SSS over for another year. Here is my race

Well the Sizzling Summer Series (SSS) is over for another year. Although I only manmaged to make it races 3 and 4, it was a good hitout for me.Race 3 saw me, finish in the top 10 after getting away in a break that was pulled back by a determined bunch. With a very scappy last lap with plenty of argy bargy and touches of wheels it came to a drag race for all the sprinters. The wheel in front of me got chopped forcing the rider to bawk, in turn washing off a bit of my speed. the end result was a top 10 finish. Today was race 4, the last in the series. With the overall already sealed it was purely an attempt to gain some data from the power tap and fine tune my sprint and race craft. Although already in a good position, with no pressure to do well it was time to have fun and experiment.Any way the race kicked off with a neutral lap and then into it. Rolling over the line to start the race proper saw me drag the bunch through at a solid 50km/h letting every one know that today was going to be very fast and hot. A seires of hard fast attcack followed with many attempts to form breakaways. Nothing succeeded. Then the whistle for the prime was blown and I was sitting pretty about 10 wheels back with a team a few wheels in front watching for any teams breaking down either side. With 600m to go for the line one of the tems lined out on the right and a shout to my team mate and he was on it and I was on his wheel. The leadout was going nicely and at 50m left a rider form the Uni team took a flyer from a long way back after missing his train and just rolled my on the line. So 2nd in teh prime was good, first would have been nicer but thats sprinting.After letting the bunch continue through me to catch my breath and recover a bit the race settled for a couple of laps with all the teams just reassessing their plans.The rest of the race a series of attacks and more attempts to breakaway and once again nothing succeeding. Then the 3 to go sign came out and the sprinters strted to get their trains together and the pace went up about 10km/h as every one jostled for the right wheel.I positioned myself early and watched the right people. 700m to go I got washed out a bit and lost touch with front but made a move down the outside and took the long way around the bunch but I was to far back and ended up in finishing just inside the top 10.Overall a good day with an average of 44.9km/h. I put some pics up from race 3 in my last blog but have none from today as the teams photographer Gaylene was unavailable due to work committments with Bayers Trading Post, one of my sponsors. I will look for some pics from the other photographers that were there to see if any one has some good ones and pass on the link.Next SEQ Open for me is the Glamorgan Road Race, held in conjunction with the QLD U/19 Road Titles, a week after Easter.

Lets go back a week!

Here are some pics from the Sizzling Summer series Rd3!!

What a relief

Just did the Biological age test. After hearing all the press about checking your biological age compared with your real age I though I would give it a go. Now, I expected to get a real shock and have to start thinking about changing a few things about my life. My job is not overly friendly on the body and stress levels and therefore I thought that this would go against me.
Well surprise surprise, the results are in. With a real age of 34 I have a biological age of 35.

What I dont understand about things like this is why they insist on using BMI as a weight assesment tool. i am 178cm, 78kg and have a body fat of less than 10%, yet my BMI says I am 24.6 and therefore it says I should lose some more body fat. Anyway I dont like BMI as a tool and as such pay it lip service.
Oh well the results are good so I must be doing something right.

Ciao and good health

Cycling and Cyclones

Well I have decided that Cycling and Cyclones dont mix. They definately dont make for fun training time. I know, the Australian Cycling Team both track and road are called the Cyclones, but that doesn't help me. I will be a cyclone and right now I might as well be riding in one. Brisbane is being, shall I say, Gently buffeted by the outer edge of Cyclone Hamish which is situated just of the Nothern Coast of Queensland. Although down graded recently we still suffer the affects over 1000km away. At least for now the arain is staying away and the rain we have had has been insignificant, from a training point of view.
Yesterday was a day of continuing my training and staying on the bike. I met up with Chris(Beetlejuice) for a training ride over Mt Cootha followed by a loop of the river. Now I have always said I cant climb, but maybe this training thing works. My last attemptof the Mt was a dismal 12min 50secs. This time I cruised, never went into the red or felt like i was doing it the hard way, in an easy 10min 40 secs. So just by riding I have dropped my time. Maybe I should ride this Mt more often to help me when the road goe up in a race.
Now we all, who ride it, call it a Mt. Really it is a hill that has a solid effort climb of about (or just over) 2km @9% with ramps of 10%. Mt Cootha is a beautiful spot for a ride both on your Roadie or your MTB. With great downhill, X country trails, walking trails, picnic spots and of course the Sealed loop for roadies. I think a full loop is 10km which is good if you want to do a hill session and dont want to have to head miles out of town to do it.
Anyway knocked out 70km yesterday moring with Chris and then a recovery roller session tonight. Back out on the bike tomorrow for hmmmmmmmm. Maybe the Mt again??

Ciao

Once again Happy where I am at- For now

This weekend was a good weekend of racing. Yesterday, the HPRW Nundah Crit was on and it was a fast hard hitout. With a large field of 60 with many teams represented it was always going to be quick. The ave speed for the race was 45km/h with an 8 man breakaway lapping the field with 5 minutes to go inthe hour long crit. Not surprising when you look at who made the break and how quickly they got organised and efficient they were.

Any way a nice hot fast day in the saddle. Happy with how I went.

Today, was race 3 in the Sizzling Summer series(SSS). now I haven't race din teh previous 2 races and was a bit unsure of the standard of the course and the type of rider attracted, particularly since there have been a few crashes in all grades. Anyway, Emma and the kids came out to watch and get a couple of pics and have a bit of a family day. Not too hot(31 degrees C) with a bit of a breeze. Elite B kicked off at 1215ish(the hottest part of the day) and ot straight into it. WIth a rider jumping of the fornt almost immediately. So with out wanting to let things get away to quickly I jumped off the front and had a crack to keep it together. it worked and was quickly kept in check by the bunch. Seems I was being marked a bit. Oh well. Anyway another 2 riders made a go at getting away and this time I let it go. One of the 2 escapees was Damon Stefani from the ADF cycling Club, so I wasn't going to chase him down. They stayed away for most of the race. Then with about 10 min to go the officals came out with the 2 laps to go sign. A lap later they were yelling out 10 min to. A bit of confusion with many still contesting the sprint thinking it was over. I was a little more alert and although having to dodge a few wheels and yell to riders that it wasn't over. I hit the front and smashed a lap at 55km/h to drag back the break, although the accellerations for the not quite last lap had done a pretty good job.

It was then time for me to sit up and save my legs for the real finish. Adam did a good job of keeping me up near the front but not on the front. After a couple of sketchy corners the last 500m came and went very fast. I was sitting in a nice position behind Adam about 6 wheels back. A move came down my left at the same time a move went down the right. Adam followed the right hand move and I followed the left. The wheel I was on got chopped and he bauked a little but taht was enough to allow me to be swallowed up and finsh the race in the top 15 not in the top 5 or in 1st. Maybe next week hey??

Now I said it was another hot day. Lately we have had some absolute stinkers, both hot and humid. Now taking that in mind I have come across a fantastic product to help with saddle sores and chaffe etc. It is not known for being a chamios creme but I use it as one and find it superb.

Neat 3B. It is long lasting, but it is medicated as well. Plus it is cheaper than your traditional Chamios cremes. Check it out and look for it in your local Chemist.

http://www.neatfeat.co.nz/p_3b_action_cream.htm

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Ciao

Work is in the way again

Well here I am at Wide Bay. It is hot , Humid and I am at work. Some of you might remember when I was here at the end of last year for 6 weeks. Guess hat it hasn't changed one bit. Damm.
The only difference about this trip and the last trip is this one is over on Friday and I don't have my bike. Damm.
Anyway, it is an opportuity for my legs to have a little rest prior to the weekends 2 big days of racing. When i get home on Friday I will spin the legs out on the rollers for a bit and then get some rest for the Saturday Nundah smashfest(hopefully not a crash fest), then Sunday Sizzling Summer Series races Rd3. It is supposed to be hot again so hydration this week is important.
Anyway will chat again soon

Ciao

A new focus- Hope it comes true for me

I got to work this morning a little bit early so I could catch up on some emails after my interval session down at Nundah. Anyway, there was a call from the Australian Defence Cycling Club(ADCC), my club, treasurer calling for race resumes for the ARAFURA Games in Darwin in a coupel of months. Normally the Top 10 form the Defence National Titles get automatic selection, but due to operational tempo and the liek it looks like some of those can't make it. So, straight away I was emailing him with a quick preview of my results from last year with a quick note that a detailed list would come tonight.
So I just sent it.
Anyway, the ARAFURA Games are not something you can just turn up to. It i an international event with teams coming from all around the ARAFURA Sea. The AUstralian Defence Force usually sends a huge contingent across all the sports but traditionally the cycling team has consisted of triathletes.
The last ARAFURA Games was the first time the ADCC sent a dedicated cycling team and overall did a pretty good Games. This time we want to dominate and show the calibre of riders we have.
Not sure if there is any track events during the games but definately a RR, ITT and a Crit.
But not being the type of turn up event, my whole training now is focussed on being ready to ride in the NT, so I hope I get it.
By the time the ARAFURA Games are over it will only leave a couple of weeks to get ready for the Tour de Tweed Coast. A totally different style of racing and a hell of lot more hills but the temperature differences between NT and Nthn NSW will make up for some of it. I would freeze but the cardio fitness would outweigh the lack of climbing done in the NT and if I have some serious climbing in my training starting now that should compenstae for a lot.
Now to find out if I am in the team??
Now where is my ADCC kit, might have to do some training and some racing in that again.
Ciao

Back on track

Well after a period of things seeming to go stale and, i suppose plateau, thaings seem to be back on track. My last to races have been with teh crew over at HPRW. The first race was on the classic Nundah rit circuit, a 1.2km flat circuit with a serious of S bends on the back straight and a long drag style finish straight. Anyway, with no team mates to help keep things in check, I had to go back to school and remember individual race tactics again.
After starting the race with a plan to just finish and use it as a tool for training to get things straight again, it didn't work out that way. A break went away and stayed away until the prime. Not sure if we dragged them back in or if they sat up (maybe a combination of both) but they came back to the peloton.
Anyway a series of break attempt went away again including one from me. Every one was attentive and all got pulled in. I even worked my ass off to bring some back. Then the second main break got away and was assisted by the blocking from 2 teams Merida and Mainline. Anyway the bunch tried to chase and it was broken up by these 2 teams each time. We then cuaght the B grade bunch, and just as we were almost passed tehm the commisairres gave them 2 laps to go and they picked up their pace. Words were exchanged by the 2 bunches but he end result was B grade break followed by A grade break followed by B grade followed by A grade. Not good for us.
A grade sat behind the B grade while they did their last 2 laps, rolling around at 40km/h. THe B grade riders not in the sprint sat up rolling down the finish straight sitting up all over the track. So once again in the race I let loose with a mouthful of abuse. Offended a few but dont care really as tehy shouldn't of been riding like that. Plus those that know me half expected it, anyway nothing happened from the officials so over it.
Once that was over we were back to full pace in a vain attempt to catch the A grade break. The end result for the day I crossed the line in 6th place (2nd from the bunch sprint).
So what started as a day to just stay in the race and get some legs going but not do too much turned out to be a hard day and a satisfying result.
Move forward one week. Racing with HPRW again but this time at the Lakeside motor raceway. I really hate this track, this is the one I crashed on in January 2007. I shattered my elbow tore a whole in my knee, 2 operations 5 days in hospital and 7 weeks off work.
Anyway back to yesterday, this track has 2 hills(for a crit they are hills) which are leg sapping. It was very hot 30 degrees C at 7am. The A grdae bunch raing for 60min so a long day. Once again the plan was to survive stay upright and get to the finish with the main bunch, minimum.
After an attacking race including me taking off in a couple of attempts, I was feeling really good. But the last time up the last hill I got stuck a little too far back and by the time I got over the top the spinters were already on the way down and I had to work very hard to make up some ground. So in the 53/12 I smashed it down the hill and took a run up at 65km/h and closed up a few spots but could only manage a 7th on the line. However i did manage to beat most of the ones I had marked through out the race as my main opposition.
SO since I last posted I have had a relatively good period of training and racing. Next weekend is a 2 race weekend. I am entered intot he Sizzling Summer Series(SSS) for the first time. I know I am a bit late as I am entering into race 3 of 4 but I dont care as they are not my goals for the year.
I will keep you posted on how things pane out over this week and how I feel leading into the SSS.
Ciao