Thank you Hannah Clarke

Thank you Hannah Clarke

Monday, November 14, 2011

My race bike is for sale...

Those who I am lucky enough to have had supporting me this year whether through reading my blog, asking about my races, or just saying hi at the races know that I fell in love with my bike this year. Reality hits when you break 12 teeth though, and about $4500 won’t be covered by insurance of any sort...

I am selling my the bike that I rode back into the sport with. It’s a sad thing but I’ve got to sell my one of a kind bike. We’ve had a great season, and anyone who read my blog knows that my bike never left me hanging for a race. I custom picked all of the componentry and paint, the bike was handmade in Bromont Quebec out of Columbus Zona Megatube, it is size Large.I got it at the start o this season and have taken meticulous care of it (as I am an elite xc racer and need my bike to be in perfect shape). It was only ridden either in races or pre-riding for races. Everything in excellent condition. All components are either carbon or white (component list below) and the sales guy for the company told me at a Canada Cup that I had the nicest looking bike on display at their exhibition. The steel frame is incredibly durable and the most comfortable ride you can find - my buddy on a niner wants the frame, but the bike is selling as a complete. This bike feels like a 26er because it is so light and the head tube is so steep, but still rolls as fast and flawlessly as a 29er. I've ridden everything on this bike with no problems, from Mont Saint Anne Worldcup trails to southern Ontario hardpack tight turning tracks. It is sitting in the factory right now waiting to hear what colour it will be painted, you can choose the new colour if you want to buy it! Looking for $2500, let me know if you are interested, we can talk about the price.

Components:
Fork Reba RL 29er, lockout included 
Seat clamp Fsa Seat post SL-250 SBS SB20 WHITE 
Saddle San Marco Ponza 
Headset FSA 1-1/8 orbit-MX white 
Stem Truvativ Stylo World Cup white 
Handlebar Ritchey wcs "wet white" 
Front derailleur SRAM X.9 2X10 
Rear derailleur Sram X0 10 speed 
Shifters Sram X.9 
Chain Sram PC 1071 
Crankset Sram X0 2X10
Brakes Elixir CR white 
Cassette SRAM PG 1070 
Wheels Shimano XT WH-MT75 (we can talk about my race wheels too)
Tires Hutchison Python Tubeless Light 
I love this bike and don't know what I'll do to race or ride mtb with next year but I have no choice at this point. Email or call if you want pictures! 

519 362 3421
cfruetel AT uougelph DOT ca
Most recent picture that I have of what she looks like, in action!



Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A Transition Towards a Training Blog


I guess that I’ve been neglecting my blog lately; nothing terribly interesting to say! I haven’t really been training since the Ontario Cup race at Kelso; I’ve just been keeping active in my cycling community! This week I got back on board with my training plan, and am so stoked for next season. I’m coached by Eric Batty at Mountain Addict Athletics and am super stoked. He’s got me doing a huge variety of stuff, 
everything from hiking to rock climbing, biking to skiing, and don’t forget the rest days.

One off season ambition of mine is to improve my rock climbing abilities and get into a couple of competitions. I have started training with my good friend David; he’s the co-president of the rock climbing club here at the University of Guelph, and is getting a “team” together for the very first inter-university climbing competition. It is my ambition to be on that team, and kick ass! It’s going to take a lot of work.

The workouts are pretty intense, we start up with traversing the gym

Here it is:
Start with traversing the gym – this means that you climb your way around the whole gym, not going more than 8 feet above the floor.

Next a rotation of five exercises;

leg raises on the chinup bar until you can touch your feet to your hands

chin-ups on what are essentially two wooden balls hanging from the ceiling

plank

standing in the same spot on an inclined wall (inclined overhead) and you have to change your hands to different (very slim) holds 40 times

push ups


Quick break then we went on the wall for 15 minutes all at once climbing around the “new gym”. If you fall off it’s 20 situps and then back on the wall. This is an excellent endurance test, and it’s funny when people have to climb over eachother in the process.

The last planned workout was one where our hands were banded by elastic with a partner, and we had to climb the wall like that. This works out one arm a lot more than the other (the non banded arm), makes you work on finesse, and go slowly. Trust and teamwork are also essential. I was working Jen, and climbing is a great thing because men and women seem to be pretty equally good at it due to the finesse involved (she's way better and stronger than me though!).

This girl kicks ass, I'd be lucky to climb as well as she does!


I wrapped up the workout with minuters, climbing up and down the wall as many times as you can in a minute, then doing a minute plank, and repeating the process three times.

These workouts are happening every Tuesday at 10:00am, and anyone in the climbing club is welcome! If you don’t know about the climbing club it’s in the bottom of the athletic centre, where it occupies two fortified squash court rooms, and the small training room. Membership is $50 for the year of $30 for the semester, and your first visit is free. It’s a friendly great bunch of people and a nice atmosphere all of the time down there, open from 1:30 to 10:00pm. Happy climbing!