53x11

you should have told him to "eat it" better yet, get in front of this poser, then allow a 4-5 bike leenght gap open between you and the pack, then sprint= you could have easily dropped him! ;-)))))

Cleave

Joshua, you've had quite an eventful 24 hours. I drove to the neighborhood where I usually park and another Masters racer was unloading. As we were unloading we both started talking about how crazy it was to ride in weather like this. Next thing I knew he was packing up and said goodbye. As I'm standing there I realized that I couldn't see out of my glasses (which are prescription) so I said, "What the..." and left too.

Groupetto

Your kidding right ? I may be missing the humor. Email Chris Lotz and copy me on his response

1265 Lombardi

Leaving did cross my mind, when the sprinkle became heavy while warming up. I came straight from work and forgot to pack my arm warmers, so it was a bit chilly. I've raced in pretty terrible weathers up in Wisconsin and nothing this native Wisconsinite cant handle here in Socal.

1265 Lombardi

. I am sure he is kidding, as we all need to get along in the race field.

voltman

Santiago TT again on 4/7. I think I'm in for this one.

genedoc

I'm going to try to make it to the Rose Bowl this evening for the first time. Does anyone know where/when the ride starts and which parking lot to park in?

bigdraft

You want to park in Parking Lot K, which is at the SE corner of the bowl loop road. It rolls out at 5:55 sharp, but if you miss it, you just jump in on the next lap.

See you out there

mkadam68

Is this a regular Thursday night race/ride?

genedoc

It's every Tues and Thursday. It's also a bit controversial these days and thee are reports the city may try to shut it down, but I also understand this comes up every couple of years or so. One of my secretaries is a born and raised Pasadenite and longtime Rose Bowl evening walker. I get to hear the non-cyclist point of view on the Tues/Thurs ride at length.

In any case, I thought it was a great ride. Not overly fast - I think the average was 26/27 mph. People definitely started getting squirrely on the last two laps as the back markers started to make their plays for the "win", and of course the one crash occurred on the last corner of the last lap. It sure seemed safer at the pointy end of the pack, but a good portion of two laps of that was enough for me.

Anyone else end up going?

mkadam68

Cool. I might be able to make it out there one of these days. Is this an official club ride organized by someone...or is it more an impromptu race that grew legs all by itself?

genedoc

Some club or LBS might have had something to do with it way back when and someone may claim some ownership, but as I understand it, it is pretty much just one of the half dozen or so ages old SoCal rides that have a life of their own - like Bud's, Montrose, Como st. and others.

All of these are great rides (I haven't done them all), and they can be fantastic training rides, but they do attract riders with a wide range of skill and sensibilities. It seems that for some riders, these rides are their racing season, and it often shows. For many, racers or not, they're just a great way to get in some fairly intense high speed pack riding miles. If you want to ride next to some of the best Pro/I/II racers around, spend some time at the front end of the pack of any of these rides.

jsigone

today was interesting, it was my first Roadie race and what an eye opener it was. My training has kinda sucked the last few months so I ramped up during this week to prevent getting dropped on the first lap. I race the Cat5 crits @ Redlands this morning and it was a good measuring stick for me. 40 racer showed to the line of the sold out 50. I took Mandy's advice on trying to stay in the front 1/3 heading into the first corner, my team was around me and the pace was just brutal. I was in my upper end gears and pretty much stayed there. I hung on for 3 complete laps and got dropped from the pack on the 4th on the backside of the track. Race marshells let those dropped stay on the course so I used the rest of the remaining time as training, and trying to make smooth yet high speed lines through the corners. I gave it all I got, got dropped, now I need to train harder and put sprints into my program.

After the race I headed over to the park to try and catch up with the BA preview group, I caught them as they just off Oak Glen onto Bryant and talked at the ranger station. I continued up the 38 for about 30-45 minutes for my legs weren't having it........I was done, nothing was left in the tank today after just 2 hrs of climbing the grade + the race. I met up with Mandy and grabbed my bag then hualed butt back to the car enjoying the DH. My legs were hurting good by the time I got there and on the drive back home. Disappointed that I couldn't do the part of the BA ride with the group but I hope they understand

Groupetto

I am sure everyone will be posting their take on the LA Circuit Race as soon as they have had a chance to figure that out. Todays 35 plus race was a real adventure. I dont know the numbers but it seemed pretty full. From the get go those teams going for MCL points were putting ones and two's up the road. I was using this race for some speed endurance work so if the break cracked infront of me I would go, but tried to keep my nose clean.

After a number of attempts a group got off and it looked like it just may stick. About ten guys and the right type of teams in it. The pace was fast. Strong tailwinds made the uphill speeds push over 32mph. Once you turned at the bottom that tailwind was waiting for you..look down and see you are going 22. All day you could move up if you didnt mind the wind.

It looked like the break may get caught when in front of the S/F someone dove into the cones/haybales/stage etc and that sent bikes everywhere. This was the first time i saw a bike launch over people heads. The pace just before was fast and the racing was a little aggressive nothing out of the ordinary. I had nowhere to go since it happend in the front third and I went under the lap cards..least I think. I came out of the otherside to see small group beginning to chase the "lucky ones".

With some help and some class riding by the "lucky ones" I was able to catch up..only to be completely fragged. I love the silence that can happen after something like that happens. Riders trying to figure out what just happened

Someone looked at me and said "What the hell just happend"..my response .."Not sure".

Anyway the incident was soon forgotten once the pace picked back up. We never caught the break..good for them !

Groupetto

Redlands is harder crit than usual. You did great. Because it is tight and technical it is fast. If you stuck around to watch the other cat's you would also see people getting pulled left and right. You have to start fast and stay upfront for at least the first 5-10 laps. The pace after that usually slows.

Try to find midweek or training crits to get up to speed. Just doing sprint intervals will only help so much.

1265 Lombardi

Redlands Crit was fun but tough. A bit more technical course then your usual four corner crit, five turn half arrow shaped, almost flat course. Pace was fast and it didnt seem like it let up during the race. I was surprise to see maybe only 30-35ish riders. By far the smallest pack I raced with in socal. Which was fine. It would have been hell trying to navigate this course with a large pack. I was content sitting in the back cause I was hurting pretty good already and I knew I was up for torture fest afterwards with the SoCal group going up to Onix Summit. No crashes, most everyone looked like they knew what they were doing. I was just happy to come in with the pack.

jsigone

the course was FUN, back half was a lil DH and the front was a good lil incline sprint, like what my training has been. Yah the pace was fast from the go and I just couldn't hang on as the pace increased on the 3-4th lap. My teamate said there was a crash up in the group in the last 5 minutes or so. I didn't see anything. Right now I'm doing sprint intervals on my lunch climb, 19 miles 1330ft of climbing. But now I need to work on acceration sprints from corners. I'm not sure where the locals practice but I NEED to go with for sure. Hard to find a closed course I can think of where I can practice other then a big parking lot or something.

jsigone

thanks for cheering me on through my suffer fest on the block

1265 Lombardi

Sound like you had a good race eventhough you werent those really lucky ones today.
Everyone must been at this race because nobody was at Redlands Crit.

1265 Lombardi

Glad to have seen you on the course. Dont sweat over your first crit.

jsigone

it was a very good eye opener for me, so I have alot more work to do before the next one.

genedoc

So, who's doing what this weekend? I'll be in the 45+ group at Indo on Saturday and at the Piru TT on Sunday. If I get done in time on Sunday and have any legs left I may try to head down for the 30+ crit at DH.

Cleave

Well, I ended up racing in the Masters 45+, Cat. 1-4 race with 3 other teammates [Edit: at the LA Circuit Race on the northern border of LAX] -- very unusual for our club. First race since the Long Beach race prior to the ToC stage.

Got a good warm up on the road -- nice to not to have to use rollers -- and got to the line with just the right amount of time to spare. Got a good position on the line and got a good start. Was in the top 20 coming out of turn 1 and held my position into turn 2. Then came the fun and games.

[Standing on soapbox] There are too many people reading and hearing that you have to stay in the top 20 who don't understand that if you're in the top 20 that you need to pull once in a while. These guys will fight you tooth and nail for a wheel but heaven forbid that they end up, through no intent of their own, at the front of the pack. I mean brakes weren't designed to be used to keep you from having to make even a token pull. [Soapbox put away]

So, there I am at mid-pack for a while with these knuckleheads and then I drift back and find a friend. We end up hanging back there for a couple of laps chatting about the race and life in general.

My plan with my teammates was to take a flyer coming out of turn 1 just after getting two to go. Instead, it took me a little longer to work my way to the front than I thought so I took a flyer coming out of turn 2 heading for the bell. Actually ended up chasing down this guy and even though I purposely slowed when I went past he didn't initially get on my wheel. I slowed down and gave him that forlorn, are you coming or not, look and he gassed it enough to get on my wheel.

[Short soliloquy] When you are off the front near the end of the race don't bother looking back because it doesn't matter at that point how close they are -- you are committed to the break. [End soliloquy]

So we're working it down the straight and don't get the bell (did I mis-read the lap cards on the previous lap?). We keep at it trading the lead a couple of times when this other guy comes flying up. I skip a pull and then we hit turn 1 with me at the front. I throw the bike over and am psyched that I'm flying through the corner at warp speed. Then I see that the front of the pack is hitting the corner right behind us. My breakaway companions sit up but I gas it again and get back into the pack at near the front. As we go past the S/F line they decide to ring the bell and tell us over the PA system that we are truly on our last lap.

Time for more fun and games. Since I have to go to work to earn a living, I decide to let the knuckleheads fight it out for a wheel and drift back a bit. Coming out of turn 2 someone almost comes down on me at the exit so I say if 30th is that important to you go for it.

I sit up instead of trying to jump to the front to help with any leadouts for my teammates.

I stayed upright, tried an attack, got a reasonable workout, and got mad at the knuckleheads. All in all, another typical SoCal Masters race for me.

Edit: BTW, for this to make some sense, the course was a four mile loop -- two miles up one side of a "highway" and then two miles back down. The S/F line was about mid-way down one of the straights.

Cleave

Hi genedoc,

Not sure what I'm going to do this weekend. I need to race on my TT bike so I may be at Piru. Otherwise, I'll be doing some kind of prep ride for the Mulholland Challenge on Sunday. Watching Little League will keep me away from Indio on Saturday.

OC Roadie

Ojai for me this weekend. Cat 4/5's and Masters 35+.