@Cleave, thanks! Yes, Coach had plenty to say after the races were over :innocent: Actually, he had great points, as do you. I hope another year under my belt won't slow me down too much for next season. I want to race more of the track mass starts, just for the fun, and I'm already slow enough!

Get some points Cleave!

:thumb: :)

Delayed race report, been busy driving to and from SoCal to get in some team pursuit practice.

TNW- Franktown TT.

Worst TT I've done in years. HR refused to come up, power was feeble, and had breathing troubles. Didn't get an opener in before this one which was part of the problem. Oh, and it rained on me. 8th place of 39, DFL in the "A" group.

ThNW- Starbucks Criterium

Teammate showed up for this, exclaiming that we needed to work over the wonder kid who has been winning all the races here as of late. Teammate attacks from the gun, stays out for 5 laps, I sit on the kid and watch everyone chase. Teammate gets caught and I attack two laps later.

40 minutes or so later I cross the line a minute in front of the group.

I am the cycling equivalent of a Charles Dickens tome.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

And then you had to deal with the 405 during rush hour.

Reminds me of something a client said to me once: "Thanks for helping me out with my dog. I owe you big time. You write down my cell number and put it in your pocket. Anytime you need a favor, just call me. I'll even pick you up at LAX during rush hour."

Nice racing @Racer Ex. :)

"Hard Times" or "The Old Curiosity Shop?" :foo:

-Bandera

@Racer Ex - What a difference two days make. :)

@Racer Ex Congrats on the race.

A Christmas Carol

“You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling. "Tell me why?"
"I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”

:thumb:

@Racer Ex: I frequently follow up a bad race with a victory -- NOT!

Beating kids is always good. ;) These days, for me, 40 year-olds are kids.

World-Famous El Dorado Park Race Series, Tuesday, Aug 8, 2017
 

OK, this race series is at least famous in the US:

Save
Save
Save

Alright, @Cleave! Way to be smarter than the other team! :)

That was an epic report, @Cleave! Really fun to read!!! Congrats on a GREAT race!

Two corrections: Eldo IS world famous, and you're definitely better looking.

:)

Fredericksburg TT, mixed age/gender C group, 2nd of 12
 

When I decided to come up to Reno/Tahoe for vacation, @Racer Ex sent me dates for some local races that would take place while I'm here, one of which was last evening's Fredricksburg TT. My first reaction was: ugh a TT at 5000 ft altitude, ugh, I'm on vacation. Plus the logistical aspects of carrying three bikes with us... but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea: an opportunity to race at altitude in a non-important (to me) race and learn how to adjust. So I decided to do it, had to extend my vacation by two days to make it happen.

Then yesterday morning, @Racer Ex suggests we go out for a wee mtn bike ride. Um, ok, you remember we're racing at 6:15pm tonight, right? It's a short TT though, only 8.7 miles, so we do the mountain bike ride. Beautiful open sagebrush countryside, then pine forest and rushing water. And lots and lots of rocks. It was a challenging ride for me, lots of walking around stuff, and we climbed 1000 ft in the first 3.5 miles. Worth it though.

Later that day, we loaded up and headed about an hour south of Reno to the TT venue, which is in cattle country at the base of a sheer wall of mountains rising 10000 ft almost straight up. Beautiful! But also, we we racing on the valley floor just to the east of those mountain in wind forecast to be WSW at 12 mph, in hot temps (upper 80s) forecast to start dropping at race time- what would be the impact of all that on the wind come race time? Answer: it was gnarly, blowing perhaps 15 mph at start time as a cross/head wind and 20 mph as a cross/tail wind on the return. Gnarly.

https://i.imgur.com/855giG0.jpg

Before I talk about the race, though, I'd like to tip my hat to the club, Alta Alpina, who organizes it. They put on a 20-race road race series in the summer, this TT was one in that series. They do crits and road races too. Plus mountain bike racing, a big epic Century/double century, and lots of club rides. Very impressed. About 30 racers showed up for a midweek TT, that was cool.

They run their races as mixed age/gender groups based on ability and start their season with a seeding TT. I wasn't sure which group to race with at first, but looking at results, the women just race in the C group with the exception of one 35 year old phenom.

So Cs it was for me.

Showed up with plenty of time but the organizer had car trouble and was a little late. I started my trainer warmup before even registering, but they let Mr H pick up my timing chip for me. The race got off a little late so I maybe wasn't at the line as warmed-up as I would have liked, but it was fine. Got a chance to chat with a couple of club members starting near me, people made a point of saying Hi and introducing themselves to the new person. Nice.

Got off ok, missed my clip in but didnt flounder too much. The first 2 miles of the 8.7 mile course are up a 2-3% grade, last evening into a decent headwind. I had a plan to throttle back by 10%, expecting to be puny at altitude. I did feel puny but less than I expected and 5% below threshold was feeling pretty sustainable.

My 1 min woman was working it up the climb, standing quite a bit and rocking the bike from side to side. I passed her in aero going uphill, which got her competitive juices going I guess so she passed me back. Whatever, she was so non-aero, I figured I'd for sure pass her back when we got the to flat, so I just kept on according to plan. Then roared past her on the flat section, lol. After the race she told me she wished the hill was longer, she's a climber and would have beat me for sure. Haha, the task though is to race appropriately on the course you are racing, right? It's a flat course, get yourself out of the wind and stop wishing it was a hill. ;)

Wind was making it harder on the way out but not really impacting bike handling so it was just one element to the course really. Had a slow turn, though, because I was confused- they said there would be a cone at the turn but I guess they didn't have time with the late start to put it out? I kind of coasted a second or two to the end of the road (probably went long) and then completed my confused turn.

Coming back, the wind was building. It was mostly a cross wind but enough of a tailwind that we were going FAST! At one point, I hit 41mph. In the final 2.5 miles perhaps, I was getting hit by Really Big Crosswinds, a bit of trouble controlled the bike. Finally I said Screw this, I'm on vacation and a crash would ruin my trip. So I decided to sit up to cover the brakes. Right then @Racer Ex passed me, geez if I'd known he was closing on me I would have waited until he passed!

That last third of the return leg, my power was erratic and well below target, I was sitting up racing on the base bar trying to stay upright. Later at dinner, Mr. H asked me how much time that cost me- I told him 20-30 seconds at least. So of course you know that I was 20 seconds out of first place!

But overall I'm happy with it. I wound up riding 5% below threshold instead of 10%, got valuable experience/data points for heat, wind and altitude combined. Nice group of people to race with. Wound up beating 8 men and two women in my group and had the 2nd fastest women's time of the day, beat only by the 35 yo phenom. Mission accomplished.

I'll let @Racer Ex tell you about his race. :)

Great report, @Heathpack!

Indeed it was!!!

Event: 2017 NCNCA Masters District Criterium Championship, MW 50+
Athlete: Sara
Teammates: Norma and Yvonne
Group: Master Women 65+
Venue: Pleasanton, CA
Weather: Warm, 85 degrees at race time, smokey, with no wind
First Place, MW 65+

This was the 2017 edition of the NCNCA Masters District Championship Criterium. The field was age groups 50 and up, combined categories, with age groups raced together and scored separately.

The first time I contested this championship race was in 2013 when it was held in Menlo Park. I met Norma and Yvonne for the first time there, and I also met Narda, Phyllis, and many of the other masters women legends with whom I would race (save for Phyllis) for the next five seasons. I "won" the race in 2015, by virtue of being the only rider in the 60+ group. That victory has always been a bit hollow to me. Sure, you have to show up to win, but really, all I needed to do in that race was finish and I had a Bear Jersey. I did win a prime, the first and only time I've ever done so, because I felt I needed to do something to legitimize the race in my mind.

Because of my move to the track this season, I've only raced two crits prior to this one. One was our team's own Burlingame race. I didn't avail myself very well in that outing, getting unceremoniously dropped and lapped. The next crit I raced was the Tour de Nez, which did not suit my strengths at all with it's sharp little hill in the middle of the course. I was dropped in that one, too. However, I have ridden in several mass start events on the track, and they have served me well by sharpening my bike skills, bringing a lot of intensity, making me conserve energy, getting recovery, sprinting, and most of all, reading the race.

I'd need those lessons in yesterdays race.

Looking at the prereg list was a veritable "who's who" of masters women racers in the NCNCA. Former National Champs, District Champs, cross spectrum racers, experienced racers, strong racers. There were large representations from several of the powerhouse teams in the District. I needed to be on my game. Focused, smart, patient, and ready to suffer.

In my age group were Narda and Norma. I knew them both, Norma much better than Narda, of course. Before the race, Norma warned me to watch Narda, because she was known to be cagey and could try to get away. Of course, Norma is a big enduro engine, strong and steady, and she reads a race as well as anyone. It is hard to say so, but I needed to watch her, too. She's a teammate, for certain, but this was an age graded race, for individual marbles, and it wasn't personal - it was business. I was going to work hard to win my age group.

I arrived early and got things ready. This year the course was reversed from previous editions of the race. The turns were to the left, rather than right. Before I started my warmup, I took a lap around the course to have a look at things. I wanted specifically to see how long the sprint from the final turn to the finish would be. After that, I put the bike on the trainer and got ready. I intended to warmup on the trainer, because I get carried away on a road warmup, and I needed to be careful with my energy reserves. Yvonne said she felt it was too hot to do a trainer warmup, but I decided to try it anyway. Twenty minutes into it, and I stopped and took the bike off the trainer, because Yvonne was right - it was too hot. I finished the warmup in a nearby parking lot, doing a track style "ramped warmup", with one bigger effort in there to open things up.

Twenty two riders, some Cat 2's, many Cat 3's, and some experienced 4's lined up to take the whistle for the race. I was in the second row, right behind Yvonne, with Norma lined up to my left. Narda was to my right. I watched one of our great photographers getting his "staging" photos while I mused about the race. I was listening to the chief ref give her race brief, but I honestly only remember her saying "lap cards will come out at nine to go" and "there will be four primes".

The whistle blew, and off we went. I don't recall it being gang busters, but it was certainly spirited. I managed not to flub my clip in (I usually do), and I took up a position at the rear of the field. I am not one to charge to the front, that to me is a waste of energy, because if there is a big surge on the first or second lap to "shake off the chaff", then I become some of that chaff because I'm close to my limit and can't stay on. I also want to see the race in those first few laps, to get a feel for what the other riders are doing.

The first prime came early, I believe it was around the fourth lap, and the pace came right up at the bell. We were strung out single file after the first turn. It didn't relent, either. At some point, I saw C on the right side of the field as she positioned herself for an attack, and then off she went. There was a call "right side!", and the pace went even higher. I countered to stay covered, fought to stay on wheels. It became apparent early that this was not only a fast group, but a very skilled group. Lines were steady through the corners, often going through four abreast. There was no surging, no excessive braking, just solid bike handling. I wouldn't say I was comfortable, because I was working VERY hard, but I didn't think twice about sticking my nose into slots where ever I could find them. I did get gapped at the finish line on one lap, fairly early on, and I was close to my limit when it happened, but I shut it down quickly, and afterwards moved even further up into the field. I was above all determined not to feel any wind, and to stay on steady wheels - which was relatively easy, because they were ALL steady! Some would think that athletes above 50 years old would not be particularly fast or have the endurance to maintain a high pace, one north of 24 MPH. They'd be wrong. That peloton stayed together because it WAS strong, and any attempts to get away were shut down and pulled back very quickly. And there were many attempts!

I saw Norma a few times in the pack, and I watched Yvonne go to the front for part of a lap. Two of the stronger 50-54 women spent most of the time at the front, while the rest of pack circulated back and forth, and occasionally would split left and right.

I noticed the lap cards with four to go. There was a prime around then, too, and I burrowed further in to the pack at the sound of that bell. Things didn't stretch out too badly for that prime, I think everyone was of a mind to let CDL win it and conserve energy for the finish.

The one to go bell rang, and things started to pick up. I was hyper aware then, and had made a mental note to "breathe up", store some O2. I was looking left and right to watch for a move, my idea was to go for a wheel for a leadout. As we came through the sweeper just prior to the old start finish line, I saw several riders on my left swing over to the curb and start to make a move. I checked left and went, grabbing one of the wheels. After that, things were pretty much a blur. I started my ramp up before the last turn, and we hit that turn at a really high speed. I was aware that I was spinning up, aware that the peloton had split left and right. I couldn't see who was ahead of me, except for Yvonne. I reeled her in, pulling up on her right, but I didn't see either Narda or Norma, so I eased up. Then we hit the line. Where was I? Mid pack somewhere. It didn't matter. I had won my age group. I had done what I needed to do.

And ALL THREE of we P/V women in that race had made the podium!

I can not say enough good about the skills of that peloton. The experience, the strength, and the determination really shone though. I loved racing with those women. It was a remarkable experience.

And of course, in that stellar group were my two amazing teammates. Yvonne and Norma. I am truly, truly honored to race with these two legends.

Thanks for reading.


~~Sara

Congrats, @sarals! Vindication!

It feels GOOD!!

Thank you, Chuck!!!!!

Congrats Sara!

@Hermes, thank you!!

Bleak House :p

--------------------------------
@sarals and @Heathpack, well done with the recent results

Sept 2017 Piru 20K ITT, W 3/4/5, 1st of 2, slow time in heat and wind
 

Had a little bit of a disjointed week, just being back from vacation. And I think I screwed up both of my TT workouts earlier in the week by doing the incorrect workout. Spacey with a lot of stuff going on. But I was looking forward to racing today, to see where I was...


Ugh.


It was hot and (for LA) humid, with gnarly winds- upper 80s, 50% humidity, around 9mph tailwind on the outbound downhill leg and 13 mph headwind on the return uphill leg. Usually I'm semi-ok with a climbing headwind, because at least it cools you off when you'd otherwise be really hot. But not this headwind, it was like a blast furnace. All I wanted to do on the return leg was sit up and feel some of that breeze, cool myself off. Didn't do it, but boy I was miserable with how much I wanted to...


Also, when I went to put my skinsuit on today, I noticed the fabric was almost worn through on the shoulders. No worries, I already have its replacement. Except the new one is unaltered. I added thumb loops and had a seamstress friend way take in the seams on the forearms. So the old skin suit's cuff actually sat on my hand just below the knuckles (rather than on my wrist) and it stayed there during the race. Not this one. Slipped down around my wrist shortly after the race start and to my horror I look down to see a wad of wrinkled fabric at each wrist. Right out there in the wind. Oy.


Then I catch a glimpse of my shadow and I see the corner of my race number is flapping in the wind. OMG.


I get blown to the double yellow line by a crosswind and have to sit up to regain control of the bike. I even coasted for a few seconds. OMG OMG OMG.


Then my hands, which envelop my Garmin for aero purposes and are usually covered by my skinsuit sleeves, are NAKED. Naked hands + Garmin touch screen = a dozen instances of my Garmin page suddenly changing and me needing to peck at it to get it back where it was supposed to be... Shoot me now.


So. I did not go that well. 1:40 off my most recent time (which was a PB)- albeit in slow conditions. Maybe 10 watts off my power from a month ago.


It was a bit of a cluster.


But I did beat the only other woman in my race by 2 min, she's a 33 yr old from a good racing club. She was on a road bike, though, so I was 1.5 mph faster than her, which is about the difference you'd expect between a road and TT bike. However, I was spotting her almost 20 years of physiology, so that's something.


Then when I got home, the puppy wanted to see the medal. No respect, she tried to eat it. :lol::love::lol:

https://i.imgur.com/yz7zgq6.jpg