Road Bike Racing - 6.74" of rain so far today in NY's Central Park

That is the 2nd highest rainfall total for a 24 hour period in over 100 years of weather record keeping in NY City. So the Sunday race reports from the Northeast might be a little scarce for April 15.

That is all.

ugh

ugh

'Ugh'?

Where I live in April we thank God it wasn't snow. Because 6" of rain translates into over FIVE FEET of snow. There was some snow north of here.

So, my reports in a nutshell.

Friday: Drove to Battenkill in the team van, did race course recon. Sketchy but possible. Went to dinner. Came out of dinner with 2 inches snow on ground. Went to team directeur sportif's condo. Van got stuck 2 times. LOTS of snow. Checked internet calling for snow throughout night, mix of rain snow for the race. DS says not worth losing guys to crash. We drive back to NJ Friday night. DrWJ does not drop the hurt on anyone at Battenkill.

Saturday: Did local TT. Saw that the guy who beat me last week was there, 30 seconds behind me. Knew I had to haul butt if I was to win. At turnaround he was only 10 seconds or so behind. With 1k to go, I was caught - the first time in two years of TTing that I have been caught. DEMORALIZING. I gave up. Mistake. While he took first, second through fifth places were 10 seconds apart. I took fifth. Averaged 385 watts for 12m45. Beaten fair and square. Couldn't really do more other than the giving up in the last kilometer.

Sunday: Was going to race a 40k TT but it was cancelled as of friday due to the weather forecast. As such I signed up for CP, but when I awoke the rain told me that it is not worth a season ending crash for a silly CP race. I went back to bed. Later I learned that the race was cancelled.

What did I learn? Rain sucks. Losing sucks more. Still, don't ever give up. If I had kept my head in things who knows what would have happened. As for Battenkill, no regrets. I do not know if there were crashes, but with the info we had, the team made the right call. KP and I still have to do battle. When it goes down, the mushroom cloud should be visible for miles.

Sounds like you need kayaks.

What did I learn? Rain sucks. Losing sucks more.

Being unable to ride at all sucks FAR worse. Trust me. I can assure you that circumstances could occur in your life that would make riding with a bunch of 15mph Freds make you elated beyond your wildest dreams regardless of your racing past.

God forbid. I hope you crush 'em all, go to the nationals and come home with a big medal : ).

Just trying to put it all in perspective.

Will- That's a bummer about Battenkill, I was wondering where you were. Its understandable that you wouldn't want to do it though. As for your TT, getting passed sucks but like you said, you can't give up!

BTW, Jiminy Peak is calling your name. You know you want to do it. I'll be there, and by then I'll be in shape.

That is the 2nd highest rainfall total for a 24 hour period in over 100 years of weather record keeping in NY City. So the Sunday race reports from the Northeast might be a little scarce for April 15.

That is all.
One of my buddies IMs me a couple of hours and says "so I did 120 miles today". What...the...hell. He went riding around Bear Mountain, and was riding around with some buds and a chick from the T-mobile team. I'm guessing he had floaties on his arms.

You know you want to do it. I'll be there, and by then I'll be in shape.

The Penguin is calling out the Doc!

Will- That's a bummer about Battenkill, I was wondering where you were. Its understandable that you wouldn't want to do it though. As for your TT, getting passed sucks but like you said, you can't give up!

BTW, Jiminy Peak is calling your name. You know you want to do it. I'll be there, and by then I'll be in shape.

Not sure I would say I did not want to do it. I should have driven myself up. However a number of us went in the team van, and as such, if the team van goes south, the bikes and riders go south as well.

Jiminy Peak and the High Point TT are both calling my name, but I will be in Japan. The challenge will be there my young Penguin friend. As long as I can figure out how to build this Ark in time for the coming flood. Two by two right? Two Cervelos, Two Giants, Two BMCs, etc.

Ahh c'mon man, Japan survived getting nuked twice, I'm fairly confident its not gonna go anywhere if you skip your trip. Jiminy Peak, its calling out to you...c'mon....

That is the 2nd highest rainfall total for a 24 hour period in over 100 years of weather record keeping in NY City. So the Sunday race reports from the Northeast might be a little scarce for April 15.

That is all.

did i mention what amazing weather we had this past weekend?

did i mention what amazing weather we had this past weekend?

Mid 80's (heard 28c) at Paris Roubaix. Wow.

It looked like July.

Mid 80's (heard 28c) at Paris Roubaix. Wow.

It looked like July.

in the sun, that sounds about right. it was somewhere around 23-24°C in Noord Holland.

things are nasty here right now, we've lost power at least twice, wants to give in again..
It's pooring and the wind gusts are blowing everything off my yard!:eek:

To your south, we may still see some additional rain, but now it's the wind that's a real factor. Commuting home tonight into a minimum 20-30mph headwind with gusts to 60mph? I'll spend more time on the 39 than I have in weeks;)

I was astonished watching the Paris Roubaix race on Versus. It looked like a lovely summer day in Northern France.

I'm even more astonished to hear somebody rode 100+ miles around Bear Mtn. yesterday. That would require serious brain damage. This coming from a guy who rode in the rain so much last year I channeled Sponge Bob.

I was astonished watching the Paris Roubaix race on Versus. It looked like a lovely summer day in Northern France.

I'm even more astonished to hear somebody rode 100+ miles around Bear Mtn. yesterday. That would require serious brain damage. This coming from a guy who rode in the rain so much last year I channeled Sponge Bob.

swissy.

Boston marathon is still on today, yicks.. we are having wind gusts up to 50 mph.

Boston marathon is still on today, yicks.. we are having wind gusts up to 50 mph.

the rotterdam marathon took place yesterday in 81°F weather. :D

the rotterdam marathon took place yesterday in 81°F weather. :D
lucky! but Id still pick 43 versus 81 for marathon weather!

I just feel bad about all this wind, the rain is not bad to run in but this wind is insane!

lucky! but Id still pick 43 versus 81 for marathon weather!

I just feel bad about all this wind, the rain is not bad to run in but this wind is insane!

i'd rather run in it than ride a bike in it. :D

With 1k to go, I was caught - the first time in two years of TTing that I have been caught. DEMORALIZING.

There's always a faster guy out there. Case in point, there's a 46-year-old ex pro who has been coming to the Charlotte TT who can hold 420 watts for 20 minutes. I won't be surprised if he breaks the track record this year.

--Steve

What did I learn? Rain sucks. Losing sucks more. Still, don't ever give up. If I had kept my head in things who knows what would have happened. .

Yup, the older I get, the more I share this sentiment. There are a couple of quotes I like to rehearse when things get rough:

Perseverance, secret of all triumphs. ~ Victor Hugo ~

Eighty percent of success is just showing up. ~ Woody Allen ~

pansies

lucky! but Id still pick 43 versus 81 for marathon weather!

I just feel bad about all this wind, the rain is not bad to run in but this wind is insane!


+1

Man that's wicked. We only get 11 inches of precip a YEAR here. Was in Korea for a couple of years and suffered through a typhoon. 10 inches of rain in Seoul and 22 inches on the southern coast. Had 8 inches of rain one night at my condo when I lived in Kaneohe HI. Kept a close eye on the creek near my buildling, but luckily it did not flood. I did not run or bike in either of those storms.