sarals 

I was almost going to do it, but I was a bit wasted from hammering along for 20 plus miles in 104 degree heat over in Clear Lake. I felt good doing it, but I didn't the next day. I'm not used to that kind of heat!

Anyway, sorry to hijack your post, Caluso...it sounds like you handled the heat in Davis very well! Great job!!

sarals 

+1!!!

sarals 

He probably does both!!

Allegheny Jet

Thanks for all the props and support. We are at our cabin this weekend. Here is the Fast Friday group recovery ride with my wife setting tempo.

sarals 

I see she's getting ready to launch an attack.

Wow, is that ever green, AJ! What a pretty place.

sarals 

Valygrl, nice race, nice work! I wish I had eyes in the back of my head, too (note to you fellas - we do, but it's selective). Sounds like the pace was really high, because I know you're fast, girl.

Ex, Vance - wanted to get up to Hellyer to ring my cowbell for you guys, but I had the event times all screwed up. I'm sorry I didn't make it. Congrats for the great results, though - even though I'd rather have been there to tell you that in person.

Allegheny Jet

She did launch an attack but the field reeled her in before the next mile post. The paved rail trail follows the Alleghney River for 40+ miles. When it's summer in our area there are a million shades of green on the hillsides that I enjoy every day.

sarals 

I know you do! I'm enjoying looking at that photo - it's just so lush and beautiful.

shovelhd

New Britain Criterium M55+, high 80's, humid, no wind. 4th. I was pouring sweat after a minute on the trainer so I did an easier warmup. I had pre-hydrated all day yesterday expecting weather like this. The race started off slow but after a few laps the attacks started. I am marked so I was planning on following. I was OTF for two breaks that got caught after a few laps. Then a guy countered that I knew could stay away, he had one other with him. Nobody wanted to chase, so I took off and laid down a 3 lap solo chase and caught them. Unfortunately the "other guy" didn't want to work anymore. We tried to shake him but just couldn't do it. The pack finally caught us with 7 to go. While I was recovering, the strong guy took off solo and would eventually win. I tried several attacks with others to try and reel him in but guys just did not want to work, even some of the strong guys I had marked. Coming into the sprint I was 3rd wheel, but the M65+ guys (on the same course simultaneously) were riding right in the sprint lane. There was room for two on the right, the short side, but not three, and I was not going to tempt my fate after the last crash. So I went around on the left, the long way. I got beat by half a wheel for 2nd and pipped at the line for 3rd. Hey, I got paid.

A few minutes later I raced with Gary in the M45+. A guy took off at the gun, but I was in the back resting for a bit. He would win by a huge margin. I know him, he's a threat to do this at any time, but I was in no position to do anything about it that early. So once I had a little strength back, I worked with another teammate to try and bring the break back, taking half lap hard pulls then resting. We got close a few times, but nobody else wanted to do anything despite the fact that there were many teams in the race and the guy OTF had basically nobody. Weird. I didn't get out of the saddle to sprint and ended up 18th.

After everything was over I ended up chatting with a couple of NYC racers who knew me but I did not know them. Turns out one of them was one of the first guys to come over to me when I crashed in NYC. He knew the guy who went down with me, a Polish national champion or something like that. He's not racing now, because he crashed a few weeks later, pretty much the exact same way. Got swarmed, freaked, and lost control. Maybe someday this season I will get a break.

sarals 

Wow, Shovel. That was a day of hard work. Terrific on the podium! You make it sound easy, even though I clearly know better. That was nice of those fellas to connect with you, too. Quite a day. Congrats!!

shovelhd

Not quite the podium, it was 3rd in the sprint. Thanks for your encouragement. I wouldn't have handled the sprint any differently but I should have never been in it in the first place. I still don't trust myself 100%. I don't know why. I need to get back to the point where I know I can do anything I want out there. I should have attacked that guy harder. I should have gone with the winner. I thought about another chase with three to go but chickened out. This is a mental game, which I think takes the longest to restore after a traumatic event.

Cleave

@shovelhd, I raced in New Britain ages ago (obviously). It's interesting that your internal conversations are similar to mine. When I have more confidence I do better even though my physical condition may be the same or worse than when I lack confidence (which is more often the case).

valygrl

Duplicate post from the 33:

State Senior Crit Champs, SW4, 2nd/22

Nice course, wide with good pavement, L-shaped, flat. Pretty uneventful, there were a few early attacks that didn't stick (one of them was me), then 2 gals who were the top 2 threats got away together. Luckily rather than working together, one of them pulled the whole time, so my team mate and I and a few others were able to reel them back in, in a few laps. Then the bunch stayed together the rest of the race, I fought for position starting at about 4 to go, was about 5th wheel going thru the last turn (wanted to be closer to the front), we sprinted, I passed someone right before the line to get 2nd by about half a wheel.

shovelhd

Grt stuf, valygrl.

VanceMac

Don't you love it when that happens? Excellent job.

revchuck 

valygrl - Ya done good, lady!

LAJ

Very well done, valygrl.

valygrl

Thanks LAJ. I beat your teamie. She's going to have to cat up now, I think.

How's your recovery coming along?

Racer Ex 

Facebook like

LAJ

You did valygrl, which is darn good. As you likely know, she is a speedy one, and when you can finish ahead of her, you should pat yourself on the back.

Recovery is going well, valygrl. Plate is in, and that made all the difference in the world. Thanks for asking. I will say that being on the trainer in the middle of summer is just not right, but it is what it is.

Cleave

@valygrl, excellent!

We need a photo of your silver medal too. Better if the photo is of you wearing it and smiling. (No torturing family pets by making them wear your medal. )

Allegheny Jet

Way to go valygrl! Podiums are always a good thing.

Creakyknees

2 crit reports here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post15854763

sarals 

Valygrl, fabulous job and a terrific result! I'm thrilled for you, you deserved that one!!!

Cleave

@Creakyknees, pretty cool reports with good results.

Finally some time to write about last Sunday's 3-race morning.

Masters 55+/60+
Smallest field of the year. I counted 19 total racers though the official results show 18. Ten of those were 55+. First lap, on the small rise between turns 3 and 4, one of the Cat 1 55+ guys attacks. I was on his wheel so I went with him. It hurt. 3/4 of a lap later we got caught. Started to recover and another attack went and I tried to join. Caught again.

A bit of time to recover and then "the move" went. I waited too long to jump. Got with 10 meters and died. I was so far ahead of the field it took them a lap to catch me. My sprinter teammate thought I was gone because I was out of sight. <sigh> five guys were up the road.

Spent the rest of the race trying to make something else stick to no avail. One of the 5 died and came back to the field. The other 4 split into 2 groups of 2. The leaders lapped us. Then the next 2 guys lapped us during our bell lap. My teammate won the field sprint for 4th in 55+. I rolled in for 8th out of 10. Glad that I was aggressive and did not completely blow up. Sad that I missed the winning break.

Masters 50+
Ex's team was noticeably absent but so were some other teams. Relatively small field (41 starters). Was tired from the 55+ race and this race started with a few 28 MPH laps. Managed to get to the front a couple of times and did the requisite work but the pack wasn't letting anyone go away. Rolled in for 31st out of 36 finishers (41 starters).

Masters 45+
I hesitated a bit about doing this race because all of the morning low clouds were gone and it was getting hot. Decided to HTFU. Was tail gunning at times and despite my efforts to move up a bit, I kept finding myself at the back. Right after 5 to go lap cards my legs were starting to feel heavy. At one to go I was behind this guy who kept sitting 1-2 bike lengths off of the guy in front of him. Between turns 1 and 2 the pack accelerated and he had to make a big jump to stay with them. I had no such big jump left in me. 43rd out of 46 finishers and 54 starters.

It's been since January that I've done the triple. Glad I did for the training effect and the fitness check. Ended up with 54 miles of 4-corner criterium racing.