Windy and hot today, felt like crap from the start. I got there around 4:45 and stood in line to register. Got through that pretty quick and got the rest of my stuff together and the bike assembled. I only got about a 10 minute warm up, I usually need about 8-10 miles before my legs are set to go. Stupid 5:30 start time.
I got to the line and there was a bigger crowd for the Cat 5 race, 22 or 23 riders and a juniors coach. And go. We are off, kinda fast right away into the wind. I am about mid-pack at this point and still feeling like the brown stuff. We all stay together for the first lap. As we got to the start/finish line everyone slowed up and no one wanted to be in the wind on the front. This kept up until the wind hit our backs on the back straightaway, then they gunned it.
This kept up for the first few laps and I hung on for the first 4 laps and then popped. The juniors coach kept yelling at us to get going and get on peoples wheel. As much as I wanted to push him into the dirt I really did appreciate it. He gave me a couple of nice pushes and led me for a minute or two. After I started pushing it again I didn't see him anymore.
I caught up to two guys that were off the back of the main pack in the 7th lap and stayed with them until near the end. The revved it up and I just wanted to finish. I didn't sprint against them as I was back aways. There was at least one person behind me and 2 DNFs I think but I wasn't even near being lapped or anything so I had a good ride.
Thanks to Anne for showing up and cheering and to Mike for some food!
More race reports mid July I think. Later!
Labels: bike, racing, spbrc
Windy again but not as warm. Winds were out of the West at a little over 20 mph with gusts near 40 mph. Riding across a vast stretch of what was flat farmland with those kinds of winds beat the shit out of you. You don't wanna be riding a bike or trying to cast a fly fishing line into it. One thing I also learned during the race is remember wind direction when spitting.
The race went off with a quick reading of the rules and a go from the official. I was feeling a bit spent already, I didn't feel very well at work and wasn't hungry all day but felt fine enough to ride. My legs felt good but my lungs were heavy. I should have ate more food.
The first lap was fine, pretty fast but it was nice to be in the group and get dragged through the wind. The second lap was about the same. I was on the back though since I failed to jam my self into the paceline. Third lap I was still holding on the back and didn't get dropped until the fourth lap. There were 3 others that were off the back also and it was getting pretty spaced out. The front group was absolutely killing it and after the 5th lap I didn't see them much. I slowly started drifting away.
B passed me and my lungs were toast. I wasn't feeling like trying to catch up to him and just wanted to finish. As I was rounding a corner after taking a sip of my ClifShot drink a few minutes earlier I tried to get rid of some of the thicker built up mix in my mouth. As I changed directions the wind did not and when I let the sucker fly it went right along my right cheek, hair and part of my helmet. I don't think any made it to the intended ground target.
As I went through the start/finish my teammates were killing it for the win, Ben from Bianchi/GP took the win. I still had a lap to finish. I wasn't last or lapped but was close. Will next week be my week and finish in the pack?
-pete
Labels: bike, racing, spbrc
Summit Criterium - Dakota County Technical CollegeIt was hot, 91 when we started the race, winds were moving out of the South East steady at 18mph with gusts at 29mph. Each lap was about 1.2 miles and it was an eight lap crit for the beginners. This is my first road race that I have ever been in so I wasn't sure quite what to expect. I took some warm up laps with a guy(we'll call him M) from my class earlier in the evening after we got through registration and our numbers pinned on and then right before the race we were allowed to take another set of warm ups. I should have stopped after the first of these right before the race.
Immediately after we got to the line after those two laps the official ran through the rules and we were off. Since we pulled up to the back of the pack at the line we were in the back right after the start. My strategy was to finish this race, that was it, even if it was DFL(Dead Fricken Last) but was hoping I wouldn't be last. I followed with the group pretty easily near the back for the first 2 laps but was pretty tired and thirsty. I should have brought a water bottle with but I was new to this and dumb. Lap 3 started to spread out a few off the back and I was one of them. I was yo-yoing to stay on but kept getting gaps with people in front of me. Lap 4 I fell apart. I just wanted to pull of the course, I had a side ache from not enough water, three of us were a bit off the back of the group and they were pulling away.
There was a coach following behind the group and sat in behind us three, he urged us to work together and we started to a bit. M, the guy I took warm ups with was with me along with another guy we will call B. I was still a little mentally out of it at this point and just wanted to pull off, my side ache killed and I felt like I was done. Three laps to go. That is encouraging, I can't pull off after the halfway point. So M, B, and I worked a little better to get going. I tucked in behind M and B was behind me. M took a pull for about 20 seconds and I pulled after that but B wasn't really working with us for some reason. I am not sure if he just didn't have the legs or lungs or if he was just mentally out of it too.
Two laps to go. We were still trying to bring B with us and I was starting to think it was a mistake working with him. We were sitting up and waiting at times for him but I took a long pull out of the slight incline and out of the headwind and pushed it had up to the line, one lap to go, the bell rings, we are all still together and M and I are still pulling. I take a pull and push it again, I did't look to far back but see that M is on my wheel, he takes a pull into the headwind, then I take a pull, B gets back into our group but beat him through the corners and M stretched it out to the line. I am about a wheel in front of B and two bikes back from M about 100 meters to the line, I floor it. I catch M and pass him only taking him by about a wheel. Not sure how far back B was but he finished back from M.
I felt fine after the race and it was a good learning experience. Some things I would do differently if I could: 1) Bring water on the race, 2) stay in the pack at all costs, 3) lose some weight, 4) pre ride slower and longer, 5) push it harder, felt like I still had a lot to give at the end.
Until next time!
-pete
Labels: bike, racing, spbrc
Too may acronyms?
St. Paul Bike Racing Club Beginners Racing Program.
Tonight was the first night of the BRP. I wasn't feeling well when I left work today but by about 5:15pm I was feeling okay. Since I signed up for this program I figured I better head over there. The class is held in Ft. Snelling and we met in the first parking lot. They split the group in to two smaller groups, red and blue. I am pretty sure it was split by skill level, blue were more accomplished riders and red, not as much. I was placed in the red group. I was fine with that.
We talked through a few things about pace lines, tire sweeping, etc. Then came some rain. We made our way over to a shelter and hung out there talking about some of the concepts until the rain stopped. Then we did some riding, single file at first at about 12-14 mph. A nice easy pace. Both of the leaders did a great job controlling the group and answering questions.
There were no major crashes but there was a guy at the end who came into the parking lot a little too fast and his brakes were still wet. I didn't see him go down but his jersey and stuff looked okay. It looks like he might of blew his front tire and then went down. Either way a little ice might help.
If you are thinking about racing road bikes or just want to learn to ride in groups try the BRP next year. So far totally worth it.
-pete
Labels: bike, racing, spbrc
