Thank the lurd we don't get the support calls on this stuff anymore. It's at least a bi-weekly disaster for User Support. The calls go directly to Vendor #1 now since they support our infrastructure. We're supposed to be splitting the new technology (dotNET) apps from the old (ASP/COM+) technology ones on two servers by the end of the month. Will this alleviate the app crashing nightmare? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Both Microsoft and IBM are at a loss to explain the weirdness that goes on in our computing environment. We are investigating several other baffling issues, one that apparently has only afflicted my company in the course of doing thousands of these routine upgrades to Domain Controller server software. Good times.
The weekend was a blast. The Alberta Track Provincials were held in Calgary. Synergy had a great representation with approximately 20 riders spanning across all of the categories. SYNERGY DOMINATES ALBERTA TRACK CYCLING!!! Hear me roar and beat my chest.
Synergy Racing Track Team 2005
Natasha - Women's Provincial Champion!
Craig, Frank, Dave
The racing was set up as an Omnium event for the Provincial titles. Essentially this is a best overall event where over the span of six events, the top six placings get points toward the Omnium. The other way of calculating a multi-event race is by General Classification (lowest accumulated time), which is used in most road Stage Races, including the Tour de France. Multi-event track races are almost always Omnium, due to their short duration. Calculating total times wouldn't make much sense.
The six events this weekend were:
1. match sprint - the track race you see during the Olympics where two racers follow each other around the track sometimes to the point of track-standing, trying to out-wit the other and sprint for the finish line.
2. pursuit - essentially a time trial, anywhere from 2000m to 4000m depending on category. In the Olympics this is the event where two racers on opposite straightaways on the track 'pursue' each other.
3. kilo - 1000m time trial, fastest time wins.
4. scratch race - pack race, first across the line wins (usually 10km-40km distance depending on ability category).
5. points race - pack race, sprints every 2000m or so for points (5,3,2,1), most points at end of race wins (usually 10km-40km distance depending on ability category).
6. keirin - pack race, up to 8 riders motorpace behind motorbike until up to speed (~50km/h in 1500m), final 500m is a sprint finish.
Elite Men's Keirin start
First place is 15 points, second is 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 for the Omnium title.
In Masters A category I won the pursuit (3000m - 3:47.0), kilo (1000m - 1:12.4 (PB!!!)), points race, second in keirin and scratch race, fourth in match sprint. So, I ended up winning the provincial master A title by around 9 points in the Omnium.
Master A Men's podium
I'm at the level now where I should've been racing in the Elite category for the weekend, but alas, I chose to get a Master's license this year (thinking it was a requirement for World Masters, but it wasn't). I'm considering requesting the Elite license for next year....maybe.
Colin, Dave, Craig, me, Frank, Chris
cp, Mike
The weather held out for the weekend too. Today is overcast, sort of rainy, overall quite shitty. It's supposed to be crappy again until Thursday. I might go for a run with Ross today to compensate for my anticipated lack of riding due to the weather. For some strange reason, I really enjoy running in the rain, but hate riding in it. It's much easier to clean yourself than it is to clean the bike. The only thing to be concerned about is nipple burn from wet cotton t-shirts. How painful! After years of triathlon, you learn how to avoid friction and heat blisters/abrasions/rashes/chafing, but still sometimes you forget and find yourself stuck out in a downpour with wet crappy cotton tearing away at your nips.
You can apply a product like Bodyglide on the body areas that contact each other and can chafe due to sweat or water like the armpit / shoulderblade region, bikini line, ball of the foot, whatever. This is something I try to do religiously, although I never seem to have my Bodyglide stick around when I need it. The other alternative is to wear a tight-fitting underlayer like Under Armour which protect the body parts and moves with the body so nothing fleshy can get cut or chafed. Certain fabrics are much more body-friendly than others, but typically cost more. Coolmax and Poly fabrics wick and are friendlier than cotton, but I still find they cause grief when wet. Nylon and Lycra seem to work the best, IMHO.
But then there's still the elusive perfect bike short chamois. Depending on what type of event I'm doing, I still find I get saddle sores during time trial events no matter what I'm wearing to snuggle the fun parts down below. Saddle type and padding also have something to do with this. It's all a personal thing, and some people are more sensitive to soreness and sores than others. I have some pretty high-quality bike clothing as you can imagine, however I still find some rides require some good old Chamois Butt'r or Bag Balm to make things right in the world.
Enough about cyclists crotches (even though it is a topic of personal interest (ha!)). I went out for a few drinks with co-workers on Friday, got home around 6:30pm and crashed. I was invited to Jeremy Gladue's opening at Quab, but I didn't make it. There was also the option of going to Apollo slo-pitch and the Different Strokes gathering at Twisted Element, but I opted out. Joe and I went out for a few drinks with Jon and Alanis on Saturday at the Ship & Anchor after racing. Jeff Bolstad and Kristin Campbell met up with us for awhile, but other than that it was a pretty quiet weekend.
Next weekend, we're supposed to be going to Yuk Yuk's with Doug and Kirk on Friday. Doug is having a house party on the 27th. I have Alberta Road Provincials in Red Deer next Sunday. I had been hoping to head up on Saturday to visit with Owen, Chloe and Treslie, but now it looks like I'll have to drive one of the team vans up on Sunday morning. Hopefully I get to see them at some point. I'm not sure what's happening next Saturday night, but I'll have to miss it most likely. It would be great to get the gang together on Friday.
1 comment:
These are things I've never thought of. Wow.
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