Runnin'

I was terrified this middle of America weather would result in tornado

Middle America-westbound

Doesnt mean much, but still pretty cool

Ryan (the male model) directed me to the current USAcycling.org crit rankings. Though this doesnt mean anything, it is still pretty cool. (click on pic to make bigger). Rat is #11.

Cumberland gapped

The drive west started this morning. 10 hours in the truck so far
today. As my mother likes to say, I have bad case of tired butt.

Planning on riding Moab Friday morning then yes danny, weekend at the
palms!

Finally a race that suits me

I started to think about it last night. I really have never done a 4
day race before. I have definately put in 4 hard days of training.
But never efforts like this. Hindsite is 20/20 and I learned a lot.

Lesson one, get a better race report than a junior that's never raced
Fitchburg before can provide-use the 27 on the crazy climb.

Lesson 2: don't go off the front in a 70 mile road race with improper
cassette.

Lesson 3: some one who listens to heart rate monitors or power meters
to determine their racing effort should NEVER be trusted.

Lesson 4: teamates who race well together will do well. Racing
against said teams is hard.

Lesson 5: just because someone is wearing the race leaders jersey does
not mean they have any idea how to corner at speed.

Lesson 6: a little luck and tons of effort can bring results.

Ok, now for the race report. I was delighted to not have to be up
early for junior race. Elliot and Lucas hung up the towel yesterday.
No legs. I was hurting after yesterdays circuit race and nasty
climbing each lap. I used some of the starkey massage cream on my
hamstrings and that goo worked well to keep me warm (tim aka father
time, where can I find more?). My race was at 1030.

I got a good warm up and was first onto scary last corner. Thank
goodness I was checking my speed. My rear wheel skipped out and
somehow I stayed upright. Foreshadowing.

I think everyone's legs were tired because no one could really put
down any power. I tried once but no one came with me and I was sure I
couldn't solo away from 103 of the best 3s on the east coast. So I
conserved and stated near the front through the first 20 laps.

Lap 21 and the 101lb race leader somehow manages to cross up his front
wheel through the scary rough corner. I was only 5 wheels behind him
but couldn't avoid it. Honestly, I was more worried about my bike
than my body. Two years without a crash. Guess I was due.

The part that is less than wonderful is that there were at least 40
dudes in this crash. So as I was trying to get up, a guy would come
and plow into the back of the mess and knock everyone over again. My
knee is bleeding. I think we had 9 to go at this point. I had to run
half a lap to sram nuerral support for a new front wheel. I had no
sea how the officials would deal with us since there were so many
crashers. By the time I got there, the field had already passed and
at least 30 crashers were already back in the field. 10 or so of us
were still in the pit looking for gear!

I was back in with 7 to go. I was sure to stay top ten and everyone
was all of a sudden super cautious through the rough turn.

Worked my way to the front and foundd the wheel of the Aussie leadout
man. He pulled with 1/2 lap. Another few guys pulled through and I
fought for 2nd wheel through the rough turn.

I thought this would be a great plan but the dude on the front didnt
pull off, he just sat up. I had to brake and swirve to avoid another
crash. Then it was a 250 meter drag race with 103 guys. I got 6th.
12th in the uphill tt and 6th in the crit. I am certain that if I had
raced just a little smarter, I could have easily preserved my 12th
place in the gc. Oh well, live and learn.

My knee is jacked. Got a hole in my fork. Dani, does cervelo have a
crash replacement program? And I need a new dura ace right shifter
top cap. wick can you look up that piece for me?

Now we fight the 4th of July traffic home. Then tomorrow morning
bright and early I am off for the west coast.

Miss you Hampton roads riders. If anyone wants to come to the bay for
a serious training camp, holla!

Leave a comment if you've been following this past week!

Fitchburg Circuit Race

Click to make this pic from Brian at Stefanish.com bigger. This is the Reston sprint. My head is down because I was trying to see where everyone was because I thought I had gapped them. It all worked out. Two reston starts, two w's!


Today's 28 mile circuit race was crazy fast from the gun. I made sure I had a decent start because I didnt want to chase from the gun. Plus I wanted to see how the double step up hill would treat my legs. 9 laps total. From the gun it was a points lap. It was a false downhill to start with a nice left then right hander. Fun. Then we had a steady downhill where I couldnt go any faster than my 53x12 allowed. I put on the 12x27 because of the 30 second climb/lap. That way, I never had to come out of the big ring.

Anyway, was first into the last turn up the big hill and my momentum carried me halfway up. I was happy to pick up some points for the effort. The rest of the race I just didnt feel all that great. I easily floated down the back hill with hardly any effort. This was good because I could go into the final corner in the top 5 and then use my momentum to get up the shorter 1st hill. Then, the 125#ers would start sprinting up the 30 second 15% climb. It was funny because they would easily pass me as I just rode tempo up the hill, floating to the back. At the top of the hill, there was a serious right hander and everyone sprinted out of that too. Again, funny. I just rode easy and let skinny dudes pass. Then, on the downhill, I didnt even have to sprint to move to the front. I would drift up and take the top5. I would then just use my momentum to get up the 1st hill and then the skinny kids would roll past me on the 2nd steep climb. No big deal. I think I finished in the 50s or 60s without losing any time. Fine with me.

Tomorrow is a bone flat crit. Thank goodness. I know that I am at a disadvantage because of the work I put in on the road race. Thats ok. I love the challenge. All I need is to conserve for one good sprint.

One interesting note is the race leader's story. There is an under 20 Aussie national team racing the 3s. They looked on bikereg.com a month ago and only saw 20 juniors signed up. They didnt realize that hottubes and hincapie would be at fitchburg. I am certain the juniors are just as fast but there are less of them. Anyway, the Aussies are doing a great job for their GC man. He's an 18 year old kid who cannot weigh more than 115#s. He earned all his time on the 5k climb summit finish in the RR. All he has to do now is sit on his teamates wheels to cruise to victory. Good for them.

Redux

My boy T-karnes has cut his hair. Bring that hair back son! Great job in Fitchville. You got my vote for toughest VA JR rider.

This is, without question, the best T-karnes pic ever. Yanked off jokerblog.