Monday, October 11, 2004
Flagstaff and the Monkey times three!
With the high today not breaking 60 and plenty of work to do, I was going to be lazy and skip the ride/boulder workout, but Michelle sent me an email chastizing me for being a wimp. I met her and Mark on Flagstaff. I wasn't that motivated to go hard, but then I saw some riders ahead and, like a Labrador in a field of praire dogs, I had to give chase.
The first rider was easy. Heck, he had saddlebags on his bike. The next guy in a green jersey was tough. Ahead of him was Mark and I knew Mark wasn't pedalling hard because if he was, I wouldn't be seeing him. I figured I'd blow by the guy in green and then ride the rest of the way with Mark, but green guy proved a tough nut to crack. I caught him a minute or two below the Monkey Traverse area and went by strong. I didn't want to pull him up the ascent.
I caught Mark above the Monkey Traverse and he upped his pace and easily kept with him, pacing me. I worked pretty hard to the finish and rode a respectable 16:25. We saw Michelle descending as we climbed. She had already ridden Super Flag and we saw her climbing again as we descended. She turned and we all headed to the Monkey Traverse.
Mark went first and screwed up a couple of moves in the second section and fell off. He immediately jumped on and climbed into the kneelock rest. He is really getting this down and just runs across the first section.
I went next and sent the entire Monkey, feeling strong, but resting at both rests. Michelle then went and after one false start, nearly made it to the first rest - her best effort so far. Mark went again and made it to the second rest nicely. He rested a bit and then tried the exit for the first time, making it to within a couple moves of the finish before electing to come down. I pushed him into the wall and he made it down safely.
I then sent the full Monkey again, without resting at the first rest. Michelle once again nearly made it to the first rest, but came off rather unexpectedly. Mark and I took one more burn. He nearly made it to the second rest and I did it all again! It was my first time doing the Monkey three times in one visit. I was pretty psyched by that.
We changed back into biking shoes and headed back to work.
The first rider was easy. Heck, he had saddlebags on his bike. The next guy in a green jersey was tough. Ahead of him was Mark and I knew Mark wasn't pedalling hard because if he was, I wouldn't be seeing him. I figured I'd blow by the guy in green and then ride the rest of the way with Mark, but green guy proved a tough nut to crack. I caught him a minute or two below the Monkey Traverse area and went by strong. I didn't want to pull him up the ascent.
I caught Mark above the Monkey Traverse and he upped his pace and easily kept with him, pacing me. I worked pretty hard to the finish and rode a respectable 16:25. We saw Michelle descending as we climbed. She had already ridden Super Flag and we saw her climbing again as we descended. She turned and we all headed to the Monkey Traverse.
Mark went first and screwed up a couple of moves in the second section and fell off. He immediately jumped on and climbed into the kneelock rest. He is really getting this down and just runs across the first section.
I went next and sent the entire Monkey, feeling strong, but resting at both rests. Michelle then went and after one false start, nearly made it to the first rest - her best effort so far. Mark went again and made it to the second rest nicely. He rested a bit and then tried the exit for the first time, making it to within a couple moves of the finish before electing to come down. I pushed him into the wall and he made it down safely.
I then sent the full Monkey again, without resting at the first rest. Michelle once again nearly made it to the first rest, but came off rather unexpectedly. Mark and I took one more burn. He nearly made it to the second rest and I did it all again! It was my first time doing the Monkey three times in one visit. I was pretty psyched by that.
We changed back into biking shoes and headed back to work.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Flagstaff and the Monkey
Same ole' same ole'. I rode solo up Flagstaff as Mark got it done earlier and Michelle was up the road. I hit the Flagstaff House in 4:33, sitting the entire time. Just past the Monkey Traverse, I saw Mark descending and knew he was turning around to head back up. A moment later I caught Michelle and flew on by her. A minute after that I felt someone coming up on me and knew it would be Mark. Imagine my surprise when it was Michelle! How could that be? I did a double take here and confirmed it was her. I then looked back, expecting to see Mark right behind her and pushing her, but he was a ways back. Michelle had a huge grin on her face, but she blew up and quickly faded. I was impressed. Later I found out Mark had given her a couple of big slingshots, but Michelle had worked hard herself to catch me.
I continued to work hard when Mark caught me, but perhaps too hard. I was dying. Mark urged me on, but I was shot. I finished in 16:36. Not bad, but well off the 15:44 that Eric had paced me to last week. I suffered mightily for this as well. If it has felt more comfortable, I'd have been happy with the time but to suffer that much for "only" a 16:36 hurt.
Michelle topped out a bit later and we descended to the Monkey. Mark sent the first two thirds easily, doing extra moves at the finish. His girly man thighs don't like the kneelock rest and he hung out on his arms instead, blowing any thoughts of the scary finish and I spotted him down to the ground. I went next and sent the entire Monkey, but really struggled to get into the kneelock rest and then milked it for quite awhile before attempting the scary finish. I didn't feel that strong getting into the final move, but then felt real strong for the finish, which is good since it is quite scary there.
Michelle improved on her best effort, nearly making the rest at the end of the first third. Mark went again and nearly made the rest at the end of the second third, but came off. I tried as well, but didn't make it as far as Mark. My endurance is still way down. We called it good and headed back to work.
I continued to work hard when Mark caught me, but perhaps too hard. I was dying. Mark urged me on, but I was shot. I finished in 16:36. Not bad, but well off the 15:44 that Eric had paced me to last week. I suffered mightily for this as well. If it has felt more comfortable, I'd have been happy with the time but to suffer that much for "only" a 16:36 hurt.
Michelle topped out a bit later and we descended to the Monkey. Mark sent the first two thirds easily, doing extra moves at the finish. His girly man thighs don't like the kneelock rest and he hung out on his arms instead, blowing any thoughts of the scary finish and I spotted him down to the ground. I went next and sent the entire Monkey, but really struggled to get into the kneelock rest and then milked it for quite awhile before attempting the scary finish. I didn't feel that strong getting into the final move, but then felt real strong for the finish, which is good since it is quite scary there.
Michelle improved on her best effort, nearly making the rest at the end of the first third. Mark went again and nearly made the rest at the end of the second third, but came off. I tried as well, but didn't make it as far as Mark. My endurance is still way down. We called it good and headed back to work.
