Just little old me in the 45+ race, playing with boys my own age for once. I have continued to feel better and better the last couple of weeks, and felt as good as I have for years. Had a quick chat with Z. before the race (he was doing 35+) but we realized all the dads had the day off. Although that leaves some of you (Paul) with no excuses but…I digress. A lot of riders must have chickened out based on the weather forecast, since the maxed out field of 125 was about 50 riders short. It seemed half of the metro NYC area was there, however.

After what seemed an eternity sitting on the line waiting for the gun, we started neutral up the big climb but…it was pretty fast! Then with 1k to go, we stopped! I think the pace car drove us a bit fast because we sat there for 5 minutes, waiting.

Once the flag dropped and we hit the big descent, it got a little dicey. Deciding that chasing back a little was better than crashing on the slimy roads, I hung back. I made the right call, since after we took the left on Minor Bridge, a bunch of guys went down. The pack seemed to ease up a bit, and I was safely in the group as we hit the old KOM hill. Felt good all the way to the left turn on 199, and then new detour seemed to really suit me. No super-long drag uphill, just a 5-6 short, sharp pitches that I cruised up with ease. But unfortunately, the you-know-what hit the fan on the KOM and I was hanging on for dear life over the top, then chasing like mad on the descent. When we turned right on 172, I had made it to the tail of the field but once we hit the big hill, it was game over for me. Or was it?

I rode my own tempo up the big climb, and watched what was left of the field (30 riders?), slowly fade away in the distance. Once I crested the top, a group of 4 came up to me, and we worked pretty hard on the descent and into the old KOM hills. But a Deno’s guy and I dumped the rest on the hills, and we set to chasing as a duo. We picked up stragglers here and there and at the 199 turn, we had a group of 10 or so. Once we hit the detour hills, I was feeling good and punched it a little over the top. Lo and behold I looked back and had a big gap; no one in sight. So I hammered for all I was worth but as I turned and hit the KOM hill, a chase group of 10 was closing fast. I managed to stay away a little longer but by the time we hit 172 we had scooped up quite a few dropped Cat. 4’s, and I decided to stay at the back and watch the 20 guys in our group nearly kill each other sprinting for 50th place.

Imagine my surprise when the results today showed me in 26th place with the silver medal for CT 45+. Thanks goes to my training partners and friends Gerry Clapper and Pat Cunningham for racing the 35+. Had they been in the “correct” race, no hardware would have been coming my way. Gerry took an impressive 2nd place, beaten only by Mr. Aspholm.

A special thanks to our blog’s biggest fan, my mom, who puts up with her son going off for 5 hours to do a bike race, when she is here for her annual visit (she lives many, many miles away) and he should be spending quality time with her.  She’s the best.

Okay, I figure I had best get a post up for the weekend races before what foggy memory I have of them gets completely washed away. For Saturday, that meant racing in New Britain on the ever enjoyable course in Walnut Hill Park. This course is one that I have been dying to finish top 3 on since it’s a fast course than suits my strengths. I was hoping today would be that day and planned accordingly, figuring I was coming in on a training peak.  I had preregisterred for the 35+ and 30+ masters races only since I also planned to race in New London on Sunday.

Masters 35+: 6 of us took the line for Horst-Benidorm-Property Research Corp. in this race (Paul, Thom, Zane, Wade, Brian, and myself). One way or another, I wanted to be in the sprint, but I was sure a break was going to happen. Scott G, a familiar face that’s been tearing up the Ninigret Wednesday night series was making an appearance. A big man with plenty of power on tap, I was watching for a move to get off with him in it. I also made some overtures prior to the race to let others know to watch and help ensure a well represented break might form.

Sure enough, midway through, Scott gets off with 2 others. A chase effort forms and a few more get across. Zane was up ahead, so I surfed wheels to get in the chase. With about six up the road, the gap grew and I knew it was the time to jump across. Zane saw me go and forced anyone who wanted in to come around him. Only a few more made it across to get the group to ca. 12.

For a good part of the race we dangled no more than 10-15 sec in front of the pack. I was ever concerned since we lacked representatives from Target Training and the ‘Nauts. Maybe that prompted me to be a bit overzealous in my efforts. the break worked passably well together, but there were definitely those of us working hard and few absolute shirkers. Several times we felt like we were at serious risk of getting caught, but at the same time I knew I had some good experienced teammates in the bunch to help keep our gap open.

In the end we stayed away, but in the end I also did too much work. Halfway through the last lap I found myself on the front of the break; the last place I wanted to be. I did manage to force riders around me, but when the sprint opened up, my legs did not and I rolled in a somewhat disappointing 9th. I did have $15 to show for a prime, but, while top ten was a goal, my stretch goal was 5th or better.

Masters 30+:
Our numbers were reduced in this race with only Zane, Brian and yours truly representing.  the field was smaller, so the risk of a split seemed bigger.  My goal was to get some redemption for the 35+ finish and I was going to force myself to stay attentive and in front of the pack all race long while conserving enough to be in better position to sprint.  The legs felt dramatically better and I was feeling good most of the way through.  I only let myself slip back a couple of times, but otherwise was aggressively holding position towards the front.

Eventually a split happened with (I think) less than 10 to go.   It was one of those funny things where I was making sure I was staying up front but not looking back.  Then we go through the S/F stretch and someone yells “10 seconds” !  What?  I look back sure enough, there’s daylight between the rear wheel of our group and the rest of the bunch, with 2 orange jerseys patrolling the front.

A quick count told me there were nine of us with CCB, Stage one, Target Training and Exodus represented.  The break seemed set.  I did work, but didn’t go overboard.  This time I conserved a bit more and when we found ourselves assured of finishing ahead of the main pack, I was jockeying for a good position coming into the finish stretch.  The only problem was, I felt too good.  There was a moment of hesitation at the top of the downhill turn on the last lap and I thought, this is it!  I can attack and hold it to the line.  Well, that plan worked great up until about 75-100m out, then pop, pop…pop..pop,pop…The legs started to fill and one by one 5 guys go past.  Too impatient, too soon. I should have held up my sprint.  This was another time when I kicked myself because I had been aiming to line up on Paul R’s wheel kn0wing how well he’s been sprinting.  Sometime I’ll need to actually listen to that inner voice…

Ah well, 6th was still good enough to be in the money.  No podium, but still two top tens.  I am racing stronger, but as always I need to do some work on the racing smarter part!

Given the rarity of long TT’s in the New England area, I decided to take a drive north to the White Mountains and give this one a shot. I have to say that it was well worth the time spent. The race was well organized and the venue couldn’t have been nicer. The course was an out and back from Campton to Waterville Valley with a nice looping turn-around through the roads of Waterville Valley to get back to the road down to Campton. Yeah, the course had a ca 9 mi long 2% average grade up the river valley, which wasn’t necessarily the best terrain for me. However, you got to scream down that same climb back to the finish.

Start times were set alphabetically, so I was lead off for the 35+ crowd. Unfortunately, that also meant that my 30 sec man was one of the stronger riders in the crowd, Mike Barton (winner of last year’s 30+ GMSR, among other things). I was dreading seeing him come around me on the climb.

I got a decent start and began picking off riders ahead of me on the road. About 3 mi in the climb really started and I found myself struggling a bit to get a rhythm going. It was one of those grinding just slightly more than false flat climbs that forces you to constantly keep on the pedals and play with the gears. Of course, it didn’t help that there was a headwind as well. Most of the way I just felt like I was fightling with my bike rather than smoothly powering along. I was slowly but surely straying away from my targetted >22 MPH on the climb.

Somewhere between 5-6 mi in, I finally decided to hazard a look back and, sure enough, Barton was within 5-10 sec of my back wheel. Not to long after, he just started grinding on by me. After debating about trying to match speed, I settled back into my own semblance of a rhythm and kept going on at my pace, accepting that I was looking at 2nd at best, overall and in the age group.

I kept him within 15-20 sec through the remaining 3 mi of climbing. Once on the flatter loop in Watervile, I was finally able to kick things in gear and get into my stride. Once back onto the downhill, I was truly in my glory. I’d say 95% of that descent I was in a gear no easier than the 55×13 and most of the time I was in the 11 or 12. I was going for broke and determnined to at least get the 15-20 sec back on Barton.

Slowly but surely, I got my time back. With about 3-4 mi to go, I finally got back to Barton. Given how quickly I closed the gap towards the very end, I actually though he was losing steam and though for a moment that I might be able to eat back into the 30 sec deficit as well. Unfortunately, my pass spurred him on and the remainder of the race was basically a drag race to the line between the two of us. I finished off right around 46:15.

It turns out that was good for 4th in the overall and 3rd in the 35+ group. Not quite podium in the overall, but good for a medal and $75!

Podium for the overall mens was 1) John Meerse for yet another OA/cyclemania win, 2) Ryan Kelly (Sunapee, the only 19-34 guy faster than us old folks), and 3) my 30 sec man, Mike Barton.

Bottom line is that I was a bit too conservative on the climb, not wanting to blow myself early on. The leader was close to 1:30 faster than me and I’m certain I did not lose that time on the downhill. If they run this race again next year, I will be back and fully intend to shave at least 30 sec of my time, if not more.

Masters 40+:

I believe 4 of us lined up for the 40+ race (Wade, Wayne, Zane and yours truly).  This race was meant to be more of a warm-up for me, riding conservatively and setting up for the sprint.   I went mostly by plan, though I have to admit going of the front briefly when I was in the right place at the right time when Sean G made a move.  That one came back, but he looked determined to get off the front and win in a break. 

Within 5 to go, he and one other rider wer off the front and holding a gap.  Zane made the consumate team move and got to the front to draw the 2 closer.   By 2 or 3 to go, the two reaalized their jig was up and it was left to the sprinters to sort out their positions.  I was feeling good and trying to keep close to a long list of likely suspects.  Unfortunately, I didn’t commit to following one.  Worse still, coming off the fast turn on the back stretch, I got pinched badly agains the median/curb.  I lost several places on that and ended up somewhere back in the 15-20th range coming towards the final stretch.  Not wanting Zane’s hard work to go to waste, I drove it as hard as I could up the middle and squeeked by with 7th.  A top ten, but unfortunately money paid 5 deep.  The thing that killed me is that I felt like I had power to burn and if I hadn’t bolluxed up my position, I could’ve done better. 

Masters 30+:

The youngsters (Art and Spike) joined in for race #2.  We figured on a more aggressive race and we were oblidged.   Unfortunately, with about 8 to go (?) Zane became a casualty as he hit the deck on the fast turn #2.   At the same time, several other riders piled up on the left side of the road (at the median).   I narrowly avoided the carnage but did not realize that Zane had gone down.  I also found out later that Wayne had to come to a full stop.  And effectively, those two were out for the rest of the race.

A break of 1 plus 5 chasers were off the front.  Each time we came through the crash scene, we were slowed a bit and waved left as one of the downed riders was awaiting medical transport.   Given the situation and the fact that a good percentage of the teams were up the road, I became concerned.  During 3 to go, I started debating bridging.  During 2 to go, I decided I had to if I wanted a shot at top 5.   So, I launched myself in pursuit of the 5 chasers.   I was psyched up and timing it to catch and try riding through at about the S/F at 1 to go.

This choice was probably the worst I could’vemade.  As I was nearly on the back of the group, it was evident that the officials were waving us down – neutralized.  And for my efforts?  Nothing.  We were restarted with 2 to go.  The solo rider (Eneas F) got a 7 sec advantage on the chasers, who were given a 3 sec advantage on the pack.  After the restart, the expected 1.4 mi TT started.  As I clipped in and stood on my left foot, my lower quad twinged and started to cramp – a casualty of the cold start.  Once I actually got things moving, the chasers had built to ca 8-10. 

I launched off after, but was largely leading the pack forward with maybe a 1 bike gap.  Just after turn 1 on the last lap, I encoutered Mike N and a big Joe’s Garage rider who’d sat up.  The moment of hesitation before I went around broke my rhythm further and I started to sit up by turn 3, to force people around me.  I sprinted as best as I could, but I ended in the 20’s as the legs were pretty burned from the hard effort, hard stop, hard start, hard effort sequence.

Zane can give the laundry list of the injuries sustained, but his shorts (and corresponding skin) was ripped up pretty well.  He also had a bandage over a pretty good haematoma on his right forearm.  Heal up buddy!  At least the bike came out of it ok!

P/1/2/3

This race was bound to be interesting.  Zane took the line despite his injuries and we were again joined by Spike.  I had taken down a good amount of fluids and gels in between this race and the last, but I knew it would be a prolonged battle against the dreaded cramps.  Attacks and counters kept the pace high through most of the race.    I was trying to keep hydrated and spinning, but with 8 to go, my bottle slipped out of my sweaty hand.  Within a lap or two, the cramps really started to assert themselves. 

I made the painful effort to try to move up but seemed like each time, I picked the wrong path.  With the pace slowing a bit during the last 3 laps, things got a bit sketchy on the inside on turn 3 several times.  Somewhere around 2 to go, a crash took down a good number of CVC riders on the outside between turns 3 and 4.  I was finding it harder to dodge things and keep the legs spinning.  In the end, I geared way down, sprinting in my 14T (or 15?) to somewhere maybe in the mid 30’s, nowhere near the front.

I have to admit I was fairly pleased with a top ten, but was looking for a bit more out of the masters races.   But hey, I shouldn’t complain since I didn’t end up truly having skin in the game (as it were).   Again, Zane, thanks for the work and heal up fast!

One good thing about trail running races: no risk of a mechanical failure on your bicycle. No flats, no broken carbon rims. It doesn’t mean you won’t get hurt, you just won’t spend as much fixing your gear afterwards. Today’s race was excellent. It was a fine day in the Holyoke Range. I thought I might see Mr. Domnarski out there. He has threatened in the past. 

Full update.

After the bitter disappointment of yesterday’s race in western MA, I was in need of something to pull me out of my funk.  I hadn’t planned on doing it, but it dawned on me last night that the Blue Hills Classic could be just the thing.  Only an hour away and an early start meant I could be back home by a bit after noon.  The forecast looked good and prereg didn’t fill.  So I was there. 

It ended up being close to (if not?) a full field.  There was heavy representation from a number of local teams (CCB, BikeBarn, corner cycle, and M1Racing to name a few).  And definitely a few of the local Heavies on hand as well, inluding Amos B and Paul R from CCB, Fast Eddy riding solo for TT, Jonny Bold, Bill Y, and, of course, day of registrant Mark McC for Fuji.

I made a beeline for the SRAM car in the parking lot and swapped by cracked 404 for a neutral support 404 clincher (or was it a SRAM wheel?) and got ready with the missmatched set.   I hoped today the cycling gods would smile on me and my mechanical woes would be a thing of the past.

The course is a very nice moderately rolling 7 mile loop through the Blue Hills Reservation with basically 3 corners and one main descent.   To mirror the descent, there was one main power climb (all big ring), about 1.5 miles long leading to the finish line, just down the road from the parking lot.   The race itself seemed very well organized with a well staffed motocycle police escort, lots of marshalls manning corners, and SRAM neutral support for all fields. 

Our race was relatively aggressive, though mostly on the flats.  There was some action on the hill, particularly on the first couple of laps, but most of the breakaway attempts were going on the flats or descent.    It seemed each time after the climb, we’d string out a bit, get some gaps opening and some moves would go, but nothing that would really stick.  On lap 4, a promising looking group went off the front heading into the downhill section.  I got over to it, but it lost organization and everyone sat up.   What the heck, I figured I’d counter.  Someone would follow, right?

Evidently not.  I built a decent gap on the field, but nobody seemed interested in coming up to help.  I settled into an equal pace with the group hoping ot draw something out with no success.    I knew there was a downhill coming up where I’d be out of sight for about 20 sec, so once I hit that, I dropped it in the 11T and hammered.   I had 17 mi to go, but I figured it was worth putting the effort in.   I’m not sure what my max gap was on the field, but there were only a few times where I could get a good look at them behind me, so I kept driving.

I held out for 1.5 laps, but on starting the finish climb for the 2nd to last time, I could tell trying to stay off for the final lap was futile.  I eased up, sucked down my last gel, drank and waited.  I almost sagged a bit too much through the pack and got slightly detatched at the top of the climb, but tempoed back up and into the pack.  I spent the last 7  mi sucking down the rest of my drink and getting prepared for the sprint.

Unfortunately, I got myself pinned on the right side of the pack when Mark McC finally opened thing up.  He went at the second to last steeper pitch on the finish climb on the left side and opened a huge gap.  Meanwhile, the front end exploded trying to match pace.  I dragged myself up to ca. 5-7th wheel by 200 m, but accidentally double shifted into a higher gear than I wanted and started bogging in the sprint.   In the end, I came in 11th.  A throw at the line might’ve netted me one more spot, but my brain was too fuzzy to think of it at that point.

Mark had no issues holding it out for 1st.  2nd went to one of the bikebarn guys, but 3rd went to Ed A who started way back, but went flying through the remnants of the sprint in the finale.  How come he never sprinted like that when he wore orange?!?

So I was feeling pretty good on arrival. I had time to settle in, get my number, get dressed and put my bike together. However, on quick inspection, I heard a rub on spinning the rear 404. I look at the drive side brake pad and am perplexed because it isn’t out of true. I start thinking about what could be wrong when I look the non-drive side, and there it is: a dimpled out section of carbon. Then I remembered slamming the pothole last week during the Quabbin race. Yeah, the rim’s toast, carbon cracked on the brake track.

Plan B, the rear wheel that was supposed to go into the wheel van goes on the bike. Okay, good to go. I’m a bit short on warm-up, but I’ll get that along Rt 43.

Overall I feel pretty good in the race. A group gets off lap one, but things are managed pretty well and they come back 1st time up the finish climb.

We do start the 2nd lap with 2 riders off the front and they build their lead to ca. 1 min. Another few groups get off the front in chase, but again, things seem pretty well managed and we hit the finish climb 40 seconds back with only the 2 still out front. I come over well towards the front, feeling good.

As I start downhill, all of a sudden something isn’t quite right. I know almost instantly it’s a rear flat. It’s my third this year (in 6 races) and I am getting too familiar with them. I raise my hand, get the front brake on and start drifting back and right. I get on the side of the road with my hand raised and waving, agape as our follow van rolls on by. See you. Race over.

Someone else can fill in the blanks on the last lap since I headed right to the car and got underway home, thoroughly disgusted with things in general.

While everyone else was busy on the road and off the road, I made my return to the track at Kissena’s opening weekend. I opted for just the Sunday races as Saturday was a lot of driving for only a little racing. I was thrilled to see 15 women registered for the weekend! We started with a scratch race, in which I finished third.  I also did the masters scratch race and got 8th in that, just trying to get used to being close to other riders with no brakes again.  Next we did match sprints and I won my first two rounds to make it to the final. I didn’t think enough, or maybe it was too much…  but I lost the final, finishing second. The last race was a points race which I finished third in, enough to give me 4th in the omnium with only one day of racing. It was really fun to be  back on the fixed gear with my new disc wheel (which I kept thinking was an airplane taking off from Laguardia!) and even more exciting to have some strong, fast women to race against! Hopefully I’ll get back there some more this season and see what happens…

there’s some good pictures here:

http://gberger.smugmug.com/gallery/8019393_RqhCL/1/521661283_k8Cya#P-1-20