Yesterday, I rode for about ten minutes around my neighborhood just to get a feel for how the knee was progressing after two days off from commuting. It felt reasonably well, so this morning I was able to commute on the trail again. For the first ten minutes, I was more worried than I'd been on the previous ride. The knee was stiff and it was cold out, so I actually thought about turning around. But I kept on at a slow pace and eventually it loosened up and began to feel much better. The remainder of the AM ride was nice and smooth with no sign of pain.
I popped another pill at lunch when my knee was tightening up from sitting at my desk. That seemed to help and by the time I was riding home early for church it felt great again. When I ran into Bill Gros in the middle of intervals, I was able to draft off of him for a short time and test the knee under some pressure. It was fine and several times on the way home I upped the pace some to further test it. Hammering the hill over 66 was easy enough and the legs definitely felt fresh.
Now the task shifts to maintaining this feeling and focusing on the Saturday/Sunday race set. Kirkwood is my chance for points and if I'm healthy after that, Jeff Cup will be more about showing the Haymarket colors and being a part of the scene in a stacked 1/2/3 field. I'm looking forward to it and getting stronger every day.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Purcellville and Pain
After church and a nice Easter meal of pasta, I hit the trail for some lengthy mileage. I opted for the trail mostly so I could avoid serious hills, listen to the iPod, and feel comfortable no matter the length. Even though I ride this trail every day, it's still enjoyable to ride without a backpack full of food and clothes. The only downside to all of this was missing nearly every NCAA game today.
My legs were surprisingly nimble after yesterday's hammer-fest at Cold Toes, but I kept it nice and steady. There was a decent headwind on the way out, but it didn't bother me as much as it might if I were commuting. The pace continued to feel solid. I thought briefly about catching White's Ferry and coming back on the MD side, but once I got to Leesburg, I just decided to keep on rolling. Soon enough I was crossing Highway 15 and realized I only needed ten more miles to reach the end of the trail--and to get eighty miles for the day. I was originally aiming for four and a half hours of base time, so everything seemed to be set up well. I had just enough time to make it out and back before dark and the total time would be near five hours. I figured the tailwind would give me hand.
Well, I made it out to the trail's end in Purcellville, VA for only the second time. The last time I did this, I rode every inch of the trail from start to finish and back again. Today would be a bit shorter, but since I live near mile four of the trail, not much shorter. Maybe a little before, but certainly not long after I made the turn, I started to feel a pain in my right knee. It didn't take me more than a minute to realize what the problem was. My IT Band! For those that know me from running, this time it was a different knee (my right), but it was the same pain that cost me my entire freshman year at MIT. It's off to the outside of the knee and it causes the entire area to feel stiff as a board.
I decided to stop and stretch some to see if I could mitigate some of of the discomfort. It wasn't hurting me too much, but I was pretty worried about how I'd handle the next forty miles to get home. Fortunately I wasn't running, because I know there's no way I could have tolerated any more once this pain started. But even when I was at the height of my injury in college, I could always seem to get along better on a bike. So I pedaled on. It felt weird in intervals. Basically any time that I would stand up on the bike, it would start throbbing again. But if I stayed seated, which is what I was trying to do anyways, it didn't feel so bad.
I kept my head down, stayed aero and pushed towards home, picking up the pace a little bit to beat the darkness. My iPod finally cut off in Vienna since I hadn't started with a full charge, so I rode the last thirty minutes in silence. When I commute, even without the iPod, the ride is hardly silent, but it's nice to ride across the same roads on the weekend, when there's hardly anyone out. I climbed the hill over 66 and then finished off the ride without too much problem with the knee.
As soon as I stepped off the bike and put it in the shed, the knee became incredibly stiff. If I'dve had any doubts about what was causing it, they would have been cleared up real quick. There is no question; I'm once again dealing with an IT Band problem. I stretched for a while when I got inside, and since I haven't been doing that much, it's probably no surprise that I'm seeing a recurrence of issues. I also downed some more pasta and went back on Vitamin I for the first time since college. Ugh. I'll probably end my twenty day commute streak tomorrow and drive in to take a day off the knee. Other than that, it'll be wait and see before I get ready to race twice next weekend. Please don't let this get any worse!
My legs were surprisingly nimble after yesterday's hammer-fest at Cold Toes, but I kept it nice and steady. There was a decent headwind on the way out, but it didn't bother me as much as it might if I were commuting. The pace continued to feel solid. I thought briefly about catching White's Ferry and coming back on the MD side, but once I got to Leesburg, I just decided to keep on rolling. Soon enough I was crossing Highway 15 and realized I only needed ten more miles to reach the end of the trail--and to get eighty miles for the day. I was originally aiming for four and a half hours of base time, so everything seemed to be set up well. I had just enough time to make it out and back before dark and the total time would be near five hours. I figured the tailwind would give me hand.
Well, I made it out to the trail's end in Purcellville, VA for only the second time. The last time I did this, I rode every inch of the trail from start to finish and back again. Today would be a bit shorter, but since I live near mile four of the trail, not much shorter. Maybe a little before, but certainly not long after I made the turn, I started to feel a pain in my right knee. It didn't take me more than a minute to realize what the problem was. My IT Band! For those that know me from running, this time it was a different knee (my right), but it was the same pain that cost me my entire freshman year at MIT. It's off to the outside of the knee and it causes the entire area to feel stiff as a board.
I decided to stop and stretch some to see if I could mitigate some of of the discomfort. It wasn't hurting me too much, but I was pretty worried about how I'd handle the next forty miles to get home. Fortunately I wasn't running, because I know there's no way I could have tolerated any more once this pain started. But even when I was at the height of my injury in college, I could always seem to get along better on a bike. So I pedaled on. It felt weird in intervals. Basically any time that I would stand up on the bike, it would start throbbing again. But if I stayed seated, which is what I was trying to do anyways, it didn't feel so bad.
I kept my head down, stayed aero and pushed towards home, picking up the pace a little bit to beat the darkness. My iPod finally cut off in Vienna since I hadn't started with a full charge, so I rode the last thirty minutes in silence. When I commute, even without the iPod, the ride is hardly silent, but it's nice to ride across the same roads on the weekend, when there's hardly anyone out. I climbed the hill over 66 and then finished off the ride without too much problem with the knee.
As soon as I stepped off the bike and put it in the shed, the knee became incredibly stiff. If I'dve had any doubts about what was causing it, they would have been cleared up real quick. There is no question; I'm once again dealing with an IT Band problem. I stretched for a while when I got inside, and since I haven't been doing that much, it's probably no surprise that I'm seeing a recurrence of issues. I also downed some more pasta and went back on Vitamin I for the first time since college. Ugh. I'll probably end my twenty day commute streak tomorrow and drive in to take a day off the knee. Other than that, it'll be wait and see before I get ready to race twice next weekend. Please don't let this get any worse!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Cold Toes
Since last weekend didn't quite do it, today I finally got some racing miles in the legs. I drove out to the Cold Toes training race just south of the Dulles Airport. I warmed up with Bryan, Darren, and Pedro before getting on the line for the 3/4 "B" race. The pace was nice and quick from the gun, so I never really had to worry about making pace. Darren went off the front early on, so I tried to relax in the field and see how things developed. It took me a while to get comfortable in the peloton again, but it came back soon enough.
Darren was definitely on form and he stayed out there a long while. He was eventually brought back and I gave it a go for a counter-attack, but uh, I didn't get much gap on the field. I was put right back in to my place as pack filler. No real big breaks happened again until, whadya know, it was Darren again. He stayed out there again for quite a while--to the point I thought he might finish it off. But alas he was pulled back and an LSV rider slipped away.
I thought we might organize and pull him back, but for whatever reason, we never could and I found myself making dumb moves. Eventually Darren wanted some tempo in the final laps and so I tried to help him out. My legs were really hurting and it was all I could do to try and pull him to the final corner. I didn't quite make it and everyone went around me for the final sprint. I think Darren ended up fifth or so.
After switching my number in the car, I lined up again for the "A" race. There were plenty of old faces in the mix for this one. I really had doubts about how much I had in me and when we finally saw lap cards I was taken aback at seeing something in the neighborhood of 26. Oh well, this was a training race after all. I dug in and tried to find my groove. In summary, there were lots of laps, they hurt a lot, and a breakaway lapped the field. It felt great to ride so fast and I surprised myself with how much I had left in the tank. I failed at bridging, but otherwise I held my own in the peloton. A good day of training. Next weekend, it's for real.
Darren was definitely on form and he stayed out there a long while. He was eventually brought back and I gave it a go for a counter-attack, but uh, I didn't get much gap on the field. I was put right back in to my place as pack filler. No real big breaks happened again until, whadya know, it was Darren again. He stayed out there again for quite a while--to the point I thought he might finish it off. But alas he was pulled back and an LSV rider slipped away.
I thought we might organize and pull him back, but for whatever reason, we never could and I found myself making dumb moves. Eventually Darren wanted some tempo in the final laps and so I tried to help him out. My legs were really hurting and it was all I could do to try and pull him to the final corner. I didn't quite make it and everyone went around me for the final sprint. I think Darren ended up fifth or so.
After switching my number in the car, I lined up again for the "A" race. There were plenty of old faces in the mix for this one. I really had doubts about how much I had in me and when we finally saw lap cards I was taken aback at seeing something in the neighborhood of 26. Oh well, this was a training race after all. I dug in and tried to find my groove. In summary, there were lots of laps, they hurt a lot, and a breakaway lapped the field. It felt great to ride so fast and I surprised myself with how much I had left in the tank. I failed at bridging, but otherwise I held my own in the peloton. A good day of training. Next weekend, it's for real.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Tempo Tempo
Today was the first hint of intensity so far this season--other than the brief spots on Saturday. It was simple tempo ride home from work. Basically all I have to do to get a good tempo ride is do what my instincts want to do: ride fast. I tried to focus on being either in the drops or aero on the hoods. I flew by a lot of people and the stoplights were good rest for me. I guess that makes me the 'bike trail guy' for today, but I must say that it was fun to ride fast again. My legs felt surprisingly strong and since the wind was calm, that translated into some respectable speeds. This being my first workout of the year, I think I probably went a bit too fast and spent more time above threshold than I really should have. But hey, live a little, eh?
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Remax Town and Country Road Race
Well, the 2008 season sort of got started Saturday. I was in my hometown of Albemarle, NC for the Remax Town and Country Road Race. When I arrived at the race site, I quickly learned that all races had been delayed by two hours because of heavy fog early in the morning. So instead of warming up I sat around with Jess and my parents just waiting to hear something.
Eventually, I decided to go ride the course once and get the lay of the land. It was a 6.6 mi course with two decent hills to make things difficult. The wind was pretty steady so it took me a while to ride the loop solo. When I got back, they still weren't ready to start the race, so I spent most of the time chatting with my soon-to-be teammate Gonzalo Escobar. He's riding for Lees-McRae until he graduates this spring.
As we were waiting for the race to begin, it became clear that by delaying the race, weather was going to become a big factor. There were some nasty clouds moving in and once they finally had us lined up to hear instructions, there was thunder and a sprinkling of rain. Almost as soon as we rolled out of the Kendall Valley parking lot, the skies opened up and we were getting soaked. All I could think about was how this was real Belgian classics weather. Rain, rural roads, hills, it's all good.
But the rain kept getting harder until it became hard for me to see. Riding in the peloton, my eyes were getting splashed with spray from the wheel of the guy in front of me and I was having to squint to make out anything. Braking was an adventure and I was concerned about running in to people in front of me. Despite all that, the first lap was uneventful in terms of grouping. A couple folks tried some dumb solo moves, but they were brought back in short order.
About midway through the second lap, the rain became painful. It was hitting me real hard in the face and all of a sudden I noticed that it wasn't rain anymore. We were getting hailed on! Epic, but silly too. This extreme weather started to split the group and I had to jump past folks and hammer to catch back on after some gaps opened. It was hard to tell where the front of the race was, but after a while I was confident that I was still in the lead group.
When we hit the second climb, I found myself pedaling off the front with another rider. We weren't attacking really, just upping the pace on the hill, but before long we had a gap and had been joined by 2-3 others--the rain makes my memory as hazy as it was. With about two miles to go before the next lap, our group was reeled in by what seemed like a third of the original starters. I started to reintegrate into the new pack when the moto-official pulled up beside us and told us to, "Go straight to the finish." The course was a lollipop style, so we all took this to mean that this was the final lap. Haha! 2 of 8 was to be the final lap. Not quite a 50 mile road race eh?
Well, once the official told us the news I went straight to work positioning myself for the sprint and we were moving fast enough that things were almost single file. The wind was killer and the rain was relentless. I was in the top five when the finish came into sight and fortunately for me, there was a short but steep rise before plateauing for 100 yards before the finish. A Franklin Street cycles rider really led out the sprint bigtime. He was way early and so we were all trying to use him as a draft. Eventually I made the decision to go for it and found myself leading with maybe 50 yards to go. I held that lead nearly all the way, but was passed just before the line by a Blue rider. I held off third place by a bike throw.
I was thrilled to be second, but since the race wasn't even long enough to qualify as a crit and it wasn't clear if there was even a camera at the finish due to the weather, I wasn't as excited as I might have been. There was rumor of a tornado elsewhere in the county to further put a damper on things. I stood around for a while trying to find out if they were going to payout the $70 for second place and if there would be any results posted, but things were hectic and I gave up after about thirty minutes of shivering in my wet clothes underneath an overhang. We loaded up the car and went to Log Cabin for some warm and dry chopped pork sandwiches. Good stuff as always.
I made sure to email the promoter all the info I had about the finish--my place and those of the others around me. But Monday morning, we got the following email:
Oh well, I got a taste of racing at least. My legs were certainly not in prime shape but I had a passable sprint. Had the race gone 50 miles worth of attacking, I would have been hurting. The changes of pace throughout the race all hurt a lot and my legs feel like they have a long way to go if I'm going to score points anywhere near MABRA.
Eventually, I decided to go ride the course once and get the lay of the land. It was a 6.6 mi course with two decent hills to make things difficult. The wind was pretty steady so it took me a while to ride the loop solo. When I got back, they still weren't ready to start the race, so I spent most of the time chatting with my soon-to-be teammate Gonzalo Escobar. He's riding for Lees-McRae until he graduates this spring.
As we were waiting for the race to begin, it became clear that by delaying the race, weather was going to become a big factor. There were some nasty clouds moving in and once they finally had us lined up to hear instructions, there was thunder and a sprinkling of rain. Almost as soon as we rolled out of the Kendall Valley parking lot, the skies opened up and we were getting soaked. All I could think about was how this was real Belgian classics weather. Rain, rural roads, hills, it's all good.
But the rain kept getting harder until it became hard for me to see. Riding in the peloton, my eyes were getting splashed with spray from the wheel of the guy in front of me and I was having to squint to make out anything. Braking was an adventure and I was concerned about running in to people in front of me. Despite all that, the first lap was uneventful in terms of grouping. A couple folks tried some dumb solo moves, but they were brought back in short order.
About midway through the second lap, the rain became painful. It was hitting me real hard in the face and all of a sudden I noticed that it wasn't rain anymore. We were getting hailed on! Epic, but silly too. This extreme weather started to split the group and I had to jump past folks and hammer to catch back on after some gaps opened. It was hard to tell where the front of the race was, but after a while I was confident that I was still in the lead group.
When we hit the second climb, I found myself pedaling off the front with another rider. We weren't attacking really, just upping the pace on the hill, but before long we had a gap and had been joined by 2-3 others--the rain makes my memory as hazy as it was. With about two miles to go before the next lap, our group was reeled in by what seemed like a third of the original starters. I started to reintegrate into the new pack when the moto-official pulled up beside us and told us to, "Go straight to the finish." The course was a lollipop style, so we all took this to mean that this was the final lap. Haha! 2 of 8 was to be the final lap. Not quite a 50 mile road race eh?
Well, once the official told us the news I went straight to work positioning myself for the sprint and we were moving fast enough that things were almost single file. The wind was killer and the rain was relentless. I was in the top five when the finish came into sight and fortunately for me, there was a short but steep rise before plateauing for 100 yards before the finish. A Franklin Street cycles rider really led out the sprint bigtime. He was way early and so we were all trying to use him as a draft. Eventually I made the decision to go for it and found myself leading with maybe 50 yards to go. I held that lead nearly all the way, but was passed just before the line by a Blue rider. I held off third place by a bike throw.
I was thrilled to be second, but since the race wasn't even long enough to qualify as a crit and it wasn't clear if there was even a camera at the finish due to the weather, I wasn't as excited as I might have been. There was rumor of a tornado elsewhere in the county to further put a damper on things. I stood around for a while trying to find out if they were going to payout the $70 for second place and if there would be any results posted, but things were hectic and I gave up after about thirty minutes of shivering in my wet clothes underneath an overhang. We loaded up the car and went to Log Cabin for some warm and dry chopped pork sandwiches. Good stuff as always.
I made sure to email the promoter all the info I had about the finish--my place and those of the others around me. But Monday morning, we got the following email:
Attention Pro's and cat 3's that started the Remax Town & Country RR on March 15th
The severe weather that moved in during your race forced the officials to remove the camera equipment from the finish line before the leaders came in. Both races were also shortened due to the severe weather which created some confusion among the racers. After speaking with the Drew McCarthy, the chief referee, and receiving some e-mails from him it appears the finish cannot be accurately recorded. Having now gathered all the available information I have decided that each racer in the Pro and cat 3 race will receive a refund or credit with RMS. I am in the process of deciding which way is going to be best for all involved but I wanted to let you know that you will be receiving some sort of refund. We (Uwharrie Wheelmen Cycling Club) appreciate the fabulous turnout, we had 400 racers, and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the weather. Our goal is to get people in Stanly county interested in cycling and I think having 400 cyclist racing in our backyard is a great way to do it. Once I determine the way you will be refunded I will post it.
Thanks,
Chris Chapman
President Uwharrie Wheelmen/Race Promoter
Oh well, I got a taste of racing at least. My legs were certainly not in prime shape but I had a passable sprint. Had the race gone 50 miles worth of attacking, I would have been hurting. The changes of pace throughout the race all hurt a lot and my legs feel like they have a long way to go if I'm going to score points anywhere near MABRA.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The 2008 Season Begins . . .
On the eve of my first race of the 2008 campaign, I figured it was about time to get something up on the web. There have been a few changes since I last wrote and raced. Most notably, I transferred to the Haymarket Bicycles Racing Team presented by Function Drinks. I made the change not long after the 'cross season ended as I was beginning to plan for this season on the road. I made the change primarily so that I would push myself to make Category 2 and, by eventually doing that, stay focused during the road season in order to be better prepared for cyclocross.
Last year at this time, there was a lot going on. Jess had just come back from Pittsburgh and I had been riding nearly every day in the frigid weather. I was in pretty great shape, but also beginning to feel the effects of burn out. By the time we took a vacation in Luray and spent some time hiking in Shenandoah, I was completely disinterested in riding my bike. I got sick in the days before Jeff. Cup and that was about all she wrote for my season. I raced Walkersville and finished with the 1/2/3 pack, then raced Poolesville to defend my title and finished in the pack of the 3 race. I shut it down after that and did other things before jumping in a few late season crits and getting absolutely embarrassed by all the guys chasing BAR points late in the year. I took that embarrassment very personal and set myself up on a plan to make certain that I had a good season in my true love: 'cross. I followed the plan almost religiously and the results of that plan are in my last post.
So this year, I am more determined to have a good road season than I've been since I started cycling. I've laid out a plan similar to that for cyclocross and my hope is that even though the season is longer, I can follow that equally as well and hopefully get some results. Moving over to Haymarket makes my quest for Category 2 status worthwhile. They are a small, but solid group of serious racing cyclists and I have no doubt that I will enjoy the road season much better if I'm focused on racing.
That brings me to now, the eve of racing. I've now done five weeks of base after taking nearly ten weeks off of the bike (two in Italy). There's a long way to go before I feel in great shape, but I'm happy with the direction I'm headed and my motivation is already far higher than it was at any point before Charm City last year. The race tomorrow is nicely juxtaposed with a family event the next day, so I'll have a chance to see what my legs can do outside of the MABRA scene. And not only that, it's my first chance ever to do a race (running or cycling) in my hometown.
Let the chase for points begin and may I enjoy every moment of it!
Last year at this time, there was a lot going on. Jess had just come back from Pittsburgh and I had been riding nearly every day in the frigid weather. I was in pretty great shape, but also beginning to feel the effects of burn out. By the time we took a vacation in Luray and spent some time hiking in Shenandoah, I was completely disinterested in riding my bike. I got sick in the days before Jeff. Cup and that was about all she wrote for my season. I raced Walkersville and finished with the 1/2/3 pack, then raced Poolesville to defend my title and finished in the pack of the 3 race. I shut it down after that and did other things before jumping in a few late season crits and getting absolutely embarrassed by all the guys chasing BAR points late in the year. I took that embarrassment very personal and set myself up on a plan to make certain that I had a good season in my true love: 'cross. I followed the plan almost religiously and the results of that plan are in my last post.
So this year, I am more determined to have a good road season than I've been since I started cycling. I've laid out a plan similar to that for cyclocross and my hope is that even though the season is longer, I can follow that equally as well and hopefully get some results. Moving over to Haymarket makes my quest for Category 2 status worthwhile. They are a small, but solid group of serious racing cyclists and I have no doubt that I will enjoy the road season much better if I'm focused on racing.
That brings me to now, the eve of racing. I've now done five weeks of base after taking nearly ten weeks off of the bike (two in Italy). There's a long way to go before I feel in great shape, but I'm happy with the direction I'm headed and my motivation is already far higher than it was at any point before Charm City last year. The race tomorrow is nicely juxtaposed with a family event the next day, so I'll have a chance to see what my legs can do outside of the MABRA scene. And not only that, it's my first chance ever to do a race (running or cycling) in my hometown.
Let the chase for points begin and may I enjoy every moment of it!
Monday, December 03, 2007
My goals for the 2007 CX Season were as follows:
I didn't manage to dethrone Eric Linder and win the MAC B overall. But I rode well enough that I was the only rider lining up in Reston with a mathematical chance of taking the overall. I'm pleased with second place. Though, I must say that two years in a row, finishing second in a series overall to an HVB rider is tough. Last year it was Todd Hesel beating me out of the MABRA B overall.
My experiences in MABRA A races were generally of the "learning experience" variety. I usually ran out of gas racing for an hour+ and never could work my way up through the crowd all that well. The lone exception was my team's promoted race, the Tacchino, where the fast course and an amazing start set me up to threaten for a pseudo-podium (T5). I finished just off of it in 6th, more than enough to satisfy my third goal of the season.
My fourth goal probably should have been to keep this blog updated. And if it had been, I would have failed miserably.
- Win a MAC B Race
- Win the MAC B Series (Revised to Top 5 after Granogue)
- Place Top 10 in a MABRA A Race
I didn't manage to dethrone Eric Linder and win the MAC B overall. But I rode well enough that I was the only rider lining up in Reston with a mathematical chance of taking the overall. I'm pleased with second place. Though, I must say that two years in a row, finishing second in a series overall to an HVB rider is tough. Last year it was Todd Hesel beating me out of the MABRA B overall.
My experiences in MABRA A races were generally of the "learning experience" variety. I usually ran out of gas racing for an hour+ and never could work my way up through the crowd all that well. The lone exception was my team's promoted race, the Tacchino, where the fast course and an amazing start set me up to threaten for a pseudo-podium (T5). I finished just off of it in 6th, more than enough to satisfy my third goal of the season.
My fourth goal probably should have been to keep this blog updated. And if it had been, I would have failed miserably.
Final MAC Standings
2007 MAC Men's B Standings
Where is the line drawn for those who will be called sandbaggers next season? I'll be racing A's, who else?
Where is the line drawn for those who will be called sandbaggers next season? I'll be racing A's, who else?
Monday, November 12, 2007
I'm in desperate need of an update, but this will have to do for now. After a great weekend of racing here are the updated MAC 2/3/4 Standings.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Tacchino Ciclicross
Don't miss stop #5 of the BikeReg.com MABRA Cross Series. It's Sunday, November 4th at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
MAC Standings after Week 1
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If there's one thing that's clear after the first weekend of racing, it's that Eric Linder is, so far, our Nys. He was dominant on both courses and showed us he's the man to beat in 2007. E-Town gave him his best shot at Granogue and a whole group of riders did it at Wissahickon, but both times, Linder delivered with more than enough power to leave time for a couple victory salutes.
E-Town had a great day on Saturday, but for whatever reason couldn't follow that up on Sunday. In both cases, he took the holeshot as expected and put a hurtin' on the field. Whether or not he can sustain that for back-to-back days is something we'll be following in the final two MAC weekends. If he plans to stay on Linder's tail, he can't fade. I think we're seeing a renewed E-town, one with more focus and desire than ever before, but a letdown after the spectacle of Granogue probably caught up to him. If anyone is capable of beating Linder, Townsend made it clear that he's the closest.
My pick to win, Ellicott, didn't have his best day and the rust showed. Poor tire selection, bad legs, and discomfort with a front row start all factored in. Research will likely keep Ellicott from being a factor in the overall series, but even in limited appearances, he always has a shot to steal a victory.
By far the biggest surprise of the weekend was the incredible riding by the youngest in the field, Jeff Bahnson. He was the darling of the crowds and the annoucer both days. On Saturday, he made the most of his third row start and worked his way up through the field to take fifth. His handling skills are obviously quite advanced, but his engine also seems to be more than enough to ride in the Killer B's. What a season this young'un may have, it's entirely possible he could be the youngest winner of MAC B race in recent memory. The DCCoD has its rider for the near and distant future. Count me and the whole field as very much impressed.
Just behind Bahnson in terms of consistency over both days were South Boston's Jeremy Dunn and NYC's Matt Budd. Dunn showed the form that made him this year's top returner in terms of points scored over a full season. Consistency did it for him last year and it appears we'll be seeing much of the same if he continues to travel South. Budd, who was mistakenly overlooked in the Granogue preview, rode to a seventh place finish on both days, the only NY rider to make the top ten.
Jeremy Dunn's teammate, Pete Smith had a fantastic ride at Granogue, where he finished fourth. In not contesting the next day's race, he fell in the standings of course, but he made it known that when he comes into the MAC he's one to watch. Another rider only contesting the first day was Mike Stubna of GPOA. He finished a solid ninth place in his first 'cross race in two years. He too would have factored in on a Wissahickon course that was less technical and more suited to his roadie skills.
Team Beacon ran into a string of bad luck this weekend. Front row starter Daniel Brill missed his call-up and was relegated to the back of the field on Saturday--a catastrophic start to the MAC campaign. Still, he managed to take 16th and limit the damage. On Sunday, it was 17-year-old Patrick Bradley's turn to experience bad luck. After an official took issue with his riding on the course during an earlier race, he was relegated back a few rows from his top starting spot. In the melee of the start at Wissahickon, he got caught up in a crash and destroyed his front wheel, breaking several spokes and forcing him to run to the pit. A quick change still put him far back and 21st was the best he could manage. That's a tough pill to swallow a day after finishing on the podium at Granogue.
Speaking of disasters, it wasn't only Team Beacon who had their share. At Granogue, both Kevin Kralik and newcomer Turner Johnson fell victim to mechanical issues. Kralik went down with an issue before the first lap was even complete. It appears he spent a while trying to fix the problem, but wasn't able to get things working. Johnson had chain issues of his own after having a great start and looking to be in position for a strong top ten. Stepping under the tape and calling it a day may have given both of them an edge the next day, where they finished 2nd and 6th respectively. Redemption came quickly for both, but the loss of points has them much farther down the standings than they should be. Turner made it known that he's out to win races, not just fight for table scraps. At Wissahickon, he was active the entire race and quite aggressive with his lines. Good quality racing.
Rounding out the bottom of the top ten, either in points or in the day's racing were Mike Mihalik, Fatmarc, and HVB's Jim Mudd.
E-Town had a great day on Saturday, but for whatever reason couldn't follow that up on Sunday. In both cases, he took the holeshot as expected and put a hurtin' on the field. Whether or not he can sustain that for back-to-back days is something we'll be following in the final two MAC weekends. If he plans to stay on Linder's tail, he can't fade. I think we're seeing a renewed E-town, one with more focus and desire than ever before, but a letdown after the spectacle of Granogue probably caught up to him. If anyone is capable of beating Linder, Townsend made it clear that he's the closest.
My pick to win, Ellicott, didn't have his best day and the rust showed. Poor tire selection, bad legs, and discomfort with a front row start all factored in. Research will likely keep Ellicott from being a factor in the overall series, but even in limited appearances, he always has a shot to steal a victory.
By far the biggest surprise of the weekend was the incredible riding by the youngest in the field, Jeff Bahnson. He was the darling of the crowds and the annoucer both days. On Saturday, he made the most of his third row start and worked his way up through the field to take fifth. His handling skills are obviously quite advanced, but his engine also seems to be more than enough to ride in the Killer B's. What a season this young'un may have, it's entirely possible he could be the youngest winner of MAC B race in recent memory. The DCCoD has its rider for the near and distant future. Count me and the whole field as very much impressed.
Just behind Bahnson in terms of consistency over both days were South Boston's Jeremy Dunn and NYC's Matt Budd. Dunn showed the form that made him this year's top returner in terms of points scored over a full season. Consistency did it for him last year and it appears we'll be seeing much of the same if he continues to travel South. Budd, who was mistakenly overlooked in the Granogue preview, rode to a seventh place finish on both days, the only NY rider to make the top ten.
Jeremy Dunn's teammate, Pete Smith had a fantastic ride at Granogue, where he finished fourth. In not contesting the next day's race, he fell in the standings of course, but he made it known that when he comes into the MAC he's one to watch. Another rider only contesting the first day was Mike Stubna of GPOA. He finished a solid ninth place in his first 'cross race in two years. He too would have factored in on a Wissahickon course that was less technical and more suited to his roadie skills.
Team Beacon ran into a string of bad luck this weekend. Front row starter Daniel Brill missed his call-up and was relegated to the back of the field on Saturday--a catastrophic start to the MAC campaign. Still, he managed to take 16th and limit the damage. On Sunday, it was 17-year-old Patrick Bradley's turn to experience bad luck. After an official took issue with his riding on the course during an earlier race, he was relegated back a few rows from his top starting spot. In the melee of the start at Wissahickon, he got caught up in a crash and destroyed his front wheel, breaking several spokes and forcing him to run to the pit. A quick change still put him far back and 21st was the best he could manage. That's a tough pill to swallow a day after finishing on the podium at Granogue.
Speaking of disasters, it wasn't only Team Beacon who had their share. At Granogue, both Kevin Kralik and newcomer Turner Johnson fell victim to mechanical issues. Kralik went down with an issue before the first lap was even complete. It appears he spent a while trying to fix the problem, but wasn't able to get things working. Johnson had chain issues of his own after having a great start and looking to be in position for a strong top ten. Stepping under the tape and calling it a day may have given both of them an edge the next day, where they finished 2nd and 6th respectively. Redemption came quickly for both, but the loss of points has them much farther down the standings than they should be. Turner made it known that he's out to win races, not just fight for table scraps. At Wissahickon, he was active the entire race and quite aggressive with his lines. Good quality racing.
Rounding out the bottom of the top ten, either in points or in the day's racing were Mike Mihalik, Fatmarc, and HVB's Jim Mudd.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
2007 Granogue Cyclocross Preview
I did a preview last year for Charm City, so it's been a while. Here's my take on the top contenders going into this weekend's B Race at Granogue. Please don't take this too seriously. It's only for fun.
1. Evan Ellicott 33 Tacoma Park, MD
Ellicott is an incredibly strong rider and the top returner from last year's B race at Granogue. Though he only raced three times in the MAC last season, Granogue was actually his worst performance (4th). He was runner-up at Lower Allen as well as the season ending Capital Cross Classic. A horrific crash at the Tour de Toona this year sidlined him until last weekend when he finished 5th in A race at Iron Cross Lite. He made a transfer this year to team n-tieractive / Bike Doctor-Waldorf.
2. Daniel Brill 35 South River, NJ
Riding for Team Beacon again this season, Brill will be trying to improve ever so slightly and pick up that elusive win. Last season he finished no worse than 13th and as high as 5th at Granogue. He's a true Stalwart of the MAC and a force to be reckoned with. Not only that, but this year he's old enough to race Masters--at least after he gets to his unfinished business in the B Race.
3. Ethan Townsend 24 Wilmington, DE
There are few on the East coast who can match the starts of this local rider. As a member of the DCCofD as well as the powerful C3-Sollay.com team, he's out to prove this year that he can do more than take home the first lap preme. He finished 9th last season at Granogue, but this season he's already won twice on the MABRA circuit, taking the top step of the podium at Charm City as well as Hagerstown. With the inside scoop on the course, there's little doubt that E-Town will be in the lead group when the going gets tough.
4. Jeremy Dunn 27 South Boston, MA
Any rider making the trek down from Southie each weekend of the MAC should be feared and Dunn is no exception. Last season he got better and better each week, eventually racing in to top form and stealing two wins from the Mid Atlantic on a muddy New Jersey weekend. With Granogue expected to be dry and as fast as ever, that doesn't favor him, but with results like his and did I mention he's from South Boston? Watch out. He's also battle-tested having finished just behind Lyne Bessette up at New England Worlds. He races for Cambridge Bicycle / Igleheart Frames, the bike shop nearest to my alma mater, MIT.
5. Eric Linder 28 Baltimore, MD
The only man to interrupt Townsend's streak of MABRA victories was this man. Riding in green and black for the always strong HVB team, Eric Linder is their man for the B Series this year. He's got big shoes to fill, taking over for last year's MAC Series winner Greg Lindstrom and MABRA series winner Todd Hesel. With his performances so far, he's proven he's up to the challenge, but we'll have to wait and see what he can do on the MAC stage.
6. Marc Vettori 36 Elkton, MD
Easily the biggest celebrity rolling up to the start line at Granogue this year is Fatmarc Vettori. He too has moved over to the C3-Sollay.com squad this season and has made quite the impact in the MABRA Masters B category. Each week he finished on a different step of the podium, starting with a win at Charm City, and each week the press kept giving this man the win. He's so popular he wins without even being the first across the line. Is it the moviestar good looks, the lack of a pink helmet, or the coach? Everyone wants to know. Maybe we'll find out here on his home course. Last year he was 8th.
7. Erik Leaver 36 Silver Spring, MD
Fresh off his MABRA B series victory two years ago, last year didn't see much of Leaver on the MAC circuit. When it did, he did well, finishing third at the epic Highland Park race and 8th in the Beacon sand. It's hard to tell what form he has so far this season, but Leaver is a crafty veteran with plenty of skill for this race. Not having raced Granogue before may leave him at a disadvantage early on, but once he figures out the track, we might see the NCVC red and white at the front of the main field.
8. Kevin Kralik 23 Philadelphia, PA
Here's another top racer who benefited from that muddy New Jersey weekend last year, finishing 2nd and 3rd and Guy's and Evo. But he's not just a mud rider, he's already won once this season at Whirlybird and last season he won at Nittany Lion Cross. Other than those races, he's mostly an unknown rider, having no recorded experience on or off road outside of cyclocross season. There's no telling what to expect from this rider, but it would be a mistake to count him out when he's done so well on so little racing.
9. Patrick Bradley 17 Richwood, NJ
This is another Team Beacon rider with a lot to prove. Last season he won the C race and had a solid first season amongst the Killer B's. Now that he's added the muscle that comes with age, he's shown already this year that he's made the leap to be one of the top juniors (see also Gerlak and Bahnson) in this field. Can he win? Well, he's certainly lacking experience and the results, so we'll have to see. But there's no doubt that Bradley will be in the mix all season long.
10. Mike Stubna 31 Philadelphia, PA
It's a little odd to see such a strong road rider in the B field, but that's where we find Mike Stubna. He's well-known for his exploits on the powerful Meredith Group-GPOA road squad and now it looks as though he's out to prove himself in the MAC. Two years ago, he was experimenting in the elite field, but since he's been out of the cyclocross for a year, fighting amongst the other sandbaggers may be just what he needs to get his groove back. When he does, you'd better be ready.
11. Marc Bavineau 31 Beverly, MA
Bavineau proved he is amongst the best when he finished 15th at Nationals (B) last year. The only man in this field to beat him there was Ellicott. But there's no telling what we'll get from this New England rider. He narrowly missed out on a top ten at Gloucester last weekend, so we'll assume that he's battle hardened and not quite yet on top form. Will his introduction to the MAC go well? Plenty of Mid Atlantic racers are hoping to send him up the Jersey Turnpike empty handed. He races for Essex County Velo.
12. Morgan Gerlak 15 Baltimore, MD
Even at 15, Gerlak has acheived more notable results than most riders ever will, but there's still one result that he'd like to have and that's a B series win. He's been close now for a while, finishing second last week at Iron Cross Lite, and at last year's Evo MAC race. Is this the year that Morgan seals the deal on a win? It's hard to say with such top flight talent on his own team (C3). But he's got some of the best handling skills around and more experience on these MAC courses than just about anyone. With the engine getting better and better each year, I think we all know better than to count him out because of his age. Last year, he was 19th at Granogue.
13. Jeff Bahnson 14 Newark, DE
Trying to make a name for himself the way Morgan Gerlak has done, Bahnson showed he's capable at Charm City this year. At 14, the youngest rider in the race, he finished on the wide side of the podium and took home some schwag. He's young and inexperienced, so Granogue probably won't get his first B win this year, but it can't be too long before he's pushing the pace at the front of the field. He rides for C2S/Henry's Bikes. It's hard to believe this was him two year's ago.
1. Evan Ellicott 33 Tacoma Park, MD
Ellicott is an incredibly strong rider and the top returner from last year's B race at Granogue. Though he only raced three times in the MAC last season, Granogue was actually his worst performance (4th). He was runner-up at Lower Allen as well as the season ending Capital Cross Classic. A horrific crash at the Tour de Toona this year sidlined him until last weekend when he finished 5th in A race at Iron Cross Lite. He made a transfer this year to team n-tieractive / Bike Doctor-Waldorf.
2. Daniel Brill 35 South River, NJ
Riding for Team Beacon again this season, Brill will be trying to improve ever so slightly and pick up that elusive win. Last season he finished no worse than 13th and as high as 5th at Granogue. He's a true Stalwart of the MAC and a force to be reckoned with. Not only that, but this year he's old enough to race Masters--at least after he gets to his unfinished business in the B Race.
3. Ethan Townsend 24 Wilmington, DE
There are few on the East coast who can match the starts of this local rider. As a member of the DCCofD as well as the powerful C3-Sollay.com team, he's out to prove this year that he can do more than take home the first lap preme. He finished 9th last season at Granogue, but this season he's already won twice on the MABRA circuit, taking the top step of the podium at Charm City as well as Hagerstown. With the inside scoop on the course, there's little doubt that E-Town will be in the lead group when the going gets tough.
4. Jeremy Dunn 27 South Boston, MA
Any rider making the trek down from Southie each weekend of the MAC should be feared and Dunn is no exception. Last season he got better and better each week, eventually racing in to top form and stealing two wins from the Mid Atlantic on a muddy New Jersey weekend. With Granogue expected to be dry and as fast as ever, that doesn't favor him, but with results like his and did I mention he's from South Boston? Watch out. He's also battle-tested having finished just behind Lyne Bessette up at New England Worlds. He races for Cambridge Bicycle / Igleheart Frames, the bike shop nearest to my alma mater, MIT.
5. Eric Linder 28 Baltimore, MD
The only man to interrupt Townsend's streak of MABRA victories was this man. Riding in green and black for the always strong HVB team, Eric Linder is their man for the B Series this year. He's got big shoes to fill, taking over for last year's MAC Series winner Greg Lindstrom and MABRA series winner Todd Hesel. With his performances so far, he's proven he's up to the challenge, but we'll have to wait and see what he can do on the MAC stage.
6. Marc Vettori 36 Elkton, MD
Easily the biggest celebrity rolling up to the start line at Granogue this year is Fatmarc Vettori. He too has moved over to the C3-Sollay.com squad this season and has made quite the impact in the MABRA Masters B category. Each week he finished on a different step of the podium, starting with a win at Charm City, and each week the press kept giving this man the win. He's so popular he wins without even being the first across the line. Is it the moviestar good looks, the lack of a pink helmet, or the coach? Everyone wants to know. Maybe we'll find out here on his home course. Last year he was 8th.
7. Erik Leaver 36 Silver Spring, MD
Fresh off his MABRA B series victory two years ago, last year didn't see much of Leaver on the MAC circuit. When it did, he did well, finishing third at the epic Highland Park race and 8th in the Beacon sand. It's hard to tell what form he has so far this season, but Leaver is a crafty veteran with plenty of skill for this race. Not having raced Granogue before may leave him at a disadvantage early on, but once he figures out the track, we might see the NCVC red and white at the front of the main field.
8. Kevin Kralik 23 Philadelphia, PA
Here's another top racer who benefited from that muddy New Jersey weekend last year, finishing 2nd and 3rd and Guy's and Evo. But he's not just a mud rider, he's already won once this season at Whirlybird and last season he won at Nittany Lion Cross. Other than those races, he's mostly an unknown rider, having no recorded experience on or off road outside of cyclocross season. There's no telling what to expect from this rider, but it would be a mistake to count him out when he's done so well on so little racing.
9. Patrick Bradley 17 Richwood, NJ
This is another Team Beacon rider with a lot to prove. Last season he won the C race and had a solid first season amongst the Killer B's. Now that he's added the muscle that comes with age, he's shown already this year that he's made the leap to be one of the top juniors (see also Gerlak and Bahnson) in this field. Can he win? Well, he's certainly lacking experience and the results, so we'll have to see. But there's no doubt that Bradley will be in the mix all season long.
10. Mike Stubna 31 Philadelphia, PA
It's a little odd to see such a strong road rider in the B field, but that's where we find Mike Stubna. He's well-known for his exploits on the powerful Meredith Group-GPOA road squad and now it looks as though he's out to prove himself in the MAC. Two years ago, he was experimenting in the elite field, but since he's been out of the cyclocross for a year, fighting amongst the other sandbaggers may be just what he needs to get his groove back. When he does, you'd better be ready.
11. Marc Bavineau 31 Beverly, MA
Bavineau proved he is amongst the best when he finished 15th at Nationals (B) last year. The only man in this field to beat him there was Ellicott. But there's no telling what we'll get from this New England rider. He narrowly missed out on a top ten at Gloucester last weekend, so we'll assume that he's battle hardened and not quite yet on top form. Will his introduction to the MAC go well? Plenty of Mid Atlantic racers are hoping to send him up the Jersey Turnpike empty handed. He races for Essex County Velo.
12. Morgan Gerlak 15 Baltimore, MD
Even at 15, Gerlak has acheived more notable results than most riders ever will, but there's still one result that he'd like to have and that's a B series win. He's been close now for a while, finishing second last week at Iron Cross Lite, and at last year's Evo MAC race. Is this the year that Morgan seals the deal on a win? It's hard to say with such top flight talent on his own team (C3). But he's got some of the best handling skills around and more experience on these MAC courses than just about anyone. With the engine getting better and better each year, I think we all know better than to count him out because of his age. Last year, he was 19th at Granogue.
13. Jeff Bahnson 14 Newark, DE
Trying to make a name for himself the way Morgan Gerlak has done, Bahnson showed he's capable at Charm City this year. At 14, the youngest rider in the race, he finished on the wide side of the podium and took home some schwag. He's young and inexperienced, so Granogue probably won't get his first B win this year, but it can't be too long before he's pushing the pace at the front of the field. He rides for C2S/Henry's Bikes. It's hard to believe this was him two year's ago.
Monday, October 15, 2007
So this weekend I made the trip to Florida for my grandmother and grandfather-in-law's 80th and 90th birthdays respectively. Of course this meant no biking and I brought along my running shoes to get some work in. But we all know how these things go and without having a bike I wasn't highly motivated. Instead of doing a race simulation type workout that I would have done back home in Arlington, I got nothing done and ate like a hog. So instead of ending my third build week with a killer workout, I took two days off cold turkey. Bummer.
I'm at least well rested, but I think now I'm going to throw in some anaerobic work tomorrow afternoon and then commence the rest week of spinning and skills work that I originally had planned. It'll probably be 3 sets of 4x90s all out. I figure if I do this, I'll stop panicking about my fitness going into this weekend, the first of the MAC series. I need to be on my game for that since I won't be getting a call-up and the comp will be fierce.
I'm at least well rested, but I think now I'm going to throw in some anaerobic work tomorrow afternoon and then commence the rest week of spinning and skills work that I originally had planned. It'll probably be 3 sets of 4x90s all out. I figure if I do this, I'll stop panicking about my fitness going into this weekend, the first of the MAC series. I need to be on my game for that since I won't be getting a call-up and the comp will be fierce.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Henry Jurenka just posted a video of part of the first lap of the race I won last Saturday. You can see me leading through the first turn and up the short and steep run-up before coming through the gate before the "mountain." Pretty cool. Check out the other videos of the weekend he has up so far.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
According to an article I remember reading in VeloNews, and available for free over at JBV Coaching, this workout is from Tim Johnson. I figure, if he likes it, then it's good enough for me. It goes: 3 sets of 8x45s hard, with 1 min rest between intervals, and 5 min rest between sets. These efforts are above LT and are intended to work my anaerobic capacity. It's the first workout of its kind I've done this season.
Well, I can say that I definitely recommend this one. It made me hurt as much as I've ever hurt in a non-racing, non-climbing situation. I can also see why having a Powermeter makes doing workouts like these so much more precise. Being a track runner, I always had distance and time to gauge effort from one interval to the next and from one workout to the next. But doing these efforts for time on unequal elevation profiles, the only real gauge I have is my "feel" for how hard I'm working. That makes it difficult to really hone in on how hard I should be going in the first set such that my final set is still quality. Today, I felt like the final four of my third set were a bit lacking and that's probably due to my inexperience with anaerobic workouts on the bike.
Right now, I just want to feel the hurt as much as possible. My embarrassing road "season" has left me feeling pretty inadequate as far as fitness is concerned. So until I'm racing consistently this season, I'll probably remain paranoid about getting dropped due to being out of shape. This being the third "Build" week in my season schedule, now is the time to suffer and suffer I will. Bring it on.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
There are no pictures from any of the Sunday races because of a camera failure that will require shipment back to Canon. Very bummed.
I had another good warmup on the roads today. My mind wasn't in the best of places for this one though. Winning yesterday gave me a positive boost, but it made me put a lot of pressure on myself that I hadn't really expected to have until the MAC starts up. My legs were understandably tired from the previous day's effort, but I felt good enough to be aiming for another win. I got on the front row again for this one, but the result was quite different. I had at least as good a start as yesterday, but this time I was third or fourth wheel rather than taking the holeshot. Since this course was much more technical than yesterday's, that was cause for immediate concern. I knew there was no way I could be a follower and place as high as I wanted.
One sandy section in the woods after the big hill was torn up from all the racing yesterday and so I elected to run that every time after the first lap. I stupidly tried to ride it even though I'd failed in warmups and I got gapped just a bit. I made up most of that gap back on the flat sections, but they were incredibly bumpy sections of grass that made it difficult to easily gain ground. Going into the other woods section, I took a horrible line, got passed by a few folks and found myself way overgeared. I fixed the problem relatively fast, but by that point, the front group had put significant time into me. I thought I might get it back when we hit the road, but the gap was too large, Lindstrom, Bradshaw, and another rider were up ahead.
Today's course, along with being much more technical, eliminated a huge power section and instead switched back and forth on itself to the point where I was forgetting which part of the course came next. I was riding myself into a daze and struggling to hold position. I believe that initially I was in no-mans land between the lead three and the rest of the field. I was working hard in attempting to crawl forwards in position, but I started to realize I was losing the battle when I became part of a group from behind me.
This group consisted of myself and three other riders and it was quickly understood, once we passed a guy falling off the lead pace, that we would be racing for third place. Four guys duking it out for a spot on the podium is a brutal affair. It's even more brutal when you feel as though you must lead every technical section to allow your lack of skills to slow the group. So for several laps, that's exactly what I did. I would go just fast enough that everytime we got to the horrible offcamber and 'S'-turn, I was in the lead. And everytime we had to make our way around a very tricky sandy turn, I was in the lead. And everytime we went into the final woods section, I forced myself to the front.
Well, that worked for a while. But at somewhere around two laps to go, my group mates got wiser. I think the realized my weakness and started fighting for position going into the technical sections. At least twice I was passed, as we hit the sand going into the final woods. It was so frustrating because I kept trying to find a line that would allow me to keep speed going and I couldn't. I was lucky enough that I had enough gas to get back with whoever had passed me then each time back on the road, but I knew in the back of my mind that eventually that wouldn't be the case. It also wasn't allowing me to put any time into them on power sections. Oh, how I was wishing we still had the lap around the field today!
With one lap to go, I was still in my place at the front of our pack, but I was hurting bad. I got no real gap up the mountain and I lost one spot before the off camber and 'S'-turn, but I held on and kept digging. I forced my way to the front one last time and led up the log run-up. But that's when two of the riders started to get very aggressive and in the sandy turn that had been giving me fits all day, they both went for the kill and passed me. I had no choice but to watch a little gap form and then attack like mad to pass them before we went into the woods the last time. Well, I attacked and passed them, but I must have let up a bit too soon, or they were expecting my frantic pace because they attacked back and all three riders passed me again! I was suddenly at the back of the four person pack I'd led for what had felt like an eternity. I knew that if I let any gap form I'd have to bury myself to get it back on the asphalt drag to the finish.
I watched in "horror" as Snoop, rode away from the other two in front of me and it was clear that the battle for third was over. It was going to be a three-way sprint for fourth. I lost time in the woods, but as soon as we hit pavement, I made up that ground and sat in the slipstream of the other two. I thought I had enough gas to win this sprint and I was very confident. I sat as patiently as I could and whe we saw the line, the race was on. The rider on second wheel (Cavanaugh) made his move and I made mine, but I had more ground to cover, and he had a surprisingly good finishing kick. We both stormed past the lead rider (Wolff) and towards the line with him winning by just a touch. I finished fifth.
Looking back over the course of the race, I have to say that I should have been at least third if I'd played my cards right. I worked too hard for too long and in the end I had burnt nearly all my matches. The competition was some of the best I've had in bike racing and I took up residence in the pain cave for most of the race. The technical sections of the course were my undoing and the mistake in the woods in the early going eliminated any hope of a repeat win. It's frustrating to "lose" a winnable race that early on, but sometimes that's how it goes. I didn't have the power I needed to make my strong sections hurt others and instead I had to use those sections to hang on for dear life. This was easily the most technical dry course I've ever raced and I did ok. Had I won that sprint into the woods the last time, I'm confident I could have improved at least one place. All in all, a great race for the early season--perfect to force me to work on my weaknesses.
I had another good warmup on the roads today. My mind wasn't in the best of places for this one though. Winning yesterday gave me a positive boost, but it made me put a lot of pressure on myself that I hadn't really expected to have until the MAC starts up. My legs were understandably tired from the previous day's effort, but I felt good enough to be aiming for another win. I got on the front row again for this one, but the result was quite different. I had at least as good a start as yesterday, but this time I was third or fourth wheel rather than taking the holeshot. Since this course was much more technical than yesterday's, that was cause for immediate concern. I knew there was no way I could be a follower and place as high as I wanted.
One sandy section in the woods after the big hill was torn up from all the racing yesterday and so I elected to run that every time after the first lap. I stupidly tried to ride it even though I'd failed in warmups and I got gapped just a bit. I made up most of that gap back on the flat sections, but they were incredibly bumpy sections of grass that made it difficult to easily gain ground. Going into the other woods section, I took a horrible line, got passed by a few folks and found myself way overgeared. I fixed the problem relatively fast, but by that point, the front group had put significant time into me. I thought I might get it back when we hit the road, but the gap was too large, Lindstrom, Bradshaw, and another rider were up ahead.
Today's course, along with being much more technical, eliminated a huge power section and instead switched back and forth on itself to the point where I was forgetting which part of the course came next. I was riding myself into a daze and struggling to hold position. I believe that initially I was in no-mans land between the lead three and the rest of the field. I was working hard in attempting to crawl forwards in position, but I started to realize I was losing the battle when I became part of a group from behind me.
This group consisted of myself and three other riders and it was quickly understood, once we passed a guy falling off the lead pace, that we would be racing for third place. Four guys duking it out for a spot on the podium is a brutal affair. It's even more brutal when you feel as though you must lead every technical section to allow your lack of skills to slow the group. So for several laps, that's exactly what I did. I would go just fast enough that everytime we got to the horrible offcamber and 'S'-turn, I was in the lead. And everytime we had to make our way around a very tricky sandy turn, I was in the lead. And everytime we went into the final woods section, I forced myself to the front.
Well, that worked for a while. But at somewhere around two laps to go, my group mates got wiser. I think the realized my weakness and started fighting for position going into the technical sections. At least twice I was passed, as we hit the sand going into the final woods. It was so frustrating because I kept trying to find a line that would allow me to keep speed going and I couldn't. I was lucky enough that I had enough gas to get back with whoever had passed me then each time back on the road, but I knew in the back of my mind that eventually that wouldn't be the case. It also wasn't allowing me to put any time into them on power sections. Oh, how I was wishing we still had the lap around the field today!
With one lap to go, I was still in my place at the front of our pack, but I was hurting bad. I got no real gap up the mountain and I lost one spot before the off camber and 'S'-turn, but I held on and kept digging. I forced my way to the front one last time and led up the log run-up. But that's when two of the riders started to get very aggressive and in the sandy turn that had been giving me fits all day, they both went for the kill and passed me. I had no choice but to watch a little gap form and then attack like mad to pass them before we went into the woods the last time. Well, I attacked and passed them, but I must have let up a bit too soon, or they were expecting my frantic pace because they attacked back and all three riders passed me again! I was suddenly at the back of the four person pack I'd led for what had felt like an eternity. I knew that if I let any gap form I'd have to bury myself to get it back on the asphalt drag to the finish.
I watched in "horror" as Snoop, rode away from the other two in front of me and it was clear that the battle for third was over. It was going to be a three-way sprint for fourth. I lost time in the woods, but as soon as we hit pavement, I made up that ground and sat in the slipstream of the other two. I thought I had enough gas to win this sprint and I was very confident. I sat as patiently as I could and whe we saw the line, the race was on. The rider on second wheel (Cavanaugh) made his move and I made mine, but I had more ground to cover, and he had a surprisingly good finishing kick. We both stormed past the lead rider (Wolff) and towards the line with him winning by just a touch. I finished fifth.
Looking back over the course of the race, I have to say that I should have been at least third if I'd played my cards right. I worked too hard for too long and in the end I had burnt nearly all my matches. The competition was some of the best I've had in bike racing and I took up residence in the pain cave for most of the race. The technical sections of the course were my undoing and the mistake in the woods in the early going eliminated any hope of a repeat win. It's frustrating to "lose" a winnable race that early on, but sometimes that's how it goes. I didn't have the power I needed to make my strong sections hurt others and instead I had to use those sections to hang on for dear life. This was easily the most technical dry course I've ever raced and I did ok. Had I won that sprint into the woods the last time, I'm confident I could have improved at least one place. All in all, a great race for the early season--perfect to force me to work on my weaknesses.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
We drove around the bend from the North Fork to the South Fork and into Southampton for the first day of the Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup. Of course we made this trip Northward to watch rather than to race and it was immediately obvious that we'd made a good decision. George spotted former German cyclocross champion Malte Urban riding around in warm-ups. It wasn't long before we'd made friends with a group of three Belgians who'd come to the US for the first time. They were members of the Erwin Vervecken Fan Club and had flown across the pond just to watch him race--they were headed back to work on Monday morning. George, being more bold than I actually asked one of the guys for his hat. He happily obliged and after conferring with the other two in Flemish, Jess and I got their hats too! What a gift! Real Euro schwag.
After previewing the course, Jess lined up for her first cyclocross race ever. I've been pushing her to give it a try for a long while and I was pretty excited to see her finally give in and toe the line. This course was anything but easy for Jess. There was one very steep but short sandy hill that was unrideable and barely walkable for us mortals. And there was also a 20% grade hill that was large and quite daunting. Most of the women in this race ended up walking rather than running up the hill by the end.
Even though this course wasn't ideal for her, Jess put forth a great effort and placed fourth out of eight riders, 2:50 back from the winner. With one more lap, I'm confident she would have been on the podium. I'm equally as confident that if she were to keep racing, she would have some decent success. She's strong and more competitive that she gives herself credit for. She's also fairly skilled for her level on technical sections.
But I think this was probably Jess' first and last 'cross race. She truly seems to prefer watching me and being a part of the scene rather than actually racing. She said she's glad she did it since it gives her even more appreciation of what racing is like and what we all put ourselves through. But in the end, she didn't feel like she had the desire to race that have. It's also a good monetary decision considering how much I spend on entry fees. Doubling that would be an enormous cost.
After previewing the course, Jess lined up for her first cyclocross race ever. I've been pushing her to give it a try for a long while and I was pretty excited to see her finally give in and toe the line. This course was anything but easy for Jess. There was one very steep but short sandy hill that was unrideable and barely walkable for us mortals. And there was also a 20% grade hill that was large and quite daunting. Most of the women in this race ended up walking rather than running up the hill by the end.
Even though this course wasn't ideal for her, Jess put forth a great effort and placed fourth out of eight riders, 2:50 back from the winner. With one more lap, I'm confident she would have been on the podium. I'm equally as confident that if she were to keep racing, she would have some decent success. She's strong and more competitive that she gives herself credit for. She's also fairly skilled for her level on technical sections.
But I think this was probably Jess' first and last 'cross race. She truly seems to prefer watching me and being a part of the scene rather than actually racing. She said she's glad she did it since it gives her even more appreciation of what racing is like and what we all put ourselves through. But in the end, she didn't feel like she had the desire to race that have. It's also a good monetary decision considering how much I spend on entry fees. Doubling that would be an enormous cost.
My race was after the Master's and I got in a solid warmup riding on the roads outside the park grounds. I did fifteen minutes of aerobic riding followed by some stretching and then some LT efforts and a final lap of the course. I was ready to go and I was even able to scrum for a front row start, shoving my way between the few call-ups.
From the gun, this race was a total and complete surprise to me. I clipped in immediately and started the way I'd done on Friday doing openers with George. I hammered to the front and was a bit taken aback with how easily I took the holeshot. It was so easy that I had to look back and wonder if perhaps I was going a bit too hard. Before we hit the first turn at the end of the building, I decided that I'd better keep the lead and see what I could do with it. I figured if I led up the small hillock and up the mountain, I'd probably be all set to lead the entire first lap. I did just that, electing to run the mountain and riding the off-camber coming out of the hilltop fairly well. I had a crew of riders right behind me and I was defintitely feeling the effects of setting the early pace. Last year at IC Lite, I'd taken a similar start of setting the early tempo, but the difference here was that I don't yet have confidence in my fitness. I'm only a few weeks removed from being pulled from crits.
But there I was, leading the race. As soon as we hit the asphalt coming out of the woods by the start line and returning towards the finish, I elected to let one of the followers lead us into the wind. I wasn't brazen enough to push the pace for too long. I followed close behind the new leader and I realized that I was terrified of getting gapped. I didn't have the confidence to follow the lead and feel comfortable, so I went back to the front and led most of the lap again. I repeated the switch off on the asphalt with a different leader, but this time I dove into the corner coming off the asphalt and went back to the lead as soon as we hit the grass. From there, the race was truly on.
I ran the mountain the first two times, but on the third I decided to start riding it. I was followed in hot pursuit by Andrew Grabarek of Keltic Construction. He followed my every move and somehow we managed to commandeer the lead and create a large gap between ourselves and the rest of the riders. I remember hearing the announcer comment on us switching off the lead one time through the asphalt and also hearing Mel yell to me that, "You've got a gap, keep it going."
With just over two laps to go, disaster struck for Grabarek. Coming into the barriers, I led and as soon as I crossed them, I heard him go down. I glanced back only to see him lying on the ground with his bike. I wasted no time in attacking all out to put time into him. As I was heading into the singletrack woods section before the start line, I noticed that he wasn't getting up and that the race was mine to lose. When I came through the start line I had two laps to go and I had to focus on keeping the lead as best I could. I had Jess giving me the gap back to the next group of riders and it was 30 seconds. It dipped down to 25 at some point during the penultimate lap, but I wasn't worried. I kept riding my race and focusing on keeping a solid pace in the flats and staying alert through the technical terrain.
Jess said later that she didn't know when I was on my last lap and that she started to get worried when the gap began to drop some. But I had things under control by then and I was merely trying to avoid pinch flatting on some on the rocky gully and a few of the exposed roots and cut trees. I kept the pace under control and as soon as I hit the asphalt the final time, I gave it full gas to ensure the victory. The second place rider ended up thirteen seconds back according to the results. That was a bit closer than I'd intended to let him get, but comfortable enough.
It's odd to get a win like this so early into a season in which I entered with no real fitness to speak of. Winning at Charm City last season was a big surprise, but I knew I was on top form coming in to that. It's an even bigger surprise to take the win by such an easy margin. I've never won a 'cross race before the final sprint. I was definitely aided by the crash behind me and the field wasn't the best I'll see. But a win is a win and I beat some good riders. With myself considering this course to be fairly technical, I'm extremely pleased to come out on top. It's a nice gift to keep the motivation high as I enter a weekend off from racing before the MAC season begins.
From the gun, this race was a total and complete surprise to me. I clipped in immediately and started the way I'd done on Friday doing openers with George. I hammered to the front and was a bit taken aback with how easily I took the holeshot. It was so easy that I had to look back and wonder if perhaps I was going a bit too hard. Before we hit the first turn at the end of the building, I decided that I'd better keep the lead and see what I could do with it. I figured if I led up the small hillock and up the mountain, I'd probably be all set to lead the entire first lap. I did just that, electing to run the mountain and riding the off-camber coming out of the hilltop fairly well. I had a crew of riders right behind me and I was defintitely feeling the effects of setting the early pace. Last year at IC Lite, I'd taken a similar start of setting the early tempo, but the difference here was that I don't yet have confidence in my fitness. I'm only a few weeks removed from being pulled from crits.
But there I was, leading the race. As soon as we hit the asphalt coming out of the woods by the start line and returning towards the finish, I elected to let one of the followers lead us into the wind. I wasn't brazen enough to push the pace for too long. I followed close behind the new leader and I realized that I was terrified of getting gapped. I didn't have the confidence to follow the lead and feel comfortable, so I went back to the front and led most of the lap again. I repeated the switch off on the asphalt with a different leader, but this time I dove into the corner coming off the asphalt and went back to the lead as soon as we hit the grass. From there, the race was truly on.
I ran the mountain the first two times, but on the third I decided to start riding it. I was followed in hot pursuit by Andrew Grabarek of Keltic Construction. He followed my every move and somehow we managed to commandeer the lead and create a large gap between ourselves and the rest of the riders. I remember hearing the announcer comment on us switching off the lead one time through the asphalt and also hearing Mel yell to me that, "You've got a gap, keep it going."
With just over two laps to go, disaster struck for Grabarek. Coming into the barriers, I led and as soon as I crossed them, I heard him go down. I glanced back only to see him lying on the ground with his bike. I wasted no time in attacking all out to put time into him. As I was heading into the singletrack woods section before the start line, I noticed that he wasn't getting up and that the race was mine to lose. When I came through the start line I had two laps to go and I had to focus on keeping the lead as best I could. I had Jess giving me the gap back to the next group of riders and it was 30 seconds. It dipped down to 25 at some point during the penultimate lap, but I wasn't worried. I kept riding my race and focusing on keeping a solid pace in the flats and staying alert through the technical terrain.
Jess said later that she didn't know when I was on my last lap and that she started to get worried when the gap began to drop some. But I had things under control by then and I was merely trying to avoid pinch flatting on some on the rocky gully and a few of the exposed roots and cut trees. I kept the pace under control and as soon as I hit the asphalt the final time, I gave it full gas to ensure the victory. The second place rider ended up thirteen seconds back according to the results. That was a bit closer than I'd intended to let him get, but comfortable enough.
It's odd to get a win like this so early into a season in which I entered with no real fitness to speak of. Winning at Charm City last season was a big surprise, but I knew I was on top form coming in to that. It's an even bigger surprise to take the win by such an easy margin. I've never won a 'cross race before the final sprint. I was definitely aided by the crash behind me and the field wasn't the best I'll see. But a win is a win and I beat some good riders. With myself considering this course to be fairly technical, I'm extremely pleased to come out on top. It's a nice gift to keep the motivation high as I enter a weekend off from racing before the MAC season begins.
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