Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Probably should update this thing......

Canada Cup #2 Mont Tremblant Quebec. We had 5 laps of a very similar course to what it has been for the last few years. The weather was great! (hot and sunny). I knew that I felt pretty good in my warmup and after having some bad luck at Baie Saint Paul last weekend I was hoping for a clean mechanical free day and the only worry in my mind was flat tires. I made it 4.6 of 5 laps before I ripped my front tire open. I was in a very solid top 5 position and had a very good chance to be top 3. I was gassing it really hard on the last lap emptying the tank on the final climb before we hit the nasty decent onto the bike path and then into the village. Starting the decent I came up on a group of riders (being lapped) and some of them had a hard time understanding that I am lapping you and that you need to get out of my way. When a pro rider is lapping you that means they are going a substantial amount faster and that by not moving out of the way you will be costing them time, placings, UCI points and of course some cash. It usually works out for the best of both riders (the lapped and lapper) to just move. Now there is always certain situations where you cannot pull slightly out of the way but that is very rare. Some pro's are much more agressive than others and holding a rider that is lapping you up could possibly work out not so well for both party's. Some of the top Pro Men will be passing you no matter where on the course they are and if you let them or not, they are going by you. Another great situation is when you are passing a group of racers (being lapped) (and for example a group of 4) the first 3 in the group move out of the way as soon as they hear "pro rider" being called out, the person at the back of the group decides to take the opportunity to get passed 3 more riders and pass them! What they don't realize ( not sure how they don't) but they are being lapped too! It gets really good when you get the classic " I am racing too" or how about a few "F offs"? I received both of those comments on Saturday and they could of easily been avoided by just pulling out of they way! When I personally approach a lapped racer I call "pro rider". And on that call you should move. If not you get another "pro rider lapping you, please move". If the racer is still infront of me after two pretty obvious calls to pass I am not warning you anymore and I am going to come by. I will call either "on your left" or "on your right" as I am going to pass you.

I was held up on Saturday by a rider that I for sure knows how this situation goes! I called out to pass more than I should have and I got desperate to get by and with no racer in their category anywhere in sight of them, they didn't move so I took the pass. I flatted and had to run the whole decent to the tech zone where I lost 11 placings, UCI points and money. Anyways enough of a of a rant here, but it is very frustrating when racers still do not understand this topic.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing!


Peter Glassford ate a MUFFIN!!! Not just any muffin, BUT a Massive COSTCO muffin! I also witnessed a rather Large McFlurry be crushed too...!!!

Right, moving along then. We are in the Mont Tremblant region and there is a solid network of bike paths and MTB trails to be explored. I started today off with a "easy" cruise to the hill (via the amazing bike paths) a climb to the top of Mont Tremblant, followed by a few laps on a surprisingly dry course and finished with some more bike path cruising home. Sorry Forgot to mention my 4 blend cereal bowl and apple crumble muffin (thanks conti breakfast).

Yesterday I managed to stretch and foam roll followed by an icing session of the sore hip from Sunday. We (Peter G, Matt F and Myself) hiked to the top of one of the peaks north of Baie Saint Paul and were treated to some stellar views of one of the most beautiful areas in the east.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Canada Cup #1 Baie Saint Paul Quebec

Yesterday was The first Canada Cup in a block of three Canada Cups. Baie Saint Paul is one of the nicest towns in Eastern Quebec, it truly is what comes to mind when I think of the Province of Quebec. The Course is great! much like something you would ride on the west coast.
I had a pretty good start staying in the front group for the first lap. I rode the second lap mostly solo always still in sight of the leaders. Starting the third lap, crossing one of the only bridges on the course I somehow managed to ram my hip/quad into the handrail as I was entering the bridge. It was a minor setback as my quad was charley horsing like no tomorrow. I managed to kind of push through it as best that I could. It hurt, but the thought of not finishing because of something silly outweighed that. I gave'er and with a hungry group of talented fast racers behind me, I only lost a few placings.
I will be spending the week in Quebec (not too sure exactly where yet) and I plan on seeing and doing as much as possible before we race yet again next weekend in Mont Tremblant.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Whats The Date Again?

May 12th!!!. Hard to believe that the first Canada Cup is about to kick off this weekend in Beautiful Baie Saint Paul Quebec. Time is motoring by faster then I actually realized. I kind of forgot the last time I updated my blog was 2.5 weeks ago!. I have been busy logging many hours on the bike and even more hours planning some things coming up and burning far to much time sitting on my butt working on my computer (in my opinion, really anytime on my butt is too much time). The weather has been holding up and I have really just made my "on the fly" training program very heavily dependent on what the skies are saying. I have been working on a few photo Projects that I have on the go. Um so ya, if I don't have anything that interesting to write about, I prefer not to just write a bunch of jibber jabber. So peace out.

I have been sorting through files and files of older photos and came across one of my all time favorites.