Masters Misc Race Report Thread
08-11-13, 08:29 AM
#1351
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Cleave- good luck today.
Horseshoe is tough. But the views are worth it. Last year there was a stiff wind so you had a head wind on half of the switchbacks and a tailwind on the other half. The wind was stronger later in the day making for a sketchy descent with aero wheels. But the view from the top is the best.
Vlygrl and everyone else- if you find this sort of race appealing, consider the Everest Challenge. it's got a lot more climbing so you get more racing for the travel time. It's more popular so there's more people to race with.
Horseshoe is tough. But the views are worth it. Last year there was a stiff wind so you had a head wind on half of the switchbacks and a tailwind on the other half. The wind was stronger later in the day making for a sketchy descent with aero wheels. But the view from the top is the best.
Vlygrl and everyone else- if you find this sort of race appealing, consider the Everest Challenge. it's got a lot more climbing so you get more racing for the travel time. It's more popular so there's more people to race with.
08-12-13, 07:21 AM
#1352
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Hi all, thanks for the kind words. I'll write up yesterday's debacle later.
@ericm979, you make "more climbing so you get more racing" sound like a good thing. I don't have the self-discipline to put in the training or the psyche to do something like Everest. Good luck to you. Our club's Race Director will be out there and I think she'll be racing in last year's race kit (blue, black and green with an alligator on it). She's a climbing nut and has become an ultra distance maniac.
@ericm979, you make "more climbing so you get more racing" sound like a good thing. I don't have the self-discipline to put in the training or the psyche to do something like Everest. Good luck to you. Our club's Race Director will be out there and I think she'll be racing in last year's race kit (blue, black and green with an alligator on it). She's a climbing nut and has become an ultra distance maniac.
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Cleave
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Last edited by Cleave; 08-12-13 at 11:51 AM.
08-12-13, 07:59 AM
#1353
Idiot Emeritus
Hey, Eric, where have you been?
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08-12-13, 12:15 PM
#1355
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08-13-13, 02:25 PM
#1357
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Hi, here's the executive summary of Stage 2 for the Mt Whitney Stage Race:
I had the same strategy as in Stage 1, ride at a sustainable wattage. On the second lap of the loop the the Alabama Hills, I caught up to a few people after getting dropped by some of those people on the descent. Got to the neutral feed at the "bottom" of Whitney Portal Road and took some time to stop, refill my electrolyte bottle and take a fresh bottle of water. A group containing the two women that passed me near the end of Stage 1 caught up to me and since they just took a hand-up, we hit Whitney Portal Road together.
I was doing a yo-yo thing with them, even though I was trying to hold a steady wattage. However, as we continued on the long, straight and steep road, I started feeling something in my left knee. Something turned into acute pain. I stopped. I thought about quitting and I thought I had about 4 miles to go (turns out it was 3). I decided to try to using mostly my right leg and only use my left leg to get over the dead spots. I thought that I would be smart enough to quit if the pain got to the point where I thought I was doing some significant damage to my knee. A couple of people passed me while I was stopped but one of them stopped so I passed him back. He passed me again later.
I get into these mental states where I keep rationalizing that I'm doing the right thing -- not quitting -- during some of my cycling adventures. My power readings were pitiful; my knee was hurting, but not getting worse; and I was going so slow on the 12%+ grades that my computer's autopause function enabled twice.
I finally got to the switchback where the grade was in the 5% range and as soon as I started spinning my right hamstring cramped. Another stop with more mental gymnastics on why I should ride to the top.
Got the cramp under control and kept riding. The moto ref was riding up and down the mountain (same as Stage 1) and when I was within a mile of the finish he asked how I was doing. I said, "I could be doing a lot better but I think I'll make it." I added, "Am I last?"
He said, "No, there's 5 more behind you."
Made it to the finish but only lost 7 minutes to the guy who I'd beaten the day before by 11 minutes. Hooray for small victories.
After composing myself in the finish area and confirming that I was really out of the money, I made another slow descent off the mountain. Whitney Portal Road was in worse shape than Horseshoe Meadows Road. Also, the views from Whitney Portal are not quite as grand as from Horseshoe Meadows.
Course stats: 29.8 miles, ~5,500 ft of climbing, summit at ~7, 900 ft above sea level.
Epilogue: Went to a scheduled appointment with my chiropractor on Monday and told him about my knee (which was only bothering me a little when I walked DOWN stairs). We talked about my recently changed saddle position and new shoes. Then he started checking my leg. He said my IT Band was really tight and that fatigue and/or overuse can cause that. He also said that the tightness can cause your leg to rotate and that the knee pain was consistent with that kind of rotation. He did some things to my leg -- which hurt like hell -- and prescribed some spinning and then some IT Band work with a foam roller followed by icing the knee. The knee feels normal today. Just in time for my Tuesday evening race.
Something went funny in my left knee with about 3 steep miles of climbing to go. I kept going, one-legged, and finished and hung on to my stupendous 11th place (out of 14) on GC. One place out of the money. (Not that I had a chance to be in the money after Stage 1.)
The long version begins with me waking up Sunday morning in my huge motel suite (3 queen-size beds) feeling much better than I expected. Went through my usual pre-race routine and got to the start with plenty of time to loosen up. Race started pretty much the same as Stage 1. Racer Ex's NorCal friend took off with another fast guy or two and the rest of the field of women, kids, beginners, and old guys broke apart. (FYI, Racer Ex's friend is an old guy.)I had the same strategy as in Stage 1, ride at a sustainable wattage. On the second lap of the loop the the Alabama Hills, I caught up to a few people after getting dropped by some of those people on the descent. Got to the neutral feed at the "bottom" of Whitney Portal Road and took some time to stop, refill my electrolyte bottle and take a fresh bottle of water. A group containing the two women that passed me near the end of Stage 1 caught up to me and since they just took a hand-up, we hit Whitney Portal Road together.
I was doing a yo-yo thing with them, even though I was trying to hold a steady wattage. However, as we continued on the long, straight and steep road, I started feeling something in my left knee. Something turned into acute pain. I stopped. I thought about quitting and I thought I had about 4 miles to go (turns out it was 3). I decided to try to using mostly my right leg and only use my left leg to get over the dead spots. I thought that I would be smart enough to quit if the pain got to the point where I thought I was doing some significant damage to my knee. A couple of people passed me while I was stopped but one of them stopped so I passed him back. He passed me again later.
I get into these mental states where I keep rationalizing that I'm doing the right thing -- not quitting -- during some of my cycling adventures. My power readings were pitiful; my knee was hurting, but not getting worse; and I was going so slow on the 12%+ grades that my computer's autopause function enabled twice.
I finally got to the switchback where the grade was in the 5% range and as soon as I started spinning my right hamstring cramped. Another stop with more mental gymnastics on why I should ride to the top.Got the cramp under control and kept riding. The moto ref was riding up and down the mountain (same as Stage 1) and when I was within a mile of the finish he asked how I was doing. I said, "I could be doing a lot better but I think I'll make it." I added, "Am I last?"
He said, "No, there's 5 more behind you."
Made it to the finish but only lost 7 minutes to the guy who I'd beaten the day before by 11 minutes. Hooray for small victories.
After composing myself in the finish area and confirming that I was really out of the money, I made another slow descent off the mountain. Whitney Portal Road was in worse shape than Horseshoe Meadows Road. Also, the views from Whitney Portal are not quite as grand as from Horseshoe Meadows.
Course stats: 29.8 miles, ~5,500 ft of climbing, summit at ~7, 900 ft above sea level.
Epilogue: Went to a scheduled appointment with my chiropractor on Monday and told him about my knee (which was only bothering me a little when I walked DOWN stairs). We talked about my recently changed saddle position and new shoes. Then he started checking my leg. He said my IT Band was really tight and that fatigue and/or overuse can cause that. He also said that the tightness can cause your leg to rotate and that the knee pain was consistent with that kind of rotation. He did some things to my leg -- which hurt like hell -- and prescribed some spinning and then some IT Band work with a foam roller followed by icing the knee. The knee feels normal today. Just in time for my Tuesday evening race.
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Thanks.
Cleave
"Real men still wear pink."
Visit my blog at https://cleavesblant.wordpress.com/
Lightning Velo Cycling Club: https://www.lightningvelo.org/
Learn about our Green Dream Home at https://www.lawville.org/
Thanks.
Cleave
"Real men still wear pink."
Visit my blog at https://cleavesblant.wordpress.com/
Lightning Velo Cycling Club: https://www.lightningvelo.org/
Learn about our Green Dream Home at https://www.lawville.org/
Last edited by Cleave; 08-13-13 at 05:57 PM.
08-13-13, 03:59 PM
#1358
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08-13-13, 05:27 PM
#1359
Idiot Emeritus
Cleave, I bow to you!
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08-13-13, 05:35 PM
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08-13-13, 09:17 PM
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Here's to hoping the knee is fine, and it turns out it was a great 'gut it out' effort, rather than a "how could I be so..." decision.
08-13-13, 10:53 PM
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Y'all convinced me to stay off the bike for a second day (actually I did really light trainer spinning as recommended by my chiropractor). My knee feels fine so I'm hoping that whatever I did to it on Sunday was minor.
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Cleave
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08-14-13, 07:59 AM
#1364
Idiot Emeritus
That's good news, Cleave. Sounds like your chiropractor had it well diagnosed. Be careful! Oh - and I know it's hard for you to do - Rest!
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08-14-13, 08:50 PM
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finally a race report
All, I have been encouraged all season by your efforts... My season was short due to several factors.. mainly due to lack of events to enter that I was willing to travel for.. but this past weekend I finally put together a good finish
Saturday was the Chesapeake Crit, which was also the VA state championship... At the start line about 18 gals with lots of individuals and only two teams with multiple riders.. this was a mix field of 1, 2, 3 & 4s. Everyone was attentive and no one was able to launch an attack that wasn't chased down... going into the bell lap I was OUT of position. MY brain was attempting to tell me to move up but I didn't... honestly I didn't trust my fitness that if I moved up to about 5 place I'd be able to hold on to the finish.. I honestly think is because of only having a few races this year... Still managed to move up a couple of place and finished 11th... Very happy about my effort and staying with the field... I was able to respond to the attacks...recover and repeat.. I seriously need to start listening to my brain..
Sunday's TT was horrible... HOT, HUMMID and no breeze.. I never found the ZEN of effort... was almost 2 minutes slower..and for some reason, threw up on myself about 1/2 in... rather gross.. especially considering is was all over my left quad... TTs are not my favorite.. but I do like the challenge.. it truly is the race of truth.. no peleton to hide in.. just you, your bike and the road...
I'm hoping for two more races... a team TTT later this month and one more crit in September.. then it is off to see a surgeon about the hip impingement I have...
Cheers
Saturday was the Chesapeake Crit, which was also the VA state championship... At the start line about 18 gals with lots of individuals and only two teams with multiple riders.. this was a mix field of 1, 2, 3 & 4s. Everyone was attentive and no one was able to launch an attack that wasn't chased down... going into the bell lap I was OUT of position. MY brain was attempting to tell me to move up but I didn't... honestly I didn't trust my fitness that if I moved up to about 5 place I'd be able to hold on to the finish.. I honestly think is because of only having a few races this year... Still managed to move up a couple of place and finished 11th... Very happy about my effort and staying with the field... I was able to respond to the attacks...recover and repeat.. I seriously need to start listening to my brain..
Sunday's TT was horrible... HOT, HUMMID and no breeze.. I never found the ZEN of effort... was almost 2 minutes slower..and for some reason, threw up on myself about 1/2 in... rather gross.. especially considering is was all over my left quad... TTs are not my favorite.. but I do like the challenge.. it truly is the race of truth.. no peleton to hide in.. just you, your bike and the road...
I'm hoping for two more races... a team TTT later this month and one more crit in September.. then it is off to see a surgeon about the hip impingement I have...
Cheers
Last edited by Colonelmom; 08-14-13 at 08:52 PM. Reason: spelling
08-14-13, 09:19 PM
#1366
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Any day you puke on the bike is good day. Congratulations, that's Level 1 suffering, only 1 spot below the impossible to achieve Tommy Voeckler suffer face.
Seriously, way to get out there, and great job in the crit.
And good to see you here!
Seriously, way to get out there, and great job in the crit.
And good to see you here!
08-15-13, 05:34 AM
#1368
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Colonelmom - good to see you back! I ended up with a really shortened season as well. Sounds like you went out in a blaze of...ah, a blaze of...well, never mind. 
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Chuck
Demain, on roule!
Regards,
Chuck
Demain, on roule!
08-15-13, 03:51 PM
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I just found out that there is an ominum in NC just a couple of hours south of here... three crits.. Friday, Sat and Sunday.. .mostly flat... just might have to hang on to this fitness for a couple more weeks and race just a little more..
08-15-13, 04:22 PM
#1370
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Hey, Colonelmom, you've been gone way too long! Welcome back, and great job in that crit! I second your doing the omnium - go for it!
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08-15-13, 05:51 PM
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Go for it Colonelmom!
Last edited by Allegheny Jet; 08-15-13 at 07:15 PM.
08-15-13, 08:17 PM
#1373
out walking the earth
thursday night crit. a bunch of nrc guys in town. break went. I took a full lap to bridge, really at my limit, with one of those guys on my wheel. Probably eight guys in. I was totally gassed and needed to rest when I got in, but someone took me immediately off the back. Ended up doing penance in what was left of the chase group/field. So it goes.
08-15-13, 10:56 PM
#1375
Idiot Emeritus
Probably bike messengers. Whistles and all...
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