Palm Springs "Gladiator" training ride. 77 miles of rolling hills, with a special parade loop through Bolsa Avenue to celebrate Tet. I brought both my video camera and photo camera and had a great time with it.
I did great on the first half of the ride. Everyone was attacking, with me and Big Minh capturing the Laguna Beach super hill in the second group. Fixie Girl even got into the thick of things and was extremely aggressive on all the hills. Fixie out climbed most of the folks on her new geared bike!
Luke and Scott reached the half way first, with Sang, Anh Minh, Thang, KyAnh, Cuong, Ngoc, Keith, and I in the second group. We waited almost 1/2 hour for the third and final group to arrive, whom had a mechanical.
Unfortunately I burn way too much glycogen early on, with all the sprinting back and forth in the first half, and bonked at the 60 miles mark. Caught in "no-man's" land between the front five and the back group, I struggled and limped back to MSP the last 17 miles by myself.
Truely a gladiator's ride, and those rolling hills was super tough. Here comes the VeloViet Gladiators to the Palm Springs Century!!!
Out,
Phong
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Awesome ride yesterday. Thanks for the recap Phong. Everyone showed up with pented up energy and we unleashed it on the stretch from Fountain Valley to San Clemente. There were some rolling hills but they were peaked one by one with impressive pace. Everyone returned with smile on their faces making it look like an effortless ride. All and all, we are ready for the Palm Springs Century. C'mon A2 let's give A1 riders the run for their money. Rest well, carbo up and let's unleash our energy on the desert roads of Palm Springs.
ReplyDeleteThank Phong for the video. everyone look happy and hungry at car's Jr. me and Fixie was behind the 1st group. her water bottle holder loosen almost falling apart we have no toll just using hand tie and continue riding but see no sign of 1st group. we stop at Lagula Beach gas station for regoup and continue after the rolling hill the pack divide again. me, Fixie, Keith, ngoc and Randy together we roll back to MSQ. look like 5 of us still have energy for another 20 miles making it an century ride hehe... i didn't get cramp like i used to after 60 miles it could be that breakfast burito.
ReplyDeletehave fun at Palm Spring next week everyone
Cuong
Keith, you were super strong yesterday. I think the training on your road bike, as well as the deep 60mm wheelset, helps. Great job!
ReplyDeleteA2 Team, from the look of the PSC rider's list, it looks like there will be 40 VeloViets in Palm Springs. Of these, there is only a handful A1 guys and I believe we can take them out! From what I saw yesterday with the A2 team in Keith, Ngoc, Thang, KyAnh, Rock Racers, and others, I know we can take on these A1 dudes on in PSC.
It's GLADIATORS training folks! It's do or die in PSC! Let's get PUMPED UP and get BLOOD THIRSTY! Let's ripped up those A1 guys to pieces!
BRING IT ON A-2 THE ANIMAL
ReplyDeleteFirst of all thank you Scott & Cap't for putting together this great preparation ride! And Best of all thank you Phong for doing the video of this great VeloViet event. Your effort & skill are absolutely priceless!
ReplyDeleteAdding to this preparation ride high-light, I am noticing that there are even greater characters, loaded with determination and courage in our team. Please put your hands together for our new rookie Jonathan, the "elder in the young men world" Dat (Danny) Bui and the "Happy" Viet Dang, Nancy "the tough Fighter". They might not have speed just yet, they might not have Blood Thirsty beast in them, but they are pure breed of the true "WARRIORS". They fight the battle to the end to their last drop of sweat & energies, they do not want to be defeated, they stayed together and pressed on.
The "Rookie" Jonathan was about to gave up at mile 25 when he got dropped at Laguna Beach rolling hills, he was alone and way behind the second group. Luckily, he was able to joined us back when Cap't called for re-group somewhere around "Ritz Carlton" area. With that joy and encouragement from the team he decided to move on without looking back...The ride of his life, first time ever 77 miles.
The "Happy" Viet always with big smile on his face, unforeseen the hardship of the rolling hills and the long stretching torture roads that forced his cousin (Minh) turned back after the back pain started kicking in. Viet was fighting and fighting, endured his pain leaving behind him miles and miles of rough roads. The cramping that haunted him on every long ride finally vanished.
Danny, got out of his long "Missing in action" shell, he never before cranking the pedal hard and harder on the way back, I can see a tremendous of effort on each pedal stroke. The Laguna rolling hills sure look so sweet & nice when you are driving the car with the music in your ears from a nice car stereo system, but Danny does not have that luxury, what he has was the bike, the tiny boom box that produces loud hip hop music and a big "bad" attitude "Elder in the young men world" that keeps him rolling miles after miles...
Last but not least, one of the greatest female rider in the cycle world...Nancy, I tell you man...she kept on riding & riding...with smile & style! If you men ever whining "Are we there yet?" Nancy will smack you on the head and tell you to "shut up & keep on riding"! She is tough as nail.
I am glad that I have a chance to ride with you of these great riders that armed them self with full of determination, execution and courage. They are all ready! I am looking forward riding with you guys again. Job WELL DONE!
Palm Springs here we come...
Ride on...
@Phong, it's from all the Bánh Chưng I ate for Tết, the deep dish wheelset and the electronic motorized hub in my rear wheel, haha
ReplyDelete@aToan, I agree that Nancy is one resilient rider. aTan and Nancy can just ride forever while keeping a smile on their face.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention another strong lady rider, Fixie. Boy, can she keep the pedals going and at quite a pace I must add. WTG, Fixie!
Everyone had stepped up their games in these past few training rides. PSC is shaping up to be one fun ride for all. Can't wait to roll out on Saturday :-)
Keith - Sorry, I only covered the "slowest but meanest" group! The strongest had left us with dust...LOL!
ReplyDeleteDitto on the VeloViet Ladies! Nancy is a very sweet looking lady of course, but she is like a thug on that bike. She is real mean on the bike!
ReplyDeleteFixie, to be totally honest, kicked my ass and probably most of you guys too when the road goes up. Fixie needs to give that gear bike back to whomever she borrowed it from so that we can have a chance on the hills! J/K ;-) Looks like we will be shopping for a gear road bike Fixie?
yesterday was a fun training ride for PSC, thanks for all the pulling A1 forks, the A2 are getting faster and tough. Last year at 60 Miles mark, A1 broke loose and left the 'B' in the dust, with lots of cramping and pain but we did not give up and ride to the finish line with big smiles. Can A2 this year hang on and finish strong?, Yes, Yes, Yes, we will find that out on Sat in PSC.
ReplyDeleteSee you there, Ngoc.
So much fun to read and to watch the video from OC VV with all happy & friendly faces. Good luck this coming weekend @ PS century! Let's see who will be the one that take the team home? A1 or A2 ... take one group home will U? Love to read who will be that someone? Or who made it home and still smiling?
ReplyDeleteIn MN today is -20f with -6 in windchill ... so will U ride for us this week please? I might do some magic tricks and warm up the weather to 30+ and will do some crazy things to share with U. :)