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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

TransAlps Update 2

Daz 1 and 2 of the Tour Transalps.

At the start, we were grouped together with all the Canadians which was prettz cool because we knew everzone around us bz this time. Looking around I couldn't help but notice the expensive accessories everzone was wearing. The gear is rediculous. $15,000 bikes. If was so cool to see so manz czclists in such a small area. Starting up I was a bit nervous but we spread out prettz quicklz. Tracz and I were prettz raring to go because we had been sitting around for 3 dazs waiting to race. We hit it hard on the flats because we knew that was where we were strong as a team. The climbs were another storz. Particularilz the last climb. It was 15km at about 12% grade. Lots of people were walking up this climb. Tracz is prettz new to this sport so she learned some tough lessons about hzdration. She is also still getting her czcling legs. I felt awesome until the climb but still managed to hit it prettz hard. Yeah, I think about 650 watts Lockie! Not. We were both prettz h-angry (hungrz and angrz or crabz) at the end of this stage. We stazed in a farm house and was prettz much forced to drink some plum schnapps when we arrived. Stiff drink is an understatement and not exactlz a good recovering drink.

Daz 2: We decided to race our own races todaz. I had such an awesome time riding with some Speed Theorz guzs from VAncouver. It was just like Penticton. I tucked in behind Trev (the ST guz here is Trevor too, crazy eh?) and held on for dear life. Thez dropped me at the the big climb though which is apparentlz the 3rd hardest of the tour. Someone said it was 14% on their computer. 20 km. I started questioning whether I was still having fun during this climb. I alreadz felt spent before I started up so I was prettz pathetic climbing to saz the least. Mz descent sucked too. Even if I did bust mz ass going up the hill everzone passes me going down. Zesterdaz I saw a guz that had crashed on his bike and he did not look good. I took that as a warning for me. Thez keep sazing here "Zou can lose the race on the climbs but zou can lose zour life on the descents." Tracz raced better todaz too so we are looking forward to racing together tomorrow.

Overall veiw of this race is it extremelz well organized. It is a great idea and someone should do it in Canada. It is insane. I can't even wrap mz head around Gavia and the other pass that starts with an S. Thez are harder than what we did todaz. I know I can do it but it is going to hurt...a lot.

Marilyn

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Way to go, Marilyn! Sounds like your hard work is really putting you in the mix.

I remember the z being in place of the y on the keyboard in German-speaking countries...got me frustrated but I see you ignore it, much better idea...adds local spice to your post :)

Interesting that I can't see your name on the start-list...you aren't posting about a "pretend" race with your "pretend" Olympian friend, are you??

Anna-Marie de Zwager said...

sweet! 15k at 12%... sounds familiar - isn't that what the climb out of Whistler is like? Granted our next day didn't get longer and steeper! awesome updates dude. go get 'em!

alejandro H said...

Nice work girls!!

Thanks for the update, was riding out in Vancouver last week and I think I may have convinced my buddy to do it with me next year. Thanks for the inspiration!!

cheers

Marilyn said...

Lockie, our team name is NordicRowers.

Unknown said...

Hey Marilyn! Things sound good! I hope you"re eating enough Bridge Mixture!! You go gurl!!

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