Whine, gripe, moan, complain....the hazards of pushing yourself too hard
Did the HHH race/rally on 8/23 (dropped at 40 miles, rallied my way in to the finish. Yay me for 100 miles!). I decided somewhere about mile 50 that despite how much I spent and how cool the Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow saddle is...it sux. For me. Fine for some other dude, but my old bones need some cushion.
I picked up a Specialized Rival of the proper width (slightly wider than the the SI), and lots of cushion. Stuck in on in the parking lot Tuesday before a 35 mile hammerfest known locally as the "Popsicle ride" which implies something nice and pleasant....not so much. Be ready for 20 avg, bursts to 30. I felt good durng the ride, but the adjustments are still to come as I strained a back muscle with bad positioning.
Rode again Thursday night after lowering the saddle 1 cm, hoping to get 40 miles in. Heat got me and I abandoned my 27/33 mile loop and cut it to 22 miles. Heavy bike, aero bars, CamelBack, saddle issues, etc. Felt like I was riding a 1970s Raleigh Touring bike (which I happen to have one of for sale in my garage!) complete with fenders and a rear rack.
I'll make another small adjustment tonight (lower the nose, scoot it forward) before Saturday's Tour de Bikemart metric attempt. need to get a metric this weekend (or two), a trial run at 6 hours next weekend, another metric at the Patriot Pedal on the 13th and hopefully another metric or hundred on 9/20.
All of this preparation is for my 12 hour attempt at 160 or more miles at the Texas Time Trials on 9/27.
I might go race the Superdrome on 9/19, mainly because I have a new junior teammate that has just started his track training, and I am targeting that as his first race. Local, low key and he can watch a lot of different skill levels when he's not on the track to learn from them.
Thing to learn if you're old: Make adjustments in fit or equipment well before your event.
Cyclists to pray for: John S, Todd, Dan. All for different reasons.
DB
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Season is almost over
HHH is coming!
In preparation for my last two events of the year, I've been trying to log some serious saddle time the last week or two, and will continue up through next Tuesday.
HHH (Cat 4, 100 miles) is August 23, 7am start. I don't expect to win, place or show in this one. I'd like to still be there at 40-50 miles, since my best Cat4 performance ever is 37 miles with the pack down in Copperas Cove back in January. I've gained back up to 172 lbs, and its not all muscle. When/If I get dropped in this race, I'll find others or wait for the rally riders on team IC3 to catch up with me and roll back in to Wichita Falls with that group.
Texas Time Trials is September 27 (for me). 12 hours, see how many miles you can do. This is a 20.01 mile loop in Cleburne, TX. My goal is 160 miles, since I have previously accomplished 156 in a 12 hour event in the past (1996). Once HHH is over, the aero bars get mounted and I start the longer training. 40 milers during the week, 80-100 on the weekends.
Crits and track are pretty much out for the year unless I just need a break.
Oh, and I start seminary classes on 9/15/08, which runs into November for my first class. My son starts a new school this year (cross your fingers) and my middle child goes off to college at the same time. Lots of changes around DB house in the next months.
Cyclist to pray for: Mrs. DallasBikr - she has to put up with me and watch our daughter move off to school. And yes, she is a cyclist. She has a recumbent trike!
Ride safe,
DB
In preparation for my last two events of the year, I've been trying to log some serious saddle time the last week or two, and will continue up through next Tuesday.
HHH (Cat 4, 100 miles) is August 23, 7am start. I don't expect to win, place or show in this one. I'd like to still be there at 40-50 miles, since my best Cat4 performance ever is 37 miles with the pack down in Copperas Cove back in January. I've gained back up to 172 lbs, and its not all muscle. When/If I get dropped in this race, I'll find others or wait for the rally riders on team IC3 to catch up with me and roll back in to Wichita Falls with that group.
Texas Time Trials is September 27 (for me). 12 hours, see how many miles you can do. This is a 20.01 mile loop in Cleburne, TX. My goal is 160 miles, since I have previously accomplished 156 in a 12 hour event in the past (1996). Once HHH is over, the aero bars get mounted and I start the longer training. 40 milers during the week, 80-100 on the weekends.
Crits and track are pretty much out for the year unless I just need a break.
Oh, and I start seminary classes on 9/15/08, which runs into November for my first class. My son starts a new school this year (cross your fingers) and my middle child goes off to college at the same time. Lots of changes around DB house in the next months.
Cyclist to pray for: Mrs. DallasBikr - she has to put up with me and watch our daughter move off to school. And yes, she is a cyclist. She has a recumbent trike!
Ride safe,
DB
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Where's DB?
Yes, I'm still a cyclist, and still aging :)
Lots of fun things get in the way of training...on-call duty, 100 degree weather, unexpected road trips, etc.
My middle offspring was coming back from a camp yesterday and the car she was riding in (not hers) decided to stop in the middle of nowhere. From the description, the motor seized up due to a lack of oil. So, I'm the logical person to drive from Irving to Childress, TX to home. Several hundred miles and about 7-8 hours at the end of a 7 hour work day. No..I didn't hop on the trainer to log some miles :)
This is not a complaint mind you...just part of being Mr. Dad/Father/Employee dude. If you are a teenager or young single dude reading this....get your race on now! Before you get old fat and slow! BWAHAHAHA!!!! Ok...better now ;)
I did ride Saturday morning, and a few miles on Sunday afternoon, but nothing to brag about. Am planning for a ride tonight as well.
Oh...and since I need at least one more thing to keep me from training "properly", I signed up for my first seminary class with Liberty University Online today: New Testament I. I start on September 15...after Hotter'N Hell, but before the Texas Time Trials.
Cyclist to pray for: Jennifer
DB
Lots of fun things get in the way of training...on-call duty, 100 degree weather, unexpected road trips, etc.
My middle offspring was coming back from a camp yesterday and the car she was riding in (not hers) decided to stop in the middle of nowhere. From the description, the motor seized up due to a lack of oil. So, I'm the logical person to drive from Irving to Childress, TX to home. Several hundred miles and about 7-8 hours at the end of a 7 hour work day. No..I didn't hop on the trainer to log some miles :)
This is not a complaint mind you...just part of being Mr. Dad/Father/Employee dude. If you are a teenager or young single dude reading this....get your race on now! Before you get old fat and slow! BWAHAHAHA!!!! Ok...better now ;)
I did ride Saturday morning, and a few miles on Sunday afternoon, but nothing to brag about. Am planning for a ride tonight as well.
Oh...and since I need at least one more thing to keep me from training "properly", I signed up for my first seminary class with Liberty University Online today: New Testament I. I start on September 15...after Hotter'N Hell, but before the Texas Time Trials.
Cyclist to pray for: Jennifer
DB
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Gettin' dirty
Did a little MTB ride last night with friends from IC3, and managed to miss every tree on the LB Houston beginner loops.
Pretty tame ride, but not a bad way to change the pace up. 7 miles, easy pace, almost completely flat.
Cyclist to pray for: TW.
DB
Pretty tame ride, but not a bad way to change the pace up. 7 miles, easy pace, almost completely flat.
Cyclist to pray for: TW.
DB
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
I'm baaaaack!
Back from a full week of youth camp and a weekend of recovering :)
Before I left I raced the SPS series on Friday the 18th...got smoked in every race. No details, since the 35+/Cat 4 group was left off the results for now
Tried to do the Moritz Sprints for the Texas Cup points, but after 4 hours and no communication on expected timeframe I gave up and went home having only completed the 200m time trial. In effect, this ended any hope I had of taking the Texas Cup jersey as I needed a finish every available race. 4 hours before the first match sprint ever started seems excessive to me.
Got to build the storage shed instead of racing. Benefits of being an aging cyclist :)
I did get in some riding the Saturday after I returned at the Sam Bass Challenge Fun Ride. I helped the promoter organize routes, rest stops, etc. and rode the course backwards to make sure all 17 entrants were safe. Changed 2 flats and took off for home.
Did a fellowship ride on Sunday, averaging 14mph or so. 3 flats on that ride (1 was mine). Apparently the flat bug is following me.
Doing a beginner MTB ride at LB Houston tonight on my Wal-Mart "NEXT" bike...a rusted out 5 year old junker that weighs more than my road and track bikes combined. Oughta be "fun."
Cyclist to pray for: Key. Several needs.
DB
Before I left I raced the SPS series on Friday the 18th...got smoked in every race. No details, since the 35+/Cat 4 group was left off the results for now
Tried to do the Moritz Sprints for the Texas Cup points, but after 4 hours and no communication on expected timeframe I gave up and went home having only completed the 200m time trial. In effect, this ended any hope I had of taking the Texas Cup jersey as I needed a finish every available race. 4 hours before the first match sprint ever started seems excessive to me.
Got to build the storage shed instead of racing. Benefits of being an aging cyclist :)
I did get in some riding the Saturday after I returned at the Sam Bass Challenge Fun Ride. I helped the promoter organize routes, rest stops, etc. and rode the course backwards to make sure all 17 entrants were safe. Changed 2 flats and took off for home.
Did a fellowship ride on Sunday, averaging 14mph or so. 3 flats on that ride (1 was mine). Apparently the flat bug is following me.
Doing a beginner MTB ride at LB Houston tonight on my Wal-Mart "NEXT" bike...a rusted out 5 year old junker that weighs more than my road and track bikes combined. Oughta be "fun."
Cyclist to pray for: Key. Several needs.
DB
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Raced myself out of racing shape...
An interesting phenomenon is going on with me...
I've done so much track racing, with moderate levels of success that I can't crit anymore.
Most track races for my age/skill are 30 laps or less. On our track that is just over 7 kilos at most. This would be steady state, with a few surges here and there, and at about 2 minutes per kilo, a long race is maybe 15 minutes...usually closer to 10.
At the crits the last few weeks, I've gone really strong for about.....10 minutes. And then blew up.
Chuckle. The funniest part of this is that I have ALWAYS been an endurance guy. Long rides are better, since I've never been able to sprint in any form, shape or fashion. Until the track.
And the track is the most fun I've ever had in a bike race outside of a few BMX races a million years ago.
So I have to decide what I want to be when I grow up...track racer with the ability to go really well on a short race, crit racer with the ability to sprint...corner...repeat, or long distace road/tt dude.
In any event, I'm just glad to be able to compete at any level. Thanks and praises to God for that, and the safety I've enjoyed in the racing I've done.
Cyclist to pray for: Todd L. Went down hard and mad last night at the crits. He's ok, the parts are dinged.
DB
I've done so much track racing, with moderate levels of success that I can't crit anymore.
Most track races for my age/skill are 30 laps or less. On our track that is just over 7 kilos at most. This would be steady state, with a few surges here and there, and at about 2 minutes per kilo, a long race is maybe 15 minutes...usually closer to 10.
At the crits the last few weeks, I've gone really strong for about.....10 minutes. And then blew up.
Chuckle. The funniest part of this is that I have ALWAYS been an endurance guy. Long rides are better, since I've never been able to sprint in any form, shape or fashion. Until the track.
And the track is the most fun I've ever had in a bike race outside of a few BMX races a million years ago.
So I have to decide what I want to be when I grow up...track racer with the ability to go really well on a short race, crit racer with the ability to sprint...corner...repeat, or long distace road/tt dude.
In any event, I'm just glad to be able to compete at any level. Thanks and praises to God for that, and the safety I've enjoyed in the racing I've done.
Cyclist to pray for: Todd L. Went down hard and mad last night at the crits. He's ok, the parts are dinged.
DB
Monday, July 14, 2008
Busy aging cyclist
Been a few days since my last post...many things going on, and precious little riding...
I did get in some track racing at the Superdrome Friday night, taking 4th in my category out of 8 entrants. Congrats to Tom E on the upgrade to Cat 3. We'll miss having you pull us all over the track ;)
My ride in the Danish was just stupid...wound up getting 7th I think. Bad tactics cost me a much higher position, and ultimately probably a top 3 in the overall.
Did better in the scratch and Unknown Distance (17 laps), but still not great. Mike Owens rode inspired and beat me in all three races. Good for him!
No riding on Saturday, as that was the last of the Horse Country Time Trial series my team promotes for the year. Takes too much work and I generally have nothing but a nap in me afterwards. Spent my free time yesterday working on the storage building for my wife...3 hours of measuring and cutting plywood. Finance committee meeting at church, evening services...all more important to an aging cyclist than getting in a bike ride.
Hopefully I can get in some miles tonight, so I'll not be dead in the crits tomorrow.
Cyclist to pray for: Geoffery Rogers with PACC. Car vs. Bike...car always wins.
DB
I did get in some track racing at the Superdrome Friday night, taking 4th in my category out of 8 entrants. Congrats to Tom E on the upgrade to Cat 3. We'll miss having you pull us all over the track ;)
My ride in the Danish was just stupid...wound up getting 7th I think. Bad tactics cost me a much higher position, and ultimately probably a top 3 in the overall.
Did better in the scratch and Unknown Distance (17 laps), but still not great. Mike Owens rode inspired and beat me in all three races. Good for him!
No riding on Saturday, as that was the last of the Horse Country Time Trial series my team promotes for the year. Takes too much work and I generally have nothing but a nap in me afterwards. Spent my free time yesterday working on the storage building for my wife...3 hours of measuring and cutting plywood. Finance committee meeting at church, evening services...all more important to an aging cyclist than getting in a bike ride.
Hopefully I can get in some miles tonight, so I'll not be dead in the crits tomorrow.
Cyclist to pray for: Geoffery Rogers with PACC. Car vs. Bike...car always wins.
DB
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