Training Log Archive: Torino

Middle distance today. I was pretty much 45 min before my start time at the start with helmet, tightened mapholder and all.
Made a quick mistake shortly after the beginning and that was it, pretty much no mistake there-after, only some hesitations. It demanded full concentration to navigate in those vineyards where it was allowed to bike through the grassy areas, but sometimes it was hard to distinguish between those yellow stripes and the little trails. A few times, I stopped for 2 seconds to make sure as I wanted not to be stuck in a dead-end. But it all worked out, I could bike up all the hills and steep inclines and coming down the other side of the hill as well.
That was a fun and interesting course. And wow, I came in 3rd out of 25 women, 2nd woman of the Swiss group. Finally, a good run.

C • Complimenti! 2

Riding back to our cute cottage on the Ecomusée grounds with Urs.
Clouds have moved in and the wind had picked up so we rode quite fast and our feet were pretty cold.
Note: in the evening, we crossed the chain from our hotel grounds to the Ecomusée and wandered around with no visitors (the whole day it must have been packed as the parking was burstingly full). We saw beautiful peococks showing off to their females with their feathers; the houses were just wonderful preserved in the old ways with gardens, waterwheels and all the handicraft workshops needed in the middle ages. I assume that throughout the day, the people were working in their original clothes and baking, milling, shoe-smithing, carpentering and whatever.
But what fascinated me most were the storks nesting on every rooftop! Such a seldom but wonderful thing. And they were clacking (?) their beaks for whatever reason? It was a very peaceful evening in this quiet place set back 150 years ago, at least.

Warm-up to the start hurrying as I was running too late and did not know how far it was (we could find no info what-so-ever on the web page). Then, while riding, realised that I was riding without my helmet. Called Urs as he was still in the area by car and described where I was and later that I was following the road into Guebwihler along the hill with the vineyards. But he raced all over the place but could not find me until almost 10 min had passed where I waited just before the start.
Well, it was all my mistake that I eventually started at least 8 min late (also had to get help with my bike holder at the start as it always slipped down). Such a lousy way to start a race.

An awful race: Long-distance in W50 ( as i needed to get Swiss Cup points); it had rained cats and dogs in the morning, but when I started, the temps had risen again and it was almost sunny.
Started late and was soon emerged in mud as soon as I entered the woods. The course-setting was boring with two ultra-long stretches with not much possibility for a route-choice. Mistake to #2, then long road stretch mostly uphill, then on the way back took what I thought the best route on small trails over a little hill then for at least 2 k downhill along the slope which looked like fun on a normal day. BUT, it was muddy, and mud was carved out deeply with running creeks, and on a long stretch the forest service had gone through with their machines and left deep slippery ditches, then a huge tree was across the trail. I could not believe it! There was no alternative as going back up (no), another option was the road slightly uphill but it dead-ended. So I was stuck.
Eventually, I hauled the bike into the slope under branches of the fallen tree until I was out the other side and back on the un-ridable trail downhill.
But every nightmare has an end and I got out on a bigger forest road.
Another crossing through a mixture of mud and high-running creeks felt like a piece of cake and I got through fairly well.
Towards the end there was another long haul uphill through the vines to a control and I was out of energy and walked the rest. From there downhill and "normal", fun bike-O into the finish. Ah no! the chain jumped out and locked and I had to work on it for at least 2 minutes ;-/).
Was very discouraged at the end, but seems like I was not the only one. Still placed 3rd of the Swiss women in this class and about little past the middle of the whole class 50-59 of 32 women.
Got back to our place in a cottage on the Ecomusée grounds exhausted.

Decided to go bike the Tour-de-Canton loop coming up this Wednesday. It's really a beautiful loop except the beginning where it climbs steeply for the first 2 km and then continues on and off until 4 km.
I had already decided ahead of time that I had neither the energy nor the strength to go through a day like last Wednesday again. And we will be babysitting starting Tu lunch till Friday, so I need to conserve my energy.

The loop is really nice once one is up, most on dirt roads, some smaller trails, some steep, some rocky, some grassy, and I would have liked it coming down those 4 km before hitting town and having to do another 1 1/2 km on the flats. I am glad I saw it today.
Slowish biking.