31/03/2011

Commute:
Took part in Andy White's social experiment "EN MASSE"

It was a bit of a laugh seeing all the blue bikes in one place, but more fun racing dudes in suits with $300 helmets through the cbd.



D: 19.0km
A: 60m

TdB:
Put simply it started off painful and got more fun as the ride progressed. I hung on to the bunch on every hill, and even managed to come over the top of Chucky and take out the Williamsons Rd climb.

Perhaps it's my own bias but everyone seemed to be eager to play in the finale. The pace ramped up as we ascended the cutting, attacks dived off the front through Lower Heidelberg, guys watching each other like hawks as we approached Heidelberg/Heidelberg hill.

I had offered to set up Guirgs again, I jumped to cover Allan who'd gone after a solo Will, then it was on to the wheel of Chucky and a blue 2004 Toyota Camry.

Sadly I couldn't come over the top of chucky, after a moment to react I was able to match the speed of his final kick, but I'd given up a metre or two and despite my best efforts it wasn't closing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love this time of year. Everyone has a bit of form and is willing to have some fun with it.

D: 38.7km
A: 525m

PMPW: 89kg

30/03/2011

Fatties:
The last Wednesday of the daylight savings period, a final chance to see the trails after work with only the sun to illuminate your way. I hoped we might make it out for a lap of Hans' loop before riding home on the paths. It wasn't to be, well not for me, we ducked into a bunch of trail that's starting to ride well again and I was without lights.

I'm not complaining as places like Bruce's loop were railing. Corners linked in such a way that you'd go from banking hard to the left, pushing hard into the bars to force the side knobs to dig into the dirt, a barest moment of almost weightlessness as you spring out of the corner, straighten the bike, then tip it over the other way.

D: 28.4km
A: 135m

Commute:
Riding home was the opposite of last night, time seemed to distend, each pedal stroke into the headwind through the inky night barely seemed to inch man and bike forwards. My body, tired from backing up a hard day was just craving food and regular clothes.

D: 34.4km
A: 255m

PMPW: 90kg

29/03/2011

Melbourne-Eltham-Melbourne:
Met Steve early for a roll around the Mt Pleasant Rd loop. We didn't go overly fast, choosing instead to talk and take in the serenity, that said I did make sure he knew his place on the climbs. Front wheel at least an inch behind mine.



It was such a gorgeous morning, and looked to be becoming an even better day that over coffee we joked about continuing to ride rather than head to our separate work places.

D: 74.3km
A: 890m

Sandown:
I had a simple mission, win. With 86 blokes rolling around and a tail wind up the home straight I didn't think a break away would get up, so I contented myself to just sit in the bunch and let others destroy themselves into the headwind up the back of the course.



With 2 to go I moved up to around 20th, with 1 to go a few Omara guys were driving the pace leaving the front of the race single file. I took a couple more places and scanned for guys I suspected were strong enough to contend the sprint. Everything bunched up a bit over the top and suddenly I was 4 corners from home and in the middle of 40 guys. The rest gets somewhat blurry, I'm sure I chopped many wheels as I searched for riders moving forward. Out of the last corner I was 6th-ish and I believed there was a 1-2m gap behind us, everyone started to fan out to get their own sprint going and I dived up the left. Low as I could get, all the nerves that had built up to this point evaporated like the thoughts about who to be on, it was time to just fucking GO! (My HRM tells me we hit 65kph)


I made sure to go for this line, not this one like last time.

On the line it was close, it was between me and one other, both of us hoped we had it, so I told him that I was going to claim 1st, and if he wanted to do so as well I was happy to let the officials decide.

When they read out a name for 2nd and I processed it wasn't mine, the flood of nerves and excitement that had been building finally coursed through me. I'm frankly surprised at just how much it effected me... how much it still is.

CCCC have thrown up some photos, including one of the finish. I think the dude in black/grey/blue was coming up on me and I was trying to hold on, I presume the difference must have been in the throw, but honestly, I can't remember shit. The adrenalin has burnt it clear out of my mind.

I would highly recommend winning to anyone wanting to race Sandown, the normal long ride back up Dandenong Rd felt like it only took 5 minutes.

D: 86.7km
A: 410m

PMPW: 90kg

28/03/2011

Commute:
Just an easy one, tapping away gently on the fixed commuter's pedals thinking about this "season" and what I wanted to achieve (see here).

Well I've half missed the boat on two, as there wont be any more Glenvales for me until next summer, but I'm going to race Sandown tomorrow and see if I can get that elusive bump.

I've also run out of SSS to get that flying 200m time down, but there's going to be some stuff over winter that will allow me to my legs and see what time comes (DISC not Blackburn though).

The Duael hasn't been yet, it and the Mont are going to be interesting to see how I go on the MTB. I'm kind of nervous about what will happen.

D: 16.2km
A: 65m

PMPW: 90kg

27/03/2011

Glenvale:
I wanted to win today, I wanted to get told "nah mate you're too fast for b-grade, next week you're going up". Feeling a bit tired I vaguely set the plan as sit in, not wasting any effort in attacks that would inevitably get chased down. If I was going to go up the road it would only be in the last 20 minutes of the race when everyone was a little bit tired.

Around halfway through the race I was asked by one of the in bunch marshals to pull to the side, then once clear I was instructed to go talk to the race director at rego. It seems pulling out a camera mid race is a big nono (taking hands off bars), thankfully I was allowed to re-enter the race. To assuage any issues, I let the break then the entire bunch roll through me before tagging on to the back.


The photo in question.

I was in a really odd mental space after my talk with the officials, and went off the front to bridge to a break, then just to generally stretch the bunch. Something to focus the mind back on what was required to win.

I got myself in the top 10 with 2-3 laps to go and as we rounded for the bell there was a sole rider a few metres up the road, they looked to be tired and so the bunch reverted to cat and mouse games. I picked a big bloke as my bitch lead out bunny and watched everything.

This is how things were as we rounded the last corner. My bunny is the dude in black/white to the left (no not my left), he took a really odd wide line and I wasn't sure if i should follow him or go alone from there.

This is a few metres from the finish. I honestly don't remember much of it all. I think I was coming up on the dude in the blue, who if you go back to the previous photo I'd given up 2-3 bikes to out of the corner.

I took 2nd, received instructions that I would be bumped if I took 1 more win or had 2 more placings. I also got $50 removed from my winnings for my mid race efforts. I'm bloody glad that the photo came out and I have something to show for that cash.

D: 41.5km
A: 100m

Melbourne-Mulgrave-Chelsea-Melbourne:
I rolled some extras after the race, motorpaced down to the Napean with Steele and a couple of others, then back up the beach solo.



D: 61.1km
A: 245m

PMPW: 91kg

26/03/2011

Hell Ride:
This was not like the Hell Rides of late. I felt ok on the way down, the couple of turns I pulled convinced me there was a southerly and I went back into the bunch to sit on. Up the climbs past Frankston I felt good, in fact I would even say I was enthusiastic about the idea of a tail wind assisted return leg.

The turn was where things became different. I'm having difficulty working out how or why. The short story is that it hurt like a bastard. Single file, chewing my stem and questioning life. Everyone was suffering... yet were were only barely above 50km/h.

I guess the air was dense or something, BOM tells me the pressure was 1024.7 hPa, which to be honest I have no idea if it's normal or not, but I'm going to say it is. My HRM* said the altitude was negative a hundred and something, instead of the usual positive one hundred and something (yeah I should zero it). That sounds like it's more pressure and thus more dense... the only other explanation that fits is aliens and I didn't see any of them out this morning.

40km on the limit trying to close 1-2m gaps probably wasn't the best preparation for racing crits tomorrow, but it does make me feel like I've done something this week.

D: 98.0km
A: 380m

PMPW: 90kg

* altitude is done by it on air pressure.

25/03/2011

Commute:
I've signed up as to race the Mont in a few weeks in a 4 man team. It's quite possible I'll be the slowest rider on our team, hopefully not by a lot.

It's been a while since I raced a 24, I really hope the weather holds out, but either way it will be interesting to see how I go mentally through the night.

D: 20.5km
A: 100m

CE: 1

PMPW: 90kg

24/03/2011

Commute:
I did few traffic light sprints and some 10-20 second efforts because quite frankly I feel like I've been far from htfu this week.

If I do nothing tomorrow (likely) and I go hard on Saturday/Sunday, then I'll have done 3 intense sessions and had 4 days of pretty much sitting on my fat arse this week. Weak!

On one hand this is the time of year to repay the hard work through the miserable time of year by racing hard and having fun in the sun. On the other hand, fuck you, suck it up princess.

Dear future me, you're doing the Hell Ride on Saturday regardless of the weather. You'll thank me later. If not, well.... "fuck you too".

D: 13.4km
A: 65m

PMPW: 90kg

23/03/2011

Commute:
Monos followed by more monos followed by slightly drunken monos.

D: 12.9km
A: 40m

Fatties:
I didn't have full impetus to suffer tonight, though I still chased dudes and had a heap of fun.

Justin and I met up to get some trail in before the ride including a few laps of the newly worked on Kew pump track and Hans' loop. I didn't nail either of them, the former will take some practice the second might benefit from some shovel and saw time.

D: 38.9km
A: 315m

PMPW: 90kg

22/03/2011

Commute:
I wanted and possibly even needed another day of the gentlest of rides, I let my competitive instincts get the better of me late in the day and ended up chasing a few riders down St Kilda road.

To make up for my transgression I got into my VMOs with the foam roller. Even with both legs on it (thus halving the pressure), it's a whole new world of pain in comparison to the ITBs.

I think that'll be the last I do this week, give things some time to recover by the weekend so I can once again race at Glenvale. Another go at securing that bump to A-grade.

D: 20.6km
A: 75m

PMPW: 90kg

21/03/2011

Commute:
I felt a heap better than yesterday today, it still took a coffee to feel up to standards, but at least on the way back to normality.




I spent a bit of time stretching and lazing about on the foam roller. The ITBs were a bit messy but not horrible... I was too chicken shit to try and roll over my VMOs.

D: 14.8km
A: 65m

PMPW: 91kg

20/03/2011

Glenvale:
I gave serious thought about not racing today.

* My legs were sore.
* I was tired.
* I was cranky.
* I felt like I'm getting sick.
* It's a boring ride to get there.

These were all excuses, and I eventually managed to see them as such, so in a fit of htfu I ignored them all and went racing anyway.

After last time where I couldn't get anyone to work cleanly and given the state of my legs I made a very simple plan. Smash the bunch sprint.



Things didn't quite go as planned, I got nervous around halfway through when I saw 5-6 guys up the road stay away for multiple laps with no real impetus being shown by the bunch. I launched and managed to bridge after a lap in the hurt box. On contact I found the same sort of thing happening, no one willing to bury themselves to make the break stick. I tried to drive the pace a few times with long solo turns, but after a few laps more we were swallowed up. Back to sitting in and waiting for the last lap shenanigans.

That plan was kyboshed when around 5 minutes to go there was still a small group up the road and a couple working to bridge across, it was "now or never". Thankfully another dude came with me when I kicked, without him pulling a couple of turns I would have been stranded in no mans land, as it was we made contact with only a lap and a half to go. Sucking down fresh air on the back as we came through for the bell guys started to attack off the front. I made the mistake of thinking that Dave who's wheel I was on would cover the moves, by the time I realised he was spent the first few guys had 10-15 crucial metres on me. From then on it was balls out effort to try and chase everyone down by the line.

I was devouring riders in my charge for the line, but two managed to stay just ahead in the final screaming throw for the line.

It doesn't look like my efforts or 3rd place were enough for a grade bump, so I may have to go back again.

Carnegie race write up here.

D: 43.5km
A: 80m

Melbourne-Mulgrave-Chelsea-Melbourne:
Rolled a few extras with some VIS kids after the race which helped ease some of the tiredness from my legs (odd how more exercise can sometimes do that).



When I got home, to give the recovery a bit more of a kick along, I dumped 10kg of ice into the bathtub, filled with water and climbed in with it. The next 5 minutes consisted of me trying to find my happy place, managing to spend 3-4 seconds in it before the reality of what was going on would seep in (usually though my kidneys).

D: 54.8km
A: 170m

PMPW: 90kg

19/03/2011

Woodend:
It feels like we're fast losing opportunities to get out in the sun on hardpack trails with a bunch of mates. Today was forecast as too nice for me to pass up the chance of some loops of the Wombat trail.

The first lap was with done mostly behind Rhino who'd been thoughtfully dressed for the occasion by Rohin.


Photo Credit: I blatantly pulled this from Belly's social networking page.

The next lap we lost what felt like the entire Yeti Australia team and support network, leaving us with 6 blokes with vary levels of spentness. I hope it wasn't just me (otherwise I'm a total jerk) but the socialness of the ride gave way to a bit of impromptu racing. I started at the back after taking some photos (no they didn't come out), and slowly worked my way to the front. The last place, Erin Baxter, was flying through the twisty stuff, it was only due to a dab on his behalf and the finishing climb that I stayed clear.

Ok, so perhaps not perfect recovery before Glenvale, but whatever it was sweet sweet trails in sweet sweet Autumn weather with sweet sweet mates.

D: 36.4km
A: 585m

PMPW: 90kg

18/03/2011

Commute:
I felt so flogged today, not surprising, but a little worrying given I'm running out of races at Glenvale to pull a/some result(s).

D: 16.2km
A: 35m

CE: 1

PMPW: 90kg

17/03/2011

TdB: (double)
Note to self, agreeing to do a double TdB is ridiculous, especially when you're partner is a 60 something kilo dude like Mark Giurgius.

The first loop was fun, down Williamson's Rd I timed the draught of a bus perfectly and almost got the whole way up the other side at 60+ kmph. A quick 100g of fruit and nut chocolate and it was time to meet the 6:45pm bunch for another go around.

Doncaster and Burgundy hurt me the other climbs were at a manageable pace, regardless my mind was else where as Mark and I gad conspired to try and win the Red Rooster sprint. Coming up to Heidelberg/Heidelberg Josh jumped early and went clear, I hesitated presuming Danny would cover the move, I was wrong. Over the top it was obvious that Josh's lead was becoming a winning one and no one was organising to shut it down. I bit the bullet and went hard after him. Sadly I think 1 or 2 guys got over the top of Mark.

*edit* never mind, the light was too dim so the photos were poor.

D: 71.4km
A: 935m

Commute:
The roll home with Mark and Danny featured a few sprints that completely finished anything I had left in the tank. A 600g steak for dinner barely touched the sides on the way down.

D: 18.8km
A: 105m

PMPW: 90kg

16/03/2011

Commute:

D: 30.1km
A: 225m

Fatties:
I'm struggling to think of what to say about tonight, not because it had nothing or meant nothing, but mostly because I'm pretty shagged.

We went outwards, ducking into Bruce's loop for the first time in months. A lot has changed but there's promise that it could flow cleanly again with a bit more time and maybe some more work.

I developed an odd sense of pride about riding Hans' loop. I have to be the fastest around it, (Alex hasn't been along for a while, but one day I'll beat him anyway). It seems like a negative thing, but I've grown to love it. It gives me a reason to bury myself, this time it was to stay in front of Erin Baxter and Richard. I succeeded, but Richard managed to close the gap towards the end of the loop which kept me pushing hard to stay in front all the way to the finish.

I love these little races, at the end I somehow feel closer to those I compete against. It's their existence that allows me to push to new levels of pain/speed.*

D: 38.8km
A: 220m

PMPW: 90kg

* no Richard that doesn't mean I'm going to let you win any time soon.

15/03/2011

Commute:
Today was a bit of a struggle, mostly non bike related stuff. Actually compared to many things others are going through I'm just being a big sook. I did my best to keep my pedalling light and flowing but really all I wanted was to get to the end and veg out.

D: 14.7km
A: 65m

PMPW: 90kg

14/03/2011

Melbourne - Warrandyte - Melboure
I had planned to have a rest day today, but (I really do use "but" a lot. It's such a lazy writing style that I should change.... but) as it was a public holiday it also seemed like a shame to not get in some time in the sun.



Steve had a few hours and I had a few hills in mind. Sadly we ended up cutting short my planned route, but we did get to see some gorgeous back roads that I've been remiss by not riding.

D: 83.8km
A: 1,160m

PMPW: 90kg

13/03/2011

SKCC Crit:
There wasn't any racing at Glenvale so I (and many others) had no choice but to race down in the back of Port Melbourne. I think the official count was 82 riders but it was more the class of those riders that had me concerned (Official report including some of the names that had me concerned).

From the gun the pace was hot, every lap down the home straight we'd crack 50kmph. Riders were single file for the first 30-40 blokes, the hot northerly making it even tougher work round the back. Still, I felt good. I did my best to stay North of half way up the bunch, doing by best to avoid the wind/work but also to stay clear of any trouble/gaps. I concentrated on little things like clicking down one gear before turn 2 and two before turn 4, that let me spin out of the corner into riders draughts and kept my legs feeling.... well not fresh, but something better than completely shot.

As we got nearer the end of the race, attacks were coming thick and fast, still I sat in my place between 10th and 30th. I felt good, I was able to go with the strung out chases, I was hot on the wheel in front out of every corner. It hurt like a bastard, but it was a good hurt. It was my hurt.

The two crashes that happened on corner 2 made me a fraction tentative for the remaining 5 minutes. Still, I was feeling strong and I wanted to test myself, so I continued to work for a position in the now inevitable bunch sprint. I moved up using as little energy as possible, but it was still energy. I got myself from around 30th to around 15th, but had to admit that it was still too far back. The pace was blistering Coming round to the 4th corner I had to realise that it was still too far back given the pace. I soft pedalled through the last turn and up to the line.

In a wrap up I'm feeling pretty happy. I feel like I have or am progressing through my continuum of racing. First you get dropped, then you're pack fodder, then you influence the race outcome, then you win and finally you go up a grade.

I certainly didn't win today, but I felt I was closer to influencing the race than i was to being just pack fodder. Shit, thinking back about the class of riders there, I'm feeling better and better about it, quite a few blokes didn't finish, though the two blokes that crashed did. Now that's true HTFU.



As a gauge to the pace of today's race normally we average 41-42kmph, today it was 43-44kmph.

D: 64.3km
A: 135m

PMPW: 92kg

12/03/2011

Hell Ride:
Despite a shit sleep I rolled out for the Hell Ride with no real agenda other than to enjoy being fit. I pulled a couple of turns on the way down to keep me near the front but held most of my effort in reserve.



The pace over the top of Olivers was fast and despite being on a wheel required continued effort to be put into the pedals. The small descent that follows is magic in that by the next rise my legs felt good to go again.

The trip back was starting to heat up, VIS/AIS kids driving the pace on the front, holding us at or above 50kmh. After a split by some lights we tried to chase back on but after what felt like 10 reds (probably 5) the effort shut down. Things didn't get moving fast again until Mordi and for me that meant one thing. Fresh legs to sprint on. :D



I couldn't find Lee so I worded up Tom Leaper and Downie and punched off 6th wheel from out of the corner. Down low and go go go, I was flying, straight past the dudes in front, I even thought I might solo to the win but soon felt Tom and Downie coming around me which led to the inevitable "no more point" shutdown of my legs. Still I'm pretty happy with that single effort. It was quick and felt good. The low position is something to keep in mind for both SSS and road crits.

D: 95.5km
A: 350m

PMPW: 92kg

11/03/2011

Commute:
Just a real easy roll to work and back. Meetings were opportunities to dig an elbow into sore/tight adductors and make funny faces at the lead. Might have to step up my use of the foam roller over the weekend.

D: 14.5km
A: 60m

CE: 1

PMPW: 90kg

10/03/2011

Commute:
I'm not sure if it was just getting onto the roadie for the first time in a week or I really was strong, but I felt awesome this morning. So much so that I felt I had to ride after work.

D: 21.9km
A: 110m

TdB:
I headed out for an early solo TdB loop, not ideal but I had time limitations. Waiting at some lights on Doncaster Rd I was happy to see Allan Iacuone roll up. As the ride progressed that feeling of happiness would slowly dwindle as he tore my legs off.



Who would have thought a 60 odd kg ex Australian road champion would be able to hurt me in the hills? seriously, I don't think anyone could have picked that result before hand.

Ok enough sooking it was fun, I pushed the pace more than he did, so any pain is well and truly my fault. Alright, so I outright attacked him on several hills. He just looked so little and fragile, surely no court would convict me for trying to break him (mostly because it's not a crime).

D: 37.7km
A: 415m

PMPW: 90kg

9/03/2011

Commute:

D: 22.9km
A: 100m

Fatties:
A bit of an odd night, the continued rain meant the trails had a lot of water on them often running straight down them.



It wasn't too cold, but not even the Kew pump track was holding any speed so we called it a night when it got dark and rolled our SS's home.

D: 19.3km
A: 515m

PMPW: 92kg

8/03/2011

Commute:

Race 1: 9:18


Race 2: 9:45 (see 5:35 for a good chase down) (8:43 for interesting tactics)


Race 3: 8:04


Finals 3v4: 9:42


The 3rd one (against Chris) was the one I wanted to look at. It seems Steely was talking about my shoulder bob/weave in the charge for the line rather than the bike itself wavering around on the track.

My other question about the race was if Chris went all out. He never stands up to kick, though the pace was reasonable, so maybe it was a fair dinkum race. I still believe he held a fraction back and managed to gauge the effort to perfection.

D: 16.2km
A: 65m

PMPW: 90kg

7/03/2011

Commute:
Such a lovely day, taping gently on the pedals in the morning I wished that I never had to stop.



D: 14.7km
A: 65m

PMPW: 90kg

6/03/2011

ABOC SSS:
I started the morning with a coffee shop roll (D: 14.5km - A: 40m), something to take my mind off racing. You see, it turns out I was nervous.

Not doing things to give yourself the best chance at another action, puts a fair bit of pressure on that latter act. I'd said I wanted to set a new f200 PB, I'd even gone as far as saying I wanted 12.4 seconds which was a fair improvement on my previous best (12.632).

I whacked on a 104" gear, in hindsight it's what I used last round as well to achieve my (12.639), I kicked late (maybe too late) and concentrated on keeping the bike low and my line smooth all while hammering the pedals.

12.384 seconds

I think I rode a lap with my fist thrown in the air after I heard the time. I may be a dork, but damn hearing that time made me happy. It's faster than the time I set indoors at D.I.S.C. with a disc wheel and a deep section front. It's almost 0.8 of a second faster than the times I set at the same time last year. Very happy and optimistic that there might be scope to go even faster.

The races were a mix, I got monstered by a huge Canadian (Jamie Shankland) who ramped up the speed on the front from 2 laps out. I kicked early against a young guy (Nick Cockerell) who'd qualified slowest for a-grade but managed to ride around him. Kicked really late from behind against Chris (Ray) and had our closest race in a long time. The final was another race against Nick and took it a bit more comfortably with another long race, but this time from the front/inside.

I look forward to watching the videos as Andrew Steele, previous f200 record holder for the track (Emerson Harwood set a new one), suggested I was losing power/speed to sideways motion. The f200, the race against Chris and those comments make me think a win against him (Chris) could be coming sooner rather than later. Now that would make me a happy boy.

PMPW: 90kg

5/03/2011

Northside Ride:
I wanted to do the Hellride this morning. I'm feeling strong and it just plain old makes me happy to play with that bunch. Repaying the hurt others have gifted me when I'm not quite so fast. However that wouldn't have been the best course of action before tomorrow's SSS, a race I want to do well at.

So, off to meet Mal, JJ and Carson for a roll to Mordi and back. Two up on the way down with a couple of Km ramp up for giggles, though it was the way back that was where the fun really happened.

Ok, I know I should have been behaving, I'd settled on this ride specifically to take it easier, but that went out the window when we mixed in with another bunch that contained several distinct groups of shop riders.



The pace steadily increased until we were all single file, attacks and counter attacks, gaps and covering moves. Jolly good fun.

D: 47.6km
A: 195m

PMPW: 90kg

4/03/2011

Melbourne - Melbourne: Sorta
I got a few k's in before work, nothing significant, just enough to get a few short efforts done.

2 x 5s HC:R

D: 11.6km
A: 35m

CE: 1/2

PMPW: 90kg

3/03/2011

Commute:
I'm not sure doing the 5 x 5s sprints on my way to work was a wise move. Either that or the two days of hard/long (hahaha I said hard/long.... no? not funny? fuck off, it's totally funny) riding that have preceded today. Either way, I felt shelled all day, not even coffee was able to restore my brain to normal function levels.

D: 16.2km
A: 65m

PMPW: 90kg

2/03/2011

Commute:
This new shorter commute in general isn't awesome but it does have some perks when you've got fat tyres beneath you. Pedestrian crossings that jut out into the road provide for little transitions and jumps with very little deviation of path.

Braaaap.

D: 23.9km
A: 80m

Fatties:
A fairly lazy roll tonight, we had a few new riders who'd never seen the outer trails before.

We worked our way through the trails from Banyule Flats out to Bonds Rd, turned left into the 3 hills route to the back of Westerfolds and were instantly reminded how steep the first one is and how relentless the last one is.

I opted to stay with the slowest of the new riders around Hans' loop. I wanted to go play with Downie but it felt important to ensure they got around safely. I still got to have fun, push through a section then ease up to ensure they were with me, repeat.

D: 49.5km
A: 465km

PMPW: 90kg

1/03/2011

Intervals:
1 x 10 min E1
2 x (45s HC r/up (15:100rpm, 15:130rpm, 15:max):7
2 x (30s RG r/up 10:100, 10:120, 10:max):7
1 x 18s HCLR
1 x 10 min E1

A bit less sucky than last week, but not an overly enjoyable experience. This time I tried without the aid of heavy/fast music.

CCCC Crit: (Sandown B-Grade)
I've never raced at Sandown and given that CCCC think I'm a b-grader that would be the handicapping for my first race there. Not a horrible situation, I could try and make up for Glenvale being cancelled, go for the win, collect some cash... or maybe just survive on a new circuit with a bunch of people I don't normally race with.



The "plan" (I love how I try to convince myself I have a plan) was to sit in like a dirty dirty wheel sucker and play in the sprint at the end.

About halfway through the race with two guys having stayed up the road for a lap or two I pulled through to the front to help out the Sole Devotion guys who'd been doing all the work to chase. Up the main straight I pulled hard only to find I was well clear of the bunch, on my way to the two up the road. So I chased and I hurt and I chased some more. I never quite made it across and almost exactly 1 lap later the bunch swallowed both me and them. Back to the plan!



I knew the sprint would be tricky, it was just after a complex of corners and straight into the teeth of a head wind. Sadly the bunch never caught two guys who launched at 3 to go so it was a sprint for 3rd. Anyway, I picked a few guys who I thought would feature in the sprint, kept good position through the corners kicked hard and threw for the line.... turns out I threw WAY too early... the line was about 20-30m further. I kicked again and think I secured a top 10, but they were only paying to 5th so I didn't bother to count.

It's not the end of the world, I felt strong for the kick, I was coming up on 3rd when I threw and actually managed to recover some ground in my second kick. One of these days I'm going to get all my timing right and score a boot to a-grade (and some cash).

D: 74.5km
A: 500m

PMPW: 91kg