Very tempting to rip up an extra 30 or 40k's when you wake at 4.30 and can't get back to sleep. Got lazy instead, a slow breakfast watching the Thunderbirds! Got to the OC's start early anyway, 9 earlybirds scurrying away at quarter to. A great turn up of 20 for the OC's, missing Coug's cheeky remarks though. Great to have Dave, Hoffy and Barnsey along again, 10 out of 10 for determination. JB back with the Cannondale fresh from service. Shawy didnt even turn a wheel to get a pucture, but in the true team spirit we waited till he'd repaired (but sledged anyway) A 7.04 departure and a southerly to make the first two legs a push (just my luck, my turn to tackle both) Once into Mitchell, youthful exhuberance took the reigns to pace up the pack. Simon having missed the Cat start, was along for a restful lap but was in for a workout. Well driven by Daniel, Kel & Bo, the Boundary Rd section flew by. Norms tail-light hit the deck (well retrieved by Daniel & Temple) the trio catching on near the Ford Rd turn. Forgey & Steve's exhuberance had unwittingly upped the tempo, but all settled quickly to resume the westward journey home. The breeze had swung a bit toward ESE, assisting a little. A few young guns had done a little longer on the front to position themselves ideally for the final thrash (tactics wasted as it happened) and Norm had some high octane left in the tank for the last half k of Wanganui, making lots work hard. Found myself in the box seat for Rudd Rd, Simon lauched in the last 350 but went kaboom soon after hitting the lead. Way too early for me, but i hit the NoS early to shake off an angry swarm of young bees buzzing behind, just holding off Daniel, Bo, Vince and others for the honours. Bo opened volume 37 of the excuse book to be guffawed into submission. Again, a great team ride with all in sight at the finish (improving all the time with a 35 average today) , the Butterfactory ambience and coffee enjoyed by all who could attend. Great to have the seasons warmth on our backs. Saturday nights early xmas get-together also a hoot, great to meet some non-bike partners (long suffering?) and soak up the Jamiesons hospitality.
Quite a wind on Sunday morning howling from the south. Turned up at the lake to find Scott and Trev ready to face the tough stuff. Another rider fronted that i have an intense dislike of (and making veiled threats) so rode away to do a solo lap. Southbound was tough, had trouble getting any speed above 27km/h (wind was gusting from 39 to 56 km/h!) Just when you think you're doing it tough something puts it in perspective. Came across Carol on the TT heading off for Euroa (head wind all the way!) Spied Daniel too, but showing remarkable intelligence heading north! Finally got to Mitchell Rd and turned east. Batten the hatches me heartys, a 10 degree list to starboard to prevent being blown into the tabledrain. (shades of Port Fairy memories) It was Cosmic chaos! Not the day to have 50mm carbon wheels but 34 was just achieveable. Huge relief heading north in Boundary so time to hoist the mainsail for a blast at 60 (where's a 56 / 11 when you want it!) to soak up a tail wind par excellence. Headed for town down Old Dookie, a rewarding coffee and banana toast to compensate the legs for undue suffering and violence. 35 av.
Monday morning the P&W ranks were thin. Only Minto, Frosty, Wizz & Stew to tap out 30. Barely half a k out, Rabbit, Fishy and Bart rolled in from an earlier Channel Rd reccy (u-turned at SPC roundabout and set offf after us). Frosty suffering cronic hibernation syndrome sat on the back, Wizz a bit down on power after a 160 on Saturday, but a good roll around in the mid to high 30's (against the winter like 6 degrees). Spied chopper and Pete H in good form in Boundary Rd. The lockerboys were hurting when they finally caught us in the Mitchell Rd dip (aka; Mt Nicolaci). Got the odd turn out of them, but it was just a pretty fresh Bart prepared to work with me in the final 3 km. There's only one chance when the Rabbit is suffering a little gastric mixo, so wound up to 54 and took a rare win off him and the other young fellas. The 35.3 av beat Cats and train.
A magnificent 24 degree Monday afternoon just begged another lap. The theory of a steady pace lasted about 2km, a push toward the Emu on the toaster loop had the speed up, i-pod motivating with The Weeknd's cruisy tracks. Nice to turn south, but by the Pine Lodge pub, the wind had swung SE. Quite a few rolling about the loop, Rob McL, Jamie and others sneaking out a little secret training. Finding it hard to keep comfortable, getting blown about a bit not helped being a little tender in the tooche (but had plastered on the Lucas' cream for some relief). Turned into a fair slog around but perserverance prevailed, pleased with a solo 33.8, only Conrod straight felt easy. Good to research improving solo times on this circuit over the years, 32 av last year 31.2 the year before, so not slipping backward.......yet.
Decent turn-up of 17 Couldabeens for Tuesday, just 8 degrees though. Gav, Glen, Tim, Glenn G, Goose and the Dawg and others making regular (and welcome) appearances. A fine start by Cougs, allowing muscles to warm with a steady build up to speed, great rhythm for the duration. Visitor Patrick fronted up and fitted quickly into the routine. Matt putting in a solid turn to burn some calories had a whim to give Bo some curry, but got burnt himself on Bo's hot exhaust, demonstrating his award winning half wheel style! No rocket today so Goose stepped up to the plate to take a great win. (off the fine tow of Greendog i should add!) 35.4 average, as has become custom, flogging the train.
More proper summer weather attracted 20 to the hospital group for Tues evening. Good to catch up with Sean, Axle, Nath, Mike, Deeno, Gools, Brendan and the crew after my few weeks away. A steady tap around without any heroics. Scored the front rotating with Jamie, at each turn we copped a head wind without cover. (we must have stood on a black cat under a ladder on the 13th.) A far more favourable run down Mitchell Rd, Nath, Mitch and co keeping the calories burning. Robbo kept many single filing near Arcadia Downs, down to 8 driving the bunch in the closing stages. Stuck with the even money odds on Seans wheel, but Mitch's lethal kick edged Sean back to 2nd. I was happy to settle for 4th with only a 54k top end , but a well positioned Brendan shot by in the last few metres. 36.8 average.
Pressure's off on Wednesday for a well deserved recovery ride. With Norm & Cougs needing similar therapy, we set off out Channel Rd. A sizeable pack of P&W's chirped a good morning in Boundary Rd. Chris suprised us latching onto the back (a change of mind about a Wednesday ride had him chasing us for 10k's!) A helping hand of a tail breeze home, summer slowly making its presence felt with milder temperatures.
Big roll up of 22 Couldabeens for Thursday's mild 14 degrees (but minus Matty). Starting the second leg, Glenn snapped a chain (not even spanner wizard Nath could fix that one on site) so a call to a dedicated partner was made. A sensible warm up for the first few kms helped all. Turned into Boundary and were rounded up by the TT efforts of Bart, Chaddy, Guysy (aero lid looking the part, bike fresh from repairs too) Rabbit & Wizz on a mission. With the wind at our backs speed slowly increased, Goose and the dawg ramping up into the low 40's near the Mitchell Rd chicane. Suprised to see the highway patrol car lurking in the shadows at Euroa Rd (maybe after a few ratbags?) lucky some weren't served a fail to stop. Rounded up Col & Fitzy with 3k to go, 10 strong lads spreading the field out in the closing stages. Rob stamped his sprint authority at the finish, Greeny & Ant made him work for though. 36.5 registered in the brag book.
13 at the library on Thursday night, snowballed to 22 by the turn at the Emu. I had the front with Scott who hammered (half wheeling) the 4.3k first leg, giving me gastrocnemius grief! We were priveliged to be joined by Carla again back from Garmin-Cervelo's europe training (some on cobblestones!) for a family Christmas. Had the bad bouquet of that young chicane again, but blantant hints seems to have kept him away from the business end of the bunch. Nick's firing at a good pace, good to chat with the regulars along the course too. (Did i spy the slender profile of one IronmanAyto in Old Dookie Rd, headed east?) The tempting aroma of a bbq in Boundary Rd was cruel (decided then and there it was steak for dinner tonite!) yet oddly inspirational. Nice smooth turns down Mitchell catching Iggy, Chilly & co on a quiet ride. The speed appraoching Arcadia Downs whittled down those doing turns to just 6 or 7 (lots just sucking off wheels were keen to have a dip at the finish though......mmm, earn your keep boys?) Mitch's horsepower whipped Seans 62km/h on the line, me gasping for oxygen to barely scrape 3rd at a sluggish 57. Great to finish a circuit with lots yarning (and all upright) on the roll back into town, a 36 average earning dinner.
Legs were like lead Friday morning. A gentle roll down to the P&W start (knowning another workout was imminent) where 9 were keen to go. Earlybirds (Guysy, Fox, Fee, Hayles and Ruley) rolled in from their 30k loop to join on, soon after locker lads Bart, Wizz, Fishy and Rabbit did likewise. Much agony endured matching the Princess's horsepower out Old Dookie Rd, relieved when Lloyd rolled across so i could enjoy a draft. A noise akin to a headlight hitting the road and being flattened by a dozen bikes was heard at the bottom of Boundary Rd, in fact a big chunk of barbed wire had tangled in the front wheel of Fee's new TT Merida! Little Miss Composure pulled up safely without incident, but with a lot of scratches to the new rig :-(
The bunch reformed and hit the gas for Mitchell Rd, into the early 40's for much of the way (Kel gets the Oscar for best female in a leading role....clearly, Bo holds her back!) Area 51 had sniffed victory and had caught us just after the Roubaix corner. I was only to happy to let them go! Happy for our guns to stretch away in the last 3k's, i joined the earlybirds to get to the line in smooth mode, though the muscles were screaming to stop for the last 1.5k.A few Cats (including Carla, out again) had reeled us in (with some just having to pass in the closing 100 metres despite an oncoming car) Most pleased with the 36.8 average, hats off to Dutchy's persistance and to all the earlybirds for a fine 65k effort. (Good luck to those on the Canberra half this weekend. An ace cheer squad going too) Wyndham Street filled with nearly 50 bikes from the 3 groups finished a big week.
Week 49 483km 17822 calories (a 22 foot long chicken & salad Subway) 35.1 average
Quote of the week "You don't suffer, kill yourself and take the risks i take just for the money. I love bike racing" Greg LeMond
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