As I’m sure you have all seen, there is some rather bad weather going around. Parts of Switzerland and Austria are under feet and feet of water, there’s bad flooding all over the place. Well although my little home of Cadalen southern France is known for being bloody hot and the home drought conditions, we have also been suffering from this bad batch of weather. This last week has been crappy to say the least. We’ve had covered skies, and even a few drops of rain. Get this; a couple days ago I went out for a fast ride with Alphonce, we were wearing arm warmers… unheard of for this part of the world at this time of year. I must say I miss my melted roads, I like suffering from a permanent state of severe dehydration. It’s actually even drizzling right now as I type. So… as I’m sure you can guess, knowing me as you all do, I’ve been pretty demoralized this week and have had trouble getting out on the bike. I’ve also damaged my left shoulder a bit, so I can’t lift much and it hurts resting on the bars on anything longer than a 1 hour ride.
So apart from my hard and fast ride with my training buddy Alphonce on Sunday and a recovery ride yesterday, there isn’t much else to say… I’m not even sure if I’ll do my intervals today, going out in the rain just doesn’t appeal to me, sorry, but there is a good reason I hated England… hours and hours and hours on end of riding in the freezing cold British August rain has made me feel like I’ve had my fair share of rain riding to last me a lifetime.
Right… hopefully there’ll be more to tell y’all about next time.
Oh yeah, I hope you all followed Jeremiah Bishops recent exploits at the Snowshoe round of the NORBA MTB series, he’s kicking some big old ass and it’s good to see. Keep it up JB, the big BIG one is just around the corner.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Back to my ROOTS...
Sunday:
Today I went to do a Mountain Bike race. It started at the top of the Superbagnere ski resort in the high Pyrenees. Very hot, lots of Altitude… . It sucked-ass! The course was shit, mainly field crossings, some off camber singletrack that had a sheer drop on one side, (but a lot of climbing that was good) blah blah blah. I got hit by a tourist on the course going down an uphill section, he came round the corner and rode straight into me, the race lasted almost 3 hours, about 70% of the field didn't finish, I crashed twice = inflamed knee and inflamed ankle, finished 4th (but didn't know it) didn't hang around at the end and went straight home ie: missed out on some 4th place money.
Catching up.
This week I’ve been feeling a bit rough. My knee and ankle have been hurting. Tuesday I got in 4 hours again, with some TT intervals in the morning and a long ride in the evening, Intervals on Wednesday, Thursday it rained so I did 2 hours of intervals instead of my planned 3 or 4 hour ride. It’s been nice to have our visitor, I like having people around.
Sunday I did yet another Mountain Bike race. I don’t know what is happening to me but I’m getting slowly back into Mountain Bike racing. I say slowly because I suck at it now. I’m fairly fit so I can hold my own, but my technical riding is just plain embarrassing. So raced the Rialet MTB race. I came home a little disappointed, but I’m not sure why because I did quite well. I was 5th. Alphonce was 2nd, so that was really good to see him up there kicking some assio. There were some good riders there, including the Espoir women’s French National Champ who I think was 5th or something at worlds. I felt really bad because I had never heard of her. The day went well, I didn’t crash or anything, but I did notice I can hardly turn corners on my MTB, and I’m really slow when we hit technical stuff. (When I say really slow, I mean comparatively of course. I used to be a very technical and smooth rider…)
Thursday
Well yesterday I finished all the kitchen work. I did the plumbing, built a sink structure and work surface etc etc. Yesterday Pat and I went to the Sidobre to get some bits of black granit work surface to finish it all off. It’s been a lot of work, but I’m really happy with it. The kitchen now looks like a kitchen, where as before (as most of you know) it looked yucky and crap.
I’ve been feeling very tired this week, but still getting in my rides and intervals.. I’m guessing I’ll either flop this weekend and the tiredness will catch up with, maybe even as a cold; or I’ll pull through and feel really good… who knows.
This coming weekend I’m either doing a road race in the name of Jalabert, or a Mountain Bike race in the Pyrenees. As usual I can’t decide…
Visitors:
So… I’m waiting to see in this seasons (expected) revelation John Parks is going to come over to do some racing. If he does we’ll do some racing in northern France, the Pyrenees, some TTs etc.
Tim Dingus and his new wife Beth will be arriving for their honeymoon on September 19th. That’ll be really fun and good to see them again.
In October we should have 3 people coming over to ride for a week. One of them is Rick Martinez… so those of you wondering “what’s happened to Rick” well I might be able to tell you in a little while. I’m not totally sure if they are coming over, but that’s the plan.
Oh… silly me, I forgot to mention some… we have some people coming for about a week I think arriving on Tuesday, and I think we have some old colleagues on Pat’s from England arriving some time in October… the usually Green visitor spree… I love it.
Anyone else wanna come over? :-)
Today I went to do a Mountain Bike race. It started at the top of the Superbagnere ski resort in the high Pyrenees. Very hot, lots of Altitude… . It sucked-ass! The course was shit, mainly field crossings, some off camber singletrack that had a sheer drop on one side, (but a lot of climbing that was good) blah blah blah. I got hit by a tourist on the course going down an uphill section, he came round the corner and rode straight into me, the race lasted almost 3 hours, about 70% of the field didn't finish, I crashed twice = inflamed knee and inflamed ankle, finished 4th (but didn't know it) didn't hang around at the end and went straight home ie: missed out on some 4th place money.
Catching up.
This week I’ve been feeling a bit rough. My knee and ankle have been hurting. Tuesday I got in 4 hours again, with some TT intervals in the morning and a long ride in the evening, Intervals on Wednesday, Thursday it rained so I did 2 hours of intervals instead of my planned 3 or 4 hour ride. It’s been nice to have our visitor, I like having people around.
Sunday I did yet another Mountain Bike race. I don’t know what is happening to me but I’m getting slowly back into Mountain Bike racing. I say slowly because I suck at it now. I’m fairly fit so I can hold my own, but my technical riding is just plain embarrassing. So raced the Rialet MTB race. I came home a little disappointed, but I’m not sure why because I did quite well. I was 5th. Alphonce was 2nd, so that was really good to see him up there kicking some assio. There were some good riders there, including the Espoir women’s French National Champ who I think was 5th or something at worlds. I felt really bad because I had never heard of her. The day went well, I didn’t crash or anything, but I did notice I can hardly turn corners on my MTB, and I’m really slow when we hit technical stuff. (When I say really slow, I mean comparatively of course. I used to be a very technical and smooth rider…)
Thursday
Well yesterday I finished all the kitchen work. I did the plumbing, built a sink structure and work surface etc etc. Yesterday Pat and I went to the Sidobre to get some bits of black granit work surface to finish it all off. It’s been a lot of work, but I’m really happy with it. The kitchen now looks like a kitchen, where as before (as most of you know) it looked yucky and crap.
I’ve been feeling very tired this week, but still getting in my rides and intervals.. I’m guessing I’ll either flop this weekend and the tiredness will catch up with, maybe even as a cold; or I’ll pull through and feel really good… who knows.
This coming weekend I’m either doing a road race in the name of Jalabert, or a Mountain Bike race in the Pyrenees. As usual I can’t decide…
Visitors:
So… I’m waiting to see in this seasons (expected) revelation John Parks is going to come over to do some racing. If he does we’ll do some racing in northern France, the Pyrenees, some TTs etc.
Tim Dingus and his new wife Beth will be arriving for their honeymoon on September 19th. That’ll be really fun and good to see them again.
In October we should have 3 people coming over to ride for a week. One of them is Rick Martinez… so those of you wondering “what’s happened to Rick” well I might be able to tell you in a little while. I’m not totally sure if they are coming over, but that’s the plan.
Oh… silly me, I forgot to mention some… we have some people coming for about a week I think arriving on Tuesday, and I think we have some old colleagues on Pat’s from England arriving some time in October… the usually Green visitor spree… I love it.
Anyone else wanna come over? :-)
Thursday
Yesterday I did hill rep intervals. 1 minute intervals at 500 watts, and 30 second hill sprints at over 600 watts. It hurt. But today I spent the morning doing some cleaning work as I have destroyed a big concrete structure in the kitchen. I’m going to redo the kitchen. This evening we have a friend coming for a few day to visit.
So I went out and met Stephane at the Café in Gaillac. We stopped and had a quick drink, then did that gorgeous (in both meanings of the word) Bruniquel loop with quite a bit of climbing. I did intervals on the hills and felt really good for the first time in bloody ages. When we got home to Gaillac, Steph went home, and I carried on to finish off with something 4.5 hours and 120k.
So I went out and met Stephane at the Café in Gaillac. We stopped and had a quick drink, then did that gorgeous (in both meanings of the word) Bruniquel loop with quite a bit of climbing. I did intervals on the hills and felt really good for the first time in bloody ages. When we got home to Gaillac, Steph went home, and I carried on to finish off with something 4.5 hours and 120k.
Tuesday August 2nd
Today I did some intervals in the morning, then went out for a ride in the evening with Stephane. The weather is nice, the days a warm (hot actually). It was a good day, I got in 4 hours.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Saturday
Yesterday I did nothing, had a day off the bike. I’m racing Sunday and the ace starts at the top of a Pyrenean ski resort.. that makes me a little nervous. It’s a Mountain Bike race, and once again I haven’t ridden the MTB in a long time… so I’m going back to my good old race preparation methods of a few years back: hard work during the week, followed by 2 easy days before the race. We’ll see how it goes.
I met Stephane again this morning for an easy spin to shake the legs out. I didn’t feel too good, but “tomorrow is the next day” as a wise man once said.. (hmmmm…..)
Until next time….
I met Stephane again this morning for an easy spin to shake the legs out. I didn’t feel too good, but “tomorrow is the next day” as a wise man once said.. (hmmmm…..)
Until next time….
thursday
I’ve spent a couple of strange days. I’ve been feeling tired, and I’ve also been watching 2 guys I’ve been racing with for a few years do their first pro race with AG2R. Both are local guys. Some people are just really talented and exceptional in this sport, but I don’t believe these guys are. I’ve had a hard time seeing them get results in their first pro, when just a few weeks ago I was racing with them, and they are not exceptional. I’m really jealous. Even though I’ve decided to finish school, and I haven’t been training properly, I’m still jealous.
Anyway; today I went out for a ride with Stephane. I’ve spent the last 2 days doing intervals. It really hurt doing intervals after spending 3 weeks with Bikestyletours.com doing very long but also very low intercity rides. I met Stephane at the café in Gaillac, and we sat and had a coffee for a little while, watched the world go by etc. Then we got on the bikes and did my much loved Bruniquel loop where you ride along the tops of hills with great views, before plummeting down into the Aveyron gorges. It was a great sunny day. I did a bunch of 30second 450W intervals on the climbs and felt pretty good. Once we headed back into Gaillac after 80k, I left Stephane and prolonged the ride a little. So I did 4.5 hours, about 120k. I really enjoyed the ride and felt pretty good. It was one of those rides that you long for for months… the kind of ride that reminds you what riding should really be about: great views, good fun, good company etc.
Anyway; today I went out for a ride with Stephane. I’ve spent the last 2 days doing intervals. It really hurt doing intervals after spending 3 weeks with Bikestyletours.com doing very long but also very low intercity rides. I met Stephane at the café in Gaillac, and we sat and had a coffee for a little while, watched the world go by etc. Then we got on the bikes and did my much loved Bruniquel loop where you ride along the tops of hills with great views, before plummeting down into the Aveyron gorges. It was a great sunny day. I did a bunch of 30second 450W intervals on the climbs and felt pretty good. Once we headed back into Gaillac after 80k, I left Stephane and prolonged the ride a little. So I did 4.5 hours, about 120k. I really enjoyed the ride and felt pretty good. It was one of those rides that you long for for months… the kind of ride that reminds you what riding should really be about: great views, good fun, good company etc.
Thursday
I’ve spent a couple of strange days. I’ve been feeling tired, and I’ve also been watching 2 guys I’ve been racing with for a few years do their first pro race with AG2R. Both are local guys. Some people are just really talented and exceptional in this sport, but I don’t believe these guys are. I’ve had a hard time seeing them get results in their first pro, when just a few weeks ago I was racing with them, and they are not exceptional. I’m really jealous. Even though I’ve decided to finish school, and I haven’t been training properly, I’m still jealous.
Anyway; today I went out for a ride with Stephane. I’ve spent the last 2 days doing intervals. It really hurt doing intervals after spending 3 weeks with Bikestyletours.com doing very long but also very low intercity rides. I met Stephane at the café in Gaillac, and we sat and had a coffee for a little while, watched the world go by etc. Then we got on the bikes and did my much loved Bruniquel loop where you ride along the tops of hills with great views, before plummeting down into the Aveyron gorges. It was a great sunny day. I did a bunch of 30second 450W intervals on the climbs and felt pretty good. Once we headed back into Gaillac after 80k, I left Stephane and prolonged the ride a little. So I did 4.5 hours, about 120k. I really enjoyed the ride and felt pretty good. It was one of those rides that you long for for months… the kind of ride that reminds you what riding should really be about: great views, good fun, good company etc.
Anyway; today I went out for a ride with Stephane. I’ve spent the last 2 days doing intervals. It really hurt doing intervals after spending 3 weeks with Bikestyletours.com doing very long but also very low intercity rides. I met Stephane at the café in Gaillac, and we sat and had a coffee for a little while, watched the world go by etc. Then we got on the bikes and did my much loved Bruniquel loop where you ride along the tops of hills with great views, before plummeting down into the Aveyron gorges. It was a great sunny day. I did a bunch of 30second 450W intervals on the climbs and felt pretty good. Once we headed back into Gaillac after 80k, I left Stephane and prolonged the ride a little. So I did 4.5 hours, about 120k. I really enjoyed the ride and felt pretty good. It was one of those rides that you long for for months… the kind of ride that reminds you what riding should really be about: great views, good fun, good company etc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
