tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87266498919003744272024-03-13T23:21:59.143-04:00Rusted ChainRoad Cycling, Mountain Biking and Cyclocross: Trying To Wring A Few More Watts Out Of A Pair Of Old Legs.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-5964983839516003002017-07-28T19:19:00.002-04:002017-07-28T19:24:39.447-04:001 Min MTBHEYYYYYYO!<br />
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Another kicking off of the dust that has settled here to mention that I've started a series of quickie videos showcasing the trails I ride. Once in a while, you'll see me crash, but mostly I'm just out there having fun - solo or with friends.<br />
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Here's the latest to whet your appetite:<br />
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There's more, just search "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=1minmtb" target="_blank">1minmtb</a>" on YouTube. I'll keep tossing them up here as I make new ones! Or you can get them in your IG feed, just follow me <complete id="goog_932453669">@rusto88.</complete>rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-40676653327129216252016-09-14T19:17:00.000-04:002016-09-14T19:17:42.288-04:00#dontridethatrussThings have heated up recently and well, I figured folks my wander this way looking for some kind of foothold on everything so I figured I'd better slap something up right quick.<br />
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Ugh, how do I tell you this story?<br />
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I guess <a href="http://rustedchain.blogspot.com/2013/07/race-report-gnar-weasels-shredeth.html" target="_blank">here</a> is as good a place as any to start. Pull quote: "<i>This doesn't mean that I don't wish for a modern hardtail 29'er, but things being what they are, this is my mountain bike.</i>"<br />
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Fast forward about 10 months to June of this year and I've abandoned my "century-every-month" in 2014 goal and have gone to off-road riding almost all the time. Either on my CX bike or the Jankmobile, pictured above.<br />
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I'd pounce at any opportunity to ride the trails and, as before, would often attempt something beyond my ability and end up on the ground, bruised and scratched but happy and undaunted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chip Baker, in his element.</td></tr>
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The next part of this story is best told by my good friend, Chip Baker, who is the unofficial morale officer for the #NECX. Read up, <a href="http://velocb.blogspot.com/2014/06/ride-it-russ.html" target="_blank">over on his blog</a>.<br />
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Long story short, Chip pulled together about 50 people from our cycling community and bought me a brand spanking new Trek SuperFly FS 8.<br />
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Follow on that incredible and humbling surprise with a summer of A LOT of learning to handle the new bike. Amazing how much I was able to up my game. I rode and raced and rode some more.<br />
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Oh, of COURSE I still crashed, but much, much less often.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is gonna hurt...</td></tr>
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But the best part was being with my friends.</div>
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rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-9960258810782740852014-02-01T22:32:00.002-05:002014-02-01T22:49:24.005-05:00January CenturyAmong my goals for 2014, I decided that I should do one century ride each month. Somehow, most of January slipped by when, this past Sunday, I realized there was only 5 days left in the month.<br />
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So, I rushed into it a bit. Sure, I had a few 2 hour-plus trainer rides under my belt but not much time out in the chilly air.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile Zero. I looked confident then.</td></tr>
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Bundled, breakfasted, and with a half dozen well-placed heat patches, I wandered around, splicing together various routes, stopping too often to take selfies and futz with my underprepared bike.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 12, Lexington Green. That is not a nose hair.</td></tr>
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Early on, my mind bounced from wondering if what I was doing was possible, stupid or a dream.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 15, Lexington/Bedford line. If I keep stopping at this rate to take photos, I'll be home by NEXT Thursday.</td></tr>
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I also thought about summer. How I miss riding my janky old mountain bike on Wednesdays with Brian and Carrie.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 28, Carlisle.</td></tr>
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Nevertheless, I was comfortable enough and made good progress. Although I had some electro-pop pablum my daughter plays endlessly stuck in my head. "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmy1z7j4TVY">I could lift you up...</a>"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 33, Westford. Always on my mind. </td></tr>
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The thing about being heavily bundled up against the cold: you are loathe to stop to pee, it's such a hassle to un/re-bundle. Thinking about having a beer didn't help.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 51, Hudson. A bit of warmth and a pit stop.</td></tr>
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My meandering route caused the halfway point of the ride to be <a href="http://www.assabetbicycles.com/">Assabet River Bicycles</a> in Hudson. I rolled up and Doug, in his jaunty black knit tam, kindly showed me where I could refill my bottles and un-fill my bladder.<br />
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The bathroom door was white and the seat was still warm.<br />
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Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.spinartscycles.com/about.php">Tom Stevens</a> was on the sales floor busily de-ricketying a vintage Raleigh that had belonged to his dad. I love listening to that guy tell stories.<br />
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Next was the must sustained ascent of the ride, in Marlborough, this was also the beginning of my descent from good form.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 70, Sudbury.</td></tr>
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For some reason, I felt compelled to attempt a crossing of Route 9. Apparently, in Southborough and Framingham this is hard to do on a bicycle, so after two failed attempts, I turned northeast towards Sudbury.<br />
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Fortune was with me as this adjustment meant I got several miles of flat road that allowed a 21mph avg speed for a while. Briefly, I felt like a bike racer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 87, STILL in Sudbury. Delirious, breaking the rules.</td></tr>
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Sadly, my speed euphoria caused me to forget to eat or drink for the next 15 or so miles. I began talking to myself, muttering aloud about aggressive Prius drivers and neighbors with smallbarkydogs.<br />
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Then I got a snickers bar and a chocolate milk. I also needed to turn the 4 miles I was from home into 13 to complete the century.<br />
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And I was running out of daylight. And battery power on my phone. Able to get a txt off to my wife with a white lie about being "in the neighborhood" and "I'll be home soon".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 100.12, home. Eyebrows.</td></tr>
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I hit mile 100 right in front of the funeral home around the corner from our house. Appropriate. Luckily my phone was the only thing that was dead.<br />
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The February century should be easier.<br />
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rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-56693500802792411952014-02-01T15:54:00.002-05:002014-02-01T15:57:02.872-05:00Insert 2013 Cyclocross Season Here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.russcam.com/rustedchain_images/140201_2013_crossresults.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.russcam.com/rustedchain_images/140201_2013_crossresults.jpg" height="165" width="600" /></a></div>
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<b>Quad</b>: felt good, raced hard, paced myself well.<br />
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<b>Midnight Ride</b>: Fell hard on 1st lap, knocked the wind out, battled the rest of the way.<br />
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<b>Gloucester</b>: Flatted 2.5 laps in while just in the top 20, DNF'd. Should have run to pit.<br />
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<b>Providence</b>: 2nd or 3rd to last row start and all the fun that that entails.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-6141924671369948762013-08-09T09:23:00.002-04:002013-08-09T09:23:40.447-04:00Zing<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/rusto88">@rusto88</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/resultsboy">@resultsboy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/closethedoor">@closethedoor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mzank">@mzank</a> at this point isn’t your 26er worn down to like a 24er?<br />
— Todd Rowell (@onlyanumber) <a href="https://twitter.com/onlyanumber/statuses/365304412664635392">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-67985155646207673592013-08-02T11:25:00.000-04:002013-08-02T11:25:49.513-04:00Might Be A While Before This Happens Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013 Barn Burner Cat 3 50+ Podium</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Submitted my upgrade to Cat 2 for XC MTB yesterday and will be racing Sport from now on in non-USAC races.</span>rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-78014643777261011252013-07-31T23:45:00.001-04:002013-08-01T20:30:14.428-04:00Race Report: 2013 Barn Burner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Two weeks ago, I had my first bike race win at <a href="http://rustedchain.blogspot.com/2013/07/race-report-gnar-weasels-shredeth.html">Gnar Weasels Cometh</a>. This also happened to be my first MTB race in over 20 years.</div>
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Fluke? Luck? I needed to find out.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Despite appearances, I have no idea what the hell I am doing. 'Murica.</td></tr>
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The next race on the local calendar was the "Barn Burner" in at <a href="http://www.adams-farm.com/">Adams Farm</a> in Walpole, MA. The race was generating very good buzz on the twittosphere and elsewhere, much of it by way of major NECX bike racing cheerleader, <a href="http://velocb.blogspot.com/2013/07/barn-burner.html">Chip Baker</a>.<br />
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The race was being put on by the <a href="http://www.bluehillscycling.com/BHCC/Home.html">Blue Hills Cycling Club</a> who also host the venerable Blue Hills Classic road race, so I knew things would be done right. First thing they did right: mark the course well in advance of the race which allowed A LOT of pre-riding.</div>
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I did A LOT of pre-riding of this course. I rode this course on FOUR separate occasions before race day for a total of 32 miles of recon. My race was only to be about 10 miles.</div>
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I interspersed those Barn Burner course inspections with rides elsewhere and, true to form, no matter where I rode, I was finding new ways to entertain those who were riding with me.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was just taking a little sip and suddenly...</td></tr>
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Four days before the race Carrie and Abel were heading down to Adams Farm, this would be my fourth ride of the course. Serendipitously, as we were prepping, Matt Aumiller pulled up to do his assessment of the course. After a few minutes we made our way up the gravel road towards the single track portion of the holeshot.</div>
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Having already logged so many miles there, I let my pride get the best of me and rode a little too boldly for the conditions, still damp after some overnight showers.</div>
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A small wooden bridge, probably only slightly more than 20 feet long with a 2 foot rise at the top, that I had zipped across cleanly several times before, loomed ahead. "I'll show the others how easy it is to cross this," I confidently thought.</div>
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Things were going well until I just passed the top of the bridge, when suddenly, my bike disappeared from beneath me and I womped down on my right side and slid to the bottom of the bridge into the dirt.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No one said, #dontridethatruss</td></tr>
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My companions, taking the more sensible route, rushed around the bridge and cautiously approached me, unsure of what carnage they might find. I got up pretty quickly and, endorphins flowing freely, proclaimed my resilience. Then, I felt a little tingle down my leg, working it's way UP my leg. And it didn't stop when it got to the cuff of my bibs.<br />
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Cautiously, I pulled the leg of my bibs up to reveal a rather angry looking scrape on my upper thigh that ran halfway onto my ass-cheek.<br />
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I looked up to be greeted with grimaces and shudders from the others. Quickly, I covered it back up and got back on my bike, hoping that if I just got my legs moving again, the sting/burn would go away. I also rode away thankful that there were no exposed nailheads on that bridge. I would have one more "incident" later on that same lap, but it was minor in comparison. By race day, my ass-cheek took on the color of an eggplant. I guess I'll have to put off that tattoo for a while...<br />
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Race day!<br />
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I thought I got up early enough to prep/load/caffeinate leisurely but when I saw Carrie tweet that Chip had already left his house (and he lives only 6 miles from Adams Farm), I panicked a little. Chipmunk scurry mode engaged, I loaded up the car and tooled down to Walpole.<br />
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Seemed like I got my act together pretty well on the drive but as soon as I got out of my car, I walked around to the back to open the trunk and discovered that my first victim of the day was not another 50+ MTB Novice racer but a little snake. There were many others around the parking lot which made me wonder if it was really a bike race I'd arrived at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whacking_Day">or not</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the Lord said, "Whack ye all the serpents which crawl upon their bellies, and thy town shall be a beacon unto others."</td></tr>
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Grab my number, set up bike, respectfully kick snake carcass under my car and I was ready to do a quick pre-ride. I only rode the first leg of the course which seemed to be enough to wake my legs as well as get a sense of what effect the more recent rains had on the terrain.<br />
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As I rolled to the gate that led to the course, I crossed paths with Andrew who was sporting a sadface because he reshaped his derailleur hanger during his PRE-RIDE.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minor adjustment needed.</td></tr>
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Bleh. Got another hanger, dude? "Yes, I have THREE. In my toolbox. AT HOME." Triple bleh.<br />
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A horde of Cat 2 and Cat 3 racers coalesced near the start, got sorted out and, field by field, were unleashed upon the course.</div>
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When they called the 50+ Cat 3's to the line, I rolled right up to the official and stopped. I looked to my left and right and saw no one. I looked back. The other 12 guys were all at least a half bike length behind me. I don't think of myself as intimidating, I have no idea why no one else rolled all the way up.</div>
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Whistle blows and I stomp on my pedals up the gravel road for 1/4 mile or so to the left turn into the single track. I am breathing very hard but I'm thinking I need to start passing the slowest of the field ahead of me. I knew I would probably encounter some of those folks very soon: a dodgy section of the course was within the first few hundred feet of the single track.</div>
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A slight descent with a 6" log across it followed 15 feet later by a small gully crossing that featured two basketball sized rocks side-by-side down in it. Just beyond, a fan of tree roots with deep, muddy spaces between their clenching fingers. I'd cleaned this nearly every time before but knew on race day, people who'd not seen it before might simply stop to walk across. I was prepared to either walk myself or barge, politely, right through if I could.</div>
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Luckily, there was only one person there, so politely barge I did and made my way up the climb that immediately followed.</div>
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Much of the first half of lap one consisted of stomping along for a while, running up to the back of a slower racer, poking along behind them for a bit, then either asking to pass or finding one of the rare spots along the single track where it was even POSSIBLE to pass.</div>
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[I'd love to get some feedback on the proper way to overtake a slower racer from the field ahead of you. I've not run into any trouble with either calling out a warning if I'm coming up on somebody FAST or making a polite request if I am on their wheel for some amount of time, but others must have already established the protocol for this.]</blockquote>
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My mood could be described as "intent but anxious." I was trying to keep moving fast but cautious not to make any mistakes that would either cause a flat or crash me out. Any time I heard the buzz of a freehub behind me, I assumed it was someone in my field breathing down my neck and would push a little harder.</div>
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One mistake I definitely DIDN'T make was trying to cross that bridge again. Went right around it like a champ. Later I'd heard that there was a fair amount of carnage there from folks attempting to go over.</div>
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The far side of the course is called "Enough with the turns" on Strava. On the side of a slope, it's a very twisty, up-and-down but fairly flowy section that allowed me to approach and pass a number of other riders, I saw a lot of familiar faces as I went. Somewhere along here, I also noticed that my saddle was slowly working its way downward. The seat stem had already descended about 3/4 of an inch into the seat tube. Now I had to be careful not to slam my butt down hard on the saddle, worsening the problem.</div>
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Out of the turny bit and onto a half mile downhill Jeep road then right into a straight bit of woods then out onto an L-shaped very narrow single track section through a field. I risked locking out my fork for the benefit of being able to push a little harder on pedals without all that squish, remembering to flip it back the other way well in advance of reentering the woods.</div>
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The next section hurt a bit as it was a bit climby/rooty/rocky and I was beginning to feel like maybe I went out too hard. I decided that I would notch it back more than bit on the climbs but keep the pressure on for the flats/descents. I also knew a very tricky feature was ahead.</div>
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A short rock strewn uphill to a smallish log, that required you to take a 90º turn immediately into a dense rock garden of about 30 feet in length. On pre-rides, I managed to suss out a navigable line from the jumble of stone. Today, it was plainly obvious which way to go, because nearly everyone who'd been there before me figured it out too and left a nice trail of mulch showing the way.</div>
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As I exited the rock garden, there were a few guys there watching on the side of the course, one of them reached out and gave me a butt-pat. All righty then!</div>
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Another short Jeep road section, a knobby rock garden and then out in the open again to do a loop through the start/finish along a wood-chipped path and finish lap one.</div>
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At this point, I had the opportunity to look back over my shoulder to see if I recognized anyone from my field riding behind me. Didn't see anyone.</div>
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Lap two was largely spent managing my remaining energy, I had no idea how far ahead I was of the others in my field and didn't want to squander the lead I had built up. Fatigue was causing me to fumble many of the obstacles I easily cleared on the first lap. I was pretty sure my new, lower, saddle position was contributing to some cramping on the climbs. Otherwise, I just tried to keep going as smoothly as possible.</div>
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When it came to passing, I wasn't nearly as anxious about getting by the people ahead of me. A couple offered to move over as soon as I approached, but I was happy to sit on their wheel a bit and recharge my batteries a little.</div>
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Out on the L-shaped field this time, I spied some poor guy shouldering his bike, who multiple flatted and had to walk the rest of the way out. Yeesh, I counted my blessings: I had smashed my tubed tires into quite a bit of stuff and was surprised I hadn't flatted.</div>
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The last time out of the log/rock garden combo (which I fumbled and had to walk this time), I popped out on the Jeep road to find Mike Wissell wrapping up his pre-ride. I was grateful for the encouraging words he offered, they gave me a little boost right there at the end when whatever spark I had left was fading quickly.</div>
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Final rock garden cleared and again out onto the wood chips for the last leg to cross the jersey-adorned finish. I dropped my bike and sat down on the ground exhausted amongst a small but quickly growing clutch of similarly afflicted racers. Yet every one of them seemed totally jazzed by what they'd just done.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lJvibgksFS0/UfpVuccYSzI/AAAAAAAAIEI/PtdHijVuRYs/s1600/millieMichaelChip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lJvibgksFS0/UfpVuccYSzI/AAAAAAAAIEI/PtdHijVuRYs/s640/millieMichaelChip.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millie Milton, Michael Weiler and Chip Baker (click to embiggen)</td></tr>
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Moments later another guy rolled up, dropped HIS bike and sat next to me.</div>
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"Uh, dude, your arm!" I said to him. He held it up and said something about crashing on the Jeep road and that it didn't hurt too much. I snapped a photo and suggested he get it looked at - if he could only SEE it, he'd take it more seriously. That was some righteous gnar right there.</div>
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Saw him later with a bandage on it (good) and a couple days after that, he told me an ER visit left him with a handful of stitches too.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're only smiling because you haven't seen it yet.</td></tr>
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Even though I was pretty sure nobody passed me AT ALL during the race, I felt that it was best to remain somewhat humble and say that I THOUGHT I'd won until the results were posted. The Harpoon Beer Garden seemed to be the best place to both wait and observe the Cat 1's as they made their way past.<br />
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(Here's one suggestion to BHCC for next year: see if the Adams Farm folks will let you trim the foliage on the other side of the fence that separated the beer garden from the racecourse so that folks in the beer garden could more easily see - the race was largely obscured except for a few places).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You beat a Rock! Wow!!!" - actual quote.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Woah, that's quite a gap to 2nd place! I collected my medal and Pedro's merch (just in time: I'd just run out of Green Fizz) and awaited the inevitable: two decisive wins in two races meant that I was now a provisional sandbagger. And so it began, I may have sparked the fire myself...</span><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/rusto88">@rusto88</a> surprised the bags of sand you’re carrying didn’t slow you down more ;)<br />
— Jeremy Katz (@katzj) <a href="https://twitter.com/katzj/statuses/361541303709863936">July 28, 2013</a></blockquote>
Needless to say, an upgrade to Cat 2/Sport is in the works. Up next... Hodges Dam?<br />
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-48519346368951524152013-07-16T11:59:00.000-04:002013-07-16T18:08:10.829-04:00Race Report: Gnar Weasels ShredethThe last time I entered a mountain bike race, it was the late 80's and I wasn't quite 30 years old yet. My bike was a lime green Diamondback Ascent EX with only one modification: the Schrader valve caps were matching lime green dice. Judging by this photo, I'm pretty sure it was also too small for me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can I stop yet? Please?</td></tr>
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Although I wore bike shorts, gloves and a (bulbous) helmet, the rest of my kit consisted of a t-shirt and a pair of worn out Chuck Taylors.</div>
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I had absolutely no concept of what "training" really was and the two laps I did around the woods in Simsbury, CT that day on the not-very-technical two-track fire road were pure agony. I probably last rode that, or any, MTB somewhere around 1993.</div>
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Flash forward about 20 years...</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Now I'm in my early 50's and fumbling through the sixth year of my third "cycling career." I finally achieved one of my long-term goals: to <a href="http://rustedchain.blogspot.com/2013/05/19th-annual-sterling-classic-cat-5-men.html">podium in a road race</a>. After that, work and family issues took precedence and so I had to recalibrate the focus of what bike time I actually had the luxury of getting.<br />
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I took another look at the mountain bike I picked up for $100 and a six pack from a fellow club member a few years ago. It's a ~1995 Stumpjumper Comp. I would noodle about on it a few times a year, maybe a little more in the mid-to-late summer as cross season approached but never really thought I'd ever race it.</div>
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I refer to it as the "jankmobile." The Manitou fork on it was pretty well spent (hard drops on the trail would jam the front tire up against the cross brace and, well, stop the wheel when you really NEEDED it to roll. The left crank used to loosen up sometimes if I was riding on particularly jarring terrain. It's probably a touch too big for me. No matter what I do, <i>something</i> seems to always be rattling on it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably the only 26'er with rim brakes and tubes in the race yesterday.</td></tr>
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But I have fun when I ride this bike, LOTS OF FUN. Maybe the jankiness itself adds to the fun, those worrisome rattles may make it seem like I'm going faster than I really am.<br />
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This doesn't mean that I don't wish for a modern hardtail 29'er, but things being what they are, this is my mountain bike.<br />
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Meanwhile, my Twitter feed was increasingly populated with chatter about a new upcoming mountain bike race. Usually, I put any MTB race announcements directly into the background but for some reason, I was paying attention to the buzz about this one. It didn't hurt that it was being organized by a couple of the people I respect the most in the New England bike racing community.<br />
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And it had "weasels" in the name. I've raced both Night Weasels Cometh and Ice Weasels Cometh, those races are always a blast: how could I go wrong?<br />
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But the race course was being billed as "mile-for-mile, the hardest flat mountain bike racing you can do in New England." The other weasel-flavored races are cyclocross races.<br />
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As close-of-registration date approached, I began wondering a) could I be competitive in a novice MTB race on a difficult course? b) could my bike survive it? c) could I endure the sidelong looks my old jalopy might surely receive?<br />
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I put in some solid miles riding a variety of terrain, both solo and with others who were much better than me. This included quite a bit of "practice crashing" or as I like to put it, "pre-injuring." Just to keep tabs on that pain threshold, you know. Also, there's less leg to shave if it's partly covered in bandages.<br />
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I stuck my neck out and reg'd the Wednesday before the race. I moved the weeks old Maxxis Ardent from the rear to the front then put a Maxxis Advantage on the rear, per Brian MacInnis (<a href="http://www.jracycles.com/">JRA Cycles</a>) recommendation.<br />
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Still, I had that totally spent Manitou on the front, if I raced on that I could DIE, or something. Brian didn't have one that would fit my bike in stock, so Thursday I order up a RockShox Recon and have it shipped overnight. <br />
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Friday morning has me down on the racecourse, tagging along with <a href="http://untilthesnowends.blogspot.com/">Colin</a>, <a href="http://dirtwire.tv/">Thom</a>, and <a href="http://squirtgunshow.blogspot.com/">Kevin</a> as they begin to put up the course markings. Colin mentions that they could use me as a "canary in a coal mine" to test the gnarliness of the course: novice old guy on a 26'er with tubes and a spent fork. If even I could get around the course without freaking out or cracking my skull, then maybe everything would be ok on race day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NSizBQG1_dc/UeSW9ciRFxI/AAAAAAAAIAs/fOiww5_NA4I/s1600/staplegun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NSizBQG1_dc/UeSW9ciRFxI/AAAAAAAAIAs/fOiww5_NA4I/s640/staplegun.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Do you have access to a staple gun?"</td></tr>
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As Colin and I made our way around the course, he'd occasionally ask what I thought of a particular feature, if I thought it was too dangerous or scary. At one rocky-climby bit, I actually surprised him (and myself) that I cleared it. After finishing the loop, I knew I was in for some trouble, but maybe not as much as I imagined. Our putt-putt tour had me dabbing A LOT, walking up climbs A LOT and falling once. A pretty typical MTB experience for me.<br />
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Yet <a href="http://exit17.net/">Ryan</a> opined, "<i><a href="http://ink361.com/app/#!/photo/ig-498557505402170750_4341658">You're probably the only dude doing Gnar Weasels with rim brakes. And you'll probably beat a lot of people</a></i>."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EMQD6idwgu4/UeMdAuTD22I/AAAAAAAAH-M/yFDGFZ_s-vQ/s1600/130713-01c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EMQD6idwgu4/UeMdAuTD22I/AAAAAAAAH-M/yFDGFZ_s-vQ/s640/130713-01c.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's this thing for?</td></tr>
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Friday at 4:30pm, the thing arrives and I'm panicking cuz my daughter went off to a sleepover at a friends which means it's "date night" so I gotta get this fork on the bike FAST. Luckily, I own a steerer tube cutting guide and am an expert in its use because of the ONE OTHER TIME I needed to cut a steerer tube.<br />
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Measure twice, cut once. Assemble. Go to check the pressure in the fork and didn't realize the gauge was also the pump you use to pressurize it with and that button next to the dial is not for taking a reading but for bleeding off excess air. After a moment of panic realizing that neither my bike pump nor air compressor would fit AND completely DE-pressurizing the fork in my attempts to use those devices, I figure it out and get the thing dialed.<br />
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Should I bother mentioning the condition the headset bearings were in? I won't, you can guess. I put my faith in grease.<br />
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Clean up, off to a lovely evening on Somerville. Two beers only and to bed a bit late. Up nice and early Saturday morning to make my way to Foxboro.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jz5HcbcxdyA/UeMdBMuOwFI/AAAAAAAAH-8/A6FBcOxe1ww/s1600/130713-01d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jz5HcbcxdyA/UeMdBMuOwFI/AAAAAAAAH-8/A6FBcOxe1ww/s640/130713-01d.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This bike oozes GNAR. Or maybe it merely leaks it.</td></tr>
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I arrive on site and am directed to a ROCK STAR parking spot very close to the registration tents - oh, but I'm also right next to the porta-potties. Well, the location would certainly guarantee almost everyone would pass by my base of operations for one reason or another.</div>
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I got kitted up and set out to do a little pre-ride, it was now 8:40 which allowed plenty of time for my 9:30 start. I was amazed at how much value there was in that ride I took around the course the day before, I was rolling over stuff with a fair amount of certainty even given the fact that it was much wetter due to some early morning rain. Granted, I was't going full bore yet.</div>
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When I noticed the 2 mile marker, I decided I really didn't want to ride all the way back up the course and have a 4 mile warm up... where was that shortcut back to the start I heard about? I check the time: it's now 9:10 - CRAP! I guess I was poking along a lot more slowly than I realized. I picked up the pace, kept going and finally got to the shortcut back, at about 3.5 miles in. The shortcut was a double-track gravel/rock road that was NOT flat, resulting in more pre-race effort than I felt I could afford but I had to suck it up if I wanted to get back.</div>
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Once back to my car, I noticed that my headset was a little loose. That's what I get for a last minute component upgrade. Of course the first thing I do is make it too tight and I can't seem to get it to loosen up. Time's running out! I swallow my pride, look around and ask Mike Wissell for some quick help, which he graciously gave. I roll down to the start.</div>
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After a few minutes of wandering about among the scrum of cyclists, some order is introduced by Colin's bull-horn enhanced announcements. The Sport fields are lined up one-by-one and started as I found my place among the Novices in the back. All the while, I'm trying to decide whether or not I should burn a match on the section of paved road we have to climb before we actually see any dirt.</div>
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Colin decides the 40+ and 50+ Novices should start together, I line up 2nd row, and the next thing I know, I'm clipped in and stomping my way up the hill and passing almost everyone else. I knew this was not likely to last.</div>
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Left turn then right onto the dirt and suddenly I'm about to hit a little 2 foot hump across the course. There's a bunch of people there and it's obvious they are expecting a little show at this spot. I pick up the pace a little more and try to catch some air as I go over. I see a flash go off in the corner of my eye and holler, "I hope you got that!"</div>
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Benjamin Stephens did, in fact, snap a photo. I think he captured the look that remained on my face for most of the rest of the race (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/bstephens/media_set?set=a.10100581454187965.1073741826.2405117&type=1">more of his photos here</a>):</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzcn7PDmMmA/UeMdBEMLkaI/AAAAAAAAH-c/b2O5MxIavaM/s1600/130713-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzcn7PDmMmA/UeMdBEMLkaI/AAAAAAAAH-c/b2O5MxIavaM/s640/130713-02.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wh-wh-wh-WOAH! (photo by Benjamin Stephens)</td></tr>
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Immediately, I'm bounding along the tops of a series of baby heads, hearing my chain slap and the squish of my new fork as I go. There's no one in front of me at first and I'm dimly aware of at least one person behind me.</div>
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Even though everything is going by me so fast that most details are not registering in my consciousness, I do recognize certain features from the day before and do my best to take advantage of that knowledge. As soon as I process one of these rocks or roots or ramps, I'm onto the next thing.</div>
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Before long, I caught up to one of the 30+ novices, who started 30 seconds (?) before us, then another, then I caught a couple of 30+ Novices I KNEW. I tooled along on <a href="http://zendogtraining.net/Contact_Us___Bios.html">Joel</a>'s wheel for a while, passed him, then slammed my bike RIGHT INTO a tree.</div>
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Luckily, I saw it coming, was slowing and only lost enough time for Joel to pass me back. I stayed a bit behind him this time so I could take in the lines (silly roadie that I am, I tend to ride much too close on the MTB - which only leads to trouble). Sadly, it was about this time that I felt my headset start to rattle a bit. Damn. I wondered how long I could go before causing a) permanent damage to the bike b) DEATH.</div>
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All it took was one thought of my wife and daughter hunkered down at home, awaiting my return from battle for me to stop, fish out my multi-tool, and once again, tighten the headset.</div>
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Suddenly, we popped out of the forest onto some two-track gravel, the left turn guided by a row of Harpoon Summer beers. I declined the offer of one but took a cup of water and a piece of bacon that some guy passed me as he ran uphill alongside.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9nhh9hIEN84/UeSk9FVYGKI/AAAAAAAAIA8/EoW6c1qrp3k/s1600/cans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9nhh9hIEN84/UeSk9FVYGKI/AAAAAAAAIA8/EoW6c1qrp3k/s640/cans.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm pretty sure <a href="http://velocb.blogspot.com/">Chip</a> was behind this. (Thom Parsons photo)</td></tr>
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Soon after that, I passed Joel for good.</div>
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The next rider I came upon was Ed, one of the 40+ Novices. He and I would be race buddies for the rest of the loop. He definitely had more SKILLZ than me and was able to traverse much that I couldn't. But when there was a clear not-too-technical line, I could OUT-WATT him and get by. It also seemed that I could put a little more pace into those sections where we were both doing walk/run-a-bike.</div>
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Connecting with him was the best medicine for the rest of this race for me. He kept me pushing hard when he was ahead, kept me humble when I thought I was king of the world, and seemed grateful when I gasped out kudos when he cleared some difficult section.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_zsGLX0q-w/UeMdBfvfukI/AAAAAAAAH-g/ocQhTaZRjRw/s1600/130713-03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_zsGLX0q-w/UeMdBfvfukI/AAAAAAAAH-g/ocQhTaZRjRw/s640/130713-03.jpeg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like trying to capture stormy seas from a boat, you just can't convey the total GNAR you are seeing here in this photo.<br />
(Thom Parsons photo).</td></tr>
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The last third of the race was downright fun. Since all the super difficult sections were behind me and no one was chasing me down from behind, I was a lot less nervous about my bike handling. This let me loosen up and enjoy what passed for the "flowier" sections of the course. There were a few grinding little climbs to do and some micro-gnar to traverse, but the worst was behind me.<br />
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I rolled across the finish exhausted but somehow able to ride on back to my car to clean myself up and get ready for some picture taking.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xaJmYJv1giE/UeMdBkaACnI/AAAAAAAAH-4/2x94b3fLM6o/s1600/130713-03a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xaJmYJv1giE/UeMdBkaACnI/AAAAAAAAH-4/2x94b3fLM6o/s640/130713-03a.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty clean considering all that mud I steered right into.</td></tr>
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After a few pickles and a beer, I realized I had absolutely no idea how well I did. I pedaled back up to the scoring tent and asked Christin for my time and for some reason, I didn't ask HOW I finished. I attribute this to Gnar Weasel Zombification. For quite a while, I wandered around, one minute feeling pretty good, the next completely out of it.<br />
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A little while later, the results were posted: I won!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JrlnbIvoy7c/UeMdBqZnGWI/AAAAAAAAH-0/FDIRVt413ns/s1600/130713-03b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="1" height="165" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JrlnbIvoy7c/UeMdBqZnGWI/AAAAAAAAH-0/FDIRVt413ns/s640/130713-03b.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Very nice! But there was work yet to do. I hoisted 40lbs of camera and lighting gear on my back, got BACK ON MY BIKE and rode down to the aid station and then about 20 yards backwards along the course (my legs were all "WTF?") and set up to take some photos of the Expert and Elites as they came by.<br />
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Two Pocket Wizard triggered strobes and a slightly wide angle lens seemed to be the right call, but I need a model to stand where the riders would come through so I could be sure everything was set up correctly.<br />
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Moments later, Gerry Finnegan, owner of the <a href="http://washingtonsquaretavern.com/">Washington Square Tavern</a>, comes ambling along. I've known Gerry since his days at Matt Murphy's in Brookline Village and knew he was a big bike racing supported but was floored to see him out there.<br />
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Graciously and humorously, he does everything I ask him to do as I get things dialed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WA7FKv1Jh70/UeStTgilszI/AAAAAAAAIBM/OxjCK-mAd0k/s1600/130713-0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WA7FKv1Jh70/UeStTgilszI/AAAAAAAAIBM/OxjCK-mAd0k/s640/130713-0026.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerry demonstrates the "Irish Carry".</td></tr>
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Nice, to me, the lighting and surroundings give the photos a little hint of Lord of the Rings.<br />
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OK, down to business. For the next hour or so, in two locations, I simultaneously get some really good photos AND provide sustenance to tens of thousands of mosquitos.<br />
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<a href="http://russcam.com/cycling/130713_gnarweasels/">Full gallery of photos is here.</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BdQxYb-0Lc8/UeStTvuo_uI/AAAAAAAAIBQ/V-oqy6DIo9o/s1600/130713-0040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="399" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BdQxYb-0Lc8/UeStTvuo_uI/AAAAAAAAIBQ/V-oqy6DIo9o/s640/130713-0040.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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At some point, I just couldn't stand the mosquitos anymore. They laughed at the poisons I was smearing on myself every 5 minutes and kept chewing away at my flesh, so I packed up and slumped my way back to the scoring tent to get some shots of the finishers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bW9M_HX6Ti4/UeMdEmYIutI/AAAAAAAAH_o/H7Cvsk4RERM/s1600/130713-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bW9M_HX6Ti4/UeMdEmYIutI/AAAAAAAAH_o/H7Cvsk4RERM/s640/130713-07.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WOOT!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TifyhGqX2vY/UeMdEeEH2hI/AAAAAAAAH_k/-DDvHF3R9aE/s1600/130713-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TifyhGqX2vY/UeMdEeEH2hI/AAAAAAAAH_k/-DDvHF3R9aE/s640/130713-08.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wahoo!</td></tr>
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Colin kept mentioning that they would be doing the podium ceremony "any minute now," but as it turns out, it began before I realized it. When I got there, Thom was already making his way through awarding honors to the Expert fields. Once the Elite fields were recognized, I meekly asked for my medal, was handed one along with an armload of swag and then (not so meekly, cuz it may never happen again) passed my camera off to Thom for the first photo ever of me raising my arms in victory.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XClGyEY769s/UeMdCoHhqRI/AAAAAAAAH_A/RJX37y-83-s/s1600/130713-03c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XClGyEY769s/UeMdCoHhqRI/AAAAAAAAH_A/RJX37y-83-s/s640/130713-03c.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Dinnah!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pjXQf5QDVpo/UeMdCvM0jYI/AAAAAAAAH_Q/Lr8GCM2buPU/s1600/130713-03d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pjXQf5QDVpo/UeMdCvM0jYI/AAAAAAAAH_Q/Lr8GCM2buPU/s640/130713-03d.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A functional award!</td></tr>
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Major kudos for the day must go out to the race organizers, Kevin, Colin and Thom. They did a fantastic job of putting this brand new race together. They created terrific buzz about how challenging the course would be while at the same time promoting how much fun racers would have. As the day went on, everything seemed to be in complete control and everyone there was riding high.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0TxFfTuKsdU/UeMdE-KXzRI/AAAAAAAAIAI/9flTpO2iYks/s1600/130713-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0TxFfTuKsdU/UeMdE-KXzRI/AAAAAAAAIAI/9flTpO2iYks/s640/130713-09.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heroes of the day.</td></tr>
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For me, it was an opportunity to try a form of bike racing that was, for all intents and purposes, new to me. I got to get a little peek into another corner of the local bike racing world and see where the overlap with road and CX was - and wasn't. I got to meet a lot of great people, introduce myself to a bunch of "internet only" friends in person and solidify friendships I already had.<br />
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I'll be talking about this race for a long time to come.<br />
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<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-63496606385630879072013-06-23T13:52:00.000-04:002013-06-23T13:52:34.118-04:00Sunday Random Bike Pic<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tF34PKM3UK0/Ucc1is_YCBI/AAAAAAAAH8A/P6t2LKfX9S4/s1600/jackLordBike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tF34PKM3UK0/Ucc1is_YCBI/AAAAAAAAH8A/P6t2LKfX9S4/s640/jackLordBike.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Book 'em Dano!"</td></tr>
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<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-66424229263732920942013-05-14T11:54:00.000-04:002013-05-14T12:22:14.348-04:00The Final Moment - 2013 Sterling ClassicMinuteman Road Club team mate <a href="http://cyclowhat.com/">Todd Prekaski</a> produced this terrific shot he took from the other side of the Sterling Classic race course of me staying just ahead of Aaron Hovel (left) and Jerry Babcock (right) for the finish.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-so16DT8tMeA/UZJdQ8UhbTI/AAAAAAAAH5I/Ofn_j7wTA9M/s1600/rac+finish+sterling+prekaski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="399" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-so16DT8tMeA/UZJdQ8UhbTI/AAAAAAAAH5I/Ofn_j7wTA9M/s640/rac+finish+sterling+prekaski.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note who is in the drops and who is not.</td></tr>
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<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-71849625166308475302013-05-13T00:51:00.001-04:002013-05-14T11:55:51.018-04:0019th Annual Sterling Classic Cat 5 Men 35+ - May 11, 2013<br />
What can I say? It was a dreamlike and amazing day for me on Sunday. Especially when compared to last week's disappointing performance at the Blue Hills Classic (finished 19th of 43, off the back of the 18 man finishing break on the final climb).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too pooped to pop at Blue Hills.</td></tr>
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Got a really good night's rest Friday (unlike last week's sleepover party debacle). Arrive on site and after checking in did 10 min spin on the trainer before lining up.<br />
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<b>Line up:</b> With Jeremy's words "stay off the front" echoing in my mind (and knowing he would have his eye on me from the lead car), I looked down at my computer and saw my HR was below 100 BPM. Astounding: usually it goes WAY above that in the moments before a race.<br />
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<b>Leadout to course:</b> This part is a good add-on to the warm up and helps dispel lingering pre-race jitters. I think I reminded Marc C that we didn't HAVE to ride as fast as the lead car (Jeremy driving, lead foot ;) )<br />
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<b>Lap 1:</b> That first time up Meetinghouse and beyond always jolts one fully awake even if you take it nice and slow. That home team placement at the front makes it imperative to do SOMETHING to get someone else doing the work ASAP. So, I punched it on the first descent down Heywood then eased up on the incline - this worked perfectly as the anxious field partially swarmed around me and I found a wheel to follow for a while.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cNPlvMelaIg/UZBdMjVZ5lI/AAAAAAAAH4I/chbIKOIHyco/s1600/IMG_2987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="399" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cNPlvMelaIg/UZBdMjVZ5lI/AAAAAAAAH4I/chbIKOIHyco/s640/IMG_2987.JPG" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First time up Meetinghouse - Pete Banach photo (<a href="http://spokenshutter.zenfolio.com/">more of his photos here</a>)</td></tr>
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Now I had a chance to look for the guys the race predictor said should be the ones to beat. One guy in a Peak kit seemed to stand out as strong and stable (I actually though he was the one the RP said should win, but wrongly ID'd him) - I kept my eye on him and pointed him out to teammate Eric Friberg as we rode along side-by-side for a moment. There were also guys from NEBC, NHCC and Bike Barn Racing that bore paying attention to.<br />
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At some point (on North Row?) the Peak guy (Stefano Zimei) made a little "test" break that made everybody pay attention to and drill it for a little while. Marc Cedrone made his own little move somewhere along there as well.<br />
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Then once we got onto Rte. 12 and passed over that first hump, it seemed like Eric, Stefano, myself and a coupla other guys had begun to fall into a rotating paceline, though we weren't really doing any damage on the guys behind us. My hope was that we'd start to pick up the pace once our little group seemed comfortable with the idea.<br />
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This looked promising for about two rotations and then, when the other two guys took their last pull, I noticed, all at once, that a) they weren't going to really work this into a break b) one of them had his number on upside down (not a good sign). I let Stefano know this was going nowhere as he came off the front and he agreed, I thought he and I had made a connection that lead to working together later for the benefit of both of us. Turns out, we each pretty much raced our own race from that point forward.<br />
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The rest of the first lap was uneventful.<br />
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<b>Lap 2:</b> 2nd time up the hill, I felt fully powered up and while winded as we went under 190, I wasn't tapped out. Good. I think it was here that I poured it on a little bit a hundred yards or so from the top using a technique my brother-in-law (a coach) clued me into: already spinning a bit, I spun it up even more for the push - I could hear those people who were mashing up to this point frantically finding a new gear to use to finish the climb. Someone behind me said something like, "Good, we've strung them out a bit."<br />
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Over the rollers leading to Heywood and though I drifted back to 15th wheel or so, I was comfortable where I was. I snuck a look behind me and saw that I was part of a group of about 20 that had separated from the rest who must have faltered as we passed under 190. Could not see anyone behind us.<br />
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I sat tight in the back 1/3 of the group and at one point had to play a little roller derby with somebody who surged forward and thought he could drift left onto the wheel I was following. I didn't budge, which surprised him, but luckily did not unnerve him as he only wobbled slightly and drifted back again. Never heard a complaint.<br />
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Once again up that last ramp on 12 then turn onto Meetinghouse with vague thoughts that this could be where I crack but again, I felt ok and was able to maintain position with the group.<br />
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<b>Lap 3:</b> Up and up we went, then under 190 for the last time, my legs feeling the burn and my lungs a little hot too as we crested. Kept my legs moving over the top but was behind two other guys with a 3-4 bike gap in front of them. I urged them to close it but it took no time to see they would/could not. So I rested for just a few seconds more then made my way around them and reattached to the group on the first roller after the 190 underpass climb. One solid match burned there.<br />
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The rest of the final lap had me knowing that I had to be REALLY conservative with my power output if I had any hopes of, if anything, beating the Race Predictor, which had me slotted 23rd after my dismal Blue Hills performance. Welp, I thought, if I stay with this group, I'll achieve that goal.<br />
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I also had in mind giving Eric a lead out somewhere on the way to, or up, Meetinghouse as he appeared to be riding very strong.<br />
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All the way from the 1st hump on 12 to the 12/62 intersection, the group dynamics consisted of repeated surges then BRAKING (or so it seemed from the back). I got a nice pull toward the front from Christian (BikeBarn) on the outside but then we got swallowed up by another surge from the outside. Then, for the first time all day, I went INSIDE and started moving forward. By the time we were at the final ramp up on 12, I was mid pack both front-to-back and left-to-right. Pretty sure Eric was just ahead of me and to the right.<br />
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Stefano (Peak) was well placed at 2nd wheel in front of our group as we approached the 2nd to last turn towards the finish. I made the decision to go small ring there rather than have to deal with that shift under the load of the final climb. I also got down into my drops at this point.<br />
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From there to the finish is a truly a blur, but I do remember getting to the left (outside) and starting to move forward, hoping that Eric would see me and follow. I realized I had to go farther than the guys on the inside but I also had the advantage of making that turn a wider, faster one than to have to take a sharp right onto the steeper grade of Meetinghouse.<br />
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I got onto MH and just started pedaling like a madman. Amazingly, I was passing people all the way up - I wanted to look down and make sure I really had my own legs, I could not believe I was getting them to do this!<br />
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I labored on up until about 15-20 feet from the finish and that last bit suddenly seemed like a MILE. I could hear people yelling, I was gasping deeper than I ever have before, I could SEE the finish line and two guys ahead of me.<br />
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I began to feel my legs start to turn to mulch, so I shifted and suddenly noticed one guy on either side of me coming on fast. CRAP! My gasping turned into some kind of yelling/yowling/gasping combination as I cranked those last feet. As I started to throw my bike forward across the line, it felt like I was pushing my CAR up that hill.<br />
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The next instant was total exhaustion and disbelief, did I REALLY come in THIRD? Surely, I didn't just pass 10-12 people on that hill, but apparently I did.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: It's official! Right: collecting my winnings.</td></tr>
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<b>Credit where it's due:</b><br />
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•Chris Pare took the time to help me work out a training plan way back in February and kept one eye on what I was doing via Strava, so grateful for that help, Chris!<br />
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•Jeremy Cratty's repeated admonishments to stay off the front along with Bruce Thompson's encouragement to be more comfortable in the middle of the pack surely made an impact on my ability to keep a 1/4 tank of gas in reserve for the final effort. I used that ALL up on the finishing climb!<br />
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•My final hard effort workout, this past Wednesday was kind of a shot in the dark. I was really worried that my "taper" had turned into a "full stop" with several missed workouts due to work and family stuff. I also had Blue Hills on my mind all week as well. I realized that one workout would not make a dent on my overall fitness but I did know I could use it to really gauge how much pain I could take. So, I planned to make it REALLY REALLY hurt: a trio of FREAK OUT hill repeats plus that Taylor Road Return Trip segment were what I needed to approach that limit.<br />
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It was great to introduce myself to Stefano (who came in 1st) and Christian (2nd), pretty sure it was first podiums for the two of them as well. Bummed that I can't do Sunapee so I'm setting my sights on Purgatory next.<br />
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After I collected my winnings and changed out of my kit, I spent the rest of the day marshaling my traditional spot just above the start finish line.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rlDrvGf-z2w/UZBpk6bClRI/AAAAAAAAH4o/BRNugs-jBeE/s1600/IMG_2988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="399" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rlDrvGf-z2w/UZBpk6bClRI/AAAAAAAAH4o/BRNugs-jBeE/s640/IMG_2988.JPG" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidently whoever I had stopped to allow the race to pass by was not having a shitfit. This time. (<a href="http://spokenshutter.zenfolio.com/">Banach photo</a>)</td></tr>
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I look forward to fulfilling the requirement from our club to volunteer in some capacity for four hours a year by marshaling this location with both eager anticipation and dread in nearly equal proportions.<br />
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I love having an terrific view of a crucial spot on the racecourse, Meetinghouse Hill Road is very often the selection point for the Sterling Classic. I get set up with my folding chair, cooler, duffel of clothing and camera gear then photograph the 2nd half of the late-morning fields and marshal/photograph the afternoon fields.<br />
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"Marshaling" in this case involves stopping the traffic heading into Sterling along Meetinghouse when the peloton (or any sizeable breakaway) is coming up the hill. I get a heads up via radio that the race is on it's way, move a saw horse out onto the lane and wave the traffic to stop. The wait is typically 1-2 minutes.<br />
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Sadly, although the majority of Sterling seems to either ignore our race or outwardly support it (citizens volunteer to marshal and we had a contingent of Boy Scouts helping this year) there are some who bristle at the inconvenience of re-routed traffic and delays. And yes, there are reports every year of some idiot racer who seems to think he's in the TDF and takes a "nature break" when there are plenty of indoor and outdoor facilities available.<br />
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Still, our overall impact on the town is super positive and our 19 years of holding the race there is a great track record.<br />
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While there are (at least) two police officers directing traffic at the bottom of Meetinghouse, it is left to club members to handle the top (I have been lobbying for over a year to get a cop posted up there). And every year, there are a few drivers that a) know the bike race is happening and b) drive down Meetinghouse ANYWAYS, ostensibly so that they can have a confrontation with whoever is there.<br />
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This year, the notable crankypants drivers were an older gentleman who, as soon as he stopped, had his window down and was firing off f'bombs at me faster than you could shoot rounds from a MAC-10 ("I'm sick of your f-bomb bike race every f-bomb year...") I asked him to be more patient and soon enough he was on his way.<br />
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The next trouble maker was a 20-something driver of a big black pickup truck with his buddy. Once I got them stopped, I spun around to take a couple photos of the racers coming up the other way when all of a sudden, he started to drive into the opposing lane of traffic to go around me and the saw horse. I jumped in front of him and got him move out of the way just as the peloton came by.<br />
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He shouted something at me so I snapped a few frames of his license plate and yelled that I now had his number. I thought this would do the trick to keep him in line but as soon as the large part of the group went by, he floored it and, tires roaring, he sped around me and down the hill - even as the race was still coming up in the other direction.<br />
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:: sigh ::<br />
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Those few encounters can put a good size dent in a "podium high". Luckily, there was no more trouble and I managed to get some excellent shots, which I am still editing. But here's a teaser of Luciano Pavan winning the Men's Pro 1/2 race:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Anthony Clark (Jam Fund - 3rd), Luciano Pavan (MetLife - 1st), Sean McCarthy (Champion Systems - 2nd)</td></tr>
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<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-78114651776199256662013-04-23T13:34:00.000-04:002013-04-23T14:28:39.825-04:00Spring Cycling AdventuresHere's a compilation of some of the high points of the last three weeks of cycling adventures. Waited too long to get this all up here so I'm going minimal on the descriptions of the rides and letting the photos tell the stories. (<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=directlink">Skip to a gallery of all of the photos</a>)<br />
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First, I got around to migrating the winter service course back out of the basement and into the garage.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A winter's worth of neglect.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now we're looking shipshape!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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In preparation for the upcoming road/CX combo rides I was planning to do, I got in a decent training ride that included a run down this railway line from Wayland to Weston.<br />
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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Next up, a 40 mile loop, the Ride Studio Café: Diverged ride, which took us on many roads and trails in Lexington, Belmont, Arlington, and Wincester. We got lost A LOT but had a ton of fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing Route 2 into Arlington.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere in Belmont.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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The following weekend was a much bigger test: Ronde de Rosey: over 60 miles of mostly trail riding with Team ENGVT through Brookline, Watertown, Belmont, Waltham, Weston, Wayland, Wellesley, Needham and back. When we weren't navigating the amazing number of hidden trails, or doing remarkable field repairs on broken bikes, we were REALLY DRILLING it on the road. I'm surprised I didn't crack!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catching my breath after the first big climb.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team ENGVT fixing bent derailleur hanger.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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This past weekend found me doing a smaller ride on Saturday, a sort of "getting to know you" easy 30 miler with my club mates and new members of the Minuteman Road Club.
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Sunday brought my longest ride so far this year (107 miles): the Cafe 2 Cafe ride which ran from Lexington to Manchester-by-the-Sea AND BACK.<br />
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This ride was preceded by a tempo+ effort from home to the start and followed by a ride to a memorial service for fellow cyclist Karl Fisher, teacher at the Cambridge School of Weston, who had passed away earlier this spring. I then pedaled back home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee #2 at Ride Studio Cafe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vn5z7pZpPn77HyhmPwgVn9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="600" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JNRzCkO00o0/UXav8sxEPcI/AAAAAAAAHm0/0R607wsS280/s800/130423-0069.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halfway point in Manchester-by-the-Sea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<iframe class="vine-embed" frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://vine.co/v/bU9TjAFQTFL/embed/simple" width="600"></iframe><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iYborE6SFf1cT5o8o1gUF9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img height="600" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qm9kYUeDx4M/UXavxc0wm4I/AAAAAAAAHhM/_4vckcDGnEE/s800/130421-0075.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving Karl Fisher's memorial service.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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Finally, yesterday I took a very easy recovery ride into the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uyoAyyd7XIs5B95OV0SB59MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="600" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8xk3kBtbWgE/UXavyI59pJI/AAAAAAAAHnI/CT9CXEQDjPc/s800/130422-0078.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2013 Spring Cycling Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107413876716512289010/2013SpringCyclingAdventures?authuser=0&feat=directlink">Browse through all of the photos from this series.</a></div>
rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-78251580480312591042013-03-22T12:02:00.001-04:002013-03-22T12:02:14.337-04:00A Year Later: Best Solo Ride EverOne year ago today, I did my most memorable solo ride, <a href="http://rustedchain.blogspot.com/2012/03/instagramapaloozaboston-solo-omloop.html">from home to Boston and back</a>.<br />
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What is different about this year? Well, first of all, the weather has not been nearly so compliant. Right now there's still snow on the ground (had some flurries last night) and I've been happy when it gets all the way up to 40ºF.</div>
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On the WAY upside, I am in <i>much</i> better shape than I was at this time last year. My piriformis has not been bothering me at all and despite the excess of trainer workouts, my attitude is good. Here's to hoping the weather improves soon!</div>
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<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-67001288128155826532013-03-12T21:59:00.000-04:002013-03-12T22:48:08.461-04:00Sit Down Already!<div style="text-align: left;">
Another big-ish ride last weekend which, as the numbers tell it, was pretty close to the one the week before in terms of total effort and intensity, but very different in how things played out.</div>
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Mostly.</div>
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You'll notice that although the distance is about the same, we put in an additional 2k ft of climbing. Another difference, not apparent from the Strava numbers is that this was a no-drop ride. We'd hit the climbs pretty hard and regroup at the top while last week, it was an every-man-for-himself situation for most of the ride.</div>
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So a continuous, but not all-out effort over a long period of time versus shorter, but more intense applications of power with recovery in between.</div>
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There were two factors this week that found me draining my tank sooner than I would have otherwise:</div>
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1) As is my all to frequent habit, the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the ride, I went at the climbs way too hard. Hey, I felt great, my bike felt fast, I wasn't cold to the core – it's hard for me to hold back that enthusiasm for longer rides. Gotta work on reigning in the horses.</div>
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2) I spent way too much time out of the saddle. I know, I know, I know.</div>
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Then I ran across this blog post over at <a href="http://wattbike.com/">Wattbike.com</a>: <a href="https://wattbike.com/us/news/post/power_behind_the_tour_climbing">Power behind the Tour: Climbing</a>.<br />
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So what happens when a rider gets out of the saddle, well, I jumped on my Wattbike this morning and did some out of the saddle efforts. First thing to notice is that it is very difficult to maintain a smooth application of power, which inevitably results in an increased heart rate (my heart rate jumped by 20bpm whilst my speed only rose by 2kph - we can safely say that it was not worth the effort!). A lot of force needs to be put down the front end of the pedal stroke to maintain momentum and the consistently good pedal technique is all but lost, this is true for the majority of the riders. The physiological cost of this is an increased heart rate which subsequently leads to an increase in the production of lactate and ultimately the rider having to slow to recover.</blockquote>
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I think the two following images do a pretty good job of demonstrating this physiological cost:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Xw6d4ueltE/UT_ZQZWuBLI/AAAAAAAAHXY/a3kbFmL0J5Y/s1600/130312_Wattbike_Polar_View_Tour_Rider_(704x515).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Xw6d4ueltE/UT_ZQZWuBLI/AAAAAAAAHXY/a3kbFmL0J5Y/s400/130312_Wattbike_Polar_View_Tour_Rider_(704x515).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power through the pedal stroke while seated. (Wattbike.com image)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power through the pedal stroke while standing (Wattbike.com image)</td></tr>
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What I have to remember is that if I stand on a climb, just because it feels like I am working harder (and I <i><u>am</u></i> working harder), that does not translate into increased climbing speed of any significance.<br />
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It also means that I am burning matches that I could have used elsewhere in the ride. It's also silly for me not to take advantage of the trainer work I've been doing all winter spinning a higher cadence (100-105 instead of 95-100 rpm) while applying more power: it's made to order for climbing.<br />
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This is not to say that I won't EVER stand while climbing – there may be a breakaway forming that I need to catch or the climb is so long that I need to use other muscles for a while – I just need to do it less than I do now.</div>
rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-2791045727556049232013-03-05T14:32:00.000-05:002013-03-05T14:33:12.345-05:00Wrenching Your Own Bike: Torque<a href="http://www.pinkbike.com/news/To-the-Point-Torque-Specifications-2013.html">Here's a great primer</a> from Jay Seiter of <a href="http://www.pedros.com/pedros.html">Pedro's</a> on why setting certain fasteners to the proper torque specs, especially on a carbon bike, is critically important:<br />
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As a human powered vehicle, the weight of a bicycle is a major contributor to performance. This requires engineers to push the limits of each material and design they choose. The engineer must factor in material properties, part shape, riding conditions, product life, and more. [...] While carbon fiber allows for more optimal design and provides a far higher strength to weight ratio compared to steel and aluminum, it is also more susceptible to crushing and cracking when improperly set up. Simply put, the margin for error is much smaller. For this reason, using a torque wrench has become essential.</blockquote>
Read the whole interview at <a href="http://www.pinkbike.com/news/To-the-Point-Torque-Specifications-2013.html">Pink Bike</a>.<br />
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I keep 3 different torque wrenches on hand: the first is a 30+ year old S-K beam type wrench that is dedicated to torquing down my bottom bracket and my cassette. I bought it way back when I had a motorcycle. It's long beam allowed me to ease up to the required torque nicely. Being a 1/2" drive wrench, my <a href="http://www.pedros.com/externalBBsocket.htm">Pedro's External BB socket</a> and the 1" socket for my <a href="http://www.parktool.com/product/cassette-lockring-tool-fr-5">Park Cassette Lockring Tool</a> go right on.<br />
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The big advantage of a beam type torque wrench is that they are very stable. If you are a little rough with it and bend the needle away from zero, you can simply bend it back - it's the main beam of the tool that is the part that is calibrated. Now, that's not saying I think it would still be accurate if you drove over it with your car, but it does not require the care of a click wrench.<br />
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<a href="http://www.russcam.com/rustedchain_images/130305_torquewrenches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://www.russcam.com/rustedchain_images/130305_torquewrenches.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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The two other wrenches are click types, both of them 3/8" Craftsman wrenches, <a href="http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00931423000P?sid=IDx20070921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=00931423000">one with a lower range</a> (25-250 in-lbs or 2.98-28.2 N-m) that handles low torque duties such as the pinch bolts on my non-drive side crank and handlebar stem bolts. The <a href="http://www.sears.com/craftsman-micro-clicker-torque-wrench-3-8inch-drive/p-00931424000P?prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=G4">other one</a> (10-75 ft-lbs or 13.5-101.6 N-m) handles torquing that is too much for the small one to handle and offers precision the beam wrench cannot provide - this one is almost exclusively used on my car.<br />
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One big advantage of the click type torque wrenches over the bar type is that when you have to achieve a high torque, sometimes you have to position your body to pull on the wrench in such a way that you can't see the needle and the gauge. This is especially true when you are working on your car and you are under there with your hands and the wrench deep in the workings of your car. You just feel the click through your hand when the set torque is reached.. However, more care is required in their use and storage as the Jay said in his interview with Pink Bike.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-57593914278353416832013-03-04T08:59:00.002-05:002013-03-04T13:10:35.307-05:00Riding Outside Again!After putting in over 260 outdoor miles in January, I had NONE in February, so joining up with a nice sized contingent of MRC members plus one 545 Velo pal on Saturday for a longish ride was quite nice.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/activities/42826340/embed/6fdc43f339e407686c5469ef141fcca735c9d701" width="590"></iframe><br />
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The way the ride came off was awkward in more than a few ways: the start time was changed, the route was not well planned or known, the level of effort targeted by the person who posted the ride was overridden by the majority of the participants and lastly, I got shelled about halfway through.<br />
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Nevertheless, it was great to find out if all those hours on the trainer, using TrainerRoad workouts, had a positive effect on my performance. Net result: mixed.<br />
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On the upside, I was able to sustain a 30 minute effort at 92% FT – not from the beginning of the ride, but STARTING 24 miles in. Of course, I had the help of a large paceline which consisted of a lot of Cat 3 and 4 racers who did nearly all of the work up front to get me to that point.<br />
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It was at the end of that stretch, leading up into Carlisle along a series of short, punchy rollers (on a route called, "The Monster Bullet Train") that I hit a (the) wall. Bleh.<br />
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After a few minutes of deliberation, we stuck together as a group, but I thought the writing was on the wall. A little while later, recovered, I hit my best 5 min power for the ride heading up Nagog Hill. I don't know where THAT came from. Still: I was last up by a long way and a few minutes later, I thought I had been dropped for good.<br />
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I was fine with that: everyone else was in the groove and I knew my way back so I pedaled on, planning to continue for as long as I could at tempo.<br />
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No sooner did I start scrounging my "mental radio" for a song to help me soldier on, than I was overtaken by one of our group who was inadvertently left behind after dropping something he wanted to retrieve. Yay: company!<br />
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We met back up with the group at a coffee stop in Concord center and I was able to keep up the rest of the way back to Berlin.<br />
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So, what is the missing piece of the puzzle, looking at my fitness/training at this point? The usual: climbing.<br />
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If I'm not able to get outside and do the real thing, I need to figure out how to properly simulate climbing on the trainer. Also, I need to mix tempo efforts with climbing: all the TrainerRoad workouts give you really easy rest intervals, I should just do tempo during those perhaps.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-5529329577043218522013-02-26T21:31:00.000-05:002013-02-26T21:32:13.038-05:00Bike Chains - How It's Made<div style="text-align: center;">
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I thought my daughter made me watch every one of these last year when she discovered "<a href="http://science.discovery.com/tv-shows/how-its-made">How It's Made</a>" but I never saw this one before.</div>
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(<a href="http://www.twojohnspodcast.missingsaddle.com/">via The Two Johns Podcast</a>)</div>
rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-40781074642362242492013-02-24T12:39:00.000-05:002013-02-24T12:39:27.850-05:00<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There are two kinds of <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23HTFU">#HTFU</a>: 1) starting when you don’t want to2) not stopping when you want to<br />
— Russ Campbell (@rusto88) <a href="https://twitter.com/rusto88/status/305707241791709184">February 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-82350604766076993442013-02-21T13:11:00.001-05:002013-02-21T13:14:15.299-05:00Side WorkNoticed that I logged 263 road miles (in addition to many hours on the trainer) in the month of January and ABSOLUTELY NONE so far in February. This is due to a combination of the weather (blizzard of '13, rain), a death in the family and ensuing travel involved, and illness (nasty cold had me knocked out for 5 days).<br />
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Meanwhile, I did manage to do a long overdue refresh of the <a href="http://www.minutemanroadclub.com/" target="_blank">Minuteman Road Club website</a>. Nothing special, moved everything over to WordPress to make it easier to take over should I no longer be webmaster there: </div>
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<a href="http://www.minutemanroadclub.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="443" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oXExBUBeCb8/USZh4qWZVZI/AAAAAAAAHVk/QMJEWxq7H0Q/s640/130221_mrcWebsiteScreenshot.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Favorite part is the right sidebar area that has tabbed feeds from <a href="http://app.strava.com/clubs/minuteman-road-club" target="_blank">Strava</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/minutemanrdclub" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.road-results.com/search?q=minuteman%20road%20club&racers=all" target="_blank">Road Results</a> and <a href="http://www.crossresults.com/team/36" target="_blank">Cross Results</a>.</div>
rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-48873664498388684892013-01-23T09:00:00.001-05:002013-01-23T09:01:37.338-05:00USA Cycling Adds New Cat 5 to Cyclocross<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">via <a href="http://cxhairs.com/">cxhairs.com</a>:</span><br />
<em style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;"><br /></em>
<em style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">1E6: Category 5 established for men in cyclo-cross and upgrade system changed to resemble the road more. There will be voluntary upgrades and mandatory upgrades based on points. Cat 5 to Cat 4 upgrade by experience only.</em><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">More here: <a href="http://www.cxhairs.com/2013/01/23/cat-5-in-cross-its-here/">http://www.cxhairs.com/2013/01/23/cat-5-in-cross-its-here/</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">This presents interesting problems for race promoters to sort out:</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">the race day would potentially get longer with an extra field, thus more costly (officials, EMT, site fees)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">rolling the new 5's in with the 4's might mean an unmanageable number of racers on the course</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; word-spacing: 1px;">dealing with yet ANOTHER disparity between men's and women's races (no Cat 5 has been established for women)</span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, verdana, Arial, Calibri, geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 25px; word-spacing: 1px;">Lucky that the announcement came about as far away from the start of the cross season as it could so that promoters can figure out what they will have to do.</span></span></div>
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<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-58093184778716575782013-01-17T18:14:00.001-05:002013-01-17T18:17:37.874-05:00FoodMy on-the-go, on-the-road job as a photographer provides many benefits to the bike riding/racing portion of my life but the variability/unpredictability also leads to many, MANY poor choices when I find myself out longer than expected and oh SO hungry.<br />
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Why doesn't Whole Foods have a goddam salad bar drive through?<br />
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Anyway, I'm sitting here in what used to be a haunt where I have often gorged on all sorts of obscenities, patting myself on the back for ordering a tomato/cucumber salad instead of the other, less honorable choices on the menu.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-76799139518980846052013-01-15T22:29:00.001-05:002013-01-15T22:29:31.166-05:00On Winter Base Miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What is it about putting in long miles on icy cold winter days that makes them so satisfying? Is it the unhurried pace? Knowing that you are doing something even most other <i>cyclists</i> would look at you a bit crookedly for?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sWdn8uIWsgs/UPYQaxdB0hI/AAAAAAAAHSM/92SLWljhM_M/s1600/IMG_1453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sWdn8uIWsgs/UPYQaxdB0hI/AAAAAAAAHSM/92SLWljhM_M/s640/IMG_1453.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fenders. A kind gesture not only for you but also for your buddies.</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>Perhaps it's that slight hint of adventure – spending an extra half hour putting on the fenders and layering on more clothing, chasing down a lost neck gator – it makes you feel just a little like a two-wheeled <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/ice/peopleevents/pandeAMEX87.html" target="_blank">Amundsen</a> heading out into a frosty wilderness.<br />
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And it's worlds better than the automaton life on the indoor trainer. I don't care what movie you might have cued up on your TV or computer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qw_y9XYFD1Y/UPYQbkCCPCI/AAAAAAAAHSQ/eedW326gCsY/s1600/IMG_1521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qw_y9XYFD1Y/UPYQbkCCPCI/AAAAAAAAHSQ/eedW326gCsY/s640/IMG_1521.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Icy? Wet? Hard to tell the difference sometimes.</td></tr>
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Maybe it's the increased dangers one finds out on a winter ride. The side of the road, that 2-3 feet of relatively safe haven in warmer weather, vanishes under ice, snow and slush, forcing you further to the center of the lane. Plows have been out creating new pot holes for the road crews to fill later in the summer but right now they serve to swallow your wheel. Numb fingers don't work the way they are supposed to and add to the distraction your wind burned face is already causing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good turnout, considering the weather.</td></tr>
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Certainly, the hardships are much easier to endure when they are shared among the like-minded. You get kudos just for showing up, even if you later may complain a little about your cold feet or the grinding sound your derailleur starts making late in the ride. You feel a little less crazy when joined by others about as unhinged as you are.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bike was even dirtier.</td></tr>
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And of course, the rewards you get when you <i>finish</i> a winter ride are multiple: re-entry to the indoor world of warmth, comfort, hot food and drink, the right to lord it over the snuggie-squad, a long shower or bath.</div>
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I think for me, a good, long winter ride refreshes the knowledge that the world is still so much bigger than the people who coop themselves up until springtime. I'm reminded that I can get out there and take command of it in a certain way even now, if for just a little while.</div>
<br />rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-65239805444695644352013-01-07T18:59:00.000-05:002013-01-07T18:59:38.420-05:00Up A Notch.Did a 20 minute FTP test today (self administered via TrainerRoad on my Kurt Kinetic Road trainer). Bumped FTP up to 249 watts from 242 and LTHR to 158 bpm from 152.<br />
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Of course, the question is: could I have gone harder? Here's the tale of the tape:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VTznrZniaRQ/UOtgOCWSgjI/AAAAAAAAHQw/bQpbyQmoTG4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-01-07+at+6.53.45+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="561" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VTznrZniaRQ/UOtgOCWSgjI/AAAAAAAAHQw/bQpbyQmoTG4/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-01-07+at+6.53.45+PM.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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I can honestly say that I don't know. You can see how I ramped it up a bit there towards the end, but it was agony. I do know it was a good thing nobody was home at the time, I was making quite a racket between breathing hard and gasping loudly.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-58917547981984164682013-01-02T13:59:00.000-05:002013-01-02T14:01:09.168-05:00Starting The Year Out Right: New Year's Day RideNow, I'm no hard man like some others I know who <a href="http://exit17.net/2013/01/01/bicycle-numbers-in-2012/" target="_blank">commute long miles all winter long</a>, regardless of the weather. But occasionally, I overcome my tendency towards <i>la dolce vita</i> and do what I otherwise would think is a little nuts.<br />
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And so, with surprisingly very little prodding (or sleep), I took a mostly easy-paced ride with Gary yesterday. Temp was in the low 30's F, wind seemed to be out of the southwest at 10-15mph giving a nice wind chill of about 19ºF.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/runs/35146227/embed/c78fab377dce71c85e013543b51f76a9d7812654" width="590"></iframe></center>
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Though the decision to ride might have been less than sensible to a lay person, I made some smart preparations: multiple layers of clothing, an awesome wool cap by <a href="http://www.rotheracycling.com/" target="_blank">Rothera Cycling</a>, gator, gloves fortified with glove liners, toe warmer packets stuffed into my shoes and a rear fender installed.<br />
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All this prep seemed like it was going to take as long as the planned ride. And as usual, I was running late, muttering curses and oaths as I fumbled with each item I was trying to attach to myself or my bike.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WoulER2F0zw/UORPF2plDVI/AAAAAAAAHPw/wXtBlgjJHLk/s1600/racNYD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WoulER2F0zw/UORPF2plDVI/AAAAAAAAHPw/wXtBlgjJHLk/s640/racNYD.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ninja or toppyoushimonai?</td></tr>
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Road conditions were actually pretty decent despite the recent 8" dump of snow. Once I got off my under-plowed street, the "shoulder" (migrated towards the crown of the road due to the snow) was either a little damp or dry with the occasional puddle.<br />
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Gary and I made our rendezvous in Stow and immediately headed toward Concord. Here's the thing for those of you who avoid riding in the cold to remember: if you dress right, the worst part is the first 10 minutes of the ride.<br />
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Actually, the worst part is THINKING about the first 10 minutes of a cold weather ride, once you are convinced that you are heading out and actually get under way, you forget all about the cold and just worry about things you usually worry about: riding too fast/slow, pot holes, inattentive drivers and WTF is that creak my bike is making "down there"?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzw7EQaIKJo/UORQsfVS9wI/AAAAAAAAHQM/tIfmMLT9jBg/s1600/gcdNYD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzw7EQaIKJo/UORQsfVS9wI/AAAAAAAAHQM/tIfmMLT9jBg/s640/gcdNYD.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to tell if Gary is wiping snot or radioing the team car.</td></tr>
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Once in Concord, we did most of the <a href="http://nebc.us/cbtt/" target="_blank">Charlie Baker TT</a> loop (1/2 gradual uphill and 1/2 medium sized rollers), bypassing familiar cycling stop <a href="http://fernscountrystore.com/" target="_blank">Ferns Country Store</a> at the top of the route in favor of finishing the loop THEN stopping for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cofeets" target="_blank">#COFEETS</a> at <a href="http://www.mainstreetsmarketandcafe.com/" target="_blank">Main Streets Café</a> in downtown Concord and finally heading back (into the wind) to where we started.<br />
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No huge efforts, no heroics. I think we saw about 5 other cyclists and 3 or 4 people running, all of whom waved in solidarity.rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726649891900374427.post-84488182020501992982013-01-01T16:33:00.003-05:002013-01-15T15:26:29.344-05:00Filling in the (HUGE) Gaps - 2012 Wrap UpBeen quite a while since I threw anything up here so I figured I'd give a go at slapping together, in (few) words and (lots of) pictures, a rough summary of what I've done since April. I'm piecing this together through a combination of a review of my cycling log and the photos taken.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-AYvPyleY4/UOIfCUaCeEI/AAAAAAAAHCM/cxAdKQZK6oc/s1600/043-IMG_5911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-AYvPyleY4/UOIfCUaCeEI/AAAAAAAAHCM/cxAdKQZK6oc/s640/043-IMG_5911.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Spring found me doing quite a bit of solo MTB riding.<br />
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That is not to say that I did not enjoy the company of friends from time to time.<br />
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I suffered my share of injuries and insults...</div>
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Took the longest ride of my life in June...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QDG9BJHQhFg/UOMxPIoN5jI/AAAAAAAAHDY/in0eVR8OXO0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-01-01+at+1.55.19+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QDG9BJHQhFg/UOMxPIoN5jI/AAAAAAAAHDY/in0eVR8OXO0/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-01-01+at+1.55.19+PM.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Got organized.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MMhl_CvP7vI/UOMzYDCLfoI/AAAAAAAAHEQ/wXqQKyCUNF0/s1600/049-120429-6827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MMhl_CvP7vI/UOMzYDCLfoI/AAAAAAAAHEQ/wXqQKyCUNF0/s200/049-120429-6827.jpg" width="275" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZH07DmD3uc/UOMzZKmIHQI/AAAAAAAAHEY/bS5IYiRXJeU/s1600/067-120706-0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZH07DmD3uc/UOMzZKmIHQI/AAAAAAAAHEY/bS5IYiRXJeU/s200/067-120706-0010.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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"Innovated."</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQU3xbt5YzM/UOM0jNeo67I/AAAAAAAAHEs/2DJDNLkCHL0/s1600/054-120512-7113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQU3xbt5YzM/UOM0jNeo67I/AAAAAAAAHEs/2DJDNLkCHL0/s200/054-120512-7113.jpg" width="275" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CAg97dJqoso/UOM0kCxb4KI/AAAAAAAAHE0/Qf8ydMFISm8/s1600/060-IMG_7638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CAg97dJqoso/UOM0kCxb4KI/AAAAAAAAHE0/Qf8ydMFISm8/s200/060-IMG_7638.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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Got some new duds.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZr7Ye4R5Qc/UOM0_n1-JNI/AAAAAAAAHE8/aJng5C65qCU/s1600/059-IMG_7564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZr7Ye4R5Qc/UOM0_n1-JNI/AAAAAAAAHE8/aJng5C65qCU/s200/059-IMG_7564.jpg" width="275" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pH9PgHTVUo/UOM1At8dSvI/AAAAAAAAHFE/INMfTRYaHSs/s1600/063-120627-0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pH9PgHTVUo/UOM1At8dSvI/AAAAAAAAHFE/INMfTRYaHSs/s200/063-120627-0008.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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Got dirty.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZykheqNAP44/UOM1U8f-yII/AAAAAAAAHFU/seJsKIUCPJ4/s1600/076-IMG_9174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZykheqNAP44/UOM1U8f-yII/AAAAAAAAHFU/seJsKIUCPJ4/s200/076-IMG_9174.jpg" width="165" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9XY65TOdNE/UOM1T7HOSHI/AAAAAAAAHFM/Ca-eS6vkNZc/s1600/071-120720-0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9XY65TOdNE/UOM1T7HOSHI/AAAAAAAAHFM/Ca-eS6vkNZc/s200/071-120720-0002.jpg" width="165" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2NZXy48_SQ/UOM1V4aLJQI/AAAAAAAAHFc/U089QhQCsgE/s1600/080-IMG_9290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2NZXy48_SQ/UOM1V4aLJQI/AAAAAAAAHFc/U089QhQCsgE/s200/080-IMG_9290.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>
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Raced, a little.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4U-To_C768I/UOM2raTfRLI/AAAAAAAAHF0/EavBfMPaQCM/s1600/077-Remy_20120909-7078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4U-To_C768I/UOM2raTfRLI/AAAAAAAAHF0/EavBfMPaQCM/s640/077-Remy_20120909-7078.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© Tiffany Remy</td></tr>
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Got hurt. Again. So I concentrated on taking photos.<br />
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Saw some interesting things.</div>
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Promoted and ran my first cyclocross race. <a href="http://www.russcam.com/cycling/121014_mrccx" target="_blank">I photographed it too</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZQ0eCzOink/UOM3Fp28uxI/AAAAAAAAHF8/JASWLQ2_A1w/s1600/rac+megaphone+mrccx+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZQ0eCzOink/UOM3Fp28uxI/AAAAAAAAHF8/JASWLQ2_A1w/s200/rac+megaphone+mrccx+copy.jpeg" width="165" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9Vih4qSpUQ/UONA_sny-lI/AAAAAAAAHG4/X_PmsKRew7w/s1600/083-IMG_9813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9Vih4qSpUQ/UONA_sny-lI/AAAAAAAAHG4/X_PmsKRew7w/s200/083-IMG_9813.jpg" width="165" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bc9EGuAgdhc/UONHTGr1GOI/AAAAAAAAHHc/u1beI_xT4Fk/s1600/001-121014-MRC-158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bc9EGuAgdhc/UONHTGr1GOI/AAAAAAAAHHc/u1beI_xT4Fk/s200/001-121014-MRC-158.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>
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Ate and ate and ate...</div>
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Drank some coffee...</div>
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In the meantime, I began to heal up and got back on the bike.<br />
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So grateful for all the new friends I made this year.</div>
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Said goodbye to a very, very dear one.</div>
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Perhaps this is all fairly typical for a someone who gets bit by the the cycling bug: ups, downs, memories both fond and not. Successes both great and small, failures both monumental and inconsequential.</div>
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Aches, pains and that "good kind of tired."</div>
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So I end 2012 with two goals in mind:</div>
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First, I will try to remember that although my experiences might not be all that special, the experiences of the people I meet seem special to <i>them</i> and I should respect that. Always.</div>
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And the other goal is to...</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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rusto88http://www.blogger.com/profile/05650053453361761516noreply@blogger.com0