Uhg! Get your belgium gutter racer on.

Camp turned into back-to-back death marches on the northern California coast. Day one was a planned 128 mile 11000+ feet of climbing ride. Every one rallies in the kitchen and to eat and leave as soon as possible to hopefully beat the storm rolling in. It was very windy at the start and lightly raining. We cram extra gear in the follow car and roll out. About 20 minutes into it the heavens open up and the rain comes in, then sleet, then snow over one of the passes. It was horrible but something you just tuck away in the back of your mind to be pulled out during a later race and think I am tougher, I can suffer through this.

Even seasoned hardcore racers didn't want to ride on day two but Doug Shapiro(3rd American to ever ride the tour and a Zteam member) gave an inspirational talk the night before about training, racing and riding in the shite when others wont. Collectively everyone looked at each other and it was this silent agreement of "Fuck, now we have to go ride tomorrow". It was only 3 hours but that was more than enough. Treacherous descents marred with falling red wood branches, leaves and debris along with the sheets of rain and 40 mph gusts would make Boonen happy to go back to Belgium

Highs and lows of the weekend:
1. We have some insanely strong guys
2. SRM's do not like torrential down pours
3. No crashed or flats for me, good times!
4. All that time in the rain and cold does not help when you are still battling being sick, suck.

Both from the start of the ride before the crap started falling

One time at cycling camp....

Off for a mini camp this weekend in sunny warm Mendocino, oh wait nope it's forcasted for rain, rain and more rain. Ah yes nothing like a 6 hour sufferfest daily to spread teamy goodness(or contempt). Well, here is hoping for good weather and not becoming road kill after my couple week hiatus. 100+ mile days + no rides over 1 hour in the past 2 weeks = good times!

Yay, paint is done

Norland Crit. Breakaway fiesta

Raced the Norland Crit this weekend and for the Nor-Calers it is the same course as Apple pie last year. It was a chilly 40 something degrees and foggy at the start. My first race of the day was the 3/4 crit and a healthy field of 60 something riders given there was several other races going on this weekend.

Pace was mild for most of the race. I had the goal of just sitting in and riding it out since I have still been sick for two weeks now. About 25 minutes in I looked up the road and saw another Reno local who is very strong had rolled off the front and the pack let him go. I decided to go for it knowing he was more than strong enough to stay away if I got up there clear.
Bridged up to him and were holding about 10 seconds with 2 laps to go when they stopped the race due to a crash. They told us they would restart us with an 8 second lead and 2 laps to go. Great. It was off like a gun and drill it for the last two laps to hold off a fresh group. Stayed away and got out sprinted at the end for 2nd. Picked up 5 more point toward an upgrade.

35+ended in a 5 man break away

2/3 Break away lasted till the last lap. Ended up 15-20 or so in this one.

WoHoo!!! New bling on the way

I ordered a new frame a couple months ago from Brent Ruegamer at ruesports.com and finally Brent has my frame done sanded and ready for paint. I cant wait. It will be custom painted but I didn't want anything to wild so this is the sketch I gave him to go from.(done in mspaint so back off on the low quality)

Actual will follow in about a week. Hopefully!

Flu 1 Me 0

So the Flu won the first round. Just couldn't pedal for long enough to justify 7 hours worth of driving to go to cherry pie. The bug still isn’t gone but getting better. Doc now has me taking zythromax instead, no wonder they call it a practice.

On the bright side I did get out for a bit today in the sun with no knee warmers or arm warmers (always a good sign in February). Threw in some form sprint to see if my lungs would hold out and they did. 5 sprints more focused on repeatability rather than maximal power. 1 max power sprint as an ego check has me sitting around 18.5w/kg for 5 sec power, which I am very happy with given current state of training and the bug. I'm headed to Santa Rosa for two crits this weekend and then a mini camp in Mendocino the following. Should be fun if I can get healthy by then.

Damn it not now!

The weather is finally warming up. The snow is melting enough to expose the bike lanes again. It's a tropical 50 degree which feels very warm compared to the 17 degree mornings we have had. And then there I am hacking up things that science couldn't even explain. Son of a bitch. Yep got the flu. Suck.

Doc gave me some ridiculously expensive pills (tamiflu) and I'm hoping to at least have some lung capacity by this weekend for Cherry Pie.

How to make a winter ride just a little bit better

Rolled on down for the saturday morning ride and nobody was there. Not all to suprised when its 29 degrees, windy and more snow predicted today. Just as I'm getting ready to roll out solo a woman says she's here for the ride also and she's getting ready real quick. She comes back over ready to roll and its Katerina Nash from the Luna Pro mtn bike team. Cool chick and oh so strong. Last summer we had a local mtb TT she showed up to and beat me by 8 minute in a one hour climb.

I think I almost made it onto Cops.

Nothing like coming out of your house and getting greeted with 7 cop cars. In true leave um hanging fashion when asked what was going on they simply gave their best Officer Barbrady impersonation.

To keep this on topic it's only one week till the real start of the Nor-Cal racing season with some sweet sweet cherry pie. Move over wine sipping yuppies, there's bikers coming to Napa. Ok well we aren't that intimidating in our little helmets, clicky shoes and spandex.