good busy in gouda

gouda cx race heart rate monitor stats:
duration 52.13
heart rate max 192
heart rate average 178
921KCal (just less than 2 big macs, without cheese)
15% fat (big macs are 50% fat, before the cheese)



the weekend started with a little pre-race dura ace, amazing how much attention around the world a simple low quality shot of a high quality bike can attract :-) i was really hoping to save this derailleur from the wear and tear that cyclocross seems to put bike parts through, but after 5 years waiting in the wings (for the special bike project that just might come to fruition early next year) it was time for mr dura ace rear derailleur to take the stage



anyway, lets just say that nothing is forgotten about as quickly or underrated as much as a drivetrain that works. good thing too, cos there was a fair amount of aspect to the course in gouda so it was really nice to be able to shift cleanly and crisply (for an old, worn chain with bits of other chain spliced in to get rid of the twist it developed when the last derailleur died a while back at least). otherwise the course was great with plenty of tricky corners, some bits that reminded me of my sand pit as a kid, and some great energy sapping off-camber muddy grass sections



14th place out of 22 starters was a little disappointing, it was a tough battle with ronald (above) from gaul amsterdam, which he eventually won, respect. i stay in 9th place overall, but the points helped narrow the gap to 7th and 8th places overall (who were also in the race). i wont be at the race next weekend, which wont help in the overall points classification, but should help with the overall fatigue sensation, and hopefully also with the bronze complexion. thanks to fotokoos and ronald's girlfriend for the photos. and thanks to keelie in her absence (beterschap) for her support and the post-race cookies, without which, the rock-star-life-on-a-fast-food-budget (aka catching the train to and from the out-of-town races) might have been just a little hungry and lonely ;-) until 2 weeks time in schiedam

a very average race

I've thought about it for a while now, and I think I've figured out why this weekend's race in Numansdorp was so, well, average... It wasn't because I wasn't feeling 100%, when do we ever feel 100% anyway. I kinda always think about an interview with an old tennis pro (I don't remember who anymore) when he was asked if he had any injury problems, and he replied that being an athlete is basically about constantly managing injuries. In all honesty, apart from lacking a little explosive power, I felt pretty good on the start line.



But still, the race was average... Basically I got beaten by guys (all respect to them) that I normally beat. Maybe I've been lucky so far or they've been unlucky. Either way, not the result I was hoping for: I did move out of a 3 way tie for ninth into 8th place overall, but it was more due to people not being there than due to good performance. Next I blamed the course, which was great as it wound around trees with some pretty nice singletrack, until we had to ride on a beach. Now, I'm not particularly heavy, but I sunk like the fat kid into the soft sand. And I couldn't help but think the others were mocking me as they rode away. 8 laps really tried my patience.



In all honesty I can't blame the bike either, it got some great upgrades this week. Perhaps I was even worried that I would have such a great race I wouldn't know which upgrade to give the credit to. The old shimano 105 hubs that got converted from 7sp to 9sp got swapped out for some nice shiny second hand actual 9sp dura ace hubs. The trusty 35c clincher tires got swapped out for some 30 or 32c - yes, I aware that narrow tires are not advantageous in sandy conditions - tubular tires (oh how I love tubular tires). So it wasn't me, the course or the bike... I blame the weather. I mean it was almost sunny and warm enough for short sleeves. Not even a spot of rain. Thats not cyclocross weather. Hopefully it will be better in Gouda this weekend :-P

beer brake

The 18th edition of the halloween alleycat was a great excuse to visit Berlin again. It was also supposed to be the 2year reunion of team beer break which came together spontaneously at the prenzopoly alleycat. Unfortunately however, although all 5 members from around the world made plans to be there, when it came down to it only Morgan and I made it, while I guess the others had spent their monthly travel budget on, well, beer... I'm so proud. This is Morgan's unimpressed face at the slackness exhibited by team beer break. It was soon replaced by that happy face we know and love after one of the many different vegi burgers we sampled along the way. The food in berlin rocks...



Sober October came to an abrupt end on the 29th. I can't decide which was more stupid, not drinking for a month, or ever starting again... I was gonna try blame this somehow on the guys from ESK (a berlin cycling club, something to do with steel pigs, but thats all that i can remember about them) who organised an epic night time cyclocross dual slalom race in a park, 1 euro entry fee, including a beer... but yeah, that wouldnt work, good times

October was however a relatively cheap month, well, no that's not exactly true, what I didn't spend on beer I spent on bikes, the cheapness was just a matter of perception. I've been trying to make small incremental improvements on the cx bike each week, last week was new cleats and studs in the shoes (which attach to the bike). This week some tubular cx tires will see action for the first time. Thanks to the guys at cicli berlinetta for a sweet set of Hutchinson shark 32c tires.