Log: 03/02/2012

03/02/2012 

In a hole, climbing out..

The "Paperclip"

My Quarq CinQo wouldn't pair with my Edge 500 on Wednesday. It worked Tuesday, end every other day before that. I was irked, but felt that there was a chance it was a battery contact issue, magnet, or battery charge issue. I had no time to troubleshoot - had left the house to race at Kew Blvd and left myself no time to spare..

The race itself was just plain painful. I was now feeling the cumulative fatigue of the previous week. My throat was burning and unusually dry for most of the race and I was concerned I was tasting the beginnings of a viral onslaught. Big effort just to hang in the initially large but gradually diminishing pack. Ave speed (no power) was similar to previous weeks that had tended to yield an NP of ~290 watts. It always seems high to me - (NP for crit at that particular circuit) at 4.5 watts/kg, but on the other hand, it never feels easy..

Chapeau to Brendon "Barney" Mahoney, new recruit to 6am-er ranks - on his 3rd place in the BGrade race. I didn't see much of Brendon as I see-sawed my way up and back through the peloton - throat on fire and praying for death, but he clearly handled himself nicely over the duration..

Thursday I took a nice easy ride out to pick up my new saddle - feels Ok, will def need to work on the position to get it just right.

Thursday night I removed the Quarq after trying all suggestions in the troubleshooting section of the user's manual, and finding no relief from the ANT+ radio silence. Took it back to the place of purchase. Please be only a week on turnaround of a new unit.. Please.. (I understand that the distributor will replace the spider).

I also got to wrenching on Thursday night - making sure my old ride, affectionately known as the "Paperclip" is ready to assume the role of main ride while sad Quarq unit is gone away. The Paperclip is a circa 2006 TCR Advanced frameset- which is no piece of junk, and was ridden in the professional peloton back in the day - but I have got to say, compared to more contemporary carbon framesets - this ol girl just bends like a paperclip - even under my hardly overbearing ~64kg self.

Today I just took it easy on the bike, no Friday Muntanyes - still little tired. I'll see if Ol wants to race track tomorrow, and make a call on that front based on his response..