Masters Misc Race Report Thread
#126
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Raced a 4 lap 40 mile RR in the 40+ race today. Field was around 30-35 riders with one team just drilling and attacking all the time. I guess they didn't want any breaks to form. I still had stiffness in my back and sore upper body from Wednesdays MTB crash. I struggled some on the second lap and even went otb but chased on a down hill and caught back on. During the third lap I knew most of my matches were used up. After a turn and sprinting back up to the pack I was toast and got dropped on a slight down hill just before the last 10 mile lap. Rode the last lap solo and at least stayed ahead of the chase pack that I could see in the distance.
#127
Don't mince words
It was even more miserable than the last time I rode it. If Ex was there he can attest to the heat & headwind. Maybe not; he had an earlier start. W4 was delayed by 20 min. Our 9:20 start time was more like 9:40.
My teammate went upfront and kept the speed down initially, but the first hill saw some action. I hung with the group for about 8.5 miles, when on the 2nd hill my 'mate and another lady attacked and the pack responded. By that time I realized that my feet had swollen and I was developing multiple hotspots on both feet, and that something about my favorite chamois was causing some very sensitive anatomy very serious discomfort. To relieve one pain aggravated the other. With that major distraction I wasn't able to produce the consistent energy to stay with them, so I let them go.
Passed 3 ladies, found one of equal speed + strength, and we worked together through the feed stations. We picked up another lady who had calf cramps; she ended up DNP. We forged on, found the mentor who rode with us to a lady who had just been dropped on a climb. The pack was more than 1/4 mi. ahead of us by that time. The 4 of us hit another climb and my issues took my attention away from my pacemaking, and bam! They were gone.
After crossing I-5 and turning right it's totally flat to the end of the race (save one more overpass). Moreover there's a tailwind. So I got busy and TTd my way to the end, my standard finish to this race. I caught the mentor and 2nd woman we picked up, attempted to work with her but she was gassed. Passed some P/1/2 men on their 2nd lap who were equally spent. No joy there, but still... Saw my new friend about 1/4 mile ahead of me and wasn't able to gain any ground. TT'd my way to 15th, crossing alone again, naturally (cue pop culture music reference), and was cheered my teammate's husband, who was waiting for us. Awesome.
So the Reader's Digest version: Focus, ride hard, ride harder, unexpected pain, ride harder, pain, ride, pain, ride, pain, etc. ad nauseum. And when I finished I had to lay down for a few minutes, feeling clammy in 100* after 43+ mi., 2 bottles of Nuun, 3 bottles of water, 2 Gu packets. All that for 15th.
My teammates, with whom I carpooled, brought beer. That Sierra Nevada Torpedo extra IPA brought me back to reality. Hops really is an adult recovery food.
My legs and mind were on it and had no issues. I nearly turned around 8 times between mi. 9 and 23 (the 1/2 way point) due to the intense, unrelenting pain. I kept forcing myself to race and work with my new friend, and once I hit the 1/2 way point there was no turning back.
My takeaway is that I need to ride at intensity more often. And maybe join the team race rides when I'm not selling houses. Which usually happens when I have a training ride scheduled.
Today only the left side of my left foot hurts -- it hurts like a bruise but there's no bruising. The other issues are, er, resolving. Training resumes tomorrow morning before it gets stupid-hot. I have some races ahead.
Last edited by Red Rider; 08-13-12 at 12:09 AM. Reason: Adding Strava link
#128
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Hi Red Rider, glad the injuries are "resolving." Sometimes you have to do a hard race just to find out where you really stand with respect to race fitness and with respect to your competitors. Glad that you conquered the turn-around demons. As the old BF adage goes: Finishing > DFL > DNF > DNS.
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#129
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Stage one of the local twilight omnium last night. TT. No TT bike on hand so I did it Merckx style, complete with a box section front wheel. 7th out of 7th "A", 7th out of 33 overall. 25.05 MPH average.
I figured it was about a minute slower than with the TT bike and that was pretty close. Road race with a bunch of climbing tomorrow.
I figured it was about a minute slower than with the TT bike and that was pretty close. Road race with a bunch of climbing tomorrow.
#130
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Funny you should ask.
It was even more miserable than the last time I rode it. If Ex was there he can attest to the heat & headwind.
It was even more miserable than the last time I rode it. If Ex was there he can attest to the heat & headwind.
#131
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This week's Tuesday Night World Championship race went MUCH better. I was able to ride aggressively even though I didn't get any results. It was a good race pace set of intervals and no cramping or muscle tightness. I did two things differently: (1) I put the ratcheting buckle on my shoe back to the original (vs. alternate) position and (2) I inhaled the recommended number of Endurolytes before the race. I have a feeling it was more the buckle than the Endurolytes. I had moved the buckle after discovering the alternate position while cleaning my shoes a week and a half ago. I really think that it was putting pressure on a part of my foot that was then leading to the cramps and my other muscle tightness. Since moving the buckle back last Friday everything has been good.
Now I have to look for that pea under my mattress.
Now I have to look for that pea under my mattress.
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#132
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I have a feeling it was more the buckle than the Endurolytes. I had moved the buckle after discovering the alternate position while cleaning my shoes a week and a half ago. I really think that it was putting pressure on a part of my foot that was then leading to the cramps and my other muscle tightness. Since moving the buckle back last Friday everything has been good.
#133
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I was hoping to do better today than I did last September in the Mt. Baldy hill climb. You know, Mt. Baldy of Tour of California fame. I was hoping to take off at least 5 minutes from last fall's time, instead I went 13 minutes slower. It was really hot for the first 6 miles of the climb and the heat just killed me. It didn't kill the others though. I also had a 29 instead of a 26 which I hoped would help me on the steep stuff in the last 3 miles. Unfortunately I was so cooked that the only thing the 29 did was keep me from coming to a stop. I guess it was good training and despite the immense amount of sweat that I lost I didn't cramp.
Both of Racer Ex's teammates killed me.
Both of Racer Ex's teammates killed me.
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Cleave
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#134
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Headed down to San Diego to check out their 333m velodrome. My wife was heading down with me, and we figured we'd leave early and not get stressed by traffic. Well, apparently Padres game, Chargers-Cowboys game, horse racing, and concert made for a typical socal freeway adventure. Took 5 hours to go 130 miles, which meant zero warm-up, and right into my first race. And in the panic, left on the 94" gear from motor game Tue night. Pro tip: no warm-up right into hard efforts in big gear is not recommended!
Typical omnium (scratch, miss-n-out, points), and the crew at SDV has their act together. Very well run. And official USAC event, which was nice. I think I expected the extra track size to be in the straights, but it's all in the big turns. Standing in the middle, it felt almost like a big circle. Banking is supposedly on 3° less than Encino (27 vs 30) but felt even less than that. I can't imagine anyone slipping at any speed unless it was wet. Surface is in decent condition, though seam cracks just outside the red line are an attention-getter.
They had a little fun with a slow race between heats:
Typical omnium (scratch, miss-n-out, points), and the crew at SDV has their act together. Very well run. And official USAC event, which was nice. I think I expected the extra track size to be in the straights, but it's all in the big turns. Standing in the middle, it felt almost like a big circle. Banking is supposedly on 3° less than Encino (27 vs 30) but felt even less than that. I can't imagine anyone slipping at any speed unless it was wet. Surface is in decent condition, though seam cracks just outside the red line are an attention-getter.
They had a little fun with a slow race between heats:
#135
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Yesterday's MTB race was a TT that took over 46' and I missed a podium place by .89". I guess I shouldn't feel to sorry for myself. It was my first official race and I raced Sport 50+ instead of Beginner.
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Sounds like fun - except the gettin there part. That is rarely a trouble free route.
Condolences on the great job.
#137
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This appeared on my Facebook page. Not a bad suffer face, although there could have been some terror mixed in. . Big ring'ed it the whole race.
#139
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Great racing guys... Keep it up.
#140
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#142
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He could part the Red Sea with that look.
#145
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I think a Master's 50+ crit would have been double the field size. The MTB Sport fields in the 30+ and 40+ were much larger but the Expert fields were small. Next month begins our cyclo cross season and the fields will be much larger and more competitive; unfortunately I will be racing in the 45+ B races. The cross races will also have much larger A fields, probably due to the frequent use of the word “sandbagger” during races and awards/podiums.
#147
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Haha. I will be racing 45B as well. I can only dream of being called a sandbagger. I would like to sneak onto a podium once, though.
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That looks like the Copperopolis road race course.
#150
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Damn. I'm glad you're all doing well, having fun, and showing suffer faces!!!!
AJ, if I turned around and saw you behind me looking like that, I bail off the bike for cover!
AJ, if I turned around and saw you behind me looking like that, I bail off the bike for cover!
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