Tuesday PIR

Another Tuesday, another PIR.  I typically don't post race reports for PIR simply because it's a training race but I found a few pictures from last night so I thought I'd share.  Both photos are from Jose Sandoval.  Hit the jump to see them.

Tour of Walla Walla: Stages 2, 3 and 4

So I've done a poor job of posting updates about Tour of Walla Walla.  Below is a brief recap from each stage:

Stage 2:  time trial
I was sitting 5th GC after Friday's 1 second time bonus.  Looking back this was really stupid.  1 second doesn't mean crap if you can't protect it.  I went a little too deep on Friday's stage chasing that KOM bonus and definitely felt it Saturday morning.  At the start gate I was chasing guy on a regular road bike and getting chased by a Canadian junior on a TT setup that was worth more than a year's worth of college.  Between my mind and sore legs I wasn't totally into this TT.  I tried, I really did but I just couldn't will my legs to push any harder.  I could blame it on the wind, the course or Canadians but in the end I didn't get it done.  This was my course and I was ready to tear it apart but I let my mind get in the way of my legs.  Wound up 29th, 2:20 off the leader, putting me 21st on GC, 2:22 back.  Definitely not ideal.  I guess this is just one hard lesson that every race matters, every second counts and there's no place for mental weakness in a race like this.

photo courtesy of Wheels in Focus

Tour of Walla Walla: Stage 1

Yep, another stage race, this time in my old stomping grounds:  Walla Walla.

While I'd targeted this race since November I lost almost all motivation after Cherry Blossom.  Part of it was the depression/denial about the Jamis but also my legs were totally shot after Cherry Blossom.  The other part was that I graduate in 3 weeks, have no idea what I'm doing and trying to wrap up our senior project and projects while still training.  Not the best combination.  This past week was a cascade of little sleep, poor eating and too much stress.  Whatever.

(another) new bike

So remember the picture below and how I described myself as "cracked out of my mind"?

Cherry Blossom Stage 4

So, no recap for Stage 3.  Easy 4-corner crit, stayed safe and burned as little energy as possible.  Tried making my way to the front but kept loosing spots so resigned myself to hanging on the back.  Yeah, not the ideal spot but it was safe.


Stage 4:  2 small circuits, 2 big circuits, 41 miles, how bad could it possibly be?  The proper answer is "holy f*** what the hell just happened."

Cherry Blossom Stage 2: The Humbug crushes the TT

As you saw in last night's post The Humbug, my TT bike, is finally built, decaled and ready to race.  I've spent a whole 6 minutes on it just making sure it kind of shifts and fits alright.  By the way, 6 minutes is the optimal break-in time for a new bike.  Not 5, not 7, 6.  Let's just say I was a little anxious racing a completely different type of bike with no actual workout on it.

New TT build

Behold my new TT bike.  I have spend a whopping 6 minutes riding this thing (in 2 minute sections) and am racing it tomorrow morning.  No fitting, no workouts, no nothing.  This is a good idea, no?

Cherry Blossom Stage 1: Crash

Yep, starting another stage race this weekend.  Coming off San Dimas I knew I had the legs but just not the luck.  My goal was to change that this weekend.

Picture from San Dimas

Found this photo from Stage 1 at San Dimas.

photo courtesy of Annette--SDSR Media