As a cyclist you live a life of neglect. Every day tasks take a back seat to training/recovery, add in a part time job and almost nothing ever gets done. Laundry is never ending, dishes stack up, food stores dwindle, and the bedroom can be referred to as ground zero. The little extra`s also stack up each week. With the world being run on the 9-5 it requires a game plan in order to get out and run errands.
Equal to training hard is to recover, part of the standard training week is to ensure that you have one day of rest. (ie, don`t ride more than 1hr) This day of rest comes with a little more time on your hands. Extra time equals neglect management as I attempt to catch up on some Too Do`s. Often to accommodate training it is more convenient to have a "rest day" on a day when I have to work. The unfortunate side affect is that this takes up the majority of the day and limits the amount of neglect management that I can accomplish. On occasion it works out that my rest day is on a day when I do not work. On a day such as this I can try to make good on the forgotten tasks only to realize what "tip of the iceberg" means.
Next weekend Team Westwood/Cannondale is going to Washington State for the Enumclaw Stage Race. This race is three stages over 2 days. Saturday morning is a 10km ITT, Saturday Evening is a 60min Criterium, and Sunday is a 115km road race. I have been training hard for the past couple weeks. I am anxious to race, the form will be on and I plan to light it up.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Breaking Bad
If I were a literary character I would be one dimensional, and I really don't mind. I just threw down a bad ass big week of training. Had some long days and some good intervally sessions. Between Training and working there is very little time for much else. OH how I want my bike to feed me.
As an elite athlete hard training and hard racing is commonplace. There is no training session or race that is as exhausting as working a part time job. 8hrs on your feet is physically and mentally draining. Work does come with two benefits. One a paycheck, two the knowledge that any punishingly hard ride is preferable and less exhausting. Which means that when it is time to ride hard there is no complaint. Own it, love it, ride it, kill it, bring the heat to forge the form.
There is no racing for me this weekend. Instead I will be volunteering at the wheel to heal. This is a charity event put on by our Team sponsor to raise funds for the children`s hospital. I am glad to show my thanks to the Team sponsor. Like the knights of olde, who were supported by nobility to joust. I am supported by those more wealthy than I, and so I will lend a hand when called upon.
Next weekend I will be heading down to Washington State to race at Enumclaw. I have been building my form and focus to be very fast. The past week I have been hardening and sharpening my quads to be on good form. Haven`t had a proper race in several weeks so I am anxious to get back to racing.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
As an elite athlete hard training and hard racing is commonplace. There is no training session or race that is as exhausting as working a part time job. 8hrs on your feet is physically and mentally draining. Work does come with two benefits. One a paycheck, two the knowledge that any punishingly hard ride is preferable and less exhausting. Which means that when it is time to ride hard there is no complaint. Own it, love it, ride it, kill it, bring the heat to forge the form.
There is no racing for me this weekend. Instead I will be volunteering at the wheel to heal. This is a charity event put on by our Team sponsor to raise funds for the children`s hospital. I am glad to show my thanks to the Team sponsor. Like the knights of olde, who were supported by nobility to joust. I am supported by those more wealthy than I, and so I will lend a hand when called upon.
Next weekend I will be heading down to Washington State to race at Enumclaw. I have been building my form and focus to be very fast. The past week I have been hardening and sharpening my quads to be on good form. Haven`t had a proper race in several weeks so I am anxious to get back to racing.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Monday, May 10, 2010
Ready, 60km as hard as you can.... .... .... GO!
Yesterday, I was very tired. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow. The reason behind this is two Time Trials totaling 60km in one day. The Devo Warp-speed Time Trial consisted of a 20km pan flat route, out and back along Zero Ave. inches from the American boarder.
The First Race was a 20km individual Time Trial. Unlike a road race or criterium there is no mass start for a time trial, peloton, and no drafting. Each racer starts individually, drafting off of other racers is not allowed and therefore the effort is 100% individual both physically and mentally. Your result is dictated entirely by your own strength and motivation. When all racers have completed the course they are placed in order based on thier individual time.
I am once again satisfied with my individual race. I am glad to see that my race-pace is increasing. I completed the course in a time of 26min and 28sec. . My time was good for 9th place. I was hoping to land in the top five, but after finishing I guessed that the winning time would be 1min faster than me. I was right, and therefor finish in 9th.
We had little over an hour break before the next race. The next race was a 40km Team Time Trial. Teams of four riders work together to complete two laps of the course. Team mates are allowed to draft one another. This allows 3 team mates to rest while one breaks the wind ahead of them, much like geese flying south. The finishing time is recorded when the 3rd team mate crosses the line therefore teams must remain together and weaker riders may have to rest more often.
With all racers having just completed an individual time trial it would make it difficult to ride a very fast pace. Team Westwood/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports consisted of Scott Laliberte, Kent McKinnon, Sam Loud, and yours truly. after 2 km we found a rhythm and our train chugged away. Cross-headwind going out, cross-tailwind on the way back. The fatigue from the individual races was apparent. Before half way our foursome became a threesome. This increased the workload and decreased the rest time. Also it was now very important to keep the remaining three together. The remaining three members of Westwood/Cannondale finnished the 40km in a time of 52min 13sec. This time would put us in second place, a good result. Showing that as a team we can put our minds to an effort.
It was now just about 2 o'clock. The true fatigue had not yet set in. After racing that much at threshold your metabolism rivals the best nuclear power plant. Although you are fatigued, you are not yet tired. So we did an easy spin 8km into town for a Tim's stop. We loaded the Van and then filled into the cottage grid lock going back into Vancouver.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
The First Race was a 20km individual Time Trial. Unlike a road race or criterium there is no mass start for a time trial, peloton, and no drafting. Each racer starts individually, drafting off of other racers is not allowed and therefore the effort is 100% individual both physically and mentally. Your result is dictated entirely by your own strength and motivation. When all racers have completed the course they are placed in order based on thier individual time.
I am once again satisfied with my individual race. I am glad to see that my race-pace is increasing. I completed the course in a time of 26min and 28sec. . My time was good for 9th place. I was hoping to land in the top five, but after finishing I guessed that the winning time would be 1min faster than me. I was right, and therefor finish in 9th.
We had little over an hour break before the next race. The next race was a 40km Team Time Trial. Teams of four riders work together to complete two laps of the course. Team mates are allowed to draft one another. This allows 3 team mates to rest while one breaks the wind ahead of them, much like geese flying south. The finishing time is recorded when the 3rd team mate crosses the line therefore teams must remain together and weaker riders may have to rest more often.
With all racers having just completed an individual time trial it would make it difficult to ride a very fast pace. Team Westwood/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports consisted of Scott Laliberte, Kent McKinnon, Sam Loud, and yours truly. after 2 km we found a rhythm and our train chugged away. Cross-headwind going out, cross-tailwind on the way back. The fatigue from the individual races was apparent. Before half way our foursome became a threesome. This increased the workload and decreased the rest time. Also it was now very important to keep the remaining three together. The remaining three members of Westwood/Cannondale finnished the 40km in a time of 52min 13sec. This time would put us in second place, a good result. Showing that as a team we can put our minds to an effort.
It was now just about 2 o'clock. The true fatigue had not yet set in. After racing that much at threshold your metabolism rivals the best nuclear power plant. Although you are fatigued, you are not yet tired. So we did an easy spin 8km into town for a Tim's stop. We loaded the Van and then filled into the cottage grid lock going back into Vancouver.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Sunday, May 9, 2010
ITTTTT
Just got home. 10pm. 60km of time trialing today. too tired to post proper fill you in tomorrow.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Sunday, May 2, 2010
No Comment
Well, That was by far the worst criterium performance of my entire life. I have no excuse for my poor performance. It was inappropriate and embarrassing.
Tomorrow I am going to take the day off to try and remove this weekends race from my memory. The Tuesday night race series starts up this week. I hope that this will serve to get me back in the game in a big way.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Tomorrow I am going to take the day off to try and remove this weekends race from my memory. The Tuesday night race series starts up this week. I hope that this will serve to get me back in the game in a big way.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Disqualification, protest and Individual Time Trial
I have for the first time this year suffered motivational issues. The likely cause is long days at work combined with some calf/knee pain. This was all finally put over the top by some shenanigans at Race the Ridge this weekend.
The commissar at the race was on a major power trip. From what I understand there was an incident in a previous race where a racer was having heated conversation with the commissar. It seemed he was now determined to take out his his frustrations in a vendetta against the racers.
The yellow line became the commissar`s guillotine, and I was 1 of more than a dozen victims of some questionable disqualifications. We raced on quiet rural roads. The roads were quite narrow, with no painted center line. Questionable disqualifications include a situation in which a man in a wheel chair was on the shoulder and the pack swerved wide to avoid him. This resulted in several disqualifications. Another incident occurred on a fast decent. There was a slow moving truck, much of the pack had to swing wide to avoid. This too resulted in disqualifications.
I was disqualified as the pack came to a hill slowing the speed. The accordion affect forced me to the outer edge of the group. I remained in the draft of riders ahead of me, and not over the center-line. Along comes the commissar. Drives up beside the pack and informs me that I have been disqualified, and that I am to remove myself from the race immediately. We had not even gone 30km and was removed from the race and all subsequent stages.
I was pretty jaded. Vowed never to support this event again, and could not bring myself to consider just training this weekend.
Needless to say I was not happy. Due to the unusually high number of disqualifications neither was the race organizer and Title Sponsor. We launched a protest and with the backing of the Title sponsor and Race organizer I was re-instated to the race. In last place, with a massive time penalty, but at least I could continue racing.
On paper I could continue racing, but mentally I was not there. I had to make some effort to get my head back on straight. Having to force the motivation is not a good sign. I have it for the rest of the weekend, but I will have to hit the mental refresh button on Monday.
Shenanigans aside, it was time to get focused for the Time trial. A 21km out and back ITT with a net elevation gain on the way out. Being the first ITT effort of the year the expectations were loose. I expected not to embarrass myself, and I expected it to be a "Trial". I placed 8th. Which means I did not embarrass myself, in fact this is somewhat of a pleasant surprise. I have not done much in the way of TT work, and I felt I had stable ride.
The race plan was to be under control on the way out and wind it up on the way back. I rode the TT in control, but perhaps too much in control. I might almost go as far as to describe it as comfortable. I did not wind it up as much as I would have liked on the way back. For the future this is good information, I know for next time that I can go deeper. I can now adjust some of my training to support this and improve.
Nevertheless I am sure to be in last place overall. I will go into tomorrows Criterium with nothing to lose. I will warm up well and then ride like I have nothing to lose. This often produces good results at least in underdog sports movies.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
The commissar at the race was on a major power trip. From what I understand there was an incident in a previous race where a racer was having heated conversation with the commissar. It seemed he was now determined to take out his his frustrations in a vendetta against the racers.
The yellow line became the commissar`s guillotine, and I was 1 of more than a dozen victims of some questionable disqualifications. We raced on quiet rural roads. The roads were quite narrow, with no painted center line. Questionable disqualifications include a situation in which a man in a wheel chair was on the shoulder and the pack swerved wide to avoid him. This resulted in several disqualifications. Another incident occurred on a fast decent. There was a slow moving truck, much of the pack had to swing wide to avoid. This too resulted in disqualifications.
I was disqualified as the pack came to a hill slowing the speed. The accordion affect forced me to the outer edge of the group. I remained in the draft of riders ahead of me, and not over the center-line. Along comes the commissar. Drives up beside the pack and informs me that I have been disqualified, and that I am to remove myself from the race immediately. We had not even gone 30km and was removed from the race and all subsequent stages.
I was pretty jaded. Vowed never to support this event again, and could not bring myself to consider just training this weekend.
Needless to say I was not happy. Due to the unusually high number of disqualifications neither was the race organizer and Title Sponsor. We launched a protest and with the backing of the Title sponsor and Race organizer I was re-instated to the race. In last place, with a massive time penalty, but at least I could continue racing.
On paper I could continue racing, but mentally I was not there. I had to make some effort to get my head back on straight. Having to force the motivation is not a good sign. I have it for the rest of the weekend, but I will have to hit the mental refresh button on Monday.
Shenanigans aside, it was time to get focused for the Time trial. A 21km out and back ITT with a net elevation gain on the way out. Being the first ITT effort of the year the expectations were loose. I expected not to embarrass myself, and I expected it to be a "Trial". I placed 8th. Which means I did not embarrass myself, in fact this is somewhat of a pleasant surprise. I have not done much in the way of TT work, and I felt I had stable ride.
The race plan was to be under control on the way out and wind it up on the way back. I rode the TT in control, but perhaps too much in control. I might almost go as far as to describe it as comfortable. I did not wind it up as much as I would have liked on the way back. For the future this is good information, I know for next time that I can go deeper. I can now adjust some of my training to support this and improve.
Nevertheless I am sure to be in last place overall. I will go into tomorrows Criterium with nothing to lose. I will warm up well and then ride like I have nothing to lose. This often produces good results at least in underdog sports movies.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
Monday, April 26, 2010
Domestique Violence
Well, I am back home in Canada. The Vance Creek Classic was a good race, one that I would certainly like another crack at. I would like to express my gratitude to our housing-host. Thanks David.
After missing out on Tour of Walla Walla, Team Westwood/Cannondle made a last minute entry to the Vance Creek Classic. At 150km this race was a right proper length. The terrain had some of everything. A steady climb capped of with a steep punch, a screamin' downhill, and some narrow rough farm roads subject to strong winds. The team for the race consisted of, Sam, Mike, Ryan, Scott, and myself.
The purpose of Racing is always to win. However in a race additional purposes may also be served. No one on our Team had ever done this race, and the short notice entry meant that no one was "targeting" this race. So in addition to results, Scott discussed some additional objectives for this race.
Objective one, race as a team not as 5 individuals. To help accomplish this Scott gave some specific direction and purpose.
Sam is a first year Espoir and has never raced this kind of distance. Ryan has had difficulties with the intensities at the end of long races like this.
Objective two, was to ensure that Sam and Ryan finish the Race. As a team we sould employ strategies to try and ensure this.
I was to try for the early breakaway. It is important to have representation in an early breakaway because this allows your team mates to shelter themselves in the pack while other teams will be forced to chase. Mike was also to watch for moves that would go in the first quarter of the race. The plan was that the efforts of Mike and I would allow Sam and Ryan to shelter in the pack so that they could race more aggressively in the last 40km.
The first 15km were very aggressive. All of the teams would like to be represented in an early breakaway, but if the break is too large then it is a threat to the favorites. There are many attacks, I cover anything and everything that I can. Eventually a two man breakaway forms, the pack accepts this and the pace slows. Unfortunately I am not in the break.
There is no need to panic. There are a couple riders from a couple teams keeping things rolling at the front. The advantage of the breakaway grows but it is under control. For now the team can just chill. We will try the waiting game. With a small break of the front it is much like a staring contest in the bunch and we hope that another team will blink and start chasing.
With over half the race gone by the breakaway is at a 4 min advantage. Then the pace of the peleton hits a stand still. No one is riding tempo and we begin to crawl along at 25km/hr. It is decided that this has gone too far. We Blink.
As a Team we missed the early break. So as a Team we take responsibility for the race. Team Westwood/Cannondale is at the front forcing the chase. We are cruising along at a cool 45km/hr. At the start of the climb we are still forcing the pace, the gap is coming down. Scott warns that we will be attacked near the top of the climb, not to panic, and that this is it. So I tell Mike to sit on and try to rest for a moment.
We are attacked. The pack blows into three groups and the 2 man break is caught at the top of the climb. There is now a lead group, a chase group and the peleton. Mike has gotten into the chase group, the rest of us are in the peloton. The pace is still very aggressive. We sit on, and hope that Mike`s chase group will catch to the lead group. However there are riders in the peloton that are not happy with the situation. They are chasing hard and catch to Mikes chase group.
There is a very dangerous Break off the front and the entire team now in the peloton, these are desperate times. We try to reorganize at the front, the gap hovers just over 30 sec for the next lap and a half. However there are repeated bridge attempts that disrupt the fluidity of our chase. These attacks are very wearing on us and we can no longer sustain our high pace. With 20km left in the race it has become futile and Scott calls me off. I am shattered. We finish the race, Mike places well in the bunch sprint.
We did not win, but Team Westwood/Cannondale did allot of good things in this race. We know we are capable of riding as a team, and with more practice we will be able to grab a race by the horns and make it what we want. We took responsibility for the race. Racing with responsibility and purpose is the professional thing to do. If we can race like professionals then we will get results like professionals.
Next weekend Team Westwood/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports will be at Race the Ridge in pitt Meadows.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
After missing out on Tour of Walla Walla, Team Westwood/Cannondle made a last minute entry to the Vance Creek Classic. At 150km this race was a right proper length. The terrain had some of everything. A steady climb capped of with a steep punch, a screamin' downhill, and some narrow rough farm roads subject to strong winds. The team for the race consisted of, Sam, Mike, Ryan, Scott, and myself.
The purpose of Racing is always to win. However in a race additional purposes may also be served. No one on our Team had ever done this race, and the short notice entry meant that no one was "targeting" this race. So in addition to results, Scott discussed some additional objectives for this race.
Objective one, race as a team not as 5 individuals. To help accomplish this Scott gave some specific direction and purpose.
Sam is a first year Espoir and has never raced this kind of distance. Ryan has had difficulties with the intensities at the end of long races like this.
Objective two, was to ensure that Sam and Ryan finish the Race. As a team we sould employ strategies to try and ensure this.
I was to try for the early breakaway. It is important to have representation in an early breakaway because this allows your team mates to shelter themselves in the pack while other teams will be forced to chase. Mike was also to watch for moves that would go in the first quarter of the race. The plan was that the efforts of Mike and I would allow Sam and Ryan to shelter in the pack so that they could race more aggressively in the last 40km.
The first 15km were very aggressive. All of the teams would like to be represented in an early breakaway, but if the break is too large then it is a threat to the favorites. There are many attacks, I cover anything and everything that I can. Eventually a two man breakaway forms, the pack accepts this and the pace slows. Unfortunately I am not in the break.
There is no need to panic. There are a couple riders from a couple teams keeping things rolling at the front. The advantage of the breakaway grows but it is under control. For now the team can just chill. We will try the waiting game. With a small break of the front it is much like a staring contest in the bunch and we hope that another team will blink and start chasing.
With over half the race gone by the breakaway is at a 4 min advantage. Then the pace of the peleton hits a stand still. No one is riding tempo and we begin to crawl along at 25km/hr. It is decided that this has gone too far. We Blink.
As a Team we missed the early break. So as a Team we take responsibility for the race. Team Westwood/Cannondale is at the front forcing the chase. We are cruising along at a cool 45km/hr. At the start of the climb we are still forcing the pace, the gap is coming down. Scott warns that we will be attacked near the top of the climb, not to panic, and that this is it. So I tell Mike to sit on and try to rest for a moment.
We are attacked. The pack blows into three groups and the 2 man break is caught at the top of the climb. There is now a lead group, a chase group and the peleton. Mike has gotten into the chase group, the rest of us are in the peloton. The pace is still very aggressive. We sit on, and hope that Mike`s chase group will catch to the lead group. However there are riders in the peloton that are not happy with the situation. They are chasing hard and catch to Mikes chase group.
There is a very dangerous Break off the front and the entire team now in the peloton, these are desperate times. We try to reorganize at the front, the gap hovers just over 30 sec for the next lap and a half. However there are repeated bridge attempts that disrupt the fluidity of our chase. These attacks are very wearing on us and we can no longer sustain our high pace. With 20km left in the race it has become futile and Scott calls me off. I am shattered. We finish the race, Mike places well in the bunch sprint.
We did not win, but Team Westwood/Cannondale did allot of good things in this race. We know we are capable of riding as a team, and with more practice we will be able to grab a race by the horns and make it what we want. We took responsibility for the race. Racing with responsibility and purpose is the professional thing to do. If we can race like professionals then we will get results like professionals.
Next weekend Team Westwood/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports will be at Race the Ridge in pitt Meadows.
Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.
Cuylar Conly
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