Day 1
I left work early on Friday to load up the truck and get to MP with plenty of time to spare prior to the first event, the time trial.
I checked into the dorm that my friends Kim and Dave had reserved. Upon entering the room, I noticed 2 twin beds, for the for of us. That seemed a bit too cozy. But this was easily straightened out, and I headed over towards the TT start to check in. It was a bit after 4 pm, the TT started at 5:30, and I was going out at 6:18.
I found the check-in area, although they weren't set-up yet. So I decided to preview the course, pedaling around in my cargo shorts and Sanuk's elicited some looks from those already kitted up and riding the course. It was just over 4 miles, and essentially flat. There were a couple spots where you faced a decent headwind, including the finishing stretch.
Back at check in, the volunteer had a bit of trouble finding my info for the road race on Sunday, but once figured out I received my numbers, and a decent swag bag with t-shirt, water bottle and the assorted flyers. A decent pack considering some races that cost $75 for 2 hours of riding with no swag.
Back to the room, I got changed for the race and headed out to warm up. I grabbed a bottle to drink before the race, but some ill-informed folks though I was racing with it and advised otherwise. I went back towards the start area and did some riding around. It wasn't hard to work up a sweat, but I think I would have preferred to have a trainer instead of doing hot laps around the lot. I thought about bringing mine along, but didn't think it would be worth the hassle.
Time to hit the ramp for my start. The two riders ahead of me were no-shows, so I didn't have a 30 second rabbit in front of me. In fact I didn't end up seeing any rider ahead of me for the whole race. I received my countdown and I was off. I was hammering as soon as I hit the road, and instantly my quads were burning and my HR was up. This was going to be a long 10 minutes. Head down I charged through as hard as I could manage, just trying to keep around 24 MPH, which I felt was podium worthy. Less than a mile in I turned into the wind and my mouth was parched. Perhaps if I had been able to close it a bit I would have been better off.
Around the course, no issues and chugging along the final slow grade headwind to the finish and I was giving it all I had. I finished in 10:20, for 3rd place, and an average heart rate of 193 BPM. I circled around a bit to cool off, got something to drink and chatted with some riders. I managed to completely forget my lil' sister was to meet me to borrow a helmet, so she ended up buying her own, which is probably better anyway.
It was then back to the dorm to change, and then some Lost Horse (roughly translated) for dinner.
Day 2
This was an early morning race. The crash5 riders were to go at 8 am, so I was up early for a quick bite before heading downtown to the race area. Come to find out, starting early was a blessing, as our 72 degree temps gave way to 85+ temperatures for the riders later in the day.
This was my first criterium, and my main goal was to stay in the front, and not crash. I ran in to Mitch and he and I warmed up by circling the short, .84 mile course numerous times. I had to pause briefly to move my number from the right to left side. [Side note: do not wrinkle your number, regardless of what Todd Wells says!]
It was time to line up for the race. I moved to the front row, and while we were waiting, I commented to another rider how it was my first time riding with "clippy shoes" and all of the sudden I had a little more room around me.
Once we were off, I was expecting a more frantic pace. I stayed towards the front and just looked for clean lines. I was getting a bit nervous as I heard pedal strikes coming from behind me on nearly every turn. On lap 3 or 4, Matt took off on the back straight to "stretch his legs" and the group accelerated after him. One of the riders giving chase directly behind him went into the corner too hot and skidded straight across the road in front of me, crashing over the curb. I remained upright, but there was some carnage behind. A couple other riders went down, and the first guy tacoed his wheel.
The rest of the race was just more group sitting together, with an occasional attack by myself, Matt, or another rider to string the group out. On the last lap we were again coming onto the back straight and for once somebody else made a move and I jumped on his wheel. Unfortunately that was the wrong move and 2 other riders came flying by. I came out to chase, but they had the jump and I could not close the gap in the 2 remaining turns. Ended up in third again (beaten by the same two that got first and second at the TT).
Day 3
The road race was the third ball of worms to top off a trying weekend of racing. The two previous intense workouts were starting to make my legs tired, and I was looking forward to a nice relaxing day on the saddle. Well, as relaxing as 85+ degree temps and open fields with WSW winds could be.
I was racing the 35+ group, so I wasn't competing against those whipper-snappers that beat me on the two previous days. I knew the strategy necessary to win the race: sit in for 53.9 miles and sprint at the end. This strategy bored me. From the start I took the pack out of town, pulling a decent pace and keeping things lined out. Ryan came around and did the same, but when he pulled off, the group compacted into a slow moving blob and was satisfied staying that way for the duration of the race. There were some times when somebody would come up and work, but it never lasted long.
Not to say that the ride was completely boring. There was one rider that kept everybody on their toes. It was interesting to see the other riders point him out to teammates with the words "watch out." I have to admit that he must have had decent bike handling skills, because I have never seen anybody jerk their bike across the road so much and yet stay upright. It was like he was being tased every 13 seconds (or is it tazed, or tasered perhaps?).
At about mile 15 Ryan went on a planned attack, and I jumped across the gap and we were out front working when about 5 other guys came across. This could be thr group that got away. We got into a rotation, but after about the third guy took a turn, the next was satisfied soft-pedaling again until it was gruppo-compacto.
There were various taunts and teases for the remainder of the course, but nothing serious. When I got to the front I would turn the screws a bit just to try and string out the pack a bit. This wasn't the winning strategy as outlined at the beginning of this section, but it wasn't like I was risking money.
Our group managed to (mostly) hold together as the pace and heat took its toll. We passed a handful of stopped/injured riders alongside the road receiving assistance and many more riders that were fractured from their respective groups ahead of us. Eventually we came to the 5k to go turn, and the pace picked up ever so slightly as the riders that have been waiting for the last 51 miles were getting antsy.
We reached the tunnel of trees, and entered around an ambulance blocking half the road. From my earlier recon, I recalled that after the trees there was only a downhill, a road crossing, past the cemetery, left turn, bridge, railroad tracks, uphill and finish. So, as the group exited the "tunnel" I was expecting the pace to pick up but it actually slowed, so I went for it. I figured get the jump, see what happens and the worst case Ryan could come around in the sprint.
I made it down the hill, across the road, and by the time I was at the cemetery, I had a decent gap and was giving it all I had. Man, that stretch in the cemetery got a lot longer since the recon ride. Unfortunately, after the left turn all I had was no more. I popped entering the final straight. I kept moving as the pack whizzed by. Just before the tracks, a rider in front of me came across from the right, leaned on another rider, pushing him into a third and they went down directly in front of me just before the crossing. At that point, I was defeated, spent, and satisfied with making it across the line upright.
I crossed the line in 16th out of 49 starters and 43 (eventual) finishers. Still in the top half, as if that is any consolation. I headed over to "Race Central" and got a bottle of water, half to drink and half over my head as I cooled down for a bit.
I am in a weird spot regarding right now. I don't enjoy sitting around for 2+ hours waiting until the end, but I don't typically race with enough team or horsepower to blow the race up and make it "exciting". I compared the race to a game of cat and mouse, with 47 cats and 2 mice. The good news is that I am back on dirt for the foreseeable future.
I applied for my upgrade and if it doesn't go I will have to decide how to do my one or 2 remaining races. do I try to make it "hard" and have a challenge, or just sit around and see what happens at the end. If it is approved, I guess the strategy will become "try to hang on'!
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