Preparation for Big White

Less than 2 weeks to the debut stage race of the entire team with more than 100 training miles in their legs. I will give a rundown of where we all seem to be from our last outing as a team at the Ronde…even though Pat video produced, he was still there and created something far greater than any result the team could have attained.

First off, I have been really upside down. I have had some serious family issues that have derailed my training that was at one time, pretty solid. But when family calls, and often screams, you drop everything…and you don’t regret it. That has lasted about 4 weeks in trauma mode, and everything seems to be in satisfactory condition. Then, I had been waiting to get my TT bike all dialed in, and finally did, and on its maiden voyage, I got hit by a car causing about over $10,000 of damage. It was new. I also separated my ac (shoulder) in the collision as well. After about 2 weeks off…maybe more, I started riding the trainer a little. That has turned in to a few times a week now and the pain is tolerable. This is all in hopes to be on the road for Whitefish in a couple weeks

Mark…well, he has been getting in rides when he can and that has been quite frequent. Being a single attorney (now with a girlfriend) tends to take up some time. But whenever I talk with him, there is no doubt that road riding has given him some solitude from work. He commented today that he was shocked at how easy it is to train for one sport. Rather than 3 in triathlon. Seems like there is more “free” time. I agree. Mark, like the rest of us, is a bit worried about the 450 vertical feet of climbing…per lap… there is in the road race where we do 9 laps! Cripes. That thought will get anyone on their bike as to not get dropped on the first of 9 laps. You don’t want to get lapped in a circuit race.

Cris has been getting after is waaay more than the rest of us. Cris has been hitting the Twilight races and getting faster and faster. He has been logging the miles and getting fit enough to hit some stage races on his own. He headed down to Wenatchee where he dominated the crit until he got sandwiched on the last lap. That crash put him on crutches and he had to abandon the race. But he was back on the trainer and prepping for Whitefish where he will be seeking a podium finish.

Pat has been doing the “teacher” thing like me too. But he has high school kids and they are putting on the end of the year play. I cannot imagine what kind of time that takes…but energy too. That leaves little time for training after you factor in family. But there is no question that Pat will tow the line in Whitefish and we will have a phenomenal time. The thing with Pat is that his training is consistently inconsistent. And that is better than non existent.

I will log some trainer time this week in hopes to gain some fitness to be able to race a crit and TT in the same day. That alone should put me in the stretcher. As a triathlete, and time trialist, my body does well with constant hard efforts. Not accelerations and decelerations. I think the crit will be interesting and I am not too sure what the TT will bring. I try not to even think about the 50 mile road race the next day. That right now is a nightmare.

Cheer us on. This WILL be fun.