Northern California - Patterson Pass

Well I guess I didn't get enough azz wooping last year, so I am doing it again this year. The plan is to hang on for as long as I can and then just have a good training ride. I am not under any illusion that I will be able to hang on with top riders. Hopefully this will be a good training for University RR. So who else is doing it?

UD

Which cat? I'll be in the M35+ 4/5s.

Cat4.

I'm looking forward to this, sort of: http://www.steephill.tv/galleries/2005/patterson/pictures/the%20steps%20up%20to%20patt%23150a6.html

Good news is that it isnt windy......Bad news is that its going to be hot.
Good luck everyone. I am not riding this year.

It wound up being windy- in the opposite direction. How wierd.

I made it up Patterson with the lead group (about 20, so they wern't going all out) but got shelled on Flynn. I worked with a few guys for the rest of the lap but at the start of the second lap I was regretting forgetting my gel flask, and starting to bonk. Then I spotted an gel packet that someone had dropped. I had to go back to get it but at least I had calories. Unfortunately something in it disagreed with me, so I got stomach cramps. I lost a few more places battling the headwind on the remainder of the second lap... just felt too bad to grab wheels when they went by.

It's a good thing I didn't have any expectations for this race.

Well this race just re-confirmed what I discovered in June. I lost tons of power since last season. :( Near the top of the first climb I just couldn't hang on, so I just backed off and settled in to a comfortable pace. After that it was just a game of rabbit: see a rider pick up a pace a bit, pass, keep pedaling. The interesting thing was that at the end I still felt strong as last year I was turning squares. At the finish line the official said I was 20th, but that couldn't be right. Will see what the official results will say.

UD

My BFF and teammate took 1st in W4. I can hardly wait to read her ride report.

Sorry you didn't do as well. Better luck next time.

The race suited me, but I didn't really feel like racing into a heat stroke. I'll be there at University though, racing the ferocious fours.

The race was haaard! The heat is what go me. I was consuming plenty of calories, but not enough water. I was very dehydrated at the end of the 2nd lap, legs beginning to cramp :( ... I knew I should have taken one more bottle at the feed-station, but that probably wouldn't have been enough. I accomplished my goals for the race though... very tough, but fun. I hated it and loved it at the same time :D

Interesting race this year with the heat and the wind coming from the opposite direction.

About 5 min before the start 1 of my Al bottle cages snapped, so I was only able to carry 1 bottle on the bike and 1 in my center jersey pocket. They ran out of neutral water on our 3rd lap, but I got a bottle and shared it with a teammate, but it wasn't enough. It was pretty hot/miserable for the last 10 miles, but we were all suffering.

It came down to 7 of us in the final miles. I tried to lead out my teammate since I can sprint. He finished 3rd, I was 5th (t-shirt! :thumb:).

It wound up being windy- in the opposite direction. How wierd.



Actually, not all that weird. I was born and raised in Livermore, and I can report that it is not uncommon in the summer and early fall to get "downslope" winds (i.e. coming from the Great Basin and down the Sierra from the NE. The air heats by compression. That helps make it nasty hot. And dry. And reeeeaaaaally uncomfortable. But y'all knew that.

[/meteorology lesson]

Interesting race this year with the heat and the wind coming from the opposite direction.

About 5 min before the start 1 of my Al bottle cages snapped, so I was only able to carry 1 bottle on the bike and 1 in my center jersey pocket. They ran out of neutral water on our 3rd lap, but I got a bottle and shared it with a teammate, but it wasn't enough. It was pretty hot/miserable for the last 10 miles, but we were all suffering.

It came down to 7 of us in the final miles. I tried to lead out my teammate since I can sprint. He finished 3rd, I was 5th (t-shirt! :thumb:).

I'm not sure how feed stations are always supposed to work... but that's messed up that they ran out of water! I feel like as a racer, that's something you should be able to safely depend on :rolleyes:

Congrats on your finish!

Thanks!

I actually got flamed in another forum for pouring water on my head each lap when it was running low (I didn't know they were running low until they ran out).

Maybe as penance I can wash 20 bottles, fill them up and bring them to the next velo promo race for neutral water.

Wanna talk about bad luck...I flatted about 30 seconds into the race (cat 4's). Ended up about 5 minutes behind due to the flat.

UD, or anyone, what was your approximate lap times? I chased the 4's solo and did 1:08 for the first lap, then I pulled out because I didn't feel like I was making up any ground.

My average was 1h 16m per lap, but after I got dropped I was just riding high tempo.

UD

Our group (35+ 1/2/3) was 1:03, 2:06, 3:10.

I didn't flat in the race, but got flats in both tires on the way back to the car. (front tire had at least 3 thorns in it)