Masters Misc Race Report Thread
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#102
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Nah, it's gonna be a piece of cake. RacerEx starts cracking jokes on lap1. AJ and I are the "canned laughter" to get things started. At the punchline of the last joke, I hit the gas with AJ on my wheel. Ex bridges up, and we lap the field.
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That sounds like a great plan, except I'll be "fresh meat" in the 60-64 race. My partner, Joe, will take my spot with you guys.
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That sounds like a great plan, except I'll be "fresh meat" in the 60-64 race. My partner, Joe, will take my spot with you guys.
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After the state senior games my wife and I went to our family cabin in PA to meet up with my brothers to stain the log home. I spent most is Saturday on ladders dusting then staining the log siding and overhangs.
On Sunday AM I rode Aliquippa PA to do a Masters 40+, 50+ race. My team had 5 riders, all 50+, in the 35+ rider field. We decided that we would try to get a particular rider in a break then work to control the field. The race progressed with one attack after another and the breaks our guy were in fizzled or were chased down. One guy from my area lapped tthehe 45+ field at the Steel City Showdown in May and the local guys marked him while he jumped on any attack. The ourse is in an industrial park with 1.6 mile laps that includes a 1/2 mile straight for the finish that is 60' wide.
The race came down to a sprint finish with most of the field intact. I put myself in a good spot going into the last turn that took more energy than was needed as I was trying to get to our guy that we wanted to get away. I got up to Jim's wheel but didn't get around. As soon as we cleared the turn all hell broke loose as there were groups of riders all over sprinting. That is when I saw my state game partner, Joe, flying by on someome's wheel. The gap behind him closed and I went out and around to find it wide open but with virgin air and riders well ahead. I didn't start sprinting until 400m to go and began to run out of gas with 100m to go and sat and rode it out getting passed by two guys at the line in addition to those already ahead. Our team did well as Joe and Jim were 1st and 3rd overall and in the 50+ race and I was 10th overall and 6th in the 50+ race. The two guys who passed me at the line were also in my group.
Not to make excuses but during my sprint the upper body gave out before the legs. I think it was due to painting all day on Sat, but the cabin looks nice anyway.
On Sunday AM I rode Aliquippa PA to do a Masters 40+, 50+ race. My team had 5 riders, all 50+, in the 35+ rider field. We decided that we would try to get a particular rider in a break then work to control the field. The race progressed with one attack after another and the breaks our guy were in fizzled or were chased down. One guy from my area lapped tthehe 45+ field at the Steel City Showdown in May and the local guys marked him while he jumped on any attack. The ourse is in an industrial park with 1.6 mile laps that includes a 1/2 mile straight for the finish that is 60' wide.
The race came down to a sprint finish with most of the field intact. I put myself in a good spot going into the last turn that took more energy than was needed as I was trying to get to our guy that we wanted to get away. I got up to Jim's wheel but didn't get around. As soon as we cleared the turn all hell broke loose as there were groups of riders all over sprinting. That is when I saw my state game partner, Joe, flying by on someome's wheel. The gap behind him closed and I went out and around to find it wide open but with virgin air and riders well ahead. I didn't start sprinting until 400m to go and began to run out of gas with 100m to go and sat and rode it out getting passed by two guys at the line in addition to those already ahead. Our team did well as Joe and Jim were 1st and 3rd overall and in the 50+ race and I was 10th overall and 6th in the 50+ race. The two guys who passed me at the line were also in my group.
Not to make excuses but during my sprint the upper body gave out before the legs. I think it was due to painting all day on Sat, but the cabin looks nice anyway.
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If you were painting your cabin like Michelangelo did the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, then it was definitely your upper body. If you were standing all day, well that may be another matter. Nice racing!
#108
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AJ, tough work, but congrats! Sounds like it was a fast race.
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#110
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I painted in every position including from ladders. These are the 2 sides that I finished on Sat. The hot water tank was Sundays surprise job. During the day on Sat. my wife and sister thought someone had turned the water tank off while we were painting outside. Come cleanup time Sat. evening there were no showers. I went to the race on Sunday, shall I say "unprepared".
#111
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Hi, first race of any kind in 3 weeks and it didn't go well. 20 Km ITT in Piru and I was a minute slower than in June. Wind was different, headwind on the way out, and looking at the data I lost most of my time on that leg. You how Hermes talks about no chain rides? Mine felt like I had sand on my chain and bearings.
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#113
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Unless something dramatic happens, I'll be there.
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#114
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Hi, after skipping our reconstituted, somewhat politically polluted, Tuesday Night Worlds (aka El Dorado Park Tuesday Twilight Training Series), I went last night for my first massed start race in over three weeks. It was relatively hot for coastal Long Beach with temperatures in the low 80s (stop laughing AzTR) and roughly 60% humidity. I'm relating the weather stats because they may have affected my race. Rode to the race (6 miles) and then sat in for the first two 1.73 mile laps of the Masters 40+ race. On lap three I attacked and a friend (and good criterium racer) came with me (he's leading in this shot):
Photo by Allan Crawford (https://acgallery.smugmug.com/)
We got caught and on the next lap we got the bell for the first of two primes. I got out of the saddle to move up to help our team's sprinter and my left calf started locking up from a cramp. It was all I could do to hang on through the prime sprint. Then on a slight rise my right calf started cramping. I spent most of the rest of the race drinking plain water and trying to loosen up my calves. I started feeling reasonable with 2 laps to go.
Just before we got the bell for the finish, the pack was bunching up and looking kind of dangerous. Being overly optimistic, I jumped on the finish straight to try to string the pack out and took the bell solo:
Photo by Allan Crawford (https://acgallery.smugmug.com/)
However, I got caught on the next straight by a strung out pack with about a mile to go to the finish. Fortunately, my teammate didn't need much of a leadout and he got second. I rolled in amongst the sprint stragglers. Race ended up being 26 miles in just under one hour.
Maybe the heat and humidity had something to do with the cramps. Maybe it was coming back from the racing break. Who knows for sure. Amazingly, AJ and I had something in common last night -- not that it was a good thing.
Photo by Allan Crawford (https://acgallery.smugmug.com/)
We got caught and on the next lap we got the bell for the first of two primes. I got out of the saddle to move up to help our team's sprinter and my left calf started locking up from a cramp. It was all I could do to hang on through the prime sprint. Then on a slight rise my right calf started cramping. I spent most of the rest of the race drinking plain water and trying to loosen up my calves. I started feeling reasonable with 2 laps to go.
Just before we got the bell for the finish, the pack was bunching up and looking kind of dangerous. Being overly optimistic, I jumped on the finish straight to try to string the pack out and took the bell solo:
Photo by Allan Crawford (https://acgallery.smugmug.com/)
However, I got caught on the next straight by a strung out pack with about a mile to go to the finish. Fortunately, my teammate didn't need much of a leadout and he got second. I rolled in amongst the sprint stragglers. Race ended up being 26 miles in just under one hour.
Maybe the heat and humidity had something to do with the cramps. Maybe it was coming back from the racing break. Who knows for sure. Amazingly, AJ and I had something in common last night -- not that it was a good thing.
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Cleave
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#116
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Nice job Cleves. Being aggressive brings opportunities. Calve cramps come and go as they please. Yesterday I drank one full bottle of Gatorade with 3 Hammer electrolyte capsules before the start in addition to drinking during the race. I have got to figure out a new game plan for 90 degrees and 70% humidity.
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Cleave, I like the pics - great lighting. Are you racing on your Serotta now?
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Great photos, Cleave. Ricky is quite a formidable foe for you in 55+. At Brentwood, I was perhaps more impressed with this 14th in the killer 45+ field than his 2nd in the 55+. Another data point in the benefits of track cycling discussion! Did you see Seth's blog about the Eldo political drama? It was humorous, though not as insightful as the primer you gave me.
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Thanks for the kind words.
AzTR, yes, 60% is somewhat high for SoCal too.
AJ, I am usually overly aggressive in these races because I don't really care about points, etc. I think training series races are where you go "all in" to see where you blow up. Not necessarily every week and I rarely completely blow up to where I get dropped but I definitely race to get away on weeknight races. Wish I could relate cramps to preparation better.
shovelhd, I won't be trying this at Bend unless my TT and RR go really well. I'll be able to report from the pack on your and others exploits.
Hermes, I race the Serotta on theoretically, lower risk, weekday races. I save the race bike for weekends.
VanceMac, Ricky and I have been racing together for years and he has always been better than I. I was hoping training at the track would give me an unfair advantage but then he started showing up. Who is Seth and how do I find his blog?
AzTR, yes, 60% is somewhat high for SoCal too.
AJ, I am usually overly aggressive in these races because I don't really care about points, etc. I think training series races are where you go "all in" to see where you blow up. Not necessarily every week and I rarely completely blow up to where I get dropped but I definitely race to get away on weeknight races. Wish I could relate cramps to preparation better.
shovelhd, I won't be trying this at Bend unless my TT and RR go really well. I'll be able to report from the pack on your and others exploits.
Hermes, I race the Serotta on theoretically, lower risk, weekday races. I save the race bike for weekends.
VanceMac, Ricky and I have been racing together for years and he has always been better than I. I was hoping training at the track would give me an unfair advantage but then he started showing up. Who is Seth and how do I find his blog?
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Cleave
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#122
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Hi Red Rider, how did it go at Dunnigan Hills? I think Racer Ex was there too. Rode that race back in the 1980s when it was the day after the Davis Criterium.
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#123
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Wed: Encino A/B/C Keirin tournament.
Started with a 60-lap open scratch race. 24 started, and only 5 or 6 finished. Some big dogs strung it out early. I tried going with them when they first went, lapped the main pack, but it fried me pretty good. Eventually had to recover and let field come back around. By this time, people dropping like flies. I think there were 8 left when my legs gave out. Good, uh, warm-up for the tournament!
Didn't quite know what to expect since I had never done a keirin, and I'm far from a sprinter. But they are an absolute kick. 5.5 laps of tempo, followed by pants-on-fire flailing attack. Did the B's and won my first heat by coming around lead guy while coming out of final corner, which if nothing else made me feel like a sprinter for the first time. Lost second heat by trying to be a bit cute and conserve for the finals, caught sleeping, and finished about a wheel out of 3rd (top 3 went to finals).
Fri: VSC A/B/C Omnium.
Did the B's again, which had the biggest field (16) with a diverse mix. 1) Unknown distance scratch race. I did a bit of a guesswork on this and went to the front on lap 14-15, drifted back, and then of course the bell rings. Top 10 but out of the points. 2) Miss-n-out. Survived the first couple laps by narrow margin, and it was getting kind of squirrely, so I said screw that and went off the front for several laps. It cooked me a bit, but at least got me in the points. With four of us left, I didn't have any sprints left in me. 3) Points race (20/5). The only one of the four spritns that I contested I was set up well for 1st or 2nd when someone came down aggressively into the poll lane squeezing me onto the blue band. The official saw it, and I was glad that he called him out on it, but damage done (I'd like to think he would have been relegated in a more formal event).
Biggest lesson learned for the week: buy some chainrings! I was stuck with choice of 88 or 94 for all events. 94 was good for the long/fast scratch race, but every other event I would have preferred 90 or 92. 47t and 48t on order.
Started with a 60-lap open scratch race. 24 started, and only 5 or 6 finished. Some big dogs strung it out early. I tried going with them when they first went, lapped the main pack, but it fried me pretty good. Eventually had to recover and let field come back around. By this time, people dropping like flies. I think there were 8 left when my legs gave out. Good, uh, warm-up for the tournament!
Didn't quite know what to expect since I had never done a keirin, and I'm far from a sprinter. But they are an absolute kick. 5.5 laps of tempo, followed by pants-on-fire flailing attack. Did the B's and won my first heat by coming around lead guy while coming out of final corner, which if nothing else made me feel like a sprinter for the first time. Lost second heat by trying to be a bit cute and conserve for the finals, caught sleeping, and finished about a wheel out of 3rd (top 3 went to finals).
Photo from A's (rising stars Tim McGee, Collin Berry, James Hilyer):
Fri: VSC A/B/C Omnium.
Did the B's again, which had the biggest field (16) with a diverse mix. 1) Unknown distance scratch race. I did a bit of a guesswork on this and went to the front on lap 14-15, drifted back, and then of course the bell rings. Top 10 but out of the points. 2) Miss-n-out. Survived the first couple laps by narrow margin, and it was getting kind of squirrely, so I said screw that and went off the front for several laps. It cooked me a bit, but at least got me in the points. With four of us left, I didn't have any sprints left in me. 3) Points race (20/5). The only one of the four spritns that I contested I was set up well for 1st or 2nd when someone came down aggressively into the poll lane squeezing me onto the blue band. The official saw it, and I was glad that he called him out on it, but damage done (I'd like to think he would have been relegated in a more formal event).
Both photos courtesy Pat Benson:
Biggest lesson learned for the week: buy some chainrings! I was stuck with choice of 88 or 94 for all events. 94 was good for the long/fast scratch race, but every other event I would have preferred 90 or 92. 47t and 48t on order.
#125
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VanceMac. There is a lot to like in the pics and report. I like your shoes. I have the same and they are the best shoes I have had to date. Check out getting some Keirin gloves with the CF knuckles. One of the racers has a pair in the first pic. We hope we never need them!