RoboIsGod

1st place, Cat 3 - Sterling Classic Road Race (56miles)

I won this last year as a Cat 4 and was looking to win this again. I wasn't really feeling it for a good amount of the race and kept finding myself at the back. I was able to position myself well going into the final climb and kicked it hard for the win. This is my 3rd top 5 finish so far this season so I should be seeing a Cat 2 upgrade sometime soon.

AzTallRider

Been there with the Quarq situation in a TT. Truly sucks. I'm guessing it's a Cinqo?

bmcphx

South Mountain Time Trial
Cat4
https://app.strava.com/activities/53645252


I passed 5 people going up the hill, I redlined myself from the beginning, and I got second place behind some freak who has won 8-10 races this year.


I am so happy that I got at least one podium my first season. It's first loser, but I feel so..... happy.

AzTallRider

Did a M50+ HC/TT today, up South Mountain: Beat my past best by 23", and finished 5th of 9. I'm not a small guy - it shows I'm most of the way back from my post-crash doldrums.

AzTallRider

Congratulations!

bmcphx

Thanks. We're you on a Blue by chance? I saw an older guy in a Faster kit riding one and was admiring it.

AzTallRider

No, that's a much faster Faster teammate - I'm on a black and white Giant.

ovoleg

Another Cat 5 Crit:

->Felt good most of the race, a few surges but nothing spectacular. Got into a mini break but the whole field chased it down. Went around a corner where it was mossy and wet, rear wheel slid out hard as I went to power through...pretty sure I had to muster all my 8 years of cycling experience to not go down. Slid a bit then recovered quickly and held my line. The guy behind me after the race came up and said he was crappin brix and thought we were all gonna go down...lol I've been in way worse.

->Coming into the last lap I was in a somewhat terrible spot and it looked like it was going to be a gigantic field sprint with 10-15 riders. Sprinted from like 15th to finish in 9th just cuz I was gonna make the best of a bad situation.

45 degrees was kinda rough and I had to take a gigantic #2 poop post race(was holding it in). Rode home in freezing weather.

It's middle of May, I'm kinda over this BS <50 degree crap...for realz.

dnuzzomueller

Nicely done. We know eachother

shovelhd

Nice job, Robo. That climb isn't much of one but the false flat afterwards just grinds you down lap after lap.

wens

...

heppm01

Perhaps he meant that all the riders around him were gigantic: 6'5", 280 lbs.

mattm

Congrats!

mattm

Red Kite Crit #3 - 2/3's. 9th. Was on the left when the surge went right.. damn.

But I'm 3rd in the omnium, so there is that.

Also it wasn't a bad showing considering I rode 30 mins total in the last two weeks leading up to the race.

"Sat in" for the p/1/2 race until I cramped with 4 to go and pulled the plug. Good training.

thechemist

Berry Peddlar RR.
Short road race with a cat 2 climb roughly 6 miles into it. Cat 2 climb was about 4miles around 6% grade with a few switchbacks.

I was a bit concerned going into this as it is hard in nashville to see climbs that are that long and I haven't been cycling long enough to travel/train in anything like this. Anyways.
it rained a bit off and on which wasen't too bad but it made for some wet patches here and there. I was not able to stand at all due to traction on the back wheel during the climb.

Some strong climbers that started the race even though the field was only 30 or so. I picked out the winner at the start( he won) and knew what wheels to follow.

So, I hit the climb like an idiot and followed some freaks of nature for a mile or so up the climb and my heart rate was 177-180 which I ignored like an idiot. 177 is way above zone 5 for me. So about mile 2 into the climb I got shelled....BAD. heart rate high, gasping for air, whole pelaton passed me. Ended up solo otb in the wind for the rest of the race. Got passed by the wheel truck for the first time which was depressing. Had those moments of WTF am I doing racing a bike and sucking like this. anyway passed a few and ended up like 24th out of 28 or so. Totally demoralizing and i did terrible but I didn't wreck and I finished which isent much.

I did learn some more strengths and weaknesses and did have a good time but it was a little bit of a slap of reality on my delusions of grandeur. I have about two weeks until our big crit series starts and another big RR. So, I am going to get my head back up from between my legs and train.

climber7

congrats robo and bmc!

or maybe the finish line was in the middle of a big field somewhere

save10

Red Kite # 3

M 3/4 and M123. Two more pack finishes with really no physical way of doing much more than that. And another drive home reminding myself that i do this for 'fun'. Most exciting part - flatting in the M123s, going to the wheel pit, actually getting to use one of my back up wheels and then rejoining the field. That was the highlight.

ovoleg

Cant wait to do some hilly RR. Looks like a fun race, I wouldn't mind finishing where you finished with a cat2 climb. Plus, now you know better

What category was the race?

sstang13

Lake of Bays Road Race - 94km, 1556m of climbing, wind, rain, snow, hail... basically everything you can think of, it was there.

Summary: Dropped at 15km, worked with another rider for 47km, solo'd to the line for 32km and finished 29'12" behind leader or 2nd last out of all finishers. 4 points.

I'm not good at this report stuff, but I'll try:

Weather was brutal from the start, and the race was literally a race on a road around a lake (see link). Neutral start for 3km. Stuck with the group for 15km (26min), I'm not exactly sure why, I have the power but for some reason when I enter races I just never can do well. Me and another junior rode with each other for about 20 minutes until we picked up his teammate who was E3 and he got dropped while I stuck with the E3. Rode very well with him while he took majority of the flats/descents while I pulled on the hills. Passed a teammate on the road with 48km left, stopped and talked to him for ~2 min, he dropped out and got picked up the in race van, and then I managed to convince the E3 not to leave me until at least the feed zone. At many points in the race the wind/hail/rain/foggy glasses/snow was so bad I could barely see the guys wheel in front on me..it MAY !

The E3 then bailed at the feed zone and I was left solo for the last 32km, skipped my feed so I had total for 3 hours: 2 gels, 1 protein bar, 1 bottle water, 1 bottle gatorade.. I should have picked something up but whatever. Struggled my way through the last 32km and came in 29' 12" after the leader. Finished 33/44 officially but only one finished behind me, everyone else either dropped out or didn't start. Finished 12/19 juniors (last for same reason). My 2 goals this race were: 1. Finish the race. 2. Finish the race with the group. So I guess I could say it's a victory somewhat and I never gave up but still, I suck. Overall results for the year I've gained 4 points though from this race, I'm finally on the board and only in 2nd last by 2 points, yay!

My HR strap was too loose and fell to my stomach at the start of the race so these may be inaccurate results but it says my avg. HR was 139(71% of current max) and 207 max (set at 195 right now). I know I worked harder than 71% and 207 is a 12 bpm jump from my current max...?

Here's the link: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/312008317

rbart4506

Pretty well the same report as SStang, but I got dropped sooner....Fricken mind games and basically I'm a chicken****...Either I gotta figure this out or stick to TTs

Definitely a tough day on the saddle and like his E3 buddy I debated on dropping out at the feed zone, but as well as being a chicken**** I'm a stubborn basturd and kept going...

Have no clue where I finished and frankly don't care...

Ended the night at home cleaning bikes, but they're ready to go for local crit series on Tuesday.

thechemist

cat5. Yes, I did learn alot

ovoleg

Dude looks like you were holding a pretty legit pace and there's 5,000ft of climbing!!! That's legit. I want to do a race like that, it looks really fun...but not in 35 degree weather

ovoleg

I use the word gigantic a lot . I think it was closer to 20, looking at the results but w/e it was a cat5.
It was pretty good training

I wanna do some legit RR's but I'd have to drive pretty far and the weekends are really the only time me and my gf have to spend the mornings together. IDK...

dont be jelly

globecanvas

Placings in my last 10 races: 9, 7, 10, 4, 8, 6, 3, 5, 2, 10

There seems to be a number missing.

save10

11?

j/k i'd kill for an 11 right now. I'm a solid 43 at this point