This time last year I was building my Lucero back up for the Trisports.com Desert Classic Duathlon. The big question wasn’t how was my fitness, although I was wondering about how it would pan out, but more like are my cranks going to fall off at some point, did I tighten the seat or did I remember to tighten the bolts that hold the brakes in. Stopping is important after all.
Now one year later, I have big questions about my fitness. Actually that’s bullshit. I have no questions about my fitness, I’m just not fit. Comparing year over year for the last three years at this time my FTP in 2008 was 272, last year 290 this year a burly 235w. I’m heavier now as well. Nothing says getting your ass kicked better then being fat and having a low FTP. Fortunately the news gets no better on my quest to set a PW (personal worst) on this course. My run pace two years on the first run was 5:42, last year was 5:31 per mile. This year, I’ll be lucky to be below 6:15. All in all I figure I should be out on the course for about 4-6 minutes longer then it’s ever taken me for this race. That doesn’t sound like much, but at last years race, I ran sub 6:00 for the second run. So I’ll be at least 1 mile behind where I was. 1 mile is a beat down.
Any punters on how slow I go compared to last year? I’ll lay $15 on 5:47 slower. What’s your bet?
What can you do? When the fitness isn’t there there is no faking it. I’m going to get my ass kicked for sure. There should be several happy people in my age group. I noticed several names on the start list that have never beaten me before, many of those guys are 0 and double digits against me. Sunday is their big day!
The only bright news heading into the race, is I’m running a slightly faster wheel set and a faster frame then last year. That should get me, oh call it :15-:20 seconds back.
.
There it is, the old, new ride. I need to come up with a nickname for it. My old bike was the Bad Ass Lucero. It was black so what did you expect? This is red. Bad Ass and red bikes just don’t go together. Maybe the Cute and Polite cycle? Or Thank God I’ve got black wheels otherwise I’d be a poser bike. Seems kind of long.
Check back in next week kids to see how bad I get my ass kicked.
Fuck you, man! I would kill to be able to run a 6:15/mile even for a sprint triathlon.
Call it your “Canuckistani”. Good colors 😉
I already told you, between your red and B.’s yellow you have fire engines.
Call it Mr. Fugly. I hate those Specialized, they are really really ugly.
I’ll recind my require for a top 3 finish this race but get your ass together for Wildflower!
Stover on a red bike? Although there is probably no one who reads your blog that would know that you once rode a red Schwinn when you were about 16 years of age…am I correct? Nostalgia, sometimes it just sucks.
wow, that was a long time ago, I forgot about the red Schwinn. Raced on it, rode it all around in college then passed it on to someone else to abuse. Didn’t you use the forks for a bit when you drove into the garage with you bike?
I did. At the Fiesta Biathlon in 1989. I used your red forks from the Schwinn on my puke green Bianchi. Now that was a pretty bike to say the least. In my defense, I am not the one who took my bike for a ride on my roof rack under a garage. It was my friend in Fl. By the way. I am doing the Fiesta again this year…come east for a reunion.
You also redeemed yourself as did I. You got that nice pearl white Kestrel and I got the Specialized Allez.