surfing the net because its 20 degrees out

and I found these pics from the Down East Cyclists Time Trial this fall.

I raced the sport class and ended up on the little step with a 23.3 mph average speed  for the flat 11 mile out and back course.

I was happy with the result because I felt like I had given it all I had. Goal for next year = 24+ mph
 

pics from http://downeastcyclists.com/?page_id=340

Aint no race for the wicked...

Major disappointment as suspicions were confirmed today that the first mtb race of the series (scheduled for this sunday) has been canceled because all of the rain has left the course soaking wet.
I am almost embarrassed to admit how excited I was for this race and now I have to wait another month.
Too bad there is no cross racing around here to fill the void.
On a brighter note, preliminary race schedules are now up so I can start obsessing over plans and calendars.
I bought a race license so now I am officially obligated to race at least 6 days to make it worth the price over the one day license price.
Since it is fricken freezing mr bigglesworth there is a whole lot more planning then riding lately.

Happy New Year

I wont say "I can't believe it is January!" because I am freezing my ass off so it is actually really easy to believe. December did disappear in a blur of family and food and parties. I got almost no long road rides in (for shame) but did get a bunch of solid mountain bike rides in.
Most mtb rides were in the 2 hr range and wore me out. My feeling is that they are good for increasing power as well as upper body and core strength, but my stamina is definitely slipping without the longer 3+ hour road rides.

I quit the gym because honestly I hate going and I really dont want to put on any muscle mass this year. I am tipping the scales at about 180 right now, which isnt too bad on my 6'3" frame, but a good amount of it is not helping me out any (ie - fat). I am making 165 my target weight with a realistic expectation of reaching 170. This will be 5 lbs lighter than I was last year and hopefully with more muscle.

If I aim to lose 3 lbs a month I should be in good shape by March.So make that goal one. I am still waiting for the race calendar to be published so I can pick out the races I plan to do. The Piedmont Omnium in early July will probably be my biggest focus with as many other crits and road races as I can do within a reasonable driving distance. I want to try to do 9 mass start races this year if possible so that I can get out of cat 5 by the end of the year.

My new road bike fund keeps getting eaten by the house and other misc bills. If I can get my motorcycle sold I will use some of that $ to fund the purchase. Last year I did a bit of freelance writing to support my bike habit, but this year I want to try to do something different since I already spend all day at work staring at a computer.

And of course there is the mtb series that is supposed to start this weekend although the first race may be canceled because the trail is still underwater. This is ruining my week by the way. I have been really psyched up for this because I think I have improved a whole lot over the past month when I did the Toys for Tots race and finished 5th.

Plus, since my birthday is in Feb and I will be 35, I am going to be racing beginner+ and wont have to contend with the 20 something crowd.

So preliminary goals for 2010:

1. get down to 170 lbs by April
2. make/save enough $ for a new used road bike
3. race all 6 races of the mtb series
4. podium in the mtb series
5. race 9 cat 5 road races/crits to get my upgrade
6. podium in a road race/crit

Wish me luck...

I am a wimp

35 degrees and 30 mph winds. Guess who is not riding today...

Mountain biking = Maintenance!

Had a great ride through the woods yesterday, but I am going to have to spend just as long today fixing the bike. Front hub is loose and probably needs grease, and the wheel needs to be trued, front derailiuer needs adjusting, both grips are loose and the whole thing is filthy. But first a nap...

The other other woman:

My wife and my roadbike are jealous...

2 a days

alright, long time no post.

The holidays have been cruel. Not enough time to ride and way too much crap around the house to eat. I got on the Wii fit scale yesterday for the first time in 31 days and it said I had gained 7.9 pounds. Ouch! That seems a lot for a month, maybe it was the time of day (I hope).

Not too long ago I was a fat guy. Then two years ago I started biking. After a year and a half I was down 50 lbs. I am tall with a smallish frame so I was always a skinny fat guy. Then I transformed into a fat skinny guy. The goal for the upcoming year is to be a skinny skinny guy, ie. fast on the bike.

So 2 things need to happen for the new Year:

1. quit eating so much crap
2. more pedaling of the bike

I got a head start on #2 Sunday. I started by joining the group from the local bike shop for the 8:30 am road. Last year I did this ride almost every week, but this year I have been distracted by mountain biking. Riding there and back gave me 47 miles.

We had rolled back into the bike shop parking lot at about 10:45 and my phone rang. It was JE wanting to go mountain biking at 12. So pedal home, quick shower, load a second set of bike clothes for the day in my gear bag (the wife will love this), quick bite to eat and off again.

We went down the one of the nearby military bases where someone had left a visitors pass for us to get on base. The trails there are very rooty and eroded which adds to the challenge on the hills. Got in a good 3 hrs and I was cooked for the day.

After all that biking I finally felt like I deserved a few xmas cookies, and a piece of chocolate cake....I will have to start working on #1 next year!