TT Time

The grand total of tt intervals done this calendar year is..............1! I am not going to let that stop me lining up for club champs tomorrow arvo though. If anything, it will be a good benchmark for the Auckland champs which are on the same course in 6 weeks....it will be minutes, not seconds coming off the time by then.

Anyway, the tt rig got all spruced up last night, disc went in and got all tuned up and road tested, at 9.30pm, and its all ready to fly. For me this is something quite significant as usually I'm messing round with parts the night before getting all worked up and shitty.

I have a nice new skinsuit for tomorrow as well, cheers Gordy, but as its mainly white, it may get saved for another day if the forecast rain arrives....that and I have no white booties yet and would hate to clash.

So fingers crossed, stepping back on the tt bike for a waterfront tt usually makes you hobble around for the rest of the day as you use a whole new bunch of muscles. I am not looking forward to the feeling after 40kms. One thing is for sure, tomorrow wont be a day for spinning....there is going to be a lot of grovelling and pushing the big gears....c'mon legs be good!

A good turn gone punished

I was out training last night doing some hill efforts, emphasis on hill efforts at night time (motivation is high) and came across a rider that had punctured and was sitting on the grass and had both wheels off the bike. I decided to stop and make sure all was well, he had punctured and had left his tyre levers at home and had called his wife to come and pick him up.

I haven't used tyre levers in ages, so I offered him some help and advice on how he could get by without them. He said the tyres were impossible to get off without levers, so I made sure he was starting at the valve and working his way around with both hands so he could pry it off with his thumbs....he wasn't interested.

I also mentioned that if you get real stuck then you can use your quick release....he wasn't interested. All he did the whole time was sit on the grass and say how that they were impossible to get off without levers "they're not like mountain bike tyres". I had done the good thing and offered help, he obviously didn't care so I left him to it, I needed extra recovery time anyway so it wasn't a major to stop and was heading for home anyway.

So I get going again, and no more than 200meters down the road and psssst! not happy but didn't really want to stop and practice what I had just been preaching, so I rimmed it home. Talk about a good turn going un rewarded

its been a bit busy round these parts

so here is how my last 5-6 weeks has gone...

1 weekend in Australia
1 weekend in Whakatane for a 21st
1 weekend in Taupo for a wedding
1 weekend welcoming home our new puppy
1 weekend in Rotorua for a family holiday
1 weekend sitting on the couch looking at the rain

so its been fairly low key cycling wise with the bike taken on none of the above trips which was nice for anyone else invloved but not great for the form but lack of bike trips means I obviously wasn't too fussed. It is early winter after all.

Work has also been crazy busy as well which has meant the motivation for early morning rides has slipped somewhat over that time....but at least the recession won't take my job for the moment.

I am probably underselling how much riding I have been doing, just not a great deal of quality but that will come.

Holiday time

There hasn't been a lot of riding the least 10 days as I tweaked my knee and was struggling to ride pain free for anything more than 20minutes so I shut it down for a bit. Its been quite nice timing though as I fly out to the Gold Coast this arvo for 5 days of doing not much at all which should be mint. Its not really summer I know but need to get away and re charge the batteries, more work batteries that riding ones as I haven't been running them too low recently.

Its been cold up here the last 2 days so hopefully when I get back its not down to single digits and full blown winter.

Investment advice

While I am on a financial angle I thought I would dish out some free investment advice to make everyone out there rich. Now this isn't invest in share xyz or Currency B or even to buy gold. Thats all tried and trusted and you don't need to be a genius to work that out.

This advice is based purely on supply and demand, so go and buy Malt Biscuits. Stand back and take a deep breath and I will explain.

I am going to Deborah's sisters wedding in Taupo this weekend, so my job is to make my killer lollie cake to keep everyone energised during Fridays working bee. No problem I thought and I went to the supermarket last night to get the supplies, one of the key ingredient is a 3 packets of Malt biscuits....I was tripling the recipe as I needed to feed an army.

anyway, Pak n Save Glenn Innes....Sold Out
Foodtown Quay Street.....Sold Out
5 various gas stations.....Not in stock
Countdown Greenlane......1 packet in stock

I would have paid a lot of money for another 2 packets last night, so I am stuck now with only 1 batch of lollie cake and a 4 hour drive this afternoon to taupo. I am not liking the chance of having any of the stuff left by the time I get down there.

Oh and good lucky Shaina and Tom, I'm sure it will be a great day!

Help out the Recession

without wanting to get all doom and gloom, I think everyone realises we are in a recession and consumer spending will lead us out of it or will at least help.

In light of this I urge would appear to be the vast majority of auckland cyclists to go out and buy some leg warmers. They aren't terribly expensive compared to the bike and time you spend on the sport. I am amazed how underdressed so many riders are in the mornings. I head out covered head to toe usually and am still cold for the first half an hour. Seeing people riding at 5am in shorts, a short sleeve top and a fluro vest just slows down the warming process for me.

Forget the performance benefits you will get from leg warmers, the reduced probability of injury and the reduced recovery times....its just makes sense, and will help out the recession.

a bit slow

this week has been a little on the slow side training wise as a stupid thing called work has got in the way so its drastic action time. Didn't get out Tues or Wed so its intervals tonight and tomorrow morning before shutting it down for a coffee spin....who needs recovery.

I think the next race on the wards is May 2 at Counties and then a 2up TT and then the Queens Birthday tour which is always a good road trip to the naki, had some good times and some not so good times over the years at that tour so might do some reminiscing closer to the race about it.