Tough night in the saddle.

Kind of felt like this clip tonight.(Great Movie)

Okay so don't over-celebrate the successes and don't get too down on the not so good stuff. Today's Criterium was one of those not so hot rides.
This morning the group had a tough swim at Thetis, one of those sets that as you hear whats next you are thinking, "Are you serious, how much more can my body take." But I managed and swam not too bad. Jenkins is swimming like a machine. It is good to be back in the lake.

So I did everything I could, nutritionally and physically to recover for the evening's Criterium. I arrived and warmed up. The race began at a comfortable pace for the first 8 laps or so, where I put in a good hard attack, I got a good sized lead but I would never recover from the effort to get away. My legs got progressively tighter and I was swept up by the pack 2 laps later. A lap after that the more wise attacks began and I was up against the ropes. At this point it became a good Time trial workout but with my legs cramping and giving in, I was simply determined to finish. So I did.

I need to make a plan, park it and move on.
That is all for now,
Andrew
Ps. More photo's to come of my newly created Jersey that I would like to call, "The Painted Jersey" Cause it's so bloody tight.

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Listening to: Eric Carmen - All By Myself
via FoxyTunes

First Crash on a Road Bike

So tonight was Celeb Pike. Contraire to my original plan a strong rider broke away on the second lap so I went too and we were off. A Couple of laps later Stevo bridged up solo! What a machine! He bridged up and was much stronger then the two of us. So with a third member we were able to recover better. Three others bridged up including Bob Cameron, Marcel Aarden and Kelly Guest. So we worked soo well together. Very smooth, very fast. On the final lap it became rather Chaotic as attacks came often. An IRC athlete attacked from behind and I jumped onto his wheel and as we moved forward, Kelly also tried to get on his wheel. We got tangled up and the two of us went down. I ended up going over the bars and sliding into the ditch. No ones fault just something that happens. I have had a good run. 8 years of racing on the road so I was certainly due. Road Rash everywhere and the bike is looking pretty mangled. So not the way I would like to finish the last Criterium at Celeb Pike but it was fun while it lasted. Oh and sure enough the only race I do with no gloves, I crash. Which Law is that?

On a Positive note I have just been upgraded to Category 3 due to the Skagit Valley Omnium.

Time to Recover,
Ciao ciao,
Andrew

From zero to Vertigo

Wow it is amazing how a weekend of racing can absolutely bring you to zero. Driving home from the Skagit Valley Omnium I felt it coming on. "This is going to take a while to recover from" Walking around the house like a Zombie and then being bed ridden with a mix of sinus pain and a migraine. I struggled through some training mid week till I was back to health. I did the Wheelers ride this weekend but kind of just ended up hanging on. Fortunately today I am definitely on the upswing. Swam this morning and felt I was pulling the water well. I finally felt the "flow" back. So I decided to head over to the Observatory. I have a Hill climb coming up. That I have been looking forward to for some time. The Mount Washington Hill Climb a mass start Hors Catégorie—approximately 16km at a brutal 8% average grade including a 3km pitch that averages 12% and has sections that approach 16%! It hurts...I can't wait. So I climbed the observatory 6 times at a steady pace and every minute I would toss in a 30sec attack or change of pace. Like I should expect in the "Vertigo Hill Climb Challenge" So I still have some work to do to get ready for this but that is still to come.
Till then,
Ciao for now,
Andrew

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Listening to: Coldplay - Lost!

Rigpa Glimpse of the Day for Jul 13 2008

“'Training' the mind does not in any way mean forcibly subjugating or brainwashing the mind. To train the mind is first to see directly and concretely how the mind functions, a knowledge that you derive from spiritual teachings and through personal experience in meditation practice. Then you use that understanding to tame the mind and work with it skillfully, to make it more and more pliable, so that you can become master of your mind and employ it to its fullest and most beneficial end."

Rigpa Glimpse of the Day for Jul 9 2008

"Difficulties and obstacles, if properly understood and used, can turn out to be an unexpected source of strength. Gesar was the great warrior king of Tibet, whose escapades form the greatest epic of Tibetan literature. Gesar means “indomitable,” someone who can never be put down. From the moment Gesar was born, his evil uncle Trotung tried all kinds of means to kill him. But with each attempt Gesar only grew stronger and stronger.

For the Tibetans, Gesar is not only a martial warrior but also a spiritual one. To be a spiritual warrior means to develop a special kind of courage, one that is innately intelligent, gentle, and fearless. Spiritual warriors can still be frightened, but even so they are courageous enough to taste suffering, to relate clearly to their fundamental fear, and to draw out without evasion the lessons from difficulties."

Skagit Valley Omnium Race Report + Post #100!!

Kenyon and I drove down to Bellingham for the Skagit Valley Omnium. An Omnium is a 3 event race in two days. In this case it was an 88km Road Race on Saturday. Sunday was a 16km Time Trial then a 35min+3lap Criterium.

So first off the Road Race. 44 athletes began. It was a fun course mixed with rain. 5.5 mile rolling ride out to a technical 11mile loop. Lots of tight corners, switchbacks and a good climb at the beginning of each loop called “The Wall” Not super long but Steep. We would do 4 laps of the loop. Kenyon and I pushed the pace on each climb but never really split the pack. The rest of the loop I would try and stay out of trouble on the slick wet corners. On the final lap I attacked with Kenyon side by side. We discussed the possibility of us staying away. We both had our doubts with about 16.5miles of riding to the finish line. I decided to go for it. I had to get out of sight. I was able to take the corners faster than the large pack so I took advantage of that. I got regular updates from the lead car, 40sec, 60sec, 90sec and on. It was a hard hard ride up to the finish. There was a long straight hard climb up to the line but I never settled. 26.5km’s of solo riding to the finish. Time to recover for the next day’s racing.

The Time trial was a rather flat ride along the River for about 10kms then turns up a large steep climb for about 2kms and then a fast descent to the finish. I focused on the working the flats hard to limit my losses there as I knew I could climb the hill well with tired legs. With a final time of 27.08.5 I would finish 3^rd in Cat 4/5.

So in the afternoon we were off to downtown Bellingham. The Criterium was flat, open and fast. Kenyon stuck to his plan and had about 10m on the pack before most of us were clipped in. So the race was on from the start. The entire pack had to work very hard to bring him back. Best start to a race I have ever seen!About 4 laps in there was a prime lap. I would sprint with another cyclist to pick up $20. I used the sprint to try and get a breakaway going. I would stay away for a bit but with such an open course I was swallowed up. I made a second attempt staying away a little longer but with a chase prime the pack was right behind me again. At this point there were three laps to go. It was going to come down to a sprint. So I made sure I was always on second wheel. On the final lap Team Starbucks was setting up their “GC” athlete. So I came beside him and moved into the slipstream. He took the corner way to wide setting me up for a good sprint 75 meters out. I went hard with two others coming up both sides but I held it to the finish.

What a fun weekend of racing. Results can be found Here.
But Until next time,
Ciao for now,
Andrew McCartney

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Listening to: Of Montreal - Gronlandic Edit

Tough Saturday, Tough Sunday, Break, Tough Wednesday

Bonjourno,

So as the title hints, it has been a tough week. Starting off with Saturday. Saturday is the usual IRC Lands-end / Waterfront loop. This is a hammer fest. SOOO much fun. But this day would be extra hard. 15min into the ride my cassette came loose, I jumped off the bike to hand tighten it. Meanwhile the pack rides away. The challenge was set. They were out of sight and I had to motivate myself to try and catch up. With some help from Andrew Russell driving by I got a bit of a boost from a draft. They were in sight about a km ahead. I worked so hard not gaining much. This would continue around lands end struggling to keep them in sight. Finally I caught up just outside of Sidney about 1:45 into the ride. Once in the pack the pace was hard, especially with Kenyon pushing the pace... the bugger... hehe. It was at this point I realized that cycling is a cruel cruel sport based on inflicting pain on to other people’s legs. Ouch. Well we managed to breakaway and finished the ride with a coffee at Bubby Roses.

So arriving at the Sunday Wheelers ride I was not too concerned as I was sure everyone was just as tired as I was from Saturday. Sadly I came to the realization that it was a totally different group of riders all ready to work hard. Oh dear… so I was struggling from the get go. Managed to hang in till the airport sprint. I got stung by a bee which kind of through me off but really it was the legs that gave in. It was going to be a long lonely ride so I took a short cut to jump back on but as they flew by I tried to jump in but it seemed I was destined to ride home alone so I was alone again. My legs were finished and I was struggling to keep my head up. “Awesome! I’m going to be so much stronger if I recover from this.”

Had a nice mental break as some fellow triathletes and I camped out on French Beach in Sooke right on the beach. It was great!! Swimming in the Ocean! (Which was pretty warm!) Meditating on the Rock. (seen bellow) And well just enjoy some good company. I didn’t sleep much as I would check every 30 minutes or so if the tide was going to sneak up to the tent or if there was a Bear eating our food in a cooler 50m to the right of our tent and beside wakening to a 'somehow?' upside down tent I was fairly well rested.

Meditation Rock

So back to the tough stuff, it was Newton Heights again on Wednesday and I had a plan. Hard from the start. First Lap I rode to the front and pushed the pace. Then rested for a lap and on the next hill there was an attack. I countered it with my own and was off. David Hilhorst rode back onto my wheel and we worked well pulling away. I was concerned about finishing in a sprint so I attacked at about 8 laps, held it for a bit but was caught a lap later. I was quite concerned as he seemed so strong and had an answer for anything I tried. I gave it one more try(and surely my last try as it seemed I was hurting myself more than David) at lap 13 of 20 and it finally stuck to the finish line. The Final 3.5km’s were the so incredibly hard. My body was giving in. Cramping everywhere, my calves, my hamstrings, my back, even my hands. I was in a world of pain as seen in the humorous photo bellow.Pain

I gained a valuable lesson about the mind. Like in the photo to the Right I realized I must avoid Internalizing the pain.(looking down at the pain in your legs) You are bound to hurt but if you look 100meters ahead at the crest of the hill it arrives earlier and you don't realize how much pain you really are in. This is what got me through the final 3.5kms. He he so instead, look forward and put on an ugly face he he.

Happy to be Finished

So I have been resting up well. Pulling all the recovery tricks to get ready for a fun weekend of racing down south. Should be fun but more on that later.

Ciao for now,

Andrew

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Listening to: Rod Stewart - Rhythm Of My Heart