xc62701
Well-Known Member
Almost 50. That downhill was a hoot!
I think that was right before you said, "Hey man I think I just shit myself." That made me seriously LOL.
The Road to Somewhere
- Thread starter xc62701
- Start date
Almost 50. That downhill was a hoot!
I think that was right before you said, "Hey man I think I just shit myself." That made me seriously LOL.
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Yes and you kicked ass! Nice work! That place is amazing! It's a 13 mile pump track! I missed it this year!
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Today was the Ringwood Rumble and it was great to be back racing at Ringwood! Team Town Cycle and all their support did an amazing job!
I signed up to race the fatbike race and cat 1/2 15+. First off was the fatbike race. I had to rework and adjust the bike a bit last night so I warmed up on the fatbike and made sure it shifted well, then I hit a climb standing and my heart sank. I put a couple hard pedal strokes in and I felt the right side pedal flexing and falling out of the crankarm. WTF?!?!?!?!? I pedaled back to the start line and worked in it. I chased the threads twice from the other side of the crank to hopefully straighten out the threads so I can get it to thread in properly. It wouldn't go. I needed a better tool and found one that kinda lined it up straight. I got it to start and just turned until I couldn't any more. I know the crankarm is totally f'd but the pedal was tight. With about 1 minute to spare I threw my leg over the bike and got ready to go.
I was super stressed out but off we went. There was 5 of us and it was pretty reserved on the first fireroad. On the first right it pitched up steeper and I picked up the pace to see who would go with me. I got to the bottom of the long downhill I saw one guy with me but I wasn't sure who. So I kept it rolling but not crazy as I was trying to save some juice for race #2. At the bottom of the switchback up to the ridge I could see I had a little gap on someone behind me but I knew the fatty would eat up the tech. I kept a good pace and finished and was amazed the pedal held!!! I crossed the line for the win and was immediately frozen by the wind coming off the lake. I headed to the bar to fire up the heat and try to stay warm for the next race
Race #2 - staying warm didn't work. The legs were heavy and I watched the cat 1 pack leave me on the start and I knew it was going to be a long day. At least I got to the start without a mechanical for this one. I rode the two laps suffering on the climbs and enjoying the tech. I eeked my way to the finish and to my surprise I wasn't dead last! I was 14th of 16.
Beer and pizza intervals aren't the best training technique and either is racing two races back to back like this. It's super hard to have food/hydration and the bikes setup and ready to go for one race never mind two. Either way I'm sore and got a good reminder of how hard I need to go and how much training and motivation helps!
I signed up to race the fatbike race and cat 1/2 15+. First off was the fatbike race. I had to rework and adjust the bike a bit last night so I warmed up on the fatbike and made sure it shifted well, then I hit a climb standing and my heart sank. I put a couple hard pedal strokes in and I felt the right side pedal flexing and falling out of the crankarm. WTF?!?!?!?!? I pedaled back to the start line and worked in it. I chased the threads twice from the other side of the crank to hopefully straighten out the threads so I can get it to thread in properly. It wouldn't go. I needed a better tool and found one that kinda lined it up straight. I got it to start and just turned until I couldn't any more. I know the crankarm is totally f'd but the pedal was tight. With about 1 minute to spare I threw my leg over the bike and got ready to go.
I was super stressed out but off we went. There was 5 of us and it was pretty reserved on the first fireroad. On the first right it pitched up steeper and I picked up the pace to see who would go with me. I got to the bottom of the long downhill I saw one guy with me but I wasn't sure who. So I kept it rolling but not crazy as I was trying to save some juice for race #2. At the bottom of the switchback up to the ridge I could see I had a little gap on someone behind me but I knew the fatty would eat up the tech. I kept a good pace and finished and was amazed the pedal held!!! I crossed the line for the win and was immediately frozen by the wind coming off the lake. I headed to the bar to fire up the heat and try to stay warm for the next race
Race #2 - staying warm didn't work. The legs were heavy and I watched the cat 1 pack leave me on the start and I knew it was going to be a long day. At least I got to the start without a mechanical for this one. I rode the two laps suffering on the climbs and enjoying the tech. I eeked my way to the finish and to my surprise I wasn't dead last! I was 14th of 16.
Beer and pizza intervals aren't the best training technique and either is racing two races back to back like this. It's super hard to have food/hydration and the bikes setup and ready to go for one race never mind two. Either way I'm sore and got a good reminder of how hard I need to go and how much training and motivation helps!
How did the undercarriage fare on the double duty today? All good?
xc62701
Well-Known Member
All good. Every ride always starts a little uncomfortable but I ignore it and it goes away. I even raced today on the bike that injured me. I like that saddle now.
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Oh and by the way a week of sun and laying on the beach immediately before a race does not help either. I was trying to think happy thoughts to get me through this one but the weather was just a kick in the teeth! Thank goodness it didn't rain! I'm in no way a fairweather racer… But if it rained for this one I probably would've stayed home.
Kaleidopete
Well-Known Member
xc62701
Well-Known Member
There's the o shit moment right there! It wasn't looking good but somehow it worked out! Thanks for documenting this mayhem!
xc62701
Well-Known Member
You have no idea. I got it threaded somehow. Gathered myself, and then the whistle went off. WAAAAAAY too close!
xc62701
Well-Known Member
At this point in the season I'm holding onto a failing dream. I have great thoughts of what could be for the race season but at every turn my life isn't allowing it. I'm fighting through the week trying to make sure I can get all the details I need figured out and sadly riding has been suffering. Since riding is suffering I'm suffering. It's just a perfect storm of work being busy, family life is busy, my mom is ailing, and the weather sucking. I really want to pull away from racing and let that stress go but it's been my driving force behind the scenes for so many years I don't know how to do that. It sucks when life says hey I'm changing and I know it has to happen but I don't want it to. I'm going to come out and race the fatbike at Mooch this weekend but with riding getting harder to fit in and motivation getting lower I don't know what's going to happen.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
This is a tough place, I feel soon enough I will find it too. I'm starting to be okay with not racing, but the fitness gained towards wanting to race is something I like. If I don't have a goal, how will I stay fit? It will be too easy to just say F it and be lazy.
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Yes exactly. Riding my bike keeps me fit. I like being fit. Nothing else gets me to that place and without that I don't know if I can get there. I need to find a way but right now I would have to ride the trainer after 9 during the week and only ride on the weekends. I don't like the sound of that at all. Something's gotta give.
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Ok so despite not riding at all this week and trying to muddle through my funk I got out to race at Mooch yesterday. I did a little warmup Saturday and was going through my thoughts and I was really just enjoying how much I love riding my bike in the woods. It's as simple as that. I love competing as well. So I'm just going to have to be ok with my current fitness weight blah blah blah and stop whining and just enjoy when I do get out. It's as simple as that.
So I line up with 6 other fatties yesterday and the horn goes off and we are on our way. I still can not get going for the life of me. The legs feel like bricks off the line. Elias jumps ahead and goes off the front and we all agree to let him go. It doesn't last long as we are all right on him in the next singletrack. Elias starts getting a gap and then we catch traffic. I knew that could be bad so I wanted to stay with him. I used the first big rock garden that everyone was avoiding (with the line to the right) to plow through the rocks and get around a few guys and get to Elias' wheel. It doesn't take me long to realize I can go harder and I get around him just before the rock roller option. I figured I would see if anyone would come with me and just put the pedal down. I know the lines well so I just hit it. I worked through lots of traffic and by the top of the climb I caught up to Mancuso. We chatted for a bit and rolled through the start where he was finished and I had one more lap. The second lap was uneventful and much less traffic which was good. No other fatties in sight. I kept a steady pace and caught a few more guys and finished solid. The course was great but that. Ike was like a jackhammer on those descents! I felt at the end like I could put in a few more laps which is a great change from last weekend where I was just crushed.
The rest definitely helped this week but I would have rather had a few days of riding to work on better fitness. I'm going to do that and with some better weather maybe I can get some more motivation going and feel better in general and on the bike. Next up is the Waway Iron Furnace race. I'm looking to enjoy that waway goodness I love and miss.
So I line up with 6 other fatties yesterday and the horn goes off and we are on our way. I still can not get going for the life of me. The legs feel like bricks off the line. Elias jumps ahead and goes off the front and we all agree to let him go. It doesn't last long as we are all right on him in the next singletrack. Elias starts getting a gap and then we catch traffic. I knew that could be bad so I wanted to stay with him. I used the first big rock garden that everyone was avoiding (with the line to the right) to plow through the rocks and get around a few guys and get to Elias' wheel. It doesn't take me long to realize I can go harder and I get around him just before the rock roller option. I figured I would see if anyone would come with me and just put the pedal down. I know the lines well so I just hit it. I worked through lots of traffic and by the top of the climb I caught up to Mancuso. We chatted for a bit and rolled through the start where he was finished and I had one more lap. The second lap was uneventful and much less traffic which was good. No other fatties in sight. I kept a steady pace and caught a few more guys and finished solid. The course was great but that. Ike was like a jackhammer on those descents! I felt at the end like I could put in a few more laps which is a great change from last weekend where I was just crushed.
The rest definitely helped this week but I would have rather had a few days of riding to work on better fitness. I'm going to do that and with some better weather maybe I can get some more motivation going and feel better in general and on the bike. Next up is the Waway Iron Furnace race. I'm looking to enjoy that waway goodness I love and miss.
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xc62701
Well-Known Member
Finally today is what I've been waiting for! A nice temp amazing ride in the woods after work! Short sleeves and shorts and just enjoying the ride. 90 minutes of bliss before picking up the little one and taking care of daddy duty. I'm hoping for another good ride tomorrow.