Saturday, February 3, 2007

Winter Training

Welcome Team RW. Today we open the Team RW blog for posting our somewhat less urgent cycling stuff. Some teammates have expressed concern over the sheer number of messages coming through on our tiny list serv, while still others are concerned that we don't discourage communication among the team. So the Team RW blog has been opened up for the team's "less urgent" discussions.

Today the Reno crew met at Lakeside Market and rode south through Washoe Valley and then topped it off with a few form sprints at the Air Center. Unfortunately we later learned that there was a crash at almost the outset of the ride with Darci Page washing out her wheel and going down. She was towards the back of the group, and, unfortunately nobody spoke up to let the front part of the group know something was going on. PLEASE, folks, if there's a crash on a group ride, speak up loudly and promptly and let the rest of the group know what's going on.

That mishap aside, we managed our way down to Washoe Valley where the group pacelined through Pleasant Valley and lobbed a few bombs up the big hill into Washoe Valley proper. Regrouping after the hill, we cruised down to old 395, where we stopped, removed a little clothing and broke the nine teammates in attendance into three man TTT squads. We left in two minute intervals, the intent being that the faster groups chase down the slower. Well, the "slow" guys turned out to be pretty darn fast and held off the chasers. The pace was hot, and it was good to work together with teammates to gauge and match efforts.

Style man.
Look ma, one foot!
Helmet Hair? Not me!
Jim, the super photo guy
Yours Truly, chief nerd.


The return up the east side of the Valley was more controlled (thanks in no small part to Jason "No Wasted Efforts!" Walker's tutelage) and after a quick stop at 7-11 we boogied back to Reno through Pleasant Valley. It always amazes me how fast it is through there.

Once back into Reno-proper, the real gluttons for punishment, John "Duke of Patterson" Marshall, Spencer "Hairy Legs" Eriksen, Josh "Big Watts" Rennie, Stan "I'll rip your legs off and eat them while you watch" Macdonald, and yours truly, rolled over to Air Center to work on some little-ring sprints. Nothing too hardcore... just enough to remind all of us that yes, there is some technique involved in sprinting.


Special thanks to Jim McKee for following us over to the Air Center and taking a few pics.





1 comment:

captain sassy pants said...

well now, you guys are all looking fit and sharp. Congrats on the win john...I think I saw some blurs of wheelmen when I was going down the hill at patterson. Anywho UNR is putting on a USCF crit march 31st. I seem to be the one in charge in picking the races. So I thought I would run these by you guys to see what you folks would be interested in.

elite 4/5
womens 1/2/3 & 4
masters 35+ 3/4/5
juniors
elite 2/3/4

they will be starting at 8am cause we will be simultaneously running a TTT at cold springs for the collegiate racers, and later in the afternoon they will do their crit races. Once I get the cats figured out I will send it out to the listserve, as well to alta alpina.

-maximus