Carl Dolan 3/4 race--Convenient when a doctor lands on you.
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Carl Dolan 3/4 race--Convenient when a doctor lands on you.
What a day, what a day...
All in all, today's race was pretty good. The Carl Dolan Memorial race was a 27.3 mile race around a 2.1 mile circuit. A couple short, gentle uphills, a single 90-degree right leading into a fast descent and a gradual uphill finish. The course was pretty smooth, weather was incredible, and the legs were feeling pretty good.
Not a lot going on for most of the race--I was one of the chosen to sit in for the field sprint, so I did just that. Spent a good 10 laps or so in the pack, then started working my way up. The accordion was pretty irritating, I must say. Said a quick hello to MDCatV and his boys, who were cruisin' along as per usual.
With 2-3 laps to go, my legs were screaming a bit, so I missed some opportinities to get up to the front. We still had a couple good sprinters up there with plenty of leadout men, so I just tried to work my way up as best I could.
On the bell lap, I actually find myself in the front third thinking I can mix it up. I missed a couple of the big moves prior to the right hander, and when I saw the pack string out around the corner I realized I was in 30th/40th around the turn. *****. I dropped the hammer and just kept pushing hard.
Then, a funny thing happened. Dudes just started blowing up at the base of the hill with more than 200m to go. Suddenly I go from 40th to 30th to 20th and I'm dropping guys. I found a nice opening on the right side gutter and just drilled it. Hmm... those were our leadout guys I just passed. Hell, I might be in this for a top 10 after all! And then, with about 150m to go, I see a bike fly up in the air and hear the unmistakable sound of breaking carbon. Joel, my teammate, goes down in front of me, avoiding a crash that started in the middle/right of the road. I run out of gutter and skid to a near stop, but endo right over Joel. The F4:13 goes flying a couple feet and comes to rest on the road.
Took a quick look at myself and realize I just have a couple scratched fingers and some scrapes on my legs. Joel, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He's down and bleeding from his chin. He was awake/alert and breathing, had a good pulse, etc., so I found a gauze pad, AKA my glove, to get some pressure on Joel's chin. I took a quick look and it was a pretty impressive laceration, about 2cm long, and I got a good look at his mandible. That'll need some washing out, I thought, but not a biggie to close up, and he'll be fine. Didn't look like he had any other injuries, and his helmet was intact. I look up the road, and the guy in front of Joel looks worse off. I get a teammate to hold my glove on Joel's chin while the medics arrive, and check out the other guy.
Matt, another rider from a local team, is a little shaken up, but also awake/alert. His HR had already dropped under 100. He remembered everything, and told me that he had been in the pileup and landed on his hip. His hip is very tender and he's having trouble moving it. His pelvis is stable, though, and his vitals remain OK. Should be fine... After a few more minutes he mentioned that his right shoulder was hurting, and it looked like he may have an AC separation. To pour some salt in the wound, his buddies tell him his front Zipp 404 is toast. Now I don't think I would've dropped that on the poor guy right away...
By this time, the medics are loading up Matt and Joel and getting them to the hospital. I take a quick look at my bike, and it looks like the extent of the damage is some nasty scuffage to my left ergo lever and maybe a bend in my handlebar. Contrary to popular belief, my frame did not explode.
So I limped back to the finish. Not sure if they counted me across or not--who the hell cares. Our other sprinters fared pretty well---Mike, our fast Cat 3, took 2nd in the 3's in a tight finish with a 17-year-old prodigy from another team. We took 3rd and 4th in the 4's, and had a good few top 10's overall. I saw MDCatV and his boys making a move on the last lap, but I'm not sure how they fared because I was busy making sweet love to the pavement.
My lessons learned:
1. I'm stronger than I let myself believe. I can duke it out in a 3/4 race, and need to race accordingly. My self-doubt with 2 laps to go killed me.
2. Don't let yourself get stuck in the middle of a huge pack when the pace picks up--stay out on the edges, so when the moves go you can hop on the train.
3. Perhaps I should practice endoing my bike and landing on all of my patients--It's a dramatic entrance, and could be a good icebreaker.
Time to go clean my own wounds, take a shower, and go over the Pinarello with a fine-toothed comb... Looks like she'll be allright after all.
All in all, today's race was pretty good. The Carl Dolan Memorial race was a 27.3 mile race around a 2.1 mile circuit. A couple short, gentle uphills, a single 90-degree right leading into a fast descent and a gradual uphill finish. The course was pretty smooth, weather was incredible, and the legs were feeling pretty good.
Not a lot going on for most of the race--I was one of the chosen to sit in for the field sprint, so I did just that. Spent a good 10 laps or so in the pack, then started working my way up. The accordion was pretty irritating, I must say. Said a quick hello to MDCatV and his boys, who were cruisin' along as per usual.
With 2-3 laps to go, my legs were screaming a bit, so I missed some opportinities to get up to the front. We still had a couple good sprinters up there with plenty of leadout men, so I just tried to work my way up as best I could.
On the bell lap, I actually find myself in the front third thinking I can mix it up. I missed a couple of the big moves prior to the right hander, and when I saw the pack string out around the corner I realized I was in 30th/40th around the turn. *****. I dropped the hammer and just kept pushing hard.
Then, a funny thing happened. Dudes just started blowing up at the base of the hill with more than 200m to go. Suddenly I go from 40th to 30th to 20th and I'm dropping guys. I found a nice opening on the right side gutter and just drilled it. Hmm... those were our leadout guys I just passed. Hell, I might be in this for a top 10 after all! And then, with about 150m to go, I see a bike fly up in the air and hear the unmistakable sound of breaking carbon. Joel, my teammate, goes down in front of me, avoiding a crash that started in the middle/right of the road. I run out of gutter and skid to a near stop, but endo right over Joel. The F4:13 goes flying a couple feet and comes to rest on the road.
Took a quick look at myself and realize I just have a couple scratched fingers and some scrapes on my legs. Joel, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He's down and bleeding from his chin. He was awake/alert and breathing, had a good pulse, etc., so I found a gauze pad, AKA my glove, to get some pressure on Joel's chin. I took a quick look and it was a pretty impressive laceration, about 2cm long, and I got a good look at his mandible. That'll need some washing out, I thought, but not a biggie to close up, and he'll be fine. Didn't look like he had any other injuries, and his helmet was intact. I look up the road, and the guy in front of Joel looks worse off. I get a teammate to hold my glove on Joel's chin while the medics arrive, and check out the other guy.
Matt, another rider from a local team, is a little shaken up, but also awake/alert. His HR had already dropped under 100. He remembered everything, and told me that he had been in the pileup and landed on his hip. His hip is very tender and he's having trouble moving it. His pelvis is stable, though, and his vitals remain OK. Should be fine... After a few more minutes he mentioned that his right shoulder was hurting, and it looked like he may have an AC separation. To pour some salt in the wound, his buddies tell him his front Zipp 404 is toast. Now I don't think I would've dropped that on the poor guy right away...
By this time, the medics are loading up Matt and Joel and getting them to the hospital. I take a quick look at my bike, and it looks like the extent of the damage is some nasty scuffage to my left ergo lever and maybe a bend in my handlebar. Contrary to popular belief, my frame did not explode.
So I limped back to the finish. Not sure if they counted me across or not--who the hell cares. Our other sprinters fared pretty well---Mike, our fast Cat 3, took 2nd in the 3's in a tight finish with a 17-year-old prodigy from another team. We took 3rd and 4th in the 4's, and had a good few top 10's overall. I saw MDCatV and his boys making a move on the last lap, but I'm not sure how they fared because I was busy making sweet love to the pavement.
My lessons learned:
1. I'm stronger than I let myself believe. I can duke it out in a 3/4 race, and need to race accordingly. My self-doubt with 2 laps to go killed me.
2. Don't let yourself get stuck in the middle of a huge pack when the pace picks up--stay out on the edges, so when the moves go you can hop on the train.
3. Perhaps I should practice endoing my bike and landing on all of my patients--It's a dramatic entrance, and could be a good icebreaker.
Time to go clean my own wounds, take a shower, and go over the Pinarello with a fine-toothed comb... Looks like she'll be allright after all.
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"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
#2
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Nice report....good to see nobody was seriously injured, and that the bike fared ok . I need to find a Doctor to ride with....
#3
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Wow, that sounded exciting - pretty cool that you were moving up into a winning position when the pressure was on. Pity about the accident - hope your team mates pull though OK.
#4
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Flesh heals.
Shimano does not.
How is the F4:13 Doc?
Shimano does not.
How is the F4:13 Doc?
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Frame looks OK, no cracks/scratches. Components are all OK, but I think the handlebar is bent just a bit. Might be enough that it's time for a new bar... I'll be taking her to the OR tonight for a full front end dissasembly to check out the steerer tube, though, just to be sure.
Funny you should mention that Shimano doesn't heal. I'll just be ordering a new hood for my Chorus levers...
Funny you should mention that Shimano doesn't heal. I'll just be ordering a new hood for my Chorus levers...
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When your teammate went down, a guy to his left hit the brakes and dove right closing the hole I was sprinting through and I ended up crashing as well, I had nowhere to go. At first I thought only my RD hanger was trashed, but i see now that my top tube is crimped... I can't race this frame anymore. I have some rash on my hip/elbow/hand and ankle and my right index finger is not functioning properly. It certainly could have been worse. Glad you came out of it OK. That long uphill drag to the finish and the varying fitness levels of the racers seems to cause all sorts of mayhem when folks just explode early.
#7
Peloton Shelter Dog
Originally Posted by DrPete
Frame looks OK, no cracks/scratches. Components are all OK, but I think the handlebar is bent just a bit. Might be enough that it's time for a new bar... I'll be taking her to the OR tonight for a full front end dissasembly to check out the steerer tube, though, just to be sure.
Funny you should mention that Shimano doesn't heal. I'll just be ordering a new hood for my Chorus levers...
Funny you should mention that Shimano doesn't heal. I'll just be ordering a new hood for my Chorus levers...
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Originally Posted by *new*guy
When your teammate went down, a guy to his left hit the brakes and dove right closing the hole I was sprinting through and I ended up crashing as well, I had nowhere to go. At first I thought only my RD hanger was trashed, but i see now that my top tube is crimped... I can't race this frame anymore. I have some rash on my hip/elbow/hand and ankle and my right index finger is not functioning properly. It certainly could have been worse. Glad you came out of it OK. That long uphill drag to the finish and the varying fitness levels of the racers seems to cause all sorts of mayhem when folks just explode early.
Who do you race with?
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"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
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Originally Posted by DrPete
That totally sucks... glad I didn't get to meet/take care of you too... Sorry to hear about the bike, though.
Who do you race with?
Who do you race with?
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Hey Dr. Pete - sorry you fell down, but glad to hear that it doesnt sound like you got banged up too bad and that your equipment survived.
New guy - sorry to hear your equipment got trashed, hope things heal up well for you. I flatted on the last lap so avoided the scrum - I was irritated by the flat, but in hindsight, might not have been the worst thing in the world.
I did the 30+ prior to the 3/4. After a very aggressive race on my part, I ended up with 6th and a prime. The guy who won soloed for the win, I was with him and his team mate with 3 or 4 to go and they worked me over until 1 of them got away - the really strong one. I tried to chase him down, but he was too friggin strong, I just couldnt close the last 20M, then went into TT mode and tried to solo for 2nd, but didnt have it, got caught at 1K, just after the right hander, then grabbed a wheel and found a sprint somewhere to end up 6th. Very hard race, I saw 191 on my HRM twice, my max. HR from testing is 192, those efforts left me too cooked to be much of a participant in the 3/4, my plan was to just sit in and see what played out. I wish I would have flatted way earlier.
New guy - sorry to hear your equipment got trashed, hope things heal up well for you. I flatted on the last lap so avoided the scrum - I was irritated by the flat, but in hindsight, might not have been the worst thing in the world.
I did the 30+ prior to the 3/4. After a very aggressive race on my part, I ended up with 6th and a prime. The guy who won soloed for the win, I was with him and his team mate with 3 or 4 to go and they worked me over until 1 of them got away - the really strong one. I tried to chase him down, but he was too friggin strong, I just couldnt close the last 20M, then went into TT mode and tried to solo for 2nd, but didnt have it, got caught at 1K, just after the right hander, then grabbed a wheel and found a sprint somewhere to end up 6th. Very hard race, I saw 191 on my HRM twice, my max. HR from testing is 192, those efforts left me too cooked to be much of a participant in the 3/4, my plan was to just sit in and see what played out. I wish I would have flatted way earlier.
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Originally Posted by DrPete
To pour some salt in the wound, his buddies tell him his front Zipp 404 is toast. Now I don't think I would've dropped that on the poor guy right away...
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Congrats on the 30+ race, MDCatV--- That race looked like it was strung WAY out. No bunching up on the hill there... it just looked like one big line. Way to go!
In the final analysis, it would seem that the only reasonable thing to do is have a beer.
In the final analysis, it would seem that the only reasonable thing to do is have a beer.
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Nice effort MDCatV. The 30+ race looked like the real deal and top 10 is very impressive. Congrats. Dave D. is on your team, right? I thought I saw him in the 30+, how'd he do? (he and I were on the same team last year)
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Originally Posted by *new*guy
Racing Union.
Look for the big goon on the Pinarello next time and say hi!
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Wow Pete, very glad to hear that you are OK. Good news about the bike as well. It's amazing how a frame can avoid damage when the bike goes flying through the air. When I crashed and endo'd last year I watched my bike go flipping end over end down the road. Handle bars broke, wheels bent, skewers and shift levers scratched, frame spotless - not a nick or scratch. Amazing.
Heal those wounds and get them next time.
Heal those wounds and get them next time.
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Originally Posted by *new*guy
Nice effort MDCatV. The 30+ race looked like the real deal and top 10 is very impressive. Congrats. Dave D. is on your team, right? I thought I saw him in the 30+, how'd he do? (he and I were on the same team last year)
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Originally Posted by DrPete
Congrats on the 30+ race, MDCatV--- That race looked like it was strung WAY out. No bunching up on the hill there... it just looked like one big line. Way to go!
In the final analysis, it would seem that the only reasonable thing to do is have a beer.
In the final analysis, it would seem that the only reasonable thing to do is have a beer.
#21
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Originally Posted by MDcatV
+1 on the beer(s).
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Originally Posted by MDcatV
He's very strong and a great asset as a team mate.
#23
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Just got done going over the bike in detail...
-Bars look bent from the side impact, i.e. looks like the drops are bent slightly inward. I'll need to unwrap them, check for a bend, etc., maybe replace them. If they're already bent it's probably safer just to replace.
-Both wheels need a little work. Small hop in the front wheel, and a little wobble in the rear. Nothing major, but will still need work.
-The frame and fork are fine. Still need to disassemble the front end and check the steerer tube.
All in all, not too bad. Could be much, much worse.
-Bars look bent from the side impact, i.e. looks like the drops are bent slightly inward. I'll need to unwrap them, check for a bend, etc., maybe replace them. If they're already bent it's probably safer just to replace.
-Both wheels need a little work. Small hop in the front wheel, and a little wobble in the rear. Nothing major, but will still need work.
-The frame and fork are fine. Still need to disassemble the front end and check the steerer tube.
All in all, not too bad. Could be much, much worse.
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"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
#24
Peloton Shelter Dog
That's fine Dr. Pete. I forbid you from crashing for the rest of the 2007 race season.
You have your instructions.
Keep the shiny side up.
You have your instructions.
Keep the shiny side up.