Friday, November 20, 2009

Bicycle Fun Fact (BFF) of the day
1985 In an attempt to appear more "street wise", Redline introduces a bike designed to appeal to juvenile delinquents. Known as the Miscreant, it sells slowly, but later becomes the most stolen bicycle of all time.

Today was my return to sprinting. I did five mighty efforts in order to bring myself up to speed, pardon the pun. The five sprints were max wattages of: 1031, 1083, 1089, 1079 and one that I missed somehow. I’m hovering around the 1090 mark, which is a good indicator for the rest of the season.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

BFF of the day
1915 At the height of the bicycle craze, Schwinn produces 400,000 bicycles. 40,000 of which are produced exclusively for the Schwinns’ private army.

Today was a rare weekend foray onto the well-rutted cycling roadway known as "9 of the W", I met Etsu at the "NJ side of the GWB" (to use the team email message vernacular – does every team call it this?) at 8 am. We then rode the road of the river and tried to disseminate how bike races are won. I offered the advice of "following Stoffel and then passing him", but you can’t always rely on Stoffel to be in every race – sometimes he sleeps in.

We then turned back on the 9W and met up with my teammates Matt, Stoffel, Ben, and the ever loathsome Andy Shen. We then did a ride on the "best out and back in America" to get pastries at a place where the scones are "epic". I hate to be contrarian, but to me the best out and back in America might be the ride to the swim-up bar at the nude beach where Natalie Portman, Marisa Tomei, Penélope Cruz and Kate Jackson with a time machine (seriously) hang out, but I have high standards.

We contested the state line sprint, and I barely missed "Haussler-ing" the exceptionally abhorrent Andy Shen, as I was coming on strong near the end (with a mighty 1091 watts), missing sweet victory by a scant 6 inches. Mark my words Mr. Shen, I will have my revenge.

After our Piermont pastry packing, we returned via 9W once again. I’m not sure what it is about heading south on this roadway, but it always seems to rouse the competitive instinct among riders, whether they be group of grizzled old category racers riding in tight formation or a "murder" of tandem recumbent riders (I’d like to now recommend that a pack of tandem recumbents riders would have the same name as a group of crows, because really, who’s going to stop me?). I’m not sure whether it’s the promise of returning home or the lure of an effort with a definite finale (presumably, the Hudson River) that makes us exert ourselves on our way southward, but whenever I’ve done this ride in a group, the pace always picks up. The pace today was in fact, picked up, and we sped ourselves back to the bridge from whence we began.
 

Monday, November 23, 2009

BFF of the day
August 1971 Jacques Anquetil oddly commits no transgressions, moral or otherwise.

Today I rode at a pace meant to help me recover from yesterday’s long (for me) ride. If I were to quantify the pace for this ride, I would call it a "mosey". Which is just above a jaunt, but not at traipsing pace. I moseyed all along the Saddle River Bike Path, with no sightings of any of my regular path compatriots, a sure sign that winter is upon us.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

BFF of the day
1896 Augustus Fotheringham attempts to set the bicycle land speed record by drafting behind a locomotive on a closed section of track. He sets the record, but his jaw rattles loose from riding on the railroad ties. It is later reattached by a local blacksmith.

Today I rode with my occasional training compatriot Gary. We attempt to ride together on a semi-regular basis, but often scheduling and myopic stubbornness on the part of one of us (here’s a hint on the identity of the stubborn one – it isn’t Gary) conspire to limit our athletic jaunts to a scant few excursions. I enjoy riding with people, it gives me someone to talk to, someone to gauge my fitness against, and if we ride really far, it gives me someone to potentially devour if we get lost. Gary is also substantially faster than I am, so riding with Gary is also a challenge to my athletic prowess.

In the interest of science, I kept track of my wattages while riding with Gary and while I was riding alone. While I was riding with Gary, my average wattage was an "dignity preserving" 218 watts at an average heart rate of 151. My average riding alone was limping 156 watts at a heart rate of 106. That’s a 62 watt swing. I am left to conclude that I am a much more excitable (to used a coined term) when riding with someone else than I am when I’m alone.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

BFF of the day
Did you know that drafting behind an Irishman is considered good luck in Belgium? Drafting behind a German is considered to be least desirable, from a digestive standpoint.

Like pop stars that are convinced that God cares about their Grammy statuettes (He doesn’t, He only watches the Golden Globes), I also am convinced that the Almighty is concerned about whether I pedal my way up my local training hill. Today I couldn’t figure out the plan the Man Above had for me. It was misting lightly, but not raining. Was I to ride indoors? Outdoors? Under an overhang? I decided that the signs from the heavens meant that I should ride outdoors. And I was proven right, as I was not rained upon by locusts, frogs nor any other biblically tossed about creatures. Or I just repel rain. Only time will tell.

I decided to rejoice by doing some 20/10s up the aforementioned training hill, I was at my usual level of mightiness at 349 watts. After yesterday’s mild thrashing, I was glad to be able to ride at an average level today. Yes, that’s right, I am aiming for mediocrity right now.