As mentioned in an earlier post, we got a lot of snow this week. There was actually a new one day snowfall record broken for Saint Louis, 12.4 inches.
Lots of that snow fell on the Velodrome.
So as my husband says, “on those days when you can’t do standing start training there is still veloshovel plyometrics.”
We even had the kids help out.
Needless to say, hot chocolate was had by all as well as the assurance that there will be match sprints on Thursday at the velo clinic.
It snowed all day yesterday and a little bit more this morning. It is actually snowing right now. We were a part of that big spring snow storm that worked it’s way across a large swath of the country.
The view from my house
Just a reminder, it is supposed to be spring.
In fact, today is the first day of my husband’s spring break. We planned on going to the track everyday this week. Timing each other’s flying 200s, practicing drills, working on drafting (for me), and other fun track stuff that makes you hurt so good and crave protein and chocolate cake.
Alas, that is not to be. At least not today.
I took the opportunity to practice riding on the rollers.
More accurately, I took the opportunity to be mocked by my husband and two-year-old.
I have finally progressed out of the doorway and into the hallway. I can also ride in the drops. However, riding out of the saddle is apparently out of my reach as is riding for more than 5 minutes in one stretch.
Hopefully, I can improve on that sooner rather than later. It doesn’t look like winter is giving up without a fight so I am not going to have a bunch of beautiful days to ride on the road or track anytime soon which means the rollers are in my future for quite some time. Especially since our trainer broke and we are sending it back. Ugh!
To all of those of you with good weather, enjoy it for me, to all of those that are enduring the snow, happy shoveling!
Yesterday was the third track clinic and my second day on the track. Last week we practiced drills and riding in a pace line. So it was exciting that we got to run some races with a faster group A and a slower group B. I, being a newbie, was in the slower group. There was a 6 lap scratch race. Pretty much the jist of this race is first person across the finish line after six laps is the winner, not too complicated. The second race was super fun. The guy running the clinic called it a Miss-and-Out but I prefer the name Devil Take the Hindmost. The last person across the line at each lap gets taken out of the race until the top three places are determined. I tried to play some strategy but it didn’t help me much. The last race was called a Win-and-Out, no neat alternative name comes to mind. First, there are three laps then the first person across the finish line on the forth lap is the winner of the race and can pull out. The first person across the next lap is second and can pull out. Whatever your position is in the next lap is your placing for the race. Fun but not as fun as the previous race. My husband won this race in the A group, it was pretty spectacular seeing him in action. I got fourth place, not do spectacular. I actually think I took 4th in all the races…. So there is lots of room for improvement. Riding on Mr. Bumpy Face is easier said than done. I did learn something last night, though, I need to go up on my gearing and raise my saddle. The whole spinning my legs super fast into my chest was not the most comfortable experience I have had on a bike. Speaking of gearing up, my husband picked up our three new chain rings (51t, 49t, 47t) and a new cog from our shop today.
Just 41 days till track season starts
There is going to be lots of playing on the track with all this gear in the ensuing weeks. Kinda excited. Just in case you were wondering, yes that is chocolate cake. Keep riding!
So, I haven’t really done much for the past two weeks. No working out, very little riding, no blogging, very little working….. I mean, I’ve hardly even left the house. It has sucked.
Why?
Well, my kids got sick. I mean, really sick. We’re talking flu, upper respiratory infection, and pink eye. That isn’t one after another, but all at the same time. That included a trip to the ER for my youngest. Yaay!
My husband was awesome and stayed at home from school for a week to help make sure the children got all the ibuprofen and acetaminophen they could stand. It was hard being used as both a pillow and tissue just to get sick myself but such is the life of a parent.
We’re all going to be stuck with this awful cough for a while, but the worst is over and hopefully this week’s track clinic won’t be as brutal as last week’s… even though it is going to be in the thirties.
Here is to everyone’s good health! Keep riding… unless you have the flu, then I wouldn’t recommend it.
It was snowing sideways this morning so I felt it necessary to make chili and stay inside where it was safe and warm.
Then I got a call from my friendly bike shop that my cog had arrived in the store….. So I felt it was necessary to bundle the children up and pick up my prize; a 16 tooth Dura Ace cog.
As shiny as flat black gets
My new cog doesn’t have over 10,000 miles (Thanks, Hubby!). It isn’t warped from being used with an old worn out chain found on a $20 thrift store bike turned fixed gear conversion (Thanks, Hubby). My new cog is pretty awesome and was installed on my bike in less time than it took me to write this post (Thanks, Hubby).
Now I need to get off my butt and take this bike for a spin! Inside, of course, where there is chili.
So earlier this week I mentioned goldsprints.
It was so much fun. Ridiculously fun.
I brought my kids and some brownies. They brought a Farside book. Eventually everyone had a look at that. There was also lots of friendly competition on stationary bikes.
I ended the night with a 12.7 second 250 meter sprint. Pretty unbelievable, right? That gave me the ladie’s top spot for the night. It also made the pain a little more bearable the next day.
My friend used his phone to capture that race. I am the mound of maroon sweater at the right.
Hopefully you can make it down to goldsprints next time (March 12th at 7 pm). Otherwise if you are not in the StL area see if you can find some goldsprints of your own.
Funkstitch 