Brevet Training - Yanagisawa and Kazahari

Jerome and I have been a bit nervous about next week's 600km Brevet.  Looking at the course, the climbing goes on and on, and on.  So we decided to try a "test" run and do the first big pass of the event -- Yanagisawa.

We had been thinking about continuing on over Kami Hikawa, but a slow start, an early rest stop at the Seven Eleven a few hundred meters from Wachi-san's bicycle shop in Oume, and my front wheel going flat soon after, put us a bit behind schedule.  We also stopped for food/water refills in Okutama and Tabayama.  And I had some foot pain on the climb, but pretty much resolved it by shifting a cleat on the SPD/MTB shoes I was wearing, requiring another stop.  On the climb, Jerome went ahead and made it up about 10 minutes before me.

The weather was nice, really nice considering typhoons past and future in the forecast.  A bit sticky, but not too warm on the climbs, and not at all cold up on the passes.  A really good, classic ride.

Part of Tabayama just past the main town, including a graveyard with a very nice view.

On the descent, I had fun riding the Canyon, with the HED wheels and clip-on mini aero bars.  I'm more cautious and slower than I used to be, but still hit well over 70 kph on one of the straighter descent stretches.  The tuck position with the aerobars really does increase my speed on the flats by a few kph, while not seeming to require any more work.

By the time we got part of the way down, we were debating whether to do another climb, and which one.  Tsuru?  Kazahari?  Nokogiri?  Tsuru tsuru onsen?   Jerome Hill?  Kazahari won out.

So we ended up with 220 kms and 2500 meters of climbing.  I felt strong on the stretch back from Kazahari, and for once did more than my share of pulling Jerome late in a ride.  Now, if we can just get enough sleep Wed, Thur and Fri nights, we should be ready for next week.

October 6 and 7 Monster Brevet

Jerome and I are signed up for a 600km Brevet sponsored by Kanagawa Audax starting on the morning of Saturday October 6, finishing late afternoon or evening of Sunday October 7.  

This promises to be quite a challenge, with lots of climbing.  I don't believe RidewithGPS's calculation of 16,150 meters elevation gain, but the truth could be around half that.  Rollers and "Jerome Hill" heading north along the edge of the hills out of town toward Okutama, out Route 411 over Yanagisawa Pass (elev. 1475m), the climb to Fujimi (elev 975m, west side of Yatsugatake), climb up over Tateshina/Daimon Pass (elev 1450m+) twice -- both going AND coming, then Fujimi again, then rollers along the Fujikawa west of Mt. Fuji, then a long slog up from near sea level over the west shoulder of Mt. Fuji on Pref. Route 71 (peaking over elev 1100m), then a return into town via Route 20 to Uenohara, a slight detour over Tawa and Tsuru (elev 875m) Passes, and again over "Jerome Hill" and more rollers.

If past years are any guide, early October can be ideal riding weather, and many sections will have very light traffic when ridden off peak hours.  Of course, the weather has been a bit unusual this year ... so no promises.

AJ Kanagawa website: 

http://www.aj-kanagawa.org/2012-brm/...6sagamihara600

Sign up on Sportsentry (1300 yen for Audax Japan members, 2500 yen for non-members, unsupported ride):
http://venus.sportsentry.ne.jp/event.php?tid=28800

Positivo Espresso Spring Training 2013

Positivo Europe have secured spring training facilities in Mallorca for April 2013 - some may think a little late for spring training, but we feel the team is better suited to the Grand Tours rather than the early season classics.... we don't want to peak too soon.

We would welcome company! We are staying at Club Pollentia (http://www.clubpollentia.com/index_english.html) near Alcudia from 12th April to 21st April. QoM says she wants a couple of rest days to do SUP (aka Pocahontas see below)

The more the merrier.