Digging trenches

[mikesbytes]

Progress to date has been integrated and trend analysis shows that it is impossible for this trench to be completed.

Actual Digging
3.0mtr - Saturday 3rd
2.4mtr - Sunday 4th
8.3mtr remaining to be dug

Projected digging based on performance difference between actuals
1.8mtr - Saturday 10th
1.2mtr - Sunday 11th
4.3mtr remaining to be dug
0.6mtr - Saturday 17th
0.0mtr - Sunday 18th
3.7mtr remaining to be dug

The last 3.7mtr's will never be completed. Management will be required to be locked into a full day replanning session to reengineer a new solution. Lunch will be provided during the session to ensure that continuity is not broken. The menu will be BBQ rabbit with plenty of garlic and red wine, servered with mashed potatos and green salad.

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[heavymetal]

Why don't you just go down to the hardware and buy a trench?

Saves having to dig one.



_________________
Lighting Candlepower - Stupid idea, the wind blows the candles out!

[mikesbytes]

Did u see the Monthy Pithon skit where the gardners are busy moving a hole from one end of the garden to the other. It was moved about 2 metres at a time.

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[mikesbytes]

Every night this 1/3 completed trench haunts me, its saying "your going to die...die...die...."

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[Mr888]

plagerising the words of a very wise "Mr Miagi"...

"...remember Michael-san, UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN...Breath in tru nose and out tru mouth..UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN...." (waxing on and off is optional)

You'll get it done soon enough and maybe learn a bit of Karate as well???????????

[mikesbytes]

Hey I even added the trench to my training log.

10 years ago, I dug a 9mtr trench in a single day. Now where did I put my walking stick.

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[tuco]

Did u see the Monthy Pithon skit where the gardners are busy moving a hole from one end of the garden to the other. It was moved about 2 metres at a time.

Understandable, holes can be heavy, especially big ones.

[mikesbytes]

Saturday 10th Febuary 2007

Trench Digging 4.5 metres. A PB for trench digging

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[mikesbytes]

Bicycle Race Report: Waratah Vets Tennis Centre B grade 11th March 2007

Body felt ok riding to the Sydneys Olympic Park Tennis centre.

They let me ride in B grade after I told them that last time I came second in C grade on rooted legs.

The pace off the line, I was told later was quicker than normal, it didn't seem too bad, but the left hand side of my body and in particular the quads in my left leg were hurting, as a result of yesterdays trench digging. I hung off the back of the pack and every so often took my left leg out of the pedal and did various stretches. Up the front there were a couple of half hearted breaks which were reeled in with pretty quickly. After about 30 minutes my left leg started to work a little bit better and I stopped releasing it and started riding normally, I shifted to the middle of the pack for a lap and then went back to the back, then the pack just bunched up right accross the road and 3 riders went for a break, I went around the pack and gaped to the 3 riders, no one went with me, but once I got to them, the 3 of them just gave up. A couple more laps and the 2 lap whisle went, no one did anything, the 1 lap bell went and a rider went around the outside, I was able to grab his wheel, but then he just crused along, I was thinking what to do when I got overtaken by riders at the same time on both sides, I was boxed in behind a rider going backwards, I had droped from 2nd wheel to about 15th in less than 200mtrs, grounded my pedal thru the last corner, no big deal and got ready for a sprint, because I was so far back I started my sprint earlier pulling back bike after bike and crossed the line 7th about 2 bike lengths back from 1st. To be honest, I didn't get out of the seat for the sprint, to have won I would have had to squeeze between the winner and the right hand finish pole and I wasn't that that desperate, seeing the sprinting abilities of those up the front made me feel that I probably can take my first win in Vet B in a future race.

Well thats my 7th race, with a 7th in Vet B. I'm pretty pleased with that.

Exercise, um.. race about 35k, ride there and back say 25k thats 60k

Back to digging the trench now

[mikesbytes]

Last Sundays race, I don't think my shoulders help me with aerodynamics

Click on the picture for a bigger one



The bloke who takes these pictures sells them for a living, but he only sells hard copies, I'd be happy to pay for a quality soft copy, but hes not into that market.

[sogood]

Last Sundays race, I don't think my shoulders help me with aerodynamics

Click on the picture for a bigger one

Wow, the guy in front of you had some serious muscle definition!

Otherwise you looked to be in fine form, even with all that trench digging and shoulder issue.

[tuco]

Last Sundays race, I don't think my shoulders help me with aerodynamics

I don't think my entire body helps with aerodynamics.

Then there's the weight issue but that has it's benefits. I was racing against a 14 YO and he flew up the hills but us old heavy bastards always passed him going down. We should have the finish line at the bottom of a hill then we'll beat him every time.

[mikesbytes]

Last Sundays race, I don't think my shoulders help me with aerodynamics

Click on the picture for a bigger one

Wow, the guy in front of you had some serious muscle definition!

Otherwise you looked to be in fine form, even with all that trench digging and shoulder issue.

I didn't observe any riding that wasn't within my abilities, so I'm anticipating that I could be competitive in that class. Where they have the edge on me is in experience.

Tuco, you bod looked good in your photos

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[matagi]

Observing the trench digging saga with interest, however ..... we are lacking a popcorn eating emoticon, which would have rounded my post off nicely (hmm, should I add that to the forum suggestions thread?)

[Mulger bill]

The shoulders mightn't be aero, but they've got to help you mash up the hills. Nice action shot, pity there's no clean copy.

Shaun

[mikesbytes]

Back from doing intervals on rollers underneath the velodrome, it was raining so the closed the track. First time I done one of roller interval sessions.

Observing the trench digging saga with interest, however ..... we are lacking a popcorn eating emoticon, which would have rounded my post off nicely (hmm, should I add that to the forum suggestions thread?)

Haven't found any dead bodies so your have to go back to watching CSI

If your bored, I can dig up a link to a video on U-tube of someone washing their car.

The shoulders mightn't be aero, but they've got to help you mash up the hills. Nice action shot, pity there's no clean copy.

Shaun

I climb ok for a heavy old fella. Pity the crit was as flat as a pancake.

I can buy a printed copy but not the electronic soft copy.

[531db]

Seventh in Warratah B Grade..... congrats, you must be riding well.
Two weeks ago at the WSID circut I managed a 3rd place in a 12 up sprint (from an initial field of 20 odd) in Warratah D Grade - I was pretty happy with that.

[gdl_gdl]

Dumb question time I'm afraid, how do they determine the corect classifications for riders who enter the Vet Races. There's a Vets Club in WA who ride every 2 weeks and they have the races graded as A,B,C,D.

What's the general criteria for determining where you should go? As a newbie I expect it to be Grade D but is it based on expected average speed, race history etc....

Any info would be appreciated,

Cheers,

Gary

[tuco]

Dumb question time I'm afraid, how do they determine the corect classifications for riders who enter the Vet Races. There's a Vets Club in WA who ride every 2 weeks and they have the races graded as A,B,C,D.

What's the general criteria for determining where you should go? As a newbie I expect it to be Grade D but is it based on expected average speed, race history etc....

Any info would be appreciated,

Cheers,

Gary

Each club has it's own grader but I don't know what criteria they use.
Unless you show ability prior to races I think they put you in D grade. The same happened to me, straight into D, suits me at this stage!
There have been others who joined, one was older (5 years) and one was younger (4 years) and both went into C grade.

If they put you in too high a grade then either chuck a hissy fit or ride poorly and they'll drop you back.
We've had riders change grades while on the starting line!

[gdl_gdl]

Thanks for the advice Tuco!

Funny thing is, my wife saw some of the photos of the vets rides on the WA site and she sniggered. It was clear some of these gents were in thier 50's (I'm 38!) and her thought process was along the lines of "if you can't beat them!!".

However she has no understanding that being old and grey does not stop them from having a fair old pace! (I got passed by plenty of "wrinklies" on the Great Bike Ride in November!) She'll have more respect and understanding once I do a Grade D race and get battered!.

Cheers,

Gary

[mikesbytes]

Some of the fastest vets are in their 60's, because they have retired and have all day to train.

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[MountGower]

I used

[531db]

Grades are all relative to a particular club or state. For example I ride D Grade with Waratah Vets CC who generally have 5 grades (A to E), E Grade with ACT Vets CC who have 7 grades (A to G), except that with the ACT Vets I am 'promoted' to D Grade for Criteriums, and on the Track (ACT VCC) I ride 'B Grade (there are only 2 grades A and B), but 90 per cent of the races are A/B combined so I get my butt kicked by the best!

[sogood]

...performed the following experiment. He started a stop watch when the winner crossed the line and stopped it when the first <55yo finnished. I forget the time but it was very clear that people can remain very fit at 55.

Was that <55 (less than) or >55 (greater than)?

[tuco]

Grades are all relative to a particular club or state. For example I ride D Grade with Waratah Vets CC who generally have 5 grades (A to E), E Grade with ACT Vets CC who have 7 grades (A to G), except that with the ACT Vets I am 'promoted' to D Grade for Criteriums, and on the Track (ACT VCC) I ride 'B Grade (there are only 2 grades A and B), but 90 per cent of the races are A/B combined so I get my butt kicked by the best!

You must have a lot of members.
We haven't got enough for a regular grades and Vet grades. In fact in our D grade the ages vary from 14 to mid fifties.