I finally managed to make a Charlottesville Bicycle Club ride this morning and I am SO glad I did. What a wonderful group of people! Aden was absolutely correct in his blog post - they are social & laid back and no one gets dropped for good. At some point the faster group waits for those who are lagging behind.
One of my fears was being the slowest and then holding everyone back. What I found was that I am squarely in the middle - this morning there were two groups: the fast group (including Bates & Aden) & the slow group. Oh yeah, and me. I was in "no man's land" squarely in the middle. I could hang with the big guys on the flats (and pass 'em downhill!), but what goes down must go back up and that's where I would see them fading in the distance ahead of me. Slow climbing aside, I got to ride "my ride", I got to talk with some fun people, and I was on my bike for 46 miles on a gorgeous late-summer morning. Bonus - I was not last!
I think the temperature probably topped at 83 degrees by the end of the ride. No breeze to speak of and brilliant sunshine and low humidity. The route we took was what we MadCyclists like to call the Scuffletown Loop (the short route because it did not go into Orange from Somerset). Instead of going through Orange, we headed back on Rt. 231, to Tatum School Rd. and then up Locust Grove Church Rd. to Good Hope. I hate that climb but for whatever reason it felt good today. Following the ride most of us refueled at the "Piggy Steak".
These guys are lots of fun and I am looking forward to another ride with them soon. I hope anyone reading this will try and do the same. See you on the road!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Cool Breeze a-blowin'...
Just got back yesterday from Aden's Excellent Adventure! The Cool Breeze Century Ride along the California coast on August 16 was a fabulous choice for a first century. As this was very much a joint effort between my "riding buddy" Dona and me, it’s only fair that we double-team the ride report as well, so here goes:
[Aden] Shipping my bike turned out to be a cinch, thanks to the loan of a hard-shell case (much obliged, Jane!). Southwest Airlines only charges their standard oversize luggage fee for bikes—$50 each way—considerably less than any other airline or express company.
[Dona] Aden and I drove up to Ventura on Thursday, taking the coastal route up Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Hwy) through Malibu. Seeing the ocean brought back all kinds of childhood memories for both of us. We vowed that we would romp in the ocean before the weekend was over. The Marriott Courtyard was doing maintenance on their rooms, so they upgraded us to their sister property, the Residence Inn—with kitchenettes! We had packed our blender for protein shakes and our coffee grinder and press so we were thrilled. Nice digs!
On Friday, the rest of the Red Hawk Bicycle Club gang arrived from Temecula (about 18 riders in all) and we hung out by the pool & Jacuzzi in the afternoon. Later, we went out to Macaroni Grill for dinner together (carbo-loading!)—I think I enjoy the camaraderie almost as much as the actual cycling!
Arriving at the event starting area at 6:00am on Saturday, it initially felt like a race (with 1,500 entrants!), but there is a distinctly different aura surrounding a "ride"—more relaxed and there is less eyeballing of the “competition"... In fact, many clubs got together for group photos and motivational cheers. A really positive ambiance, and the vendors’ tents lent a bit of a carnival atmosphere. As you can see, Aden really drew all the attention with his nifty Charlottesville jersey!
Aden and I had made a pact to keep our pace down around 16mph no matter what everyone else was doing for at least the first half of the ride, and we were sorely tempted to increase that speed, thanks to the infectious excitement and overzealous jackrabbit start that everyone else indulged in. The Red Hawk group left us in the dust, but no matter... The weather was cool (low 70s) and overcast as one might expect from early morning coastal weather and the first 13 miles (and the last 13, as it was an out-and-back…) were right along the beach. Wonderful!
The first rest stop was at 13 miles and though it almost seemed silly to stop that soon, we had committed to stop and refill our bottles at every rest stop—besides, why miss ANY of what the ride had to offer? The Ventura Kiwanis volunteers (hurray for the selfless volunteers, as ANY athletic event of ANY kind couldn't occur without them) were very friendly and well prepared. Water, lemonade, bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, cookies of various flavors, bagels, pb&j—the usual fare. I nibbled, but Aden stuck tenaciously to his prearranged nutrition plan and left their bountiful repast untouched.
This was NOT a flat 100 miles as we had originally assumed. We hit the first climb at about 20 miles—which came as a bit of a surprise, but the ascent was reasonably gradual and our legs were strong.
[Aden] At one point during the descent from this climb, one of the Red Hawk crew bumped another cyclist’s rear wheel and suffered a pretty rough crash at about 26mph—he had to be evac’ed by the SAG folks. Seems I know someone who did something remarkably similar…
We then headed slightly inland traveling north from Ventura. We encountered more hills and climbed and climbed and climbed, zig-zagging our way up winding country roads through a very pretty (and steep!) canyon and on over the crest of the mountain. But what goes up must come down, and we enjoyed a devilishly fast downhill. FUN!
[Dona] After 56 miles of blissful riding, we had reached the turnaround point and third rest stop. Wow! A beautiful wooded park with lots of picnic tables shaded by pine trees, and an epicurean feast of deli-style meats and cheeses and condiments (and cookies!)... RIDE TO EAT!!! We had caught up with the rest of the Red Hawk crew by this point (imagine that…), so we all sat together and kicked back—but not for too long, as we still had another 50 miles to go!
After lunch, Aden and I both felt wonderful and we were soon tooling along the coastline at Santa Barbara (drop-dead gorgeous!). I took the lead and for quite a few miles we were cruising at 21-24mph—just whizzing along like a two-person pace line. Our conservative strategy had paid off big-time, and we felt like we had just started a day of riding. Amazing! The whole way back to Ventura was relatively flat riding punctuated by some gentle rollers along the coast, and the sun was out by now, but it was still very comfortable. At the last rest stop, the volunteers delighted us with Cool Breeze’s trademark popsicles! No one was in a hurry to leave—so unlike a race!
We intermittently met up with the Red Hawk group along the return leg, which was kind of cool. But in the end, our pace strategy resulted in our finishing well ahead of the group. For the last 20 miles, Aden and I agreed to drop our pace back to 18mph to be able to enjoy the ocean and just drink in the whole beach scene: miles of RVs and people lounging next to their BBQ setups—I was much happier on the bike, the wind in my face and the magic of my leg muscles pumping away the miles.
[Aden] The final leg was so exhilarating that we were almost sad to be nearing the end of this transformational experience. Needless to say, we finished strong. Our ride time was about six and a half hours, and after we loaded our bikes, we headed down to the beach to fulfill our earlier pledge. Peeling off sweaty riding duds and changing into our swim suits, we charged out through the breakers like a couple of exuberant children, screeching when we hit the chilly water and diving headlong into the surf like the fish we had both been in our youth. Then we stretched out on our towels and let the waning rays of the sinking sun warm us and dry us off. Pure magic!
The following morning we both felt great—no aches, pains, sore spots, numbness, etc. In fact, after we took a down day, we did a 25-mile “recovery” ride through two canyons (Rainbow & Rice) near Temecula. Plenty of climbing, but mostly progressive grades (no “walls”). When we got back in, we felt like we’d hardly ridden at all—amazing what a century will do for you! (Hard for me to get my head around the fact that this year's Tour de Madison was my first group ride!)
Though Dona is an accomplished triathlete, we were both “century virgins” so Cool Breeze was a major milestone for us both. As my dearie-o aptly exclaimed: “I feel so alive and hopeful! Such a celebration of life and vitality!”
In closing, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to all the MadCyclists who have so generously mentored and supported me as I’ve continued to develop my cycling skills. Jane and Bates in particular have demonstrated such an overwhelming generosity of spirit. How blessed I am to have friends like these—and all the rest of you, too! I couldn’t have done it without you, each and every one. Thank you.
[Aden] Shipping my bike turned out to be a cinch, thanks to the loan of a hard-shell case (much obliged, Jane!). Southwest Airlines only charges their standard oversize luggage fee for bikes—$50 each way—considerably less than any other airline or express company.
[Dona] Aden and I drove up to Ventura on Thursday, taking the coastal route up Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Hwy) through Malibu. Seeing the ocean brought back all kinds of childhood memories for both of us. We vowed that we would romp in the ocean before the weekend was over. The Marriott Courtyard was doing maintenance on their rooms, so they upgraded us to their sister property, the Residence Inn—with kitchenettes! We had packed our blender for protein shakes and our coffee grinder and press so we were thrilled. Nice digs!
On Friday, the rest of the Red Hawk Bicycle Club gang arrived from Temecula (about 18 riders in all) and we hung out by the pool & Jacuzzi in the afternoon. Later, we went out to Macaroni Grill for dinner together (carbo-loading!)—I think I enjoy the camaraderie almost as much as the actual cycling!
Arriving at the event starting area at 6:00am on Saturday, it initially felt like a race (with 1,500 entrants!), but there is a distinctly different aura surrounding a "ride"—more relaxed and there is less eyeballing of the “competition"... In fact, many clubs got together for group photos and motivational cheers. A really positive ambiance, and the vendors’ tents lent a bit of a carnival atmosphere. As you can see, Aden really drew all the attention with his nifty Charlottesville jersey!
Aden and I had made a pact to keep our pace down around 16mph no matter what everyone else was doing for at least the first half of the ride, and we were sorely tempted to increase that speed, thanks to the infectious excitement and overzealous jackrabbit start that everyone else indulged in. The Red Hawk group left us in the dust, but no matter... The weather was cool (low 70s) and overcast as one might expect from early morning coastal weather and the first 13 miles (and the last 13, as it was an out-and-back…) were right along the beach. Wonderful!
The first rest stop was at 13 miles and though it almost seemed silly to stop that soon, we had committed to stop and refill our bottles at every rest stop—besides, why miss ANY of what the ride had to offer? The Ventura Kiwanis volunteers (hurray for the selfless volunteers, as ANY athletic event of ANY kind couldn't occur without them) were very friendly and well prepared. Water, lemonade, bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, cookies of various flavors, bagels, pb&j—the usual fare. I nibbled, but Aden stuck tenaciously to his prearranged nutrition plan and left their bountiful repast untouched.
This was NOT a flat 100 miles as we had originally assumed. We hit the first climb at about 20 miles—which came as a bit of a surprise, but the ascent was reasonably gradual and our legs were strong.
[Aden] At one point during the descent from this climb, one of the Red Hawk crew bumped another cyclist’s rear wheel and suffered a pretty rough crash at about 26mph—he had to be evac’ed by the SAG folks. Seems I know someone who did something remarkably similar…
We then headed slightly inland traveling north from Ventura. We encountered more hills and climbed and climbed and climbed, zig-zagging our way up winding country roads through a very pretty (and steep!) canyon and on over the crest of the mountain. But what goes up must come down, and we enjoyed a devilishly fast downhill. FUN!
[Dona] After 56 miles of blissful riding, we had reached the turnaround point and third rest stop. Wow! A beautiful wooded park with lots of picnic tables shaded by pine trees, and an epicurean feast of deli-style meats and cheeses and condiments (and cookies!)... RIDE TO EAT!!! We had caught up with the rest of the Red Hawk crew by this point (imagine that…), so we all sat together and kicked back—but not for too long, as we still had another 50 miles to go!
After lunch, Aden and I both felt wonderful and we were soon tooling along the coastline at Santa Barbara (drop-dead gorgeous!). I took the lead and for quite a few miles we were cruising at 21-24mph—just whizzing along like a two-person pace line. Our conservative strategy had paid off big-time, and we felt like we had just started a day of riding. Amazing! The whole way back to Ventura was relatively flat riding punctuated by some gentle rollers along the coast, and the sun was out by now, but it was still very comfortable. At the last rest stop, the volunteers delighted us with Cool Breeze’s trademark popsicles! No one was in a hurry to leave—so unlike a race!
We intermittently met up with the Red Hawk group along the return leg, which was kind of cool. But in the end, our pace strategy resulted in our finishing well ahead of the group. For the last 20 miles, Aden and I agreed to drop our pace back to 18mph to be able to enjoy the ocean and just drink in the whole beach scene: miles of RVs and people lounging next to their BBQ setups—I was much happier on the bike, the wind in my face and the magic of my leg muscles pumping away the miles.
[Aden] The final leg was so exhilarating that we were almost sad to be nearing the end of this transformational experience. Needless to say, we finished strong. Our ride time was about six and a half hours, and after we loaded our bikes, we headed down to the beach to fulfill our earlier pledge. Peeling off sweaty riding duds and changing into our swim suits, we charged out through the breakers like a couple of exuberant children, screeching when we hit the chilly water and diving headlong into the surf like the fish we had both been in our youth. Then we stretched out on our towels and let the waning rays of the sinking sun warm us and dry us off. Pure magic!
The following morning we both felt great—no aches, pains, sore spots, numbness, etc. In fact, after we took a down day, we did a 25-mile “recovery” ride through two canyons (Rainbow & Rice) near Temecula. Plenty of climbing, but mostly progressive grades (no “walls”). When we got back in, we felt like we’d hardly ridden at all—amazing what a century will do for you! (Hard for me to get my head around the fact that this year's Tour de Madison was my first group ride!)
Though Dona is an accomplished triathlete, we were both “century virgins” so Cool Breeze was a major milestone for us both. As my dearie-o aptly exclaimed: “I feel so alive and hopeful! Such a celebration of life and vitality!”
In closing, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to all the MadCyclists who have so generously mentored and supported me as I’ve continued to develop my cycling skills. Jane and Bates in particular have demonstrated such an overwhelming generosity of spirit. How blessed I am to have friends like these—and all the rest of you, too! I couldn’t have done it without you, each and every one. Thank you.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday night rides
Welcome Home Michael Ride, August 12: What a fun afternoon ride from Hebron Church! Bates, Barry, Chris and Mary met us in the parking lot. In the absence of Aden (who left that very day for his first century - in California, no less), Mary obligingly failed to clip out of her pedals and hit the asphalt, a la Arte Johnson and his tricycle on Laugh In . (I, of course, have no recollection of the show, since I am much too young to have seen it...but I've been told....) Since Mary did the deed, and since she is such a lady, there was no blood to be seen. In spite of the lack of gore, we felt much better because it was ALMOST like Aden was still with us.
Michael rode his "vintage" Benotto and found that it is not so easy climbing to "heaven" as it is on his trusty carbon Trek. Not to worry, just to make sure we knew he really did know how to climb, once we got to the turn-around spot at the White Oak Canyon trail head, he continued up toward Berry Hollow. Since no one else was willing to drag himself up there, we are not sure exactly how far he got. What we do know is that we rode a leisurely pace back down and he did not catch up until we got to Syria.
Two observations:
1. Drafting behind a dragon fly does little to reduce the amount of work one does on a bicycle. (I tried)
2. They grow big, chewy super-gnats up in the hollers, but in spite of how many one seems to ingest, one never gets full.
We arrived back at the church in good time and had a great little post-ride visit. It's too bad we can't have more of those rides but Michael is already back on the left coast. With any luck we will be having another sometime within the next decade.
Tuesday night ride, August 18: For the first time in recorded MadCyclists history, the women outnumbered the men on a ride! Wooohooo!!! Ok, so there were only four of us but it was great to see Melanie back home & to have her on a ride once again. Keep coming Melanie - our numbers are growing by leaps and bounds! Or, inch-by-inch....but still we are growing. By the way, Bates was our token male and he was great company.
Another ride tomorrow afternoon - wonder who will show? Bates is off the hook because it is Colin "turn the fork backward and ride anyway" McLain's birthday. Enjoy your dinner at the PiggySteak and don't forget to have a MustardBurger for me.
Aden - we are waiting for that Cool Breeze report!
Michael rode his "vintage" Benotto and found that it is not so easy climbing to "heaven" as it is on his trusty carbon Trek. Not to worry, just to make sure we knew he really did know how to climb, once we got to the turn-around spot at the White Oak Canyon trail head, he continued up toward Berry Hollow. Since no one else was willing to drag himself up there, we are not sure exactly how far he got. What we do know is that we rode a leisurely pace back down and he did not catch up until we got to Syria.
Two observations:
1. Drafting behind a dragon fly does little to reduce the amount of work one does on a bicycle. (I tried)
2. They grow big, chewy super-gnats up in the hollers, but in spite of how many one seems to ingest, one never gets full.
We arrived back at the church in good time and had a great little post-ride visit. It's too bad we can't have more of those rides but Michael is already back on the left coast. With any luck we will be having another sometime within the next decade.
Tuesday night ride, August 18: For the first time in recorded MadCyclists history, the women outnumbered the men on a ride! Wooohooo!!! Ok, so there were only four of us but it was great to see Melanie back home & to have her on a ride once again. Keep coming Melanie - our numbers are growing by leaps and bounds! Or, inch-by-inch....but still we are growing. By the way, Bates was our token male and he was great company.
Another ride tomorrow afternoon - wonder who will show? Bates is off the hook because it is Colin "turn the fork backward and ride anyway" McLain's birthday. Enjoy your dinner at the PiggySteak and don't forget to have a MustardBurger for me.
Aden - we are waiting for that Cool Breeze report!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Ridin' with C'ville...
I've been trying to get out on the road with the Charlottesville Bicycle Club ever since I began my group riding "career" (not quite 3 months ago--LOL!), and I finally managed to hook up with the C'villians this morning. With my first century looming, I was hankerin' to get in one last local ride before I decamp for California, and the CBC Somerset-Barboursville loop (33 miles) offered the perfect opportunity. It's a great route and I'm familiar with the roads and the terrain, so I decided to take the plunge.
MadCyclist and CBC regular Jeff Dillon was also along for the ride, so I didn't feel entirely like a fish out of water. I was pleased to see that folks began arriving early enough to socialize a bit before hopping on the bikes. I found it to be a more relaxed atmosphere, as opposed to the 'pre-race buzz' feeling I've encountered when riding with some other clubs (testosterone overload). Jeff introduced me around and everyone was very welcoming, indeed.
For the first half of the ride, I purposely hung back toward the middle of the group, as I'm semi-officially beginning my "tapering week" for the Cool Breeze century next weekend. The weather was drop-dead gorgeous and the miles melted away as we sailed through the lovely Virginia countryside. I'm sure y'all will be pleased to know that I had no, ahem, accidents on this outing. The only malfunction I experienced on the entire ride came early on in the form of a dropped chain, but I don't think anyone noticed (did I say that out loud?).
When we pulled back out on the road after a brief break at the Somerset Store, I fell in behind Jeff and we took off with the lead element. It wasn't for a few miles that I finally realized I was riding with the faster folks. Hmmmm... Somewhere along that wonderful stretch of Rt. 20 where the rollers look like a set of ocean breakers, I found myself in a pace line--not sure how I got there... This was my first real experience in a pace line, and I must say it felt pretty cool to be flyin' over those rollers at about 24mph with everyone in perfect synchronization. I even took my turn pulling the line!
When we got back to the Stony Point School, one of the gals was passing around homemade muffins (thanks, Kathy!), and as the riders began to trickle in, the general feel was very laid-back and no one seemed to be in an arse-busting hurry to get in the wind. Folks lingered a bit to exhale and chat--pretty nice, really.
In summary, I'd like to say that I had a great time and have every intention of riding with the CBC again soon. There were riders of all skill/fitness levels, so no one need feel intimidated, and they're an outgoing bunch. Their rides tend to be longer (many 40-plus mile routes) with several that cover our own beloved territory. I'd heartily encourage all of my fellow MadCyclists to check 'em out!
MadCyclist and CBC regular Jeff Dillon was also along for the ride, so I didn't feel entirely like a fish out of water. I was pleased to see that folks began arriving early enough to socialize a bit before hopping on the bikes. I found it to be a more relaxed atmosphere, as opposed to the 'pre-race buzz' feeling I've encountered when riding with some other clubs (testosterone overload). Jeff introduced me around and everyone was very welcoming, indeed.
For the first half of the ride, I purposely hung back toward the middle of the group, as I'm semi-officially beginning my "tapering week" for the Cool Breeze century next weekend. The weather was drop-dead gorgeous and the miles melted away as we sailed through the lovely Virginia countryside. I'm sure y'all will be pleased to know that I had no, ahem, accidents on this outing. The only malfunction I experienced on the entire ride came early on in the form of a dropped chain, but I don't think anyone noticed (did I say that out loud?).
When we pulled back out on the road after a brief break at the Somerset Store, I fell in behind Jeff and we took off with the lead element. It wasn't for a few miles that I finally realized I was riding with the faster folks. Hmmmm... Somewhere along that wonderful stretch of Rt. 20 where the rollers look like a set of ocean breakers, I found myself in a pace line--not sure how I got there... This was my first real experience in a pace line, and I must say it felt pretty cool to be flyin' over those rollers at about 24mph with everyone in perfect synchronization. I even took my turn pulling the line!
When we got back to the Stony Point School, one of the gals was passing around homemade muffins (thanks, Kathy!), and as the riders began to trickle in, the general feel was very laid-back and no one seemed to be in an arse-busting hurry to get in the wind. Folks lingered a bit to exhale and chat--pretty nice, really.
In summary, I'd like to say that I had a great time and have every intention of riding with the CBC again soon. There were riders of all skill/fitness levels, so no one need feel intimidated, and they're an outgoing bunch. Their rides tend to be longer (many 40-plus mile routes) with several that cover our own beloved territory. I'd heartily encourage all of my fellow MadCyclists to check 'em out!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
CSP 1-2-3 7-29-2008
Rode out to Golden with Jeff and Jeremy. On the way there, ran across a couple guys, talked to them and found out they were going out there too, for one of the guy's first race, or maybe it wasn't - he couldn't remember if he'd raced a crit before (???? how can you not remember - a crit isn't exactly an experience you tend to forget???). Had 2 flat tires on the way out.
Got there eventually, and surfed the back of the 4s race to warm up. About 4 laps in, on the final corner, we heard the tell-tale sound and the field parted around that 1st (2nd?) race guy sitting on the pavement looking around like we were all martians. I think he went home.
Our race started, and I was determined to get in that night's break, even if I couldn't hang for the whole race. Our field is a veritable host of pros (Jason Donald - 2nd in prologue at tour of California 2007, Jon Garcia - BMC pro, and Colby Pierce - national track champ and Garmin pro) and cat 1 vets. Getting, and staying, in the break is no small feat. But I've been encouraged by my friend Richard's new-found interest in attacking and racing aggressive, so I was more than interested in trying. I've always been like that - I think it's way more fun to make the race than to sit in and wait for a sprint.
No dice - every break I went with or bridged to was eventually brought back - none of them had that elusive mix of talent and broad team representation to stay away, so the pack always brought us back.
A field sprint it was to be. On the last lap up the chicane I found myself in good position to move up, and about halfway up I found Taylor, our sprinter. I ordered him on my wheel, and wove my way up through the pack on the climb. We rounded the corner somewhere in the top 15, and I had to find a wheel to lead us out. I picked Bob Pinkerton, a 45+ superstar on Vitamin Cottage. Little did I know, however, that Bob isn't a sprinter and wasn't going to mix it up. So I waited for his jump, which never came. 300m to go I jumped anyway, but way out of reach for the win. Taylor jumped around me at the last minute for 8th - I rolled in 9th. Not too bad, all things considered.
Got there eventually, and surfed the back of the 4s race to warm up. About 4 laps in, on the final corner, we heard the tell-tale sound and the field parted around that 1st (2nd?) race guy sitting on the pavement looking around like we were all martians. I think he went home.
Our race started, and I was determined to get in that night's break, even if I couldn't hang for the whole race. Our field is a veritable host of pros (Jason Donald - 2nd in prologue at tour of California 2007, Jon Garcia - BMC pro, and Colby Pierce - national track champ and Garmin pro) and cat 1 vets. Getting, and staying, in the break is no small feat. But I've been encouraged by my friend Richard's new-found interest in attacking and racing aggressive, so I was more than interested in trying. I've always been like that - I think it's way more fun to make the race than to sit in and wait for a sprint.
No dice - every break I went with or bridged to was eventually brought back - none of them had that elusive mix of talent and broad team representation to stay away, so the pack always brought us back.
A field sprint it was to be. On the last lap up the chicane I found myself in good position to move up, and about halfway up I found Taylor, our sprinter. I ordered him on my wheel, and wove my way up through the pack on the climb. We rounded the corner somewhere in the top 15, and I had to find a wheel to lead us out. I picked Bob Pinkerton, a 45+ superstar on Vitamin Cottage. Little did I know, however, that Bob isn't a sprinter and wasn't going to mix it up. So I waited for his jump, which never came. 300m to go I jumped anyway, but way out of reach for the win. Taylor jumped around me at the last minute for 8th - I rolled in 9th. Not too bad, all things considered.
Salida 2008, or What Not To Do in a Race
Road race - Saturday 7-26-2008: My favorite road course in CO. a 12-mile loop, with not a lick of flat in it. 1300' of climbing each lap, with the finish at the top. A real all-rounder's course, perfect for me.
I drove down there with my teammate Taylor, a gifted sprinter, but not a renowned climber. We left Denver at 6 with Chipoltle Burritos. Got to Salida at 8, and I accompanied another teammate Jeff to dinner. Not that I needed dinner again, but I ate it anyway - a big blackened chicken salad and a huge basket of sweet-potato fries.
Got up at 7 for our 8:10 start time, got dressed, and went down to the breakfast room and ate: 1 toast sandwich with peanut butter and banana, 1 large waffle with peanut butter, banana, and syrup. I wasn't even hungry.
Some of you might be questioning my judgment, eating a huge breakfast some 35 minutes before maybe the hardest race in the season. Well, my judgment was sleeping in at the apartment in Denver, so I didn't question it at all.
Race starts, and I'm good. 10 miles in we start the real climb, and I'm there. Near the front, legs are firing, I'm going to have a good day......until...... Halfway up, my stomach demands I pull over and get rid of breakfast (and probably the 2nd dinner as well). Pack is gone up the road, and I spend the next lap riding within the relatively low limits my guts impose.
I rode the rest of the 72 mile race solo - I was remarkably fast for being alone, which just means I had really good legs and squandered them by overeating. I was making up time every lap, but you just can't close that kind of gap.
Most guys drop out of races like that when they're dropped, but not me - I finished 39th of 45 finishers, after 68 started. This course is just too good not to ride, especially since I'd driven all that way to do it. The highlight of the course is the downhill - you go over the top, scream through some curvy rollers, and then go down quick. It's like a roller-coaster - you can see what's coming and you just have to be ready. Cruising at 48 or so, you drop over this last pitch and hit close to 60 on each lap.
A couple pics - the photog was sitting in the middle of the steep climb, yelling things like "Go! Go! Those guys don't have anything on you! Catch them!". Nothing else to do but laugh and mug for the camera.
http://markwoolcott.exposuremanager.com/p/salida_omnium_road_race_2008/_mg_48005
http://markwoolcott.exposuremanager.com/p/salida_omnium_road_race_2008/_mg_492243
Crit: Sunday 7-27-2008: Woke up feeling good, ate a good breakfast 3+ hours before the race. Warmed up, and lined up with the plan that I was to attack on the first lap, just to see what happened. Had a bit of a slow clip-in, and didn't get off the line quickly. A group of 4 did, though, including my teammate Randy. So I went to the front with a guy whose teammate was also up the road, and we kept the pace down to let them get some leash. I watched Randy totally screw up the 4th corner, sending his bike sideways (he stayed up), and dropped himself from the group. I told the other guy at the front that I had to get up there and I would send randy back, so I attacked. Uphill, into the wind. Dumb. I caught the group, but dragged a few with me, and I was spent. Absolutely could not catch onto the pack as they screamed by, so I was dropped. Raced solo (again), but this time for only 20 minutes before I was lapped and pulled. Apparently I only had one effort in me that day, and that was it.
All in all, a fun, but unsuccessful weekend.
I drove down there with my teammate Taylor, a gifted sprinter, but not a renowned climber. We left Denver at 6 with Chipoltle Burritos. Got to Salida at 8, and I accompanied another teammate Jeff to dinner. Not that I needed dinner again, but I ate it anyway - a big blackened chicken salad and a huge basket of sweet-potato fries.
Got up at 7 for our 8:10 start time, got dressed, and went down to the breakfast room and ate: 1 toast sandwich with peanut butter and banana, 1 large waffle with peanut butter, banana, and syrup. I wasn't even hungry.
Some of you might be questioning my judgment, eating a huge breakfast some 35 minutes before maybe the hardest race in the season. Well, my judgment was sleeping in at the apartment in Denver, so I didn't question it at all.
Race starts, and I'm good. 10 miles in we start the real climb, and I'm there. Near the front, legs are firing, I'm going to have a good day......until...... Halfway up, my stomach demands I pull over and get rid of breakfast (and probably the 2nd dinner as well). Pack is gone up the road, and I spend the next lap riding within the relatively low limits my guts impose.
I rode the rest of the 72 mile race solo - I was remarkably fast for being alone, which just means I had really good legs and squandered them by overeating. I was making up time every lap, but you just can't close that kind of gap.
Most guys drop out of races like that when they're dropped, but not me - I finished 39th of 45 finishers, after 68 started. This course is just too good not to ride, especially since I'd driven all that way to do it. The highlight of the course is the downhill - you go over the top, scream through some curvy rollers, and then go down quick. It's like a roller-coaster - you can see what's coming and you just have to be ready. Cruising at 48 or so, you drop over this last pitch and hit close to 60 on each lap.
A couple pics - the photog was sitting in the middle of the steep climb, yelling things like "Go! Go! Those guys don't have anything on you! Catch them!". Nothing else to do but laugh and mug for the camera.
http://markwoolcott.exposuremanager.com/p/salida_omnium_road_race_2008/_mg_48005
http://markwoolcott.exposuremanager.com/p/salida_omnium_road_race_2008/_mg_492243
Crit: Sunday 7-27-2008: Woke up feeling good, ate a good breakfast 3+ hours before the race. Warmed up, and lined up with the plan that I was to attack on the first lap, just to see what happened. Had a bit of a slow clip-in, and didn't get off the line quickly. A group of 4 did, though, including my teammate Randy. So I went to the front with a guy whose teammate was also up the road, and we kept the pace down to let them get some leash. I watched Randy totally screw up the 4th corner, sending his bike sideways (he stayed up), and dropped himself from the group. I told the other guy at the front that I had to get up there and I would send randy back, so I attacked. Uphill, into the wind. Dumb. I caught the group, but dragged a few with me, and I was spent. Absolutely could not catch onto the pack as they screamed by, so I was dropped. Raced solo (again), but this time for only 20 minutes before I was lapped and pulled. Apparently I only had one effort in me that day, and that was it.
All in all, a fun, but unsuccessful weekend.
A Few More Races
7-22-2008: Golden CSP Race (1-2-3) - picked up Jeff and Jeremy (new cat4s) at REI and rode out to Golden. Warmed up on the back of the 4s race, and lined up for the 1-2-3 race. Don't remember much about the race, don't know how I did, so it must not have been anything too impressive. 1:00:41 race time, average 26.2.
7-24-2008: Golden CSP Race (30+) - Drove out to this one, after attending a UVA club happy hour downtown (in full-kit, no less!). Kari and Kat came with me to spectate. This was the last race of the 30+ series this summer, and I was sitting in 3rd place overall, by a scant 5 points over 4th. Points are awarded on finish placings, with the top-10 each week getting points descending from 10 down to 1 (so a win gets you 10 points, etc.). Problem was, the guy in 4th place was Micheal Gibson, a recent national criterium champion. He can ride. He had also accumulated his points in fewer races, by placing highly. His higher placings meant that in the event of a points tie, he would walk away with the 3rd place.
So I had to place no farther back than 4 behind him if we both finished in the points.
Given that my legs weren't that good, and the overall meant more to me than the result of this particular race, I made it my job to mark him the whole time. It was windy, and the group split multiple times, but every time he accelerated, I went with him. Every time he attacked, I went with him.
A break of 5 got away after one of the points laps, and neither of us was in it. Ordinarily, I would have fought to get in it or to bridge, but with Gibson in the pack with me, I sat in - 5 people away meant 5 points placings that were out of reach for us, which dramatically increased my odds of keeping my 3rd. On one lap I was leading the pack up the hill to the line when Gibson literally shot off the front like a cannon-ball, trying to bridge to the break.
Race lost - if he makes it, he'll win, and that puts me at best in 7th place, out of 3rd. Luckily, the break had too much leash already, and we caught him a lap later. For the rest of the race I stayed off the front and on his wheel.
Field sprint approached, and I glued myself to him. I stayed with him all the way until his final kick, which I simply couldn't hold. He finished 6th, me 7th. Mission accomplished, although I imagine it was pretty boring for Kari & Kat.
To give you an idea of his sprint, remember that on his wheel, I have to produce between 30-40% less power than he does in the wind to stay with him. When he jumped at the end, I was cross-eyed and just watched him ride off. Amazing.
7-24-2008: Golden CSP Race (30+) - Drove out to this one, after attending a UVA club happy hour downtown (in full-kit, no less!). Kari and Kat came with me to spectate. This was the last race of the 30+ series this summer, and I was sitting in 3rd place overall, by a scant 5 points over 4th. Points are awarded on finish placings, with the top-10 each week getting points descending from 10 down to 1 (so a win gets you 10 points, etc.). Problem was, the guy in 4th place was Micheal Gibson, a recent national criterium champion. He can ride. He had also accumulated his points in fewer races, by placing highly. His higher placings meant that in the event of a points tie, he would walk away with the 3rd place.
So I had to place no farther back than 4 behind him if we both finished in the points.
Given that my legs weren't that good, and the overall meant more to me than the result of this particular race, I made it my job to mark him the whole time. It was windy, and the group split multiple times, but every time he accelerated, I went with him. Every time he attacked, I went with him.
A break of 5 got away after one of the points laps, and neither of us was in it. Ordinarily, I would have fought to get in it or to bridge, but with Gibson in the pack with me, I sat in - 5 people away meant 5 points placings that were out of reach for us, which dramatically increased my odds of keeping my 3rd. On one lap I was leading the pack up the hill to the line when Gibson literally shot off the front like a cannon-ball, trying to bridge to the break.
Race lost - if he makes it, he'll win, and that puts me at best in 7th place, out of 3rd. Luckily, the break had too much leash already, and we caught him a lap later. For the rest of the race I stayed off the front and on his wheel.
Field sprint approached, and I glued myself to him. I stayed with him all the way until his final kick, which I simply couldn't hold. He finished 6th, me 7th. Mission accomplished, although I imagine it was pretty boring for Kari & Kat.
To give you an idea of his sprint, remember that on his wheel, I have to produce between 30-40% less power than he does in the wind to stay with him. When he jumped at the end, I was cross-eyed and just watched him ride off. Amazing.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Sunday rides
Sunday mornings are a wonderful time to ride bikes. There is very little traffic and what traffic there is is usually "nice" traffic. Take yesterday for example. Mary and I went on an almost Girls Only Ride (almost, that is, except for Barry who rode with us to Rapidan). We left from the top of Moonshine Mountain in almost chilly temperatures, under a clear blue sky with no wind. It was a perfect day to be on the bikes! Barry met us about halfway down to the Robinson River and joined us until we got to Rapidan. In Rapidan we crossed the Rapidan River and took the obligatory loop in Orange so we could say we rode in three counties. After re-crossing the river, Mary and I headed out toward Mitchells and Barry headed back to Oak Park.
There was so little traffic on the roads that I would be surprised if we encountered a total of ten vehicles. We pedaled out past the old Rapidan Berry Gardens, past the quarries and even past the....ahem.....detention center (beware of hitchhikers!). While there were few cars, what we did see were lots of cyclists. At least twenty, maybe more. They were all going in the opposite direction (did we miss the memo?) and looked to be having just as much fun as we were. My knee, after tweaking it at work on Friday, was cooperating but I did not want to push my luck so we headed back to Moonshine Mountain after reaching Mitchells. A total of 29 beautiful miles.
Compare that to last Sunday when Barry, Aden, Mary and I rode the 31 mile Original Kelly's Ford Flyer (some people didn't get enough of it the first time and did it again...). Like yesterday, it was a mostly sunny, warm day but with more humidity. Still, any day is a good day if we are on the bikes! We had considerably more traffic and several of the drivers would pull up behind us and honk their horns before they passed. I don't get it. We weren't blocking the road at all, yet they seemed impatient. The KFF route is a very popular one so there are cyclists on it frequently. Maybe some of those other cyclists DO block traffic... Come to think of it, we met several other cyclists on that ride too, and they, too were going in the opposite direction. hmmmm...
There was so little traffic on the roads that I would be surprised if we encountered a total of ten vehicles. We pedaled out past the old Rapidan Berry Gardens, past the quarries and even past the....ahem.....detention center (beware of hitchhikers!). While there were few cars, what we did see were lots of cyclists. At least twenty, maybe more. They were all going in the opposite direction (did we miss the memo?) and looked to be having just as much fun as we were. My knee, after tweaking it at work on Friday, was cooperating but I did not want to push my luck so we headed back to Moonshine Mountain after reaching Mitchells. A total of 29 beautiful miles.
Compare that to last Sunday when Barry, Aden, Mary and I rode the 31 mile Original Kelly's Ford Flyer (some people didn't get enough of it the first time and did it again...). Like yesterday, it was a mostly sunny, warm day but with more humidity. Still, any day is a good day if we are on the bikes! We had considerably more traffic and several of the drivers would pull up behind us and honk their horns before they passed. I don't get it. We weren't blocking the road at all, yet they seemed impatient. The KFF route is a very popular one so there are cyclists on it frequently. Maybe some of those other cyclists DO block traffic... Come to think of it, we met several other cyclists on that ride too, and they, too were going in the opposite direction. hmmmm...
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