Memorial Day Weekend and A big fat DNF

Quick and dirty, only took the bike out once lastweek before heading up to Orange County for the weekend. I did a race in Long Beach, it was a crit that was scheduled for 45 mins plus 5. Lets just I say only hung around for 26 minutes of that. Pace was very quick on a flat .7 of mile course. From what I heard from the locals this course was one that was raced often kind of like the Carondelet course of the Tuesday Night Worlds in back in St. Louis. Not sure what was all wrong with me, but I felt like I was pushing the limit and that doesn't mix well with asthma. I usually ride with my inhaler in my back pocket but that day I forgot it in the car. So I shut it down at the 26th minute. Prior to though, I did put in big effort to change and start and break with 3 others, we had maybe 5 secs on the field. Then 5 others joined and us while I was putting in a pull at the front. I look back and see the field charging so I pull off the front and let the others work up. After this lap and half up front I was pretty tired and just sat in after that to recover but could never really settled back down. I've got 2 weeks of work in Vegas before moving back to St. Louis and hopefully being ready for the Webster Groves Crit.

Finally got out

Got back on bike for first time since the 70 miles on Sunday. Weather has kept me off all this week except for today. I got out for 30 mins today, just wanted to get the legs going again, it was still kind of windy so I didnt want to suffer through a ride with the wind. Goal is to get out tomorrow weather depending and get bike ready to head up to L.A Saturday afternoon. We're heading to a CARDS game Sunday, they are playing the Dodgers. Monday is when I line it up in Long Beach for a criterium that morning.

Hell Bender race recap

Overall fun race, nice weather, flat and rolling course with one big wall to go up. Field of about 40 lined up for the race. Everyone was together until we hit the wall, and those that could make it up and keep it moving were all apart of a group of about 20. Not sure how close if at all the group that was chasing came to catching to the lead group of which I was in. After the wall the fellows at the front really dropped the hammer. I looked down and at times we were cruising at 30mph. This group again stayed together until the 2nd time up the wall. Here the group of 20 was shattered into bits. I hung on to the first group very briefly only to have my legs seize up, muscles just got really tight like a 'charlie horse' in both my legs. That was it for me, I could only watch the group ride away from me and others pass me by. I rode solo for the last 13 miles to a finishing place of 13th. I thought i would get caught from behind because I wasn't setting a blistering pace just cruising along. I wish had my SPecialized for this race, I just haven't felt at home on the Scott bike I keep in St. Louis. Next race is a criterium a week from today in Long Beach, CA.

HELL BENDER

Heading back to St. Louis today and then onto Springfield and Rolla. Looking forward to racing at the Hell BEnder Road Race.

See ya

Wagon Wheel Lunch time ride

I made it out today for my first one of these rides this year. This ride goes out weekly. Today there was a group of 6 or 7. The ride has slight two gradual ascents. On the second ascent I found myself out front and being chased by the group. One guy did catch me before I made it to the turn around point. Two things happened leading up to him catching me, the first my chain fell off. I had to hop off bike and get it back on and when I got back on bike he was one bike length in front me. I caught him and then attacked leaving him at least 7/8 bike lengths behind me and I thought this would be enough to hold him off but he caught and passed me beating me up to the turn around point. The ride is an out back and on the return the group stayed together hammering all the way back in. Pretty fun ride.

new PHOTOS tab see above

next to the HOME tab on the top of the page, I added a PHOTOS tab. This tab links to all my cycling photos from 2008.

peace

Sunday Post Race Report

WOW is all I can really say about this race today. 87 guys started I know that many did not finish........I read the race flyer and it said one good climb and then some rollers. This one "good climb" was the back breaker of this race. The race started at a pretty group ridish pace (first sign of trouble), I was wondering why no one was really picking it up. So about 7 miles in the initial climb starts and then it just really NEVER ENDED. Somehow at the start of the climb I found myself way in the back so I started working my up to about 30 and thought this would a good place to sit, then I look back and everyone is falling off. I gave out just before the top and could only watch the wheels in front of me pulling away. Because so many people had fallen off we put together a chase group of about 6 guys and we came within about 200 yards of catching the top 30 but never could close the door and after that I never saw the lead group again. I worked together with this group for much of the 2nd lap until several of them decided to break away from this group (made no sense really at this stage of the race) but ok. I rode solo down the descent for much of it and then a couple guys came from behind and I finished the race with these guys and a few others we caught (same dudes that decided to leave the small group we initially had). No doubt this is the hardest race I have ever done, 62 miles of hurt. After the race I initially I thought I wouldn't ride my bike for a very long time :) Now that I'm settled I will get back to it on Wednesday or so. I will try and find some photos from the race, it was very scenic but between catching my breath and the sun beating me down I could barely take it all in. I saw a guy almost go off one of the cliffs too, now that would have been very bad, we were on the descent and he was to hot into a turn, he had to slam the brakes and go 2 steps over edge. Another side note, I met a guy in the field that was a Shimona rep and he said he had a couple HUB t-shirts from his trips there a few years back.


Race stats:
avg: 20.4 mph
ascent: 3,617 feet of climbing

Pre-RACE ride

I set out today wanting to spin about 30 miles or so putting out very little effort. Keeping my effort low was no problem but instead of 30 miles I ended up with 48. I got new shoes and a different set of wheels that I will ride in a race for the first time tomorrow so I definitely wanted to feel them out today. Feeling very relaxed and ready to race to tomorrow. WIsh Me luck!! Stay tuned for the race report tomorrow evening.

Tuning UP

Again in an effort to make it out before the winds came, I was able to take a longer lunch so I could get my ride in today. Today's goal was to ride the 26 miles as if I had to do the loop twice. Most days I just go as hard as I can for the loop but since I will be doing at 62 mile road race on Sunday I thought it would be better to simulate a nice paced looped hopefully similar to what the race will be like. Then again you never know how I race will play out.

Racing in CALi

First things first I haven't been on my bike since Sunday. I have been feeling pretty fatigued the past few days. I wanted to get some miles in today but the wind was gusting at 33 mph. I can hopefully get back out manana to freshen the legs up.

As for the race, I signed up for a race in Bakersfield, CA this Sunday. Definitely last minute as far as me being mentally ready. I think I have gotten in enough miles to be able to put up a fight. The race is 62 miles with 1,669 ft of elevation gain. I'm very nervous to say the least about lining the bike up this Sunday. A lot going on in my head.......what wheel to follow, what break to be in, what break to let go, should I make a move, etc etc. Goal I guess will just be to let my race come to me and see what happens.

This is a video preview of the course of Sundays race


I'm also thinking about doing a Crit in Long Beach on Memorial Day, more on that to come once I'm registered.

Also, I picked up some wheel bling from a former Big Shark racer that has moved out East to PHilly. I'm hoping to have them for the race on Sunday.

Long Rides

Put in 57 miles today on the bike. Felt pretty tired most of ride though, definitely feel the need for a day or two off to let the legs recover. Over the past two days I've done longer rides in prepartion for a road race that is 70 miles. I feel pretty good with where I'm at now. On the last ascent today Larry (guy I was riding with)surged alittle to get up to the top, I was really laboring leading up to this, but I was able to hold his wheel no problem.

Peace

IRONMAN

Rode 63 miles today, with 4,228 feet of elevation gain. Felt pretty good on the climbs, just worked on pushing alittle and then recovering. Focusing on possibly being ready for a road race here in the coming weeks, with what I hear there are a few short hills on the course.

Unrelated but tonight we went and saw Ironman. I usually don't dig scientific/comic book movies but this was actually not to bad. One thing I dont like is how all movies feel the need for a sequel.....if this movie does well at the box I'm sure the sequel will soon follow.

Thursday RIDE

Winds stayed down and I was able to get in the 26 mile loop. Time was 1:16:17. My new best time for the loop is 1:15:22 which I did last Thursday prior to the Tour of St.Louis. I'm thinking I can keep knocking more time off, the biggest area I can gain or make time up on is on the back stretch but it usually happens that the wind is blowing on that side of the course just enough to throw things off. Tonight what I did notice was the difference between riding a carbon wheel and the a regular wheel without a dish on it. I deeper dish wheel is definitely an advantage for time trials and really just carrying speed. I would bet if I had these wheels for the time trial in St. Louis I would have shaved a few seconds off my time along with carrying a faster average for the 9 miles.