Did the training crit, and it felt great to be out there. Not as embarrassing as I anticipated, but that was in part due to the low summer turnout (110* day today, and it's the off-season). I used the B race to warmup, and it was, well, a B race. Not from a surge standpoint, as this is a very smooth/fast course, but from a speed standpoint. The surges on this course are mostly for the rise on the front straight, and in the A race, I didn't recover well enough/quick enough from those 550ish efforts. After a few laps I fell off, then picked the small lead group back up for a little bit until they announced 3 to go. I warmed down during those since, even though it's considered cricket for this ride, I wasn't comfortable riding across with the lead group when I was a lap down.

I'd rate the overall effort level 2 on the suffer scale:

Beyond Level - You fall over into a supporter's arms, with a dramatic look of anguish, a la' Tommy Voeckler
Level 1 - Puking onto yourself or a teammate
Level 2 - Lung butter, but no puking
Level 3 - laying across your bars panting
Level 4 - Pretending to be really spent, even though you waited at the side for 5 laps, then let the pack "catch you", like you were OTF

Handling was fine, as I didn't overreact to the typical 'stuff', and overreaction is what I worry about. I'd say my cornering was 'satisfactory', but I'm only satisfied with 'great' cornering, and I can't give myself that. I'll improve with more time on this bike, with what I think are final fit changes. They seem good.

Sounds like you did really well, AzT, especially after being out of it for a while. Level 2, hmmm? That's impressive! You need to work on getting up to level 1, though. Beyond is reserved for Tommy V only (The King of Bike Drama) ;)

1:00 recovery ride Monday, yesterday 1:43 at endurance pace including 3x3' LT intervals and 5x8" power starts - start at walking speed in the 53/12, go as hard as you can standing; today 2:13 at endurance pace with three sets of 5x30" speed intervals, 30 seconds RBI, two minutes RBS, sandwiched between two six minute LT intervals. I pushed myself hard enough during the SIs that I barely made it through the second LT interval.

Starting Friday, morning temps in the 60s through at least Monday. :)

JRA with a lot of hill climbing today. It totally kicked my ass! Hard work, it was. Heart rate didn't get that high, but legs just turned to putty when it got over 144. NP 159; Max Q 568; Kj 685; TSS 138.0; IF 0.948

I did spend two hours at the Mecum Auto Auction this morning. Said "hi" to Dana Mecum. What a cool experience that auction was! Auto Week here in Monterey.

Did you buy a hot rod?

I've got my eye on a '69 Mustang Boss 429. I'll raid my piggy bank tonight and register tomorrow. Look for me on Velocity tomorrow.

;)

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps836fd517.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0a9be8e0.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...pse30460d8.jpg

That's a Boss Hoss.

Mopar for me, please... maybe something like a '69 GTX?

How about a Superbird? I saw a few, but they weren't Hemis....

It was a Boss 429. Big motor!

The finest motor car ever produced in the United States is the 1963 Corvette. [/end]

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-19...ear-red-sy.jpg

there ain't a lot of those split back window models around.

I remember, as a 12 year old kid, reading Tom McCahill's (sp?) review of the '63 Stingray in Popular Mechanics. It's still one of the most beautiful cars ever produced - not just in the US, but anywhere.

'69 Camaro Z/28. 302.

Started out as and still am a Blue Oval guy when it come to American iron. @sarals, you'll have to take me for a ride in that Mustang if you get it.

The scariest car I was ever in was my cousin's 1970 Corvette with a 454 in it. I never drove it but he liked to scare the hell out of me when I rode with him.

A high school friend, who was a pretty decent bike racer, had a late 1960s Road Runner with a 440(?) in it. It had a 3-speed(?) manual. It was fast but the brakes were awful. I drove it a couple of times and I maybe weighed 120 lbs and I could barely press the clutch pedal all the way to the release point and I could barely stop the thing.

Has my vote.

A friend in HS/College days somehow convinced someone he knew how to work on exotic cars, and had the guys Jag XKE for literally months. Nothing like sitting next to someone in that, as he got it up as fast as he could on short suburban blocks, knowing he was (almost always) stoned out of his mind.

It's a wonder we survive youth.

I have a friend with a Porsche Twin Turbo. He is not a car guy. Knew nothing about the drive train, I had to tell him "Yes, your clutch is gone." when he described obvious symptoms, he doesn't know how to pronounce the name of his car, and can't drive it for ****. But it's fast.

When I was a kid, a local guy was running an AC Cobra with a 429 in autocross. I think he went through a set of rear tires per race, they stayed lit up for quite a while after the 180 turn. Good times. :)

At the velodrome this Wednesday a friend asked if I heard his Vette' when he pulled in. I didn't hear or see it and we began discussing corvettes. I told him if I could have two I would get a red 63' split window and an early 2000's model as my second choice as I believe that model to look bad assed fast. He then asked what color?, and I replied "probably yellow with a black top". I then asked Bob what year his car was and he said 2002 and I should take a look at it. I went with him to see the car and it yellow/black with a CF insert in the hood and has 510 HP. Small world ain't it?

I hated the 68 body style but it grew on me over time. Since they transitioned away from that I've been less than enthralled. Don't hate 'em, but they don't do much for me. I like the new Mustang, Camaro and Challengers.

I might take a California Special Mustang over a Z28 depending on the package.

Guys, I won't be buying any Boss 429! My Subaru Forester is all I can handle, in so many ways!

One of my girlfriends in high school was going out with a boy who had a '70 Hemi Charger. I got to ride in that thing - once! Scared the crap right out of me! That huge motor, with those awesome black valve covers was a sight to behold. The way it would smash me into the seat back was pretty awesome, too!

I had a 1983 Suzuki GS1100 for a short period of time. It reminded me a lot of that Charger. It was just brutal!

I spent a little over an hour in the gym this morning. 20 minutes warmup on the spin trainer and then strength training x2. I could not do any leg bends without irritating my right knee. The thing is finally starting to close up, but it is sore. I've had a time trying to get that road rash on that knee to heal.

Endurance pace yesterday and today, on different bikes. Yesterday was 1:29, hrTSS 86, IF .72; today was 2:59, TSS 185, IF .79, 1854 kj. Today's course was yesterday's with an additional 27 miles tacked on. I was surprised that for the first and last quarter of today's ride, and the middle half as well, my NP only varied 2 watts. I amassed a tremendous 952 feet of climbing - up to a nose bleed inducing 160 feet ASL - today.

Only 20 minutes on the Felt B16 this morning for a recovery ride. My right knee started hurting again, so I shortened the ride. I have only superficial road rash on the knee, but it's on the kneecap, right where all the skin stretching takes place, and it has not been healing properly because I haven't let it rest. I don't want to risk a chronic injury, even from something as superficial as this, so if it's not healed up by Friday night I'm bailing on the Winters road race. I really wanted to end my season on a high note, too. Staving off a chronic injury is more important right now.

In less than a second I went from the top of my game to right where I was last January. This can be a cruel sport.

2:27 at endurance pace today. Included in there were two sets of 6x45" speed intervals, with 45" RBI and two minutes RBS; two six minute LT intervals, one before and one after the SIs, and 5x12" flat sprints after those. Recovery week starts tomorrow, and my coach wanted to make sure I was ready for it. :rolleyes: I'm a tired puppy.