Time to start climbing

Well the week is almost over and the Crit titles are almost here. How do I feel?? Well there are some pre race nerves building and it is hard to keep them under control. I have made my plan and I am going to try to stick with it.

So today was a quiet day. As a result I called it quits at work at about 11am and came home to relax before heading out with a team mate Chris aka "Beetlejuice". So the plan was going well a relaxing day and a relaxing river loop. Guess again.

Chris had this plan to mix it up a little. His idea was to start the river loop with alap over Mt Cootha first. Now I have never ridden up Mt Cootha so this was to be a new experience. Experience, Mt Cootha nearly beat me today. I got up and over but I had 2 stops(remember I am a sprinter not a climber). The first stop was because I thought my back tire was deflating. I had just fixed a puncture and thought I had pinched it or not removed the orignal cause. So I stopped to check that, No it was all good. So off I went to try to get back on Chris' wheel, without blowing up. Then I had to stop again. THis time though it was because I was way over my LT(Lactate Threshold) and going into the red big time. So I stopped for a minute, had a drink and got my breath. Once I started again I headed for the top and caught up to Chris. The climb wasn't over but the worst part was. It still kept going up and then it started to go down. Now with out any effort including allowing cars to pass we were cruising down at 80km/h in a 60km/h zone. So that was Mt Cootha, definatly will be going back at the first opportunity and making it a regular part of my training program. I will need to if I am to fill domestique duties in ther Sunshine Coast Tour and Grafton-Inverell races next year.

I really need to climb more, that hurt far too much.

Once the Mt Cootha was done we continued on our River loop. This wan't to be any easy task either. Didin't matter which way we headed we ssemed to be heading in to a head wind which was just strong eneough to be annoying and break your rythmn. So off we went, the heat was up(not excessively) and combined with the wind drained the body and dehydrated us very quickly. But we finished that and headed in our own directions for the long journey home.

On my way home I thought I would duck into my LBS and see if my new saddle had arrived. I ordered it yesterday and was assured of overnight delivery. Guess what no saddle. maybe tomorrow they said. Now I am not blaming my LBS because they are a good bunch of blokes, with a reat reputation. It is their delivery people that have stuffed it.

So now I have to wait until tomorrow to get my new White Fizik Arione Ti saddle. I suppose thats ok a sI will have tomorrow off the bike save for a short roller session later in the day to keep the legs ticking over but not tiring them out.

So till tomorrow.

By the way, Did I mention that the HYPE Energy Cycling Team is expanding. We are after new ridrs both male and female.

We are also looking for new sponsors who are willing to take on a team. We are looking for an equipment sponsor as well as financial sponsors who can see the benefits of cycling and business. So if you are interested let me know.

Storm season is approaching

Well it is coming to that time again, Storm Season. Certainly nothing like the storms in the Top End or in Tornado Alley in the USA, but for the SE Qld it is storm season. and, LAst night showed us that as much as we like to plan things in advance sometimes it is pointless and disappointing. As I said last night I was off to the track for a bit of Track Racing at the Velodome, but the storm came in and put an end to that idea. SOrt of worked out well as the legs felt a bit heavy but nothing I haven't ridden through before.
When I woke up this morning after a shocking sleep, it was clear and sunny and any sign of a storm from last night was only on the radio news (B105), and it wasn't as bad as I expected. SO off to work I went and spent the day finishing off my lesson preparation so I can have an early mark tomorrow before it all starts going ahywire on Friday.
SO tonight is a weight session and then on the rollers for a bit to keep the legs moving for the State Criterium Titles on Sunday. Now I said yesterday taht if it is hot it will be a tough race. Well guess what? The forecast for Sunday is 30 degrees Celcius and my race starts at 2.45pm. So a 1hr +3 lap Crit in 30 degrees guess what very tough day in the saddle. The race favourite is Jonothan Cantwell. Who is he I hear some of you ask? Well JC rides most of the year for the Jelly Belly Cycling Team in the USA. thus year he had a successful trip to Superweek, so for him to come home in time for the State Crit title is going to make it hard for the rest of us. My saving grace is he doesn't really know me and I was only a couple of places behind him last weekend at the Abbruzzo Cup,which he also won, adding to his favourites seeding. Plus I will have some team mates to hopefully keep me near the front. But having said that there will be other teams there all with the same plan so a tough day is for cerain.

So where to from here? POWER
I am now in the market and actively searching for a power meter. I have heard about the power training techniques and advantages of it. Have now had a few friends who have taken the leap of faith and invested in a reliable Power meter and are praising the move. SO I am going to do the same.
Now we all know how good the SRM power meter system is but really it is out of reach of the average amateur cyclist. SO the next on the list was the Ergomo, now not in production and the company is out of action, so scratch that one to. IBike and Polar not that reliable from all the reports I ave read and been told about through word of mouth. So what does that leave?? THe CycleOps Power Tap hub based power meter. All my mates, training partners and their dogs friends all rave about it and if built into a good wheel I can race and train on it. So time to squirrel the $$$$$ away and buy one. Hopefully before Christmas. But if it is just after then thats Ok but to have it at the Bay classic would be a geat way to see what is required at that level for the next time.
Any way tme to hit the gym so I can make room for some Hells' Pizza

Legs are ticking over nicely

Well got up this morning at 5 am(intead of 4 am with all the intentions of an Interval session with sprints but after last nights 4 lap(1.2km/lap) solo session legs were feeling a bit heavy and I was a bit tired. So I went back to bed for an hour and then got up and got on the bike. I headed out to the Nundah Crit circuit where the rest of the group was already belting around at warp speed.
I joined in for the 3rd last sprint nd subsequent intervals. Once I got going I founf the legs were really good and reacted wel with the intensity. Without wanting to go too hard because of the track racing tonight I had a really good hit out. Once it was all over I headed off to work for an easy day of lesson preparation and a Co-ord conference.
The only positive thing from the conference is that everyone wants this to go smooth and I can ake my bike to keep my training up, and by all accounts, and a review of the training program I will have plenty of road training time and roller time. Unfortunately no Gym work as thereis no gym facilities where I will be but I am sure I can improvise.

Now on the faily side of the house, the kids are going well. Eilish is doing really well with the Violin and Swimming, and Rohan has taken up AFL(Auskick) and loves it. He is also doing well with his swimming .
In mid August Rohan had to had to have a minor procedure which for a 5 year old is quite major. He had to have grommets put in his ears, his agnoids done and his tonsils removed. We found he was hearing to well and when we got his hearing tested, in a room with some distractions his hearing was below 40% but when no distractions into the 90%. THe doctor also said his tonsils were that big it would be very painful to eat which explains a lot to his eating habits. Now we can't stop him from eating but he burns it off so quickly that he sill doesn't put any weight on.
Any way will go now so I can get rady for the Track and let you know later how it all goes.

Ciao

Long time no blog

Well after such a long time away from blogging I almost forgot my login details. So what has kept me away from Bebo and letting the world know what I have been up to?

Well i have been kept very busy with work. I have been away on courses all up and down the Eastern seaboard of Australia. I spent a number of weeks in Singleton , NSW. Then after a short time, like less than 2 weeks, I went away again for a number of weeks to Puckapunyal, an Army base near Seymour Victoria. Then once I returned from Seymour I had a week or 2 at home then took off with family for 10 dyas in Fiji. 10 day of sitting by the pool and on the beach, cocktails snorkelling the reef and just total relaxation. But no Bike. Got back from Fiji and have been flat out at work getting ready to instruct on a promotion course for some of the junior soldiers. Should be interesting as it is a course I haven't instructed on as yet.

SO how has the bike riding been?
Well as those who have wondered where I had gone, you would know that my last taregted event was the ADF National Championships. Well that was a disaster. 5 days out from the raod race i injured(strained) my lower back and could barely drive a car let alone get on the bike and race an undulating course for 70km, and then back up with a 60 min Criterium and 45 km ITT. So I ended up withdrawing. Since then I have ha a few races but haven't been able to string too any together in a row. Therefore no results either except a couple of minor places while in Singelton.

Lately though I have been hitting the Velodrome with the track bike and have seen some improvement in both disciplines. My flying 200m time, at last attempt was 12.87secs which I am happy with at this early stage of the track season. As for my Crit racing, I am getting sttronger and faster. My last race(2nd in a row) was the Abruzzo Cup. The race had a field of 90 riders and I managed to finish in the top 20 and still had a go off the front and tried to get away at least 3 times. Everytime I go off the front now the boys from the Virgin Blue team chase me down.
My nxt race is the Queensland State Criterium Titles on 26 Oct. Wish me luck!!

So what are the plans for the rest of the year. Well work is busy. The course I am instructing on will take me up to Dec 5, but then I go on holidays. 02 January is the start of the Bay Cycling Classic in Melboure and I am going to go down and give them a go. Some very tough racing against some very strong riders and teams. Be nice if I could have some team mates there to help but thats the way the cookie crumbles. There might be some riders I know from the Virgin Blue team there maybe we could look after each other. Who knows what will happen. There is some time to go before I get down there.

How is HYPE Energy Cycling Team going? Well after a series of sicknesses and work committments we are slowly coming back together and getting back on the race track. We are now looking into expanding the team and seeking additional sponsorship. WIth a few unsuccessful sponsorship bids. SO if anyone knows someone who might be interested in investing equipment in a cycling team and using them for additional advertising and product testing let me know.

till next time ciao