The Race Report Thread 2009-2012
05-19-12, 02:17 PM
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05-20-12, 01:17 AM
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Enumclaw SR Crit, Cat 3 - my last crit in the ultimate cat - won it.
Attacked with four corners to go (out of 8 or so), held it.
Attacked with four corners to go (out of 8 or so), held it.
05-20-12, 10:20 AM
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...or recognized you and grabbed your wheel
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"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
05-20-12, 12:59 PM
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Wells A, 40 laps (about 33.5 miles), Good-sized, strong field (with no other races going on this weekend, lots of fine racers showed up, like Adam Myerson, some folks from MetLife, many riders from GreenLine Velo, etc.), 12th place. My srm was a bit wonky, but, I estimate that we averaged about 27.6mph.
Going in to the race, I decided that I was going to fully employ what I perceived to be the (often enough) cdr strategy: stay sheltered and do as little work as possible until the end game (if that is inaccurate, my apologies). I wanted to see what it would be like. I knew going in that it might mean missing a break; but, I also figured that the ample amount of firepower in the field would not allow a break to stay away, at least early on. I was planning to engage a chase, if a break was away, after the half-way point of the race.
The first 20 laps or so were delightful, even during prime laps. I exerted myself a little bit here and there. But, for the most part, I was feeling relaxed, and, truth be told, a little guilty when I encountered someone huffing and puffing. It was fun leaving the driving to others.
At around 17 laps to go, the pace picked up pretty good for what felt like a lap or two. I worked hard for the first time. Some folks were getting gapped and I had to go around them. I was getting "dangerously" close to the front, so, I made sure that I slowed a bit and let others come on through
Fast forward to 8 laps or so to go. Two or three riders got some separation, including an NBX rider who is strong (and has won plenty of races and has stayed away by himself many times) and someone from Wheelworks. This break had a chance with that NBX rider. I moved up in order to be in contact with a chase when it happened. Sure enough, the chase went down -- and if I had seen things correctly, it was being lead by a strong Wheelworks rider!?!?!?!?!?! Um, ok. I was able to drop back a bit as the field was thrashing in pursuit. (We did catch them during the bell lap sprint.)
With 5 laps to go, I moved up to the middle of the field. With 2 laps to go, I moved up enough to watch for some trains and jump on. After turn 4 and approaching the bell lap, I see a strong CCB rider give a signal to a teammate. I insert myself as wheel #3 As we go through turn 1 of the bell lap, the leadout is navigating amazingly well. All the CCB rider needed was the slightest of an opening. As we made our way through some tight quarters here and there, I felt like saying "I'm with them, pardon."
Coming into turn 3, the leadout continues to be awesome. Possible shout out to RoboIsGod (erroneously indicated Climber7) -- we passed a rider wearing a UMass jersey and I shouted "heads up UMass" as we navigated around him and accelerated through.) As we came out of turn 4, the leadout hits it even more -- I told you he is strong -- and the teammate fell off. I jumped around and the sprint is in full force. I wish I could say that I had some cdr in me; I passed some people, but, 2-3 passed me near the end. And, so, 12th place.
Going in to the race, I decided that I was going to fully employ what I perceived to be the (often enough) cdr strategy: stay sheltered and do as little work as possible until the end game (if that is inaccurate, my apologies). I wanted to see what it would be like. I knew going in that it might mean missing a break; but, I also figured that the ample amount of firepower in the field would not allow a break to stay away, at least early on. I was planning to engage a chase, if a break was away, after the half-way point of the race.
The first 20 laps or so were delightful, even during prime laps. I exerted myself a little bit here and there. But, for the most part, I was feeling relaxed, and, truth be told, a little guilty when I encountered someone huffing and puffing. It was fun leaving the driving to others.
At around 17 laps to go, the pace picked up pretty good for what felt like a lap or two. I worked hard for the first time. Some folks were getting gapped and I had to go around them. I was getting "dangerously" close to the front, so, I made sure that I slowed a bit and let others come on through
Fast forward to 8 laps or so to go. Two or three riders got some separation, including an NBX rider who is strong (and has won plenty of races and has stayed away by himself many times) and someone from Wheelworks. This break had a chance with that NBX rider. I moved up in order to be in contact with a chase when it happened. Sure enough, the chase went down -- and if I had seen things correctly, it was being lead by a strong Wheelworks rider!?!?!?!?!?! Um, ok. I was able to drop back a bit as the field was thrashing in pursuit. (We did catch them during the bell lap sprint.)
With 5 laps to go, I moved up to the middle of the field. With 2 laps to go, I moved up enough to watch for some trains and jump on. After turn 4 and approaching the bell lap, I see a strong CCB rider give a signal to a teammate. I insert myself as wheel #3
As we go through turn 1 of the bell lap, the leadout is navigating amazingly well. All the CCB rider needed was the slightest of an opening. As we made our way through some tight quarters here and there, I felt like saying "I'm with them, pardon."Coming into turn 3, the leadout continues to be awesome. Possible shout out to RoboIsGod (erroneously indicated Climber7) -- we passed a rider wearing a UMass jersey and I shouted "heads up UMass" as we navigated around him and accelerated through.) As we came out of turn 4, the leadout hits it even more -- I told you he is strong -- and the teammate fell off. I jumped around and the sprint is in full force. I wish I could say that I had some cdr in me; I passed some people, but, 2-3 passed me near the end. And, so, 12th place.
Last edited by bostongarden; 05-20-12 at 03:47 PM.
05-20-12, 01:18 PM
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Well, I have been lurking this forum for a couple months to pick up tips for my first race, so I figured you guys deserved to know what happened, Here goes:
Kelly Cup; Baltimore, MD; Juniors 15-18; 18th out of 31
1 mile loop, 12 laps
Race started off pretty bad, back of the field, missed my clip-in twice. Hung onto the field for the first three laps, ended up drifting toward the front a few times because of momentum. The S/F is at the top of a hill and on the third lap, I tried to mash my big gears up as I had been doing and ended up getting gapped off, and that's when the interesting stuff started. I just went into riding mode and set people who were falling off the back as targets, and passed a few people. A couple laps later, I noticed a kid hanging on my wheel right before the hill, and he didn't want to take any pulls, so I put on the gas and dropped him going up the hill. One more lap and I'm about to pass another rider while her mom is yelling at them to get on my wheel. I decided that I didn't like that and put the gas on again and dropped them. Fast forward to 11th lap, as I was starting this lap, I heard the lead car coming up behind me and knew I would have to go pretty fast to finish without getting lapped. I passed a few more kids and told them that the field was coming up behind us, none of them got on my wheel. So, I finished that lap alone with the field on my butt, then went on and finished the 12th lap for the end of my first race.
I realized after the race that I had not listened to any of the tips I learned here, I didn't try to work with anyone (I have no team, so there was no obligation). Also, I lost the draft benefit of the field before the race was half over because I was too stubborn to downshift for the hill. But, I had a great time and hope to do a few more races over the summer.
Kelly Cup; Baltimore, MD; Juniors 15-18; 18th out of 31
1 mile loop, 12 laps
Race started off pretty bad, back of the field, missed my clip-in twice. Hung onto the field for the first three laps, ended up drifting toward the front a few times because of momentum. The S/F is at the top of a hill and on the third lap, I tried to mash my big gears up as I had been doing and ended up getting gapped off, and that's when the interesting stuff started. I just went into riding mode and set people who were falling off the back as targets, and passed a few people. A couple laps later, I noticed a kid hanging on my wheel right before the hill, and he didn't want to take any pulls, so I put on the gas and dropped him going up the hill. One more lap and I'm about to pass another rider while her mom is yelling at them to get on my wheel. I decided that I didn't like that and put the gas on again and dropped them. Fast forward to 11th lap, as I was starting this lap, I heard the lead car coming up behind me and knew I would have to go pretty fast to finish without getting lapped. I passed a few more kids and told them that the field was coming up behind us, none of them got on my wheel. So, I finished that lap alone with the field on my butt, then went on and finished the 12th lap for the end of my first race.
I realized after the race that I had not listened to any of the tips I learned here, I didn't try to work with anyone (I have no team, so there was no obligation). Also, I lost the draft benefit of the field before the race was half over because I was too stubborn to downshift for the hill. But, I had a great time and hope to do a few more races over the summer.
Last edited by Skyline516; 05-20-12 at 01:19 PM. Reason: Distance
05-20-12, 02:07 PM
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skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
05-20-12, 03:09 PM
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CT Master's Games crit. Just out of the medals. Good to see Shovel. He rode well.
Botched the sprint, but still good enough to qualify for Nationals from CT ... doubt I'll actually go though.
Botched the sprint, but still good enough to qualify for Nationals from CT ... doubt I'll actually go though.
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Last edited by Homebrew01; 05-20-12 at 10:18 PM.
05-20-12, 03:15 PM
fuggitivo solitario
haha, unless someone else has stolen my handle, i'm not sure where you got that from...i don't go to umass. sounds like you had a smart race, though.
skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
in other news, i've been told that i've been way too edgy lately on the interwebz was am acting like an ass. so BG may as well have been thinking of me
05-20-12, 03:40 PM
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haha, unless someone else has stolen my handle, i'm not sure where you got that from...i don't go to umass. sounds like you had a smart race, though.
skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
05-20-12, 03:44 PM
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Perhaps a senior moment! I am sure though that someone on BF who now is living out this way -- eastern ma -- recently went to Wells a couple of times when they cancelled, and, I thought, rode for UMass when they lived in Western Mass....apparently not you!!! I'm going to look through a few posts and see if I can find out who it is an easy manner.
Echappist, I can't recall a time that I've thought of you that way.
Last edited by bostongarden; 05-20-12 at 03:48 PM.
05-20-12, 03:45 PM
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Morgul Bismark, SM4s 8th place.
Same course as the first stage from the old Coors Classic (as seen in American Flyers...)
Wicked fun. There were a few teams with anywhere from 4-9 members showing up. My plan was to sit in and wait for a group finish on the "wall." Didn't quite work out as expected and 6 people got away. To be honest I missed both the initial break and the chase that joined them. My head was too far back in the pack all day.
I figured there would be some teamwork to get a break to stick, but the funny part is that the podium spots, and break were won/initiated by unattached riders.
At the finish up the wall, our group merged with the SM4 45+. It was a bit confusing. I jumped after the wheel of a 45+ guy thinking he was one of my competitors, and one of the 45+ guys threw his bike past me at the line. Around 300m to go, I went as hard as I could (seated) which got me 2nd in the peloton, 8th overall.
The course is wicked fun to race on. Climbs, descents, scenery... awesome RR.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/180336222
However if anyone has any advice, I would love some input. I remained seated the whole race. I stood once and awhile for pressure relief, but never stood during the climbs. I find this odd, considering there are pitches of 12+ percent.
I stand and sit during training, but when I have to give it my all in a race I just naturally stay in the saddle... Why?
Same course as the first stage from the old Coors Classic (as seen in American Flyers...)
Wicked fun. There were a few teams with anywhere from 4-9 members showing up. My plan was to sit in and wait for a group finish on the "wall." Didn't quite work out as expected and 6 people got away. To be honest I missed both the initial break and the chase that joined them. My head was too far back in the pack all day.
I figured there would be some teamwork to get a break to stick, but the funny part is that the podium spots, and break were won/initiated by unattached riders.
At the finish up the wall, our group merged with the SM4 45+. It was a bit confusing. I jumped after the wheel of a 45+ guy thinking he was one of my competitors, and one of the 45+ guys threw his bike past me at the line. Around 300m to go, I went as hard as I could (seated) which got me 2nd in the peloton, 8th overall.
The course is wicked fun to race on. Climbs, descents, scenery... awesome RR.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/180336222
However if anyone has any advice, I would love some input. I remained seated the whole race. I stood once and awhile for pressure relief, but never stood during the climbs. I find this odd, considering there are pitches of 12+ percent.
I stand and sit during training, but when I have to give it my all in a race I just naturally stay in the saddle... Why?
05-20-12, 06:03 PM
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Warning, this will be a bit long. The event is not typical.
CT Senior Games, National Senior Games qualifier, 80 degrees with a headwind sprint. M55-59, double gold.
The National Senior Games is like an Olympics for get-off-my-lawns over 50 years old. They are being held next year in Cleveland, Ohio. In order to participate, you have to qualify in your event at a local Games. It does not have to be in your home state. Any state that accepts out of state participants works. The cycling events are 5K and 10K time trials, and 20K and 40K criteriums. Since I do not own a TT bike, I chose not to qualify for the TT Merckx style against guys with TT bikes, and save everything for the crits. Maybe if I can borrow a TT bike, I might try and qualify at the RI or MA qualifiers. We'll see. Anyway, the criteriums are 20K and 40K, run simultaneously. On this course, a just-over-one-mile circuit inside a city park, that meant 24 laps. The bell would ring with 13 to go for a sprint for the 20K at 12 to go, then ring again at 1 to go for the 40K finish. There were no neutral laps or breaks in the racing.
Medals were awarded in 5 year increments, much like USAC championships. The men's fields were all lined up together. The M50-54, M55-59, and M60-64 started first, with the older riders 30 seconds later, so the fields were big, and broke up quickly. There were many, many USAC riders there. The ones I was mostly concerned about were in the M50-54 field. My plan was to get away as the lone M55-59 rider in a break with M50-54 riders and take both gold medals. Of course, it never works out that way.
Before the start, my rear race wheel flatted all by itself, after I took my beat up training wheels to the pit and before I put the bike on the trainer for warmup. I don't like bad juju. Not a good way to start. So I schlepped back to the pits, swapped out my race wheels to the training wheels and hit the trainer. Warmups were OK but I was still a little blocked up from the rest week the week before last.
The 20K was an M50-54 attack fest. Every lap, 2 or 3 attempts would go. I followed most of them, because that was the plan. Every time I went I was chased down. I wanted to hang a sign on my back, "I'm M55+, I am no threat to you", but these guys know me and will not let me get away. Four times I was away, three of them with guys I've been in breaks with in the M45+ or M50+, that I know would go and stay. No dice. So it comes down to a field sprint. I'm third wheel coming down the hill, into the turn, and was second across the line, behind an M50-54 pure sprinter, so I knew I had got one win.
I was gassed after the sprint and was concerned that an attack would dump me OTB, but that never happened. The first few laps of the second 20K were stupid slow and steady. One of the guys from NYC I've been in breaks with took off with 9 to go. Several times I tried to shake the field to bridge up to him, only to get 3-4 lengths and get absorbed. He's a great guy. I have a lot of respect for him. I was not going to be the one to drag the rest of the field up to him. So I resigned myself to let him go unless the field started doing some actual work to catch him. That never happened, and he won OTF solo. Great work, Pascal. So again, it comes down to a field sprint. I get shuffled a little coming up the hill to around 8th position, but I know I can make up a lot. Coming into the sprint, there are a lot of lapped riders going backwards in the way. I jog right, almost get pinched into the curb, jog left, then the sea parts and there's a huge hole in front of me. I drill it to take 4th across the line, and my second gold.
Will I go to Cleveland? I'm certainly interested, although right now, I am starting to think about Bend.
Great to see you Homebrew. Nice sprint in the 40K. I could not catch you.
CT Senior Games, National Senior Games qualifier, 80 degrees with a headwind sprint. M55-59, double gold.
The National Senior Games is like an Olympics for get-off-my-lawns over 50 years old. They are being held next year in Cleveland, Ohio. In order to participate, you have to qualify in your event at a local Games. It does not have to be in your home state. Any state that accepts out of state participants works. The cycling events are 5K and 10K time trials, and 20K and 40K criteriums. Since I do not own a TT bike, I chose not to qualify for the TT Merckx style against guys with TT bikes, and save everything for the crits. Maybe if I can borrow a TT bike, I might try and qualify at the RI or MA qualifiers. We'll see. Anyway, the criteriums are 20K and 40K, run simultaneously. On this course, a just-over-one-mile circuit inside a city park, that meant 24 laps. The bell would ring with 13 to go for a sprint for the 20K at 12 to go, then ring again at 1 to go for the 40K finish. There were no neutral laps or breaks in the racing.
Medals were awarded in 5 year increments, much like USAC championships. The men's fields were all lined up together. The M50-54, M55-59, and M60-64 started first, with the older riders 30 seconds later, so the fields were big, and broke up quickly. There were many, many USAC riders there. The ones I was mostly concerned about were in the M50-54 field. My plan was to get away as the lone M55-59 rider in a break with M50-54 riders and take both gold medals. Of course, it never works out that way.
Before the start, my rear race wheel flatted all by itself, after I took my beat up training wheels to the pit and before I put the bike on the trainer for warmup. I don't like bad juju. Not a good way to start. So I schlepped back to the pits, swapped out my race wheels to the training wheels and hit the trainer. Warmups were OK but I was still a little blocked up from the rest week the week before last.
The 20K was an M50-54 attack fest. Every lap, 2 or 3 attempts would go. I followed most of them, because that was the plan. Every time I went I was chased down. I wanted to hang a sign on my back, "I'm M55+, I am no threat to you", but these guys know me and will not let me get away. Four times I was away, three of them with guys I've been in breaks with in the M45+ or M50+, that I know would go and stay. No dice. So it comes down to a field sprint. I'm third wheel coming down the hill, into the turn, and was second across the line, behind an M50-54 pure sprinter, so I knew I had got one win.
I was gassed after the sprint and was concerned that an attack would dump me OTB, but that never happened. The first few laps of the second 20K were stupid slow and steady. One of the guys from NYC I've been in breaks with took off with 9 to go. Several times I tried to shake the field to bridge up to him, only to get 3-4 lengths and get absorbed. He's a great guy. I have a lot of respect for him. I was not going to be the one to drag the rest of the field up to him. So I resigned myself to let him go unless the field started doing some actual work to catch him. That never happened, and he won OTF solo. Great work, Pascal. So again, it comes down to a field sprint. I get shuffled a little coming up the hill to around 8th position, but I know I can make up a lot. Coming into the sprint, there are a lot of lapped riders going backwards in the way. I jog right, almost get pinched into the curb, jog left, then the sea parts and there's a huge hole in front of me. I drill it to take 4th across the line, and my second gold.
Will I go to Cleveland? I'm certainly interested, although right now, I am starting to think about Bend.
Great to see you Homebrew. Nice sprint in the 40K. I could not catch you.
05-20-12, 06:37 PM
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My son, Toby, came in 1st in the Tour de Syracuse CAT5, 27 mile race.
With this race, he'll be moving up to CAT 4
With this race, he'll be moving up to CAT 4
05-20-12, 06:44 PM
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Congrats, Shovel! Kindablue - nice job!!!
I raced the Morgul Bismark today too... and I'll write a race report, but I want to get my results first. I waited 1 1/2 hours, another friend was there an hour after that - still no SW4 results posted. I think I was top-10-15-ish.
I raced the Morgul Bismark today too... and I'll write a race report, but I want to get my results first. I waited 1 1/2 hours, another friend was there an hour after that - still no SW4 results posted. I think I was top-10-15-ish.
05-20-12, 07:03 PM
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Niagara Classic...
First race back of the year and it showed!
The race starts with a gradually downhill section where the pack reaches speeds of close to 60kmh...I was not comfortable...Took a bit to get settled, but then it was all good. That is until the first corner. As Master3's (lowest ability based master category) a lot of guys have a habit of not pedaling through corners...Therefore there's a major accordion affect. With each corner (4 in total) I found myself falling back. I could not match the surges after. Once we hit the climb of selection I was quickly spit out the back and then had to chase.
Didn't have much in the legs to chase so I settled in waiting for others to fall off and join me in land of 'Offthebackistan' (Thanks RacerX)..
Having a low threshold and no punch combined to do me in completely today, but it was not all a loss.
I knew this was going to be a tough and my goal was to finish and not finish last...Which I did...So after the late winter/early spring I had I'm just happy to be out there again...
There's a lot of work to do, but hopefully by the latter part of the season I'll be more in the mix..
First race back of the year and it showed!
The race starts with a gradually downhill section where the pack reaches speeds of close to 60kmh...I was not comfortable...Took a bit to get settled, but then it was all good. That is until the first corner. As Master3's (lowest ability based master category) a lot of guys have a habit of not pedaling through corners...Therefore there's a major accordion affect. With each corner (4 in total) I found myself falling back. I could not match the surges after. Once we hit the climb of selection I was quickly spit out the back and then had to chase.
Didn't have much in the legs to chase so I settled in waiting for others to fall off and join me in land of 'Offthebackistan' (Thanks RacerX)..
Having a low threshold and no punch combined to do me in completely today, but it was not all a loss.
I knew this was going to be a tough and my goal was to finish and not finish last...Which I did...So after the late winter/early spring I had I'm just happy to be out there again...
There's a lot of work to do, but hopefully by the latter part of the season I'll be more in the mix..
05-20-12, 07:37 PM
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Location: College Park, MD
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haha, unless someone else has stolen my handle, i'm not sure where you got that from...i don't go to umass. sounds like you had a smart race, though.
skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
skyline: congrats on finishing your first race and on not getting lapped. glad you enjoyed it, and it sounds like you have some idea of what to work on. you'll get there.
05-20-12, 08:35 PM
meow
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Awesome shovel!!
(Although my bad hip seriously limits my running ability, I've been doing some javelin training and am thinking about it...When my legs were good, I used to tell my wife that my midlife crisis would be competing in the senior olympics...)
(Although my bad hip seriously limits my running ability, I've been doing some javelin training and am thinking about it...When my legs were good, I used to tell my wife that my midlife crisis would be competing in the senior olympics...)
05-20-12, 08:37 PM
Type 1 Racer
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Davis, CA
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Modesto Crit - P123. Lots of local pros in the race. 3's picked separately. I hung on for 50 of 60 minutes. Got dropped and went solo for 4 laps. Finished 3rd in the 3's. All the rest did not finish. Never felt so whooped after a crit but I'll take it. Got back most of my reg fees and a t-shirt... 
05-20-12, 08:50 PM
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That was my friend James! He raced/races for UMass as well. I unfortunately had to race in the B race because I had work at 11:15.
05-20-12, 09:37 PM
Version 7.0
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Congrats ShovelHD. I have a hard time visualizing you OTB in a Sr Game crit no matter how gassed you were but I suppose anything is possible. Now you get to race in Cleveland. Also, I think A'Jet should give room preference to racers according to how many gold medals they won at this year's Sr Games.
05-20-12, 09:39 PM
**** that
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What makes you think they don't try?
+1
+1
05-20-12, 09:50 PM
**** that
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Enumclaw SR - Stage 3, RR, 72 miles - 38th place..
Steady rain the whole time, but at least it wasn't too cold. We did six laps, with a climb each lap (a mile or so?). I held on the first lap, came off on the next laps but chased back on. Eventually gave up, and stopped chasing.. was solo the whole last lap, finished 20 mins otb. What a way to go out of the 3's! At least the crit win yesterday balanced out today's saga.
Upgrade submitted!
Steady rain the whole time, but at least it wasn't too cold. We did six laps, with a climb each lap (a mile or so?). I held on the first lap, came off on the next laps but chased back on. Eventually gave up, and stopped chasing.. was solo the whole last lap, finished 20 mins otb. What a way to go out of the 3's! At least the crit win yesterday balanced out today's saga.
Upgrade submitted!