bostongarden

Awesome Grumpy, congrats. Loved the writeup.

bostongarden

Started my intensity workouts on Thursday, finally. Did some intensity on Friday too. Raced Wells A today. It was a small field and I was looking at this as a workout going in. Hung on for 35'. A bit of a fierce headwind down the stretch did indeed enable a good workout. I wasn't looking to ride smart and stay sheltered; I just kept moving forward. Three riders broke away and lapped the field, and the field included some pretty good riders (excluding moi, hee hee). I can't quite say that the power is coming around, but, I can say that it is improving. Viva intensity and intervals!

kleinboogie

Congrats!

VT Biker

Can you send me the information on the AFA races? I might want to try a few of them out.

climber7

had my first races this weekend at the boston beanpot (college). TTT and ITT on saturday (circuit race canceled and replaced with ITT b/c of snow in weather forecast), and tufts crit today. time trials went pretty well. the crit, on the other hand...

got off the start ok, but a little farther back than i would have liked. spent a conservative lap or two waiting for some room (and getting used to the whole crit thing), then started moving up to catch the leaders. for the next three-ish laps, i was basically riding solo. it was really strung out right from the beginning, but i passed a bunch of people and eventually saw the lead pack (except for maybe one guy off the front) of 3-4 riders. i was catching up, closing the gap, getting more comfortable taking the turns at speed, and feeling pretty good despite having no draft/other riders to help. i finally caught up just before the third turn of the course (which goes from a flat to an uphill). leaned into the turn, started to pedal out of it to stick with the guys in front of me, and...

BAM. on the ground. i actually heard/felt my pedal clip the pavement and in the split second after that, i knew exactly what was about to happen and that there was nothing i could do. isn't that the worst? anyway, everything happened so fast that i can't even review the details mentally, but the outcome was 16 stitches under my chin and a bunch of road rash/bruises. fortunately, no broken bones or other real injuries.

think i learned my lesson about pedaling too early out of turns.

also, i have a racing etiquette question. in a race, if you catch up to a few guys who are running a paceline, is it appropriate to just jump on the back and get into the rotation, or should you say something/ask first? i jumped right on the back as one guy peeled off the front, and he had just settled in behind me when i crashed, so i took him down too. i know that kind of thing happens, but i'm not sure if riding right into their paceline is accepted racing technique.

jwible

Wow, sounds like a great weekend had by all.

Congrats Grumpy! And congrats to everyone who got their feet wet this weekend.

echappist

ouch, heal up quick. Just count your blessings that you didn't break any tooth/bone or crash into a utility pole (both are very real possibilities). I hope the guy you took down didn't have to suffer too much. Which D race was this?

As for the etiquette question. It's perfectly fine to just sit on someone's wheel when you just bridged up: it's a race, and bridging up is expected. Common courtesy suggests you begin pulling after you recovered a bit, but you can sit on longer if you want. That said, if people in the break realize you aren't pulling, they may just attack and drop you.

PS. You mentioned you can't remember what happened during the crash. Did they check to see if you had a concussion?

bostongarden

Ditto for climber. Congrats on being in a race and hope all is well. Check more things than you think might be impacted.

climber7

it was men's C2, actually. i was told i could start in C rather than D, and since i was in good shape, i went for it. definitely a good choice from a fitness point of view based on how i did in the ITT yesterday and on how i was doing in the crit before i crashed - i was in about 4th, i think, and feeling good. and i think the other guys - there were 2, actually - were both fine. everyone walked away and EMTs checked us over.

i was definitely planning on pulling as soon as i got to the front. just wanted to make sure i wasn't interrupting things by riding right into an established rotation.

it's not that i can't remember. i remember the pedal strike and i remember perfectly sliding across the pavement a moment later. i just don't have a visual replay of the actual bike-falling-me-hitting-the-ground thing because it happened so fast. they don't think i got a concussion.

echappist

Opps, sorry about that.

If you race Yale next weekend, look for me amongst the Columbia kids and say hi. I should be easy to spot as i've taken douchiness to a new level by having two powertap computers on my handlebar

shovelhd

Heal up quick, climber7. Don't let this discourage you from entering more criteriums. It looks like you are a good fit for them.

shovelhd

Bethel M45+ 9th overall, 4th in the field sprint. Sunny, low 50's, and very strong, gusty wind down the backstretch. I spent the first half patrolling the front and going with anyone that wanted to try and get away, but nothing worked. Today was a day for the diesels, and I am not a diesel. I had to fight, fight, fight for every wheel today as I was getting blown around like kernel in a popcorn machine. I tried to match the jump for the break but just could not overcome the headwind. Seven got away, two got dropped. I was set up pretty well for the field sprint but got out-jumped by a great sprinter, incidentally the same guy who sucked wheels in the break last weekend. He's a pure sprinter.

P/1/2/3 in the field, probably 22nd or so. The wind was bad for the Master's race, but for this one, it cranked up another notch. There were times when we'd come around the second turn going 32mph and when we hit the headwind at the end of that stretch the pace would slow to 15mph. Just brutal. It was a bigger field so I had more places to hide. It was fun riding with CDR. I spent a lot of time towards the back where he usually hangs out. He follows wheels like he's in a magnetic field. In the final sprint I was right, he was set up left. I saw him for a moment, then he was g-o-n-e gone. It is good to see him getting his legs back.

The more I race this course, the more I respect it, and the more I like it. It is not a good course for me, and the caliber of racing there is top shelf. It's a tough place to race. A tough place to do well.

SalsaPodio

I threw a bottle on the 4th lap out of 5. After the race I went to get it and it wasn't anywhere to be found even though I threw it right at the start/finish line. Maybe I should hunt that gnome down and get my bottle back

Creakyknees

Thrown bottles are unclaimed merchandise; that's racing tradition.

Irvent

Nice job! I almost did the same, but instead put a 3 in front of my "1st place" XD Looking forward to your write up.

Irvent

UCSB Men's D Crit
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/77115286
Flat crit, and I was silly enough to try and do work instead of just finishing. Everything was great and dandy and easy (more or less) until I decided to move up for position on a lap prior to 2nd prime. Ended up moving too far, ending up in the front and foolishly pulled an entire lap, after which I was cooked. Ended up slowly going off the back. Within the next two laps I passed two others, but then got pulled from the race with only two laps to go. It was a flat and fast course, but I didn't think the pull was necessary, especially since I was gaining position and only about 20-25 seconds off the back. But oh well.

UCSB Men's D RR
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/77115338
Off the pack about half way into the climb on the first lap. At start of climb on second lap team mate Robbie and a UCLA rider were working together and caught up to me. We all worked together until slightly before the climb on the 3rd lap when I just couldn't keep with them, but placed behind them anyway.
Not DFL.
Not DQ.
Not Pulled/DNF
Not win, but still win.
31/40

I swear, one of the things I love about road races is that even if you go off the back, if you're willing to suffer, you are pretty much allowed to finish the race. While I may not be fast, I'm sure as hell willing to suffer. lol

Creatre

That's why you toss bottles you never want to see again!

palesaint

Adoption exchange omnium, Cat 5:

Saturday, road race, 11.5 mile course, 5 loops with 700+ feet climbing about > 6000 feet elevation. This is a lot to expect of cat 5s. 48 started, 30 finished. Was at the front way too much, blew it on a climb and lost lead pack. 19th. Still held 20.1mph average. I'm really on the cusp of being able to hang with the pack - just a bit more fitness, but need considerable growth in "racing smart".

Sunday, AM T.T. - 15K. Relatively flat, moderate climb at beginning and before turnaround. Was not passed and passed one rider. 26:44 (24mph), giving me 12th.

Sunday PM Crit - cancelled due to extreme wind/blowing dust. I probably inhaled a pound of the stuff while waiting for them to make the call.

Overall omnion result - 10th, which is good for me. Most noteable is that this marks the end of cat5 for me. For those (hah!) keeping track, I've spent three years as 5. Four starts in 2009,three starts in 2010, three in 2011. I prefer road biking, but excel and spend more time at mountain bike races.

zitter

Short version: Took a prime in the crit and took 1st place in the road race

Saturday, UCSB Crit mens D: Came into the race with the plan of sitting in and going for a sprint win, but my plans changed a lot. Right off the bat, a teammate of mine goes off the front and holds a gap for about 3 laps. He's reeled back in and everything settles back down. After one more lap, I see another teammate of mine coming up fast on the left side so I jump on with him to help him break. I pass him and tell him to jump on my wheel as we take the first turn, but he yells at me to keep going and he'll help block the pack. Not my ideal situation to hold a solo break so early in the race, but what the hell, I'll give it a try. As the gap widens and I lose sight of the pack, I can tell my buddies are doing a good job of blocking for me. I settle down and start doing my time trial thing and cruise at about 25 mph. I hold the gap for about 7 laps, taking the first prime with the pack still out of sight. Just before the second prime, I can see the pack speeding up and closing the gap, and just after the last turn, some guys sprint past me. I was way too burned out from my solo break to contest for the prime. I hop back in the pack after doing my share of work and try to recover. With about 8 laps to go after hopping back in, I relax and suck some wheel. With one lap to go, I make a break for it and attack on the first corner of the last lap and succeed in stringing out the pack a bit more. I realized then, that I had made a move way too early and wouldn't be ready for a sprint. I tried to pull off and grab a wheel, but there was no way that they were getting off my wheel. I make some sharp swerves on the front to try and shake them, but they stuck like glue. Finally, a UCLA rider comes up on my right and I knew that it was already over for me. I slow down and force my way into a spot, but I was already too tired. We come around the last corner and I give it all I got left, but I just didn't have enough left in me for a proper sprint and I take 12th with a teammate taking 3rd.

Sunday, UCSB Road Race mens D: I came into the race with hopes of just being able to stay with the front pack, I didn't even have any real notion that I was going to win. Our race began 5 minutes after the C's, and it starts off pretty damn fast. My teammate who had gotten 3rd the previous day was saying how he was going to push the pace the first lap to string out the pack and separate it up into the strong and weak. He himself, had absolutely no intention of placing, as he's a bigger guy and much more suited for crits. He succeeds in his plan, working with a UCLA rider.

The whole race was three 11 mile laps, mostly flat with one more significant climb and some rollers after it. I stay in the front pack the whole time with some strong guys I had recognized from the day before, and play it smart. I absolutely loved the course, the climb wasn't too long or steep to wear me down much, but it was enough to drop the weaker guys, making a much smaller pack. I usually am pretty antsy and like to attack/break, so I had to hold myself back and bide my time. The first lap goes without consequence except for dropping half the pack on the climb and pushing the pace.

The second lap begins with a group of about 20 guys or so still in the front pack. As we come around the first turn to a sharp descent with a very steep kicker, I attack on the climb and succeed in breaking, although I would have liked my teammate with me, but he couldn't keep up. I didn't really expect the break to stick as I was going rather slow after the kicker, but it seems everyone else was more tired than I was. I start time trialing again to widen the gap, and succeed. I fly down a technical descent to widen it even more. As I get to the flat, I do the Fabian invisible aero bars, and just pump it out. I pass some C riders who had been dropped, including a teammate. I hold the break for about 2-3 miles, but I knew I couldn't hold it much longer and the lead group eventually gets me. As they approached, I sat up and held my arms out in defeat and waited for them to pass me so I could slot in and recover. Several guys actually tried to slot in behind me, I yelled out, "Are you serious?" and they backed the **** off me. I forced my way into the pack which had strung out single file and took about 5th wheel. Two of my teammates had managed to stick in the front group and we diligently worked together with some Irvine and UCLA guys. It stayed pretty calm for the rest of the second lap and I came through the start/finish still at about 3rd wheel as we started the final lap. The two teammates who had stuck on and I conversed about who to mark, and it was definitely the UCLA guy who had gotten 2nd place the day before in the crit, and another strong Irvine rider.

The pace picked up a little in the third lap, but nothing of consequence happened until the final 3-4 miles, unless you count Santa Barbara guys not wanting to work and take proper pulls. As we approached the only significant climb, we expected a break from either UCLA or Irvine. Surprisingly, one didn't happen, although it almost did (I saw one guy start to speed up, but then slow dejectedly.) Once we were over the climb, the rollers started. I was feeling great at this point. I was still marking UCLA and Irvine who were still staying near the front. I did my pulls, but quickly slotted in just a couple wheels back to make sure I could see everything so I could react if someone tried to attack. It turned out to be a smart decision. About 2 miles from the finish, UCLA and Irvine, along with a Cal and possibly a Santa Cruz, make a sudden attack. I quickly join them with one of my teammates who was still left in the front pack (the other had cramped on the climb and was dropped.) The pace grew fast and furious, averaging in the high 20's, low 30's.

I was still marking UCLA and Irvine, and as the final descent and climb to the finish came up, I recognized the pavement change and knew that now was the time. UCLA went first, revving up to high 30's. I immediately chase him and we wind up dropping Irvine and Cal. As we sprint it out for the finish, I was just behind him on the right and I saw him shifting over to try and block me. I quickly pick up my speed and get on his left. At this point, I was rather tired, and I could tell he was too. It was an uphill finish and our speed was brutal. I did a sitdown sprint, not feeling able to stand up. I pound my 50-11 and going ~40mph on the uphill finish, using the descent from the roller as my leadout. As I move over to his left, I accelerate and pass him less than 50-60 meters from the line. At this point, I'm giving it all I got. As I approach the final meters, I can't even see him anymore and I throw my bike over the line victoriously. He comes up a second later and we both celebrate. It was a great race and a great finish. We had become friends during the race and we both deserved a win, although I managed to outsprint him in the end. We both thought that the Irvine guy had come in third, we both agreed that he deserved it, but it turned out that he wasn't able to keep up and the Cal rider got 3rd and Irvine got 6th I think. Either way, I'm upgrading to C's now and and pumped to do more racing.

edited for people unable to follow lines

badhat

Sommando

Stream of consciousness not your thing?

Managed to break my collarbone 200meters from the finish in a crash that took 3 of our 4 riders (UCSD) out of the UCSB men's C race. Leadout trains, kind of like the Three Musketeers. =(

shovelhd

Broken collarbones suck. Heal up quick.

fordfasterr

Saturday: Brian Piccolo Park Velodrome, "The fastest mile 2011". Overall Result, 2nd place with a time of 2:03

Sunday: Rosewood Crit Series 1, Race # 2 @ Brian Piccolo Parks Crit Course, Cat 4/5. Field of 56 riders. (Each lap is 1/2 a mile with 7 turns).

An early attack gets away with 3 riders, nobody chases and they get a 20+ second advantage. About 20 minutes in I shoot go for the chase and 3 guys join me but nobody worked hard so I let off. Then with 2 laps to go I'm near the front and a single rider attacks, nobody responds so I take that as a sign that nobody wants to work so I attack. I catch the rider that went before me on the straight away and they ring the bell for the final lap. I huffed it alone for the final lap for a solid 4th place result. Yay !

kj5423

nice job man. impressive time trial

i have a question about time trials though. i did my first road race last week, and held on fine and finished near the front (4th), but looking at time trials i am very worried. 24 MPH for 15k? I am certain i cannot do that. and looking at local results here there are times like that in the cat 5s too. so should i even try? I dont understand why i if I didnt have any trouble in the road race that i would probably lose by like 5 minutes in a time trial. no way i could do 24 for 15k. does the bike matter at all? my bike is 24 pounds and has 25mm gatorskin tires and stock wheelset that came with the $700 brand new bike. cant make that much different though, right?

veloboy971

I had a great weekend at the Chain of Lakes Classic this weekend in Winter Haven, FL. Got my first pro 1/2 win at road race. A group of about 15 of us rolled a break within the first 2 miles of the road race. Pace was 28-30 for whole first and part of the second lap until we had about 2 minutes of the field. We then kept working well together until the beginning of the 5th and last lap (12 mile laps) when a few attacks started happenening. Unfortunately when this happened, everybody ceased to work and seemed content to sit around and get caught. A couple of us were able to convince everyone to start working again and we were able to keep a solid rotation until about 7 miles to go when some strong attacks started up again by FL Velo (which had 4 riders in the break) and P/C Miller. I put in a few attacks myself, all getting chased down like mad and I was beginning to think I was going to have to try to outsprint these guys (which would have had a sad ending). Finally around 3 miles to the line we hit a long straight section with a big head wind. I was sitting about 6 riders back (strung out due an FL Velo rider's attack and subsequent chase/catch). I attacked up the inside, quickily moved to the center of the road hammered it for 15-20 seconds. I looked back 100% expecting to see the whole break breathing down my back, but to my surprise I had opened at a 150-200 meter gap and they were just sitting there looking at each other. I kept on it and it wasn't until about 2k to go that they were really chasing hard (unfortunately the last 2k was super long as it was uphill and almost directly into the wind). In the end I was able to hold them off! So excited

About 2 hours after the finish off the RR, we had a 7 mile out and back TT. I was going in expecting a mediocre ride as I'd been in a break for basically 65 miles. Did a quick 10 minute warmup on the TT bike and seemed to be moving pretty fast. I was not happy about being the first p1/2 starter as even though I had a bunch of 3's to chase, I like chasing peeps from my own cat. TT started out downhill about 34-35 mph for the first 2k, where it slowed down a bit but was still super fast due to a tailwind. Hit some rollers just before the turn around where I passed my minute man (30 second man was a bit faster than him apparently). Had a slightly bad turn around, but made sure to quickly get back up to speed. Before long passed my 30 second man on the section where I'd gotten away earlier in the day and then passed my 1:30 man on the hill within 2k to go. Ended up surprising myself with 3rd in the TT, which made me 1st in the omnium going into the crit.

Luckily for the crit, a bunch of teammates showed up and one our strong sprinters rolled with the break that wen within the first 3 laps of the crit. The 4 of them lapped the field by 3/4 of the way through, meanwhile 5 of my teammates worked strong to keep the field together and most importantly keep me in good position. Ended up finishing 12th and ending the weekend with my first omnium win as well!