Church Ranches TT Report

Team,

As the weather continues to show inconsistency, the results of the Church Ranches Time Trial show otherwise. 31 tough riders came out in the Red Black and White to show their winter leg hair, new gear, new kits and winter-spring fitness in the "Race of Truth."

The girls were sent off first. We had a group of 5 fast chicks going off at 1 minute intervals through the really fun and windy course. Marilyn showed up late so she didn't get her chance to race head to head with Tanya. Tanya was really upset by that, especially when she heard about all the smack Marilyn was throwing down. Looking at the results, Marilyn got the best time of the ladies, with her late start, she must have had the more favourable wind conditions.

Tomo and Marcy looked really strong on the course dealing with the strong winds. I could hear Marcy huffing and puffing and blowing the course down on her second lap, good job.

We had 26 guys come out to show their stuff. Guys came on TT bikes, road bikes and thankfully no cross bikes. I was the only with an aero helmet on, just because it fits my toque better then my other helmets. We went off in 1 minute intervals as well, same hilly turny 6.3 km course as the ladies.

The first riders off were Tom, Thomas, Andy and Brent. These boys were the first lambs sent off for the big wolves to chase down. The best looking guy was Tom Kenney by far with his military issue, green long johns under his race kit. His shirt was riding up his back so bad it looked like he had a marine issued T-Bar or something. It was awful on every level. Thomas had the fastest time in the group of 33:00 flat in tough conditions.

The next dudes were Matt, Will, Jared, Simon, and Darcy. None of these guys look to represent anything of the Clydesdale physique. Jared ripped the course apart and road 30:03. He really took it to the field and rode awesome.

The next group started to contain the bigger dudes, yours truly included. If anyone was happy about the course and the conditions yesterday, it was definitely me. The wind and small hills were perfect for the guys that can generate big watts in short bursts. I was able to catch several guys that were sent off before me. Course familiarity was in my favour, I ride that loop probably 3 times per week. I knew where to expend big energy and really lay it down. I ended up with a 3rd place finish at 32:39.

Looking at the rest of the results, we have a strong team of time trialists again and hope to have excellent results throughout the year.

It was great to see Stephen Kenny out yesterday. He is riding really well and it is awesome to see him back out on the road again. Good job Stephen.

It was another ride where the weather held off, and we took advantage of the window that Old Mother Nature presented us. Thanks for coming out team and it was good to see you all out there.

Slayer Dan

This Saturday afternoon.... we NEED a race !!

Saturday afternoon of racing and hanging....

20km Time Trial! Open to STC and The Crankmasters

OK, here's the plan! Saturday at 2:30pm, meet at my place and be ready to rumble. We'll all ride to the start of the race course and do a few laps for warm up and learn the course. Then we'll line up and go off in 30 second intervals! 20km Individual Time Trial !! Game on... we NEED a race!

Then..

The clothing is officially here. I have tried it on and jogged around the house quickly in someone's skinsuit (I barely broke a sweat :).

We'll congregate at my house, fire up the barby, and have a post-race backyard family/team BBQ. If you can't come for the race, come for the BBQ, meet your teammates, help sort the clothes, and hang out. Free food and drinks for everyone!

Get the significant other and kids to show up at 4:30pm and we'll have the trampoline and swings going full-time.

The BBQ will go from 4:30pm - 7:00pm. The clothes shouldn't take more than 40min with several people and we can do it while a couple others are getting the burgers and hot dogs ready to go.

For those that want to stay later, I'll order UFC129 so we can watch the first UFC in Toronto and GSP dismantle another opponent. That starts at 7:00pm.

See everyone Sat! Comment here if you plan to come so we know how many burgers and drinks to buy.

Here is the course:

TnT #2 Bad Weather Ride Review

Everyone,

Last night we met for night #2. Excellent turnout with some hard hittin' fellas. Rob W, Andres, David, Patrick, Darcy, Mike Healy, Ference, Harley, and myself made it out. We got the group organized right out of the parking lot and hit the road straight into the wind to Church Ranches. The wind was pretty gusty and it was great practice to the newer riders on drafting for the first 40 minutes. The group was working hard to stay together and get shelter in the wind.

It was really cool to hear David realize how much protection he was getting from the wind when he was practicing drafting. I think some of us take that skill for granted and when practiced, it really does make a difference. The point not to overlook is, PRACTICE.

We got out to Woodland Road and had a mini race with the group splitting into 3 groups. This was pretty fun to try and set up really small echelons and chase other guys down. Darcy and I took Andres up the hill in the crosswind and then mistimed the a right hand corner and lost our 3rd rider. We ended up finishing at least a minute in front of Rob W, maybe longer, all because of the ferocious pace we set as the lead group. As we were only 2 we have to concede the victory to the next group, which I never noticed, sorry guys. It was an excellent idea from Rob W to try it, hopefully that is something that we can incorporate into more rides.

We then carried on to Lochend Road and back to Walmart. The group did really well to stay together and practice drafting. Rob was pretty fiesty again and sprinted every chance he could. He's in pretty good form, hopefully the rest of us can catch him in the next few weeks.

Harley had an excellent idea for the next ride, weather permitting. We are going to plan a Cochrane and back loop and each rider must take a pull at the front. The pace can be dictated by the group, but each member in the train has to take a pull. I think this will be excellent for riders to practice rolling through, pulling off and letting someone else pull etc. etc.

Thanks again everyone for coming out, it was lots of fun. The weather did hold off and it was definitely worth getting out.

c-ya
Slayer Dan

Spring? Spring? Where are you??

We had about 30min of cold windy crappy weather before all hell broke loose this morning. Thanks to Tanya for wanting to do 'one more interval' before turning around for home!

TnT #2 - Bad Weather Riding

Everyone,

I am looking at the weather right now and see it as an opportunity to show my total disregard for Mother Nature and her constant abuse of Alberta Cycling.

Planning to leave from Royal Oak Walmart at 6:45, and follow the same loop as last week with less wrong turns and unnecessary stops.

I will be watching the weather and if it gets really ugly, I'll take out my mountain bike.

Hope to see some people out tonight.

Slayer Dan

Penticton Camp Update: Day 6 and Day 7 – BRING YOUR PASSPORT!!!!

We’re rushing the border and it’s going to be awesome. Day 6 is hill repeat day. I know- every other day has at least one substantial hill, (or two, or three, or…) but you get to do repeats on this one. This day is Giant’s Head day. Giant’s head is a hill in Summerland that’s steep and tight with lots of switch backs. There’s one hill near Calgary that equals the steep grade of Giant’s head, but it’s about 95 per cent shorter (you can find it in Cochrane at the bottom of Cochrane hill in the neighbourhood at the base of the hill and next to a playground). We’ll do three or four repeats and then head out behind Summerland to the Scout camp and back. The ride is short (70ish km). The other option is to do Giant’s Head once (or not at all) and then head to the local coffee shop and wait for the hill repeat wackos to finish.

Day 7 is 225ish km and it takes us across the US border south of Osoyoos. “They” will not let you cross the border without a passport, so bring it. Pack it now. Seriously, stop reading, go find it, and pack it now. Don’t forget it. The challenging thing about this ride is the distance and historically, the wind. It never fails to hit what feels like a 40km head wind from the time we turn north. Everyone sticks together across the US border and as we travel south through the US. But after we turn around and head back north there’s only one road that leads back to Canada, and then everyone’s on their own until the Canadian border, where we regroup. There are some options for the short ride on this trip: (1) join the longer ride down to Osoyoos and then head back, (2) ride the Ironman course backwards (3) head up Green Mountain Road from Penticton and then do the Apex climb if you didn't do it on Day 3.

We got two weeks until lift off, so get on your bikes. Try to get a couple 100km-days of riding logged in a row with one of those days over 130km. If you can get three days logged in a row, even better. The next post will be a list of stuff to have on you during each ride and a recap of the seven days with Maps attached.

Day 6 Ride - Giants Head (FYI, the map doesn't show Giant's Head)

Day 7 Ride - US Ride (Bring your $%!@#&'in Passport!)

Day 7 Ride - Apex Climb (straight up, straight down)

Top Gear is Hosting a Spring Classic on May 7th.

Here is the poster for the event. There is more gravel and more climbing than the Prairie-Roubaix but the distances are modified accordingly. I plan to attend to get in some racing!

TnT Review

See me ride out of the sunset

On your colored TV screen
Out for all that I can get
If you know what I mean
Amy to the left of me

Harley to the right......

Great turnout last night. We had 13 riders brave the cooler temperatures to take an easy pedal out around Church Ranches and Lochend Road.

It was great to meet Jeff, Amy, David and Simon for the first time and get a ride in. We worked on riding single file, group riding, hand signalling. The group also worked on yelling at me as I took every wrong turn.

I think that was the biggest ride I have seen in the last few years for sure, great turnout.

Rob and I had some fun little sprint sessions on the road, he looks to be in super form even with the new baby in the house, he's not tired at all. I didn't know that Darcy was so good at blocking. Get up to Cat 4 dude, I need your help!!!

Thanks for coming everyone and hope that we can all hook up next week.

Slayer Dan

TnT Ride #1 - I'm Dynamite

Team,

I am planning on riding tonight, the forecast looks good enough for me.
Meet at the agreed upon start time at Walmart. I am thinking that we could head out from Walmart to Church Ranches, Church Ranches to Burma Road, Burma to Woodland, Woodland back to 1A and then come back to Walmart through Royal Oak.


Not sure how many people are planning to come, this is the first night of the training rides and our focus should be group riding with proper hand signals, pacelining and riding single file as well as rolling through. It would also be good to just play around and have people getting their drinking bottles with their left hands while riding etc. etc.

As far as pace goes, I am thinking recovery pace or above, have fun on the hills with an emphasis on rider safety, rider safety and then more rider safety.

If we have a good group and want a few more kilometers we can decide that on the road. I just got a text from Harley and he wants to make sure that lots of the new lady riders come out. I think he is putting a challenge in to Handsome Rob for the best looking guy on the team.

I think I am winning the most beligerent, overweight, and obnoxious rider at this point.

Hope to see you out tonight,

Slayer Dan

Clothing almost here !! Sorting coupled with a ride!

The clothing is scheduled to arrive this week !!

Last year I grabbed several volunteers and we made quick work of the sorting. This year with the massive order, I would really appreciate if I could get at least 10 people to meet me downtown at the store before they open so we can sort through the copious amount of spandex !! We will couple it with Thomas' ride out of the store.

So....

Meet at Speed Theory Calgary at 8:30am on Saturday April 23rd. We will have Tim Hortons coffee, muffins, and bagels there for any one who shows up. Help me sort the clothing for 1 hour, then you can head out with Thomas for his ride!

Please RSVP in a comment so I know how much coffee/muffins to get. We need at least 10 people, but the more people the better as the sorting will go faster.

Thanks guys,

Trev

Awesome slow motion video of Paris-Roubaix racers and their bikes.

Wednesday Night Race Series annual pre-race meeting THIS Wednesday night!!

For all those (especially new WNS racers) who plan on partaking in the awesome weekly evening racing, there is a meeting this Wed. at Speed Theory Calgary at 8:30pm. Jamie Marshal will be leading the meeting. Last year it was pretty short, sweet, and useful, so plan to come if you can.

Jamie has a new post on the series here at the WNS website. Racing starts up on May 4th !!

Combined with the awesome Midweek Mayhem Crits and the Thursday night Training (TnT), the Wednesday night race series is a great opportunity to learn real racing in a challenging, safe, encouraging, environment.

Please don't be too early for the meeting as I will be teaching right up until 8:30pm at the store!!

Trev

Frank Wins First in Police Half Marathon

I was poking through the Herald and there's Frank with his mug in the paper taking first place! Way to go frank! http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Calgary+police+half+marathon+hampered+snow/4631092/story.html

Cycling Qualifier for Alberta 55 Plus Games Hosted by Speed Theory

As part of the Wednesday Night Series, Speed Theory will host the cycling qualifier for the Alberta 55 Plus Games on Wednesday, June 1st, 2011. The format for both is a 10 km individual time trial or a 10 km predicted time event. Racers from throughout central and southern Alberta will compete for 7 slots for the Alberta 55+ Games to be held in Fairview on July 21 and 22, 2011.


We are finally going to use the awesome Highway 549 starting near the gas plant 10 km west of Millarville, at the intersection of Highway 762. It should be a fast downhill, downwind sprint. Here is a map


The ABA website has links to the event details and rules, here is the qualifier information. More details will be posted closer to the event. We have to be a little more formal for this event, 6:30 PM on site registration, 7:00 PM race start. Racers will depart at 1 minute intervals. This is a sanctioned event so leave your Shiv at home. Your equipment will have to comply with UCI rules. We will make the call for volunteers later but we will need a few for this event.


Goes without saying you have to be at least 55 years of age by December 31, 2011 to enter the qualifier but you can still do the WNS race if you don't meet that standard. I think there's a few Speed Theory and Crankmasters of that vintage, lets see who can dominate!