VBW Website

I have updated my team's website with race results and team line up. Check it out.
www.vbwheelmen.blogspot.com

VBW Smackdown Pictures are finally up

Leah Nisbet was out at the VBW Smackdown taking pictures. She arrived near the end of the Cat 4 race and stayed through the Cat 1/2/3 race. So most of these pictures are from the Cat 3 and the Cat 1/2/3. I have posted them on my .mac account. Please feel free to visit and have a look. If you were in either one of these races there is bound to be a lot of pictures of you. There is a total of 572. Thanks Leah...very nice pictures.

Trail running, Beer, Friends and GH3

As regular readers know most of the Virginia Beach Wheelmen joined some Tripower guys and gals as well as some All About Bikes racers at Velocity during this winter. It was 20 weeks of pain, endurance, power and speed. It was very good training, but the thing that was built up more than our muscles was our friendships. So now that it is over, a few of us got together at Kevin's house on Monday.

Kevin Horvath, Mike McMahon and I went for a run to start of the night. Mike Hosang rode through the same trails. Kevin took off strong, but I was able to stay with him and help push the pace. It was supposed to be an easy run...that didn't happen.

After the run Brenna arrived as did Jon Nisbet (who brought Guitar Hero). My wife and kids came with me and I think they all made new friends with Sally and Judy. Jon's wife Leah also came along.

The talk focused around racing, illnesses and cross racing. But then we plugged in Guitar Hero. This was our goal of the night.



But this more what it looked like.
It was a good time. Thanks Kevin for having us over. Thanks to everyone who joined us this year at Velocity. I know I plan on doing it again next year. I'm thinking not on a Monday though. We'll try for a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Everyone is welcome to join us.

I think its time to train again

In February I got the flu and that really put a hamper on my training. Then the fire recruits all started and I have been putting in long hours at work...exhausting long hours. So my bike riding has really suffered. Last week was the busiest week at work so far. My team then promoted the Smackdown race in Suffolk, I raced twice that day then did the Dismal Dash the following day. Monday morning I woke up with this stomach virus that seems to be going around. I went into work for a couple of hours but then came home. At 10:20am I decided to take a nap. The phone rang and woke me up at 5:00pm. I guess it was sleep much needed.

Well the stomach thing turned into a head cold and now it has moved to my chest. But the good thing is that I can train with a cold. Today I went out to the county on my TT bike. I realized after the Dismal Dash that I need to get on it a little more. I felt pretty good but my snot production was in excess of my snot removal.

Here's a picture taken by Tim Shockley at the Dismal Dash. I think I definitely look more aero on this bike than I did when all I did was put aero bars on my road bike. I borrowed a helmet from someone, but I think I will buy one before the next time trial. My motivation to train hard is higher right now than it has been. I think the thought of nice weather ahead and good racing this season is what's doing it.

Sounds like egos are expecting more than the legs can deliver

I read a lot of blogs today concerning this weekends racing in Tidewater. Specifically I want to discuss the Cat 3 race at the VBW Smackdown. A breakaway got away early that started with three racers and ended up with nine riders who lapped the field. Some people may be a little confused about how that breakaway succeeded. Twin Turbos claims that the VBW racers in the field did not do their fair share. I don't personally know what happened in the break, but I'll tell you right now that the reason the break was able to lap the field was due to the work by VBW to shut down the chases in the field. That's what teamwork and team tactics are. I think some teams out there should probably take a lesson from this and get it out of there heads that this sport is for individual glory. Joker says that himself, Bender and Karnes were the only men of the race. Once again, if that were true, maybe the only men in the race should have worked harder to cross the line first. Tyler thinks that the only reason the break succeeded was due to the only legit workers in the break (himself, Ian, and Bender).

The point I am trying to make is that there were more than three people in this race. I don't want to take anything from those three, but you don't win races just because you think you worked hard. Although races are won on hard individual efforts, they are also won by hard team efforts. VBW racers were the only ones who were shutting down the chase and allowed the break to succeed.

Better luck next time.

Views from the finish line

Check out this video from the VBW Smackdown. It is the view from the finish line camera. Sorry ladies, the women's races file wasn't loading properly and had to be omitted. Other than that it is a cool and unique perspective.

Thank you to everyone who came out. It was a great day, with great weather and great racing.

Fire Department Recruitment Videos

These videos should be part of a fire department recruitment. Or at least convince people to study harder so they could be a firefighter instead of a police officer. Check them out.