This time it was just bad luck. The early break again went away and stayed away. the wind and roads here are heavy. very heavy so it gets discouraging in the pack. very hard to get away, very easy to sit in. I tried bridging to the break but it was to late. I was picked up on the decent of the first climb. right into the second and we were flying. the 5280 boys were laying down some serious tempo. down the very technical decent and on the to long dragging roads over the continental divide. upon reaching the base of the last climb the wind was un real, and the climb was much steeper, steadier and longer than I think most expected. I road third wheel the whole time and was feeling good, much better than yesterday. as the climb flatten out I attacked. still very hard to get away. the last 8 miles or so were rolling down hill into the yes brutal head wind. More attacks went and my legs were responding well.
hammering along we knew now that the break would make it but I was feeling good and thought that after a hard stage the long gradual uphill drag to the finish would suit me. BAMB! flat. and it was me.
after a not so smooth change I was drafting the wheel truck at 52 mph. back to the caravan but with 90+ cat 2 riders now smelling the finish line I just couldn’t close the finial meters. in the end I got the same time. but a missed opportunity for sure. a very nice course today, however and a very very hard day.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Friday, May 04, 2007
What could have been.
While being dragged up to what was to be “the break” of the day the legs didn’t feel great. And with lots of interest in winning today, the potential of big time gaps I figured it wouldn’t stick. I was wrong. It did make it. I’m not sure on the final out come but I will I’ve a quick play by play. My legs felt like crap when I awoke and had on and off sensations all day. but this is my thing so I kept positive. We had a long bout of a coffee shop ride at mile 50 or so and the break went from 4’ up to 11. yeah not good. I road up front most of the day and the big rollers coming into the final climb were nt as bad as I had imagined. We drove my car out there last night for a ride back today. Yeah. Being a pro would be nice!
As we hit the climb my legs felt heavy but I stayed with the front group as we hit the lat 3 miles that kick up something fierce on a horrible road I felt good. I stayed in the top 10 but soon a group of 4 or so drifted away. I slipped back then passed people. As I approached the last mile or so I realized I was just not on a special day. which is to bad because I feel I would have done very well, but… what could have been right…
maybe it was the driving, maybe it was the heat and maybe i didn't hydrate enough? but I'm not one to make excuses, somthing you feel like a nut... sometimes you don't... tomorrow is anew day, you never know.
I finished 23rd in th eend with the break making it. The race leader lost big time today. Finishing way down. I think its wired that someone can go so fast and so good in a TT as hard as ours was and crack that bad in a race like today. It happens I guess this is bike racing. This really is bike racing at its best.
As we hit the climb my legs felt heavy but I stayed with the front group as we hit the lat 3 miles that kick up something fierce on a horrible road I felt good. I stayed in the top 10 but soon a group of 4 or so drifted away. I slipped back then passed people. As I approached the last mile or so I realized I was just not on a special day. which is to bad because I feel I would have done very well, but… what could have been right…
maybe it was the driving, maybe it was the heat and maybe i didn't hydrate enough? but I'm not one to make excuses, somthing you feel like a nut... sometimes you don't... tomorrow is anew day, you never know.
I finished 23rd in th eend with the break making it. The race leader lost big time today. Finishing way down. I think its wired that someone can go so fast and so good in a TT as hard as ours was and crack that bad in a race like today. It happens I guess this is bike racing. This really is bike racing at its best.
Gila day 1 Real Time.
One would think that with only 39 minutes of racing to do today it would be a relaxing rest up, get things done day. Nope! 90’ ride in the am, to preview the course, then sigh in.
Back home, breakfast # 2. the big one. TT bars make sure bike in all set, etc… get drinks ready and finally drive down to the start. Now we persevered the course to one see the course the hills and the win . the wind here will be the key factor. With a 4 miles down hill to the finish you need to nail your excretion level. If it’s a tail in the final you can empty the tank early if it’s a head wind you will need to save more gas. Our ride proved useful as the head coming back the last 6 miles was stiff. We will need to save something. However upon warming up the win d had shifted to a cross wind. This would make the way out AND the way back tough going, Ok recalibrate, or do I? some times, well, all the time in bike racing and triathlon we need to be prepared to re-think, re-calibrate and changes plans in real time.
.The Start. My warm up was solid and I was supper motivated. The wind now seemed to be coming head on? What! At 6000 feet+ the wind sudden rain storms and umm the wind is every changing and very unpredictable. I looks for signs of wind direction and tried to worry about the fact my 30” man had now caught me. He was on my “watch list” then I saw it a truck driving down the climb with a flag on it. The flag was not blowing in the wind! TAIL wind! I thought and all I could do was hope it stayed that way. I started to push a bit more and played at bit of shoulder to shoulder with my 30” man. Approaching the half way mark I led him and passed to people, through the turn, he came by me and we passed more riders. No drafting being had here. Officials every where and I’m just not a cheater.
Up the steep climb I dropped him as the wind ripped me apart for the side. “Come on wind, just a little lulled for me on the last 4 miles down to the finish.
There was, or just enough. I hammered the 53-11. a few times I got over 42 mph or so I tucked and sat on my top tube. Until I slowed to 40 back in the saddle, everything I had. With 500m to go my 30” man was back getting his disk going he had got back up to me but I was to proud to let him cross the line ahead of me. I gave it everything. He still beat me but… its just principle…
In the end I came in 22nd not as well as I had hoped but this is the big one for cat 2’s and it seems everyone has come to play.
Back home, breakfast # 2. the big one. TT bars make sure bike in all set, etc… get drinks ready and finally drive down to the start. Now we persevered the course to one see the course the hills and the win . the wind here will be the key factor. With a 4 miles down hill to the finish you need to nail your excretion level. If it’s a tail in the final you can empty the tank early if it’s a head wind you will need to save more gas. Our ride proved useful as the head coming back the last 6 miles was stiff. We will need to save something. However upon warming up the win d had shifted to a cross wind. This would make the way out AND the way back tough going, Ok recalibrate, or do I? some times, well, all the time in bike racing and triathlon we need to be prepared to re-think, re-calibrate and changes plans in real time.
.The Start. My warm up was solid and I was supper motivated. The wind now seemed to be coming head on? What! At 6000 feet+ the wind sudden rain storms and umm the wind is every changing and very unpredictable. I looks for signs of wind direction and tried to worry about the fact my 30” man had now caught me. He was on my “watch list” then I saw it a truck driving down the climb with a flag on it. The flag was not blowing in the wind! TAIL wind! I thought and all I could do was hope it stayed that way. I started to push a bit more and played at bit of shoulder to shoulder with my 30” man. Approaching the half way mark I led him and passed to people, through the turn, he came by me and we passed more riders. No drafting being had here. Officials every where and I’m just not a cheater.
Up the steep climb I dropped him as the wind ripped me apart for the side. “Come on wind, just a little lulled for me on the last 4 miles down to the finish.
There was, or just enough. I hammered the 53-11. a few times I got over 42 mph or so I tucked and sat on my top tube. Until I slowed to 40 back in the saddle, everything I had. With 500m to go my 30” man was back getting his disk going he had got back up to me but I was to proud to let him cross the line ahead of me. I gave it everything. He still beat me but… its just principle…
In the end I came in 22nd not as well as I had hoped but this is the big one for cat 2’s and it seems everyone has come to play.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
final tune up
Today was the dear Trail RR. only 3 days before the start of the a Gila. with a rolling course at around 75 miles I thought it would be perfect last tune up and a chance to get a result.
An interesting course, 2 out and backs the we did twice. the first one was pretty flat while the second got pretty heavy. a clasic flat to rolling course.
In the end I managed to make "the" final move picking up the early break and thundering to the line. check out the Race Reports to see how it played out.
An interesting course, 2 out and backs the we did twice. the first one was pretty flat while the second got pretty heavy. a clasic flat to rolling course.
In the end I managed to make "the" final move picking up the early break and thundering to the line. check out the Race Reports to see how it played out.
Monday, April 23, 2007
More Racing.
The Haystack TT was a great time and a great race I hope it comes back next year. It is also perfect timing for fine tuning for the tour of the Gila my first big A race of the season. lessons learned. Be early! And even more importantly. BE EARLY!!!
**The TT on this day was a fast course but still a heavy one. A few rolling hills around the half way point and a long barely uphill 3 mill drag to the finish line proved to make this a deceivingly hard course. I road the course a few times the other day once steady and easy and the other with some 5’ intervals. I figured even if the conditions were real good, no wind. It would be hard for me to go faster than 26 MPH average. Come race day I was excited to test myself. This week I had started to cut back my over all training time and no more tempo, threshold, “hard work” kinda training. It is full gas or recovery ride from here to Gila. **
**The TT on this day was a fast course but still a heavy one. A few rolling hills around the half way point and a long barely uphill 3 mill drag to the finish line proved to make this a deceivingly hard course. I road the course a few times the other day once steady and easy and the other with some 5’ intervals. I figured even if the conditions were real good, no wind. It would be hard for me to go faster than 26 MPH average. Come race day I was excited to test myself. This week I had started to cut back my over all training time and no more tempo, threshold, “hard work” kinda training. It is full gas or recovery ride from here to Gila. **
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