Last Mid Week Race of the year.

Just like the leaves changes their colors, and  the nights get dark darker earlier in the evening so too must end the mighty Mid Week Criterium Races.  Sucks, but true.  I think that's a Metallica song.

Not the biggest pack tonight, but still decent.  I would say 65 racers.  No crashes, but a shit load of attacks.

I wish those races went on into the fall and winter, but I guess in a about 6 weeks it'll start getting dark at 4:30pm.  Sucks, but true.  So an evening race would be impossible.

I'm going to give myself a fine bottled gift for being at every Mid Week Race this season.  Crap, I didn't miss one last year either.  Drink on!

Andy wins the final race.
Stan gets a top 10.
I think I got a 12th.
I'm not aware of Camilo or Marco's result.

Champions of winning superb!!!!

Tomorrow id the last Provincial cup of the season.  It contains a fair sized hill climb that  we need to do 6 times.  It could be worse, But six is still not fun.  On paper I think I should be a stronger climber than I am. I'm hovering around 150lbs right now at 5'8".  I'm still working on it.  Still working on realizing my specific skill set in racing.  Climbing, sprinting, attacking, lead outs? ..........maybe tomorrow will shed new light.

My racing season made a sudden turn about around 5 weeks ago.  With a reasonable result in Cobourg, then 2 top 10 finishes at the Mid Week Crits, and also a pretty good placing at the Provincials.  I just need that streak to continue at a slight improvement through tomorrow.  

In the bag.......

It's threatening rain again today.  The clouds have darkened but are not yet peeing.  I am always a fan of watching Farra Nasser and the girls of CP24.  So I'm always bang on with not only Toronto traffic but the weather reports.

I rode around the Matheson loop this morning for about 2 hours.  The wind was strong and was blowing in the reverse direction to which it normally blows.  Felt like a new route.  I even hopped on the tail of a tractor trailer and let him pace me for about 2 minutes , but really quickly.  I was about  half a meter from eating his bumper.  Always fun.

Last nights Mid Week Crit was a great race.  Granted it seemed a little slower than most nights , but the bonus with a slower night is that there are a lot more attacks than if it's top speed all night. by the second lap  myself, and Vic were just getting ready to jump (or if Vic jumped, I was right there on his wheel) and at that second an opening formed Marc flew right by.  We were able to both stand up and get behind him.  We had a nice little breakaway going for a few laps.  Again, I showed equally my zeal and inexperience and took slightly longer pulls at the front than I should have  so when the group finally caught us it was a blessing  as I was going at near redline.    The rest of the race was great for practicing moving up to the front  and attacking,  and then moving back into the front(ish) of the pack.   At the end it turned into a bunch sprint right around the 250m mark.  I was definitely in a good spot to get a top 5 but again my lack of pure power allowed a few guys to get around me (Stan and Marc......) and I got a 10th place.  I'm still very happy with that.  It just means I need to watch my position in the final laps even more closely.    

I am seriously impressed with this new beer from Quebec called Dominus Vobiscum.  I REALLY like it.  It's so damn refreshing.  The effervescence is alot more intense than most beers. It claims to be a Belgian style beer, so  I would still compare it to something like Hoegaarden.  So similar so that I feel within my rights to pour it into a Hoegaarden glass.    

Ace Out

God be with you

Last nights race was fantastic.  All the favorites were there.  More spectators every week.  Special thanks to Sam , Candy and  Max for coming to cheer.  

I warmed up with early race.  I normally need to do that.  Most people need to get warmed up before going all out, I am the poster child for warming up.  I am useless without at least 30 minutes of decent effort before a race.  Last week I did the early race, yet it proved insufficient to get me though the later/faster race.  Last night I was luckier.  I brought the faster of my 2 racing bikes, the Guerciotti (pronounced Gore-cho-tee)  over the Prince.  I was feeling fine all night.  I sat in a lot for the first half and tried to just stay with my marked man.  By the halfway point I was usually in a better spot than he was.  I was even able to take part in 2 attacks, and chase down some of Sound Solutions breakaways.  One time Andy was chasing down an attack and I got on his wheel.  It's true what they say ........when Andy is in the drops and pushing it , its tough to stay on his wheel as not only is he flying but he offers no respite from the wind.

Anyways, I was able to stay near the front and and hang in there, where I couldn't last week.  So I felt good about that.     Can't wait till the Mid Week 99 lap race.  

Tonight I grabbed a bottle I have been saving for a few hours.  I found it in the LCBO in the import section, although its Canadian, which seemed kind of weird.  It has a pretty cool name.  Dominus Vobiscum.  I looked it up, it's latin for God be with you.  That's fine.  At a glance the label looks like a Death Metal album cover, but upon closer inspection it's just a cool font and a nice picture of a weird sunset.  Its apparently brewed in Quebec. I have never been a good reviewer or critiquer other than to say something is shitty or something is awesome.  I have to say this bier is the latter.  If you enjoy Hoegarden ,  for sure you'll like this.  

When  I cracked open the pretty cool looking bottle, which looks like a tall stubby.  It's aroma reminded me instantly of the smell of the Brick Brewery in KitchenerWaterloo.  They used to be the only place to buy beer on holiday weekends, when the liquor and beer stores were closed the mighty Brick brewery was open.

Dominus whatever-its-called  has a slight fruity taste and had slight citrus after taste that left me feeling somewhat like I had just drank a juice.  Its very carbonated, but doesn't have too lively a head.  The opposite of my favorite beer Duvel.    Anyways, the shit tastes good.  

God speed little doodle!

Mid Week Crit Tuesday the 21st

Finally found my legs and lungs.  I love the Tuesday races.  I didn't win but I was up front trying to stir up shit and be part of the race.

Stan won, Marc and Vic both top 10.

Some idiot from Chain Reaction complained that the Kurzawinski team is chopping wheels or something like that.  How weird that all 9 of us seemed to be doing it but no one, especially him, crashed and no one else complained.  In fact I'd say we're friends with almost everyone in the Tuesday peloton.

When Z Team were on top I heard that everyone complained about them.  Now Kurzawinski is killing it and the weaker teams start whining.    This is the Catalina fuckin' Wine Mixer.  I wanna make bank bro, I wanna get ass...............I wanna drive a Range Rover.  POW POW!!!

Piranha

Tonights Mid Week race was another fast one.   But then again aren't they all?  I hate seeing bad crashes, and I didn't actually see tonight's crash but what I did see looked pretty bad.  I hope that dude's ok.

The Ontario Craft Brewers Week is coming soon.  June 19-25 in  Toronto.  I can't see what could possibly keep me away.  Possibly Marco can persuade Krys into making it a team training event.

a few more Tuesday pics

Fast and loud

Last nights Mid Week Crit race was a shredder.  Still nearly 100 racers showed up.  The 30+degree temp was not enough to detour anyone.  Last night the toughest sport in the world just got tougher.

                                                                                   Pics by Juan Farias (Baddass mechanic)

From the start of the race I was sitting near the back.  Unfortunately I still had it in my head that I still don't have my fitness back after being sick, and taking the time off.  So slowly as the race progressed I started moving up.  From my vantage point I think everyone on the team took turns at the front of the pack.  I could see Emilio dragging the pack for a while, but I could always see the black and white team outfit standing out as a beacon of hope and dogged determination , telling me to get up there and engage thrusters.

                                                      Eric and me
When they held up the sign saying 20 more laps that's when I made my move for the front.   I got into a small 3 man breakaway with 2 dudes I have never seen before. We lasted about 2 laps.  Then Eric Box (pictured) bridged the gap , catching me and dropping me.  I slinked back into the peloton, but  we caught them shortly after .

Penultimate lap , Marc screams to me "Doyle, get on my wheel!!!! NOW!!!!"  Somehow, from where I was in the pack I made it over to his wheel and held it for a while.  We were accelerating out of the pack which was already doing over 50kph.  As we rounded the second last corner Marc puts down such a retarded acceleration that he is able to ride me off his wheel, and in turn all the guys who were on my wheel.  He takes off.  With about 400m to go , but 75m ahead of the pack he sits up and pulls to the right thus letting me and the whole pack catch and pass him.  He thought that there was already a breakaway that has crossed the line.  Wrong.  He was the breakaway.  Regardless, Andy got a 2'd place in that sprint.  And I think all of us were probably top 30.  I had maybe my best night to date.  Thanks also to Auntie Candy for looking after my boy so I could race!!!!!!

                                                      Eric dropping me

Tornado watch, showers and unsettled stretches of weather

Can it be?  Has spring finally come?  This weather has been a real thorn in the side of cyclists in Ontario.  Last year people were riding in March break in shorts and light jackets.  I am still in full arm and leg warmers and a jacket, and although it's supposed to be pretty warm all week it's also supposed to rain non stop.  I hope , at least, if it rains tomorrow it rains during the Mid Week race tomorrow night.

Today I thought I'd beat the rain and ride a little earlier.  I went over to the Matheson/Explorer loop and did intervals.  There were a couple of dudes riding around there on black Cervelos, but mostly just a lot of people doing that fast walking thing, possibly training for Olympic speed walking.  The street sweepers were out in full force today so I enjoyed gravel free cornering, not to mention a nice smooth surface to roll along.  

I've been told I'm not training correctly for the races I'm doing......I need to do more hard 3 minute intervals.  So I figured a little over 1/2 the loop at an attack speed, and the rest at a recovery speed would be good.  

3 laps warm up (about 12kms)

6 laps (interval/recovery)

3 laps (strong but not interval speed)

2 laps (small ring spinning fast cool down)

Now I'm enjoying homemade broccoli soup, million grain bread and 1 Leffe for lunch.  Damn!!!!!!

Came across this the other day.................best metal album of all time.  And they are drinking Stella's.
It all makes sense now.

A show of hands if you miss Chi-Chi's.

April 8th.  Friday.  End of the week.  Fridays generally equal an evening ride, a couple of Biers, and something good for dinner.  I accomplished all 3.  Rode the Mid Week course for about 70 minutes.  Mostly spinning.  Took a few of the fast corners really quickly just to make sure I was still alive.  Then Krystoph pulled around the bend heading towards me with his head down.  If Craig Fagan would have seen him with his head down like that he would have sent him home, or relegated him to back of the pack.    So I rode home with him.  As we rode down the dark streets he elaborated on some areas of my riding that are of concern to him.   We practiced the correct technique for a while and then I turned off.  As in high school I find a 1 on 1 teaching style to be a lot more effective.

                                                              Dissatisfied Blackberry user

When I ride at night, which seems to be happening more and more with amazing frequency I wonder about how many riders and racers never ride at night.  I get to enjoy almost no traffic, maybe even see the tail end of a setting sun.  Or at least the pinkish stain on the sky that I think pollution and the atmosphere combined with diminishing light can create.   Mostly I like the cool wind and the quiet.  It's the closest thing to riding  way out on a country sideroad with only your own thoughts as company for suckers like me who live in the city.
Man I miss Kitchener.  Even London.  The racing wasn't as good, but the riding was untouchable.

As for the other 2 accomplishments.................I am again enjoying a couple of Hoegardens, and I had an Organic Peanut butter and honey triple decker sandwich.   Feeling a little sassy, I decided to microwave it.  BINGO!  Another winning idea by the T-Wrecks.

Audi 5000

Enemies fill up the pages, are they me?

It's the last day of March, and damn this cold weather.  Where is this damn global warming when you need it?
Due to work and family obligations I wasn't able to ride today as I had hoped.  It was pretty warm and would have been a great day to go out to  Milton and ride up and down the escarpment.

Anyways, I had a fantastic dinner.  Great fuel for a hard push around the Mid Week Crit Course.  I ride there a lot in the summer if I can't get out enough during the day.  Although the scenery doesn't change much I can't say I don't enjoy some of the benefits to riding loops in a quazi-industrial park alone at night.  There is no traffic to speak of.  The loop is fairly well lit.  When it's hot and the night time sprinklers come on to water the grass a nice cool mist fills the air around the wide bend before the slight uphill grade.  The other nice thing is that I can practice taking the one fast corner from different lines without anyone in front of or behind me.  I can even scream "whoooooooooooooh!!!!!" like Ed Veal does when I cross the line alone.

Tonight was no different. Only much colder.  It seems the city has swept the roads so my fears of pitching it around the corners were alleviated, and still no cars.  No other riders.....but still nary a car to be seen.

I have a similar day planned for tomorrow.  Work, daycare pick-up, dinner, playtime, bathtime, bedtime.  Then back to the crit course.  Taking the Guerciotti tomorrow.

                                                              Boo-to-the-yaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

Heroic Doses

After eating not 9 but 10 suicide level chicken wings last night and drinking 6 pints of various beer I figured that today I better try to offset that damage  by having something good for me today.  The wings were as deadly hot as they were artery clogging.  Wild Wing has like 200 flavors of wings,  but only a few really hot ones.  The spicy numbers I inhaled were crazy hot, and I normally like really hot.  I administer healthy doses of Franks Extra Hot to almost everything I eat.  But my favorite hot sauce , by far, is Dave's Insanity Sauce.  Although it can also double as paint stripper, chain degreaser or clogged drain clearer. It's so hot but so tasty.  Pretty hard to find as well.   But something in those Wild Wings last night blew my socks off.  I will assume it's my lack of practice with the deep fried delicious little bastards.

Today's birthday supper was a winning design.  Salmon , with arugula and a boconcinni salad with some red vino.  Perfect blend of protein and good stuff for the growing boy.   

I rode the Mid Week crit course today.  It was nice.  The road was dry and had already met with a sweeper.  Of course I was the only one there.  Once I ran in into Rob D'Amico there in the evening.  Other than that I never see anyone out there and it's great because it's well lit, and there are zero cars.  I wish I could get some guys to come out and do a mock Wednesday or Thursday night race series.   I love racing that loop.

When I got home I struggled to open the door with my bike in hand with my helmet and shoes and a coffee and , sadly, the door slammed shut and put a nice little chip on my drive side chain stay.  Sucked ass.