Ride report:
I got there way early and rode the course a couple of times until people showed up. The downhill turn onto hellyer seemed sketchy since it's blind to oncoming traffic, after the downhill, and into the headwind, so I just tried to figure out a line into it before things got hectic. I also marked a spot about halfway up that leg where there was a little shelter from the wind
Back at the registration desk everybody was super friendly. I ran into Pete, the SJBC member I'd met last week whose "yeah join up it's awesome" comment convinced me to go for it. He was riding C group too and so I resolved to stick near him. We did a couple more laps at a relaxed pace to stay warmed up.
Eventually it was time to form up; people were milling around unsure where the start/finish line was until Jon Racine hollered to come up by him - it ended up being about halfway up the hill on the back side of Piercy, next to the goat farm. The As formed up first, then Bs about 2 minutes later then it was our turn. The first couple of laps around I did terrible at not staying out in front. I was feeling good and forgot about my 'strategery' to just sit in and ride easy. At the velogirls clinic my practice teammate (the amazing Emily) saw me about to move up front unnecessarily and said "Eric just hang back!" Well, she wasn't there today and nobody else was going to stop me from being stupid so out I went.
The headwind up the Hellyer leg was indeed brutal though and tended to slow everybody down -- this would prove to be my undoing, as on laps 3 5 7 I found myself about mid-pack, nicely sheltered, and the folks in front of me would slow down and bunch up, so I went around them and then I'd be alone out front really working for the second half of the upwind leg. This is the point in the trace where you see HR bump 176, which is as hard as my ol' ticker can go. I eased up but the damage was done. To be fair most of the laps I was pretty happy about how things went -- I would finish the climb at mid-pack, move up after the downhill section, and stay on or near the front for the back 2 turns.
I had a weird moment on lap 10 where I was all alone and a pack came up past me, I jumped on thinking I was getting shot through the back of my own group but couldn't hang. After half a lap I fell through the back and thought "crap, I'm done for" -- I think I accidentally jumped on with the B group for a bit without realizing it. Whups. You can see it in my trace as the WHUMP jump in speed. When we got passed as a group later on, they were really good about yelling 'neutralize, move right' but perhaps since I was solo there was less vocalization, or maybe I was really out of it. 2 turns later Paul and the rest of the actual C group came up at my pace, so I'm pretty sure I didn't get lapped. Weird nonetheless-- the result of not paying enough attention.
Then just past the start line, with two laps to go, I started cramping up both my hamstring and into glutes. I had never cramped like that before, because I normally get punished for climbing too much and it's adductor or calf cramps. I was really gassed and watched my group gain a turn, then two on me; then with one lap to go (for me) the A and B group came in to the finish. I resolved to finish my laps though and just kind of tootled around for the last one. There was one more gassed-out C guy just in front of me (in Primal Wear no less!) but I couldn't catch him either.
The rest of the group were up by the finish line by the time I came around: yep, DFL. But not DNF, and I had a great time, except for the pain. Pete ended up winning our group and then gave me a ride back to town -- what a stud!
Lessons learned:
1. don't get out front. even if it seems like a good idea.
especially if it seems like a good idea.
2. pay attention to where the group is at. it's hard to keep situational awareness when you're pushing physically, but it's essential.
3. respect the LT and back off early to save some for the end. 14 laps means an hour+ of riding, not 45 minutes, so plan energy expenditure accordingly
I'll definitely be back for more. Great group of riders, lots of interesting mental and physical challenges, and I've got only one way to go from here...
