[this race was 8/29/2010, still catching up]
I've been racing at Seward on Thursdays all year, about 15 times in total this year I think. The 6 PM race is a Cat 3/4's race, so it's pretty competitive. But it's only 45 minutes so not a super long race. Today [8/29] was a Cat 3-only race, 60 minutes long.
The rumor was that last year they had a $5 prime every lap, which would be... interesting. Then I heard $1 per lap, which would still make the race pretty fast, and also hopefully burn out a lot of contenders for the finish. Turns out we just had the usual 3-4 primes, I was kind of glad they didn't do the prime-per-lap thing.
The Race
Not a very big crowd, as it turns out not everyone actually like racing at Seward?! This was seriously news to me that some in the local peloton think Seward is 'boring', 'sucks', etc - don't tell anyone, but my theory is they happen to 'suck' at racing Seward..
So with only 34 riders in the pack we set off. Some people spectating, and the announcer was calling out prime winners and stuff. And of course bad music blaring that I never hear during the race, luckily.
There were attacks, of course, but I've never seen a break actually stick at Seward in the 3's or 4's, so I wasn't too concerned. Though I should have been concerned, since I'd heard they have in the past and indeed that was what happened this time around too.
Eric on my team set off some initial attacks, as usual, but was brought back every time. A WWU guy (turns out he's actually Bikesale?) went off the front and never came back, I don't even remember him sneaking away!
Before too long there were 3-4 off the front, with up to a 45-second lead on us. Not wanting to sprint for 4th I tried to bridge once, towards the end of the race, but it was all for not. The closest we got was about 25 seconds, if only we had more time we could have brought them back.
Fast forward to the last few laps, and I'm sitting on the front trying to chase. Since I didn't know WWU guy was actually Bikesale (so I heard) it makes sense none of the Bikesale guys wanted to chase. And everyone else seemed content to let me do the work..
On the last lap were shifting positions and I rode up next to Josh, a strong team mate, and said, "Let's go!", as in, get on my wheel, I'll lead you to the final sprint. But he said, "No man, I don't have it today.." OK. Plan B. Me.
My team mate Mike was up there too (he always is, super strong), and he had me on his wheel, heading for the front of the pack. We came down the hill, and as we came up the backside he was leading me up the right side of the pack.
In a split second he was squeezed to the outside/left, along with 3-4 other riders, and this gave me a small hole to shoot through. And shot through it I did..
In the sprint for the 140-degree turn, I came into it so damn fast I almost hit the curb on exit! But I came out of it in 4th, and spun hard as I could to hold it. At first scared people were about to come around, but then confident I had it.
My first top 5 in the 3s! More importantly my first Cat 3 points! Two down, 23 to go!! Huge thanks to the team for riding great as usual, and for a bunch of other cat 3 racers for coming out to have fun in the sun.
The sprint for 4th:
More photos on wheelsinfocus.com.
A great video of the race can be found on vimeo.
Unfortunately this meant the end of the season for me, as cross is too..... obscure for me at this point. It's all about road for me!
Though cross is entertaining to watch, that's for sure. We went out to Starcrossed this weekend and Kira got some great shots of a bunch of the 3-4 PM racers.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Seward Park Season Ender
Friday, July 9, 2010
Notes from Seward Park: June/July 2010
Last three weeks at Seward have been great - no rain, nice temps, and decent fields. Good clean racing in the city.
6/10/2010 - 3/4's 6 PM race
For some reason* I was hurting like it was my first race all over again in this one. After 20 or 30 minutes I wanted to pull out, but pride and the thought of posting about being dropped kept me in there, but barely.
During the race a team mate Chris asked me how I was feeling, and I said shitty, real shitty. He thought I was joking but I was in the red zone like it was a year ago and I'd just started racing.
*my theory on the poor performance was that I'd been slacking/resting that week, and the charts in WKO even reflected this, with my TSB reacing a high of +20 on that day (meaning fitness was low).
6/17/2010 - 3/4's race
This was an animated race for me, as fitness was back up and I was feeling good. Went for one of the first primes, was first up the little hill, but then Jeff (strong unattached cat 5) and Mark (strong cat 3) were on my wheel. Actually Jeff had come around me, and I was now sitting on his wheel. I got to take a two-second rest in his draft, and as the line was approaching I went around him, with flashbacks to the velodrome and calculated sprints.
The only thing was that Mark was on my wheel, and waited to jump around me when I went. Duh. We went head to head for the preme, and he just barely beat me out - which in itself is progress for me from last year. Close...
We had a gap on the pack at this point but were obviously hurting, so we coasted and sipped our water, waiting for the pack.
On the next preme lap, I went from the bottom of the hill (or before) and this time nobody was on my wheel, and I was able to take it! First preme won at Seward, won a water bottle, some Nuun tablets, and $10. Raced for free!
6/24/2010 - 3/4's race
Started off hard in this one, hammered on the front for the first two laps, and was already hurting by then. Just got my Cat 3 upgrade sticker, it was official! That probably made me push a little harder, just for fun.
A preme came a lap or two later, and I went for it at the bottom of the hill (going clockwise this time), but nobody even tried to go with me. What's up with that? I kept on hammering, not worried too much that nobody chased.
10 seconds later I saw why nobody was going with me - there was a rider way up the road! He had snuck off the front at some point, and was about to beat me out for this preme. This made me push that much harder, and while he was blowing up I was accelerating, I could tell it was gonna be close but I just kept pushing harder and harder.
I passed him maybe 10 feet from the line, much to his dismay, and to the delight of spectators and myself. Another preme!! Just goes to show you should never give up.
Now I was really hurting, even though it was only 11 minutes or so into the race.. the pack caught back up and I filtered through it, still huffing and puffing, still recovering. Then I found myself on the back, then I found myself off the back.
It all happened so fast, and before I knew it it was silence all around me, and the 10-meter gap from me to the pack seemed insurmountable. Legs on fire, lungs gasping. Dammit! And this was at the bottom of the hill too..
I let the peloton go on the uphill, and settled into a nice 6 mph pace up the hill. At the top Randy asked if I crashed out but I said no it was the preme, it did me in! For the first time in racing for a year at Seward, I had to pull out and take a lap or two off. Never thought it would happen, but I guess I dropped myself!
Got back in and just sat in the pack, not going for any premes since I'd pulled out of the race already. (but you're allowed to jump back in at Seward) When the final sprint came an automatic response happened and I found myself sprinting and in the top 10. Love sprinting up that hill going clockwise!
Raced for free!
7/1/2010 - 3/4's race
An aggressive race for me, trying to get in almost all the breaks, but when I'd get there usually I was too cooked to do anything useful besides sit on the back. And then we'd get caught anyway...
Team mate JC is back in action after a month or so off, good to see him back in it! He was active in this race as well. Other team mate, Mike, was giving me advice about tactics in the race: if you're on the front, then you need to chase down breaks or bridge attempts. True, but it's tough on a course like this, which isn't quite a criterium but not quite a circuit race or road race either. It's just a loop with one turn. and a climb each lap.
Being a 3 now team tactics are coming up more, and we always theoretically want someone in the break if there is one, if not initiating the break. The problem is that so many of them fail, so it's tough to which ones are worth covering and which ones aren't. Part of what will eventually make that easier is knowing who's who in the peloton.
This race was interesting because they always have four prime laps, usually about 10 laps in and then interspersed throughout the race. People are expecting this format, so they switched it up a bit this time. 25 laps in total, and with 15 to go people are already getting antsy for a prime. At 10 to go people are already yelling at the race organizer to ring the bell! Nothing but silence.
5 to go, and finally the bell goes off. Four preme laps in a row, then the finish lap?! If you're not super strong you've got to pick one of those to go for. I picked the finish, but it was tough just hanging on with all the prime surges, much less the setup for the final lap.
Came in the top 15 in this one, nothing special. But it was fun.
7/8/2010 - 1/2/3's race
Was at work too long so didn't make it back to the hill in time for the 6 PM Cat 3/4's race. So I opted to finally try my hand in the 1/2/3's race at 7 PM, the "A" race on the weekly schedule.
Got there with a few minutes to spare, and chatted with team mate Ian who had just done the 5:30 4/5's race, then the 6 pm 3/4's race too! He'll be a Cat 3 before too long, I'm sure. Another team mate, Eric, who's a 3 as well, was there for the 1/2/3's race. Cool, a team mate in the race!
I recognized some of the guys lining up as Cat 1's, ex-pros, even WSBA #1 was there, David Richter. I'm probably every Cat 1's nightmare: just upgraded to the 3's and already looking to mix it up with the big kids.
For the most part the peloton just looked older, more tan, and nicer equipment than the other races. And they go faster too, with breaks forming usually on the first lap. 1 hour race instead of the 45 minutes of the 6 PM race.
Goals: hang on, hang on, hang on.
From the start there was indeed a break of some kind being attempted, and the pack was strung out all the way down the hill. In the 3/4's race the peloton will usually bunch up at the very bottom of the hill, but in this race you had to work to catch back on, the pack not bunching up until almost 100m later.
The first 15 minutes of this race were the most painful, and I found myself drifting from the middle to the back, and struggling to hold a wheel on the downhill. Guess people were chasing a break, so the pack was strung out for a while.
On the steep-but-short uphill I felt strong enough, and could keep up pretty easily. Cool. But it was that downhill that was the most challenging in this race.
At about 30 minutes in the peloton slowed down a bit, and I got a chance to rest. We slowed so much a guy in the pack yells, "Everyone's getting tiiiired!" in a teasing way and jumps out for an attack. Nice.
We sped back up, and this time I found myself back in the middle, closer to the race itself and not struggling to hang on. Eventually moved up so much that I found myself trying to bridge to the break, trying to hang on Richter's wheel! He was being marked by a K-R guy, who already had someone in the break. On the uphill all of a sudden I didn't feel so strong, but fought to hold a wheel. Was overheating. Ouch.
Held on for a lap I think, but the pack caught us eventually. The break never came back.
The rest of the race was a blur, it was just a lot of hammering after the turn, and getting a nice aero tuck on the downhill. Some aero wheels would probably help... but Open Pros will do for now.
With 5 laps to go, I was excited thinking to myself that I did it! I hung on, finished my first 1/2/3's race.
Was not in a great position on the final lap, but still gave it my all on the uphill before the slightly uphill sprint to the line. Yeah, I was sprinting for 20th, sue me. One guy yelled "It's over!!" as I flew by, and he was right: the break had stuck, all 6 guys collecting the only spots that matter at the finish, and everything after that was pointless.
He's probably done this race 300 times, but this being my first 1/2/3 race I at least wanted to beat out some other 3's I recognized. Came in on the back of the first finish group after the break, I think about 20th-25th. Success!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
"Thursday Night World Championships" - Seward Park 4/22/2010
The biggest and baddest names in Category 3 & 4 WSBA racing showed up for the 6 PM race today. I heard someone in the pack say, "there's something in the air tonight" and he was right - most of us failed at meeting goals the previous week at Walla Walla most likely, and felt a refreshed sense of urgency to get That Win.
The air was cool, a little too much since I was only in shorts and a jersey - left the door in a hurry and didn't bring a jacket or anything - but that thought was soon washed away with the warmth of 170+ beats-per-minute of the heart.
The Race
We got to go clockwise, which I hadn't done since last year - I had a love/hate relationship with this direction - the climb sometimes felt harder going this way, since it's longer but less steep - but I seem to place better this way too. I think it's because we're sprinting on a 4-5% grade at the end - and if you start out the wind-up/sprint behind others, you're in the draft and can build up some nice speed. Tonight was no different.
The race started off pretty quick, the first few laps hurt, a little reminder of the big turnout tonight (50?), and the fact that this isn't the beginner's 4/5's race at 5:30 anymore. (Ok, so we're not the p/1/2/3 7 PM race either.. somewhere in between)
There were four other Recycled Cycles guys in the pack, all Cat 3s - wasn't sure what their plan was but I was mostly just gonna stay out of their way, and try to keep up. After all it's only been about a year since I started racing at all, and they've been doing this for years.
On a prime lap I thought I had a decent position to move up for it, and went to the left around the big group and shot up towards on guy close off the front, but didn't see that there was already a break of three that had a bigger gap up the road (including a team mate I think). Oops. You're not supposed to chase your own team mates, but at least it's just a training race so it's not a big deal.
Sprint
The group came back together, and 15 laps & 30 minutes later it was time for the final few laps. I had decent position near the front and the pack was speeding up people jostling for the top few positions. I didn't want to be up on the front, and couldn't really get up there in time anyway - was about 15 riders back at the bottom of the hill, and wound up the sprint to shoot up through a few people who had gone early for That Win. I could see the sprint pretty well, and could see three other RCR riders (Mike, Pauh, Adam?) in front of me - four team mates in the top 10, not bad! Ex-RCR rider Randy took the win, he's a strong guy for sure.
In the end I came in for 7th or 8th place - though points for the summer series are only given to the top 6. Still, I'm really happy with that placing in a pretty strong field. Good racing!
Next up: Vance Creek Road Race
Oh yeah, Tim: you were asking about cadence during the race? I'm impressed you can think/talk during a race like that! Anyway feel free to post that question here, I can't remember what it was.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Racing at Seward Park - 4/8/2010
Seward Park 6 pm training crit (Cat 3/4's)
It's a good sign this race is feeling slightly easier every time. Racing against 3's was at first daunting, but for the most part they seem like 4's who've just been riding for a while, and are a tad faster. The pack is smoother, and tighter too - experienced racers joke about how the 5's ride with two feet between each rider, which feels close enough for those new to racing - but in this pack we're less than a foot from each other, sometimes less. Not much room for sketchy riders, and luckily I didn't see many.
My plan, if I even had one besides getting in a good workout, was to "sit in" and save my energy for the finish. Since I weigh 145-ish lbs these days I have perhaps a slight advantage over some on the uphill-ish sprint finish. "Sitting in" always sounds easy but there are no free rides in a race.
The plan was loosely defined, and I just went with the flow. There were four "prime" laps, where the first person across the line wins $10 & some Nuun tablets and a water bottle. Enough to get the race animated! But I planned on ignoring those.
A Cat 3 on our team went for the last prime, with about 3 laps to go. On the downhill section he had a nice lead on us, he actually looked small in the distance. Chris & I got on the front and tried to control the pace, e.g. slow it down a tad to let our guy get away for the prime, though we probably didn't do the best job of it. This is important stuff folks! Winning a prime is not just for the material benefits, it's the bragging rights we're all after. A noble pursuit indeed.
But on the uphill just before the finish we could see that our guy was running out of gas.. so Jordan jumped to go for it and I hopped on his wheel. We blew buy the blown RCR guy and I'm sitting second wheel cruising up to the line, in perfect position to come around for the prime! Or so I thought..
I probably thought about it too much, and just when I was about to make my move Jordan's team mate Mark came flying by the both of us, taking the prime. Good job Mark, well played.
Well, that was fun but now I had to recover at 185 beats-per-minute & 25 mph! Only two laps to go so I better recover quick. And you'd think you can just coast on the downhill, but it seemed like there was a nasty headwind there and you had to fight just to keep up with the rest of the pack. A few seconds of coasting here and there felt great, but I lost positions on the climb the next time around.
On the final lap I was in the top 20-30 (e.g. not placed great), the pack was really fluid, but I saw the guy that won last week (from Garage Racing) and marked his wheel. He was moving up through the pack so it seemed like a good wheel to be on. We got to the climb and started winding up, but it was so crowded there wasn't much space to move around.
Still, I passed a few gassed people and was making up decent ground - certainly not gunning for a win but at least better than last week, maybe a top 20. Just as we're cresting the hill I see commotion out of the corner of my eye and look over to the right to see Mark sliding on the ground, with another guy tangling with him.. Yikes!
Sounds like the guy was either getting lapped or was just gassed, and decided to pull off to the right when he heard the pack coming - without checking behind him.. So Mark was coming up the outside (where there was some space) and this guy just ran into him. For the record, the correct thing to do when you're ready to check out of the race is just ride in a straight line; people will find their way around you. Mark ended up with some road rash, but he seemed OK and his bike was still functional.
Came in somewhere around 20th. Racing with 3's is great training for the 4's crit at Volunteer Park on Saturday, I hope. Feeling good, had fun, what more can I ask for. It was great to see all the familiar faces and get to race on dry roads.
Race Stats/Data
Duration: 42:46 (missed first two laps)
Work: 613 kJ
TSS: 73.1 (intensity factor 1.013)
Norm Power: 294
VI: 1.23
Distance: 17.095 mi
Elevation Gain: 1886 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1090 239 watts
Heart Rate: 148 189 171 bpm
Cadence: 25 139 82 rpm
Speed: 1.6 55.8 24.0 mph
Crank Torque: 0 1654 232 lb-in
Recently raised FTP estimate to 290, I think it's about right.
Peak 5-sec was 1,038w - best I've done in the last few months - alas, only 15.8 w/kg or so.. gotta work on that. (Good enough to drop your local commuter, or myself last year, but not good enough to win a field sprint outright)
Training - The Big Picture
Here is my Performance Management Chart from the last few months. It's a visualization of the "training load" you've accumulated over time. When the yellow bars are down and the blue/purple lines are up, I'm putting in lots of miles and fitness ("form") should be there. And while like any other approximation it will never be an exact representation of where I'm at (how I feel) - it gives you an indicator, a reminder of where you've been, training-wise.
In roughly the middle of the graph you can see the big dip in yellow and the corresponding rise in the blue/purple lines - I believe that was my "Base 3" phase - four weeks of 10-15 hours per week of endurance riding.
If you have no idea what I'm saying understand this: I've been gearing up for the Volunteer Park Crit!! Ready to tear off some legs on Saturday.. been waiting years to do this one. (all this mumbo jumbo & graphs is from the WKO+ app, by the way)
Bike Links
In other news I've added two pages to the blog that offer links to all kinds of cool sites.
- WSBA Racing Links - all the links you need to sign up & line up
- Randonneuring Links - all the links you need to ride into the night, and beyond
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Seward Park Bike Racing 2010: Bring It On
Today was the first edition of the Seward Park race, held weekly from now until April.
Last year I did Seward a good 15-20 times, all in the 5:30 PM race or the Cat 4/5's (beginners). The first race I barely hung on for a pack finish. Through the year, as I got stronger, I got a few top 10's, and one third place.
This year I initially planned to come back and do the 4/5 race again, to see if I could actually win it - but after thinking about it, and some prodding from others, I decided just to jump into the 3/4's race at 6 PM. 45 minutes instead of 25, and you get to race against more experienced (and in theory stronger) Cat 3's - guys who used to seem like pros compared to the 5's years ago. Now I get to line up next to them. The goal for now is to be one of them.
The Race
Lined up with some the other Recycled guys - Mike, Jason, Andrew, Busto, Pauh, and Chris - some of them I haven't raced with yet since they're 3's. Compared to how I used to feel (in a word, shaky) right before races last year, this year the jitters are gone.
The excitement is still there, but the nervousness is just about gone. And that's what I came here and paid money for, to train to get and more experienced stronger - not just to "have fun." I could stay in the 4/5's and shoot for that elusive win (not that it would be easy, but I'd have a better chance), but I figure racing in the 3/4's will be better training overall.
It had been raining off and on the whole day, but it was dry when we started. Still, I kept my booties on and wore a long-sleeve jersey in case it started pouring later. And boy did it rain later.
After a few words from Dave, the organizer of this series, we were off for a new season of competition. Most important note seemed to be to "stay out of the gutters - as you should in life," and don't stand/sprint if you find yourself on the outside in or near the gutter (wet mold). Which really sucks because the left/right sides on the little climb can be nice places to move up, considering it's hard to move up in the middle.
After a few laps I'd been riding so conservatively (since this was my first race with 3's) that I'd slid back further than I found comfortable. The pack of 50-60(?) would get strung out and small gaps would form on the downhill on the backside. Doesn't seem like it's enough distance to do much damage but closing a gap in a headwind when you're doing 35-40 mph can hurt. And it seemed like I'd come around the sweeping left on the downhill and see 200 feet of racers in front of me, with gaps everywhere.
Of course, the pack would usually bunch back up on the bottom of the downhill, but I still don't like to be anywhere but in the draft, in the peloton. So I decided to stop messing with the back of the race and move up.
On the Front
A prime came along, and somewhere in the ensuing chase I find myself on the front of the pack! Not what I wanted to do, especially on a windy day like today. Pulled the pack around for a lap, and just kept the pace reasonable - I used to tend to speed up too much when on the front, which is usually a waste of energy.
So instead of battling to get everyone off my wheel, I just kept my pace steady (and comfortable), and just waited for someone or a group to come around. People will get impatient and just come around if you want them to, I learned recently.
On the next lap I was second wheel for a little while, and at some points it seemed like a group of 5-6 of us was getting away from the pack, but it's hard to tell sometimes.
After about 5 minutes (a few laps) of hanging out of the front, and riding harder than I had the whole race, I started to feel the effects and found myself drifting back again. Which was ok, I'd shown my face at the front at least, now the goal was just to finish in the pack.
I remember seeing 9 laps to go (out of 22) and feeling like I wished the end was sooner, but the extra few laps (compared to the 15-laps 4/5's race) weren't too tough.
The rain started back up during the race, at first almost imperceptible but eventually big droplets and not to be ignored. I heard guys talking about dropping out if the rain kept up... which would make me more than happy to thin out the pack.
Before too long the rain was gone, though the roads still wet. That hard 140-degree turn at the top of the course was a little scary, but nobody went down. (This montage kept flashing through my mind)
The final bell lap came, and I didn't do anything differently (usually you will have already chosen a spot in the pack and will be battling for it, at a cost of course, the last few laps) and instead just rode it into the finish. Probably a good 30 riders back but in the pack, and not DFL. Mission accomplished.
Data
I like to think of the race data kind of like a flight data recorder. When I analyze races one of the things I'm looking for are trends, such as how my heart rate dips a bit towards the end of the race. Was that recovery from time spend at the front, or a mini-bonk? I'm guessing the latter.
Zooming in on the "Peak 5 minutes":
Entire workout (223 watts):
Duration: 42:53
Work: 577 kJ
TSS: 64.8 (intensity factor 0.952)
Norm Power: 276
VI: 1.23
Distance: 16.944 mi
Elevation Gain: 1885 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1051 224 watts
Heart Rate: 109 190 171 bpm
Cadence: 16 139 83 rpm
Speed: 2.3 56.3 23.7 mph
Crank Torque: 0 1622 213 lb-in
Looking forward to more editions of the "Thursday Night Worlds," aka Seward Park. And now that I know I can hang on with the 3/4's I should be a little more competitive next week. We'll see.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Seward Park Season End Classic: 4/5 & Masters C/D Races
The Course
Which direction we go on this course makes a big difference, and I wasn't sure which way we'd go, as they like to switch it up a lot. When I gout there I found it was clockwise, and I had mixed feelings about this direction. That way means a more gradual 5% climb, instead of the more punchy (e.g. steeper but shorter) climb going the other direction. I like the steeper side, though it's not a whole lot easier. The other big difference is that the 140-degree turn at the top of the course feels really slow going clockwise, and it's slightly uphill that way.
One change from the Thursday routine was that the start/finish was in a totally different spot, on the slight downhill section instead of at the top of the gradual climb. This meant that instead of the usual uphill sprint finish (which I always liked), we were having to negotiate the sharp turn and then sprint, albeit slightly downhill. So we knew your position coming out of that corner on the last lap was likely to be your final spot. I was dreading that final corner, given that of course there would be a jam of bodies and bikes trying to all squeeze around it at once, but I knew it would be decisive.
Race Report 1 - Men's Category 4/5 - 9 AM
Jordan, Tim, and I waited next to the starting line about 10 minutes before it started, to get a nice position on the line. We got up front, waited through the official's talk, and I then proceeded to screw up by thinking that when the official said "roll out!" he meant roll up to the line, since we were about 5 feet behind it (that was the drill at some crits this year). So when everyone was sprinting away I was coasting with one leg down.. probably looked a little funny to anyone behind me, but slow people at the start aren't a new thing in bike racing.
After a few seconds I figured out what was going on (duh), clipped in and got in the race, coming in about the middle of the pack. That was stupid, but another lesson learned. No worries, it's pretty easy to move up at the bottom of the downhill or on the uphill, if you have momentum and room to move around.
It was, all mass start races are, a constant battle of moving up while being overtaken. They say if you're not moving up in the pack, you're moving back, and it's oh so true. You can be sitting in what you thought was 10 from the back, but look back and all of a sudden there's one rider behind you, everyone else has dropped off or moved around you.
So the battle is on from the gun, and the first few laps did seem a little speedier than our usual 4/5 training race on Thursdays. The swooping downhill right turn is always interesting, not everyone has the same idea of what the best line is around it, which can make for some confusion at 60 km/h leaning with your front wheel between two rear wheels. At that point you have to take their line, or end up going over their wheel on the ground.
Here's a shot of the pack coming up the hill towards the sharp turn:
There were a few close calls on that turn, but nobody went down. On the uphill if I was in back I had plenty of momentum moving up, but there just wasn't that much space to do so. Jordan said he stuck to the left side of the road there and found room, but I always found myself on the right side and boxed in. Need to remember that for next time.. but if you can find a way through it's pretty easy to use extra momentum to shoot by lots of people on that uphill.
Here we are coming around the sharp turn:
Here's a shot of me getting back up to speed after the sharp turn. Man I hate that turn in a pack, it feels like you come to a stop!
Here I am at the front of the peloton, pulling for no reason.
By the time I got around the sharp corner he was probably crossing the line, and I sprinted for what felt like 30-35th.. the results were only posted for the top 20, so I'm not sure of my placing but I was glad not to be DFL, lapped, or whatever. Another pack finish, I'll take it. And huge congrats to Jordan for taking the win! That kid knows how to ride a bike..
Here's a shot of the final sprint, about 50m before the line:
Big congrats to Jordan on his second USAC victory - and he's still Cat 5! Just look how he spanked these 4/5's in the photo above - and surely some of them are about to be 3's..
My race velo - Ciocc COM 12.5 steel, Campy Centaur, Open Pros w/ Pro+ PT: (~21.5 lbs):
Love that bike!Race Report 2 - Men's Masters C/D (Cat 4/5 aged 30+) - 10:40 AM
It was my first "Masters" race and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Usually you hear Masters races are "faster and smoother" or something like that; the field certainly looked more experienced, so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to hang on with them or not. I was eager to find out.
Here's a shot of the field (about 45 people or so) just before the start:
We set off and it seemed the same as the 4/5's just with different faces. This race was 5 minutes shorter than the 4/5 race, and was a bit calmer. Less people trying to go off the front, but when they did it looked a little more dedicated, and the pack didn't jump at them instantly. And less "squirrelly" action from the riders as well.
The field was a mix of ages, as seen in this photo:
On the start of one the uphills Mark M. (strong Starbucks rider) stood up at the front of the pack and hammered, and he's been known to break away, so I for some reason decided to follow him. I was second or third wheel anyway and jumped behind him, soon passing him and hoping he'd jump on my wheel for at least a symbolic few laps off the front, or even a winning break. Instead he shouted "make 'em hurt!" and I pedaled on. I should have sat up, but in the moment I decided to follow through and see what happened.
Off The Front?
Here's the sequence of my jump, at the bottom of the hill:
Enjoying the silence as I briefly leave the peloton:
So going into the hard turn at the top of the course I was solo, with maybe 10 meters of separation between me and the peloton. I didn't look back, I knew I was away since it was all of a sudden silent, the clicks/buzzing/whoosh sound was gone, if only for a moment.
Going through that sharp turn by yourself is so much nicer (well any turn, but especially this one), you can pick your line and maintain speed around it. It felt great to maintain speed and be able to accelerate from a decent speed and not what felt like a stand-still, in the pack.
On the flat stretch before the uphill, I was still away but not by much. As we got to the uphill (about where I'd launched my "attack") I couldn't do it any more and the peloton consumed me left and right.
The thing is I was doing about 25 km/h and they were doing 30-40.. so even though I felt cooked it was time to jump again, just to get up to their speed and not get blown out of the back due to a stupid early attack.
So I gave up a good 20 spots but latched onto a wheel, and tried as hard as I could to keep up. I did, but going around the sharp turn I felt like I was going so slow coming out of it. 18 minutes to go and I'm cooked, but recovering in the shelter of the wind. It was pain, but not like what I felt at the Gig Harbor Circuit Race when I got blown off the back on the last lap a few weeks ago. At least this pain was more manageable.
The rest of the race consisted mostly of me getting boxed in on the uphill (what else is new), and trying to make up spots on the flat spot on the back-side of the course. A few more attacks went off, some primes were won, and my sights were now set on the finish.
When the final lap came around I don't remember where I was in the pack, but it must not have been anywhere close to up front, since when we came around the sharp/final turn, I was pretty far off the front of the race, but not as far back as in the 4/5 race.
We came around and I think someone in front of me had a mechanical/handling issue, since they were stopped and I was all of a sudden sprinting from what felt like a track stand. More than one grunt of the release of energy was heard from behind.
As we came down the swooping downhill bend to the finish, I was giving it good gas for a possible top 20 but then a tire popped loudly, and I eased up to see who it was and make sure they weren't in front of me and about to stop. The flat guy was off to the right and slowed down a few people, and I barely squeezed around him to place 25th overall. Not great, but not terrible either. I felt much better in this race than the first for some reason - maybe not a good enough warm-up before the first race?
In all it was a great morning of racing! Thanks again for Kira to coming down and taking these great photos. Racing two times in a day was great, I wish there were more opportunities to do that. The last race of the season (for me) is next weekend, the Blackberry Crit in Bremerton. One last chance to have some fun, and maybe even improve, before the season is over..
More photos from the Masters C/D race here.
And a few shots from the Women's 1/2 race here.
Men's 4/5 Race Data
Duration: 40:26
Work: 570 kJ
TSS: 70.8 (intensity factor 1.027)
Norm Power: 293w
VI: 1.24
Distance: 25.962 km
Elevation Gain: 573 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 949 236 watts
Heart Rate: 116 181 170 bpm
Cadence: 24 135 85 rpm
Speed: 0 117.2 38.4 kph
Crank Torque: 0 204.6 24.3 N-m
Masters C/D Race Data
Duration: 34:45
Work: 473 kJ
TSS: 63 (intensity factor 1.043)
Norm Power: 297w
VI: 1.31
Distance: 21.965 km
Elevation Gain: 468 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1025 227 watts
Heart Rate: 104 186 170 bpm
Cadence: 27 136 87 rpm
Speed: 4.2 73.9 37.7 kph
Crank Torque: 0 197.5 22.2 N-m
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Seward Park Race 8/27/09 - Pain Management 101
A few laps into the Seward Park Cat 4/5 training race, after pulling the field for a lap or two, the lactic acid was building up in my legs. Slow at first, then the sting sets in and you settle into a groove. It becomes a question of can you still put down some power while your legs are burning? I can, but only for a little while.
[me pulling the field on one of the first few laps]
Most of us have a limit when it comes to this stuff - though of course it can be trained, and your "threshold" can even be raised. The sheer amount of power you can put down in a sprint or fast lap doesn't always translate into a win because that limit of ours means you need to dole out the wattage efficiently - when analyzing the race data I like to see "peak" power time-frames to be nearer to the end of a race - but in this race the opposite is the case.
[Our field of wily Cat 4/5 racers]
[Cornering]
Today I didn't meter out the power in the right "sequence" at all - as you can see in the image below, the peak 5 minutes (power-wise) was the first two laps or so, and the peak 2 mins is in the middle of a race. While my speed peaked on the last lap, I didn't have the power required to match the final (uphill) surge.
(blue=speed, yellow=power, red=HR, orange=elevation)
Duration: 29:11
TSS: 52.2 (intensity factor 1.036)
Norm Power: 295
VI: 1.3
Distance: 18.517 km
Elevation Gain: 379 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 967 227 watts
Heart Rate: 98 187 172 bpm
Cadence: 15 132 88 rpm
Speed: 3.4 88.6 38.1 kph
Crank Torque: 0 175.8 23.1 N-m
"These are serious mountain passes with little traffic and often outside cell phone range. Consequently a mini-survival blanket is required in addition to the standard requirements of helmet, lights, and reflective gear. A spare tire (not just a tube) is recommended."
Friday, August 14, 2009
Seward Park 4/5 Race 8/13/09 - In The Rain
The forecast called for rain, and was it ever right. Looking at the animated weather map before the race, I could see a big blob of red/orange/yellow spots oozing towards Seattle. It wouldn't be the first time I'd race at Seward in the rain, just the second time. I remembered from last time that while the pace was still slower, it was still a race, and depending on who was pulling the pack it would still be a tough one.
As I set off at about 4:40 or so for the ride down to the race, it was lightly raining and somewhere in the mid to high 60's. My rain jacket quickly got wet, but since I chose to wear my (heavy wool) SiR jersey I felt nice and warm. Also wore Ibex wool knickers & thick wool socks I usually wear in the winter - but it also works great for rain gear, even in the summer.
I took it easy pedaling down, even avoiding chasing a strong guy in an Amgen kit, who ended up being in the same race I was doing. Usually I end up chasing people on that stretch of Lake Wa Blvd down to Seward, as there are always rabbits to chase other cyclists around to ride with.
Got to Seward by about 5:15, perfect timing though 10 minutes extra after signing in meant standing around under a tree, trying to stay out of the rain. Lining up meant two groups of people standing under two trees near the start line, trying to avoid the wet. With about four minutes to go I got out there and lined up, ready to get it on. Not a huge crowd, only 20-25 - but not surprising given the weather.
The Race
Pre-race instructions, given from under an umbrella as the rain was coming down pretty hard at this point, told us that unlike the usual at Seward, we would be doing a "win and out" format, borrowed from track racing. The idea is that instead of doing just 15 laps, we'd do 9 laps and then who ever crosses the line first wins, but then they pull out and the race continues. The next lap decides second, and then that person pulls out. Since they place up the first six riders at Seward, we had six deciding laps for a total of 15. That format change and the rain really made things interesting.
Most of the usual characters were there, including Mark on Starbucks team that usually kills it here. Jordan, riding for Blue Rooster, was also there, looking to place as he's done a few times already. Laurent, I think his name is, who rides for Byrne/Invent and who won the last two races I think. All wheels I was keeping an eye on.
The first lap of the race was a tad chilly, as I'd taken off my rain jacket in order to not overheat during the race. So my wet bare arms were catching wind and quite cold, though I either forgot about it or warmed up by the time we got on the uphill. It was a messy affair - riding in someone's draft also meant riding in their rooster-tail of water.
The trick is to sit just to the side of their wheel, and let the spray hit your shoulder instead of the face. Even then it's not perfect, but it at least allows you to see. On that note from the 2nd lap or so I had a stream of water coming into my right eye - salty water at that, so it stung.. I could barely find time to try to wipe my eye without knocking off my glasses, and even when I did it barely helped.
We stayed in a pack until the first prime lap came and Mark took it, stringing out the pack. After his prime win and going down the hill on the other side, I could see him motioning for someone to join his newly-forming break, but nobody had the energy or speed to catch him. And at that point I think people were still going around the hard left turn (e.g. way behind the head of the race), so the "pack" was now a line of strung out riders.
The order of riders from here on out was probably close to how it all ended. But remember that since we were racing a win-and-out format, once someone wins the race it keeps going for five more laps, each lap the winner of that placing drops out.
Because of that, I didn't want to try to chase Mark et al down (I was about 5-6 riders back, and maybe 20 meters) just to have him beat me in the sprint, and then have to fend off more riders after a failed attempt. If I was going to sprint, I wanted to make it stick and have that be the end of the race. Simple enough, but making it happen is tricky.
So the "final" lap comes around and Mark is way up front, further stretching everyone out. Jordan was up there somewhere, along with two or three other riders. When we came around on the final lap we could barely see but I assumed Mark won it, and we kept going, the next lap counting for 2nd place. (So there were still five more laps left, if that makes sense)
It was still so stretched out that I didn't want to chase and then lose a sprint only to have to try again. So I stayed in my spot, and after a lap or two there were only two riders around me, nobody visible up front or behind. Had everyone up front won their laps, or was this "our" turn?
As we come around the bend at the bottom of the hill, one of the riders in my group asks, "Is this our lap?" I say I'm not sure, the other rider says, "Yeah." Of course, we're all close to red-lining already so talk is not easy. I hope their right, and start thinking about a sprint which is about to happen in 30 seconds or so.
We come up to the steep uphill section, and I was happy that neither of my opponents (we were going for 4th or 5th, I wasn't sure) had gone for the sprint yet - much like on the velodrome, we were playing the cat and mouse game of who goes first, and who then jumps on their wheel and tries to overcome them before the line.
I've been doing some 1-minute intervals earlier in the week and was doing them well (480w for me, or 7.07 w/kg), and those practice intervals were in order to better in this exact situation.
So with a little confidence, as we crested the steepest part, I mutter something cheesy like, "let's do this" and give it my all for the finish, hoping that this is indeed the right lap to be sprinting for.
20 seconds or so of sprinting down, and I glance under my arm to see if anyone's there. I got the jump on them, but are they about to pass, or left in the dust? I see a wheel about 10 meters back, but it seemed to be slowly moving away - that's a good sign! Another kick and I'm approaching the line, giving it all I've got and really hoping this is the right lap to go on. No need to look back any more, I figure if they're gonna pass I'll find out, now is just the time to dump everything I have left. So I do.
I crossed the line alone, happy to have beat out my two opponents for this placing (ended up being 4th!), and started the cool-down in the parking lot next to the course. It takes me about 2-3 minutes to regain enough breath to have a meaningful conversation with anyone.
Sure enough, Mark took first (nice job!), and Jordan took 3rd. I was just happy to have sprinted at the right time, and to have enough kick to beat a few people out before the line. Training has been heading in the right direction, but still not enough for a win - one of these days..
The ride home was wet, as it was still raining - but at least it was a bit lighter now. I just looked forward to a warm shower once at home, and getting all that heavy wet wool off of me. While it does keep you warm, jeez it seemed to weigh a ton at the end of the ride.
And tomorrow: this (Gig Harbor circuit/road race - stay tuned for a report!)
Friday, August 7, 2009
Seward Park Race 8/6/09 - Back In The Mix
It had been too long since I've raced; almost a month in fact since the Derby Days Crit back in July. Sure I've been riding lately, but mostly longer rides like Ramrod & toodling around Lake Washington.
I've been doing some interval stuff, it hasn't been enough to keep me in top racing form. The training I was doing doesn't match the fitness you gain just by hanging in a peloton at 40 km/h. (Cat 1/2's are probably snickering right now, as they cruise at 50 km/h no doubt)
It wasn't like I was starting over fitness-wise, but I could tell towards the end of the race that I usually felt stronger at that point. Or maybe it was just the pull at the front I took with two to go that send me over the top.
Still it was a lot of fun to see the friends I've made at these Seward races, and to "turn the pedals in anger" once again. And unlike my first race, I feel relaxed during the race and even find time to ask how people are doing - making small talk during a race is probably a good sign you're not red lining.
Photos
I'm somewhere in there, hiding from the wind. Back in the mix.
Near the end of the race I saw a small group starting to form, with a bunch of familiar faces in it. People that contend for 1st place - well, at least the guy on the yellow bike anyway. So I got in the group, though I don't think we were as far off the front as I thought, and we were eventually swamped on the downhill.
In the black/white jersey, trying to close a little gap.
Final sprint - I'm outside of the pic, breathing heavily and watching the race finish from a distance. The Byrne/Invent rider (blue/orange) won last week, and Mark (in the green Starbucks kit) has won a few himself. I believe the Byrne guy took this one - but now that Mark's on a team he's really gonna be a threat!
More riders trickling in for 10th+ - once I saw I was out of contention for the top 6 (what counts at Seward), I let off the gas and got yelled at by a guy behind me. As he sprinted around me I shouted, "You're going for 10th - maybe you can get 9th!" You can see me in the black/white, feeling like I can barely breath. I really need to quit smoking..
Ended up cruising in for about 15th or so, felt cooked in the final uphill surge. Still, great training for some upcoming races!
Thanks to Beki for taking and posting these shots as always - you can see the whole set here.
Good to see all my race buddies - Jordan, Rob, Mark, Doran - see ya on the road! And like I said after the race, you guys better watch out if I ever quit smoking!
Race Data
Entire workout (225 watts):
Duration: 28:53
Work: 394 kJ
TSS: 47.3 (intensity factor 0.991)
Norm Power: 282
VI: 1.24
Pw:HR: -2.85%
Pa:HR: -1.84%
Distance: 18.572 km
Elevation Gain: 446 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 973 227 watts
Heart Rate: 116 192 179 bpm
Cadence: 21 148 94 rpm
Speed: 4.6 86.5 38.4 kph
Crank Torque: 0 180.9 21.2 N-m
Friday, July 10, 2009
Seward Park 7/10/09 - The Opposite of Smart Racing
What's the opposite of smart racing? Me at Seward Park yesterday. Too much work with nothing to show for it. But I guess it was a training race so that's what it's for right?
Pulled the peloton around for the first lap, stayed up front until the first prime, went too early for it. I was fourth wheel and saw the three ahead soft-pedaling and coasting, playing cat-and-mouse so I attacked hard from the back. I had a gap but ran out of gas on the uphill towards the line.
Then it took me just about the rest of the race (10 more laps) to recover, and I slowly slid backwards in the pack, ending up in the middle. Moved up for the last lap, and ended up stuck in the wind on the front with two up the road. Had nothing for the (uphill) sprint..
When I got 3rd in this race I sat in until the final sprint - I'm thinking this means I need to get smarter. Or stronger. Or both.
Photos
Early in the race I think, here I am 3rd-wheel. A strong junior (Max?) was pulling the field, and look who made a guest appearance in 2nd wheel? Mr. Elbows. He kept them to himself this time it seemed.
The pack coming up to the peak/turn:
The peloton coming up the 4% hill - this is what you get to sprint up at the end!
Here's Chad going for one of the primes.
And then coming in for the win, a First Rate Mortgage rider. If I'm not mistaken he also raced the Masters 35+ at the Joe Matava Crit last week, and looked strong there.
Duration: 28:59
Work: 408 kJ
TSS: 53.5 (intensity factor 1.052)
Norm Power: 300
VI: 1.28
Distance: 18.555 km
Elevation Gain: 376 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 973 234 watts
Cadence: 24 132 83 rpm
Speed: 1.3 98.4 38.3 kph
Crank Torque: 0 196.9 25.2 N-m
Friday, July 3, 2009
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
Friday, June 26, 2009
Seward Park Race 6/25/09 - More Good Training
Yesterday was another installment of the Seward Park training race. Another opportunity to either get in some good training, a nice placing, or better yet both. Too bad for me last night was mostly good training, I didn't end up placing well at all.
Lined up in front with Ian & Rob, two guys I recently met at Seward. On the first lap Rob was off the front, and held out for a few laps. Thought about chasing but it seemed to early - while it would be good training to try to break away so early in the race, I wanted to at least finish and didn't want to jeopardize that.
Also met Mark yesterday, a strong racer that I've been seeing a lot at the front of the pack. He said he's done the Race Across Oregon last year - and here I was thinking that I was the only "mileage junkie/ultra guy" in the peloton! Mark is a very strong sprinter and a good all around racer - he took both primes last night, and the win! Congrats man.
Here a shot of Ian & Mark in the peloton at some point during the race (they're on the left, black & blue jerseys respectively):
I didn't show up in many of the pictures taken, but did find this one with me in it. (Black/white jersey, blue/white helmet):
More pics from the 4/5 race on the teampics smugmug site.
I basically "sat in" for most of the race, though I did spend a little while on the "business end" of the peloton. Tried to stay up front, and found that I could move up well on the uphill, given space. Trouble is space to move is hard to come by on the hill, so you either have to be up front in the first place, or find a way around the pack.
For the second prime I was somewhere mid-pack at the beginning of the uphill (leading to the line) - and decided to chase the sprinters, even though there were 20 riders in between me and them. Found some space on the left, dumped my gears way down (or is it up?) and sprinted for dear life. I passed a good 15 people, and felt like I was doing twice their speed at that point. But of course I didn't catch the sprinters, they were way ahead. Still, it was a nice little practice of a sprint and also good practice of moving up in the field.
Now that I'm getting more comfortable with racing, and pack racing more specifically, I feel like I don't want to just surf the pack until the big final surge. I've heard a quote that goes something like "It's called racing, not riding around waiting for shit to happen." So on that note I decided to go off the front, even if it was probably at the worst tactical moment to do so.
Off the Front, If Only for a Few Seconds
So on the last lap, after we made the 140-degree turn onto the flat, I sensed a slow-down in the pack and took off up the right side, hoping to get up front and make a clean line through the sharp right at the bottom of the hill. But I'm pretty sure that attacking downhill is a stupid thing to do, and I'm pretty sure I learned that last night.
I took a dig, got up front, and hit the corner as hard/fast as I could. Once on the flat gave it some more gas, but upon a quick glance behind me I see the whole friggin' pack on my wheel! So much for that...
Totally spent, I had to let the pack consume me and overtake. Just kept riding straight until I had room to move, then tried to recover for the final surge - too bad it's a 4-5% uphill surge, and if you're already cooked going into it best of luck. I had nothing to offer in the end, I'd "burnt all my matches" at the wrong moment on the last lap.
Totally out of breath/energy, all I could do was watch the final surge from a distance. Started to stand up and give something just to finish with the pack (e.g. sprint for 30th), but decided to just sit up and let it go. Rolled in a few seconds after the pack did, my first time being "off the back" even if slightly.
In the end though, it was a lot of fun, and more damn good training!
Power Data
Duration: 28:36
Work: 417 kJ
TSS: 52.3 (intensity factor 1.048)
Norm Power: 299
VI: 1.23
Pw:HR: -1.08%
Pa:HR: -1.65%
Distance: 18.405 km
Elevation Gain: 369 m
Elevation Loss: 364 m
Grade: 0.0 % (5 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1015 244 watts
Heart Rate: 126 195 183 bpm
Cadence: 29 127 81 rpm
Speed: 5.1 73.4 38.5 kph
Pace 0:49 11:46 1:33 min/km
Altitude: -1 24 14 m
Crank Torque: 0 203.1 26.3 N-m
failed break: (on the last lap)
Duration: 1:18
Work: 25 kJ
TSS: 3.6 (intensity factor 1.295)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: -40.49%
Pa:HR: 29.93%
Distance: 897 m
Elevation Gain: 18 m
Elevation Loss: 20 m
Grade: -0.2 % (-2 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 899 316 watts
Heart Rate: 185 191 189 bpm
Cadence: 47 100 81 rpm
Speed: 15.2 67.7 41.4 kph
Pace 0:53 3:57 1:27 min/km
Altitude: 4 24 14 m
Crank Torque: 0 91.6 31.6 N-m
weakest sprint ever: (final sprint)
Duration: 0:24
Work: 8 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: 55.23%
Pa:HR: 43.31%
Distance: 204 m
Elevation Gain: 12 m
Elevation Loss: 0 m
Grade: 6.0 % (12 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 11 691 348 watts
Heart Rate: 187 190 189 bpm
Cadence: 52 98 77 rpm
Speed: 15.2 56.3 30.6 kph
Pace 1:04 3:57 1:57 min/km
Altitude: 8 20 16 m
Crank Torque: 2 67.3 41.1 N-m
Peak 2min (342 watts): (last two mins of race)
Duration: 2:00
Work: 41 kJ
TSS: 4.1 (intensity factor 1.112)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: -6.23%
Pa:HR: -33.14%
Distance: 1.351 km
Elevation Gain: 33 m
Elevation Loss: 25 m
Grade: 0.7 % (9 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 899 342 watts
Heart Rate: 170 191 185 bpm
Cadence: 31 113 82 rpm
Speed: 24.3 67.7 40.5 kph
Pace 0:53 2:28 1:29 min/km
Altitude: 4 24 15 m
Crank Torque: 0 119.4 35.4 N-m
Peak 5min (279 watts):
Duration: 5:00
Work: 83 kJ
TSS: 8.7 (intensity factor 1.025)
Norm Power: 292
VI: 1.05
Pw:HR: 19.29%
Pa:HR: 9.63%
Distance: 3.066 km
Elevation Gain: 33 m
Elevation Loss: 30 m
Grade: 0.1 % (2 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 496 278 watts
Heart Rate: 164 186 177 bpm
Cadence: 42 109 95 rpm
Speed: 4.1 50.3 36.7 kph
Pace 1:12 14:38 1:38 min/km
Altitude: -29 -26 -27 m
Crank Torque: 0 87.5 27.4 N-m
Looking forward to next week, maybe I'll give another flyer a shot - but this time on an uphill!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Seward Park Race 6/18 - Nth Place
After doing the big 600k + commute over the weekend, I was tentative about doing Seward only five days later, but also excited. I felt about as fresh as I could after a 425-mile weekend and a few days off the bike, and just wanted to see if I could do it or not.
One thing I noticed on the way down, was that after de-converting the Ciocc back into a race bike (remove fender, lights, dynohub, B17 seat) I realized I forgot to move the seatpost back up. Weird how much taller a Brooks B-17 is compared to my Bianchi race saddle. That 1cm of space gone was noticeable, but I didn't feel like messing with it so I let it be.
Nothing wrong with going off the front early, especially in a training race, that's what it's for. I think it'd be fun, but I'm not sure I could recover enough to get back in the pack after an effort like that. I've ridden the course solo and it feels way slower without the draft, then again I didn't have 40 people chasing me.
After the group was together again, it was relatively smooth sailing from there, though on the second to last lap (or was it last?) I got stuck behind a slowing rider and had the whole pack come around me.. By the time I realized it I was sitting at the back, at the bottom of the hill! Dammit, that's the worst place to be if you want to move around people on the climb. I seem to be able to move up on the climb, as long as there's room (which there usually isn't).
The surge went a little earlier than I would have liked (what else is new?), and I wasn't in a great position when it happened (e.g. behind 10 or so riders). Still, I went with it and pushed as hard as these little legs could, passing a few riders on the uphill, and one or two more as they sat up near the line. At some point it doesn't make sense to even try to get 10th as opposed to 9th, but at the time you're just thinking of doing the best you can.
Here's a shot of the winner - I'm somewhere just behind this little pack that broke away from the main pack for the surge:
And then there I am (blue helmet, black/white jersey) sailing in for 8th or 9th. It might as well be 30th place, but it was a great workout.
David from the PI's Velocity blog captured some video snippets from the 4/5 race - from looking at the vid I think I got 7th. He also shot vids of the 3/4's & 1/2/3's.
Talked to Rob after the race about our Ciocc bikes - pretty rare to see that brand, especially in races. And his is actually a classic (straight-tubed) model with lugs and everything, nice! He was at Ballard a few weeks ago as well, always fun to share war stories and different views of the epic crashes that we witnessed.
Friday, June 12, 2009
3rd Place At Seward Park
Before I shift gears and do the 600k this weekend, I made it out to another Seward Park training race yesterday. Saw SiR member Gary Prince on the way down, chatted for a bit but had to hurry down to the park to get there in time.
I've been riding down Lake Wa Blvd so much lately (for training and to get to Seward) that it feels like I know each and every turn, bump, and crack in the road. Luckily there's great scenery with the lake and the mountains in the distance, so it never gets too boring.
The Race
I lined up in the middle, just found a gap in the crowd and planted myself there. No reason to start in the rear if you don't need to. Spoke briefly to another unattached guy who was at the 4/5 crit in Ballard last Saturday. Said he ended up going down in the crash on the second to last lap, that must have sucked to have come that far in the race and have that happen.
Decent turn out on this sunny-but-not-too-hot day, probably 30-40 riders in total. Funny how I barely know anyone in the field yet there are many familiar faces. Even in the 3/4 race I'm starting to recognize people, the racing scene is a small world I guess.
We were going clockwise this time, which changes the race a bit. Slows the overall speed since there's more of a climb, and also makes the downhill "interesting." You swoop down to where the road squeezes narrow and makes a decently-hard right. Going into this turn in a pack is a "fun" experience, because everyone has their own idea of a "line" through the turn and how to accelerate out of it.
More than once I went into this turn between other riders, and had to play a careful dance of not too close to this guy, not too close to that guy. There were a few close calls on that turn for sure, but we all made it out unscathed.
There was a new guy I hadn't seen before, wearing gold shoes and sporting some tats on his arm. But it wasn't the golden slippers or the tattoos that caught my attention, it was the fact this guy was throwing elbows left and right! This is in a Category 4/5 race (beginners) mind you. This guy seemed to be strong, and stayed up front most of the time. But almost every time I looked up he was jostling with someone next to him, at one point I think he even pushed someone!
Somehow nobody went down due to his crazy antics. He must be mad since he had to move down from Cat 1 to the 4/5's or something.. jeez. I wanted to say something to him about his "nice elbows" even though he never touched me, I just couldn't get over how much of a dick he was being. Might be a nice guy in "real life", but apparently not on the course.
Besides Mr. Elbows the race was generally uneventful and had the usual amount of Cat 4/5 sketchiness. I felt good throughout it and just tried to work efficiently as possible, e.g. not stay in the wind too long, and don't forget to try to coast a lot. After the downhill turn it was pretty easy to move up in the pack, I found that even seated I could outsprint many people and make up 10-15 spots in one fell swoop.
Final Sprint!
On the last three laps I made sure to be in the first 10 or so riders. A few people tried to break away on the last lap, but I just stayed in the pack and watched them suffer in the wind. No way they were going to be able to hold a huge peloton off!
Sure enough we swamped the break on the final uphill surge, but unfortunately were also overtaking a few lapped riders. I was near the curb on the right side of the road, and had to swerve around one guy to his right, then another to his left. Might have barely cut someone off with that little move, but it was either hit the brakes and get 15th or jump and get 3rd. I chose the latter.
I'm the third rider from the left, putting all I've got into my little steel machine. Interesting that the top three riders were all unttached! Go non-team.
Being chased by more than a few riders. Hurting, but excited to see clear road ahead of me at the finish.
My "rawr" face.
Now letting it all out. Ended up with a new peak 30 seconds of 628 watts. Way more than I usually put out, but having 30+ people chasing you helps a little.
The rest of the pack coming up behind me. Another randonneur, Ryan, was in the blue jersey and I think he got 5th! Way to go randos!
Full photo set on flickr. And of course a huge thanks to Kira for coming out to take pics of me!
After the race I felt more or less sick, validating the fact that I rarely work this hard on a bicycle. I could barely talk to Kira when the race was over, had to take a few minutes to catch my breath. I wasn't sure of the result, but after double-checking it was official!
This was my best race finish to date, so I'm really happy with it. Looking forward to a day of rest now before the 600k tomorrow. It's gonna be a great weekend of riding.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Seward Park Race In June Heat
It was a hot one for sure. Temps in the 80's, which for the PNW is pretty hot. I even bought a new lightweight jersey, since it's officially too warm to race in thick wool these days. As much as I'd love to rock the retro SiR jersey at the races, I don't want to overheat either. So I bought a generic black/white jersey, which is super lightweight.
Of course, I still felt overheated during the race. Guess we all did..
June 4th Seward Park Race
I've gotten the timing down pretty well for the 12 km ride down to the park. Unlike the last few times, I could relax a bit and keep the heart rate at about 160 bpm (85% of max HR) all the way down, which translated to about 34-36 km/h on the flats. So I got there with 10 minutes to go, just enough time to pay the fee and line up without losing the warm-up I did ont the way down.
The pack had already started lining up by the time I got there, probably about 40 people. I didn't get in the back though, I found a spot in about the middle and squeezed in. For the start, you don't want to be at the very back, it makes for a lot of work a) to move around people who can't clip in and b) move up the pack.
We rolled off and sure enough at least two people had issues starting out, and there was some yelling and swerving, but we all got around it. The course starts on a nice downhill, which makes it pretty easy to keep up initially, and even easier to move up. I find that most people either coasat or soft-pedal on the downhill, so now and then I give an extra push there to move up, through the draft.
Got in the first 10 or so riders of the pack for the first few laps, and stayed there. Not on the front, pulling through the wind, but fairly relaxed in the draft. Exactly where you want to be, unless you want to control the pace of the race.
About 5 laps in out of 15 for the 4/5's, they rang the bell meaning it was a "prime" (pronouned preem, oddly) lap so the first one across the line wins some kind of prize. For the beginners you win a water bottle or some Nuun tablets. Nonetheless, that lap gets pretty competitive and fast, and at least one rider will go sprint for it.
My First Breakaway
And the first rider to go this time was me! It was a little early to go, just at the bottom of the hill before the turn uphill. I was coming up the side of the pack after drafting, and had speed on the peloton. In a split second I decided not to coast on to the front, but to start sprinting right then and there, and give it a go.
My first breakaway. Before I knew it I was climbing by myself, assured that I had at least a little gap since I didn't hear the whoosh/whir of the peloton. Don't want to look back, that just wastes time. Giving it my all, climbing up the hill in probably too big a gear. After about 20 seconds two other riders show up, having chased me down. Still about 100 meters to go to the line, and I feel wasted.
One guy passes me and I fight to get in his draft. He eases up slightly and I think about going around, but I just don't have the energy to spare. Had this been for the finish I would have done something else, but for a prime lap I just gave up. Still, it was a blast! The three of us were ahead of the pack for half a lap, before we sat up and waited for the rest the peloton provides. Looking at the power data after the race, that was the hardest minute I've ever spent on the bike! 480-something watts (6.95 w/kg) avg for that minute.
Recovery During The Race
Even though the pack offers protection from the wind, it doesn't mean I can go from 194 bpm (what my HR hit during the break) back to 180 quickly. So I'm hitting the climb at probably 190 bpm, e.g. about as hard as my little heart can go. Just try not to move back too much on the climb, and I could get back in good position on the flat/downhill.
After a few laps, I felt better and was ready to move up again. But there were only about 4 laps to go, so I had to do it quick. I slowly recovered over the next few laps.
Last Lap
On the last lap I was about in the middle of the pack, and even though we were only at the bottom of the hill, the First Rate Mortgage guy on the yellow bike (who wins these races lately) went. A little early like my attack, but about 10 of us broke from the pack and strung out behind his wheel.
I figured someone would peel off/give up somewhere up the hill and in the next 150m to the line, so I just held my pace. But nobody did, so I ended up at about 9th or 10th overall. I was pretty beat at the end, and didn't have much more left in the tank, but was happy to finish in the top 10 (or close) again out of 40+ racers.
The Ballard Crit should be fun this weekend. (Saturday 4 PM is the Cat 4/5 Men's race - 75 people in the field!)
Race Data
Part 1:
(yellow=power, blue=speed (km/h), orange=elevation, red=heart rate)
Duration: 28:50
Work: 389 kJ
TSS: 53.2 (intensity factor 1.052)
Norm Power: 300
VI: 1.33
Pw:HR: 15.83%
Pa:HR: -1.82%
Distance: 18.56 km
Elevation Gain: 344 m
Elevation Loss: 357 m
Grade: -0.1 % (-13 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1056 225 watts
Heart Rate: 128 194 174 bpm
Cadence: 20 134 85 rpm
Speed: 6.1 89.7 38.3 kph
Pace 0:40 9:50 1:34 min/km
Altitude: 24 55 40 m
Crank Torque: 0 193.1 22.6 N-m
Duration: 1:26:22 (1:50:46)
Work: 1002 kJ
TSS: 120.5 (intensity factor 0.915)
Norm Power: 261
VI: 1.35
Pw:HR: 2.01%
Pa:HR: 10.95%
Distance: 44.959 km
Elevation Gain: 674 m
Elevation Loss: 727 m
Grade: -0.1 % (-53 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1056 193 watts
Heart Rate: 101 194 159 bpm
Cadence: 15 134 79 rpm
Speed: 0 175.6 30.7 kph
Pace 0:21 0:00 1:57 min/km
Altitude: 10 173 53 m
Crank Torque: 0 193.1 22.2 N-m
Peak 20min (232 watts):
Duration: 20:00
Work: 282 kJ
TSS: 38.3 (intensity factor 1.072)
Norm Power: 306
VI: 1.3
Pw:HR: 7.68%
Pa:HR: -1.98%
Distance: 12.712 km
Elevation Gain: 241 m
Elevation Loss: 242 m
Grade: -0.0 % (-0 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1040 235 watts
Heart Rate: 157 194 175 bpm
Cadence: 30 134 86 rpm
Speed: 6.1 86.5 37.7 kph
Pace 0:42 9:50 1:35 min/km
Altitude: 26 55 41 m
Crank Torque: 0 193.1 23.5 N-m
No photos from this race, but I think I saw David Longdon from the PI's Velocity Blog there taking video, hopefully he'll post something from this soon.
