Another busy weekend
You know how you are supposed to do an "opening up" workout the day before a race. Yeah, I never do that but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to. Well, come to find out rollerskiing can be your opening up workout. Two of my better races this year (Viking Cross and Hales Corners) came after doing a couple hours of rollerskiing the day before.
So yes, on Saturday I went out for a couple of hours of rollerskiing on the Capitol City Trail. I had to wear my bright yellow Marmot rain jacket since there is a section of the trail where hunting is allowed. I have to admit that I was pretty tired out from the ski. However, Dave and I added in some fun times trying to get all of the tree branches we had cut down into the Jeep and to the yard waste center in one hour. We didn't quite get all of it there but we did get 3 loads transported which I thought was impressive.
Then Sunday was the Wisconsin State Cyclocross Championship. I went in with low expectations after racing horribly last week. Luckily my sinus infection is all but gone (except the excessive draining of crap out of my head) so I figured I couldn't do worse than Whitewater.
After pre-riding the course I decided I liked it with the exception of how bumpy the frozen ground was. However, once again I found myself fiddling with the bike's brakes as they were once again not adjusted correctly and making Dave stop his pre-race routine to look at them. Luckily I realized before race time that the problem wasn't my brakes but that my hub is completely loose. Did I mention I haven't been doing a lot of bike maintenance this race season??
Switched out the wheel for one of the pit wheels (thanks for those pit wheels JPE!) and did some warm-up riding with Amanda. I would put this warm up down as above average for me although I didn't do but one really short hard effort.
The start was a long drag strip of the bumpiest section to a turn to a pseudo-sand pit. (I say pseudo because it was more that sand/gravel they put in play areas so it was easily rideable by hugging the edge of the tape). I got an okay start but it strong out really quickly . . . more than normal. Shannon was on fire and I couldn't quite latch onto the back of her group so I was dangling off them but with a gap on Michele.
I tried to keep my focus on chasing hard after that group and keeping the pressure on Michele. Through the barriers the first time I was way less than smooth but that's what happens when you're chasing hard. Up the little uphill to the pool, through the turns and then I tried to really push it going down the hill and towards the far end of the course.
Up the hill (which I liked as it wasn't killer steep), over the top and into the big ring for the turns back down and around to the hill run-up. I took the wide line into the hill run-up as I didn't want to risk crashing by going up high where it had been icey. Shoulder the bike and try to run to keep my gap. Try to keep chasing Shannon who doesn't seem so far ahead and try to keep my gap on Michele.
Jump back on the bike with what seems like no momentum. Get back into the big ring for the off camber turn and chicanes. Hit the wide turn as fast as possible . . . watch out for the unexpected greasy section which causes some fun back wheel drift. Pour on the power to get to the bridge and then try to push the pedals hard to the start/finish.
Then it's back for more of the same. On lap two my gap to Shannon and back to Michele seems to hold pretty steady. Try to really work the straight aways since I know those are my nemesis. Better over the flat barriers . . . at the hill run-up I try not shouldering the bike but decide I hate running uphill that way as it feels much slower/awkward.
Lap three I remind myself that this is where races are often decided for those of us at the back. This is when it becomes easy to ease up and take the suffering down a notch. I keep the pressure on and remind myself to not ease up and go, go, go. I find that reminding myself of that constantly in my head helps and keeps any thoughts at bay that would cause me to slow down.
This tactic works as I can see that I've gained on Michele and that Shannon has not gained too much more ground. Soon though the Master's guys are starting to lap through. To my mind that is often when the race starts to change to just holding ground. The mind starts to feel that at this point in the race the odds of catching or being caught have reduced. It's true that you ease up a little in your racing as you keep an eye out for people coming up from behind as you want to make sure you can get out of the way. Not that you don't sometimes screw up and get in the way but you do try to be aware.
So that's how the race finished . . . well, except that since this was the State Championship they did offer a 35+ category for the 1/2 Women. Truly a reason to celebrate being older as I took 3rd and got a cute bronze medal . . . of course, only Patti, Monique, Michele and I are over 35. Pays to be old!
Photo from Peloton Pix
And since I know you've all been eagerly anticipating another vegetarian recipe here's what I made on Saturday - Pumpkin Risotto.
Ingredients:
Smallish pumpkin
14.5oz can diced tomatoes
Vegetable Broth
Onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup red wine
Cut up your pumpkin. I find it easiest to cut it in half and clean out the seeds and stringy parts. Then cut the half into 3 wedges or so. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin. Then cut into small pieces. Then dice the onions and mince the garlic. Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil. After they are soft put the juice from the diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup water and the pumpkin into a pan. Add a 1/4 cup or so of broth to mostly cover the pumpkin. Cover and cook until the pumpkin is tender.
In the meantime put the 1/2 cup of red wine and the cup of arborio rice in a pan. When the wine is almost absorbed add the vegetable broth. Add it 1/2 cup at a time (3 cups total) and add another 1/2 cup once the first one is mostly absorbed. I recommend stirring fairly constantly during this process. Once the 3 cups is absorbed add the pumpkin mixture and the diced tomatoes. Cook until the liquid from the pumpkin is absorbed and the risotto is fully cooked.
So yes, on Saturday I went out for a couple of hours of rollerskiing on the Capitol City Trail. I had to wear my bright yellow Marmot rain jacket since there is a section of the trail where hunting is allowed. I have to admit that I was pretty tired out from the ski. However, Dave and I added in some fun times trying to get all of the tree branches we had cut down into the Jeep and to the yard waste center in one hour. We didn't quite get all of it there but we did get 3 loads transported which I thought was impressive.
Then Sunday was the Wisconsin State Cyclocross Championship. I went in with low expectations after racing horribly last week. Luckily my sinus infection is all but gone (except the excessive draining of crap out of my head) so I figured I couldn't do worse than Whitewater.
After pre-riding the course I decided I liked it with the exception of how bumpy the frozen ground was. However, once again I found myself fiddling with the bike's brakes as they were once again not adjusted correctly and making Dave stop his pre-race routine to look at them. Luckily I realized before race time that the problem wasn't my brakes but that my hub is completely loose. Did I mention I haven't been doing a lot of bike maintenance this race season??
Switched out the wheel for one of the pit wheels (thanks for those pit wheels JPE!) and did some warm-up riding with Amanda. I would put this warm up down as above average for me although I didn't do but one really short hard effort.
The start was a long drag strip of the bumpiest section to a turn to a pseudo-sand pit. (I say pseudo because it was more that sand/gravel they put in play areas so it was easily rideable by hugging the edge of the tape). I got an okay start but it strong out really quickly . . . more than normal. Shannon was on fire and I couldn't quite latch onto the back of her group so I was dangling off them but with a gap on Michele.
I tried to keep my focus on chasing hard after that group and keeping the pressure on Michele. Through the barriers the first time I was way less than smooth but that's what happens when you're chasing hard. Up the little uphill to the pool, through the turns and then I tried to really push it going down the hill and towards the far end of the course.
Up the hill (which I liked as it wasn't killer steep), over the top and into the big ring for the turns back down and around to the hill run-up. I took the wide line into the hill run-up as I didn't want to risk crashing by going up high where it had been icey. Shoulder the bike and try to run to keep my gap. Try to keep chasing Shannon who doesn't seem so far ahead and try to keep my gap on Michele.
Jump back on the bike with what seems like no momentum. Get back into the big ring for the off camber turn and chicanes. Hit the wide turn as fast as possible . . . watch out for the unexpected greasy section which causes some fun back wheel drift. Pour on the power to get to the bridge and then try to push the pedals hard to the start/finish.
Then it's back for more of the same. On lap two my gap to Shannon and back to Michele seems to hold pretty steady. Try to really work the straight aways since I know those are my nemesis. Better over the flat barriers . . . at the hill run-up I try not shouldering the bike but decide I hate running uphill that way as it feels much slower/awkward.
Lap three I remind myself that this is where races are often decided for those of us at the back. This is when it becomes easy to ease up and take the suffering down a notch. I keep the pressure on and remind myself to not ease up and go, go, go. I find that reminding myself of that constantly in my head helps and keeps any thoughts at bay that would cause me to slow down.
This tactic works as I can see that I've gained on Michele and that Shannon has not gained too much more ground. Soon though the Master's guys are starting to lap through. To my mind that is often when the race starts to change to just holding ground. The mind starts to feel that at this point in the race the odds of catching or being caught have reduced. It's true that you ease up a little in your racing as you keep an eye out for people coming up from behind as you want to make sure you can get out of the way. Not that you don't sometimes screw up and get in the way but you do try to be aware.
So that's how the race finished . . . well, except that since this was the State Championship they did offer a 35+ category for the 1/2 Women. Truly a reason to celebrate being older as I took 3rd and got a cute bronze medal . . . of course, only Patti, Monique, Michele and I are over 35. Pays to be old!
Photo from Peloton Pix
And since I know you've all been eagerly anticipating another vegetarian recipe here's what I made on Saturday - Pumpkin Risotto.
Ingredients:
Smallish pumpkin
14.5oz can diced tomatoes
Vegetable Broth
Onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup red wine
Cut up your pumpkin. I find it easiest to cut it in half and clean out the seeds and stringy parts. Then cut the half into 3 wedges or so. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin. Then cut into small pieces. Then dice the onions and mince the garlic. Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil. After they are soft put the juice from the diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup water and the pumpkin into a pan. Add a 1/4 cup or so of broth to mostly cover the pumpkin. Cover and cook until the pumpkin is tender.
In the meantime put the 1/2 cup of red wine and the cup of arborio rice in a pan. When the wine is almost absorbed add the vegetable broth. Add it 1/2 cup at a time (3 cups total) and add another 1/2 cup once the first one is mostly absorbed. I recommend stirring fairly constantly during this process. Once the 3 cups is absorbed add the pumpkin mixture and the diced tomatoes. Cook until the liquid from the pumpkin is absorbed and the risotto is fully cooked.
posted by MadCross at 9:16 PM
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