Track Camp

Just booked Track Camp in San Jose! Really looking forward to working with the best Kilo - Match Sprint masters World Champ Steve Hill! If anyone's interested, there are 2 spots left!
It's March 7th - 9th. For more info check out http://www.thresholdpower.com/tracktraining.html

Hope to see some more IBC'ers at the track in NH this year. I'll post when we have the NH schedule dialed in for the 2008 season. Oh...We'll have lights this year for training & racing 7 nights per week!

The Snow Tires are on the Bike-are you ready?

I put the snow tires on the 'cross bike.  Did a couple of figure eights in the ice rink of a driveway that I currently have.  Worked surprisingly well.  Tomorrow's recovery ride will be attempted in the snow.  I'll get my wife to take an Arctic Explorer picture when I get back.   Hope I don't get hit by a car that can't stop.  At least in the snow, I can just bail out into the snowbanks.  It's no wonder you can't race 'cross with them.  The carbide studs would take half your calf off if you hit someone w/ 'em.  I had to take the fenders off, as the tires are too big.  But I ordered some Planet Bike Hybrid Cascadians which should work.  The long range forecast is not particularly encouraging.

Inside or Outside, that is the question

Most of the rest of the Master's team drove out to Greenfield (2 hours) to ride Jay Gump's Computrainers at Incline Training.  I'd rather have my teeth pulled.  It was totally ridable outside today.  Had a great 2 hour ride. 120 TSS.  You won't find me on a backward time machine unless the conditions become dire.  Check these Kenda Klondike Skinny studded tires I picked up today.  We're supposed to get some snow Sunday night.  Can't wait to try 'em out on Monday.

BATTENKILL BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Well, I thought I was going to treat myself to a 40th birthday party by registering for Battenkill, only to find out yesterday from you guys that the field was already full!  I'll be in the 30+ instead, ehich may be a mixed blessing, as the field size is seemingly much smaller there...I'm either on the trainer or at the ski track, so I might see you there.   Hope everyone is having a great holiday season...Marvin Wang

Ski Racing Around the World

Well, this is a pretty big year for me in my skiing life.  I've decided to follow as many of the big races as I can afford to, starting over thanksgiving out in Montana.  The snow situation was iffy at first, and then we got a storm just in time for the big races.  I will admit I felt a little intimidated to be racing against all the big names that you read about online, and I let that affect my racing too much.  Next race, I'm coming into it with confidence!  After coming back from Montana, I headed up to Presque Isle, ME, for the first Eastern Cup of the season.  That went well, with a 7th place in the sprint and a 14th in the classic race (fields of ~70).  I'm currently in Rochester, NY at my parents' house, resting up before driving out with a friend to Houghton, MI for U.S. Nationals.  This should be an exciting week of racing, with everyone who is anyone showing up to race there. 

 

After nationals, I'm flying out to Switzerland for a World Cup in Ski-Orienteering.  This is another week of racing, and hopefully I won't get too lost in the woods.  Once I get back from that side of the Atlantic puddle, I'll hit up two more Eastern Cups in New England, as well as the Craftsbury Marathon, before possibly heading to the midwest for some more ski marathons.  If the stars align and I still have money at the end of this season, I'll be flying out to Fairbanks AK for the U.S. Long Distance Nationals. 

 

All in all, its a busy season with a lot of traveling, but so far its been a blast!  I'll keep you updated, or alternatively you can check my blog atwww.alexjospe.blogspot.com for updates.  Alex Jospe

Great Day for a ride. And the perennial glove problem.

Had a nice 2 hour ride today.  Only road which was impassable was the one through Great Brook Farm.  Sorry no one could join me.  Today did represent the GGP (Great Glove Problem.)  The gloves that weren't warm enough yesterday, were too warm for today.  That doesn't mean my hands were warm, just that they were cold from being wet from the inside out (sweat.)  I want to live in Maui.  

Riding in the Freezing Rain

I absolutely hate riding inside!  I also absolutely hate not riding.  So given the choices, I'm going to get wet, cold, and risk falling.  But the roads have been above freezing for a few days, so I think they will be just wet by noon not frozen.  My driveway and dirt road are skating rinks, so I have a 200 yd walk out to ridable conditions.  I ordered Kenda studded snow tires for my 'cross bike.  That will make this easier.  Here is a picture of my cross bike set up with fenders and Conti 4 seasons tires.  I'll be back when I'm thawed enough to type.

I'm back and it wasn't, too bad.  Just 25 miles, but it sleeted the whole way.  Feet were warm, hands, not so much.

Started Riding Again

Well, as usual I couldn't get through my 3 week rest period.  Made it a bit over 2 weeks.  Been out on my cross bike twice.  Getting ready for Florida and Spain in Jan and Feb.  I'm expecting an IF S  and S coupled bike for traveling soon.  I'm getting too old for the cold.  My youngest daughter has 2 more years til college.  Then we are so south for the winter.  Here's a picture of my cross bike set up with fenders. I'm ordering Swalbe studded tires for it.  Too much ice.