El Crampo

Was out of town all week on an intense project and was off the bike for 4 whole days. I think the last time that happened was when I was sick in March. So the legs had time to recover from all the knots and bashing I gave them last weekend, but doing nothing does not give the optimal physiological adaption. Got home about 9:15 on Friday and got up at 6:00 AM to roll to Dunnigan. Was really looking forward to this race and felt ok. The legs felt a little flat but woke up just fine. We had four guys in the race and a good all around team representation in different categories. Special thanks to Roy for manning the feed zones. And Clover boys – neutral or not, you don’t take a bottle from someone who has another teams’ jersey - jerko.

The top guys started firing the bullets quickly and I made sure to be in front to watch for a break. Lots of attacks, but nothing was going to stick since the wind was light. Somewhere on lap one maybe half way, Lothar went with a Spiney and one other. The group let em roll up to about a minute. We had the center-line nazi ref giving us the splits – that was very cool. They did warn us about the centerline rule and guys ignored it and got DQd. We pulled in the break and the wind picked up for lap 2. Ok I knew there were going to be some attacks again (well they never really stopped) and knew it was hard to move up in the wind and tight course. I was riding 5th wheel watching Metcalfe and I forget who else trading pulls. Martin was sitting third wheel, so something was gonna happen. Then it came from the left. I looked over and my teamie was there, except Safeway had three in an eight man break. I was a bit out of position and would have had to attack on the unprotected side to cover after a slight pause. This may have caused others to follow so I let it be and needed a bit of break since I’d been near the front the entire 1st lap +. John knows as well as anyone how to deal with a break. I was talking to Kirkpatty and figured the Navigator guy would attack at some point as that was clearly a break that was going to stick with Parks, Metcalfe, Bennet, Pasco?, Reade? and not sure who the other two were besides John. The other teams and solo guys did not get organized at all. There was plenty of horsepower if they traded pulls. One EMC almost chased his own guy for awhile till someone else reminded him that their “strongest” guy was in the break so then he just covered in the front. I stayed close as well then the Navigator guy slipped away after a failed attempt by alto velo. Noone followed which surprised me. I figured EMC or Safeway might cover but I suppose that potentially could have reduced the odds if the group did get organized. I think the break was about 1:45 or 2:00 at that point so there was no way were catching. So there were various attacks all the way and a couple slipped off our group. KP tried to bring it in but got no help. I sat trying to save for a sprint and staying near the front knowing a top ten was still out there. Unfortunately John fell out of the break and we picked him up with maybe 5 or 6 miles to go. I tried drilling the front a little but no separation and a slight bit of cramping so I backed off. I positioned near the front and into the last corner two swung way wide as if just tired and forgetting how to corner. I dropped in behind Martin who was second or third wheel figuring he was leading out Pab or would just go for it. Pab came up and then I got behind him. Ok as good a position as any. At 1K there was an attack and not sure why I grabbed it but I sucked on the wheel with a nice draft so I was working but not all out according the power meter download. We got to about 500m and I got stung by a yellow jacket in my jersey. Little fucker hurt. Then it got me again – two stings. We slowed and I lost concentration a bit, but no one else had come around. OK its 200m and uphill so I soft pedaled a little but not too much to keep momentum till someone came then I was to follow and make my attack. NOT! The group went by and my legs just died. They literally stopped functioning. “Cmon legs!…..Nooooooooooooo.” I had a good breakfast, and 1000+ calories with my salt tabs and drank 3 or 4 bottles. They still just seized and cramped and I was barely able to get across the line in like last place in the group. Oh well. I was happy to be there ready to try for that field sprint for 8th, but it was just not meant to be. Great course, good team work and pretty damn exciting for a pretty flat ride with all the attacks – oh and damned fast.

So for the techie geeks here’s the data – note the difference between avg and normalized

90.4 miles
ride time 3:40
avg. speed 24.67
Avg power 207
Normalized power 256
TSS 228
IF .8

more training & racing

Another great training weekend and a race in the bag. Did some great sprints on Thursday, and a nice long 85 miler with the river ride thrown in for some pre Dunnigan practice. Had some good wind so we spread things out and had a couple fun sprints. Was heading down to my parents on Sat night so figured I would pop down for the Timpani crit on Sunday. Sarah was open too it with a Tahoe trade off for next weekend. Compromise is good thing! Me = pretty tired, especially from the vino at moms, hard ride the day before and sprints on Th. Usually I’ll do those on Tues or Wed in time to recover for the weekend but the race was sort of a last minute thing.

Looked like most of the big guns were out and I was out there on my own again. This one I just sat in for awhile and tried to stay in a decent position in case something dangerous went off. Lots of attacks and wheels a blazin’ – not to mention a strong cross wind again a la Minden. Felt like I managed not to burn too many matches except for one bridge, which was a calculated risk and well stocked with the stock boys. Well that break fizzled and ended up being a waste. Ok sit in and recover and get on some decent wheels. With about 5 to go it was getting really fast and I somehow faded out of position. OK have to get back up there and position. I moved from the back to the front with 1.5 to go or something close – again the memory gets fuzzy in these balls out crits. Had to go around a cone – ooops the pack pushed left and that was safer than running into it. I found a wheel quickly and got in position near the front and held on. OV goes off with just over 1 to go and I was riiiiiigggght there and had that split second decision knowing that could be The Move. I jumped on for the ride and we all know OV is more than capable of soloing the last lap even if sick. I debated this strategy in my head and talked it over with Sarah before the race we figured that would be as good a strategy as any. He was drilling it and I figured that would be a good risk to take and the effort behind was not too bad. We pedaled the corners hard. OV did the under the arm look and I just stayed focused on position and had no obligation to come around (and legs for that matter). He bowed out with about a half a lap left either tired or not wanting to lead out others (?). I found a wheel pretty quickly and did not give up position too much, but that wheel was tired or saving some for the P1/2 and lost momentum…..then I got swarmed and race over. No point in going for 15th so sat up and stayed safe – upright finishes are a good thing. Awesome racing and fun to watch the other team’s tactics.

how far will it spread?

A few weeks ago, I spent a few hours with a client. These guy are in their 60s and huge history buffs. I'm not very well studied in history and these guys are quizzing me at lunch. It was kind of like be in a loser's consolation round of jeopardy when you should not have even qualified in the first place. "Who were the five consecutive republican presidents." Heck, the guy couldn't remember the fifth himself. So they keep mentioning that we are already in WW III and that it may be difficult for them to buy equipment (heavy trucks) for their business if we in a full scale war. At first I was thinking these guys are nuts. So I go home and actually turn on the news and realize that history often repeats itself and they have already witnessed it first hand in their lifetimes. Fast forward to today where a little spark that's been smoldering for a long time in the Middle East is turning into a fire storm - rockets raining down. Will this escalate further and will the peace talks actually go anywhere?

missing the water

On the drive back from districts I was passing Silver lake on 88, which got me to thinking about water and how much I miss being on the Tique. I spent a vast majority of my 20s weekends hacking & poaching single track on the mtb and ripping it up on the water. Ah the thrill of a 60 mph pull on glass @ 28 off and launching off a big wake on the board where you feel the pop when you hit it just right. Its a rush that tingles and you feel like a God. And the agony of defeat when something goes wrong as those crashes on the water frickin' hurt........ah the eye lid peelers were all too familiar, but its that adrenaline rush that brings you back for more.