shovelhd

Got my workout in on the Bikeway. Had to dodge a few rats and got my flat out of the way. AJet and I have traded voicemails. bostongarden and I have spoken at length. Soon we're going to wander around and take some pictures. Had a nice lunch at a bar with a bowling alley inside. They had a special with lunch and a frame for $13. I had to use a kid's ball because of my shoulder, but I won anyway with a double strike on the 9th frame.

Cleave, I know I've got a good chance. The start is technical. If I nail it, it then turns into a power course with a hill finish leading to a 300m sprint. That's right up my alley. There are unknowns but I'll just have to find out tomorrow with everyone else. There's a chance for a rain delay, we'll see.

sarals 

Good luck, Shovel!

shovelhd

National Senior Games, low 60's, windy, raining, 1st place. Finally, a national medal. Never got one. There were about 50 riders in my field. We started a minute behind the 50-54, and caught and passed them on lap 3 of 4. The pace was slow. My time was 1:04. Weak attacks went on the up grades but a team of 3 kept bringing them back. Fine by me. On the last lap, the three slowed on an up grade and were looking for someone to do some work, so I attacked on the windward side into the head/cross wind. I got into my tick, looking down but not back until 30-40 seconds. When I looked back, I had 200 meters. The last thing I heard was "uh-oh". I soloed for the next five miles until I caught another rider right before the lead up to the sprint. I beat him up the hill and around the final turn but he got me at the line. Didn't matter, he was 60+ and got the best overall time. I have pics that my son took that I will upload later. Currently basking in the hot tub and will attend the medalist celebration later.

Thanks to my son who has been a tremendous support system, my wife and older son for checking in while I was suffering out there, my fellow Northeast racers who congratulated me afterwards, my team for the moral support when times were bad, and for my amazing coach who can take a wreck of a season and turn it into gold.

Tomorrow I will be marked but I will be doubly aggressive.

Esteban58

Shovel, that's awesome, congrats.

chasm54

+1. Terrific, Shovel, well done indeed.

Hermes

revchuck 

Way to make us all feel like pikers. Congrats, you earned it!

sarals 

Hey, Old Man, way to beat up on them other Geezers!!! I'm proud of you - sending my love!!!

jsutkeepspining

Excuse me, why has no one stopped by to see me? I live like 20 minutes south of Cleveland.

shovelhd

No beer at your house.

jsutkeepspining

there is beer at my house, i do have parents who drink.

Allegheny Jet

Nice job shoveled!

My race today was terrible. We raced in the rain and had to do 180's on the freeway at either end of each lap. On our first turn I got punted from behind and caught up with a few riders who almost went down. As soon as we got around the turn there were 4 or 5 guys nailing it with a 40 meter gap. Nobody was chasing so I did( my big mistake). I was going up a long hill into the wind at 28 mph and slowly was closing the gap. At the top of the hill guys started to come around to close the gap. I rolled to the back of about 20 chasers to recover but got gapped with about 5 others as we started the next incline. I tried to chase but was dead. I eventually recovered and rode with a group until the last lap when we got overtaken by the leaders of the 65-69 race. Once they passed us we just rode in at the rear of their pack. One guy and myself tried to go around but they wouldn't let that happen. At check-in they took a highlighter and marked our numbers. Our numbers did not distinguish race groups. The rain washed off the highlighter and many guys didn't even check in so they had no color on their numbers.

The guy from my race that passed shoveled's is a beast. He is the one who lit it up at the beginning and then just rode away from the field later. It wasn't just me that got popped today. One guy from Ohio was in the initial break and we picked him up on lap3 and another guy riding in next to me at the finish had WC stripes on his sleeves. Another Ohio guy In my group, who I beat in both State Games races in June, got 2nd in the field sprint and possibly ended up 3rd. That tells me that I do have a good chance of a better placement.

Tomorrow is another day and I will be recharged and ready to roll.

revchuck 

Why was it at your house instead of iced down in a cooler at the finish line at the end of shovel's race? Kids these days...

shovelhd

Yeah that Florida Masters guy was a beast. We kept trading the lead, passing legally. I could beat him up but he would catch me down.

Good work AJ. Tell the UPMC guys that you know me.

chasm54

lol!

Racer Ex 

I'm surprised they haven't moved on to the harder stuff.

If I was your Dad this would be my theme song:

Racer Ex 

I'm really happy for you my friend.

sarals 

As am I!!!

Hey, AJ! GREAT job. I smell a win tomorrow.

Justkeepspinning, cooler at the finish tomorrow, or you're disinherited. We got people...

Allegheny Jet

I will be there looking for my beer.

Racer Ex 

Hopefully they'll have champagne for you.

For Shovel's description of the course being in front early (like leading into the first corner) then coming off and integrating back in near the front is the plan de jour. We talked after I called you and both of us figured gaps were going to happen with that course and the conditions. Gotta be there at the end so you can hit them with the 1200. Good luck!

shovelhd

Hey Jsut, we are at the Olive Garden in Parma. Bring your sweetie. Trust me, I'm great company.

Cleave

@shovelhd, totally believable! What did I write the other day! So cool to get a win like that. Hope there's a great photo that makes you look like you're winning a spring classic in Europe. A double would be incredibly cool. My SoCal friend did that in 2009 in the 50-54 races in Palo Alto (actually Woodside) so it can be done. Rest well buddy.
@Allegheny Jet, I done things like that (chasing and then getting gapped while others closed) and it is definitely not fun. Racing with good guys from all over the country is always a step up from local racing but I'm sure you'll make the tactical adjustments to be there to fight at the finish. Now that you got your motor warmed up the watts will flow better tomorrow.

sarals 

Just so ya'll know, BJ won her age group in the 40K today, too. Her perspective on the conditions was exactly as you two described. Pictures, yes, pictures!

caloso

Awesome work.

nacler22

Congratulations shovelhd.

Very well done, and very well deserved.

Good luck to you and AJ. tomorrow.