A New Year and a New Team

With the clock ticking over to 2014, I am now an official member of Team TLD Racing. I rode the Queensland Road Team Series (QRTS) with them last year and have come across permanently now. This has been a great move for me and I am really looking forward to the year ahead. The team has signed a few young up and coming stars (ah, not like me!) who I am sure will inject something very positive into the team. James Thompson from Brisbane is probably the 'biggest' of the new names. Look out for him this year as he is a genuine talent. Ex-professional Darren Rolfe is also keen for a big year and is as fit as I can remember seeing him. 

2014 has had a slightly shaky start for me. I have been trying to concentrate on putting some solid base miles down but have had some unfortunate interruptions. I have had a major mechanical which put me off the road for two days, a stomach bug that knocked me around a bit and (last but not least) a crash that I am still recovering from. All things considered, I'm actually not going too badly, but undoubtedly feeling a little behind where I would like to be at this time of year.

I did get to test my form at a 60km club race at Boodua last weekend. The team had a hard ride around Haden the day before so the legs were a bit flat (as well as my left arm which was still giving me some discomfort). I am pretty happy with how I went. There were two riders off the front and I managed to jump across to them. We were soon joined by a fourth and that is how we stayed until the last 8km. I ended up third. This picture also shows the new team kit for 2014:

The Toowoomba Two Day is on this weekend. I have a 55 minute plus 2 lap criterium and a 72km road race on the Haden circuit. I am riding Elite A both days and it is an absolute quality field. I think I am in for a tough weekend but can hopefully use it to move forwards in terms of fitness and form. Wish me luck...

The year that was; 2013 in Review

It was a big year on the bike. I set some goals for myself at the start of the year and this blog entry will be a review of those goals. I know it's a bit piss-weak to not put your goals 'out there' at the start of the year, but hey, it is what it is. So here we go:

Goal 1 - get a start in the Queensland Road Teams Series (QRTS) and then have a strong performance.

A two part goal. Team TLD were kind enough to offer me a start (which was great). Did I have a strong performance? Relatively, I guess I did. Some things went well and some things didn't, but overall I am satisfied with how I rode in the series. 

Goal 2 - be racing in Elite A at some point during the year.

This one happened early and unexpectedly when the state handicapper put me up after the Battle of the Border race in May. This was great, but set me up for some hard racing during the year.

Goal 3 - (if goal 2 comes off) have a strong performance in the Elite A Cunningham Classic.

I say 'yes' based on my 10th place. I still love this race and reckon there is a better finish in these nearly old legs.

Goal 4 - win medals in the Queensland Championships Individual Time Trial and Road Race in my Masters division (MMAS 3, 40 - 44 years).

Nope. I got sick late in the year and this goal was a casualty. I did the Individual Time Trial and came 5th while in really bad shape. I decided not to do the road race the next day as a result of how poor and shitty I felt. This was very frustrating for me as I had done a lot of work on my time trial and well and truly have a better result than this in me.

Goal 5 - have a strong performance in the Australian Championships Individual Time Trial and Road Race in my Masters division (MMAS 3, 40 - 44 years).

See goal 4 (above). I didn't go to the Australian Championships. My season ended prematurely. 

Goal 6 - stay motivated, fit and healthy.

Yes, yes and no. I am still loving what I am doing. My fitness levels and power continued to climb this year (with more to go yet). My health failed me at the end but staying well will be a priority for 2014. Having my coach move from being someone who 'gave me general advice' to being someone who is 'developing and monitoring my program' should help out in that regard.

It's been a while...

This has been one of the longest blog-breaks I have had. Good reason for that; not an awful lot has been happening in my cycling world. Having said that, this is the latest:

Training

I have not been doing much. Probably averaging about 350km a week and basically just wearing out tyres. The Dalby bunch rides have been pretty much the full extent of my program at the moment. I did have a good catch up with my coach this week though. We have sorted out my base phase which I will start after Christmas. I must admit I'm looking forward to getting a bit of structure back into things.

New Bike
Yes, yes, I do own a Cervelo S5 now. Yes it looks awesome. Yes it is fast. Yes I love it.

Bravehearts Time Trial

I managed to raise $2,088 for Bravehearts, which I am very happy about. In the actual time trial I punctured with 37km of the 43km done. This was disappointing as I was looking for a good time to thank all of the people who sponsored me. Such is life!

Combined Club Twilight Criterium Series

This was a five race series that was reduced to three, due to bad weather. As it was, I only made it once (very busy at work) on November 20. This is what happened. Jarred Graves, Darren Rolfe, Trent West and me, kinda 'blew' off the front. Not really sure how it happened. We just went REALLY fast for a bit and all of a sudden the four of us had nearly thirty seconds on what was left of the bunch. Then we went a bit faster, and  then a bit faster. My brain said to my legs 'you two need to do some training' and out the back I went. I was in no man's land for a bit (in fourth) but got swept up with about two laps to go. I finished seventh. This was actually the first time I had finished worse than third in a club race all year. Not too worried though (November is well and truly the 'wrong' month for me). 

Dalby Triathlon

This is always a fun event as it is well supported by the community. There are two events on the day; a business house challenge and a sprint distance triathlon. I did both in a Dalby State High School team. We went really well and won them both. I also snagged fastest cycle leg by a local (and overall). A good fun day out and just quietly a nice little wad of cash as well.

Tim Ashton from South Brisbane is an Arse-Hat

I was trying to sell a pair of wheels on the Facebook Bicycle Market page for $320. This is what happened:

• Arse-Hat messages me and says he is interested. He asks how much for postage.
• I pack the wheels up and stand in line at the post office to get the quote of $14 (this took me about 45 minutes).
• I message Arse-Hat and tell him it will be $14.
• Arse-Hat asks if I will take $300 for them with postage included.
• I decline but say I will take the original $320 with the postage included.
• Arse-Hat agrees. 
• Arse-Hat then asks if I can send them COD.
• I ask how much as I have never done that before.
• Arse-Hat says it will be about $8.
• I go back to the post office again and discover it is actually almost $28 to send the wheels COD (this took me about 20 minutes). 
• I message Arse-Hat and tell him this. I don't feel like I should have to pay the $28 and offer to split it with him, just to get the sale completed.
• Arse-Hat says 'no thanks I didn't want the wheels anyway'.

So now I have this set of wheels completely packed up ready to go, with Arse-Hat's name and address on them, sitting in my office.

I did call him out on the Facebook Bicycle Market page to warn others. Funnily enough I had  a few people contact me (including some people from bike shops) to say that the guy was a complete tosser and very dodgy. 

Tim Ashton, from South Brisbane, you are a complete Arse-Hat!

It's Off Season !

I haven't blogged for a little while. It is the end of my 'regular' season and there is not a lot of focus around my racing and training at the moment. I finally shook the lurgee that hammered me for pretty much two months and I am actually enjoying riding my bike with minimal structure. I have been up to a few things though:

Retul Bike Fit

I saw a good, old friend, Nick Formosa, from Cadence, for a Retul bike fit recently. The whole process is extremely interesting. I got both of my bikes (road and TT) fitted. My road bike was almost 'spot on' with only a slight change in seat height (up) needed. My TT bike however, was a different story. Seat slightly up, seat slightly back, shorter stem, stem up (a lot), aero bars extended and arm pads closer together. This new position 'feels' good but is taking some adapting to.

The fit process also highlighted some strength issues I have with my upper body (especially core) so I have been working very hard on that ever since. My biceps have been responding quickly as you can see:

Tour de Valley TT

I rode this event on October 13. It was 'kinda' an excuse to have two nights at the beach with the family, but it was also a good preparation for the Bravehearts TT I am doing at the end of November. The race was an undualting 36km on the proposed 2018 Commonwealth Games course in the Currumbin Valley. It was an extremely windy day as well. I didn't do too well. It was Open Male category and I came 10th of the 25 starters in a pretty ordinary time. I am way off form, struggling with the new position and to be honest, probably a little too focused on the beach ! At least I got a nice photo of me going slow:

Club Criterium

October 19 was a combined club criterium at Glenvale. I thought it might be a nice little hit out. I had absolutely smashed myself in the Dalby bunch ride that morning so had hoped the legs were up to it. I rode fairly agressively and there were only five of the original seven left for the sprint. I came third which I was pretty happy with (I actually sprinted pretty well). Here is a picture of me basking in third place glory:

This is also my first club race in the Team TLD kit. I rode the Queensland Road Teams Series (QRTS) with TLD this year and they have very kindly offered me a regular spot with them for next year. This means that officially I will leave Pensar SPM racing at the end of the year (but will still wear their kit in the two opens I have left in 2013). I'm really looking forward to the move. It was a great QRTS with TLD this year and it's also good to be racing with the local team.

Upcoming Events

Be Better Psychology Criterium (Bikeline Open) is on this Sunday, October 27. Field sizes look small so I am guessing it will be combined Elite A / Elite B / Masters A.

Bravehearts Time Trial is on November 24. My fundraising is going really well and you can sponsor me here if you are interested: BRAVEHEARTS