I had another double race weekend. Saturday was a criterium at Whitnall Park in Hales Corners and Sunday was a road race in the Southern Kettles. I am going to keep this short.
Saturday I went early to catch some of the action from the previous races. I kind of lost track of time and didn't allow myself enough time for a proper warm up. My goal was to not get dropped, yes that was my goal. The course is climbing and descending, and I am not a strong climber. Lap after lap the hill was getting to me. I finished 20 out of 37, so goal accomplished.
Sunday for the road race again, goal was to finish and not get dropped. Goal was also met, and I am very surprised because with 21 miles to go I was already starting to cramp up during the hard efforts. I finished 15th. I am not sure how many racers there were, my guess is 20-25.
I am looking to have some nice recovery days, and head out to La Crosse on Saturday for the criterium.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Trocadero/GDVC #2
It was a double header weekend, Trocadero Criterium on Saturday and GDVC #2 on Sunday. Saturday I went to the races pretty early, knowing that this is a big turn out for our team. I had a lot of fun hanging out and watching the races. It was great hearing about team work and strategies that wanted to be done.
Weather was mostly sunny and a bit breezy making it feel pretty cold. While I was warming up I was changing my clothes trying to figure out what was going to work out the best. What I ended up with was embrocation on my legs, arm warmers, jersey and shorts. This was the perfect combination for racing. Saturday's race started out mellow and then the attacks started. There were many attacks and finally a 6 man break was successful at around 40-45 minutes of racing. The pace still stayed pretty fast with people trying to bridge or pull back the break away. On the final lap it mushroomed pretty good and I kept moving up through the pack. I still had energy to sprint and was able to pass a few people before crossing the finish line. I finished in 15th place.
I really had FUN in the race and felt very comfortable most of the time. My brother and his wife came out to watch me race which was very nice.
Sunday's race was very WINDY and cool. Again while warming up trying to figure out what to wear. I ended up with leg warmers, cold weather base layer, jersey, and shorts. I was a little over dressed. I started the race in good position and tried to hold on as long as I could. I almost crashed twice. The first time I crossed a wheel, but managed to save it. I am glad no one went down. Shortly after that I was dislodged from the peloton. I rode a lap or two by myself before 3 two others joined me. We were not working well together. I found myself by myself again until the peloton came around again. I jumped back in for maybe 3 laps, before getting dropped again. At this point the field was much smaller. I then was joined with 3 others and I don't really remember what happened with them. The second time I almost crashed I was riding the gutter with lots of sand and my pedal clipped the curb. Not a real big deal, but was definitely an eye opener. These are the mistakes that happen when the brain no longer has any oxygen.
Not sure where I finally ended up, what I do know is that a lot of people dropped out. What was so different about the GDVC races compared to the Trocadero race? Wind! I wish I would have ran my standard aluminum wheels, just to see if that would have made a difference. I was burning matches trying to stay out of the wind. We were riding the gutters on every lap. So, I had no place to hide. This is something that the M3/4 should do during races. This is a whole new topic though. Something else that may have hindered my performance is the race the day before.
Next up is KS Energy Whitnall Park on Saturday, not sure about the road race on Sunday.
Weather was mostly sunny and a bit breezy making it feel pretty cold. While I was warming up I was changing my clothes trying to figure out what was going to work out the best. What I ended up with was embrocation on my legs, arm warmers, jersey and shorts. This was the perfect combination for racing. Saturday's race started out mellow and then the attacks started. There were many attacks and finally a 6 man break was successful at around 40-45 minutes of racing. The pace still stayed pretty fast with people trying to bridge or pull back the break away. On the final lap it mushroomed pretty good and I kept moving up through the pack. I still had energy to sprint and was able to pass a few people before crossing the finish line. I finished in 15th place.
I really had FUN in the race and felt very comfortable most of the time. My brother and his wife came out to watch me race which was very nice.
Sunday's race was very WINDY and cool. Again while warming up trying to figure out what to wear. I ended up with leg warmers, cold weather base layer, jersey, and shorts. I was a little over dressed. I started the race in good position and tried to hold on as long as I could. I almost crashed twice. The first time I crossed a wheel, but managed to save it. I am glad no one went down. Shortly after that I was dislodged from the peloton. I rode a lap or two by myself before 3 two others joined me. We were not working well together. I found myself by myself again until the peloton came around again. I jumped back in for maybe 3 laps, before getting dropped again. At this point the field was much smaller. I then was joined with 3 others and I don't really remember what happened with them. The second time I almost crashed I was riding the gutter with lots of sand and my pedal clipped the curb. Not a real big deal, but was definitely an eye opener. These are the mistakes that happen when the brain no longer has any oxygen.
Not sure where I finally ended up, what I do know is that a lot of people dropped out. What was so different about the GDVC races compared to the Trocadero race? Wind! I wish I would have ran my standard aluminum wheels, just to see if that would have made a difference. I was burning matches trying to stay out of the wind. We were riding the gutters on every lap. So, I had no place to hide. This is something that the M3/4 should do during races. This is a whole new topic though. Something else that may have hindered my performance is the race the day before.
Next up is KS Energy Whitnall Park on Saturday, not sure about the road race on Sunday.
Monday, April 15, 2013
GDVC #1
My first Cat. 2 race as a Cat. 2 was very no I mean VERY hard! The race was in Madison on the same course as when I first started racing. It was very windy and the temperature was in the mid 40's with bits of sunshine.
I was very back and forth on whether to race or not, to the point where Tammy said "I wish you would make up your mind". Why? The weather looked to be a wash out, and then as I kept an eye on the radar it seemed to be getting better. Finally I said lets go, I know she didn't really want to go, but she came anyways, what a trooper.
The course has a 2 small rises and the finish straight had a headwind. I started in good position, but the pace was so fast and hard that I started going backwards very quickly. I did my best at trying to stay in the draft and out of the wind. I remember looking at the clock and I have only been racing for 9 minutes and I already feel like quitting. I was eventually all alone and I still kept going. I eventually caught 2 others and I was working with them the best I could. They were punishing me too on the rises, lap after lap. I believe they quit after a while. I just kept pushing on, I paid to race so I figured I should at least get a workout in. I was lapped twice, the first time I was able to jump back in and hang on for a little while before being shelled again. And the second time they lapped me I was pretty cooked and only had another lap to go.
I can't be completely disappointed in the race. I did get a new personal best 20 minute power and a 5 minute power. I would had a new 60 minute power too, but I was finished at just over 58 minutes. All I can say that was a huge eye opener for me and I have a lot of training to do to just become a pack fodder. This racing will only make me stronger right? RIGHT!
Here are the results.
http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2013-1767
I am looking forward to next weekends double header, Menomonee Falls on Saturday and back to Madison on Sunday.
I was very back and forth on whether to race or not, to the point where Tammy said "I wish you would make up your mind". Why? The weather looked to be a wash out, and then as I kept an eye on the radar it seemed to be getting better. Finally I said lets go, I know she didn't really want to go, but she came anyways, what a trooper.
The course has a 2 small rises and the finish straight had a headwind. I started in good position, but the pace was so fast and hard that I started going backwards very quickly. I did my best at trying to stay in the draft and out of the wind. I remember looking at the clock and I have only been racing for 9 minutes and I already feel like quitting. I was eventually all alone and I still kept going. I eventually caught 2 others and I was working with them the best I could. They were punishing me too on the rises, lap after lap. I believe they quit after a while. I just kept pushing on, I paid to race so I figured I should at least get a workout in. I was lapped twice, the first time I was able to jump back in and hang on for a little while before being shelled again. And the second time they lapped me I was pretty cooked and only had another lap to go.
I can't be completely disappointed in the race. I did get a new personal best 20 minute power and a 5 minute power. I would had a new 60 minute power too, but I was finished at just over 58 minutes. All I can say that was a huge eye opener for me and I have a lot of training to do to just become a pack fodder. This racing will only make me stronger right? RIGHT!
Here are the results.
http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2013-1767
I am looking forward to next weekends double header, Menomonee Falls on Saturday and back to Madison on Sunday.
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