It's been a while but things on the bike are looking great! I have been getting out about 5 days a week and over last week and this week I will have over 400 miles. All I am really looking for is a great start to the year at Hillsboro the first week in April.
I have a new bike and I think that is helping me tremendously. It is 3 pounds lighter than my old rig, as well as it has STI shifters. It was supposed to be a loaner from a friend on the team but I felt bad using such a nice bike so I offered to buy it from him and he agreed. Larry is his name, and he has really been helping me out these last couple of months. I have sort of been looking to him as a coach of sorts. It is strange being in a sport where you really have no coach, so getting help from friends is really nice.
I have my first 100 mile ride tomorrow since I was 13 or 14 years old. I remember that ride was the worst ride of my life. It was my 3rd attempt at doing 100 miles and I was determined to do it. I think it took me 8 hours and I did 40 or 50 miles of it on my own because I was dropped from my group. I think I will fare much better on this ride, although I don't think that we will set any speed records since we have a lot of slower guys that are not quite in shape for the season yet. Not that I should really talk, I have only just started to feel like I can hang somewhat with the fast guys on the team. And really if they ever wanted to drop me they could in a split second.
I need to start working more on my intervals and getting my power up higher. I am not really able to turn my big gears as well as I think I should. So now over the next few weeks that will be my goal. I know that I can spin and I feel very comfortable doing that, but I need speed. My top end just isn't where I want it to be. So I will have to work.
Later.