Cyclosportif Pinjarra
Not this Sunday but next is the Pinjarra Cyclosportif. We have at least 10 of you confirmed so far for the 45km distance (which will basically be from Pinjarra up to Dwellingup and return). I’m still not sure about the A team (A distance 75kms). If we do need to expand to two teams for the 45kms distance we will call one of them Team Delta Force and the other Team Mega Force. We will again use Team Ultra Force in the event we get an A distance team.
As the cutoff for registering is this Tuesday 6pm, I would be most grateful if you could let me know if you’re on board. I’m happy to organise but I need to know who’s in. I’ve again included some of you who have yet to do a cyclosportif or who may not have overtly indicated whether you’d like to. Please don’t be intimidated by the event. The 45kms is achievable and satisfying although there is a long hill involved. The 75kms will be a good, hard challenge and this may sit well with your exercise program.
Most of you who’ve done the A distance before know there’s quite a few challenging ‘roller’s on the way out from Dwellingup along Del park Rd. To those of you contemplating the B distance, I can tell you that when we start the first 10kms flat but there may be some crosswind. The next 10kms are incline and then a few flatter kms to get to Dwellingup. We turn around then it’s a fast descent. The final 10kms are usually with a tailwind and I’m sure the stronger riders will lead the train for a very satisfying finish.
I will notify Jennifer Le Quesne from Cyclosportif of our team(s) tomorrow 16/7/10 cob so I need to know by then if you’re on board.
Most of you have visited my www.christoonline.com weblog and noticed the ’stercus accidit’ motto. Well, it certainly does happen (for those of you that know your Latin) and I’ve had no less than 3 punctures in the last 2 days on my fixie. The first two were due to a gaping hole in the side of the Kenda tyre that came with the bike. So that tyre’s in the bin replaced with a new one. Last night, as I headed south past Canning Bridge, I went over a large rock absolutely flush and it immediately deflated my rear tube. In my haste, I put a new tube in, was ready to go, decided to put a little more air in the tube…….and sheared the valve off the tube. So, hopped on the train, got daughter to pick me up from Murdoch station.
I’m going to get a new tyre for the rear and use tyre liners. I wish there was a quicker way. Not keen to use my $30 can of Pitstop to repair a $2.50 tube. I have decided, though, that the 10 x 60mm tubes I bought for $25 from Torpedo7 were rubbish. Back to Continentals, Michelin or even IRCs.
I’m going to do the Deepwater Pt run tomorrow morning with my 11yo niece at 5.50am. Dee has ‘run in’ her Saucony ProGrid Echelons and had a tough 25km run on Tuesday as part of training for her first marathon. She’s finding it hard to keep her heart rate at a controllable level. It sits on around 150 to 160 when it should ideally be a little under 150bpm. 6 weeks to go till the City to Surf now.
Again, assuming we have Nick Cunnington on board (and we usually do) he has a large white van that we will use as our meeting point for Pinjarra Cyclosportif. Don’t forget the marshalling point is the Racecourse this year, not opposite the Premier Hotel as it has been in past years.
You can tell the cyclist in our family. My son has an XR6 worth $12000, my daughter has just bought a Honda City for $25000 and my wife inherits my daughter’s Hyundai Accent worth around $5000. Me…..I have my $600 Daewoo ‘Pickles auction’ special. Yes, its easy to spot the cyclist in our family. My cheapest bike, the Giant Bowery, was a $950 bike. I’m even thinking of putting my $300 personalised ‘Christo’ number plates on it……but that would be overcapitalising, n’est ce pas??
Finally, visit the www.painathlon.com website for an update. You have till 23 July to register.
Aside from a shower or two tomorrow, a week of nice exercise weather coming up. Enjoy
CHRISTO