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-   -   Masters Misc Race Report Thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/masters-racing-all-disciplines/831412-masters-misc-race-report-thread.html)

sarals 05-22-16 02:06 PM

@Heathpack. What can I say that I didn't say on Facebook? I'll repeat that you're the Real Deal. Because you are!

I found it interesting to read how you size up the competitors at the line. Funny, I never do that! We all have our rituals, or something, that we do, don't we?

You said it all about Our Coach. He is simply fantastic. I've never been coached by anyone else, even so, it's easy to see what a terrific mentor, organizer, and clear thinker he is.

Yes, i was watching the ATOC TT, too, and was thinking the same thing - "my, but they are aero, and look at their cadence!" (I raised my saddle slightly in response).

Congratulations!!!!!

Oh - you look fabulous!!! I have a men's skinsuit - I look like a sausage. You look beautiful!!

sarals 05-22-16 02:07 PM

@IBOHUNT - brutal conditions!!!!! I was thinking "I wouldn't fly in that, and he RACED in that - a badass for sure!" Looking forward to the race report!

shovelhd 05-22-16 03:54 PM

Great job racing everyone.

happybday29475 05-22-16 05:56 PM


Originally Posted by shovelhd (Post 18788461)
Great job racing everyone.

Yes!

But wait, there's more...

IBOHUNT 05-22-16 06:22 PM


Originally Posted by sarals (Post 18788232)
@IBOHUNT - brutal conditions!!!!! I was thinking "I wouldn't fly in that, and he RACED in that - a badass for sure!" Looking forward to the race report!

That was the report. All I can add is that it was 50 degrees out if that helps picture the race.
I'm not much of a writer. Now back to my Luddite intervals. :roflmao2:

Heathpack 05-22-16 06:26 PM


Originally Posted by rapwithtom (Post 18788721)
Yes!

But wait, there's more...

I know! We're on tenterhooks here. 'Cause somebody had a very good weekend...

Racer Ex 05-22-16 06:30 PM

Congrats Ibo and Heathpack!

Really been a pleasure coaching the folks here who I'm working or have worked with. Watching folks grow and improve in the sport, and realize their goals is one of those big positives in life for me. The kind words are appreciated.

4 AM wakeup call. Here we go...

Heathpack 05-22-16 06:44 PM


Originally Posted by Racer Ex (Post 18788814)
Congrats Ibo and Heathpack!

Really been a pleasure coaching the folks here who I'm working or have worked with. Watching folks grow and improve in the sport, and realize their goals is one of those big positives in life for me. The kind words are appreciated.

4 AM wakeup call. Here we go...

Thanks, Ex. Literally couldn't do it without you. :)

Safe travels and good luck racing this week.

Cleave 05-22-16 09:32 PM

My SCNCA ITT District Championship race was kind of on the other end of the spectrum from Heathpack's race. :o

The USAC race predictor hilariously had me 3rd out of 6 with Racer Ex's very tall teammate ranked behind me. :roflmao2: Not making excuses, but unlike @Heathpack, this race was not a major goal for me. Next week's TTT was/is a bigger target. At the same time, I wasn't expecting a PW (Personal Worst) for this year's race. I was 5 out of 6 and was exactly 1 minute slower than my previously slowest time on the course and 2 of 5 splits were my worst ever.

The silver lining is that I had a fastest ever split on leg 4. I think I was so glad to get out of the long and slow headwind stretch that I hammered the slightly quartering crosswind section. Also my NP was 25 watts higher than what I thought was my FTP. I am only moving my FTP up by 20 watts though. ;) Strangely, my HR was all over the place and my average was on the low side.

It's been since 2013 that I finished this race -- I flatted in 2014 and didn't go last year so I am glad to get back on this course and finish. TTT next week with our mixed (women and men) team after a week of rest in the great Pacific Northwest. Looking forward to the race.

LAJ 05-22-16 09:42 PM

Nicely done, @Heathpack! It's amazing, isn't it? From there to here. Simply amazing. Major kudos to coach Ex, too. I agree. The coach should get their own spot on the podium. :)

LAJ 05-22-16 09:43 PM

Good stuff, @IBOHUNT! @Cleave!

sarals 05-22-16 09:58 PM


Originally Posted by Heathpack (Post 18788851)
Thanks, Ex. Literally couldn't do it without you. :)

Safe travels and good luck racing this week.

Neither could I. And I haven't said it enough!!

Ex, crush some souls tomorrow!!

sarals 05-22-16 10:00 PM

@Cleave - that wind had to have been miserable. Good heavens! And stop selling yourself short, I've seen you race! Congrats on a great effort. I know you'll crush that TTT. Good luck with it!!

LAJ 05-22-16 10:44 PM

Superior Morgul Omnium.

TT 6/38

Friday night, I get off work early to go ride the TT as part of the 3 day event. This year, I swore I wouldn't go out at warp speed, and keep it in check. I did well, had good power downhill, maintained on the flat, and did well on the finishing hill. Once I regained coordination in my arms, I realized I finished 6th.

Circuit race 11/31

Disappointed in this one, simply because I wasn't aware. My teammate was in the hunt for the omnium, which I didn't realize, as I didn't catch his name in the TT results. That said, the circuit race is a rolling out and back, and we did 3 laps. First lap there was a sprint for points, and I thought I may have a chance. I started to grind up the hill way back, with hope of snagging a point or two, but next thing I know, my teammate rockets past, and get the top points! WTF, then I realized... Dang. That's John! So, he's now in the running, and that's cool. I tried a break on the second lap to no avail, as the three that came with weren't playing, even though they were strong. They know my name now, and the pack wouldn't let that tomfoolery go. So, the last lap, I figured I would repeat the same scenario, and move up the hill. A 3 man break took off, and as I wound it up, I was hoping John could do the same thing he did at lap 1. He did it with style, and he won the race. I know I can grind out a good finish if I go early, as others get impatient, and go too early. As was the case, I reeled 5 or 6 back in.

Morgul Road Race 1/31

This is the Morgul-Bismarck course in Breaking Away. This has a climb called "The Wall", "The Hump", the rolling hills of the circuit race. It also has a 50 mph descent, and the backside has a rolling climb that also had a headwind, and a nifty little descent. 42 miles, with 3500 feet of climbing.

It starts out as a neutral roll out till we get to McCaslin, which is basically the start of the climb, then The Wall. This is the first of four times up this thing. We take it easy, I'm climbing surprisingly OK, there's chatter... How much do you weigh, stay in the pack, don't do anything crazy.... First lap was very tame. Ride, descend, climb, regroup, descend, etc. As this rolling, that's the pattern. We get to the top of the wall to start lap 2, same thing. After the fast descent, we get to Marshall road, which has the headwind, and the folks in front do the regroup thing again. It starts getting goofy, as everyone wants to be out of the wind. I roll around to the right shoulder, move up, and sneak into the pack in a good spot. I see a smaller GR Capital/Mod Market guy move off the front on the climb, and I figure now is a good time to grab a partner, and go. I thought it might be their speedy climber, and thought this made sense.

I caught him, slotted in front to finish off the climb with him in tow, and next thing I know, he back off, and it's just me. Time to commit. I hit it harder, get to the descent, hit the corners on my line and my terms, and head for the wall. By now, I notice my Power Meter went dead, and I had no cadence, or power, but I have feel and heartrate, so here we go. I get to the Hump, get up that, the motorcycle says I have 20 seconds, and I call that good. A descent through a roundabout, and time for the Wall. I climb that surprisingly well, @rapwithtom said something, and I think it was good, and I take off down the rollers to Highway 93. The ref gives me times, and they're steady, then growing. Descend, climb, no regroup. Coach John told me to "Move that bike" in the TT, and that was my mantra. Move this bike. Over and over.

On the backside, I was still moving the bike, and the ref said there was 50 seconds to the pack, and a 3 man break at 20. Then later, a 2 man, and a straggler at 15... At the top of the last hill on the backside, I was caught by the two, and they asked if I had anything left. Damn right. They hit it, and at the fast right hander, I was behind one of them, and he blew a back spoke. It was loud, he swerved, and I cut inside. I told him to keep on, but after the race, he showed me that there was no way. Warped, rubbing, and surprised he finished. The other guy then told me he forgot to put his chip on. Heck of a thing to tell me, but I looked, and he didn't have it. He knew he was going to be relegated, I said I didn't care, but as far as that went, I wasn't working with him. I felt bad, and right after the race, it was tough to deal with, but every rule stated the chip must be installed.

35 seconds on the pack, I heard my name announced, and I got the top step. The stars aligned, I got max points, and also won the omnium by two points. Second in the omnium finished fourth today, not nearly as well in the TT, and better than I did in the circuit race, Teammate John S. took third!

The biggest and best thing I heard today.... Other bike racers came up and said how well my teammates controlled the front of the race. Get to the front, soft pedaled, drifted back, rinsed and repeated. I'm speechless, and honored.

This is a dream come true.

Heathpack 05-22-16 11:13 PM

OMG, @LAJ that is so awesome. Happy. :)

And wasn't it me who said just yesterday that it would be good to get a little help from your team? I take full responsibility for that happening today, I guess they heard me.

So many intervals in the garage with frozen toes. So much hard work. Giving up some of the volume & JRA. It's funny that people outside it see what you do and are amazed at 'what you give up' to race your bike. People have no idea that it's possible to enjoy this kind of stuff. But even better is reaping the rewards for it all. Nice, just very very nice.

Very impressed & happy for you. You deserve this totally. And I'll bet you are just glad your coach showed up on your doorstep with that pie way back when, that's just a piece of good luck too. You guys are making stuff happen.

:) :) :)

valygrl 05-22-16 11:28 PM

LAJ, that was so awesome, I had to read it twice. Really nice work. Congrats!

sarals 05-23-16 09:15 AM

LAJ, that was absolutely SUBLIME!!!! What a terrific read. Man, you raced it! Your tactics were perfect, you kept your head, and OMG you are beast! Well, well deserved - and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

LAJ 05-23-16 09:25 AM


Originally Posted by Heathpack (Post 18789302)
OMG, @LAJ that is so awesome. Happy. :)

And wasn't it me who said just yesterday that it would be good to get a little help from your team? I take full responsibility for that happening today, I guess they heard me.

So many intervals in the garage with frozen toes. So much hard work. Giving up some of the volume & JRA. It's funny that people outside it see what you do and are amazed at 'what you give up' to race your bike. People have no idea that it's possible to enjoy this kind of stuff. But even better is reaping the rewards for it all. Nice, just very very nice.

Very impressed & happy for you. You deserve this totally. And I'll bet you are just glad your coach showed up on your doorstep with that pie way back when, that's just a piece of good luck too. You guys are making stuff happen.

:) :) :)

@Heathpack, thank you. This progression has been a pretty long strange trip, filled with wonderful people, and you're right, cold toes. :)

Yes! I blame you on the Teammate deal! When the first guy came up and let me know what went on, I thought of you, and thanked them. After the second or third guy said the same, I thanked them, and you. :thumb:

John is a blessing.

Hermes 05-23-16 09:37 AM

Some great racing @LAJ, @Heathpack, @IBOHUNT and @Cleave.

LAJ, what was the category e.g. M 55+ 1,2,3,4 and etc.

valygrl 05-23-16 09:39 AM

I did the same 3 races as LAJ this weekend, with pack-fodder results, but I'm happy with how I raced, I gave it all I had, just wasn't quite enough. Tough courses & tough fields.

On the circuit race, I followed the winning move in the sprint, but it was so hard I couldn't stay attached, and blew off the back of the pack, for last in the lead pack, 7th/14. Happy to have made the selection to be there.

On the RR, I stayed attached a little longer than last year, but my teammate's attack blew me up after I had just chased back on after the second trip up the wall, and I just couldn't stick. (I'm glad she did it - it hurt her main competitor and she won the field sprint for 3rd.) I had some people to work with though, and that made the remaining racing more meaningful, at least I was working with and racing against people, not solo OTB. I won the sprint from the chase for 8th/14.

My cat 2 teammate had such tough races, it made me feel pretty thankful I am in no danger of catting up any time soon.

happybday29475 05-23-16 09:56 AM


Originally Posted by LAJ (Post 18789257)
...This is a dream come true.

It makes me happy to see your hard work and perseverance pay off! It's been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, and it's great to see you on top!

You're a pretty modest fella so let me point out a few things:
a) Morgul RR is one of the most challenging CO RR courses of the year, especially for us non-climber types. It's also a key event; everybody focuses on it. This is not a backwater CO race that you owned.
b) You are very fit. I don't believe anybody else in the field could have pulled off what you pulled off. You rode solo for approximately 30' at a pace equal to, or faster than, the pack...and that on a course that does not suit your strengths!
c) You have learned, as demonstrated in the last two races, that you know how to get separation from the pack and establish a break. I don't think that's precedented in the history of 50/4's! And, you did that yesterday, even though people were trying to prevent you from doing so.
d) You have the sack to give'er a go! That too is rare in the 50/4's...

I hope you're having as much fun kicking arse as I am in watching you do it!

LAJ 05-23-16 10:37 AM

Thank you, @valygrl! I find it hard to believe we climbed the wall voluntarily that many times. :)

LAJ 05-23-16 10:37 AM

Thank you, @sarals! It was a good few days on the bike. :)

LAJ 05-23-16 10:38 AM


Originally Posted by Hermes (Post 18790076)
Some great racing @LAJ, @Heathpack, @IBOHUNT and @Cleave.

LAJ, what was the category e.g. M 55+ 1,2,3,4 and etc.

Thank you @Hermes! This was the 50+4 group.

LAJ 05-23-16 10:40 AM

Very nice, @valygrl! I watched you all come in for the sprint during the circuit race, though I doubt you heard me. You racers were flat motoring, and it was awesome to watch.


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