Cat 3, Here I Come

After spending 3 days last week sick in bed I wasn't really sure if I’d be up for the local Spring Series races this past weekend but when I woke up on Saturday feeling better and without a fever I decided I might as well have a go at it.

I did the B (Cat 3/4) Race on Saturday at Waterford and it was fairly uneventful. I think it was 50 minutes plus two laps and things stayed together for almost the whole time with a few little attacks but nobody getting much of a gap at all. Just inside 15 minutes to go as we were pulling back one of those attacks I countered and managed to get a little bit of a gap. I was hoping someone would bridge so I could have someone to share the work with but when I realized nobody was coming I dug down and did what I could. I was still feeling a little weak after being sick and what I had wasn't enough. As I was crossing the start/finish inside two to go I realized the gap was down to about 5 seconds and there was no way I was holding the field off for two more laps. I sat up and joined the field to try and salvage something for the finish. As things ramped up at the end I didn't have anything left after my solo time off the front and I rolled in with the field for 19th.

Sunday I doubled up and did the C (Cat 4/5) and B (Cat 3/4) Races for the Ann Arbor Spring Training Series. The course was a short 1km football shape with a 200m rise to the finish from the last corner. The C Race was first and you can hardly call it a race it was so short at 15 minutes plus 3 laps. I spent a lot of time at the front and felt pretty within myself. I managed to win the sprint for the prime and at the end I positioned myself pretty well going in to the final corner in 5th position but I didn't seem to have enough jump to contest the finish and came across in 3rd. Next up was the B Race, again pretty short at 25 minutes plus 3 laps. Attacks were coming from the gun and I got in a couple that had small gaps in the first few laps but nothing that stuck. Then about 5 minutes in a rider for AAVC jumped and I noticed he had 3 teammates at the front of the field slowing things up so this was my chance to get in something that might have a chance at staying away. It took me almost an entire lap to bridge and once I got up to him we really went to work. We got in to a great rhythm of each pulling half a lap and we grew our gap to over 30 seconds over the field. As things wound down a couple chasers left the field and got within twenty seconds of us as the field fell back to 40 seconds down. As I heard those gaps as we came around and saw 2 laps to go I knew we had things locked up. Again I couldn't sprint (I'm sure the uphill finish didn't help since I probably had 40+ lbs on my partner in the break), which seems to be a common theme for me lately, and took last in our two man race for the line, but good enough for 2nd place. Still a result that I'm really happy with and even happier with the way it came together. I've never been able to get in a break in a crit that worked before this result which makes it that much more satisfying.

Two races in one day with a 3rd place and a 2nd place finish was my first success of the year and it felt great to finally get some results. On top of that it was also enough to get me my upgrade, so Cat 3, here I come. Next up is another running of the Waterford Spring Training Series on Saturday.

NY STS

First bicycle race of 2012 is in the books. However, unlike most Michigan racers, I wasn’t at Barry-Roubaix last weekend. I was in NYC for a bachelor party over the weekend and decided to try my hand at the NY Spring Training Series race in Central Park on Saturday morning. I’m not sure what made me think that it would be a good idea to do a bike race while on a bachelor party, but I did it anyways.

Needless to say my 5AM wake up came way too quick on Saturday (actually some of the guys weren’t even to bed yet) but I got suited up and was on my way to the park by 5:30. I was at the registration tent by 6 and after getting my number pinned on met up with Kate, Andrew & Andrew’s brother Chris. Andrew was there to race the Cat 5 race and Kate & Chris were there to cheer us on.

6:45 rolled around and things actually got going on time. The sun wasn’t even fully up yet and I was already racing. Things were pretty much business as usual in a Cat 3/4 race, except a bigger field than I’m accustomed to (107 racers lined up for my race alone). There were constant attacks and breaks but none really strong enough to get more than a 5-10 second gap and none staying away for all that long. I was part of a brief one on the start of the third lap but it was just like any of the others really. Things went by fairly quickly and uneventfully and next thing I know we are inside 2 miles from the finish and then crash number one happens. Not sure what caused it but I watched the guy go down and I’m sure he didn’t get up quick. I get by and am sitting in alright position, but I need to work my way further up if I’m going to have any chance at the sprint. As I’m working my way up another crash happens just to my left and this one ends up as a pile up. I get by but not without seriously checking my speed and losing the small group that was in front of the crash. I chase back on just in time to pass a couple guys at the line, but not in time to have any real go at a podium spot. Oh well, that’s bike racing. Results still haven’t been posted but I’m guessing I rolled in somewhere just inside the top 20. Not a bad result for the field size but a little tough to take when I crossed the line with so much left in the tank.

After the race we all enjoyed breakfast at a café a block from the park sitting at a table outside and enjoying the great weather. Then it was back to the nonsense of the bachelor party, none of which will get mentioned here at all.

First race is out of the way and now it’s time to get some wins so I can hopefully get my upgrade sometime soon. Next up is a couple more Spring Series races this weekend, Waterford Saturday and Ann Arbor Sunday.

A Different Kind of Racing

The past two weekends I’ve competed in two races, and neither of them were bike races. Anything I can do to get the motivation going I guess.

Last weekend was a stair climb race at the RenCen in Detroit. 70 stories in 6:36 and 2nd fastest time overall. The certificate I got at the race said 3rd overall but they found an error in the timing and changed the results. Not too shabby considering I didn’t climb a single stair to train for it (I didn’t specifically train for it at all, but I do train a lot for other things). I have to say that was quite possibly the toughest 7 minutes of physical activity I have ever done. If cyclocross is “an hour in hell” I’m really not sure what to classify stair climbs as.

Then Sunday we had some amazing weather here for the Corktown 5k also down in Detroit. I lined up with 7,000 other people to give my first ever competitive 5k a try, again without any specific training. I run a couple days a week but that is just to make sure I’m ready for the marathon so this speed thing was something totally different for me. I ended up finishing in 20:05, good enough for 144th overall and 18th in my age group. Again a pretty good result all things considered.

Then I got home and put in a couple hours in the saddle because Sunday was just too nice not to be outside. First ride of the year in shorts is officially in the books (and I haven't even shaved my legs yet).

First (bicycle) race of the year is now less than two weeks away. The season will be upon us before we know it, and the weather seems to be agreeing with that.

Changes

It’s been a long time since I last posted on the blog and a lot has changed in the last 5 months. The biggest change is probably my departure from the bike shop to go in a whole new career direction as a program manager at an automotive supplier. It has been a huge change but at the end of the day a very good one. I’m still having a hard time adjusting to driving to work every day and I really hate traffic, but that’s just the cyclist in me seeing time in the car as time that could be spent training.

Also, the 2011 race season came to a close with some highs (3rd in my age group at Iceman) and lows (all of CX season). 2011 was my first full season as a competitive cyclist and I have to say that it was a great year and definitely the first of many.

Now I’m looking towards improving in 2012 and hopefully working my way up another category. Training preparations have been under way since before the New Year and I’m getting a tentative race schedule for 2012 together. I’ve also decided to make a move to race with the Wolverine Sports Club this year and I’m really excited about that. The Wolverines are pretty dominant at most of the local road races and I’m looking forward to being a part of that and learning from it as much as I can. They are also a good group of guys so that is a huge plus. Things are falling in to place and with how mellow this winter has been it feels like race season is right around the corner.

I’m going to try to make a better effort to update a little more regularly and as the race season starts I’m sure I’ll have more to write about. For now, thanks for reading.

Wilderness 101

2011 Mileage: 4,215
This post is long over due but I'm kind of glad I took some time to really let the experience of W101 sink in. It was by far the longest I've ever raced and with all that time in the saddle, most of it alone, I had a lot of time to go through some serious ups and downs.

The race started off pretty quick and almost immediately on to the first climb of the day. I knew that the climbing here would be something completely new to me, as in the longest climbs I had ever ridden, so my plan was just to stay within myself and spin up them. As the pavement turned to gravel and I continued to feel good just spinning my way up I was starting to gain a little confidence. Then shortly after that I felt my rear wheel start washing out and I knew I was losing air. I quickly hopped off and shot some air in with my CO2 inflator hoping that it would just seal itself back up with the sealant in the tire. No luck and within a couple miles it was doing the same thing again. Off the bike again and this time to throw a tube in. Too bad I wasted my CO2 on a failed attempt so this time it was using the hand pump to get the tire inflated. Good thing I decided to bring it as a back up. So about twenty minutes wasted and I wasn't even to aid 1 yet. Got to aid 1 and borrowed a floor pump to finish pumping up my rear tire and was back on my way. From this point on it was just riding past people and feeling good, trying to make up ground. I got to aid 2 before I knew it and my sister was there to greet me. While I restocked with a new tube, CO2 and took in some calories really quickly she refilled my bottles and I was back on the bike. Then it was back on the bike and I was still feeling great and I continued to pass people as I headed on to the long climb after aid 2. Feeling great turned to feeling good, and then feeling good turned in to "is this climb ever going to end." After I finally reached the top I couldn't wait for the trip back down. Then I headed down the single track descent and felt like the rocky terrain was going to knock my teeth out I was bouncing around so hard. It was basically more of this, long gravel climbs and long rocky descents, for the next 50 miles. Cramping hit me a little bit at around mile 65 but I just took in some more fluids and managed to push through it just fine. I started feeling good again and saw Kate again shortly after at aid #4. Right after my brief break there I immediately got punished by a long unmaintained road climb and simply dragged myself to the finish from there. But at least I finished. I had a time of 9:49 putting me 107th/234 in the Men's Open category. Definitely not a great result but I went in to this race with pretty much no expectations and just wanting to finish and I did just that. Only one crash, and two flat tires.

I need to give a huge thanks to my wonderful little sister for all of her help. She brought new life to me at the aid stations and it would have been a lot tougher of a day without her. She also nursed me back to life (well as much as possible) right after I crossed the finish line. I really miss having her as a next door neighbor.

Also congrats to my traveling companion Mike on his third place finish and a time that was 3 hours faster than mine. So he beat me by three hours and then drove the entire way back to Michigan right after the podium because I was too beat up to contribute. Talk about humbling for me.

If I would've been asked right after I finished if I'd ever do another hundred mile mountain bike race I would've said no way. After a week to think about it I've come to realize that I'll just never do W101 again, on a hardtail at least. I've already committed to do Cohutta 100 with Kate next year.

This weekend I've got two races on the schedule. Ore to Shore, a 48 mile point to point mountain bike race in Marquette, Saturday and Cherry Roubaix, the state championship road race in Traverse City, Sunday. It should be a great weekend, especially since Linz is making the trip with me.

A DNF, a DNS and Feeling Strong

2011 Mileage: 3,929

Last weekend was supposed to be a two race weekend for me with Maillot Jaune Road Race in Fenton on Saturday and Le Champion Pave Crit in Flint on Sunday.

Saturday I felt good, and got feeling better as the race went on. It was a course that suited me with some climbing, but all big ring climbs and some fast rougher sections. A break went early on the first lap and I spent a lot of time on the front for a little over a lap reeling them back in. We brought them back half way through the second lap and then little attacks would go here and there but nothing that could stay away. For how much I had my head in the wind my legs felt really good and I never felt red lined the entire race, and like I said, actually felt better on the third (last) lap than I did on the first. Too bad none of this mattered as I tore the sidewall on my rear tubular with less than two miles to go. I hopped off and quickly tried to shoot some sealant/air into it but the gash was too big and sealant just spewed out the side of the tire and it never held any air. First time all year that I didn't throw my spare wheelset in the wheel truck, and they were even sitting in my car. Oh well, live and learn. My bike got tossed in the back of the wheel truck and I hopped in for a ride to the finish line. Not how I wanted to cross the line, especially feeling that good but its bike racing and things happen.

Saturday night we had a couples shower for our friends Ryan and Kelli and it was a good time but things definitely went on much later than I expected and 5am came way too early after not getting to bed until after 2am. I got out of bed and my throat felt scratchy and I could tell that I didn't get enough sleep. It was a repeat of how I felt the week before Lumberjack 100, but that day I got out of bed and went and rode hard. I decided a 30 minute crit wasn't worth getting sick and went right back to bed. I think that's a first ever DNS (did not start) for me since I pre-registered and didn't go but I still think it was the right decision.

Yesterday was another Waterford Wednesday and I decided to race the A (1/2/3) race. I actually wasn't going to race at all with Wilderness 101 this Saturday but my buddy Scott is back in town from Europe were he spends most of the season racing and training and he convinced me to come out and sit in since he was going to be there. So much for sitting in. I got in on early break about 20 minutes in to the two hour race and we stayed away for 10 minutes or so before getting pulled back. Then another break went with a chase group and I attacked the field to try and bridge. I sat solo in no-man's land for 5 or 10 minutes, getting within 10 seconds of the chase group but never quite catching on. I sat up and waited for the field to catch up and I realized as I saw them coming that they had really ramped up their speed and the group had blown apart and it was about half the size it was when I attacked. I jumped back in and we pulled the chase group back. There were still 3 guys up the road but they were long gone. I waited until two to go and I saw two guys go, Clint Verran and a Team Giant guy, and I decided to try to jump to them. It took me an entire lap and I caught them with a small gap on the field and as I bridged up Clint attacked and got a little gap that the two of us couldn't close. I cramped the second half of that last lap but managed to hold off the field even though I could hear them breathing down my neck as I crossed the line in 6th. My best ever result in the A race there by far and I felt stronger than I ever have in that race before. Again like at Fenton I seemed to feel better as the race went on. Not exactly sure what it is but I seem to be riding pretty well right now on the road.

I'm sure that won't translate this weekend though as I drag myself through Wilderness 101 over in PA. 12,000 feet of climbing over 101 miles. This could be interesting.

Block O Crit

Saturday I made the solo trek down to Columbus to take part in my first ever crit racing. I headed down because there were two races that I could do since they were offering both a 3/4 and a 4/5 crit and I was planning on doing both of them. It was about a 4 hour drive but it went smoothly and I got down there right on time. Thanks to some coaching from my teammate Rob I had a good idea of what I was up against and how I needed to warm up and fuel for the race, as well as what to expect in the races.

The 55 minute Cat 3/4 race came first and Rob was right on with what he told me to expect. I was warmed up and ready and I stayed near the front the almost the entire race, sitting within the top 10 (usually 5) spots and taking the occasional turn at the front. I thought I was lined up pretty well sitting third wheel with 3 laps to go and then all of a sudden with 2 to go "the swarm" as Rob described it came and everyone wanted to be where I was. Another problem was that a lot of these guys where all on the same team as it seemed like a bunch of guys in K.O.M. style polka dot jerseys seemed to make up 1/4 of the field and they got to the front together, clogged things up and made it virtually impossible to move up at that point. I didn't even contest the sprint at the end and rolled in for a disappointing 21st right in the middle of the field. We averaged about 27 mph and I had an average heart rate of 183 for the hour.

Then it was off to hydrate, try and bring my heart rate down, find a nice mother hanging around to pin my other race number on me, and then warm up again for race number 2.

I felt a lot more in control and comfortable in race number 2. I spent the entire race near the front again and if I slid back I didn't have any trouble moving up in this field compared to the previous race. The race went by without much incident for me, even though I found out later there were a couple wrecks but being toward the front I didn't even know they happened. Again the swarm showed up, but this time it was just before the last lap and I didn't fall quite as far back. With half a lap to go I went to jump back up near the front but couldn't find a wheel to get on so I went to the front and just went for it. I buried myself for the next half lap and managed to pull away from most of the field, but I didn't have any kick when it came down to the very end so a few guys got me right at the line and I came across in 4th. We averaged about 26 mph for this 40 minute race.

Not the results I wanted but all in all a great experience for my first ever true crit racing. I got to spend a beautiful Saturday outside racing my bike and I stayed crash free so there really isn't anything I can complain about.

Next weekend I have The Maillot Jaune Road Race in Fenton and Le Champion Pave Crit in Flint, along with hopefully a long mileage week in preparation for Wilderness 101 less than two weeks away. Although at this point I don't think anything can prepare me for 10.000 ft of climbing over the course of 101 miles.