but steady pace. Once over the top I shifted gears and started to drive for the line, I could have used Phil and Dan's help on that descent, but alas I was once again solo . I dropped into a tuck and hammered down hill, I caught a couple of riders on the long descent.<br />
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I might have recovered more time but my mind was rudely jarred to a problem I thought had been resolved. At around 50 mph I dropped into a tuck when there was a violent jarring and my chain dismounted. The chain then wrapped around my crank as I went to drive down on the peddles to pickup more speed. This all happened in those moments between time and it almost resulted in a high speed wipeout as the back wheel jived. Fortunately I snapped the bike back into line and was forced to appraise the situation. <br />
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The problem had been present in my Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon UST wheels from new. I had been told the solution was to run them in. Well they should have been well and truly run in by now. I was now facing a dilemma. My cranks were locked up and I needed to either stop and remount the chain or carry as much rolling speed as possible. I decided to tuck and use the speed I had. A few minutes later I could see the road flattening out and I knew I would need to pedal. With no choice I pulled over and remounted the chain. As I restarted I went to shift and to my horror nothing happened. I was stuck in a 50/11 with little gradient and worst of all a slight up hill to the end of the segment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA0ZPioQITMHW9LQvNtoSdF9Di_9eD0-2E7dF8GhyyMEmdx9Xb6SqObyAnntoiySmC7z_yeYLbv2SMc2KsCBAMjy_fogOTn5KfmQbq0NJdWaI94XN0cSW5EPIj4hPhk7shAWOzPuf_vE/s1600/IMG_3432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA0ZPioQITMHW9LQvNtoSdF9Di_9eD0-2E7dF8GhyyMEmdx9Xb6SqObyAnntoiySmC7z_yeYLbv2SMc2KsCBAMjy_fogOTn5KfmQbq0NJdWaI94XN0cSW5EPIj4hPhk7shAWOzPuf_vE/s320/IMG_3432.JPG" width="320" /></a>I had no choice but to grind out the gear, losing momentum and speed with every pedal stroke. I crawled across the timing line and stopped. I had a whole raft of emotions warring inside me. I was frustrated, angry, tired and confused.<br />
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Once across the line I sent an SOS to Team Type 1 for mechanical support. Just past the line the marshal came over and started to look at my bike. He pulled back my brake hoods to check the Di2 connection, unplugged and plugged in my rear derailleur Di2 cable and pushed and pulled at the cage. Suddenly there was movement and the rear derailleur started to work. I did not not question it further but thanked the marshal and remounted to limp into the last feed station. As I got going a Mavic Support Motor bike sent by Team Type 1 joined me. He called out "I will watch your back" and followed me to the feed station. I was frustrated and concerned that I would not make the rest of the ride, however for now everything was operational and Ben the Team Type 1 mechanic could not see any further issues, promising to look at the bike at the finish.<br />
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Putting the frustration aside I joined the lead group to finish the last 14 miles of the day. It was great to hang with and arrive in Avon in the lead group. <br />
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It seemed the drama of the day before was in the past with a new mechanical drama unfolding. To add insult to injury I was developing a very uncomfortable saddle sore but at that point it was the least of my worries. On the up side I got to hang out with the race leader on the way to Avon. At the finish line I took my bike to the Mavic service team to look at the wheel. I demonstrated the problem and explained what had happened along with the history of the wheel. They told me to leave the bike with them. When I picked it up I was told it was a new design and needed to be greased properly. They assured me it had been fixed and I headed to my room.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7K9PkFyJaVnJahNeFoiV1v52Ipioe0wuixk1NKotnFXvfnJBFM0px6SwjbFY3stEV5igBR22RHqU8qSJaNTx_uS4VR8OggbZbwic4WYjXPKbIzA8ayACbRiGyKEIY1SpBxCwrTzk_PI/s1600/IMG_3433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7K9PkFyJaVnJahNeFoiV1v52Ipioe0wuixk1NKotnFXvfnJBFM0px6SwjbFY3stEV5igBR22RHqU8qSJaNTx_uS4VR8OggbZbwic4WYjXPKbIzA8ayACbRiGyKEIY1SpBxCwrTzk_PI/s320/IMG_3433.JPG" width="320" /></a>Later I would learn that the rear derailleur has a fail safe mode that stops operation in the event of an accident. The violent nature of the chain dismount triggered the fail safe. The marshal had unknowingly reset the rear derailleur by pushing and pulling on it.<br />
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After a welcome massage and nap I was ready for the rider briefing and dinner. But first there was the small an insignificant matter of a boil forming in the crease of leg in a location very few except your loved ones and medical staff are willing to explore. Fortunately the medical team was willing to make a house call and the prognoses was a ruptured sore. It seemed like all my careful planning was coming apart. I had gone through bike and saddle fitting only to get my very first saddle sore of my life on stage 3. I was prescribed both oral antibiotics and antibiotic cream to fight the wound internally and externally with the reassuring advice that it was going to hurt like a [fill in the blank] until I stopped riding on it. Oh Joy.<br />
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At the briefing Amber kindly went to the pharmacy to pick up my medication whilst we sat through the recognition of the top three leaders in the GC and each age group. It still amazed me that all the riders received was a photo in front of the Mavic Haute Route banner, I felt they could have at least provided a small medal or something to acknowledge the achievement for each stage, the presenter even announced them as bronze, silver and gold medal winners. Anyway the briefing then outlined the Time Trial for Stage 4 and the order riders would leave in.<br />
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My wheel however was top of mind as the presenter outlined a fast descent between two climbs. Then I looked on the board and discovered I would be the first rider in the last wave with all of the fastest riders behind me. For many the Time Trial day was going to be a recovery day. Not for me, sitting in 4th in my age group I would have to race to hold my position. At least it would not be a super early morning. <br />
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As I walked to the restaurant with Tina the events of the day were playing on my mind and how the situation with my rear wheel could have been disastrous. At the restaurant I was asked about my day and I was surprised by the thoughtless jokes about my wheel. Being tired, hungry and worried I was in no mood for joviality on a subject that could have put me in hospital. I was also unhappy as I had decided to test my wheel earlier and found that Mavic had not resolved the problem. So in summary I was not in the best state of mind to hear jokes when I needed help and answers.<br />
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Oh well at least I would eat well, or so I thought. The final blow of the day was to discover that despite being assured that the restaurant would cater for my diet I was informed by the waiter there was nothing on the menu I could eat. I was speechless, tired and hungry and I had expended energy walking to a place that could not feed me. I found I was surprisingly calm (or possible dangerously calm) as I excused myself and left to find food elsewhere.<br />
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Fortunately I was able to defuse myself (helped by being dog tired) on the walk back at the hotel where the hostess of the Western hotel restaurant was a breath of fresh air. She helped me with my order ensuring it was gluten, dairy and preservative free. The taco's were great and with a full stomach I was able to relax.<br />
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Putting the high's and lows behind me I made a mental note to visit the Mavic Service team ahead of tomorrows race and do my best in Stage 4 as I pulled the covers over me to embrace sleep and much needed recovery.<br />
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Keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut ....<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-21302934046677806372018-07-12T21:51:00.000-07:002018-07-12T21:51:01.781-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 2 Boulder to Winter Park (Post Race)As you probably gathered I gave up posting during the event. I simply did not have the energy or time to create a new post after each stage. Rather than stress about providing content I decided to share the experience afterwards. It has taken me a little while to post as I had to recover from altitude sickness that hit the evening of the last stage.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px;">Please consider a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my </span><a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;" target="_blank">fundraising page</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px;">, no amount is too small.</span><br />
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<h2>
Stage 2 Boulder to Winter Park</h2>
89.3 miles<br />
12,173 feet of climbing<br />
High Point 11,297 feet (Berthoud Pass)<br />
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<h3>
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<h3>
Stage Results</h3>
General Classification (GC): 22nd (+16:11)<br />
Age Group 45-54 (AG): 4th (+12:09)<br />
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At 4:30 am I was up before the alarm ready for a 5 am breakfast and a 7 am start. I am not a morning person and I neglected to train for early morning starts and I knew they were going to get old quickly. The start line was buzzing and the sun was shining as everyone prepared for what was going to be a big day in the saddle.<br />
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<b>Inside track:</b> An advantage of being part of Team Type 1 is that Phil knows, or is known by most, if not all of the organizers and ex-professional riders in the event. That is not to say they are not approachable, just that it made introductions easier.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIf_yOipuHq3LlQtyDQP3a2Y_haJSrgQUGY67uWImhnA9gfyY3gQ9xrDXdJEHiloAl9IWaOF70HxT2MRHmYlLtX23xfdwIbeLfucwPq6uG7-Pgbg3vqqDy2OV6Gx8Ss6j5FqBTYYnlXA/s1600/IMG_3392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIf_yOipuHq3LlQtyDQP3a2Y_haJSrgQUGY67uWImhnA9gfyY3gQ9xrDXdJEHiloAl9IWaOF70HxT2MRHmYlLtX23xfdwIbeLfucwPq6uG7-Pgbg3vqqDy2OV6Gx8Ss6j5FqBTYYnlXA/s200/IMG_3392.JPG" width="150" /></a>It was after one such Phil conversation that I met <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colby_Pearce" target="_blank">Colby Pearce</a> (former US hour record holder) and snagged a couple of selfies. In stage 1 Colby established himself as the leader in the 45-54 age group and was sitting 8th in the GC.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmAI-hn6Y2lyZcCbGPTET_cz3SUJ377kiBE1FviktH_TNESLZ_G96ElySfOTVaY-Qi2spd1n8YyK8PZIVJmgj1WIPLZazc-ytYOXWXUtbnhTdebZFJviUJwQ4OUlnRb2f8qexl5aPv6o/s1600/IMG_3395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmAI-hn6Y2lyZcCbGPTET_cz3SUJ377kiBE1FviktH_TNESLZ_G96ElySfOTVaY-Qi2spd1n8YyK8PZIVJmgj1WIPLZazc-ytYOXWXUtbnhTdebZFJviUJwQ4OUlnRb2f8qexl5aPv6o/s200/IMG_3395.JPG" width="200" /></a>At 7 am the peloton rolled though Boulder with a police escort. It would be a short warm up with the first timed section and climb (Sugerloaf) starting at mile 5.7. With grades exceeding 15% we would climb to the summit, descend for a short section then climb again to the finish at mile 15.8. As I looked down at my Garmin I was frustrated to see a blank power reading. My power meter problems were persisting and I would have to ride the day without it, even though I was using it re-actively due to the altitude it was still a mental blow. I would have to rely on my heart rate as a guide.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISby9UjjmwmFFSSb1PXiQbgoHJxoh6t2dKcl-Vaaafpb1H1wGl8RBrV9GJAu8WWznwslipT3rQnkFcktPhTAS-93dxt04E8QbFK7UpHBY3I2W7Gv-jzJCsK_gZd7fgqRFvHiMr1ovilc/s1600/Stage+2+Timed+Sections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1122" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISby9UjjmwmFFSSb1PXiQbgoHJxoh6t2dKcl-Vaaafpb1H1wGl8RBrV9GJAu8WWznwslipT3rQnkFcktPhTAS-93dxt04E8QbFK7UpHBY3I2W7Gv-jzJCsK_gZd7fgqRFvHiMr1ovilc/s400/Stage+2+Timed+Sections.jpg" width="280" /></a>I was learning that timed sections make for very interesting race dynamics. Racers seemed to hit the first time section hard giving you the choice to either go with them and potentially over commit, or ride your own pace and lose contact with the main group. With three sections I opted for my own pace and soon found myself working my way through riders as I paced the climb. Later I would discover I completed time section 1 in 39th place, 17:49 down from the race leader but only 4 minutes off of my rivals.<br />
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At the feed station the team re-grouped and moved out with a larger group to share the effort over the 9 miles to the second timed section at mile 24.1. The second timed section would be a mix of climbing, descending and gravel, over rolling terrain. The start of the section came after a descent where I found myself out in front of our group with a few other riders at the base of the first climb. I felt comfortable and sat in to share the work. We pulled away building up a lead when I stood up in the saddle and my chain snapped. It took me a second to register what had happened and then my heart sunk. My chain was wrapped around the bottom bracket and I was going nowhere. When I finally unwrapped my chain I discovered that the speed link had failed. There is a first time for everything but really at the start of a timed section, did it really have to fail now, apparently the answer was yes.<br />
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The main group soon came by and with luck the Mavic support car was right behind them. I was losing time but my hopes lifted when I saw the Mavic car. He pulled over and came to help. I told him what had happened and he took my bike. In retrospect I should have taken some pictures as it would turn out that I had plenty of time. I was however metaphorically hopping from one foot to the other. I was really grateful that I had support but the support was taking a painfully long time as the mechanic rummaged around in his box for a speed link then to my horror struggled to connect the chain. I could see that the link was not seated properly as he continued to try to force it to lock. I finally had to point out the problem and then seated the link myself. It locked and he took the bike and spun the chain on. I thought "that's it, I am off", within a couple of peddle strokes something was wrong, the grinding sound was a dead giveaway. Stopping I discovered the chain had been run behind the front derailleur. I had to break the chain, re-thread and re-join it. I had lost somewhere in the region of 10 to 20 minutes in one go. Finally I was back up and riding and feeling a whole lot of pressure to ride hard to limit my loses.<br />
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Without the support of a group I put my head down and ride solo, the scenery was a blur as I focused on the effort. Soon I was turning off the road and onto gravel where I redoubled my effort to claw back time. By the time I reached the end of the section I knew I had committed a significant amount of effort. I finished the section in 56th place, 31:04 down from the race leader and losing around 14 minutes to my main rivals.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzqCCGRIzZ7chkH9mWItlNqQdGYAuERo-HPz4z5AiSPmqa9cy1Zj94pPdWHblyJtJSMLvhtmPvnJ-XifJslba7KU_3uA4lQRjpQYTRp_r-S-sqW8umVLFDXIpmORAboOkt0lo-MbfHHE/s1600/DSC02563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzqCCGRIzZ7chkH9mWItlNqQdGYAuERo-HPz4z5AiSPmqa9cy1Zj94pPdWHblyJtJSMLvhtmPvnJ-XifJslba7KU_3uA4lQRjpQYTRp_r-S-sqW8umVLFDXIpmORAboOkt0lo-MbfHHE/s200/DSC02563.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHK_P2uCMqKnv03FeLTYEqtiNAFjkIavq5IZMYnn12NYP5cnW7Tuqo1xh4akUD5MHZfsLf3ybd4x6JXRcdrXkDQUi4d0jzcMNe1ljNqR8M1OgErTKTx-52dIPMZUCzMfTkobuJKqqilM/s1600/IMG_3399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHK_P2uCMqKnv03FeLTYEqtiNAFjkIavq5IZMYnn12NYP5cnW7Tuqo1xh4akUD5MHZfsLf3ybd4x6JXRcdrXkDQUi4d0jzcMNe1ljNqR8M1OgErTKTx-52dIPMZUCzMfTkobuJKqqilM/s200/IMG_3399.JPG" width="200" /></a>From the feed station we had a 23.5 mile ride to the final timed section of the day. The climb to the summit of Berthoud Pass and the high point for the day at 11,297 feet. We rode as a small group as the weather started to turn. With the first drops of rain we pulled over to put on jackets, which was a good decision, before long it was not only raining, it was hailing. The weather remained changeable as we continued on. After the effort in time section 2 I knew I needed to recover and allowed myself to yo-yo off of the back of the group as they pushed harder than I wanted to ride. The trade off was a lack of shelter but I needed to conserve energy. As we approached the feed station at the base of the climb I was joined by another rider and a Colorado native. He said there was a storm front coming and we were in for "some special Colorado weather." I had no idea what that meant but it did not sound good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ43xV8pHo8zD73IxE8mVAJb7ePqFx433RetNE3U-Ay4UP3s1d5yfMU2pKqAsJu9qXwkxIgDMFXlIwxvfGPbbSmmOPhoOIN_hK5mK2T4EfMHBaPAoCBdaRfsFayEFgTbzNApTocaZZ02E/s1600/IMG_3404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ43xV8pHo8zD73IxE8mVAJb7ePqFx433RetNE3U-Ay4UP3s1d5yfMU2pKqAsJu9qXwkxIgDMFXlIwxvfGPbbSmmOPhoOIN_hK5mK2T4EfMHBaPAoCBdaRfsFayEFgTbzNApTocaZZ02E/s320/IMG_3404.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
As soon as we arrived at the feed station there was confusion. We were told that due to the weather timed section 3 had been neutralized and that the day was over. Team members started to get changed and pack up their bikes. A police officer confirmed the situation and I stopped my Garmin and prepared to get changed. What we did not know was the ramification of not finishing the last time section. Then someone said they were checking with the Haute Route officials. Then it got even crazier. The official word from the Haute Route was that the road was clear and the timing section open. The police officer was shaking his head and reiterated, it was a bad idea and riders should finish here. We were caught between the risk of weather and being told the timing section was open. If we wanted to complete the race we had to ride. Fortunately I had packed some warmer clothing in my sag bag and after pulling on knee warmers, thin glove liners and my rain jacket I headed to the start of the last timed section of the day.<br />
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As I hit the start of the 12.7 mile climb I had no idea what was ahead, had I known I would have packed up at the feed station and called it good. The climb was not steep, but it was long and high. It was not long before the altitude started to sap what strength I had left after an already crazy day. As I got higher, I started to fight a sick sensation in my stomach and head forcing me to ease up on the power. Then about 3/4 of the way up it started to snow, then the wind picked up and it became driving snow reducing visibility and making for a surreal experience. Head down, I was managing my body and focused on getting to the top. After what felt like forever I finally crossed the line but the weather and altitude had exacted a cost. I had arrived in 64th place, 38:14 down on the leaders and losing almost 20 minutes to my rivals. I would not know the times until much later. As I reached the summit in the driving snow my only thought was to finish the stage. One of the Team Type 1 crew said "do you want to go on?" followed by "Phil went on and is just ahead of you", In my exhausted and altitude befuddled mind the only option was to go on and finish. I shouted into the wind and snow "I will go on". Boy was that a stupid decision.<br />
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Let's recap the conditions (picture by Rupert Waterhouse as the weather closed in). Driving snow with temperatures well below freezing. Visibility a few feet ahead and road conditions treacherous. I had nothing on my head other than my helmet with lots of air vents, thin glove liners, rain jacket, short sleeve jersey, shorts and knee warmers, oh and toe warmers over my shoes. I was not exactly prepared for the conditions I now found myself in.<br />
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As I started the decent, snow drove into my face and helmet simultaneously freezing my head and blinding me. My eyes felt like they were freezing and I had to clear the snow from my glasses to see. The faster I went the worse my head froze forcing me to ride my brakes to both stay safe and try to reduce the cold. It was a losing battle as sensation in my hands was almost gone. I considered pulling over but with no shelter on the side of the road I feared freezing whilst waiting for help. Instead I held on to my brakes feathering them as best I could. The cold was so painful and I felt waves of sickness. Then things took a more worrying turn as my vision started to tunnel threatening a potential black out. I shook my head and focused on staying conscious, I chanted to myself "stay up, stay up, stay up". I knew if I could stay together a little longer the temperature would increase as I lost altitude. I just had to stay upright and conscious, then I felt it, slightly warmer air, it washed over me like hope and I knew then I could hold on to the finish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5p7dB48ji0b57qwWv8_62OGnavmjuij_B8Jy_P3IliUBjGcICTzwgkvl3rhpCb2BRpZDWMV8a9uTQoSofCzxT0AXDrsfac5AxsfEMjlJS5pQUF3x5ugPzonoJft3iUgHW8DOhX3NUDVI/s1600/IMG_3407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5p7dB48ji0b57qwWv8_62OGnavmjuij_B8Jy_P3IliUBjGcICTzwgkvl3rhpCb2BRpZDWMV8a9uTQoSofCzxT0AXDrsfac5AxsfEMjlJS5pQUF3x5ugPzonoJft3iUgHW8DOhX3NUDVI/s320/IMG_3407.JPG" width="320" /></a>As I crossed the finish line the announcer called out "another Team Type 1 rider is in", but my scrambled mind barely registered the words. I heard someone say "lets get you warm" then someone else lead me to an underground garage. The words and the result were very different. I was left freezing cold and confused. What the official had done was lead me to the Haute Route bag drop. Had they taken a moment to appraise my condition they might have really helped and limited what happened next. My bag was not there it was with Team Type 1. I looked around like a dummy for a few minutes trying to figure out where I was and what to do when I saw Phil's bike outside a cafe across from me. I used it as a beacon, put my bike next to it and headed inside. Phil, looked at me and said something like "you too", I just nodded and sat down at a table. I was so, so, so cold. I just sat there in cold, wet clothes and started to shake. The shaking increased and was so violent I could not think, speak or control my body. My bag arrived and somehow I forced myself out of my wet gear and into dry clothes but the shaking got worse. The riders at the table were trying to look after me. They got me a tea and hot soup but I could not hold them for shaking, I could not think straight, all I could do was shake. I was really grateful for the support and help. After what felt like ages I was able to get some hot tea and a little soup down. The shaking continued all the way to the team car and back to the hotel. I ran a hot bath, then crawled into bed and fell into a fitful sleep for a couple of hours, skipping the riders briefing for the next day before dinner.<br />
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In retrospect I was very, very lucky, things could have gone horribly wrong in so many ways. Ironically the Haute Route decided to neutralize the entire stage due to timing issues and what I can only assume to be mixed messaging as some riders where neutralized before the climb. The neutralization would go in my favor with regard to the timing. Although I finished 32nd I had lost considerable time due to a broken chain and adverse weather conditions. I had gone far deeper than planned and the aftermath of the cold and shaking had taken a considerable toll on my body. How I would perform in stage 3 would depend on my recovery and that meant sleep.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tqDykAjoJF_1LFmiAAuWLLaYQDw3EB7fk_qoydanW05LuxanYN80mzOMMSfPgFf3GHLwYzKEG4XsuA-X8ln7NkDit1Auq7Ig5RnChy3vq1Eugw5fW_3TdL2j8nGzOovEwdf7kOLU99s/s1600/IMG_3400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tqDykAjoJF_1LFmiAAuWLLaYQDw3EB7fk_qoydanW05LuxanYN80mzOMMSfPgFf3GHLwYzKEG4XsuA-X8ln7NkDit1Auq7Ig5RnChy3vq1Eugw5fW_3TdL2j8nGzOovEwdf7kOLU99s/s320/IMG_3400.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>Afterword:</b> Looking back on the events of that day and how the Haute Route managed the messaging left me with a very mixed feeling.<br />
By neutralizing the stage the effort and advantage built up by some was completely washed away. In addition the effort expended was in some cases unequal and some might say unfair going forward. I both benefited and suffered as a result of the stage. My time loss was wiped away but conversely I raced hard expending a great deal of energy for nothing. More concerning to me was the poor judgement call on behalf of the organization and the decision to go against the advice of the local police officer who's appraisal of the situation was completely accurate. In hindsight I feel they could have aired on the side of caution. Thankfully no one was harmed but that could so easily have been a different story as I later learnt my experience was not unique. Things happen and hindsight is 20/20 vision and whilst different decisions might have been possible I want to believe decisions were made to give riders the opportunity to compete and finish. What I found disappointing was how the Haute Route managed the decisions and outcomes after the fact. They behaved as though it simply did not happen. The Stage 2 video contained no reference to/or mention of the weather conditions. No photographs where shown and to all intense and purpose the stage was all blue sky's and clear riding. When someone pointed this out in the rider meeting there was nervous laughter and a quick change of subject. In my opinion this was disrespectful to the riders that had pushed through and overcome extreme conditions regardless of whether they should have been put in that position or not. I know the day will forever be etched in my memory as one of my most epic and grueling days of riding, as I am sure it will be for many others.<br />
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Keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut ....<br />
<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-3144401964958666932018-06-24T21:39:00.000-07:002018-06-24T21:39:12.619-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Stage 2 Boulder to Winter ParkToday’s post is going to be short and sweet as I am writing it on my phone due to a lack of WiFi and I am too tired to find out if one is a available. I will update it with more detail later, so do check back.<br />
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We left Boulder in the sunshine heading to the first timed section of the day, the climb up Sugerloaf. With sections with a gradient in excess of 15% and only the first climb of the day it was going to be an epic day. I felt good on the climb and enjoyed hanging with different riders.<br />
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The second timed section was rolling with some hard climbing and gravel. I started the climb feeling good, then boom my chain broke. It took me time to untangle the chain which had wrapped itself tightly around the bottom bracket, then a minute to figure out that the speed link had failed. By then the group behind had caught me and luckily the Mavic Support car was right behind. As you can imagine if you have ever raced I was eager to limit my loses. Whilst the Mavic car was a life saver it seemed to take forever and the mechanic could not engage the new link. I stepped in and connected the link and thought I was off only to find the chain run behind the front mech. The chain had to be broken and re threaded. All in all I lost between 10 - 20 minutes. Back on the bike I pushed a little harder to try to recover lost time.<br />
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There was a long ride between time section 2 and 3 during which we were rained and hailed on. Not fun. We arrived at the feed station before section 3 to receive conflicting information. We were initially told the section was cancelled due to the weather. The Haute Route team told us the road was clear. The state patrol officer thought it was a bad idea. In the end after waiting around we headed out for the 20km climb up Berthoud Pass. On retrospect it was a bad idea. The weather closed in and at the top the snow was blowing in sideways. I found the climb hard due to a combination of riding hard earlier in the day, the weather and the altitude. I felt light headed, sick and had periods of difficulty breathing all whilst trying to maintain a steady tempo. I conseeded to riding within myself. At the top I could have bailed out but with another rider just ahead I decided to ride to the finish. The decision was seriously flawed, touching speeds of 50mph in driving / freezing snow everything started to shutdown. My head froze, my eyes felt like they were freezing, visibily was minimal. I could not feel my hands and I experienced waves of altitude sickness decending quickly from 11297ft. I was riding my brakes hard and repeated the mantra, rubber side down, stay up over and over again as I felt my vision tunneling. As I got lower the temprature lifted a little and I was able to make it to the finish.<br />
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At the finish a Haute Route official said let’s get you warm which was a great suggestion but then proceed to lead me to the official bag drop and leave me. Freezing and disoriented it took me a few minutes to figure out where I was. I finally saw Phil’s bike in a cafe opposite and walked in. As soon as I sat down my entire body started to shake violently. The guys at the table were amazing, they got me tea and soup, but my mind and body would not respond. I got in to some dry cloths but the shakes just persisted. I want to thank everyone at the table for there help. It took 2 hours before things started to settle down.<br />
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Thank goodness for the support of Team Type 1 staff. The got me back to the hotel and once in the room I had a hot bath, short sleep and a much needed massage. Now it is time to sleep and recover for Stage 3.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-6369034067786872872018-06-23T20:58:00.001-07:002018-06-23T20:58:29.332-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018 Stage 1: Boulder - Boulder<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXqQW2fd3w6lfi_C0iEFRztnha0Abr8xODa1EsaxzTCzyyV5p8sUNivKYNlRl0BRqMEUUfNHpjYK8XzvSEaeOqBq6DPMnmcRrNh8h9Ia7PxPhx5Ghfj0E56AmjKcGzcqw0VMuOGQVAF4/s1600/IMG_3379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXqQW2fd3w6lfi_C0iEFRztnha0Abr8xODa1EsaxzTCzyyV5p8sUNivKYNlRl0BRqMEUUfNHpjYK8XzvSEaeOqBq6DPMnmcRrNh8h9Ia7PxPhx5Ghfj0E56AmjKcGzcqw0VMuOGQVAF4/s200/IMG_3379.JPG" width="150" /></a>The alarm clock went off at 4:45 am this morning and for once I had no trouble getting out of bed. I think the adrenaline had been pumping all night in anticipation of the start of stage 1. I headed down to breakfast at 5:15 am and meet a few more riders at the breakfast table. Then it was back to the room to get ready.<br />
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At 6:15 am I joined the rest of the team at the team bus to pickup water bottles and pump up my tires. Everything was dialed in and the team was there to look after us and wish us luck. At 6:50 am we rolled to the start line with 200 hundred of our newest friends, ready for the start of stage 1.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5ILxxhNe6-Xbl1qOyThAbZt9hkMXVsqH3Hro1ReZEkoes3F0PekItdAf6uIx1Hm_dNfQUFtUnNkuxSQpD6lI6nUBZUJPeRBXbX5joolsFrdz78I9iQ1jn8zqjhJH04GH0aQ3bdaHe8E/s1600/IMG_3381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5ILxxhNe6-Xbl1qOyThAbZt9hkMXVsqH3Hro1ReZEkoes3F0PekItdAf6uIx1Hm_dNfQUFtUnNkuxSQpD6lI6nUBZUJPeRBXbX5joolsFrdz78I9iQ1jn8zqjhJH04GH0aQ3bdaHe8E/s200/IMG_3381.JPG" width="200" /></a>At 7 am the neutral roll out started with a police escort through Boulder. It was a chance to settle in and get ready for the stage ahead. For those of you that are not familiar with the event it is not a point to point race. Each stage has a number of timed sections and the GC (general classification) is taken based on the time sections alone. This means that after the timed sections you are able to stop to re-fuel at the feed stations before riding to the next timed segment.<br />
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Stage 1 timed sections:<br />
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1: Lefthand Canyon climb starting at mile 8.2 and 3134 ft.<br />
2: Timed decent starting at mile 23.3<br />
3: Dirt road timed section starting at mile 50.5<br />
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With the overall profile for the day looking like the following:<br />
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At the start of the climb the group exploded and I settled into a tempo whilst watching both my heart rate and power, both of which I had no reference for due to the change in altitude. My goal being to rely on perceived effort in relation to the numbers. I tapped out a steady tempo and started to work my way back up the field. I caught and pasted the bulk of the team and continued on. I could see the next group ahead and slowly rode up to them. with about 14K to go (I had to switch to metric so I could use the race queue sticker provided) I caught the group and tagged on. The grade was not steep enough to negate drafting and I was beginning to tire although I still felt good so I worked with the group. I kicked with 4K to go and that was a mistake, I was not able to maintain the same level of power and the group came back and passed me as I worked to get out of the red zone.<br />
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Just after the timed section was the feed station and we pulled over to take on more water and food. I did not know it then but I had also failed to take on enough fluid during the climb. I would discover that mistake in time section 3. As a team we rolled out to start the decent with Phil and Dan leading the charge. We tore down the hill as a group. I had not anticipated the small little incline before the end of the section and lost a little time. From there it was on to the next feed station to prepare for the final dirt road flat timed section.<br />
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This is where my earlier mistake kicked in, I could feel my legs beginning to cramp. It was not the best feeling in the world but I was able to sit in with the group as we raced across the hard pack dirt. Right an the end two of the team came by and I jumped on for a perfect lead out to the final line of the day. From there we rolled into the last feed station then rode out the last 12k of the day back to the hotel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUg_tzyciZPM3IxPmaIPPxANJczxm3rw0ixqVzTD9-8lPnF9RVaV4J4kDE7svtHoFq2cUZcwd-ctYPuwUqIayE7M8u0OBrwsrkKY4KkP2Egxc1UdLY9dNI2dCOWcBk3GC8uOhJpIVlJu4/s1600/IMG_3378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUg_tzyciZPM3IxPmaIPPxANJczxm3rw0ixqVzTD9-8lPnF9RVaV4J4kDE7svtHoFq2cUZcwd-ctYPuwUqIayE7M8u0OBrwsrkKY4KkP2Egxc1UdLY9dNI2dCOWcBk3GC8uOhJpIVlJu4/s200/IMG_3378.JPG" width="150" /></a>Whilst out on the course Sarah was tracking me remotely via the Haute Route site and I received text's om my Garmin informing me of my age group position. I was very happy with the results for the day, 5th in my age group and 22nd overall.<br />
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Once back at the hotel the order was lunch, nap, massage. Thank the stars for Tina the Team Type 1 masseuse looking after me. She put me back together ready for action tomorrow.<br />
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After a short nap we headed over to the rider briefing for tomorrow. Both the stage and the weather look tough for tomorrow so after dinner at the hotel it is time to rest and recover for Stage 2.<br />
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If you are enjoying these posts please think about a small donation to Team Type 1, the official charity partner for the Haute Route by visiting my <a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" target="_blank">fundraising page</a>, no amount is too small.</div>
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Keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-80491584099587030472018-06-22T20:35:00.000-07:002018-06-23T14:49:57.167-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018: Registration Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLRD0kXSVI8fxKD1ukG8GPTugUT1-27oKTzAexUkizPa4UuQCvTXv1lQaNWuYcqACpRFVG7bt6wd8NHaNssub92TOnSHbOD9X2GOBknIneKK0MX6nmcZ6ifHocOnllkGlPiG1-pdm8LI/s1600/DSC02534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLRD0kXSVI8fxKD1ukG8GPTugUT1-27oKTzAexUkizPa4UuQCvTXv1lQaNWuYcqACpRFVG7bt6wd8NHaNssub92TOnSHbOD9X2GOBknIneKK0MX6nmcZ6ifHocOnllkGlPiG1-pdm8LI/s320/DSC02534.JPG" width="320" /></a>Waking up this morning was thankfully not as hard as I anticipated. I headed down to breakfast around 6:30am (5:30 pst). Walking in I bumped into another rider (Michel) and we shared breakfast together and exchanged stories.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzx1lr90lF9fYVuk4wvUmXm2dssr3NBtB8xgH1zz8lJaMYFvUsDCrTlojiaIaud7LBePwn_lsCe33I5cbCGzJY3tucRio2t_blhybyT5Q7iWz-8cPTKBNuODoqpGgKHi5irkNm7vplfo/s1600/DSC02530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzx1lr90lF9fYVuk4wvUmXm2dssr3NBtB8xgH1zz8lJaMYFvUsDCrTlojiaIaud7LBePwn_lsCe33I5cbCGzJY3tucRio2t_blhybyT5Q7iWz-8cPTKBNuODoqpGgKHi5irkNm7vplfo/s200/DSC02530.JPG" width="200" /></a>It was then back to the room to get ready for a last ride before it all kicks off. 3 of the Team Type 1 riders hit the road at 8:30 for what should have been an uneventful flat ride. I say should of because right out the gate my power meter was not working, thankfully it was as simple as a flat battery and solved when we got back. With none of us familiar with the roads I mapped out a course and then proceeded to take wrong turn after wrong turn until I finally got us going is a straight line. The first half of the ride was great until a wind storm hit us. I have never been in wind so strong, for about 10 mins we were scoured with dry leaves, twigs and just about everything else the storm could throw at us and fortunately nothing big, like a tree branch. We then rode into a strong head wind for the next few miles until it decided we needed a shower, followed by more wind and then sun. By the time we got back we had been blow dry.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZorsf7Ph7n5pt0FFILrFgyYiKlqfJUqFE8RAnSJHd-5ks_lRVoq9Ru_HIU8YJw3vnyiquOZRsZ1j9lfI8_4ituNQ9Sc2_RtWpY3kFDIbucx0jNEmiq_rP9lOqs3Hg14TLRn6rVfstZE/s1600/DSC02531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZorsf7Ph7n5pt0FFILrFgyYiKlqfJUqFE8RAnSJHd-5ks_lRVoq9Ru_HIU8YJw3vnyiquOZRsZ1j9lfI8_4ituNQ9Sc2_RtWpY3kFDIbucx0jNEmiq_rP9lOqs3Hg14TLRn6rVfstZE/s320/DSC02531.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeFZb8kf1NBufSFb8h0zFUAVDThdhJ-LUe4LAmMGvStJwq7oTe4EhN44FFKHIYhkGt2Wfyc9IZeGJZl_20mp8lGB5S2Z2_bPy04VaKUs5LACKjCKC2AK4xHuzVzmbRf2A8g-PM2OP9u4/s1600/DSC02535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeFZb8kf1NBufSFb8h0zFUAVDThdhJ-LUe4LAmMGvStJwq7oTe4EhN44FFKHIYhkGt2Wfyc9IZeGJZl_20mp8lGB5S2Z2_bPy04VaKUs5LACKjCKC2AK4xHuzVzmbRf2A8g-PM2OP9u4/s320/DSC02535.JPG" width="320" /></a>With registration opening at 11am, I packed up my winter cloths and helmet (I had read they wanted to see that riders had them at registration). I then walked to the registration hotel, which was probably not the best plan and I am blaming the effect of altitude. At registration I picked up my rider packet, bags and kit, no one wanted to see my gear but you can bet your life if I had left it behind they would have. The Haute Route staff where really helpful and got me sorted. I checked out the other vendors. I was disappointed not to have won the custom shoe fitting but picked up a water bottle as a consolation. I really did not want to walk back with everything I had just been given, that would have been very unpleasant. Thankfully the Team Type 1 crew were there to look after me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7e2uulyYJ1Fg3m4BqiK8GhK-K1XR5WVoJi0jAc_60g_7XewBsYQ58x8nI3lmTPQ5Hx81NeZPFH66QXDGKU0IFyF6Yk_G7Fzwes1sZchz_IEnHvAEpD4jYgzqzydJWxsFBYoPECM2iz8/s1600/DSC02537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7e2uulyYJ1Fg3m4BqiK8GhK-K1XR5WVoJi0jAc_60g_7XewBsYQ58x8nI3lmTPQ5Hx81NeZPFH66QXDGKU0IFyF6Yk_G7Fzwes1sZchz_IEnHvAEpD4jYgzqzydJWxsFBYoPECM2iz8/s320/DSC02537.JPG" width="320" /></a>Back at the hotel I got stuck into sorting out my kit and post race bag for tomorrow. It was not until I finished packing it I realized I would not need it as the race finishes at the hotel (Doh!).<br />
I fitted my frame number and transponder. Ok, so the frame number was a challenge. I seemed to be the only one that could not get it to sit right. I finally gave up and used my number bracket. I really missed the support of Sarah who would have had me sorted and organized in a fraction of the time.<br />
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I was really hoping for a nap but by the time everything was done it was time for a massage. OMG I did not think I was that tight or sore.<br />
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From massage it was back to the other hotel for the riders briefing. The whole two different hotel thing got old really quickly, it took 30 minutes to walk and an advertised 6 minutes by car which was more like 15 with traffic. After the Briefing it was back to our hotel and out to dinner with the team.<br />
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It was a nice location but I thought the restaurant server had sent someone out to hunt the food it took so long to arrive. Ok I might be being a little unfair, I was hungry. It was great hanging with team but as the time went on I felt my self waning and finally decided to say good night.<br />
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The race starts at 7am tomorrow with breakfast at 5am, that's a 4:30am wake up (make that 3:30am with the time difference). I am sure for some it is even worse.<br />
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It has been a long day and I am sure it has been the same for many of the riders. Wishing everyone a safe and fun day 1 of the Haute Route Rockies tomorow.<br />
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Keep it rubber side down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-63208207809679054662018-06-21T21:17:00.000-07:002018-06-21T21:17:30.016-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018 - Travel Day<br />
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You have got to love
travel days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A necessary evil for me
now. but I can remember a time in the dim and distant past when I actually
looked forward to flying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a night
filled with restless energy and anticipation for the journey ahead I woke at 5am ready for Daisy our love bug of a dog to slip under the covers for an
early morning cuddle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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With bags packed
Sarah drove me to the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
might not sound like a big deal but for Sarah it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She faced her anxiety about driving in rush
hour to see me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is just another
example of the support she provides for which I am so grateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the drive to the airport I checked on the
status of my bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I </span>decided
to ship it using <a href="http://www.bikeflights.com/">www.bikeflights.com</a>
and FedEx. I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>entered my tracking number
and discovered it was out for delivery.</div>
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Whenever I can
afford it and sometimes when I can't, I try to upgrade my flights to either
business or first class to make travel as painless as possible, you may think
this is flashy but I don't do it for status, for me it is simply worth it to
make the journey a little less unpleasant and today It certainly made getting
through to the security line easier.</div>
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And then there is
security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it is necessary but
does it really need to be so unpleasant, it is like a vortex that sucks the
happiness out of everyone in the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wouldn't it be different if the security personnel where cheerful and treated
customers with respect and enthusiasm vs suspecting everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this is unfair and I certainly would
not want the job, but just imagine what could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I got over it once I
got dressed for the second time and finished with the security guard
riffling through my backpack. Go figure, my bag of electronics sailed through but fruit and a bag of potato chips set off the alarm. </div>
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The rest of the flight was pleasant with the added bonus of food on the plane that I could actually eat. Now that is something that does not happen very often with my diet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMzNiqYJAXly_0USkE1Ei9jdOnTdnacuLvtHIH8kwVHgtNRlkGddTklJt9egHG-YDh6hyphenhyphenVKuorpcwVfYZfu-tOcOi3wDP8x-LhU6W_dY_oEpT4_PgEPk5XR6VEvcl6Om-pf09TKrnoIw/s1600/DSC02525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMzNiqYJAXly_0USkE1Ei9jdOnTdnacuLvtHIH8kwVHgtNRlkGddTklJt9egHG-YDh6hyphenhyphenVKuorpcwVfYZfu-tOcOi3wDP8x-LhU6W_dY_oEpT4_PgEPk5XR6VEvcl6Om-pf09TKrnoIw/s320/DSC02525.JPG" width="320" /></a>Upon arrival there was a driver arranged to take me to the hotel where my bike had been delivered and placed in my room. What a different experience to having to drag my bike bag around with me.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;">After assembling my bike it was time to meet up with the Team Type 1 crew in the lobby and meet a couple of the riders. After a few logistics we headed out for a nice dinner and good company. It feels good to be here and tomorrow things get even more real.</span><br />
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I will be heading out for a short 1 hour recovery ride in the morning after breakfast then over to registration.</div>
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If you are enjoying these posts please think about a small donation to Team Type 1. You can help me meet my fundraising goals by visiting my <a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" target="_blank">fundraising page</a>, no amount is too small.</div>
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Keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.</div>
<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-39552553748009273572018-06-20T22:30:00.000-07:002018-06-20T22:31:36.043-07:00Mavic Haute Route Rockies 2018 - The Adventure Begins<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQvDRtDGgKkE_j9OTzxj2fSEx0EegGE3hrwmyFPyuU0tWiPabdCkuqthUjl2WUN3ibUr7sFrqUFFb43ZFfrHV15OrQ_GKP5pInoEXrlqMumi1dkcT2h7MaUN1Fp0YEaLnRcDgnYtTr0U/s1600/MHRBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Haute Route, Mavic and Team Type 1 logo's" border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1600" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQvDRtDGgKkE_j9OTzxj2fSEx0EegGE3hrwmyFPyuU0tWiPabdCkuqthUjl2WUN3ibUr7sFrqUFFb43ZFfrHV15OrQ_GKP5pInoEXrlqMumi1dkcT2h7MaUN1Fp0YEaLnRcDgnYtTr0U/s320/MHRBanner.jpg" title="Haute Route, Mavic and Team Type 1 logo's" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was last year when my friend and the founder of <a href="http://teamtype1.org/" target="_blank">Team Type 1</a> Phil Southerland shared his involvement in the <a href="https://www.hauteroute.org/" target="_blank">Mavic Haute Route</a> as an official charity partner for the event. Phil's stories inspired me and after a little research I decided the 2018 Haute Route Rockies would be my next big challenge. As a bonus I could do it with my friends at Team Type 1 and help raise funds for a great cause. <br />
<br />
You can help me meet my fundraising goals by visiting my <a href="https://tt1.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=15586&mid=9&pid=4323134" target="_blank">fundraising page</a>, no amount is too small and will make a big difference.<br />
<br />
Since the decision was made, training for the event has dominated my life. From nutrition on and off of the bike, equipment, bike fit and planning. The training started in December and since then I have spent 261 hours on the bike, ridden 4364 miles and climbed 197340 ft. My legs have been almost constantly aching, I have had sore hands, feet and nether regions. Sounds like so much fun doesn't it. The things we put ourselves through for a challenge. I could not have gotten here without the unwavering support and encouragement of my wife Sarah. From nutrition to bike cleaning she has been with me every step of the way. I am very grateful for the support of my coach and friend <a href="https://trainright.com/coaches/jim-lehman/" target="_blank">Jim Lehman</a> who has kept me going through both the good and the bad and finally a thank you to my nutritionist <a href="http://www.vitlnutrition.com/sports-nutrition-ce5w" target="_blank">Scott</a> who helped us dial in different fueling options. And now after all the training I am packed up and ready for the adventure to begin.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfYW0Y1UEgGyTXNj_tldSWeytN4bp451quKKo42i-46qnMdP9Zv9XrHi1sD50G5e-N833fZcOOVfNDOYC-MFP3twiWzmCO7WJONFfIsHezjUfb-vzKGcu_AOaslZ8uScNgacOS6Fq-Z4/s1600/BikePacked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfYW0Y1UEgGyTXNj_tldSWeytN4bp451quKKo42i-46qnMdP9Zv9XrHi1sD50G5e-N833fZcOOVfNDOYC-MFP3twiWzmCO7WJONFfIsHezjUfb-vzKGcu_AOaslZ8uScNgacOS6Fq-Z4/s320/BikePacked.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have trained to race and I don't mind saying I am a little apprehensive as well as being nervous and excited all at the same time. The event will be at altitude which is a complete unknown with regard to how my body will react. I have never raced back to back for 7 days so that is also a big unknown. I doubt myself and have high expectations of myself at the same time ,which I can tell you messes with your head. The one thing I do know, is for better or worse it will be epic and I invite you to share in the adventure and join me on a journey into the unknown.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading and remember, keep it rubber side down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-55113839744328006462017-12-20T20:25:00.000-08:002017-12-20T20:31:28.388-08:002017 Cyclocross Season - Race ReportRacing Category 3
Men Aged 45+<br />
<br />
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.971in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup Series </div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.459in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
1st
- Series Winner</div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.971in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
WSBA Cyclocross
State Championship</div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.459in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
2nd
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silver Medal</div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.971in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG Cyclocross
Series</div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.459in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
3rd</div>
</td>
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</tbody></table>
</div>
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<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlwSaNu4zZ_6X8Jb6hzklheHB9876ioh8wVjj9CeZtXLZtKIh-9RjyD41VLdvzhmFm4BRsjU0Q8VpmpUSQUMgiXvhtsNd4FLSxqKVE9ArOa7CnG-GPBTv_51ka8wEby8f-24yqfOUz4c/s1600/NWCup_2-WATER+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlwSaNu4zZ_6X8Jb6hzklheHB9876ioh8wVjj9CeZtXLZtKIh-9RjyD41VLdvzhmFm4BRsjU0Q8VpmpUSQUMgiXvhtsNd4FLSxqKVE9ArOa7CnG-GPBTv_51ka8wEby8f-24yqfOUz4c/s320/NWCup_2-WATER+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Season Summary:</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After being forced off the bike in June 2016
due to a medical condition that still persists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was given permission by my doctor to return to training 10 months
later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a gradual process of
riding checking in with the body and increasing the effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered that I was able to maintain the
level of pain whilst increasing effort and power, enabling me to set my sights
on the 2017 Cyclocross season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Having only raced one
full season in 2015 returning from a near death mountain biking accident whilst
training for the 2014 season and going on to win the CXR Cyclocross series and
placed 3rd in the MFG series I had no idea how I would perform in 2017.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a USA Cycling Category 3 I decided to race
Category 3 men in my age group 45+ in the MFG series, self seeding <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided not to race the CXR series
and to target MFG as my B race series and the new NW CX Cup as my A race
series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a hard decision as I
really enjoyed the CXR series in 2015 however the season schedule favored
MFG.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
with the goal of upgrading to Category
2.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
With Nationals
returning to Washington in 2019 the NW CX Cup series was setup to help riders
earn USAC upgrade points and ranking, this aligned with my longer term goal to
race Cat 1/2 at Nationals and I know I am going to need a couple of years to be
competitive in what is a very competitive and fast field of riders.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEoiaK_6CeUYy-P4LdaiFXYwLYYCqdIUyK0sPNFlcrYAcIeHTVfctVVvbfkvSIUoNEyE3E6nk0GAtYTIk0Yv-GQSUvCXdRAheBTXQ7e5mtQCBTvHdjy3IUDZoZ7F-j-gcEo-g131bK7E/s1600/DSC01862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEoiaK_6CeUYy-P4LdaiFXYwLYYCqdIUyK0sPNFlcrYAcIeHTVfctVVvbfkvSIUoNEyE3E6nk0GAtYTIk0Yv-GQSUvCXdRAheBTXQ7e5mtQCBTvHdjy3IUDZoZ7F-j-gcEo-g131bK7E/s320/DSC01862.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
The season was
without a doubt hard work not to mention long spanning September to December especially having to manage injury recovery on almost
a daily basis as I coxed my body onto the bike each day for training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used an indoor trainer exclusively so that
I could monitor my body and mitigate any warning signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end despite a couple of hiccups my results surpassed my
expectations and I achieved my goal of winning the NW CX Cup Series and earning
enough USAC points to upgrade to Category 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In addition I placed 2nd in the WSBA Cyclocross State Championship, with
a frustrating crash in the last lap and 3rd in the MFG series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> You can follow the link for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOYL5jJDAMzkR_zqgU3fBqMTys0iGVow1">Race Videos</a>.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Now my sights are
turned towards training and the spring and summer efforts that will help get me
ready for 2018 and my first Cat 2 races. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Race</span></div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Name</span></div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.577in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Result</span></div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG #1</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Lake Sammamish GP</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.522in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
10th</div>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG #2</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Moor Cross</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
8th</div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG #3</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Tall Tyler CX </div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.522in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
12th</div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #1</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Crosstoberfest </div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
2nd</div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG #4</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Magnuson CX</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
1st</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #2</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Deschutes River CX</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
1st</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG #5</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
North 40 CX</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
2nd</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #3</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Ridge CX</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
1st</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
MFG #6</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Woodland Park<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.522in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
10th</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #4</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Fort Steilacoom
Park (Nationals Preview)</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
1st</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #5</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Kayak Point Cross</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
2nd</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #6</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
States Warm-up</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
-</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.817in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
NW CX Cup #7</div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 3.591in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
WSBA Cyclocross
Championship </div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid rgb(163, 163, 163); padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.499in;"><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
2nd</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-84186289686703696432017-11-24T16:42:00.000-08:002017-11-24T16:42:50.594-08:00Gear Talk: Rapha Repair Service<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUsSxr_dttQo-n68rwoOknX-tqoU-iw9IDCQQmByRZq8fXzZgQzT8D38Ct0g6VeXAKu0T-SysFwtq4k1J93uIQlz_XvjFaOAU8tOLbUk8deXl2z24ayqxvrS2CFIpAmjl9jys7TqjRtY/s1600/IMG_2104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUsSxr_dttQo-n68rwoOknX-tqoU-iw9IDCQQmByRZq8fXzZgQzT8D38Ct0g6VeXAKu0T-SysFwtq4k1J93uIQlz_XvjFaOAU8tOLbUk8deXl2z24ayqxvrS2CFIpAmjl9jys7TqjRtY/s320/IMG_2104.JPG" width="240" /></a>Hitting the deck hurts and invariably results in road rash, and to add insult to injury shredded clothing. That insult is magnified when you are wearing your new kit. I am sure you know what I am talking about.<br />
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When I purchased my shorts from Rapha, I saw that a repair service was available but I have to be honest I did not think much about it until reviewing the state of my new Rapha shorts a few days after crashing in California. I had literally worn them twice and here they were with holes in them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ0vXua8f3f3uQCbQiJ0lTeqdH0Is0FURWRrQ_k1RWj7gvc7fUHieHrHzncqEMI3ik5DPS7_iHJxzPKfVZvV6MLMEHDTrO9JBtOlYVw6rti1cmJxOiX3-GzR2Zr2YfW3KgHBX3BbXXmg/s1600/IMG_1830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ0vXua8f3f3uQCbQiJ0lTeqdH0Is0FURWRrQ_k1RWj7gvc7fUHieHrHzncqEMI3ik5DPS7_iHJxzPKfVZvV6MLMEHDTrO9JBtOlYVw6rti1cmJxOiX3-GzR2Zr2YfW3KgHBX3BbXXmg/s320/IMG_1830.JPG" width="240" /></a>When I got home I decided to try Rapha's repair service and I have to say I am a happy customer. Apart from the cost of shipping them to Rapha the service is free. Sending them was easy. From there it went dark, I was not sure if they had even arrived so I called Rapha.<br />
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Calling Rapha is never the experience I expect from a premium brand but it always works out. I would like to see Rapha invest in their customer service training in the same way they have invested in their packaging experience.<br />
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I finally got put through to the guy who manages repairs and he was really helpful. He confirmed they had arrived and that they would be sent to me shortly (no pun intended).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCv0pSGz5Sgeb0vnimuKMQMWzBjK6G3XxBM4sA7RectDJgB7YB-gvFOm8lvswPuKX7BCAUNbEIiRFqF-ajPgFgpKKemc5b3gpYLnxAdVkmXrJoeawfVvFTvDeT3F0t0QHQ6kJ_fT1M2A4/s1600/IMG_2105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCv0pSGz5Sgeb0vnimuKMQMWzBjK6G3XxBM4sA7RectDJgB7YB-gvFOm8lvswPuKX7BCAUNbEIiRFqF-ajPgFgpKKemc5b3gpYLnxAdVkmXrJoeawfVvFTvDeT3F0t0QHQ6kJ_fT1M2A4/s320/IMG_2105.JPG" width="320" /></a>He was not kidding, two days later they arrived in the post. One of my favorite things about Rapha is the attention they place on packaging. It just feels special opening the packets and the repair was no exception. It came in its own accident repair musette, a really nice touch. The patching is well done and best of all I get my shorts back. <br />
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While it is not a service I want to make much use of, it is comforting to know that Rapha understands the impact of crashing and is there to support its customers by making the experience easy. Thank you Rapha.<br />
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Until next time keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-30855413680688483842016-06-28T00:19:00.000-07:002016-06-28T00:19:16.233-07:00Gear Talk: Track Bikes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitL3_N7ygMnr9FJhur146RKqjLuEd5zzU0BGVZ1izQRZ6UWYK62SFuW3r-SxSEKWd-_R0ygXC0uC93P3v_fj55bA37LpE7NehAClJ3uqVO36J4TmhTkqvZrkEJRA3szghECm5JFaWSFo/s1600/BlogBike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitL3_N7ygMnr9FJhur146RKqjLuEd5zzU0BGVZ1izQRZ6UWYK62SFuW3r-SxSEKWd-_R0ygXC0uC93P3v_fj55bA37LpE7NehAClJ3uqVO36J4TmhTkqvZrkEJRA3szghECm5JFaWSFo/s320/BlogBike.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If you have followed along with my race reports you will know that I am racing the same track bike I raced when I was a school boy back in England, and that it was purchased second hand from a friend (who I recently connected again with through this blog).<br />
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Over the years I have contemplated having it repainted but resisted the urge, it has the patina of time and use which money can't buy. That is to say to some it looks like a crappy banged up bike. Whilst to others it is retro cool. At a recent track day a rider outright said to me "I thought I was the only one with a crappy bike, but I've got a new one now" or something to that effect. I can remember being a little taken aback. Then moments later I was approached by another rider admiring my ride.<br />
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Comments aside, like all good gear heads I could not help but be curious if a new bike would not feel or ride better. You know how it is, the thought wiggles in and before you know it your are researching your next ride. I looked at the latest bikes from the likes of Cervelo and BMC and browsed the Internet, shocked at how little information is available. I got really excited about the Cervelo T1 only to find out that they stopped production in 2012. I then asked a friend who builds frames to give me a quote for a steel frame, which I reasoned would be a great way to go. He produced some great drawings and I was almost at the point of pulling the trigger.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsdfRAxh8qriEvnImUbqP1IcreNf8LMe20RNExQwqF3za20riu5WH9DUradgzpNUqjaZDDWaI0tqohv-n600qk0f7ypDGDSVE-Jv_sVsCANOKnLj6z6OOXn8Y_KvmkxvuiN9tL6N3tqc/s1600/IMG_2124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsdfRAxh8qriEvnImUbqP1IcreNf8LMe20RNExQwqF3za20riu5WH9DUradgzpNUqjaZDDWaI0tqohv-n600qk0f7ypDGDSVE-Jv_sVsCANOKnLj6z6OOXn8Y_KvmkxvuiN9tL6N3tqc/s320/IMG_2124.JPG" width="320" /></a>Then like all things, reality kicked in and I realized, I have gotten sucked into the new stuff zone without really knowing what I wanted. Sure I could tell you the use but not what I wanted and how it would improve my riding. Then a conversation with my coach confirmed I needed to rethink my expenditure especially with the cyclocross season just around the corner. After all if I did get a steel frame built would it really be much different. Well I guess I will find out some other day as for now my old boy is still awesome in my eyes.<br />
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Whilst inspecting the bike at the weekend I was horrified to discover that my bar tape had slipped. I felt like writing to the manufacturer and letting them know that the tape had slipped after a mere 30 years, well I would if I had any idea of the company. And so came an end to he era of zigzag blue bar tap. As I stripped it off Sarah gave a horrified cry of "what you doing?" I had to reply it's time, it served me well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhvBCpGpBru0uHZeK_hT8B6heQ7M4AzQYfkjPiYh6EuVCMBybDEPe5twc6ZMKmS-3HoI0po_aLky-4bk5kkWfvxxymCUEwvl4g347Fq1caYvGRLlL9Pxc4FMtU3FgzdSPdgThd7Eog5s/s1600/IMG_2126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhvBCpGpBru0uHZeK_hT8B6heQ7M4AzQYfkjPiYh6EuVCMBybDEPe5twc6ZMKmS-3HoI0po_aLky-4bk5kkWfvxxymCUEwvl4g347Fq1caYvGRLlL9Pxc4FMtU3FgzdSPdgThd7Eog5s/s320/IMG_2126.JPG" width="320" /></a>Now one thing I did reason with was the benefit of new wheels, after all mine are 30 years old and going strong but 30 years old all the same. <br />
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A little research and there seems to be some benefit to deep dish wheels other than they look cool. On the track fast wheels help you spin up quickly and once spinning, help you keep your speed. Here we hit the next challenge, nice wheels come at a nice price and I have hit my gear budget pretty hard this year so I decided to see if I could pick up a second hand pair. My patience paid off, ok I got lucky at the weekend, and today I picked up a set of Essor Areodash 88cm Carbon wheels from Craigslist at a fraction of the cost. Yes original owner, with receipt and we meet in a public place. No shady dealings here. I am not familiar with Essor but they seem to get good reviews so I took a chance. I will let you know my thoughts once they have been ridden in anger. <br />
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I guess I am just in a curious mood right now but after having ridden 19 and 23 tires I was wondering at the weekend what a set of 26 or 28 would feel like. One good thing about an old frame is that I have loads of clearance to play with. Well no decision yet but stay posted and I will let you know what I experiment with as the current tires need to be replaced and all I have are 26 or 28 so one set is going on the new wheels.<br />
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I would love to hear your thoughts on track bikes, wheels and equipment, just leave your thoughts in the comments.<br />
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Until next time keep it Rubberside down and MaxLifeOut<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-58343359172489324032016-06-24T23:22:00.000-07:002016-06-24T23:22:49.164-07:00Gear Review - Bib Shorts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBAHzoJpWzaDwVeEO2mk3MGQKeUj86mF496gR9fNU7zA9Fqhrt6qPKJXfvT3o_TZydBBU2JhxYbMmJnkK8cWj5lZou_pFkSx6-8mRhL8RxlQUO-AvQ4o4-hE-KF8iFeTwvdho0KOrtWo/s1600/AssosShorts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBAHzoJpWzaDwVeEO2mk3MGQKeUj86mF496gR9fNU7zA9Fqhrt6qPKJXfvT3o_TZydBBU2JhxYbMmJnkK8cWj5lZou_pFkSx6-8mRhL8RxlQUO-AvQ4o4-hE-KF8iFeTwvdho0KOrtWo/s320/AssosShorts.jpg" width="320" /></a>A word on a seriously important subject, ok the title gave it away but I am sure you will agree that good shorts can make or break a ride. Well that is what all the manufacturers will have you believe and having spent multiple 7 hour days in the saddle I wanted to share my totally unscientific finding with you.<br />
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First and foremost I am a big believer in how the kit we buy makes us feel. We will justify and adjust to almost anything if it makes us feel good. That at the end of the day is what branding is all about. We identify with what the product stands for, represents or symbolizes and in doing so we feel great about ourselves through a mix of internalizing the feeling and lets be honest sending a message to others.<br />
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So what has this got to do with shorts I hear you say. Well until this year I had not really thought much about the quality of shorts. To be honest I still have shorts that I use on my trainer that are 10+ years old and they work just great. No the padding has not worn out and no I don't get sore and yes they get washed after every ride. <br />
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The only real consideration I had was to make sure the padding felt good and that I liked the design. As a result many of my shorts turned out to be made by Champion Systems. Not because I chose the brand but because the kit was manufactured by them.<br />
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Then I discovered the dark secrets of high end quality shorts, or did I just get sucked into the marketing hype. As I prepared for my Tour of California adventure it seemed reasonable and logical that high end shorts would make my time in the saddle more comfortable. The decision was helped after a long weekend training ride when I noticed that after 5 hours my Champion System shorts were certainly less comfortable. Yes, my bum ached.<br />
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With so much invested in my trip I was not going to cut corners with my choice of clothing. I went on the hunt for the best shorts on the market. It was then that I was introduced to Assos shorts. To give you some idea of my cycling fashion awareness, I had no idea of the elite status of Assos. Sure I knew it was a well known brand but that was it. The next shock was how much Assos clothing cost. The people I talked to and the articles I read all told me that Assos bib shorts where the best in the World and the "crème de la crème" was the T.Championissimo_S7. They certainly had the best price tag.<br />
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I am going to humbly admit that I am just as susceptible to branding as anyone, ok I might be more susceptible than most and yes I like wearing high quality kit that others admire. There I said it, I know it is vain but no point beating around the bush. The elitism of Assos spoke directly to my ego and whilst my back was turned, my brain and ego got together to justify the need to own the shorts despite a tiny suppressed voice deep in my conscious yelling "what the hell are you thinking", needless to say I ignored it and helped by an unexpected but welcome discount I was the proud owner of a pair of T-Championissimo_S7 bib shorts.<br />
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So what did I think of them? Well they are comfortable and I like the low cut front when it comes to quick pee breaks. I would love to say I had an "aaaahhhh" moment when I put them on, or when riding but I simple did not. Don't get me wrong they are comfortable I just did not experience the wow factor everyone talked about. One thing I do not like is the light color of the pad, lets face it with race nerves and chamy cream, well lets just say shorts need washing after every use.<br />
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Despite what you have just read after a number of comfortable rides and the need for three pairs of shorts for my trip I rationalized that having the same shorts would be the best idea so I resolved to acquire two more pairs. Fate however had other ideas. At the last minute my order for two pairs went south and I was left hanging. Despite the cost it seemed that demand was high and I could not find anyone who had availability before my trip.<br />
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What to do? Well I could go with another brand, but which one. I would love to say at this point that I have experience with all brands. That would be cool but not true. The only other brand I had experience with was Rapha. Rapha is a premium brand from the UK and one that I have mixed emotions about. I am a big fan of their designs and when they fit I have been extremely happy with them, however the sizing is somewhat hit and miss. The good news is that they have an excellent return policy which makes purchasing different sizes easy to do if you don't mind going through the hassle of returning the ones that don't fit. In general the quality is great but I can't say it is hands down better than any other brand I have owned. It does however feel special to me and I am unashamedly bought into that feeling whilst knowing I am sometimes paying a premium of the design, the name and the feeling I get wearing them.<br />
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So with nowhere else to go for shorts and not wanting to try the unknown I opted for Rapha. I selected both lightweight and brevet bib shorts. The good news was that they were half the price of the Assos shorts but would that show up in quality and ride comfort. Well time would tell.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs57fzLQYzbjgDFukHIMify4V-P_WfY4WGVvTt_hutei9A8-8e1wVBeLsvaSTEfG7Ryy_YRX90cc78YCOsHqVpxGkYqhRVFCLQ8Wu9nYGGzPc5Ufviutv9QLi0tlK8gUvgX2EQ6NIM0d0/s1600/RaphaShorts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs57fzLQYzbjgDFukHIMify4V-P_WfY4WGVvTt_hutei9A8-8e1wVBeLsvaSTEfG7Ryy_YRX90cc78YCOsHqVpxGkYqhRVFCLQ8Wu9nYGGzPc5Ufviutv9QLi0tlK8gUvgX2EQ6NIM0d0/s320/RaphaShorts.jpg" width="320" /></a>They arrived on time and true to form the sizing was all over the place. The Brevet shorts were too big but luckily the Lightweight shorts fitted. I am going to have to say putting them on felt good and I really liked the design much more than the Assos shorts. The fabric of the Brevet shorts felt really soft and comfortable but alas I would not be able to return them in time for the trip.<br />
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So armed with my one pair of Assos T-Championissimo_s7 and two pairs of Rapha Lightweight bib shorts I headed out to put them through the paces over 8 days and 740 miles. So what was the verdict? I really could not tell any difference between the Rapha and Assos shorts and whilst I would love to say there was something about the Assos shorts that warrants double the price. For my undercarriage the value just was not there. The one thing they have going for them is the statement that you are wearing the most expensive and exclusive shorts on the market. If that floats your boat then they could be for you. <br />
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As a result of my totally unscientific experiment I discovered that for rides around 3-4 hours Champion System bibs are just fine. For longer rides both the Assos and Rapha shorts performed equally well while I did notice increased discomfort with the Champion System shorts. <br />
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May you always ride in comfort and until next time keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOutMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-28426056790294448302016-06-23T23:30:00.002-07:002016-06-23T23:30:38.573-07:00Wednesday Night Track Race Report #4 (Mixed Emotions)It is with mixed feelings and emotions that I sit down to write this report. I promised myself when I started to blog I would share the good and the bad and above be honest and objective so here goes.<br />
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If you have ever raced you will know what I am about to talk about, but if you haven't well I hope this helps with some perspective. I love to ride and I love to race but it does not come without anxiety and nerves. Am I good enough, will I be on form, can I stay upright and a myriad of other doubts and of course the dire need for many visits to the toilet. Yup racing is the best laxative in the world, just saying. So when you are stuck in a traffic jam with 30 minutes until the race start you can imagine the state of calm that existed within the confines of my car. <br />
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It took me another 10 minutes to finally get to the car park where I needed to assemble my bike, get checked in, get dressed and warm up. Sarah had ridden down to see me and was sporting a grazed knee, some friends had turned up to cheer me on and I was like a headless chicken rushing to get ready. If you are wondering this is totally not the way to prep for a race. In the end I managed a 10 minute warm up before the track was cleared<br />
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The plan for the night was the same as last week. Ride both the Master B and Cat 4 events to maximize the racing and race intensity for training. It is hard not to focus on my overall position especially since I was in second place for the Master B series going into the race, but the goal is the long game and so the stage was set.<br />
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<strong>Master B Point-a-Lap (3rd)</strong><br />
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In a point-a-lap race you score 1 point for every lap you cross the line in first with the last lap having 3 - 2 -1 points for the first three riders across the line. As the first race of the night I wanted to warm up so I stayed in the field and did not go out early to contend points. As we neared the end of the race I saw the opportunity to grab a few points. I was however a marked man. The race leader saw me go and using my wheel managed to come around me in the final few meters, I had done enough however to secure 3rd place and open the account for the night.<br />
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<strong>Category 4 Point-a-Lap (3rd)</strong><br />
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With one race in between I rolled around the warmup circuit and prepared mentally for my next race. Where there were 8 riders in the Master B field there were 22 riders in Cat 4 and the dynamic of the race was very different. Right out the gate the Cat 4 race leader went after points but I sat back with a longer game in mind. Towards the end of the race I saw my opportunity and stole some points in the final sprint doing enough to earn a 3rd place finish.<br />
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<strong>Master B Miss-n-Out (4th)</strong><br />
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A Miss-n-Out also known as Devil take the hindmost is a race of attrition with the last rider across the line being eliminated from the race until there are 3 riders left. It is a tactical race and this time I got the tactics wrong. One of the rules of track is once you are in the sprinters lane another rider cannot enter it and you cannot leave it. The classic trap in a miss-n-out is to be caught in the sprinters lane and have all the riders come over the top of you. I avoided that trap until 4 laps to go when I was the one trapped.<br />
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<strong>Category 4 Belgian Win-n-Out (1st)</strong><br />
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In a Belgian Win-n-Out there are 4 bells in the race a set number of laps apart. On the 1st bell the race is for 4th place, on the 2nd bell the race is for 3rd place, on the 3rd bell the race is for 2nd place and on the final bell the winner takes the race. With 22 hungry riders I settled into the pack and kept a close eye on the race leader who was also hanging back. He is strong and I calculated that he would probably go for the win, either way I had decided to see the race out to the final sprint and stay true to my goal for the night. As we approached the 3rd bell he started to move up the field and then to my surprise attacked, I started to go with him then pulled up as he took off for 2nd place. It was a tactical move but one that was not liked by the rider behind. I slide back in the field as we jostled for position. At the final bell I locked onto a wheel and he took off after the win but I was glued in place and as we came around the final bend I put the hammer down and was able to out sprint him to the line to take the race.<br />
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<strong>Master B Scratch Race (1st relegated to 7th)</strong><br />
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The final Master B race for the evening. A straight forward scratch race with one $10 preme. We rolled out and from the start the race was one of tactics over speed with no one wanting to put too much work in. At the bell for the preme I was in a good position and thought way not have a dig. It worked out and I scored $10 after which I settled back into the pack. As we approached the final laps the pack moved to the top of the track with everyone on the barrier, you could feel the tension and the energy around you as everyone was waiting for the bell. At the bell a rider went long and I came in on his wheel, it was a horrible position to be in as I knew everyone was lining up behind me. The attack came into the 3rd corner and I accelerated to stay with the field as we came out of the last corner I was laying down everything I had and the finish had shrunk to a single point that I intended to get to first. I took the lead just as we hit the finishing line taking the win or so I thought. As we rolled out I was first congratulated by the second place rider then three riders in turn rebuked me for not holding my line. I will be honest I was confused as I had not thought I had deviated from my line but these are good riders and I will always take feedback and be the first to put my hand up and accept responsibility for my actions. What I did not know was the level of complaint made which resulted in me being relegated for dangerous riding to the back of the field.<br />
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<strong>Cat 4 Scratch Race (result pending)</strong><br />
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I had no time to dwell on the previous race as I rolled up for the last race of the night. I was tired but fully intended to dig in and have a go as it was my last race of the night. As we dropped in it was clear that this would be a very different race than the Master B. I sat back in the field and watched the action not taking part in the premes and not chasing down a lone break. As we hit the bell I was not in an ideal position sitting around 10th and was forced to accelerate to catch the leaders, I closed the gap on the back straight and went wide in an attempt to come around them. I ran out of track and finished in the top group. It was great to find out that a friend had won. My result is pending.<br />
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Coming off the track I was greeted by a very confused and angry Sarah. She did not understand why I had been relegated and she encouraged me to find out more. I approached the judges to ask for feedback and was greeted by my second surprise of the evening, I was told curtly that I had been relegated for dangerous riding out of line. What I wanted was to understand was exactly what had been seen but the attitude I was greeted with left no room for questions. I really appreciate judges and their efforts to keep everyone safe, what I really dislike is when it is delivered in an officious and disrespectful way, it simply creates the wrong energy. That by the way goes for riders too. I totally get that they have to deal with riders with attitude but it is not like we were racing for big money or the world championship. Whilst it was disappointing to lose the points, it was not the end of the world and I personally had gotten what I needed out of the effort.<br />
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I accept the feedback of my fellow riders and will take it to heart so as not put others at risk as I would not want to be put at risk. The sad thing is that the whole incident left a bad feeling in the air and Sarah and I left on a downer which is not how I want to feel about a sport I love and I certainly don't want to have bad feelings with those that I choose to spend my time with. <br />
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I shared the events with my coach and now with you. What is past is past and I will look forward to my next evening of racing with renewed energy, lessons learnt, oh and front and back cameras so I can review my racing lines in the future.<br />
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Until next time keep it Rubber Side Down and <strong>MaxLifeOut</strong><br />
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-36160857837179422302016-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:002016-06-18T20:50:21.277-07:00Wednesday Night Track Race Report #3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcemM-K8TXvjTrBTmOvTmWwMIzGOVJ8ypVPwLDv-uSb2cSyHEvqyivU9J6zGXMG5wI7P8C3ovg8OgdgOUn9dMh1WOFGLuApFUdhuoDcolOl5YfvrkQLaj8jycry6uwIL4s0nvnxbgYdE/s1600/TrackBlog03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcemM-K8TXvjTrBTmOvTmWwMIzGOVJ8ypVPwLDv-uSb2cSyHEvqyivU9J6zGXMG5wI7P8C3ovg8OgdgOUn9dMh1WOFGLuApFUdhuoDcolOl5YfvrkQLaj8jycry6uwIL4s0nvnxbgYdE/s320/TrackBlog03.jpg" width="320" /></a>One of the most important things I appreciate about having a coach is the help with clarifying goals and helping me take on bigger challenges. Turns out that racing Master B on the track will not get me any upgrade points and I need to race Cat 4 to earn them. With that in mind and the objective of getting as much racing in as possible this weeks goal was to race both the Master B and Cat 4, effectively doubling the amount of racing for the night.<br />
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Special mention has to be made for Sarah, who without her help I would not have time between work and heading out to be ready to go. <br />
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When I signed in for the night it turned out that I was the current Master B series leader and entitled to wear the leaders jersey, now that was cool, however I could not wear it as I signed up for both races series and therefore had to forgo the pleasure of having a bulls eye on my back.<br />
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The other little nuance is that for Master B races there is no gear restriction but for Cat 4 gearing is restricted to 48 - 15. That presented me with the dilemma of either changing gearing between races or spinning out in the Master B's. Oh and the Cat 4 field was a complete unknown to me which is always interesting.<br />
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The first race of the evening was a Master B 10 lap snowball. for each lap the first person across the line gets points equal to the lap count. ie, lap 1= 1point all the way up to lap 10= 10 points. I had intended to sit in and try to grab some points but the race split apart and I was forced to go hunt points if I wanted them. I used a slowing of the field to launch an attack after the lone breakaway mid way through the race. I have to be honest, once committed my inner voice started screaming at me "what the hell are you doing? it is only the first race of the night Matthew, idiot". I ignored the stupid voice and managed to do enough to finish second overall.<br />
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With one race before my first Cat 4 race I rolled around the warm up circle, I breathed a sigh of relief when my gearing successfully rolled out and I lined up for an 8 lap snowball. The race did not start well with the official accusing me of racing in the wrong category prior (Master B) telling me I would be fined if it happened again. I was shocked and confused and it really did not help my focus. I put the incident to the back of my mind and rolled up. <br />
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Having burnt a bunch of matches in the first race I was looking to sit in and spin keeping in the main pack, but circumstances did not allow for that. The riders wheel I was on launched into the first point and I simply followed his wheel. It was like following a motor bike and I was very impressed with the speed. I honestly thought we had opened a sizable gap when he pulled up but I did not account for fresh legs. The group had reacted and what little flame I had from the final matches quickly went out. I slide back and came in 9th.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaQTSAn_jnIlpgpGVZXyERSCobrxKTmo0boog-qDBH48UtHmc6Qe9be2gixo9YaXxpB88S943kIj6aa1-78NUklKVKxpY90Ux2CmmVuzFJLAtgpbIlQ7mvgLrM7avEdt7Kg1c_uasRk4/s1600/TrackBlog04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaQTSAn_jnIlpgpGVZXyERSCobrxKTmo0boog-qDBH48UtHmc6Qe9be2gixo9YaXxpB88S943kIj6aa1-78NUklKVKxpY90Ux2CmmVuzFJLAtgpbIlQ7mvgLrM7avEdt7Kg1c_uasRk4/s320/TrackBlog04.jpg" width="320" /></a>Next up was a Master B keirin which would be conducted over 2 heats and a final. The first 4 of each heat would go into the final. The Master A's were up first and I felt rushed to change my chain ring in time, a 48/15 with this group would not work. It turned out that I had 3 heats to change it in but got my timing all screwed up. At the drawing of straws I pulled No 1. which meant if no one took the motor bike I was obliged to do so. In the event I did not get a chance and I found myself around 6th or 7th wheel. As the pace increased the rider in front lost his wheel and the leaders were pulling away forcing me to bridge the gap. As I bridged, the rider behind me came up along side and both crowded and blocked me in, with a rub of shoulders. I was forced to move inside the rider in front to avoid a touch of wheels. <br />
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As we came into the final sprint the same guy was still blocking me in and as we approached the line the rider in front let up the pace knowing he was through, again with nowhere to go other than into a rider in front or to the side I was forced down the inside. I was not happy and had words with the rider, who espoused his experience and the fact he was holding his line. He had the cheek to say I looked nervous and I informed him, he made me nervous through his actions. <br />
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The result of my evasive riding caused me to be disqualified which whilst frustrating was a much better result than crashing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeUAtq5nEZTntCLQQ7JDP-_9Ncr5-hNKuCXmgWH3_rR4xt0kL7gOAooWCgcjyh9SZzizjIH3t0-dFNPsmfZ2B2flx3oGu3kl9tk-c48eDyTMMmTnkYQDdrmd-eEeODn67evyJ72vxVhg/s1600/BlogTrack01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeUAtq5nEZTntCLQQ7JDP-_9Ncr5-hNKuCXmgWH3_rR4xt0kL7gOAooWCgcjyh9SZzizjIH3t0-dFNPsmfZ2B2flx3oGu3kl9tk-c48eDyTMMmTnkYQDdrmd-eEeODn67evyJ72vxVhg/s320/BlogTrack01.jpg" width="320" /></a>The disqualification meant I had just enough time to change my gearing back for the Cat 4, 8 lap scratch race. I sat back in the field and was content to cross the line in 6th. I watched the Kirien final and then got ready for the Cat 4, 16 lap 4x4 points race. As we rolled out I was not getting a read on the riders and positioned myself on the wheel of the guy leading the series. I figured if he wanted to keep his leaders jersey he would have to perform. I contended the first two points coming in the top 4. Around lap 10 a rider was away and true to form the leaders jersey went after him to close the gap and I was right there with him. As he bridged, the rider behind and the one from the first race with a wicked turn of speed attacked. I was convinced my guy would go after him but to my surprise he didn't. We only had 4 laps to go and the attack was a great move. I went after him and was shocked to look back and see the gap we had opened. The next 3 laps were a pursuit as I slowly realed him in. It hurt and I had to chant in my head "Winners don't give up", the effort paid off as I hit the bell and was almost on him. I could see he had committed everything he had and I was closing. I caught him on the back straight and made my move for the line through turns 3 and 4 taking the race and gaining enough points to win the race overall. Ok I had a few more matches left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBBx9pvXxwrAjsgllEN00_5tfZMBV4nDPEtJHj0eWbHmvwWoYlSoExLVDPxq7P-SAwN_6l81E8km5SgqT1pkZOVEov-meJg5TR8L9ijq326ciYfECOyIhrx65aral-_XZHQo1jg9aWqc/s1600/TrackBlog02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBBx9pvXxwrAjsgllEN00_5tfZMBV4nDPEtJHj0eWbHmvwWoYlSoExLVDPxq7P-SAwN_6l81E8km5SgqT1pkZOVEov-meJg5TR8L9ijq326ciYfECOyIhrx65aral-_XZHQo1jg9aWqc/s320/TrackBlog02.jpg" width="320" /></a>The last race of the night was a Master B 16 lap 4x4 points race. After my effort in the previous race I was curious to see how I would perform. As the last race of the night I could afford to light any matches left so I rolled the dice and mixed it up with each points lap. I did enough to take 7th place overall and could not spin my legs fast enough in the last sprint lol. <br />
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All up I took 5th place for the Master B Omnium and 3rd place for the Cat 4 Omnium and whilst I was tired I was not recked which in my books was a win.<br />
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As always Sarah was there with water, food, warm clothing, encouragement and support. One rider in the warmup circle said 'wow you have water bottle suport", I could not help but smile and feel pride and a great deal of gratitude for my wonderful wife who gets more nervous than me before every race but is always there no matter what.<br />
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Cat 4 points race, making the catch, out of the last corner after a 3 lap pursuit.<br />
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Ride hard and fast, keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-70801451878897299042016-06-12T21:53:00.002-07:002016-06-12T21:54:38.163-07:00Ellensburg Gran Fondo 2016<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeH-qn7uxNY8Ols2g_4NwI94VrJ0lY-3H_1P4cjN8fIlpaTpjA_AiWbU8ghfWNr1VUAbOqLvddIe06l0Lk2dKqboAvrW-LS5l6-SfR8miodqC8sEX91fUOq79X3PadzKYbwkFnHTT7wE/s1600/IMG_2084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeH-qn7uxNY8Ols2g_4NwI94VrJ0lY-3H_1P4cjN8fIlpaTpjA_AiWbU8ghfWNr1VUAbOqLvddIe06l0Lk2dKqboAvrW-LS5l6-SfR8miodqC8sEX91fUOq79X3PadzKYbwkFnHTT7wE/s320/IMG_2084.JPG" width="320" /></a>Before I embarked on the Tour of California I added the <a href="http://rideviciouscycle.com/events/gran-fondo-ellensburg/" target="_blank">Ellensburg Gran Fondo</a> I have never done a Gran Fondo and thought it would be something to have on the calendar when I got back.<br />
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Like all events is snuck up on me and before I knew it, I had a week to go and I had not checked my cyclocross bike or selected my tires. In my mind it was going to be as simple as switching the tires from my rain bike to my cross bike, job done.<br />
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Before doing anything, I switched the cross tires for a set or 700x28 continentals and took it for a ride. In my climbing gears I was getting crazy jumping but only under pressure. A-ha, I have been here before with my road bike a guessed correctly that the cassette was worn. A change of cassette (from my rain bike) and no more jumping. Sorted, I thought. Nope, on the next ride I discovered a clicking noise that could only be the wheels or bottom bracket. I opted for a wheel switch first. No dice. I then dropped the chain off in the stand and spun the crank. Yup, you guessed it the bottom bracket was shot. <br />
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By now both my rain bike and cross bike are in bits and I have no bike to ride in the event. I rush ordered a WheelsMfg bottom bracket. The whole bottom bracket standard drives me to distraction. I kept my fingers crossed I ordered the right part.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxie-fxraN-qIrrDgSrIr9gKkFyRJI3TIJg5JV-lIcLBnLcqlQ-AngTcSkWoJqq0JGk-VQ3pHJKFN4Y6sF-pWsoxEg2z_MglqCGNUb2hu5suisD4u7cbmbleooVMgC4Z3NVWAMOIyEoo/s1600/IMG_2089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxie-fxraN-qIrrDgSrIr9gKkFyRJI3TIJg5JV-lIcLBnLcqlQ-AngTcSkWoJqq0JGk-VQ3pHJKFN4Y6sF-pWsoxEg2z_MglqCGNUb2hu5suisD4u7cbmbleooVMgC4Z3NVWAMOIyEoo/s320/IMG_2089.JPG" width="320" /></a>Whilst waiting for the part to arrive I decided to switch the tires. It turns out that if you use your bike, stuff wears out, go figure. On inspection my rear tire had a hole in it and my front tire had so many small cuts it looked like a crazed pixy had stabbed and slashed at it with a tiny knife. Damn pixy, now I needed tires. Having the option of new tires then introduced the dilemma of which ones to get. With 36 miles of gravel, tread would be helpful however it would be a drag on the road. In the end I opted for a set of Tubeless Specialized Roubaix's 700c x30/32 as I enjoyed them during the winter and they stood up well to local gravel paths, until the pixy got at them.<br />
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On Saturday, before the ride the next day, the assembly started. With only the minimum number of swear words everything went together as planned. An hour ride confirmed the bike was ready for a Gran Fondo.<br />
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An early start of 3:30am is not a time for a person to get out of bed. It is simply the middle of the night. Well that was the time I woke up and reluctantly dragged my protesting body out of bed. The start time for the ride was 8am with registration opening at 6:45am, oh and I am about 2 hours with no traffic from registration. On the upside there was just me and a few insomniacs on the road. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83CM9ntxjiKlf7O7yEwLMguhyRG9ICohXBG2PFAb7hT7AT7q0q42NHDTtr-foO6RKMOfgWN6wU5Lt8rcQZwpy6o5k8hk0jXp_5Hvkv6WA8C2bUbPjNJa5MZRWIdjTLT7lxnSdoHWQ8oQ/s1600/IMG_2085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83CM9ntxjiKlf7O7yEwLMguhyRG9ICohXBG2PFAb7hT7AT7q0q42NHDTtr-foO6RKMOfgWN6wU5Lt8rcQZwpy6o5k8hk0jXp_5Hvkv6WA8C2bUbPjNJa5MZRWIdjTLT7lxnSdoHWQ8oQ/s320/IMG_2085.JPG" width="320" /></a>I arrived with plenty of time to get my bike ready, change and catch up with a few friends who were also taking on the challenge. Normally I would have enjoyed riding with them but I wanted to test myself and see what time I could do it in.<br />
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After the race briefing at 7:45am we had a neutral roll out behind the organizers truck for the first 3 miles. For some reason I expected the first half of the ride to be pretty mellow, after all the climbs were not until the gravel section and it was not a race. I could not have been more wrong. As the rider in front of me pulled up I started my turn on the front. I kept a respectable pace of 20-21mph but that apparently was not fast enough. Not a minute into my pull and attacks were launched off the front with everyone scrabbling to find a wheel.<br />
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I decided to let 10 or so riders go before I jumped on the train. Everyone came back together and the pace was significantly lifted. What the hell I thought, lets see what happens if I just react. It was hard work matching all the surges but eventually it settled down at which point one rider jumped away, never to be seen again, well that is never to be seen by the rest of us. He went on to finish first so I understand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrV9gfOUCtLDGQGpx3etzlhmuw3V8uJKSakmORnCoh23HNhhErXS123-XyJbDWhG95Vcs7s9Mu_ufj74_21FhD2RVHM4vBY3YLOWRbVAs-AAT_VHaA4KZ2nO7LMIhPN2f95SQAeqESdto/s1600/EllensburgGF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrV9gfOUCtLDGQGpx3etzlhmuw3V8uJKSakmORnCoh23HNhhErXS123-XyJbDWhG95Vcs7s9Mu_ufj74_21FhD2RVHM4vBY3YLOWRbVAs-AAT_VHaA4KZ2nO7LMIhPN2f95SQAeqESdto/s400/EllensburgGF.jpg" width="400" /></a>The gravel is coming, that is 36 miles of it and somewhere in the region of 7000ft of climbing. Now, I had prepared and reviewed the profile but it still did not prepare me for the monster ahead. Fortunately, I did not know what I was getting into before I was fully committed and anyone climbing that thing in a compact double with a 28 on the back should be committed. Wait, I am getting ahead of my self. The transition from road to gravel was a road climb followed by a gravel wall, well it looked like one. I had already decided to pace myself and had subsequently started to fall back when I hit it. To give you an idea of the grade, the rider next to me ran out of gears and keeled over sideways, it would have been funny if I was not fighting to keep my own bike upright.<br />
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It levelled out a little and I started to tempo the climb, slowly pulling riders back. What I did not know was the unrelenting grade ahead that took us up 2400ft in 5miles. I quickly found the limit of my gearing and was forced to turn the pedals one stroke at a time. Getting out of the saddle things got even more interesting as my lack of tire tread resulted in wheel spins. It was a simple matter of embracing the pain and chanting to myself "I climbed Tahoe, I can climb this" and I did, catching a good number of riders in the process. <br />
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The aid station at the top which I thought was at the top, turns out it was not. A bunch of false summits later a I was finally on a decent. If you have never descended gravel on a cross bike with road tires at high speed I can assure you it is a white knuckle ride. The trick is to keep your weight back, focus on your lines and avoid holes, rocks and loose stuff. Oh and don't overcook the corners or you are in for an impromptu flying lesson without wings or a soft landing, been there and done that, not good :-).<br />
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The trail then proceeded to swoop down hill and then into a climb, followed by another down hill, then another a climb. It was hard climbing and descending. My hands and shoulders hurt from controlling the bike on the way down and my back hurt from the climbing. I was embracing the epic adventure that was the day.<br />
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At the midway point was the main aid station and I rolled by opting to fill my water bottles from spare foldup containers I was carrying. Bottles filled and my bladder emptied, I was back on the bike. I thought this would be a good time to take on more food as the trail seemed a reasonable grade, that was until I turned the corner with a mouthful of food. The second big climb was not as steep but not far off and it went on and on and on and on and, well you get the picture. With food crammed in my mouth I was not having a great time and was relieved when I finally managed to swallow it all.<br />
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I summited the climb with one other rider and we headed into the decent. Now let me ask you, have you ever strayed whilst driving onto the bumpy white line designed to wake you up?. Well to my horror the corners of the trail had turned into massive wake up lines and hitting them at speed had a similar effect to putting your head in a blender whilst simultaneously driving your man bits up behind your ears. If that was not bad enough it numbed your hands and made you see double, and all of this came as a surprise as you hit a racing line through a loose gravel corner at speed. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dhDIOC1jECx46PK3boAClCZkGpDGgF9DLfxwcgFa5VB9BT-MpIUIC413_JBT8ceYKjCpSVBepmn92RBaxlT4vJuwgcUMZkJ-o4j3Ab465xdzL_lYrAlmx_iAE0avuf4poV2-mIIBOA4/s1600/IMG_2086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dhDIOC1jECx46PK3boAClCZkGpDGgF9DLfxwcgFa5VB9BT-MpIUIC413_JBT8ceYKjCpSVBepmn92RBaxlT4vJuwgcUMZkJ-o4j3Ab465xdzL_lYrAlmx_iAE0avuf4poV2-mIIBOA4/s320/IMG_2086.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
As the rider in front of me took off down hill it took all of my descending skills to stay in contact and stay upright on the bike, allowing the back wheel a little freedom to break loose and recovering a number of potential front wheel washouts. I was glad I had both MTB and Cross skills in my toolbox I can tell you. We flew down the descent and the level of concentration was insane. I took calculated risks but was not prepared to take stupid ones, opting to stay back in case he went down but not far enough back that I would lose contact. Our decent worked in our favor and we pulled back two riders ahead. It was however only a matter of time before the trail claimed a victim and I discovered at the end of the ride that the first rider we caught then went down hard behind us Fortunately he received flesh wounds and was able to complete the ride. With his shorts torn up and cuts on his arm and leg I knew it was going to hurt later and I felt for the guy. I hope he is recovering quickly.<br />
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The end of the decent dropped us out onto the road and it felt wonderful to hit the asphalt. The other good news was that we were now three and we worked together to race to the finish. With all three of us working we were making good time and soon had a lone rider in our sights. It was not long before we pulled him back and invited him to join us. He dug deep and jumped on. Now we were four and heading for home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGIXu-l6TRZorI8Vo7uDH1giPgU8503mmieDDSihdSANn8J8L0NOKWYMLrH_vk1GQVWKu6ePXoOpD2yqtVy15mdGlbAB0tCDdVK16P2jSNFR-6C57gjdGc0lppDERF6EqWyOWm-8eeDo/s1600/IMG_2091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGIXu-l6TRZorI8Vo7uDH1giPgU8503mmieDDSihdSANn8J8L0NOKWYMLrH_vk1GQVWKu6ePXoOpD2yqtVy15mdGlbAB0tCDdVK16P2jSNFR-6C57gjdGc0lppDERF6EqWyOWm-8eeDo/s320/IMG_2091.JPG" width="320" /></a>I'm going to say it that the organizers have a twisted sense of humor. Why? because the last 3 miles or so of the ride were on gravel, we turned the corner and hit a railway grade trail. "I was not amused". That said, we put our heads down and raced for the finish, to be greeted with congratulations, a finishers patch and time to fist bump and share stories before heading home.<br />
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It turns out that unofficially the four of us finished in the top 10, completing 90 miles (36 on gravel) and 8000ft of climbing (most of which was on gravel) in 5hrs 38minutes.<br />
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Epic Day and qualifies for Maxing Life Out.<br />
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Here is a short video, not much as I was too busy riding and forgot to film</div>
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Remember to keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-25590502809292017232016-06-09T00:28:00.002-07:002016-06-09T00:28:55.333-07:00Wednesday Night Track Racing (Master B)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYMnkV3XoZHJS5Lx6NW1-F8jJN-NnNaUHbZ4EXAd-c2RhoU7QhgnJG5yJeEEvjBVudsG35tQwK8PahyphenhyphenctGQ4lGeLi8gSDVXLI4Dx5VDz9hAx3QODTtNWE9OGEMhTVjOwkg_f4CCbtUfg/s1600/TrackBlog02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYMnkV3XoZHJS5Lx6NW1-F8jJN-NnNaUHbZ4EXAd-c2RhoU7QhgnJG5yJeEEvjBVudsG35tQwK8PahyphenhyphenctGQ4lGeLi8gSDVXLI4Dx5VDz9hAx3QODTtNWE9OGEMhTVjOwkg_f4CCbtUfg/s320/TrackBlog02.jpg" width="320" /></a>Don't you just hate it when you think you are all organized and then circumstances transpire to reset your sense of tranquility. Well this week I keep getting reset and it started with my cross bike which I am using to ride a gran fondo on Sunday but more about that in my next post. Work was crazy busy and my amazing wife had my kit ready to go for the nights racing. All I had to do was tension my chain and put the bike on the car. Well that's what I thought I had to do until a quick check of my tires revealed a cut. With an hour to get to the track and warm up I seriously considered ignoring it, then common sense kicked in and I had the wheels off rushing a last minute tire replacement. Even the sky looked threatening and both Sarah and I thought the nights racing might end up being cancelled due to rain.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56AwT2Sm69Nug8hKw8y3PljnNagCC_0o3KZUztxWLre8PRgmKpnfiXIj1q64PksXJ9endn6LstoUOh-8VtI_TIAEdBy3Pl4XcV5Gwm-w2FQO85ZbD1u-RCsElyJnrY3K0JhlNpUdzRrg/s1600/TrackBlog01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56AwT2Sm69Nug8hKw8y3PljnNagCC_0o3KZUztxWLre8PRgmKpnfiXIj1q64PksXJ9endn6LstoUOh-8VtI_TIAEdBy3Pl4XcV5Gwm-w2FQO85ZbD1u-RCsElyJnrY3K0JhlNpUdzRrg/s320/TrackBlog01.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjespn3RtYL0kVrIzR6bd4lhKZHFEfHdae9O2vdmvFMRHQFnuHXIkgxpjbSBGHZMA7qrQEzSE5oWg2IzCF0eG6f_qPqrZwmAHypip-EcnkVNVOvrE_aYAlzUalBU5e5YLnHh5jJTLYjqE4/s1600/TrackBlog04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
Well that was the start of the night and you might be forgiven for thinking the next sentence would be "and it went down hill from there". Well I am very pleased to report that was not the case. In fact the drive went smoothly, the sun came out and I got in a 15 minute warm up before race proceedings started. Since I have still not sorted out my gearing to be able to ride the restricted cat 4 races I was down for the Master B races.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjespn3RtYL0kVrIzR6bd4lhKZHFEfHdae9O2vdmvFMRHQFnuHXIkgxpjbSBGHZMA7qrQEzSE5oWg2IzCF0eG6f_qPqrZwmAHypip-EcnkVNVOvrE_aYAlzUalBU5e5YLnHh5jJTLYjqE4/s1600/TrackBlog04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjespn3RtYL0kVrIzR6bd4lhKZHFEfHdae9O2vdmvFMRHQFnuHXIkgxpjbSBGHZMA7qrQEzSE5oWg2IzCF0eG6f_qPqrZwmAHypip-EcnkVNVOvrE_aYAlzUalBU5e5YLnHh5jJTLYjqE4/s320/TrackBlog04.jpg" width="320" /></a>First race of the night was a 10 lap scratch, we had a small 8 man field as we rolled out for our neutral lap. With 3 to go one rider made a bold move and attacked off the front and the pack was unwilling to chase. He quickly established a gap before the pack decided to make a move. As I watched him ride away I had the choice of sprint to get away and risk being caught in no mans land wasting energy, chase hard and pull everyone with me or sit in and fight it out for second. With two more races to go I aired on the side of energy conservation. In the last lap I maneuvered myself into the perfect position and was able to take the sprint for 2nd place.<br />
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The second race was a win-n-out on laps 3, 6, 9 & 12. The first rider across the line when the bell rings takes first and exits the race and so on. The race started fast with an immediate attack that was quickly marked. I did not get into the best position for the first sprint and whilst I was able to fight around the rider in front I was only able to cross the line in 2nd. With the wind at my back in the back straight I decided to stay on the pedals and see what happened, the gamble paid off, the pack let me go and I was able to stay away for the next 3 laps to take 2nd.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRP-ADilVhBJ3Uchcl-peC4FsomqcsxioMfkjyxr53Er-fBl8BmSTfQ6LNGO50-5ixlLjWzT2Ik-e32yDArPcrmcXcV9ozgkc4SvF1HipiqjqsCITl3Yp58HFR224l-L09pzuFJTFARc/s1600/TrackBlog03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRP-ADilVhBJ3Uchcl-peC4FsomqcsxioMfkjyxr53Er-fBl8BmSTfQ6LNGO50-5ixlLjWzT2Ik-e32yDArPcrmcXcV9ozgkc4SvF1HipiqjqsCITl3Yp58HFR224l-L09pzuFJTFARc/s320/TrackBlog03.jpg" width="320" /></a>The last race of the night was a 16 lap 4x4 points race. It was going to be a closely fought battle and I needed to pay attention to my position. In the first sprint I fought to get on a wheel and was able to take 3rd. I was better positioned in the second sprint but was unable to come around the rider in front taking 2nd which was the same for the 3rd sprint. As we wound up for the 4th sprint a rider took off for a flying lap, knowing that the wind would hit him as he turned into the home straight I held position and remained patient. The patience paid off as one of the strongest riders in the group launched an attack and I was on his wheel immediately. I almost lost him as we turned into corner 3 but dug deep. The rider ahead was fading fast in the wind and we passed him in the home straight. It was all I could do to hold the wheel of the rider in front. My 2nd place finish gave me the tie breaker and I won the race and as a result took the omnium for the night.<br />
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It was a great night at the track, the weather brightened up, there was a strong field to compete with and great conversation had with both old and new friends.<br />
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<u>Hitting the gas hard, not to shabby after hugging a tree in the Ballard Crit at the weekend</u></div>
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<u>(short video)</u></div>
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Keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut<br />
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Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-42350889594604138572016-06-06T22:25:00.003-07:002016-06-07T20:01:00.865-07:002016 Ballard Criterium - Crashed with 2 to go<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIxC0FgPA7ff_bBnT6aqIQW48vIq3KAxw39R-5A0wN3BdR7LgMw3Ir-OdgZOpnEv7zioRyWyg9qNyyopuDBOQPKv8RBzNNYOmFZJ4co9P6GNSn76Wo-6I-DcMzPj0Iyif-8Q4MOu-cdQ/s1600/201606BallardCrit-Cat4-00-35-43-336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIxC0FgPA7ff_bBnT6aqIQW48vIq3KAxw39R-5A0wN3BdR7LgMw3Ir-OdgZOpnEv7zioRyWyg9qNyyopuDBOQPKv8RBzNNYOmFZJ4co9P6GNSn76Wo-6I-DcMzPj0Iyif-8Q4MOu-cdQ/s320/201606BallardCrit-Cat4-00-35-43-336.jpg" width="320" /></a>Well I am sure you can guess from the title that my race this weekend did not go as planned. I ended up hugging a tree, just as I bridged and with 2 laps to go.<br />
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Crashing, sucks period. Yes I was frustrated and unhappy, no it was not intentional, the guy apologized and yes it could have been a lot worse, for which I am truly grateful. I got off lightly with scrapes and bruised ribs. My rear wheel was not so fortunate, did I mention it was an expensive weekend, but here again it could have been worse.<br />
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Video Links<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8iltmLtcI4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8iltmLtcI4</a> - Crash (my camera)<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91TsUhRWb4o">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91TsUhRWb4o</a> - Full race (my camera)<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdAL8BgwBCo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdAL8BgwBCo</a> - Scott Stout posted this view (crash at 34:45)<br />
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That's the summary, here is the full account.<br />
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The plan was to rack up 75 minutes of racing by competing in both the Cat 4 men immediately followed by the masters 1,2,3,4 35+, talk about a deep field. The races were back to back, not ideal but doable. With my chances of a good finish most likely in the first race the game plan was to race hard in the first race and ride in the pack in the second race.<br />
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The sun was shining as we parked the car and broke out the trainer. As it was my first criterium of the year I used my Cyclocross warmup then jumped on the course for a couple of orientation laps. <br />
It was a four corner short lap circuit with a slight uphill grade into the finish then slightly down hill for the rest of the course. <br />
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The race started fast with lots of attacks right out the gate. I found myself having to mark and chase down attacks which was not ideal for conserving energy. I had two attempts at breaking away both of which failed and although I had expended a lot of energy I was feeling confident. I could not believe it when I saw with 7 laps to go the pack had allowed another rider to get free and I found myself digging deep to help real him in. It is worth pointing out, that on reflection my lack of recent racing experience led me to work harder than needed, with a little more patience I would not have had to do so much chasing. On the upside it was a good training effort.<br />
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As I bridged the final few meters to the break I eased off the gas as I did not want to find myself on the front with 1 lap to go, I was tired but I felt confident that I could put in a strong finish. I needed to rolled back into 4th or 5th to recover for a final big push. I was in 2nd and everything was going to plan when I was surpised by a rider on my right who then cut across me as a rider hit my left side and drove me into a tree going down with me. Fortunately I was not going at full speed and was able to hit the brakes. The impact rattled my cage good and after my emotions had exploded out of me verbally, you know something like "goodness gracious that hurt, how unfortunate you dro<br />
ve me into a tree" all condensed into one word ending in "K", I was helped to my feet. My thoughts turned to my bike and the next race. Sure I was bruised and scraped but I was up and I wanted to make the start line.<br />
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Sarah handed me the keys to the car and I started to head back to get wheels when I was directed to the FSA neutral support. The guys switched out both wheels, straightened my bars and brake. The officials delayed the race by 5 minutes and I made the start line.<br />
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From there everything went south, I failed to clip in and had to scrabble to find a wheel, I was able to move up but then found myself going backwards rapidly, I just could not meet the accelerations to hold a wheel and by lap 2 I was out the back and by lap 4 pulled of the course. I simply had nothing left in the tank and was more than a little disappointed with myself. I took consolation in riding an aggressive first race and taking one preme. The second race highlighted the work I need to do in the coming months.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUviTKjsliDsVeC9sMHG10Px5Zzy8-Eor8NFKMtOXQ23TdqFwS0zSciZW0F9ihxxMnSnNaHRfk8y_2_VnS5tL1Kak4Hy7tevYj6D7SpoyHJzd21yXDxRbeTI-n_4r3wZ-C9tyj9Oo7t0/s1600/DSC02966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUviTKjsliDsVeC9sMHG10Px5Zzy8-Eor8NFKMtOXQ23TdqFwS0zSciZW0F9ihxxMnSnNaHRfk8y_2_VnS5tL1Kak4Hy7tevYj6D7SpoyHJzd21yXDxRbeTI-n_4r3wZ-C9tyj9Oo7t0/s320/DSC02966.JPG" width="320" /></a>On the way home we were excited to see on Facebook our friend Dawn had successfully completed the flying wheels century and was looking good. We thought they might still be at the finish so we called and instead received a surprise invite for dinner, which was awesome, even more so as they are now paleo and we did not have to explain what we can and can't eat. Great company always makes a day better. When you max life out it does not always go to plan but it is always epic.<br />
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Hope you had a great weekend keeping it Rubber Side a Down and MaxLifeOut.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-53751510391447688382016-06-02T22:06:00.001-07:002016-06-02T22:17:43.903-07:00A few thoughts on Wheels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnQ3sVX-HDXIx4Fv2ewgQ0Eg0v06UznlfOFTeGZtVBC1soZjkqnliBUAZQjrNzBylC0SUXB_WCkN6V9ad93YzLq4Xy-Vhs9FAPzLcYsxbqFRszg3DzApUU2YUQHQWQ-VaJ1UgE7W32A0/s1600/BlueinATOC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnQ3sVX-HDXIx4Fv2ewgQ0Eg0v06UznlfOFTeGZtVBC1soZjkqnliBUAZQjrNzBylC0SUXB_WCkN6V9ad93YzLq4Xy-Vhs9FAPzLcYsxbqFRszg3DzApUU2YUQHQWQ-VaJ1UgE7W32A0/s320/BlueinATOC.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
I thought I would share my thoughts and experience with different depths of wheel rims. Specifically the effect of cross winds on deep section wheels. First I have to say aesthetically I really like the look of deep section rims and was lucky enough to purchase my road bike with Enve 3,4s which many sight as the best combination for cross wind stability. I will be the first to admit I did not even think or consider cross winds when I saw the wheels, I just thought, they are cool and I still think they are cool. <br />
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For the first year of use I really did not know what all the fuss was about cross winds, sure I got subtle bumps on local rides but I put that down to my aero frame rather than the wheels. I now realize I had it wrong. It was not until my first decent of Mt Lemon in Tucson that I got to understand the true effect of cross winds. At 35mph I could feel the wind knocking me around and the faster I went the more dramatic the effect. As I leaned into a corner it was like an invisible force snatching at my bike forcing me to focus on keeping upright as much as taking the right line. Again I placed most of the blame on my aero frame although the effect on the steering suggested wheels, I was still leaning towards the aero forks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSv25GC9mwj4LPOC_L4bNmEZ1pqzAvbUGT1GRCfCw_D8WU5j-3ZCInlZm6pzFzwRZULiOuEgudHEvCb5v47XM0-5Veup4mqGm6Gv3Ar3mbeVbyQOHaHHbFpg0_toTApVFmRaxE6LAAfA/s1600/EnveWheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSv25GC9mwj4LPOC_L4bNmEZ1pqzAvbUGT1GRCfCw_D8WU5j-3ZCInlZm6pzFzwRZULiOuEgudHEvCb5v47XM0-5Veup4mqGm6Gv3Ar3mbeVbyQOHaHHbFpg0_toTApVFmRaxE6LAAfA/s320/EnveWheel.jpg" width="279" /></a>Well as you might of read in my Tour of California blog, at the <a href="http://maxlifeout.blogspot.com/2016/05/tour-of-california-journey-begins-with.html" target="_blank">last minute my rear wheel went bad</a> and I was forced to switch to standard rim wheels, in this case Campagnolo Urus wheels. At first I was frustrated but I soon came to appreciate the switch especially during the long descents in windy conditions. I was forced to face the fact that 90% or more of my issues in the past was due to my wheels. I was simply blown away or rather not blown anywhere. I watched riders in front of me fighting to control their bikes whilst all I had to do was concentrate on taking the fastest line. So it's not my frame I was forced to conclude.<br />
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The most dramatic experience I had was the super fast decent off the top of Lake Tahoe. In front of me was a coach and I watched the wind literally knock him all over the road. I was being knocked about but in nowhere near the same manner. Just watching him was scary and at the bottom he turned around to wait for the rider behind as he was so concerned about the wind.<br />
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I still love my Enve 3,4's and <a href="http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/wheel-sets/product/review-smart-enve-system-3-4-wheelset-12-45763/" target="_blank">BikeRadar</a> has a good review of them if you are interested in learning more. I for one have a new appreciation for the effect of deep section rims. From now on I will be more conscious of my choice of wheels for specific rides and conditions and if forced to make a choice of one set of wheels I would go for a standard rim over a deep section one in the future.<br />
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I really enjoyed and my Campagnolo wheelset that is for sure. I hope you found this helpful.<br />
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Until next time keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOutMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-43528201580636367202016-06-02T00:28:00.001-07:002016-06-02T00:28:25.005-07:00Wednesday Night Track Racing #1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpkK4g-QadCx7UWKDtrQgPkXX_jnuFGeG_3_EWbe25xtIOOcaoZw4vRwpA2Ti2C__DBIimUgQR2BnZpAdyTDqPyu3GxNR_w1qx1gPq3iPMRv4GFU1rESXievkV22tPMwr6jc0pqUMgu0/s1600/DSC02878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpkK4g-QadCx7UWKDtrQgPkXX_jnuFGeG_3_EWbe25xtIOOcaoZw4vRwpA2Ti2C__DBIimUgQR2BnZpAdyTDqPyu3GxNR_w1qx1gPq3iPMRv4GFU1rESXievkV22tPMwr6jc0pqUMgu0/s320/DSC02878.JPG" width="320" /></a>It just seems to be a week of unplanned firsts, well that is not entirely true, riding on the track yesterday was planned. What was not planned was racing tonight. It just so happened that tonight was the first official Wednesday night race of the season and I just so happened to be at the track yesterday to learn of said event. That would have been the end of it had I not then texted my coach only to receive a reply this morning of "let's race tonight". <br />
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Yes if you have to ask my first response was butterflies in the tummy, quickly followed by the thought maybe I should not have gone so hard yesterday, finishing with resignation and excitement at the thought of actually racing for the first time this year.<br />
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Checking out the schedule I was licensed to race both the Master B and Cat 4 Men. Combining the two would give me six races, three in each group. As the intention was training, we rocked up to the track with that in mind.<br />
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Oh, I have to sidebar for a second. Last night I messaged the Friends of Herne Hill with yesterdays blog and was shocked to find that they posted it on their facebook page. The upshot was reconnecting with a friend I have not had contact with for probably 25-30 years. He was the one that sold me my track bike, yup the very same one I am racing on now. How cool is that?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2jyzympC5-fHHbOtLTvmZmMD_zvOwWSuGDwB7F6-8W4c-7zs9flq6EznqEC_M2LT05l-jRazhdJkIqEHNKkEDW4HpCzbDwWiqRvPscSbtTzEik0FsOOJEAjviXlAHRfPK7-H89TT29E/s1600/DSC02879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2jyzympC5-fHHbOtLTvmZmMD_zvOwWSuGDwB7F6-8W4c-7zs9flq6EznqEC_M2LT05l-jRazhdJkIqEHNKkEDW4HpCzbDwWiqRvPscSbtTzEik0FsOOJEAjviXlAHRfPK7-H89TT29E/s320/DSC02879.JPG" width="320" /></a>Back to the racing. It was a balmy temperature with the threat of rain and a few laps around the track confirmed that the wind had switch 180 degrees from yesterday hitting us as we turned into the home straight. At the end of the 45 minute warmup one of the riders rolled up and I am ashamed to say I did not recognize him and therefore very grateful that he said hi. We had raced together during the cross season and had a mutual friend in common. It was his first official track race which was awesome.<br />
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The first race of the evening was a Master B, 10 lap scratch race. My plan was to use it as a race warmup with the knowledge that I had a Cat, 8 lap scratch to follow. I hung with the pack and sat up in the home straight not wanting to blow all my energy in the first race, on hindsight that was a mistake but then that is the wonderful thing about hindsight.<br />
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For Cat 4 races gearing is restricted so at the start of the first race there was a roll out to check gearing. I confidently joined the line only to find that I was long, my gearing was too big. No idea what happened, ok I do I had the wrong gear setup - DOH!! My new friend offered me a wheel but I decided to pass on the race. The offer was very much appreciated but would have been a pain for both of us since it was the wheel on his bike not a spare. Reluctantly I resigned myself to just the Master B series. To be honest it was probably a good thing as the races came round unusually quickly.<br />
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Next up was an Unkown Tempo, not a race I was familiar with. It is a points race with 2 points and 1 point given to the 1st and 2nd riders across the line each lap. I chatted with my new friend in the warmup/cool down circle. I suggested if we got the chance to work together we might get away. We had an agreement and rolled up to the rail. The race started hard with two fast laps, I was 5th or 6th wheel when my friend took off like his ass was on fire. I had to make a snap decision and got out the saddle to chase him down, it took me almost half a lap to catch him and when I did he pulled up. We were committed and we had a great gap on the field. I put my head down and took my turn like a man, yes it hurt. We then worked together sharing the points until the bell rang. We were still clear of the field but he was fading in the back straight, not wanting to lose the ground we had made I accelerated past him in the back straight to take the win. He followed me in to take 2nd. It was a texted book 1/2 escape and he did awesome. Next time they might not let us go but it is sometimes worth the gamble.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_hyphenhyphenfzZTKBLrk4uDg5AYe7E9WQjsN1EVgmQgmCPBuHHDjDVZA54u3djA7PofVuSSykkDuembpYPysMgDZ9MYr4iXR3I3VsoH8GHVggd0OtlGHVM71HHrAP1v7ioP9JcBK5F1WwKMdHUg/s1600/DSC02916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_hyphenhyphenfzZTKBLrk4uDg5AYe7E9WQjsN1EVgmQgmCPBuHHDjDVZA54u3djA7PofVuSSykkDuembpYPysMgDZ9MYr4iXR3I3VsoH8GHVggd0OtlGHVM71HHrAP1v7ioP9JcBK5F1WwKMdHUg/s320/DSC02916.JPG" width="320" /></a>The last race of the evening was supposed to be a 4x5 20 lap points race but each race our numbers had dwindled so a snap decision was made by the officials to reduce it to a 4x4 16 lap points race. We rolled out and got started straight away but no one was really willing to work. At the first sprint I was in the top 5 and with the lead out 4 of us had a small gap for a bit but then one of the riders pulled up unwilling to work which shut it down. That was frustrating as it was effectively a waste of energy. The second sprint was launched and again I mixed it up in the top 5 only this time I did not waste any energy trying to create a break but sat back in to watch the riders around me. For the 3rd sprint I was ideally placed and took 1st leaving us with 4 laps to go. It was cat and mouse with one rider high on the banking, I watched him literally roll away, I was sure they would not let him go but sure enough with 2 laps to go he had a good lead on us and he did exactly what he should he used it to launch and attack. At the bell he had almost a free half lap and went on to win the race. Me on the other hand thought what the hell it is the last race of the evening and went for a flying lap. It very nearly worked but they caught me just before the line although I did salvage 5th.<br />
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Ok I am going to admit I was a little frustrated with myself in the home straight as I gave up and did not embrace the pain cave, it might not have made any difference but still there it is I admitted it.<br />
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All told I finished out the evening 3rd overall which for my first race night of the season was not too shabby even if I do say so myself. <br />
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Hope you are getting out there and ripping it up. <br />
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Remember to keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-45464025419110530942016-06-01T00:28:00.002-07:002016-06-01T00:28:58.324-07:001st Track Training Day of 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the Tour of California behind me it was time to get back to the track and turn some of the endurance I have been working on into speed. Today was an open track training day with no particular training schedule. A good friend suggested I join them for there training session but unfortunately I missed there warm up. I did get to jump in on a short pace line effort. With no structured training and with no plans of my own I decided to turn the evening into an interval session and boy did my legs complain about that. It was good to open the lungs and discover that I need to do a little brushing up after so many hours working on distance riding and climbing.<br />
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I had my support team (Sarah) there to make sure I drank and took on food. Oh and I got to wear my Friends of Herne Hill jersey to represent the track I cut my teeth on as a school boy and junior back in England.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eUtUn92WCvonLftI-TGNfuOZHdeG8QkkMPPOzOzOsulbq5MFxPdhNkgn_3qw6RCyCguLB7QuM0uN27n8vgW2d0tCs9P5kQ5sfFxVSx1pYgSg_mmhyWRl2UdZEEGlDqjL6e4ce4wJb_o/s1600/IMG_2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eUtUn92WCvonLftI-TGNfuOZHdeG8QkkMPPOzOzOsulbq5MFxPdhNkgn_3qw6RCyCguLB7QuM0uN27n8vgW2d0tCs9P5kQ5sfFxVSx1pYgSg_mmhyWRl2UdZEEGlDqjL6e4ce4wJb_o/s320/IMG_2025.JPG" width="320" /></a>My next decision is whether or not to race the Ballard Crit on Saturday. A lot will hinge on my ability to upgrade from a Cat 5 to a Cat 4. I know those of you that know me will be saying Cat 5, but remember I did not have a UCI ranking until last year and the only UCI road race I participated in was the Redmond Derby Day. If I can get the upgrade then there are two races I can ride but if not it hardly seems worth the effort for a 30 minute race. I will get the category hurdle out of the way before deciding on racing or not.<br />
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Remember to keep it RubberSideDown and MaxLifeOut.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-76964882286994177452016-05-26T21:13:00.000-07:002016-05-26T21:13:26.371-07:00Urban Road Warrior <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a dramatic title, well that's how I felt astride my fat electric bike. I needed to be in the office today and after spending so much time riding I did not feel like driving. On the other hand I also did not feel like getting changed into my cycling kit and then getting changed when I got to work.<br />
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Then I remembered, this was one of the purposes I purchased our Sondors electric bikes. The purchase was a bit of an experiment and todays was a chance to put the experiment into practice. I was a little nervous that the bike would not have enough range but having been out with Sarah on hers I estimated it would be fine.<br />
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You might be thinking, "What's the big deal if the battery runs out, you are a strong rider, just ride without power", well that was my thought until I tried to ride the bike without power. It is like trying to move an anchored lead weight. <br />
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I headed out and soon discovered that although I had assist it still took effort to ride. It did however have enough range to get me to work where I could recharge the battery. What's more the energy output was low enough to keep sweating to a minimum, which was a good thing as I did not have a change of clothes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsNK0ALI2rLAVs-Dng6TueEE4sK4KbFSgHpyxwCrSNWzpsbUlkkQIJFDa13q8z7mrYi4g7PBL7-DdyQFH2aqvf8WbqQKII6SjHmoclKMrKYLaWXNQDFo70emSqhZf26RX6dsbPKoEFmM/s1600/IMG_2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsNK0ALI2rLAVs-Dng6TueEE4sK4KbFSgHpyxwCrSNWzpsbUlkkQIJFDa13q8z7mrYi4g7PBL7-DdyQFH2aqvf8WbqQKII6SjHmoclKMrKYLaWXNQDFo70emSqhZf26RX6dsbPKoEFmM/s200/IMG_2010.JPG" width="200" /></a>On the ride home I passed a couple of riders and I have to admit as a cyclist I felt a little dirty, but only for a moment. <br />
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Experiment over, I estimate I put in 40%-50% of the effort it would have taken if I had ridden my road bike. So I got a little active recovery and passive exercise whilst avoiding the traffic and breathing some fresh air. I will take that.<br />
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Remember to keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.<br />
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<br />Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884951226859860903.post-61975520403193486232016-05-24T21:33:00.003-07:002016-05-24T21:43:10.454-07:00Back to the Real World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3sVUp8b1UmAcLedTYd_xzQGlxk4rNRp0YZYMEhCpqyjmzI1m3kxA5JyizuOt4VI2PFl3hKy0T6nHcdiY_8qoUHVKVSUURSjgaHZmzNCzTQDglzyDB5opHkz2jeHaPgMKoAPhHHGZzrE/s1600/IMG_1996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3sVUp8b1UmAcLedTYd_xzQGlxk4rNRp0YZYMEhCpqyjmzI1m3kxA5JyizuOt4VI2PFl3hKy0T6nHcdiY_8qoUHVKVSUURSjgaHZmzNCzTQDglzyDB5opHkz2jeHaPgMKoAPhHHGZzrE/s200/IMG_1996.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
It was wonderful arriving home yesterday and being met at the airport by my darling wife. It was strange waking up in the hotel room hours earlier and not getting ready to ride. The trip to the airport and the flight home was uneventful thankfully. I was shattered but our first stop was at Microsoft. Prior to my vacation I had promised to sit on a Hack for Good panel and I had no intention of letting them down. The panel discussion went really well and I was excited to see the non profit participation. Sarah and I then took off home to catchup. Not that I was much good in the catching up department, being dog tired has that effect on you.<br />
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One topic of conversation was "What Next?". It is a great question and I am still working on it. The priority for now however is recovery and to that end my coach suggested that if I felt up for it, Sarah and I could go for a ride together today. I told him that surprisingly enough despite feeling tired I was eager to get back out riding.<br />
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Today the alarm clock did not go off in the morning, well that's a lie, it did but it did not stay going for very long. I stayed in bed and it felt good. Once up we had breakfast and took the dogs for a walk before heading out for almost a 2 hour spin in the valley. It was an overcast but warmish day and it was wonderful to breath in the green air as we bumbled along. Well I bumbled along, if you ask Sarah she has a different version and I could not be more proud of how well she rode. <br />
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I spent the evening working on my Tour of California and CTS trip summary, but now it is time to get in some more recovery.<br />
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Remember to keep it Rubber Side Down and MaxLifeOut.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00911457918372876365noreply@blogger.com0