After last year's DNF, I was excited to see how my form would hold out this year. We had 3 racers in the field of 47 today: Matt, Jason and I. We started at a brisk pace, but the majority of the first lap was just smaller attacks to keep the pace high. The weather report was for some rain during the race, and they were right.
Lap one wasn't too bad, and it wasn't until the hill that the fireworks hit. As we hit the initial pitch, Carson Miller (Jamis-Hagens Berman) and Colin Gibson (Keller Rohrback) flew off the front while the field chased to catch them. By the time we hit the top, those two had developed a solid gap and continued to pull away. During lap two the rain started, and while we continued to push along, the leaders continued to grow their lead. The group continued to launch small attacks but they were continually shut down.
During the entire race riders were dropping out, and not just due to the speed. The road had recently been repaved, but with a rough chipseal (which made for a constant vibration while riding) that had been releasing sharp rocks into the shoulders. This, coupled with the wet surfaces, invariably led to numerous punctures.
Lap three began with a big increase in the rain, which was incredibly noticeable down on the farm road. Here we were basically holding onto wheels and hoping that no one was doing anything stupid while we couldn't see. Matt, Jason and I were all active near the front and staying out of trouble. We passed the ladies field along the farm road and then raced past their leader while going up the hill.
Starting the 4th lap, we had definitely started to whittle down the field. Matt had made the front section of the peloton at the top of the hill, and I worked with a few others in the second group to join back on along the winding section near the power plant. This lap, sensing the dwindled field, attacks began again. HSP continued to start and block attacks, and to stay out of the trouble, Matt and I stayed up near the front to avoid the whipping. I guess that near this point Jason was disqualified for crossing the centerline (I didn't see what happened and only learned this from Matt after the race, so it may have happened earlier). Again we had small groups go up the road, only to be dragged back before long.
Heading up the hill to start the final lap, the race heated up again, and by the top of the hill, there were only a few riders left in the pack. I had lost some time up the hill, and crested behind the group. At this point (only one lap left!) I tucked in and TT'd my way along the top section to catch the pack just before dropping back into the valley. I caught my breath and assessed that I was now part of a group of only 12 racers (Matt unfortunately had not made it, he later told me he pulled off at the top of the hill after having a "body flat" (Wilssens' term). I knew Colin and Carson were up the road, but I thought there were 2 more riders who had escaped as well. This meant that as long as I stayed with the group, I had a good chance of a great finish.
During the farm road, Jeff Reed (Starbucks) went off the front solo. I figured we would chase him back, but the group said we would catch him on the climb, so no worries. At this point, the pace slowed and it seemed like a rider from Oregon, one of the Olympic Ortho guys and myself were the only ones rolling the front. As we approached the first section of the climb, two riders rolled off the front. I watched with surprise as the pack didn't chase after them (in hindsight I really should have jumped with them!). Once we hit the hill, I just set my pace and slowly rolled past others who had blown up from attacking hard at the start of the hill. The big hitters really attacked the last hill and chased after the 2 racers who had escaped earlier, but didn't quite catch them in time. Wilssens (Audi) and Hitchcock (HSP) duked it out for the pack win, with Hitchcock slipping past at the last second. I managed to work past a few more racers and at the 200m was ready to push it for the final run. I missed my shift and unfortunately lost out on a higher finish, however I was very happy finishing in 12th in this very difficult race.
After having my off-day at IVRR last weekend, this finish is really nice and just reinvigorates me to prepare for the next race.
Great work to Matt and Jason for dealing with the weather and working hard in the race!
Bike Racing, Fit Science, and Physical Therapy
April 6, 2014
Early season 2014 (Sequim 1, Sequim 2, IVRR)
2014 racing has started and is off to a good start. After the work this winter, it was nice to get out to Sequim and see how it has paid off. The first Tour de Dung race was 72 miles, and while it was a fast and hard race, I felt good and finished with the pack. One of our racers was in the breakaway and managed a good finish - always a great way to start the season.
A week later we returned for the 84 mile 2nd race, which was a faster pace (no breakaways) but I felt great throughout the race and worked to help set up the finish. Unfortunately a rider caused a crash right at the end of the race, causing a big pile-up and locking our sprinter in the middle of the carnage. Luckily, one of our guys (the same racer who did well the previous week) managed to skirt the wreck and hang on to the leaders, finishing 4th! I again finished with the pack (after getting going again from the crash), so I was doing better than last year.
I then had a week to focus on training, with no race during the weekend. I continued my training regimen into the next week (and in hindsight I carried it a little too far into the week) before racing Independence Valley in Rochester. This race has two hills every lap, and can definitely start to wear you down. I started the race feeling good, but within the first lap I started feeling the training had taken a toll. My legs felt a bit heavy, and I was just working to stay in the pack. Heading into the 3rd lap, I just couldn't hold onto the group going up the longer hill. At the top I raced to chase back, but couldn't connect. I joined up with another racer and we worked together for a few minutes before catching onto a strong rider who was trucking along. We sat on his wheel for a few miles before I fell off, the pace being higher than I could hold. As I started up the 2nd hill, I caught my earlier companion, but he was now completely toasted and I rolled away from him without trying. I rolled for another few miles before another group came by. I jumped on their wheels and rolled with them to the finish line, when our group of 4 pulled the plug and called it quits without doing the final lap.
I didn't have any teammates at this race, so unfortunately I didn't have anyone to root for, but it was cool to see an old teammate win the race.
Not the finish I was hoping for after the good start, but it just shows me that I needed to alter my training to make sure I have energy for racing. Next weekend is Vance Creek, and I think I will see how I do there.
A week later we returned for the 84 mile 2nd race, which was a faster pace (no breakaways) but I felt great throughout the race and worked to help set up the finish. Unfortunately a rider caused a crash right at the end of the race, causing a big pile-up and locking our sprinter in the middle of the carnage. Luckily, one of our guys (the same racer who did well the previous week) managed to skirt the wreck and hang on to the leaders, finishing 4th! I again finished with the pack (after getting going again from the crash), so I was doing better than last year.
I then had a week to focus on training, with no race during the weekend. I continued my training regimen into the next week (and in hindsight I carried it a little too far into the week) before racing Independence Valley in Rochester. This race has two hills every lap, and can definitely start to wear you down. I started the race feeling good, but within the first lap I started feeling the training had taken a toll. My legs felt a bit heavy, and I was just working to stay in the pack. Heading into the 3rd lap, I just couldn't hold onto the group going up the longer hill. At the top I raced to chase back, but couldn't connect. I joined up with another racer and we worked together for a few minutes before catching onto a strong rider who was trucking along. We sat on his wheel for a few miles before I fell off, the pace being higher than I could hold. As I started up the 2nd hill, I caught my earlier companion, but he was now completely toasted and I rolled away from him without trying. I rolled for another few miles before another group came by. I jumped on their wheels and rolled with them to the finish line, when our group of 4 pulled the plug and called it quits without doing the final lap.
I didn't have any teammates at this race, so unfortunately I didn't have anyone to root for, but it was cool to see an old teammate win the race.
Not the finish I was hoping for after the good start, but it just shows me that I needed to alter my training to make sure I have energy for racing. Next weekend is Vance Creek, and I think I will see how I do there.
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