Inroads on road

I am enjoying my time riding with the UQ cycle club. They are so welcoming and I have to say that the environment for learning the ropes at their training crits is tops. And if I play my cards right I might even get an invite from the uni she-beasts to race a team event or two.....

I am quickly learning it is not just about having the legs. So much of it is right place, right time and understanding where you need to be AND actually being able to get yourself there. Catch the break, don't get boxed in, let those guys go, don't let those others go, keep tabs on where rider X is, is that a B grade break or is that A grade - all the while rolling at 40+km an hour only 30cm from other riders.... brain overload!

Shannon is coming back into form and helped me get away this weekend. I believe it was a Jaman ApprovedTM move - page 192 from the handbook.


*thanks to Jaman for the excellent rolling footage!!!

Most importantly of all I am learning that I love riding.
If it's got wheels and pedals then it is all good. Gears, no gears, dirt, road, fast, slow, long, short - just get out there .... for the love of the bike!

Race Report LunarC

Team Koiled pre race photo bomb courtesy of AYUP MattDog.

After focusing on rest and relaxation for the last few months and riding just for pleasure I was a little unsure of how the legs would turn at LunarC. I am just getting back on board at UTurn, but it would appear that the crit road work I have been doing might be a path to something interesting!

Man, it was a hot night - never anything less than 24'c - and with work/family juggling no time for a pre-ride. I didn't check the entry list other than a quick scan for Madz so I didn't realise Connie was racing (oops!). After a good battle last year I lined up on lap one making sure I knew where Kylie was so I knew if I was chasing or being chased. I don't recall Connie coming past but either she snuck by (nice one!), or got out in front from the start (even better!) and I didn't know. That's racin!

no moon equals a dark dark dark night

Despite the recent deluge the new course was dry and dusty as hell and considerably tougher than I anticipated. Got a reasonably good start, but quickly realised I was sketchy as HELL with no night riding and little single track to be had since October. Settled in to find some flow and started to find some lines. Few more laps I found some more. A couple of teams racers hammered past on the fire road sections and I realised I could, and should ride those sections a lot quicker. And from then on I did. I kept expecting to blow up, but didn't. For some reason I've been approaching sections like that as 'recovery'. Not anymore!!! The Koiled boys were out in force but I rarely saw them having gotten out in front or left them behind in the pits.

Shan from Koiled rocking his SS Blacksheep EON.

Nick from Koiled gutsing it up like no-one is watching.

Dawn was on it's way and I was feeling good, really good. I wasn't counting laps, I was just riding. Gave some random lads a gee-up with a few screams of ' come on boys, it's the DAWN lap, RIP INTO IT'..... Jez in the pits gave me the low down, and I was surprised to hear I was in second and Kylie not far behind me - time to take it up another notch. Ok, now I was smashing the fireroads AND standing on the climbs. It worked. I put almost 20mins on Kylie by the end, and got to within 9 mins. I just needed another 16 hours!! :D

And again Nick finds the pain barrier and ATTACKS it.

Wringing out the last of the laps before time was up. Go go go!!!!

One of my favourite riders who has helped me find my racing legs. Dog smashing his Koiled SS beauty up 'that' climb on his way the to podium.

Resident TRACK extraordinaire Andrew Kelk (Truck) flying the Koiled flag and riding to 5th in the SS category. Solid ride.

Jaxsen is now one of us, showing many seasoned riders how it is done. Bravo.

Very happy with that ride. I found a new gear.

So all in all on the box, and more importantly 15 laps, 130km and into the TOP TEN solo rides overall. Watch out Boys!!!! Well done to Madz and Connie and all the girls, I enjoyed the racing!

Up next Tailwind Series.

Can you spot the dog?

Australia Day Ride

This year I joined the (unofficial) Australia Day Ride up Mt Nebo and then on to Mt Glorious.
Great day out and so many cyclists giving the mountain a go. I was impressed with the general courtesy and skill shown by riders and drivers out on the mountain. I guess there were no commuter wars to contend with, and perhaps there is something about the honest work of climbing that takes the attackfest out of people.... well, most people :)

The koiled kit is doing it's job, with one 24HOA bloke recognising me and having a chat (you went alright for claiming to be a 'fat old guy'...!!). Met some cool new people as part of joining up with UQ cycling club. Nicole here provided an extra level of girl power. Nice one!

I was settled on the way up, but had some fun on the way down trying my best to stay away with Truck and Chris. We had some awesome cat and mouse with a couple of QIC riders. I was introduced to the concept of sprint points on each 60km sign. I swear Truck has them marked into his Garmin. Still scored one (largely by distraction and deception) so I will take that.

I remembered to sit up and take it easy on the split corners - and in case I needed a reminder there was a rider who over cooked it and ended up over the guard rail with a free trip in the ambulance. Shan and Omo offered first aid and assistance - top work guys.

Living at the base of this climb I've really got to make more use of it, it really is a great ride.
Next mission, get Prof out and up to Nebo via the road.

want kits?

The koiled racing kit made an impression in 2010 with many riders and racers alike asking if they could buy it. There were a bunch of disappointed punters when it was explained we'd done team issue only. Good news is this year we are designing kit which we will open up to anyone who wants it!

The top secret design is under wraps while we are working on it, but I can tell you it will be in keeping with our awesome tattoo designs. If you want in on the kit order you need to send your contact details to me at rachel.m.edwards@gmail.com with the subject : Koiled Kit. I will add you to the mailing list and when it's ready you will receive a mail out of order forms.

koiled kit looking sweet on the trail!

the rain

today there were no trails, no pictures, and no gears *
what else to do in the wet but find some equally mad mates and head out for a woefully undergeared road ride on the single speeds in the rain. no point waiting till it leaves, as some are saying it is here until APRIL!!!

puddles, road raging tools and pointless attacks aplenty, followed by awesome coffee at a new favourite (thanks Al).
job done.
* no trails were destroyed in the making of this awesome.

Maintenance

Most punters will tell you of feeling lost, having no direction and generally wondering 'now what' after a big A race.

You might notice something in the macro programming cycle of most programs called 'post competition' or sometimes 'offseason' block. The intent of this area of the program is maintenance. And here is the thing. I suck at this bit. I have a history of taking 2 or 3 months off. Completely. As in, no riding or any other type of exercise at all.

This time around, while I have still experienced the feeling lost thing, I have consciously tried to keep up a few sessions a week. That and I also employed the age-old technique of bike addicts - I have combatted the post big race funk with the big guns - buy a new bike !!!


It has been getting a smashing, including random attacks on ActivCycle Coaching strangers. Best cat and mouse I have had in a while Seriously fun - thanks whoever you are! p.s. you are fast.

So the maintenance weapon of choice is a new custom Ti Road bike from Koiled.
It is based around the geometry of my last bike, tweaked with a bit trademark Shannon curves on the seat stays and the result.... well see below.

The frame itself feels different to my last carbon bike. It is so stable on descents, while being wickedly fast - hit 85km/hr coming down nebo which I a record for me.... and the climbing is just awesome. It is an interesting comparison of frame materials built up to the same geo.... I know everyone has their own point of view, but I am starting to think my vote would now be Ti over carbon. I am hoping this one is at least harder to crack!!!

The other, perhaps more practical, thing I did to avoid the post race funk was to get out and do something new, just for fun. I jumped into rigid Single Speeding and while I am not exactly slick, I still have all my own teeth. I also joined Uni Cycling club and tried my first crit. I liked it. I've also rediscovered a bit of AR drive and coot-tha is getting a work out on foot with good friends kylie and nick, and occassional moonlighting by Prof.

I think this time I can say the post competition aim of 'maintenance' has been achieved.
These will be my guidelines for post comp next year.

- have a plan for that period.
For me I planned ahead for the hook of switching the SS, doing some fun road, and getting out in the bush on foot once a week. In future I should probably add some weights/gym time as for now I do none and this is the time to do it.

- ride to maintain your fitness, but also allow your body, social life and family to recover.
this generally means less sessions, and just doing what you feel like on the day there is no need to load for adaptation. Have FUN!!!!