This weekend we parked near a junior. He had two matching 4000 dollar bikes (at least). His dad had a stopwatch and was telling him exactly how long his intervals had to be during his warm up (while riding said carbon tubulars on the trainer). His dad also dropped a few F bombs at his kid while "prepping" him for his race.
I dont want to dog on one person that I was near just cause I heard certain things, but honestly some people just bum me out. I give this kid a few years until he fights his dad. This is the same dad who a few weeks ago told me how to ride a section of a course, but I dont think he actually has ever ridden a bike.
Elbows:
So I am riding in a pack of four dudes yesterday. All of them were faster than me. I am third wheel. Into each turn for an entire lap, fourth wheel dude leaned on me and threw hard elbows at me. He sat on (just like I did) on the pavement while Bad Andy towed us around, but then for some reason wanted to just lean on me. I just kept asking him WTF dude? He informed me that it is a bike race and that I am a pussy and that I am pack fodder. Cool man. I saw him post race and realized that he was one of 2 or 3 dudes in the race that I could maybe beat up (It would be a toss up between me and this dude, mcgrath and bad andy). Anyway, if you want to pass me, just do it where it require skill or fitness and I will for sure let anybody around, but to try to force somebody over is just not cool. Keep that shit out of cross.
Whatever.... On to happy things! I had BOTH people who read my blog tell me so this weekend. Thanks guys! I wont embarrass you guys by saying your names. Then you cheered for me! Awesome!
Products:
I recently got aFancy Carbon Blue Norcross SL. I could be all like "this bike is sooooo much better than my last bike," but that is obvious cause my last bike was a 300 dollar aluminum redline. I will say that I also got the standard Norcross for a pitbike. It is aluminum, and it is nicer than the redline. The carbon one is sick light and real fast and accelerates super super quickly. Needless to say, I am super stoked on the Blue bikes.
Coaching. No seriously I have a coach. So for a few months I have been using a coach. I havent really talked about it yet to many people cause I didnt want to be like "yo I got a coach" then get double lapped or whatever. But I have been happy with my results, and I feel like I am going pretty good. Cross is so freaking hard to measure. I try to measure myself against guys around me, and I wanted to start finishing 1 group in front of where I used to finish, but I think the dudes from that group also got faster. I could talk about my power numbers and stuff, but then I think that in the past I said that if I blog about my power numbers you can kick my ass. So where doe that leave me?
Friday going into race day, I am sure that I am ready. There is not hesitation. I think all bike racers get it. When I walk upstairs the night before a race, I try to feel out how my legs feel, then I wonder if I am too fatigued or whatever. It is nice to go into a race knowing that you are prepped, not too fatigued, and ready to race. The workouts are not TOO far off of what I have done in the past, but it is when they are done, and how much addition riding happens. So all in all, I am really happy. And as lame as it sounds, it is nice to have somebody else to own up to. Last Wednesday, it was 45 and raining and I still went out and did intervals. I am sure that would not have happened if I did not have to send the files to somebody.
13 comments:
It's been so aggro this year. Threads like this make me want to cry:
http://cowbell.cxmagazine.com/forum/topics/team-tactics-respect-and
As a parent, the little league stuff makes me sad. Why can't we just let kids be kids for awhile, rather than assuming we can train them to be world class athletes? Steevo spent his youth jumping BMX bikes, and he seems fast enough, no?
I suppose the answer to my question is that we have parents living vicariously through their kids....
I'm going to see how many times I can bump Steevo next weekend.
-Young Sam
A. I think Steevo has some inner street thug in him, I'm pretty sure he can throw down when it's time.
B. Steevo getting a coach= Selling out. Dude...bike riders don't need no stinkin' coaches..
C. See A.
Sucks about the kid and the dick dad. Hate seeing stuff like that. On one hand I love seeing parents getting their kids into racing, but they're kids. Let them have fun. Racing is sort of like crack, all you have to do is just let them try it, have some fun and they will get addicted on their own.
Elbows and f-bombs? I don't race cross, but with all the threads and posts I've been seeing this year about bad attitudes, thrown elbows, sore losers and confrontation, I am not itching to race it anytime soon. It's bike racin', have fun.
man, somebody shoot me if I ever become that dad. I doubt i will - my dad taught me better than that (and always got me well-used bikes). but if my kid likes bikes and I'm fortunate to afford such nice equipment for him, i hope i can just be happy he's out there using it.
Let me preface this by saying that my 13 year old is racing on the cheap heavy Eastons that came on his bike. That said, I might be willing to share my tubulars with him in certain races (hasn't happened yet, but we'll see). My point is that the wheels might be forgiven if they are dad's and they are just swapping out wheels within the family.
However, yelling during warm up, not ok.
a) I think on race nights you should just sleep downstairs.
b) point out the fellow that elbowed you....during the next race I'll steal his girlfriend. I'll call it kharma
c) coach and new bike? this marriage thing is really having an affect on you.
a) I think on race nights you should just sleep downstairs.
b) point out the fellow that elbowed you....during the next race I'll steal his girlfriend. I'll call it kharma
c) coach and new bike? this marriage thing is really having an affect on you.
Don't hate on me when I throw some bows in the 'dozen. Without fitness that's all I'll have going for me.
Sean
Sorry, I play real sports. I'm not trying to be the best at exercising.
USA Cycling just proposed a no composite wheels rule for Juniors.
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