Post by rbracken on Aug 30, 2009 19:54:04 GMT
I've done a few races this year and I've learnt a lot about the "head" side of the races.
I think prior to every race this year, including today, I felt like not racing because of something or other (the "old" extrinsic Vs intrinsic factors).
However, when I got in the car this morning and got on the road I was really up for DCT (negative thoughts the night before notwithstanding).
Why was this?
Was it ... my nutrition has been really good this year? I'm using "skins" to recover quickly (Note: skins are a brand of compression suits ... not for rolling joints)? I changed from having 7~8 hours sleep a night to 9 (as much as I can anyway)? I'm pushing myself a lot more in training? etc, etc ...
Why is it we do this?
Cut back to DCT ... swim, feeling good ... try to "stay aero in water". 500m to go, someone get that feckin swan away from me. A swan decided to swim along with me for about 100m ... wtf??? Now I don't know if someone told me this as a kid to scare me but seemingly a swan can break your arm with a peck of his beak. Anyways ...
Into transition ... GET IT DONE ... got thru it and out on the bike.
I've done DCT 2 or 3 times before. Never had a problem with the course. THE MORE TECHNICAL THE BETTER!!!
However, with my recent fall in the BOTE, I decided to "go easy" on the corners.
Going into Phoenix park ... remember, remember, remember, take it easy! nuts, cobbles ... phew that was a bit hair-raising, nearly hit the cone, but still upright. Hmmm, how come those guys in front of me did not seem to have the difficulty I had getting over the cobbles???
Most difficult corner coming up ... hairpin turn ... take it easy .. ok got around it ...
90 degree right-hander coming up ... ok, this looks pretty innocuous .. nuts, slow it down anyways .. this is TOO slow ... CRASH!!! Motherf£$ker!!!
This is just a bit annoying but, on the optimistic side, the first thing I notice is that it's not my left side that's got the road rash this time but the right. Phew, the relief of it! My left side is spared!
Anyway, I'm NOT giving up this time. The last 2 times I fell I stopped cycling. This time I said I'd try to suck it up ... besides, I was not as badly off this time.
Oh no ... here comes another corner ... phew, got around it ... sh*t, another one ... what's the hissing sound? A puncture? Oh no, another corner ... ok, here's a hill, what a relief (aside: I hate hills but at least I cannot fall here).
That did seem like a puncture back there but the wheels seem ok ... hmmm, maybe the back one is a little soft?
2km later the race was over due to the puncture.
I reviewed the race afterwards and I think it was an equipment malfunction. I reckoned after the race it was the tyres ... but it needs to be confirmed.
Thanks to all the Midland Triathlon guys/gals afterwards. I needed a boast and got it.
I think prior to every race this year, including today, I felt like not racing because of something or other (the "old" extrinsic Vs intrinsic factors).
However, when I got in the car this morning and got on the road I was really up for DCT (negative thoughts the night before notwithstanding).
Why was this?
Was it ... my nutrition has been really good this year? I'm using "skins" to recover quickly (Note: skins are a brand of compression suits ... not for rolling joints)? I changed from having 7~8 hours sleep a night to 9 (as much as I can anyway)? I'm pushing myself a lot more in training? etc, etc ...
Why is it we do this?
Cut back to DCT ... swim, feeling good ... try to "stay aero in water". 500m to go, someone get that feckin swan away from me. A swan decided to swim along with me for about 100m ... wtf??? Now I don't know if someone told me this as a kid to scare me but seemingly a swan can break your arm with a peck of his beak. Anyways ...
Into transition ... GET IT DONE ... got thru it and out on the bike.
I've done DCT 2 or 3 times before. Never had a problem with the course. THE MORE TECHNICAL THE BETTER!!!
However, with my recent fall in the BOTE, I decided to "go easy" on the corners.
Going into Phoenix park ... remember, remember, remember, take it easy! nuts, cobbles ... phew that was a bit hair-raising, nearly hit the cone, but still upright. Hmmm, how come those guys in front of me did not seem to have the difficulty I had getting over the cobbles???
Most difficult corner coming up ... hairpin turn ... take it easy .. ok got around it ...
90 degree right-hander coming up ... ok, this looks pretty innocuous .. nuts, slow it down anyways .. this is TOO slow ... CRASH!!! Motherf£$ker!!!
This is just a bit annoying but, on the optimistic side, the first thing I notice is that it's not my left side that's got the road rash this time but the right. Phew, the relief of it! My left side is spared!
Anyway, I'm NOT giving up this time. The last 2 times I fell I stopped cycling. This time I said I'd try to suck it up ... besides, I was not as badly off this time.
Oh no ... here comes another corner ... phew, got around it ... sh*t, another one ... what's the hissing sound? A puncture? Oh no, another corner ... ok, here's a hill, what a relief (aside: I hate hills but at least I cannot fall here).
That did seem like a puncture back there but the wheels seem ok ... hmmm, maybe the back one is a little soft?
2km later the race was over due to the puncture.
I reviewed the race afterwards and I think it was an equipment malfunction. I reckoned after the race it was the tyres ... but it needs to be confirmed.
Thanks to all the Midland Triathlon guys/gals afterwards. I needed a boast and got it.
