Racing and Riding

On 6/30 at Catamount, I put down a 51:34 on my 2 lap race. Pretty average for me as far as time goes. There was a time on the second lap that I had nothing left to push with. I need to get my nutrition right. On 7/7, I put down a 46:51. I personal best by about three minutes. Although I was 7 minutes off the wheel ahead of me. I need to just keep pecking away at this. It will all add up in the end.

My wife and I did a 38 mile road loop 7/2. It was a good time and I felt really strong with my SS. I do need to get a bike built up for myself with some gears. I think one gear is holding me back on one hand and making me stronger on another.

6/23 race at Catamount

My two lap time this week was 56:23. Not bad considering a few things. My friend Bob and I did a warm up lap before my race started. When we were doing the lap, we got to a section that seemed as if we were off course. As we rode a wide sweeping out and back we saw some blue arrows that showed we were headed in the right direction. We rode some more and it got dangerously close to my start time. We found a rode that led back to the parking lot to the field were the start is. I was told that my class already started. Therefore, I went into my start "hot" and rolled on through. I made my way through the course and came to the part where I new that I could throw down some speed. As I rounded a corner, I rode over a downed branch that covered the whole track. As I went by and kept cranking, I thought what is that about? Did I go the wrong way? This is what I just rode on my practice lap. I ended up turning around and headed back as another rider was coming towards me. I asked him if we went the wrong way. He didn't know. So I turned around again and headed the direction he was going. I said I know that we can get on course this way.

Soon, I passed him and just started riding hard out of frustration. I completed my first lap and headed back in for some more. As I came around to a straight away, another heat started and swarmed me like angry hornets. Wow, they move quick! I then come to my confusing point where I crossed the downed branch and this time it is still there but there is also TWO (2) blue arrows telling us to shoot up a trail just in front of it. Son of a bitch! I rode extra trail, slowed down from confusion, and got a late start on my race. All of this, hopefully, added up to the 6 minute penalty that I had from my race before this one.

Lesson learned? Ride more, practice hard, pay attention!

I'm having a good time though. And as Bob tells his boy, that's all that matters.

ok ok

So this is going to take more effort than I realized to keep up with. I will make an honest effort to do posts at night before the day passes.

I have raced my first 2 lap race at Catamount for the season. Giving my follies last year, it is pretty much my first race there. I have a base time set at 50 minutes. I must work on improving on this time. I haven't ridden my bike before this race since last years Vermont50 race. After doing alot of commuting to the shop now, I have really started feeling how big this frame is for me. I need to do something about that. More on that later.

I made it in for registration for this year's VT50. It is on Sept. 26th. This year is going to be so much different than last year. I am using all of my available time to train and get fit for this attempt at finishing. I will do my part and hopefully Mother Nature will do hers and keep it from being a mudfest.

Flower Power results

So the race came and went. I believe that there were 115 people that raced. It was a good turn out. Dawn, my wife, did really well. She put in a great effort. She did a warm up run with my friend Bob. While she was racing my daughter and I walked the course popping in here and there to cheer her on. She later thank me for the support. I too know what it is like to know people are there to root for you. Dawn did 1 lap and finish in 36:19. I am really proud of her. She now has a base line set that she can personally improve on.

My friend Bob did the race on his recently built GT 1x9. It is quite a nice rig and it was the first time it seen Catamount in its current state. Bob did 3 laps in right at one hour. An excellent job and a good place to start the season. This bike is the brain child of us putting together ideas and bringing it to reality. It seems to be the perfect rig for this race series. Time will show how well it shines. Stay tuned!

I'm back!

Ok, this blog has been dormant long enough. This is one last attempt to make good on a continued discussion of cycling events that involve my wife, my friends, and me. This weekend my wife is going to race her first ever MTB race. It is at Catamount Outdoor Center. The first race of the season is called the Flower Power race. It is to ring in the new season and open up for the Catamount Mountain Bike Series races. My friend Bob is racing it too. So my daughter and I will be course side with the cowbells and a lot of spirit to cheer them on. Stay tuned for the stories and maybe even some photos. Thanks, Wil

Race to the Top of Vermont

Mount Mansfield has an auto Toll Road that travels 4.3 miles upward to a parking area for all to take in magnificent views. On 8/30, it was opened to a race. You could either mountain bike or run the course. I chose to ride it giving the fact I have the VT50 coming up. Unbelievable! It took me more than 1.5 hours to finish. In the end, I am glad I did it. It was challenging right from the start and never ceased to be so.
My friend Bob joined in to do it also. He finished in under an hour. My wife ran the course and did it in not much more than an hour. I am proud of her. She didn't train for it and did exceptionally well.

its a keeper

I am going to continue to post on this blog. I think that there are alot of bike related topics that I would like to talk about and share. I think by keeping them here instead of merging them with eightzerotwocycles.blogspot.com will give them both their due rights. Alot is coming up, so check back to see what is going on. Thanks for reading!