Fldaves

I was taking pics of several old teammates. I use to be a cat 4 racer until I had cancer surgery 15 years ago and I'm really just getting back into it again.

Heathpack 

Santiago Cyn is a tough course for me, I was hoping to PR it today, but as I was reviewing my data earlier in the week I was realizing that I had a surprisingly fast time last time we raced it back in Nov, so who the heck knew what I could do? Today we had slow conditions, this course starts with a few mile climb and we had a bit of a head wind up that. Plus some intermittent light rain and colder temps. Bottom line is: everyone was slower. Nemesis by 2:09. Me only by 0:25. Not bad.

I had a specific game plan for the initial gradual bike path section (which is like 1% uphill), the climb (which is not steep, 3-4%), a second short little 3-4% hill, and the gradual descent to the finish. I hit all the power targets spot-on and got all the splits exactly as predicted time-wise, except for the hills. Which is what accounts for me not PR-ing the thing. And based on my HR data, I think I could have hit the final descent to home a few watts harder. Overall some technical mistakes on the climb and to a lesser extent on the final section. And some lapses caused by needing to navigate around Fredly mountain bikers (this is an open course, high speed road) and getting blown around at times by unexpected crosswinds on the gradual descent. Technically better than I've ridden this course any previous time, but definitely some sloppy bits that could be tightened up.

My best power on this course too, although I'm pretty sure I could have done this a few watts higher.

All the women in this TT race together, there is no separation by age group or racing category. No one even saw Amber Neben until she started blowing past people out on the course, hers was the fastest time out on the course today by a good margin. Second place was Nemesis, then 1:20 back was MEA, then I was 0:41 behind MEA. I'm not sure how far back 5th place was, maybe a minute behind me?

Afterwards, Nemesis and MEA and I were chatting and I was thinking that it was pretty nice to be chipping away at the win margins of these two cyclists who I really respect. Oh yeah, and nice seeing @Hermes and @Cleave too.

This was the last race in the SoCal TT Series. Nemesis won it for the 4th year in a row. (I came in 2nd.)

LAJ

3/41 or so.

These are my clubs stomping grounds, so I know these roads well. Not absolutely flat, but close enough. It was cool, and there was some definite wind, so it hopefully played well into what I think I needed to do. Honestly, this race wasn't even on my radar, as I figured it was too short to really play into anything but a sprinters race. Once I relayed my thoughts to John, as far as using this as training, I was soundly reprimanded. "If you pay, you will race."

The warm up was light, as my legs were feeling the training from the past weeks. Plus, I figured nothing would go on until the dirt, which was a few miles in. All went to plan, and after the dirt, I put in an effort to get near the front. Once we turned right, heading east, it was a pretty healthy tailwind. I wanted to be near the front, as this is a pretty crappy road, with lots of potholes. They said they were going to be filled, but they also said they were going to grade the dirt.... Lots of folks with flats from other groups, so I was 2 for 2, as far as good decisions go.

6-7 miles in, Gordon takes a flyer, and he's strong, so I jumped with. That lasted all of a couple minutes, and we were caught. David said to wait til the tailwind isn't a factor, and then to give it a run. Things settled down for a couple minutes, then next thing I know, Scott is off the front, and increasing the space between us. I jump, catch him, and we start working together. He and I are about equal in the TT department, so I thought we may have a chance. We were away for quite a while, then he said no more. There was a nice gap, too. I said I'd keep pulling in hopes of his recovery, but no good. A few minutes later, we were done. As Manuel (teammate) went by, he said to rest a bit. A minute later, he and David were off and running. I hit it one more time, and we put some distance in yet again. This was with about 15-17 miles to go, and I knew we had wind once we headed west. We kept at it, and more and more time was made. Then we turned into the wind...

We started running into other groups, and I had to be pretty firm one time, when a fellow was on David's wheel, which was MY wheel. He was a 40+ guy, or something, and he said something as I moved over, and I just told him to race with his own guys, and let us do our work. Come to find out, he didn't realize we were different, and he apologized after the race. All's cool. Either way, David was taking a pull about every third time, and not much we could do about it. We needed him, but either way, we had two Old School Industries guys in the break, so life was good! It was hard to know how close the chasers were, as there were so many different groups out there, plus, I don't race with my glasses, so there's that.

A couple miles to go, I still wasn't sure how secure we were, but we were all starting to slow as we pulled. There was one last rise, we made it over that, and we could see the left into the airport. Home free, and time to hammer. Almost made it. David nipped me, as did Manuel, but at this point in my life, I was more into the fact that there were three of us, and if we stayed away, we would each have a step. David is now forced to upgrade, I believe, but I learned a few things.....

As a matter of fact, I keep learning stuff.

sarals 

LAJ, that was a heckuva read. Congratulations on a FINE race! "You pay, you race". Love it!!!

sarals 

@Heathpack, what can I say? You were racing with the best of the California Master's Women in TT's...and you are right there with them. So awesome, that is so cool. Congratulations on a very fine ride!!!

Heathpack 

@LAJ, you are my hero.
Very nicely done.




@sarals, total lol on the Amber Neben thing. She blew everyone away today, men & women, young & less young. But I think it's pretty cool to race with the people I do, win or lose. They are just really good at it, which gives you something to work towards.

Hermes

Beaten by Amber...you are not alone.

Nice racing LAJ. Great to see you Heathpack and nice execution.

My race report for Santiago is taken from an old saying...When she was good she was very very good and when she was bad she was fun.

For my report...When it was good it was very very good and when it was bad it was awful.

Also, I went to the front immediately and stayed there the entire time animating the pointy end of the stick.

LAJ

Very nice, @Heathpack. I look back, and just shake my head in wonder. Your progress is amazing. Very good stuff.

LAJ

Thank you @sarals. It was fun, in a very strange sense of the word.

LAJ

Thank you @Heathpack. That means a ton. I look back, and also shake my head in wonder at what's gone on in the past couple of years.

LAJ

Thank you, @Hermes. Perfect race report Well done.

shovelhd

Nice work HP and LAJ.

revchuck 

+1! Not everyone can say it took a pro to knock them off the podium.

Cleave

I race because I can, not because I am fast.

Glad to see others are out there too.

LAJ

Thank you @shovelhd, @revchuck.

Well said, @Cleave. I like it.

happybday29475

Congrats HP! You've come a long way in a relatively short time...I'd bet that you obvious trajectory has some looking over their shoulders...keep it up!

happybday29475

Congrats, LAJ! Completely stoked for you!

As you know, successful breaks are infrequent in your field, so I'm curious to hear why it worked this time, and how you're going to make it work again next time!

sarals 

So do I! And I resemble it!!

sarals 

I don't doubt that for one second. I think it's going to be like that at the velodrome in a fairly short period of time, too....

Racer Ex 

Awesome read LAJ. I'm still learning things as well .

Racer Ex 

Finally posted the results from the local "Open" TT a couple of weeks ago. Won with a 20.01. Second was 22.02.

This weekend we were hanging out with family in the Bay Area, saw that they were running the 59th edition of the Berkeley Hills Roadrace and despite the near automatic disqualifier in the name (I am, these days, allergic to climbing) I figured I'd have at it.

Checklist for race was pretty simple:

1) Attack like an idiot
2) Get at least 2 hours of death march effort
3) Stay upright

Recall getting a lower top ten there a number of years ago, and suffering for that finish. Course has a lot of climbing, including the infamous "Three Bears", and ends on a climb. 3 laps give or take, 19 miles per lap.

No teammates and two very strong teams (TB and Hamer) with numbers. And the threat of rain hanging over the whole affair.

Roll out neutral for a couple of miles; I go to the front on the climb before the race starts and tell folks I just wanted to be able to write I got dropped right after the KOM. This gets more than a couple of laughs. Race starts and the two teams are covering attacks by the opposite members, but are letting the solo folks go. I'm here to get a workout so I counter a catch over the top of a hill and "hi ho, hi ho" it's off to work I go, 5 miles into the race.

Gap, more gap, then I'm out of sight. I was hoping for some help, but I'll take it. Hit the Three Bears and not seeing anyone back there. Figure that won't last, the climbs are where the strong guys start culling the herd. Third "Bear" and I hear my name being shouted. Look back and there''s a guy coming up from one of the teams. Turns out it's a Hamer guy I've been racing with since I started, I slow a bit, and we hook up.

Sadly this gets the peloton in an uproar and they catch us 4 miles later. Another TB attack goes and I jump on it, but we're gobbled up. I sit in for a minute or two and go again. Gap. More gap.

To quote Dolly Parton: "Here we go again"

Out there for a while when a different member of TB bridges up. We start motoring, I'm taking the uphill pulls, he's taking the flatter stuff and the downhills.

We hit the Bears and after 30 or so miles OTF my lights start to dim a bit and I lose his wheel. Peleton catches me just before the start of the final lap, I figure around 33 miles OTF. Lights are very dim, and at 320w I'm going to Offthebackistan on the last Bear. That's all I got at this point.

Photo borrowed from Alex Chiu, right before the catch on lap two:



Contemplate another lap and the skies open up. Checklist is completed, take the DNF and miss the big crash that happens not long after. 15 days to Nats.

Numbers geek race footnote: 2 hours at 240/270 AP/NP.

LAJ

Nice, and good call.

Over two minutes gap in a TT is amazing.

Bad ass picture too.

LAJ

Thank you, @Racer Ex.

LAJ

Thanks @rapwithtom.

This was my take... At Weld County, Manuel and another got away, I was soft-pedaling at the very front, and they were gaining distance. This was the hill before the finish, and no one chased. They kept looking back, and for some reason, pulled the plug. Not sure why, and I didn't ask. When I took off, it was half a lap to go, and it was way too late. It was expected, and covered. All that was filed, and I do wish I would have implemented it at Fed Center, as you suggested.

This one, the wind played a part, and so did the fact that David is with the, or one of the biggest teams in the pack. I can't say, but it makes me wonder if they left it up to Mod Market to chase. Or maybe it was because it was pretty early, and they figured the wind was going to shoot us in the foot. I do know, Scott was out there quite a ways before I even reacted, and when I did, no one followed. Again, odd, but that's OK. When David and Manuel went, I knew how strong they were, and figured I could catch a ride. That time, I didn't look back till the right in Bennett, and I didn't see a big ol honkin' pack close, so things went right in my mind.

Once things are right in my head, things have a shot at happening the way they're supposed to. Confidence played a part, the fact that I wasn't killing myself to maintain pace with these guys, and the fact that David has won, or top 3'd in like his last 8 or so races, also helped. I knew if push came to shove, he would help to keep us away, no matter the shenanigans and tomfoolery he was up to. Manuel is also strong, and he wasn't in the wind til the break, so that was also a good thing. They had already seen me off the front twice, and I wonder if they thought I wouldn't help, or it even crossed their mind?

Or maybe it just went down to the pack, and the molecular and atomic level, as @Racer Ex pointed out. It's a crazy dynamic, I was frustrated with it a couple weeks ago, but it worked that particular day.

Heathpack 

Sweet on that dominating TT performance, @Racer Ex.

And the road race sounds like it was tons of fun.