Attacking At Seward Park

Another weekly training race, and I've got the ride-to-the-ride part down pretty well. Got there with plenty of time to sign up, lined up mid pack. The weather was nice, but hot. From the ride down I already had sweat running down my back, but I was nice and warmed up.

On the first lap I got up front on the climb, and stayed there for a lap or two. Some decent work pulling the field around for a lap or two, but good training. It is a training race after all! Eventually sat in the middle of the pack for a few laps, then with five to go started thinking about the finish.

For the two primes ($10 & a water bottle I think) I just sat and watched Mark take at least one of them, if not both. Guy's a monster!

I had a plan, and wanted to save energy for the end of the race, not the intermediate sprint laps.

The Attack

So on the lap after the last prime lap, there were two to go. I figured everyone was tired from the speed-up that is a prime lap (as I was), so as the first rider in the pack going up the steep section of the hill, I launched an attack. Didn't need to look back to see if anyone was on my wheel, I could tell it was silent behind me after the initial effort. So far, so good. It might not be all that hard to get away from the pack, but the question is always "can you hold it?"

For the first time, I crossed the line solo off the front, but there were still two laps to go. A few minutes can seem like an eternity at 190 bpm, this much I know.

After taking the 140-degree turn at speed since I was solo, I kicked a little to get down the hill as fast as possible. The pack was going to make up time on the downhill if anything. Got in an aero-ish tuck and tried to get low. 1/2 lap after I'd broken off, I was still solo, nothing but silence behind me.

I finally glanced back at the bottom of the hill, and was surprised to see some pavement between me and the pack which was maybe 15 meters back. It was time to haul on the flat, then see what happens on the uphill which was soon approaching.

But as I finally made it to the climb, one full lap from where I'd broken off, I was cooked. Not so much that I had to quit, just that my "flyer" was over. A few seconds later the clicks, whirs, and whoosh of the pack was upon me, and I sprinted to stay up at their speed. It was a great workout though:

Failed break (~1 lap):
Duration: 2:09
Work: 43 kJ
TSS: 4.7 (intensity factor 1.151)
Distance: 1.344 km
Elevation Gain: 34 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 837 331 watts
Heart Rate: 186 195 192 bpm! (max = 195)
Cadence: 33 114 80 rpm
Speed: 2.7 95.1 37.5 kph
Crank Torque: 0 173.4 39.3 N-m

So now I was cooked, but in the pack for the last lap. Was situated about mid pack, and stayed there for the final surge. I went, but didn't have much left. Ended up somewhere in the 15-20 range, at least not in the back and not lapped. Another fun race.

Seward Park 4/5 race 7/2/2009:
Duration: 29:23
Work: 426 kJ
TSS: 56.6 (intensity factor 1.075)
Norm Power: 306
VI: 1.27
Distance: 18.543 km
Elevation Gain: 365 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 909 242 watts
Heart Rate: 136 195 183 bpm
Cadence: 29 139 83 rpm
Speed: 0 98.7 37.8 kph
Crank Torque: 0 187.5 26.5 N-m