It's been a hard 3 days in a row of racing.
I raced Floyd on Tuesday night and did not make the break. Wednesday I raced at the track and qualified for the "A" feature. And last night rode to and raced at Rockleigh with several team mates, it felt very hard, was in several moves but not in the two-man break. Got 4th in the field sprint.
My body feels different, happy and tired bike racer.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Training shortcut does not equal Good Result!
Lacking sufficient time for a long ride this weekend I decided to do repeats up the Williamsburg bridge on Sunday night. I warmed up a bit then used 50x17 gearing to get to the first apex where the path splits, sprinting most of the way. I think it's about 600 meters. Monday I did not ride at all, would have been good to go for a light spin.
Raced FBF tonight and felt a little jagged, like I was pedaling in squares. I missed the split and did not contest the intermediate sprints, so my racing sucked.
Maybe this type of training will help recruit some more fast twitch muscles for short sprint events like the flying 200m. NY State Championships start July 24.
Raced FBF tonight and felt a little jagged, like I was pedaling in squares. I missed the split and did not contest the intermediate sprints, so my racing sucked.
Maybe this type of training will help recruit some more fast twitch muscles for short sprint events like the flying 200m. NY State Championships start July 24.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Free mountain bike race series at Highbridge Park
 Highbridge park is an Urban park in New York City with a nice technical mountain bike course.I recently learned of this free race series. It runs on alternate Thursdays at Highbridge and sponsored by NYC Velo. More information available at the website nycmtb.com. |
On a different note... Up until just a few days ago we've been having rain non stop in New York City. The sun is finally starting to peek out. For a laugh, play the video below. We rode out to Rockleigh, NJ and this is post race, repairing flat #5 in a downpour. The race organizers were kind enough to stop and let us borrow their floor pump. |
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sprinting
Poor positioning. I was in the wind for most of the 340 meter long(!) sprint to the line at Floyd Bennett Field last night.
It may have been wiser be more patient. When a sprint containing the leaders erupted on the left I knew I had to go with it, even though I was on the far right. Unfortunately I sprinted in a straight line instead of attempting to bridge over to the left. Probably safer this way.
It's a little hazy now but I paused 10 seconds into my sprint.... long enough to get gassed by a couple of guys who finished 5th and 6th.
Good power numbers, shitty finish.
Maybe the smart thing to do would have been to jump first - but not too hard. Just hard enough to get the right position and then duke it out with whoever wanted to stay at the front.
7th place / 95 starters
It may have been wiser be more patient. When a sprint containing the leaders erupted on the left I knew I had to go with it, even though I was on the far right. Unfortunately I sprinted in a straight line instead of attempting to bridge over to the left. Probably safer this way.
It's a little hazy now but I paused 10 seconds into my sprint.... long enough to get gassed by a couple of guys who finished 5th and 6th.
Good power numbers, shitty finish.
Maybe the smart thing to do would have been to jump first - but not too hard. Just hard enough to get the right position and then duke it out with whoever wanted to stay at the front.
7th place / 95 starters
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Sports drinks and oral health
In 2008/2009 I had to spend more time than I would have liked visiting my dentist. One reason being that I had two cavities on my front teeth, specifically on my canines.
How is this related to cycling? Well, the dentist was surprised by the fact that someone my age had cavities there. We talked about possible etiology and after ruling out methamphetamine use, I'm mildly certain this condition has some causality in drinking sweetened sports drinks during long rides.
So I switched sports drinks. Part of my reason for choosing Hammer Nutrition product is that they're not sweetened with sugar (sucrose or glucose or syrups). In fact, their short endurance product (heed) is lightly sweetened with Stevia and Xylitol.
Xylitol is supposed to actually be good for your teeth.
In addition to switching endurance drinks I'm making an effort to keep fuel and hydration separate, especially for rides over two hours. The rational being that I can consume a bit of nutrition/energy, then wash/rinse it down with plain water. It's not as good as brushing one's teeth but the water ought to be healthier for teeth and gums than consuming a sugary drink for hours at a time.
As an added benefit, click the link to get 15% off the first order from Hammer Nutrition.
How is this related to cycling? Well, the dentist was surprised by the fact that someone my age had cavities there. We talked about possible etiology and after ruling out methamphetamine use, I'm mildly certain this condition has some causality in drinking sweetened sports drinks during long rides.
So I switched sports drinks. Part of my reason for choosing Hammer Nutrition product is that they're not sweetened with sugar (sucrose or glucose or syrups). In fact, their short endurance product (heed) is lightly sweetened with Stevia and Xylitol.
Xylitol is supposed to actually be good for your teeth.
In addition to switching endurance drinks I'm making an effort to keep fuel and hydration separate, especially for rides over two hours. The rational being that I can consume a bit of nutrition/energy, then wash/rinse it down with plain water. It's not as good as brushing one's teeth but the water ought to be healthier for teeth and gums than consuming a sugary drink for hours at a time.
As an added benefit, click the link to get 15% off the first order from Hammer Nutrition.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Velodrome 5/6/09
The muscle memory came back and I remembered how to sprint starting with the second race of the night.
My bud Al Barouh pipped me at the line for points in the first race of the evening, and I think the brain fired a signal to the engine room.
The signal was the one that triggers the desire to race hard, oxygen debt is good, and give 100% when there's less than that left in the bank.
Quite simply, there's no point in looking back.
Rode aggressively the rest of the night to help a team mate win the scratch race and held on for 5th, placed 3rd in the snowball, and 4th in the feature.
My bud Al Barouh pipped me at the line for points in the first race of the evening, and I think the brain fired a signal to the engine room.
The signal was the one that triggers the desire to race hard, oxygen debt is good, and give 100% when there's less than that left in the bank.
Quite simply, there's no point in looking back.
Rode aggressively the rest of the night to help a team mate win the scratch race and held on for 5th, placed 3rd in the snowball, and 4th in the feature.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Kissena Velodrome Opening Weekend 2009
A fun filled two days of racing. Made some tactical errors, lost some races, placed in others. It was a busy event, with nearly 100 registered racers across all fields. Raced the Makino, with 32h box-section clinchers.
The kilometer is a 2.5 lap timetrial, and I would describe it as the most dreadful minute and half one can spend on a bike. The only thought going through my head at lap 1.5 is, "why am I doing this?". I think the same thought went through my head last year, at the same spot. Next year I need better mental preparation for this.
The team sprint goes fine, I am our lead man riding the first lap and we have a good lead when I pull off.
In the points race, I have flashbacks of racing against Colin in a keirin race from last Fall and I follow his attack coming into the 3rd lap. I work hard to get in front of him instead of staying in his draft which would have been smarter. I work so hard doing this that I lose track and sprint at the wrong lap, unable to respond to the counter attack on the bell lap and miss a 5 man break - so I get no points at all.
Sunday is a little more consistent. It is my first time doing match sprints. The first matches are not difficult, but in the semi-final I am a little under-geared racing against Luke in a 49x15. He races smart, jumps first on the flat between turns 2 and 3, forces me to the outside before coming down into the sprinters lane and taking the win by a bike length.
The miss-and-out and the scratch races are fine, we were all feeling tired for the last race of the day (miss-and-out). I promise to try and help Al get on the podium if he can survive through the bell lap. When the bell lap rings he is already out of the race so I roll into 4th place.
Everyone showed their legs and form, and we got a lot of sun. A load of photos from the weekend.
Eloy's photostream
Gabe's Picasa set
A New York Times "Cityroom" story about us
2009 opening weekend results file (pdf)
Gary's photo sets include this one of everyone checking the results. one two.
The kilometer is a 2.5 lap timetrial, and I would describe it as the most dreadful minute and half one can spend on a bike. The only thought going through my head at lap 1.5 is, "why am I doing this?". I think the same thought went through my head last year, at the same spot. Next year I need better mental preparation for this.
| Some of Gary Berger's photos capture the determination and pain of Racing the Kilo. | |
 |  |
The team sprint goes fine, I am our lead man riding the first lap and we have a good lead when I pull off.
In the points race, I have flashbacks of racing against Colin in a keirin race from last Fall and I follow his attack coming into the 3rd lap. I work hard to get in front of him instead of staying in his draft which would have been smarter. I work so hard doing this that I lose track and sprint at the wrong lap, unable to respond to the counter attack on the bell lap and miss a 5 man break - so I get no points at all.
Sunday is a little more consistent. It is my first time doing match sprints. The first matches are not difficult, but in the semi-final I am a little under-geared racing against Luke in a 49x15. He races smart, jumps first on the flat between turns 2 and 3, forces me to the outside before coming down into the sprinters lane and taking the win by a bike length.
The miss-and-out and the scratch races are fine, we were all feeling tired for the last race of the day (miss-and-out). I promise to try and help Al get on the podium if he can survive through the bell lap. When the bell lap rings he is already out of the race so I roll into 4th place.
Everyone showed their legs and form, and we got a lot of sun. A load of photos from the weekend.
Eloy's photostreamGabe's Picasa set
A New York Times "Cityroom" story about us
2009 opening weekend results file (pdf)
Gary's photo sets include this one of everyone checking the results. one two.
Friday, April 03, 2009
New Old Makino
I took this out for it's first real ride yesterday and it rides.
But it got me thinking... about the fact that for some unknowable reason I am drawn to second-hand frames.
It may be because they resonate with a different frequency than a new bike. Or it may be that a used bike has a bit of mystery. My own naivité contributes greatly to this theory -- I have no clue whose name is written (in Kanjii) on the downtube.
It is often the bit of mystery that makes discovering a bike's attributes pleasurable.
.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Car Courtesy
There are reasons why we bikers often feel like we're not getting the respect we deserve on the road. First, bikes are small and weak. We don't pose much of a threat to vehicles. Second, bikes can be unpredictable in relation to cars.
I do a few things to get more r-e-s-p-e-c-t on the road. These are just my personal opinions.
1. Use hand signals and take the lane. If I don't feel like there's enough room (for a cellphone talking coffee drinking fastfood munching driver with screaming kids in the back seat) to pass me without having to think twice, I'll take the lane. The whole lane. If I get honked at, it just means that I've been noticed instead of run off the road or worse. I try and use hand signals to indicate which direction I'm going, especially at intersections, and I will point even when I'm going straight. If I'm about to merge onto a bridge path from a roadway, I'll signal to drivers that I'm slowing down. There are some good tips for urban cyclists in the book urban biker's tips and tricks.
2. Bike Lights. This may sound silly but I often use my bike lights during the daytime, always when it's overcast, raining, or very early in the morning. It's as a simple courtesy to drivers, reminds them that I am not the same type of vehicle as them even though I am on the road. It is a subtle way of asking motorists take notice. I believe it also helps pedestrians realize that a vehicle is coming at them at a high rate of speed when I'm riding in New York City. Rechargeable batteries keep costs low and prevent dead nicads from reaching the landfills.
3. Never ride on the right hand side of a truck near an intersections. Trucks make wide right hand turns and it's easy too easy to get swept under a wheel.
4. This is a bit more subtle and takes a while to get a feel for it but I try and ride in between waves of traffic. If I'm stuck in a motorcade of vehicles racing to make timed lights I try and adjust my speed so I'm either off the front or off the back of the bloat.
5. Bike lanes can be just as dangerous as roadways. If riding in a bike lane I try to either ride far enough from parked cars to avoid being doored, or ride slow enough to be able to stop abruptly if necessary. Because I sometimes ride faster than traffic, I avoid some bike lanes.
6. MUPs (multiple use path) can also be dangerous places when pedestrians, skaters, joggers, kids, and sometimes pets all mix together. I keep my speed under control in these places depending on how busy it is. If they're too crowded to ride safely I let everyone else enjoy them while I take the road. I'd rather not be the jerk on the bike yelling at people to move out of my way.
7. If you ever get in a verbal confrontation with a driver it rarely matters who was right or wrong since it's all adrenaline. This tip may help tone things down a little. Maybe... Ask them if they know anybody else who rides a bike - their kids, significant other, friends, whatever. Ask them if they would consider this person the next time they do whatever offensive thing it was that they did to you.
Know your rights. These two organizations are both local to New York and have done a lot of work on behalf of cyclists. Times-Up.org, and Transalt.org.
Have fun, be safe!
I do a few things to get more r-e-s-p-e-c-t on the road. These are just my personal opinions.
1. Use hand signals and take the lane. If I don't feel like there's enough room (for a cellphone talking coffee drinking fastfood munching driver with screaming kids in the back seat) to pass me without having to think twice, I'll take the lane. The whole lane. If I get honked at, it just means that I've been noticed instead of run off the road or worse. I try and use hand signals to indicate which direction I'm going, especially at intersections, and I will point even when I'm going straight. If I'm about to merge onto a bridge path from a roadway, I'll signal to drivers that I'm slowing down. There are some good tips for urban cyclists in the book urban biker's tips and tricks.
2. Bike Lights. This may sound silly but I often use my bike lights during the daytime, always when it's overcast, raining, or very early in the morning. It's as a simple courtesy to drivers, reminds them that I am not the same type of vehicle as them even though I am on the road. It is a subtle way of asking motorists take notice. I believe it also helps pedestrians realize that a vehicle is coming at them at a high rate of speed when I'm riding in New York City. Rechargeable batteries keep costs low and prevent dead nicads from reaching the landfills.3. Never ride on the right hand side of a truck near an intersections. Trucks make wide right hand turns and it's easy too easy to get swept under a wheel.
4. This is a bit more subtle and takes a while to get a feel for it but I try and ride in between waves of traffic. If I'm stuck in a motorcade of vehicles racing to make timed lights I try and adjust my speed so I'm either off the front or off the back of the bloat.
5. Bike lanes can be just as dangerous as roadways. If riding in a bike lane I try to either ride far enough from parked cars to avoid being doored, or ride slow enough to be able to stop abruptly if necessary. Because I sometimes ride faster than traffic, I avoid some bike lanes.
6. MUPs (multiple use path) can also be dangerous places when pedestrians, skaters, joggers, kids, and sometimes pets all mix together. I keep my speed under control in these places depending on how busy it is. If they're too crowded to ride safely I let everyone else enjoy them while I take the road. I'd rather not be the jerk on the bike yelling at people to move out of my way.
7. If you ever get in a verbal confrontation with a driver it rarely matters who was right or wrong since it's all adrenaline. This tip may help tone things down a little. Maybe... Ask them if they know anybody else who rides a bike - their kids, significant other, friends, whatever. Ask them if they would consider this person the next time they do whatever offensive thing it was that they did to you.Know your rights. These two organizations are both local to New York and have done a lot of work on behalf of cyclists. Times-Up.org, and Transalt.org.
Have fun, be safe!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Jewel Warmer
This looks like a simple and clever solution, the name of the product explains exactly what it does.
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