Just to add a little bit to road nationals I have signed up to run a SRM live transmitter for Road Nationals.
For those out of the loop: SRM is the device in my cranks which measures wattage. This number is going to be relayed simultaneously to the SRM website via a transmitter on my bike and will be there to see for anyone interested (and probably onto those at the race via commentary)
If nothing else it should be interesting – 76kgs, 4min powerclimb, to be done multiple times…
Nationals is a go go.
I have said I am not doing it about 14 million times.. but you know what? 15 No’s and a Yes is still s yes. And let me explain why
Its National Champs people; Plain and simple. When it is all said and done, the first man across the line is National Champion. There is just something quite appealing about a course set out so the strongest man on the day will win. Contrary to my previous attempts (I am 0/2 on finishing) I am actually genuinely excited about lining up again and finding out where I really stand. For those who dont know it check www.elitenationals.co.nz. Its quite something.I have always expressed my own personal concern about being fit enough in the first week of Jan to fight it out on a course where finishers are generally outweighed by those who dont. And then I grew a pair….
I havent dictated my training 100% around Nationals, I have dictated my training to be 100% awesome for the 2012 season but when it comes to Nationals I am turning up to put down a fight, its just a bike race after all. I all to often find myself getting a little caught up in the mythical form chase. Hell its all relative. Your either good enough, or your not – and there is only one way to find out.. From where I see it (and really why is anyone in a different boat?) I have a lot to gain and very little to lose.
Finishing off the season with a block of hard training and a Tour of Southland carriers on into the following season. The goals of the season havent changed and had I not felt like I could give it a decent crack I would have kept my mouth shut and spent New Years with mates, probably sampling (just sampling) some of NZ’s fine beers…but wishing I was at Nationals. So I putting myself on a limb here!! No promises, no excuses.
So why is the 27th of December the new 1st of January.. I have added the Tour of Vineyards to the campaign. Spending New Years in Nelson is hardly a chore. Holding to just one round on Mums Xmas pudding on the other hand, may be.
Well since we last talked.. I kinda had an off season!!
Time without any training. A bit of a re-shuffle but circumstances dictated a perfect time to sneek in a break, and take it without worrying about rushing into next year. I took full advantage of the break and made a year worth of being 20 years old fit into a few weeks….
Well I have been back on the bike just over a week and oh how that pendulum has swung. I found myself seriously on struggle street getting back on the bike; Turns out Taupo is built on the side of a rather large volcano… and there is only one way as you head out of town and that is down! Not the kinda of thing you notice when form is good and the legs in strong – Take yourself back down a peg or 4 and every ride home is a bit of a drag… Literally a false-flat drag
Well after a good number of days of getting the stuffing kicked out of me, I started giving Taupo a couple of hooks back and in the space of a few more days i was back to a level where I was training. NOT just surviving. On many of those long rides home I spent alot of time pondering about Taupo, its roads and its lifestyle… As i look back over the training I have done in the last few years I can tell you one thing, where you live and train has a rather large handle in dictating the type of rider you are. Once you embrace it, Taupo will make you strong..
Not a bad place to spend the ‘offseason’
