June 22, 2009
1 hour of training this afternoon. I waited until 6pm to get on the road. The temperature was pretty nice along the river. I was frustrated from the start because my power meter failed me again. It will probably have to go back to the mother ship to be serviced. I emailed the manufacturer as soon as I got home. Training was a non-eventful effort. I did the work but it was not a stellar day on the bike. My coach emailed me late this evening and said he too was fighting a cold and for me to take it easy this week. I think I will.
Jun 21, 2009
Father’s Day. Did absolutely NOTHING! I seem to have a summer cold though, not good.
June 20, 2009
Avery Trace Road Race (see map and profile). One word can sum up this race HOT! This has got to be the worst race I have ever done. I felt great here 2 years ago as a Cat 5. I placed second that day as my daughter watched. No chance of that this year as a Cat 4. My race was scheduled to start at 10:45. The team mate riding with me had a start time of 9:45. I misjudged the time needed to get there along with the time change to Central time in order for him to have an adequate warm-up. I, however, was able to get in a 45 minute warm-up. It was already 95 degrees and the humidity was between 80 & 90%. You were pouring sweat just standing still. I drank a bottle of water on the way over and another ½ bottle during my warm-up. I was taking 3 bottles with me for the race. I also had a flask of energy gel. I got my spare wheels to the wheel truck and took my place at the start line. There was a neutral start for about ¾ of a mile. There was immediately a hill to climb. I was on the outside skirting the double yellow line. I managed to get behind a rider who was brake happy and could not hold his line. He almost took me out several times in the first few miles. Within 5 miles someone tried to pass on the right. He got too close to the edge of the road and bumped another rider. This domino effect took down about 5 riders. I had to swing wide into the other lane to avoid going down due to ever y one moving over to avoid the crash. The first 3 climbs were okay, but taxing. I was able to get a position at the front of the pack on the approach of each climb. I’d drift toward the back as we reached the top of the climb and I could easily regain my position on the descents. The descents up to this point were fast and fun, but even at 35-40mph, the wind in our faces was like a hair dryer blowing on us. On the 3rd descent a team mate and I were pushed to the outside of a sharp left turn by a rider who could not hold his line. I stood up and gave a few cranks of the pedals to get ahead of him and avoid going off the road. Someone a few places back was not so lucky. He left the road and slammed into a rock face along the road. I am not sure how badly he was hurt. The race does not stop for a crash if you are lucky enough to not be involved. The forth climb proved to be the breaking point for a lot of riders, including me. There was a gap by the top of the climb. I was with a group of 7 other riders, the main pack was ahead and there were riders scattered along the climb behind my group. The front group was well in sight and it was clear that if we all worked together we could bridge back to them. My team mate took the first pull at 27 mph. I was next and held 26.6 mph. When I pulled off the front, the riders behind followed and held my wheel. I move back to the right, brought the pace back to 26mph and pulled off again with the flick of my right elbow. Again, they held my wheel. I am not one to give instructions to other riders, but at this point I was hot, frustrated and getting very pissed at the lack of cooperation these guys were showing. I turned and yelled, “If you guys want to catch them you are going to have to get off your asses and do some work!” My team mate yelled back, “that’s right, let’s go”. He moved to the front again and did another turn. I followed him with another go at the front. When I pulled off the rider behind me pulled through, but let the pace drop to about 23mph. The next rider dropped to 22 mph. They all did a turn at the front for about 2 rotations and then started sucking wheels again. “This isn’t going to work” proclaimed my team mate. There was no way we’d bridge the gap at this pace. He and I sat up and rested a minute. We got back on the front and eventually pulled away from those guys. We knew that the 2 of us could not catch the peloton, but we were not going to pull those guys along either.
We had seen lots of riders from several categories turning back and giving up on the race due to the intense, brutal heat. It had hit 97 degrees at our start.
The 2 of us were only about 20 miles in and having chills and feeling very much like we’d lose our breakfast at any moment. I had already dumped a bottle of water over my head and downed a bottle and a half. I was not sweating; it was more like I was leaking. I had to take my sunglasses off because of the constant stream of sweat running down them. They were no use to me as I could see nothing through the lenses. I saw a man in his yard and a water hose stretched across the yard. I signaled to my mate that I was going to ask for water. I pulled over and asked if he’d be a gentleman and let us fill our bottles with water. His reply, “you can get some water, but I ain’t about to start being no gentleman.” Fair enough! We unhooked the hose from the faucet, filled a bottle each and dumped them over our heads. Then we each guzzled a bottle and filled 3 each for the road. His wife came out and offered us water from the house and ice, but we declined. The water from the yard was plenty cold. We mounted our bikes and proceeded. We had already resigned to the idea that this was no longer a race. It was just a Saturday training ride; a very sucky training ride at that. We both started to quit and turn back, but we knew we would not be reimbursed for our entry fee if we didn’t finish. We soldiered on at a disgracefully slow pace. When we came upon the feed zone we asked if there was anything left. We got a bottle of water and a coke. I drank the coke. It was the first real coke I’d had in about 15 years. It was SO good. We were now about 32 miles into this 57 mile course. We dragged ourselves over the remaining miles. We would ride with a guy here and there, but ended up just the 2 of us until the last 10 miles or so. We were in a group of 6 when we hit the next to the last climb. When I looked back, there were only 3 of us left at the top. We worked together until the final finishing climb. My team mate opened up a gap between him and the other rider. I was done. I watched them get a gap on me but didn’t fall too far behind. What a relief it was to cross that finish line. I did not care about the race or where I finished, just that I WAS finished! I drank 6 or 7 bottles of water, poured 3 bottles over my head and still manage to lose almost 6 pounds of fluid in the 2 hours and 51 minutes of pure, brutal torture spent on that road. I had nothing left in my tank. I had already decided that I was not about to attempt the Time Trial that afternoon, not in this heat. This was insane my worst day racing on a bike.
1 hour of training this afternoon. I waited until 6pm to get on the road. The temperature was pretty nice along the river. I was frustrated from the start because my power meter failed me again. It will probably have to go back to the mother ship to be serviced. I emailed the manufacturer as soon as I got home. Training was a non-eventful effort. I did the work but it was not a stellar day on the bike. My coach emailed me late this evening and said he too was fighting a cold and for me to take it easy this week. I think I will.
Jun 21, 2009
Father’s Day. Did absolutely NOTHING! I seem to have a summer cold though, not good.
June 20, 2009
Avery Trace Road Race (see map and profile). One word can sum up this race HOT! This has got to be the worst race I have ever done. I felt great here 2 years ago as a Cat 5. I placed second that day as my daughter watched. No chance of that this year as a Cat 4. My race was scheduled to start at 10:45. The team mate riding with me had a start time of 9:45. I misjudged the time needed to get there along with the time change to Central time in order for him to have an adequate warm-up. I, however, was able to get in a 45 minute warm-up. It was already 95 degrees and the humidity was between 80 & 90%. You were pouring sweat just standing still. I drank a bottle of water on the way over and another ½ bottle during my warm-up. I was taking 3 bottles with me for the race. I also had a flask of energy gel. I got my spare wheels to the wheel truck and took my place at the start line. There was a neutral start for about ¾ of a mile. There was immediately a hill to climb. I was on the outside skirting the double yellow line. I managed to get behind a rider who was brake happy and could not hold his line. He almost took me out several times in the first few miles. Within 5 miles someone tried to pass on the right. He got too close to the edge of the road and bumped another rider. This domino effect took down about 5 riders. I had to swing wide into the other lane to avoid going down due to ever y one moving over to avoid the crash. The first 3 climbs were okay, but taxing. I was able to get a position at the front of the pack on the approach of each climb. I’d drift toward the back as we reached the top of the climb and I could easily regain my position on the descents. The descents up to this point were fast and fun, but even at 35-40mph, the wind in our faces was like a hair dryer blowing on us. On the 3rd descent a team mate and I were pushed to the outside of a sharp left turn by a rider who could not hold his line. I stood up and gave a few cranks of the pedals to get ahead of him and avoid going off the road. Someone a few places back was not so lucky. He left the road and slammed into a rock face along the road. I am not sure how badly he was hurt. The race does not stop for a crash if you are lucky enough to not be involved. The forth climb proved to be the breaking point for a lot of riders, including me. There was a gap by the top of the climb. I was with a group of 7 other riders, the main pack was ahead and there were riders scattered along the climb behind my group. The front group was well in sight and it was clear that if we all worked together we could bridge back to them. My team mate took the first pull at 27 mph. I was next and held 26.6 mph. When I pulled off the front, the riders behind followed and held my wheel. I move back to the right, brought the pace back to 26mph and pulled off again with the flick of my right elbow. Again, they held my wheel. I am not one to give instructions to other riders, but at this point I was hot, frustrated and getting very pissed at the lack of cooperation these guys were showing. I turned and yelled, “If you guys want to catch them you are going to have to get off your asses and do some work!” My team mate yelled back, “that’s right, let’s go”. He moved to the front again and did another turn. I followed him with another go at the front. When I pulled off the rider behind me pulled through, but let the pace drop to about 23mph. The next rider dropped to 22 mph. They all did a turn at the front for about 2 rotations and then started sucking wheels again. “This isn’t going to work” proclaimed my team mate. There was no way we’d bridge the gap at this pace. He and I sat up and rested a minute. We got back on the front and eventually pulled away from those guys. We knew that the 2 of us could not catch the peloton, but we were not going to pull those guys along either.
We had seen lots of riders from several categories turning back and giving up on the race due to the intense, brutal heat. It had hit 97 degrees at our start.
The 2 of us were only about 20 miles in and having chills and feeling very much like we’d lose our breakfast at any moment. I had already dumped a bottle of water over my head and downed a bottle and a half. I was not sweating; it was more like I was leaking. I had to take my sunglasses off because of the constant stream of sweat running down them. They were no use to me as I could see nothing through the lenses. I saw a man in his yard and a water hose stretched across the yard. I signaled to my mate that I was going to ask for water. I pulled over and asked if he’d be a gentleman and let us fill our bottles with water. His reply, “you can get some water, but I ain’t about to start being no gentleman.” Fair enough! We unhooked the hose from the faucet, filled a bottle each and dumped them over our heads. Then we each guzzled a bottle and filled 3 each for the road. His wife came out and offered us water from the house and ice, but we declined. The water from the yard was plenty cold. We mounted our bikes and proceeded. We had already resigned to the idea that this was no longer a race. It was just a Saturday training ride; a very sucky training ride at that. We both started to quit and turn back, but we knew we would not be reimbursed for our entry fee if we didn’t finish. We soldiered on at a disgracefully slow pace. When we came upon the feed zone we asked if there was anything left. We got a bottle of water and a coke. I drank the coke. It was the first real coke I’d had in about 15 years. It was SO good. We were now about 32 miles into this 57 mile course. We dragged ourselves over the remaining miles. We would ride with a guy here and there, but ended up just the 2 of us until the last 10 miles or so. We were in a group of 6 when we hit the next to the last climb. When I looked back, there were only 3 of us left at the top. We worked together until the final finishing climb. My team mate opened up a gap between him and the other rider. I was done. I watched them get a gap on me but didn’t fall too far behind. What a relief it was to cross that finish line. I did not care about the race or where I finished, just that I WAS finished! I drank 6 or 7 bottles of water, poured 3 bottles over my head and still manage to lose almost 6 pounds of fluid in the 2 hours and 51 minutes of pure, brutal torture spent on that road. I had nothing left in my tank. I had already decided that I was not about to attempt the Time Trial that afternoon, not in this heat. This was insane my worst day racing on a bike.
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