Uglier and uglier
Was doing a bit of proactive mid-week restoration on the Pinarello to make it ready to ride. In the process it got new, extra-ugly bar tape on the right side, which barely matches the bike except for the purple fork.
Was planning to do some sprints on the ride home today, but I had no legs whatsoever. On the other hand, it was a glorious afternoon for a ride. Ironically, the morning had been so miserable I didn't even bring my light gear, and I was wildly overheating on the ride home, in too-heavy socks and way-too-heavy rain pants.
What a difference a day makes
So yesterday I finished in the bunch in the race and was mad. Today, I finished in the bunch in a crit and felt great. What was the difference? Expectations, and a bit of work.
Aw Crap...
Saturday's race really demonstrated that I'm not as fast as I think I am.
After keeping with the pack all day on the nearly-flat course, on a day when the pack was going nowhere (one semi-serious breakaway, and a routinely slow pace), the sprint happened and I went backwards. My placement in the pack was excellent, I was ready for the sprint prep, and then I started pushing the pedals in preparation for the finishing sprint and...nothing. I ended up about 15th in a pack where points were given to the top 10.
See? I told you so
Chance of showers? That's not enough. How about some blowing wind, biting rain, and misery? I need the preparation for the likely-miserable Harris-Roubaix.
I'm starting to get my race face on already. The Pinarello just got switched over to a new front brake lever, which means a little less cable in the way. Ironically, it won't matter much for tomorrow's race (except for the detail that I've cut the cable a little shorter than I would like), but it will help when I put the aerobars on for TTs in the future.
Every second day is not the new posting schedule.
Bad news on a happy day? Who cares! It turns out I probably won't be able to do the time trial I wanted to on Sunday, because of a conflict with a foreordained martini party. D'oh! But that's not a bad conflict, really, and I'll still be able to do two other races.
And my intramural floor hockey team lost a heartbreaking playoff game in a shootout after overtime. But we played well and had fun. So you can't say that's bad.
Argh. This non-posting has got to stop
After an aimless, grumpy Sunday caused by no racing caused by a small bend in the wheel that was detected too late because I didn't try to finish rebuilding the wheel until Sunday morning because I'm a ninny, I got better.
Sorry about that.
I know, I know, where did I go? It's been a busy few days, but I have stories. So quickly, in convenient bullet-point form:
-broke more spokes in my rear wheel and flatted my tire on the way to work Tuesday, forgot my pump at home.
-broke my nice tire lever trying to change the flat
Lenten Observances
Today's race was a failure, but a beautiful one. Lots went wrong. The bodge job of forcing spokes in that shouldn't have been there left me with a rear wheel that was pathetically out of true, and had a hop so bad it vibrated throughout the race. It scared numerous other riders. I was pretty cheesed off too; I'm sure it had at least some effect on my speed.
I coulda been a contender!
Well, good and bad bike stuff today. The good was the weather, and a worthwhile stop at my secret spot, which turned up three serviceable mountain bike rear wheels. The other good was a really nice half of a race. More than anything else, I went out and had a lot of fun!
Paper or Plastic?
This week has been hectic, but pleasant. Making a few plans for next month, planning to ride a few races this weekend, and I have to get over to Dave's place to buy a bunch of bike stuff. And the shed project is becoming critical, because I'm going to do the bike kitchen thing when it goes up.
