2018 racing stories
06-08-18, 07:16 PM
#451
Cat 2
I did get certified on the track awhile back for the purpose of racing pursuit. But the certification process was a bit of a cluster where I certified and I really was turned off by it. There’s a possibility I might reconsider at some point, never say never. Plus getting there with LA traffic, not that fun. I’d probably make it work if I’d fallen in love with the track. But for now I’m content without track in my cycling life.
As to the mountain bike: I got a 2018 Scott Contessa Spark. Twenty two pound full-suspension mtb, 29er, 1x12. So far it’s a very sweet bike but I was keeping things under wraps a bit with the State TT on my horizon. Now I’m ready to ride the heck out of that thing.
06-09-18, 03:55 PM
#452
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GMR TT 45+, 3rd
I haven't done an uphill effort this year over 10 minutes, so I just tried to hold 270 watts and keep it under 164 bpm. That was a rough guess but it felt close to spot on. At the start I really had to force myself to settle down on the wattage, and the only mistake I made was not getting out the little ring on some minor flats / descents (I didn't want to chance dropping the chain). Ended up with 3rd out of 8. Both guys ahead of me put in all time great efforts (per Strava), and I put in something good enough to beat everyone else, which at 4.2 w/kg and wattage pr's from 20 to 40 minutes, is a result I can't be unhappy about. Also met @Hermes and his wife who were super cool.
This my first podium (even tho technically its not) so I was pretty excited. I've gotten 3rd before in races not important enough for podiums but that was also pre accident. Next step is to get on the top step.
I haven't done an uphill effort this year over 10 minutes, so I just tried to hold 270 watts and keep it under 164 bpm. That was a rough guess but it felt close to spot on. At the start I really had to force myself to settle down on the wattage, and the only mistake I made was not getting out the little ring on some minor flats / descents (I didn't want to chance dropping the chain). Ended up with 3rd out of 8. Both guys ahead of me put in all time great efforts (per Strava), and I put in something good enough to beat everyone else, which at 4.2 w/kg and wattage pr's from 20 to 40 minutes, is a result I can't be unhappy about. Also met @Hermes and his wife who were super cool.
This my first podium (even tho technically its not) so I was pretty excited. I've gotten 3rd before in races not important enough for podiums but that was also pre accident. Next step is to get on the top step.
06-09-18, 04:28 PM
#453
Not actually Tmonk
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nice ride FF.
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
06-09-18, 05:30 PM
#454
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Congrats @furiousferret!
06-09-18, 08:45 PM
#455
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@furiousferret Way to go making the podium in the GMR and it was a pleasure to meet you.
I knocked 3 minutes off my last GMR time in 2013. We had perfect conditions for the race with temps in the low 70s and very little wind.
Here is a pic of some of the masters racers including me (4th from left). Photo Carl Nielsen From left to right - 1st in the M55, (1st in M45), (2nd in M55), (2nd M65), and (4th in M55).
I knocked 3 minutes off my last GMR time in 2013. We had perfect conditions for the race with temps in the low 70s and very little wind.
Here is a pic of some of the masters racers including me (4th from left). Photo Carl Nielsen From left to right - 1st in the M55, (1st in M45), (2nd in M55), (2nd M65), and (4th in M55).
06-09-18, 09:40 PM
#456
Senior Member
Fun fast racing today.
Dash for Cash
$10 prime every lap but I didn't get any cuz I never win primes.
2/3 race was 50 minutes and 27.5 mph. Made a go for it mid race but a few bridged up and sat around looking at each other. Teammate went with one other with 15 minutes to go, 2 more bridged then one more. They dangled barely 10 or 15 seconds for a while. I was gonna counter and try and go solo when they got caught, but they didn't get caught til 2 to go and the pace was pretty high. Last lap was sketchy and chaotic. Nobody seemed to know where to be and when to go. I ended up getting caught behind some chaos near the finish and ended 13th of 30-something.
1/2 race had 50 guys, including 9 of us. 2 of us had done the 2/3 race. The 2/3 race wasn't too hard and I felt ok in the 1/2s but the snap had gone. Halfway through I start moving forward still feeling good. Break is away I thought one of us and a few others. Followed some moves but mostly stayed sheltered yet in position. 3 others bridged the gap and I/we missed it. A bit later I ask if we should chase and I learn that we actually had 3 guys up there! Unfortunately another team laid down the watts and chased them down over a lap or 2 at 30-something mph. Last 4 laps also averaged 30 and tho I felt ok I didn't have the snap to get far up. Matt led out teammate for the win and I scuttled in 22nd best I could do at that point.
That was possibly the fastest race I've done at 28.5 mph average for 70 minutes. Didn't feel quite that fast in the pack but otoh there was still no way I would attempt to get in a break at that pace.
The cat 2 who has been winning everything lately and is marked by everyone bragged about his 379 watt NP for the race. Daaaamn.
236 TSS
Fun ride tomorrow.
Dash for Cash
$10 prime every lap but I didn't get any cuz I never win primes.
2/3 race was 50 minutes and 27.5 mph. Made a go for it mid race but a few bridged up and sat around looking at each other. Teammate went with one other with 15 minutes to go, 2 more bridged then one more. They dangled barely 10 or 15 seconds for a while. I was gonna counter and try and go solo when they got caught, but they didn't get caught til 2 to go and the pace was pretty high. Last lap was sketchy and chaotic. Nobody seemed to know where to be and when to go. I ended up getting caught behind some chaos near the finish and ended 13th of 30-something.
1/2 race had 50 guys, including 9 of us. 2 of us had done the 2/3 race. The 2/3 race wasn't too hard and I felt ok in the 1/2s but the snap had gone. Halfway through I start moving forward still feeling good. Break is away I thought one of us and a few others. Followed some moves but mostly stayed sheltered yet in position. 3 others bridged the gap and I/we missed it. A bit later I ask if we should chase and I learn that we actually had 3 guys up there! Unfortunately another team laid down the watts and chased them down over a lap or 2 at 30-something mph. Last 4 laps also averaged 30 and tho I felt ok I didn't have the snap to get far up. Matt led out teammate for the win and I scuttled in 22nd best I could do at that point.
That was possibly the fastest race I've done at 28.5 mph average for 70 minutes. Didn't feel quite that fast in the pack but otoh there was still no way I would attempt to get in a break at that pace.
The cat 2 who has been winning everything lately and is marked by everyone bragged about his 379 watt NP for the race. Daaaamn.
236 TSS
Fun ride tomorrow.
06-09-18, 09:41 PM
#457
06-09-18, 11:04 PM
#458
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GMR TT 45+, 3rd
I haven't done an uphill effort this year over 10 minutes, so I just tried to hold 270 watts and keep it under 164 bpm. That was a rough guess but it felt close to spot on. At the start I really had to force myself to settle down on the wattage, and the only mistake I made was not getting out the little ring on some minor flats / descents (I didn't want to chance dropping the chain). Ended up with 3rd out of 8. Both guys ahead of me put in all time great efforts (per Strava), and I put in something good enough to beat everyone else, which at 4.2 w/kg and wattage pr's from 20 to 40 minutes, is a result I can't be unhappy about. Also met @Hermes and his wife who were super cool.
This my first podium (even tho technically its not) so I was pretty excited. I've gotten 3rd before in races not important enough for podiums but that was also pre accident. Next step is to get on the top step.
I haven't done an uphill effort this year over 10 minutes, so I just tried to hold 270 watts and keep it under 164 bpm. That was a rough guess but it felt close to spot on. At the start I really had to force myself to settle down on the wattage, and the only mistake I made was not getting out the little ring on some minor flats / descents (I didn't want to chance dropping the chain). Ended up with 3rd out of 8. Both guys ahead of me put in all time great efforts (per Strava), and I put in something good enough to beat everyone else, which at 4.2 w/kg and wattage pr's from 20 to 40 minutes, is a result I can't be unhappy about. Also met @Hermes and his wife who were super cool.
This my first podium (even tho technically its not) so I was pretty excited. I've gotten 3rd before in races not important enough for podiums but that was also pre accident. Next step is to get on the top step.
06-09-18, 11:40 PM
#459
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Also did Dash For Cash 45+3/4
Sat in, resisted the temptation to go for primes. With a couple laps to go there were 2 guys off the front with about a 15s gap. Not huge, but one team (Terun) did a good job of sitting on the front and setting a false tempo and no one else did much to chase. I was hoping we’d catch them because I was looking for a field sprint.
With 1 1/2 to go there was a crash on the backside. Didn’t realize how bad it was but instead of ringing the bell, they neutralized the race. Apparently it was bad: fire truck, backboard, trip to the hospital. After awhile they brought us all back to the line and the officials asked if we wanted to call it, or restart with 3 to go. Consensus was to restart.
They lined up the breakaway about 100 m up the road and blew the whistle. Poor guys got screwed because they got caught immediately. I was just focused on staying near the front 5 and then hope for the best. Still sitting okay on the bell lap and 150m before the final corner, my teammate comes flying up the inside, I hop on his wheel and he takes me through the last corner. Long sprint but I just hoped the speed would hold. Got beaten to the line, but turned out to be a 35-yo, and I was 1st 45.
Sat in, resisted the temptation to go for primes. With a couple laps to go there were 2 guys off the front with about a 15s gap. Not huge, but one team (Terun) did a good job of sitting on the front and setting a false tempo and no one else did much to chase. I was hoping we’d catch them because I was looking for a field sprint.
With 1 1/2 to go there was a crash on the backside. Didn’t realize how bad it was but instead of ringing the bell, they neutralized the race. Apparently it was bad: fire truck, backboard, trip to the hospital. After awhile they brought us all back to the line and the officials asked if we wanted to call it, or restart with 3 to go. Consensus was to restart.
They lined up the breakaway about 100 m up the road and blew the whistle. Poor guys got screwed because they got caught immediately. I was just focused on staying near the front 5 and then hope for the best. Still sitting okay on the bell lap and 150m before the final corner, my teammate comes flying up the inside, I hop on his wheel and he takes me through the last corner. Long sprint but I just hoped the speed would hold. Got beaten to the line, but turned out to be a 35-yo, and I was 1st 45.
06-09-18, 11:51 PM
#460
**** that
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Nice work @furiousferret & @caloso!
06-10-18, 12:01 AM
#461
**** that
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Dash for Cash Pro 1/2. This race used to be a big-ish local race, but last year barely 20 in our field so we didn't get the $10 hot-laps this race is known for.
This year we had about 50! So much for road racing dying..
Our plan was to generally ignore the hot-laps and go for the win. WE WON.
We had guys otf at pretty much every point in the race. This race has almost always ended with a break that includes the sprinters/fastest guys, and it almost happened again this year.
45 mins in to the 75 minute race I was in a break with two of the sprinters we were marking, a TT guy, and a teammate. I generally sat on, figuring if the break stuck I'd sprint, if it came back our sprinter would be rested. But after a few laps our sprinter was towed up to the the break.
At that point there were 7-8 of us in the break, with three from my team. The dynamics of the break weren't great, a lot of games being played and guys taking each other off the back.
There were confusing points where our break would split up, and we dropped teammates (bad) and/or sprinters we wanted to beat (good). One of the sprinters we wanted to beat got dropped but went back to the pack, he and his team chased us down with two to go.
When we got caught I sat up, the field passed me suuuuper fast. Like twice the speed. I re-integrated and figured my race was over. But after a few seconds I got a second wind, moved up and found our sprinter, led him out to the last corner, he won. Perfecto!
Winning is fun, but a close 2nd is getting close-to-last while directly helping your team win.
This year we had about 50! So much for road racing dying..
Our plan was to generally ignore the hot-laps and go for the win. WE WON.
We had guys otf at pretty much every point in the race. This race has almost always ended with a break that includes the sprinters/fastest guys, and it almost happened again this year.
45 mins in to the 75 minute race I was in a break with two of the sprinters we were marking, a TT guy, and a teammate. I generally sat on, figuring if the break stuck I'd sprint, if it came back our sprinter would be rested. But after a few laps our sprinter was towed up to the the break.
At that point there were 7-8 of us in the break, with three from my team. The dynamics of the break weren't great, a lot of games being played and guys taking each other off the back.
There were confusing points where our break would split up, and we dropped teammates (bad) and/or sprinters we wanted to beat (good). One of the sprinters we wanted to beat got dropped but went back to the pack, he and his team chased us down with two to go.
When we got caught I sat up, the field passed me suuuuper fast. Like twice the speed. I re-integrated and figured my race was over. But after a few seconds I got a second wind, moved up and found our sprinter, led him out to the last corner, he won. Perfecto!
Winning is fun, but a close 2nd is getting close-to-last while directly helping your team win.
06-10-18, 08:28 AM
#462
Senior Member
I "raced" yesterday. Missed my clip in like 90 times. Guy behind me didnt and bumped into me. Went from the front row to the end. Couldn't move up, got dropped, rode around by myself, 21st of 24. ****.
If I could have just one decent race I would be happy.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1627484330/overview
If I could have just one decent race I would be happy.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1627484330/overview
06-10-18, 05:22 PM
#465
Has a magic bike
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GMR TT 45+, 3rd
I haven't done an uphill effort this year over 10 minutes, so I just tried to hold 270 watts and keep it under 164 bpm. That was a rough guess but it felt close to spot on. At the start I really had to force myself to settle down on the wattage, and the only mistake I made was not getting out the little ring on some minor flats / descents (I didn't want to chance dropping the chain). Ended up with 3rd out of 8. Both guys ahead of me put in all time great efforts (per Strava), and I put in something good enough to beat everyone else, which at 4.2 w/kg and wattage pr's from 20 to 40 minutes, is a result I can't be unhappy about. Also met @Hermes and his wife who were super cool.
This my first podium (even tho technically its not) so I was pretty excited. I've gotten 3rd before in races not important enough for podiums but that was also pre accident. Next step is to get on the top step.
I haven't done an uphill effort this year over 10 minutes, so I just tried to hold 270 watts and keep it under 164 bpm. That was a rough guess but it felt close to spot on. At the start I really had to force myself to settle down on the wattage, and the only mistake I made was not getting out the little ring on some minor flats / descents (I didn't want to chance dropping the chain). Ended up with 3rd out of 8. Both guys ahead of me put in all time great efforts (per Strava), and I put in something good enough to beat everyone else, which at 4.2 w/kg and wattage pr's from 20 to 40 minutes, is a result I can't be unhappy about. Also met @Hermes and his wife who were super cool.
This my first podium (even tho technically its not) so I was pretty excited. I've gotten 3rd before in races not important enough for podiums but that was also pre accident. Next step is to get on the top step.
06-10-18, 05:50 PM
#466
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Healthy Newton, First Crit as a 4. Feeling good, 6 laps to go, no free laps after 8 to go. Flat front. Lap back. Yay.
06-11-18, 08:39 AM
#467
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Raced the individual 2k pursuit at the LAVRA time trial series at Velo Sports Center in Carson, CA on the 250 meter wooden track. This was the first pursuit I have done in over a year coming off of a sprint season last year and mostly hill climbing and endurance work lately.
I hit my goal and it was a good baseline upon which to build. I was wondering how my legs would feel doing high cadence and high power after racing the GMR hill climb the day before. My legs felt amazing and the climb did not seem to make any difference other than offer a massive leg opener.
I hit my goal and it was a good baseline upon which to build. I was wondering how my legs would feel doing high cadence and high power after racing the GMR hill climb the day before. My legs felt amazing and the climb did not seem to make any difference other than offer a massive leg opener.
06-11-18, 09:29 AM
#469
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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When we got caught I sat up, the field passed me suuuuper fast. Like twice the speed. I re-integrated and figured my race was over. But after a few seconds I got a second wind, moved up and found our sprinter, led him out to the last corner, he won. Perfecto!
Winning is fun, but a close 2nd is getting close-to-last while directly helping your team win.
Winning is fun, but a close 2nd is getting close-to-last while directly helping your team win.
06-11-18, 12:07 PM
#471
Nonsense
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Man, I am mentally checked out at the moment. I dropped out of yesterday's race because I didn't feel like playing. It's not that I don't like it, I just don't care one way or the other and am finding it hard to focus. I feel like it's related to non-bike life? How do y'all get out of these sorts of funks?
06-11-18, 12:11 PM
#472
Senior Member
Man, I am mentally checked out at the moment. I dropped out of yesterday's race because I didn't feel like playing. It's not that I don't like it, I just don't care one way or the other and am finding it hard to focus. I feel like it's related to non-bike life? How do y'all get out of these sorts of funks?
06-11-18, 12:19 PM
#473
Nonsense
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It wasn't the difficulty though, normally I'd suck it up and keep pedaling hard. My head's just kinda weirdly foggy right now and I'm trying to figure out how to deal with it. I still really like riding my bike so I'm not thinking it is burnout, but I'm not getting the usual butterflies I get when thinking about races, or well, I guess most things. Bikes would be easier without the real life part between races!
06-11-18, 12:26 PM
#474
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TKP, I know that feeling. I've been there. I'm kind of there now. I don't really know how to snap out of it though. For awhile, I found track racing was a great motivation. It was new and different, and I was getting those butterflies you mention. Then I decided to focus on it and dedicate my training. Now, I'm kind of back in that funk.
06-11-18, 12:27 PM
#475
Senior Member
Yeah it's difficult to pedal hard if your head isn't in the game. I had a mental breakdown at this race a few years back. it happens.