ABD TT#2
Everyone has been asking me how the TT went yesterday. Funny thing is I don't really know. I didn't have a clear goal going into it and therefore even after having seen my results I don't know if that was good or bad.
In general I guess I have maintained my fitness. I finished mid pack cat 4 again.
JF - a new member to our team decided to give it a shot. He has had a road bike for a while, but really hasn't put much time in on it for quite a while. He's in good shape, but doesn't have a lot of saddle time. In essence I was more excited about watching his ride than my own. I love seeing new people get involved in the sport and I have a feeling he's going to end up loving racing.
So here I am a 'semi-trained' cat 4 (only because I fast-talked the upgrade with a lot of talk of cyclocross and TT's) and JF just about beats me. I took the time to manually record his power profile and plot it against my own after the fact.
If you know what you're looking at you'll see that with a little aerobic conditioning/threshold conditioning this guy can possibly kick a lot of cat 5 (and 4)ass this year. I should have savored my victory while I had the chance.
Here he is warming up before the TT (on the right). The guy ont he bike on the left is another BF member mridan. The guy who looks fast standing still is Andy Skeen.
In the pain cave - there's cobwebs, bats, and scary things. Time to clean it out and makes it a nice home. You'll be spending lots of time in there.
Beat. At this point I am guessing he was debating puking. This is a good thing.
After he was done I went over and caught the end of Julie's race. She put in a hard effort as well. She was especially pleased that her picture was being taken right after she finished.
mridan was up next. I wrote his power down as well and shouted as much encouragement as I could. I think he too has been bitten by the competitive bug.
All in all a good TT. Glad I did it. Now...Tuesday night will be me running the Bicycle Heaven trainer class. 2x25'@threshold. Hmmm....need to put together some tunes...
2009 Chicago Bike Swap
This is the second time I have been to the Chicago bike swap. Last year it was in a smaller venue and was absolutely packed. I went looking for nothing and left with a bike.
This year like everyone else I didn't have the money. I was wanting to go and look for whatever deals I could find, etc. Also I wanted to see how the Bicycle Heaven booth went.
Getting to Harper College we were greated with this line of bike nerds looking for deals
As soon as I paid my money and made it in I heard Ara's voice and made a beeline to the Heaven's booth. I was introduced to "Ed" from SRAM. He's the loacl SRAM rep that helped us put together our team deal through the Grass Roots program. Part of this program involved incorporating our team in the efforts of World Bicycle Relief. Ed Spoke pasionately about it's mission and his hopes that through our involvement we too can become liasons as well as participants in the movement. Take a minute to check out the site. Cool stuff and it makes you think for sure.
The Heaven was there to do some business. Where else could you find deals like these?
Rich is salesman mode. He offloaded some solid stuff he's been storing for a while.
Ara selling a bike. He moved quite a few that day.
Moving around through the booths I found an old set of Scott full tri bars. I had a set like these on my bike towards the end of high school. Honestly they were really comfortable. They either became illegal to use in competition or simply just fell out of style. These are from the "Lance is a triathlete - wtf is the Tour de France?" kind of days.
Here's my old shots of my bike with them on. Hello 1990. We'd like for you to take your hot pink and neon yellow back please. k-thx.
So I went around looking for stuff. I ended up finding the stuff I figured I would find. I got another Bonty setapost. I love these because of the infinite clamp and single side bolt design. It is very adaptable on the road. Easy to get the perfect position. $10 form the Heaven
I then picked up the stem with the right length and angle for my TT bike $5 - Albertos. Then when I thought I was done and redy to head out with CyclingJester and Voldemort from bikeforums I did one more round and found a piile of SPecialized saddles. While digging I found 2 Alias saddle (MSRP around $110 each). They offered both for $80. Well...the cash machine didn't work and I was out so Voldemort lent me the money. I like to say he helped make my ass happy.
The loot (booty if you will...at least as far as the saddles are concerned).
Last week my Formula group buy that I got on for the hubs (back in July - seriously July) finally showed up. Here's a pile of hub joy. Now for some rims, spokes and some customers. Anyone need wheels?
Feel the need to drop this one here too. I had an alien sighting at the ABD indoor TT. He wasn't riding becuase he said "it favors the fat guys"......so you're saying I have a chance.
In other news I heard that Mission Bay was one of the early victims of the economy. Word has it they stopped paying their bills with all of their suppliers. They had a booth at the swap but it was empty. I don't like seeing that happen to anyone in the business. Especially a shop that had been around and involved like the Bay. I wasn't a fan of them leaving Elgin though because they used to be my local.
Oh well....get out there and spend a few bucks with your local to help ensure they'll be here next year. You know you need some bar tape, a new chain and some tires for next season. Why not get them now.
A little behind in my work
I have been trying to focus a little more on work, family, and of course...riding lately. As a result I have thoughts of tons of nice things to blog about but haven't gotten around to actually blogging.
First things first....Montrose wrap-up:
It was cold. this is what it looked like when we left that morning.
I did tear up my tights in on fo the wrecks I had. Didn't notice until later. I finally washed the cross bike yesterday. The season is now over for me. Poo.
In more exciting news we had a holiday BFNIC party that Colochange put on. He was nice enough to invite a bunch of us less desirables over to his house and feed up beer. I took him up on the offer...
Above L to R: Cycling Jester (thanks for the ride DD), Recursive trying to remember why he came, Cyclpsycho/Alien, Colorchange our host, Alien2, CyLowe97.
Recursive - that's how he rolls...
iab - the premise of the party was that you brough your bike and got your picture taken with it. Nice idea. Colochange got to work another one of his hobbies in. Check out the vintage steel that iab is spoting. I can pretty much assure that it is older than anyone actually reading this.
Alien - What Woulf Jens Do. I love this shirt. For those that don't get it google "Jens Voight". Throw a lot of German/Australian accented f bombs around and you might get close.
Above L to R: Voldemort, Recursive, Alien2, Scummer, SmokinMiles, iab and Alien Fall Fling Stage #2 – Redemption
OK...so crits are my thing. The Wood Dale course is great. Fast, short and relatively flat.
Got there early enough. Little P and Nana were on board to provide support. MJH2 and RR were there from the team. Parked next to RJBTrek as well. Some great riders in our group...we're the "old men".
Much colder. Little P was in jacket and looking very "fall-ish". MJH2 gave Little P a cowbell he got at a race. Awesome. Seriously awesome. That bell combined with the fact that we were right next to Ohare (within a couple of miles of one of the plants I helped shut down) with planes coming over every 30 seconds meant he was in heaven. The bicycle racing thing was just some icing on top of the cake (right now aham is thinking, "did that say cake? I love me some cake. I could do with some cake right now.")
With it taking so long for my engine to get running yesterday I knew I needed a good warmup. Doing some pre-laps a couple of things stood out:
- Turn 2 was going to be a killer for a lot of guys that can't handle their rig. It was a downhill 90degree - off camber that was going to be wicked fast. One of those corners that I love.
- There was a wicked tailwind right after that corner along relatively flat terrain. = F'n FAST.
- The sweeping uphill was into the wind and just steep enough that everyone would be hurting, but no one was going to clear from the field on it.
- The rolling front straight was going to be where someone would go - still hard and right after the hill when everyone will be looking to recover.
- This was going to be hard and fast.
I knew I should hit the trainer, but I just hate doing that. So...I just kept riding laps making sure I was pushing that hill hard to work up a sweat and get the lungs taxed.
Even doing that we lined up early enough that I was cold when we started. Total suck. We ended up 1 and 2 again right off the start. It was fast and furious. People were shelled right off the start.
It took me about 3-4 laps to really get warmed up. I floated around 4-8th position mostly. There are really some squirrelly guys in that group. I found myself yelling a lot. Not like me. I yelled at a few guys to hold their lines. We started lapping guys when we were only about 3-4 laps in. It was unreal. A lot of the lapped traffic was riding all over.
If you don't know this already I'll chime in...if you are thinking of racing you will get passed. Not only that but you will be lapped if you are doing a crit. WHEN you get dropped (fall off the back - definitions for GL Runner) form the pack then immediately start creating an awareness of what is going on behind you. The pack will catch you quicker that you ever thought possible - remember...10-20 of the strongest guys sharing pulls and able to recover out of the wind will always greatly outpace the single weaker rider trying to TT (Time Trial - ride hard alone GL Runner...) their way along.
So WHEN you find yourself in this situation....MOVE TO THE OUTSIDE! Take the wide outside line on every turn. Here's the thing...you're dropped and you're not coming back alone. You are not doing anyone a favor by taking an inside line around a turn and you WILL get in the way.
Passing lapped traffic when your on the limit is like playing a high speed version of frogger. To make it better the guy getting passed is usually not as sure with handling, and still hasn't figured out how to look over their shoulder without swerving. So we start yelling, they turn, swerve, more yelling, they freak, sometimes hit brakes....good times...
I yelled a lot. It was good. I was an a-hole, but I was feeling good.
I was right about the read of the course. One of the Spider Monkey (EDIT: TATI not Spider Monkey) crew (god they all look like they're 12 or 13. I know they're early 20's.) hit the gas right after the hill. No one chased. None of us really could. Well I think we could have, but we decided not to.
After that we just kept it pegged. I was right about the corners. I carried the nasty corner faster than even I thought I could. I had to be careful about pedal strikes (GL - hitting the pedal on the ground as you corner because you are leaning over so far) 2 times. Those of us who could carry the corner well seemed to fade as the tempo maxed on the back. While those that didn't carry the corner would pound it hard on the following straight.
The hill was bad after a while, but they guys were really taking it easy at times. I ended up flying to the front one lap because everyone slowed down and I didn't feel like slowing on and losing that speed my pain had just purchased.
Before I knew it I was thinking to myself along the back "how many laps has it been?" I was afraid I had missed the bell (you can't hear anything when your heart is beating in your ears". So I resolved to pay attention across the line. I was about 6th wheel coming across when I noticed that the lap counter said "1" and could actually hear a bell.
From then it was like a time warp. I think I had visions. The surge came. I knew it would. It hurt. It was enough that I left a small gap going into 1. This fredly spiderman swung around and cut me off in the turn. Bad. Dude should have held his line. I couldn't even yell. I had not yell left.
I carried the fast corner, but had no gas to hold on down the back. They only had a small gap, but I knew I couldn't hold up the hill and into the sprint. I sat up on the main stretch. I even rode no-handed before realizing that would be frowned on and that they wouldn't be able to read my number on the line.
I finished well. I did much better than I think I ever have during a crit. I could have gone longer - assuming everyone else would have been hurting just as much.
The lone guy off the front stayed away. Impressive. I came in 10th. So only 8 guys in the main pack got away from me (I don't count the flyer who beat everyone). Thirty-some started (34 or so).
Stage 3 is a 10 mile TT (can I get a "hell yes!") and then we have another crit in Wood Dale. I am ready. I am feeling good. I have 10 or 11 points in the series. I might get in the top 10 overall because a lot of guys won't do all of the events and I think I can do a top 10 for the crit.
Fun. Too bad this is September.
Saw Alien2 yesterday and today. He's riding well. Got 10th yesterday. Not looking forward to today's race. He's racing with the 1s and 2s. Scored separate, but how would you like to ride in packs with some of the fastest guys in the area....no thank you....
Hardware
I scored some hardware at today's epic TT. I didn't ride as well as I could have, but I did a good job I believe. I came in 3rd out of 4 in the 30+ category. 1:04:48 seconds for 23.75 miles - about 22mph average.
I say epic because it was a downpour for the whole route. I couldn't see anything through my glasses so I rode looking over them. If I had my head up the rain was so heavy it would sting my eyes.
Standing there getting drenched while in the start house I looked around at a few of the other guys and just had to say it, "you know...we're some pretty messed up guys for coming out here in the rain to put ourselves through the torture that is a TT. We could all be in bed or eating a nice breakfast. We're idiots." I got the obligatory laugh or two, but everyone was thinking, "you wussy. I do it so that I can kick bike weenie ass. Get in line for your ass kickin you weenie."
"30 seconds"
I noticed that my heart rate goes from 50-60 just standing around to in the mid 90s when I get into the start house. Crazy. You want to pee, crap yourself, throw-up, fall over into a fetal position, etc. You know the pain that is coming and you know the little guy with the clipboard isn't going to save you or make the pain stop. He's going to enjoy every minute of it.
"Rider ready. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO!"
I don't care how much you warm up, if you are not feeling like you just got hit by a Mack truck within the first 30 seconds to a minut of a TT then you're doing it wrong.
Pain is like crack. Beating someone is like heroin.
I wasn't expecting much and did nothing to prepare for this other than switch my bike over. I think I did OK. This is the first piece of hardware I have ever received from a competitive cycling event. Sure it's no big deal and doesn't mean anything with such a small field on such a crappy day, but it's a medal. I will take it.
Colorchange pulled a 1:00:03<--missed the hour by 3 seconds. Awesome job. He pulled first place in Cat 5. Alien2 was there to finish the series. He placed 2nd overall in the series as well as second today. This is in Cat 3. He's a fast dude. It shows on Tuesday nights. He did the route in something like 56 or 58 minutes. Hella-fast.
Fall fling is coming and I am hoping I can do good things there. The TT is half the distance so I will need to really hammer it out in order to be able to do anything.
Tour of Oakbrook Road Race
Well...I did pretty much what I expected. Really wasn't planning on doing this race and coming out of a really bad virus at the same time. MJH2, myself, and another teamate (RR) just kind of went out to see what was up.
I got there first thing - 6:33 when registration was set to open at 6:45. Figured I signed up late and wanted to make sure I got a timing chip. You know you are in the rich part of town when they have you parking....PARKING...on the local polo fields. Srsly folks. We had some ferrari as a pace car. Also a Hummer as well.
Turns out I was first in line for registration. Also turns out it was a major cluster. They didn't register me until about 7:30. I was in line at 6:40. By the time I was registered there were about 100-200 people in line waiting behind me. Oh....and I preregistered.
Needless to say they ran late. Major late. They pushed back races, cut laps off of them (no complaints here about that), ran people with the same numbers in the same fields, did 1/2 manual and 1/2 chip timing, had a course official whose motorcycle had broken down....but apart from that it was an awesome race.
By the time we got rolling it was 45 minutes PAST our original start time. I was starving before we even took one pedal stroke. We lined up early to get a front row start. We had decided to be in front for the first turn onto Spring Hill. It worked.
photo evidence: L to R - MJH2, RR, Me...in front. Kit looks good from here.
Colorchange is in the SD jersey behind MJH2's shoulder
I was out front right off the line. MJH2 rode right next to me down York into the "headwind". A couple of times I told him I was blowing up by doing it, but we both held it. We paced the group up the first climbs and our teammate (RR) came around on the top of the big one.
We blocked like a bunch of xXx'rs (local team known for development in the lower cats, great guys that play heavy team tactics in the lower ranks) but RR was looking for someone else to go with.
So we tried something, it worked, but none of us had the juice to make anything stick (which we pretty much knew going in). After that I just floated back. Started to fall off the back in the home straight on the second lap when RJBTrek (another BF'er on Village Cyclesport) yelled at me to grab a wheel and I did. Got me back into the pack - thanks!
Third lap I blew up on Spring. The hills popped me like an over-ripe cherry. I knew it was coming, but hoped I had an extra lap or two. Legs were fine, but the ticker was losing rythm. Looking at stats afterwards my avg HR was something like 180. My max was right when I popped at 193. Seriously folks. You can't make this crap up.
Down the straight I worked up to Scummer and we just shot the crap to the line. We could have caught the pack, but I think both of us wanted our races to be over. It was hot and the long wait and delays before the race had me hurting food wise.
After that I just watched everyone else. MJH2 made it another 2 laps - same as our other teamate. Colorchange did well...like he was always able to. Came in off the back of the pack at the end - loose saddle/seatpost. That's that cheap Cervelo crap for you.Turns out Alien 2 came in 2nd overall and depending on the age of the guy in front he may have won the 40+ group. He's racing 3's over at ABR so.....
Podium for Master 40+ 4/5 - Alien2 on right side in second place. I try to hold his wheel every Tuesday night and he punishes me severely just for trying. BTW - I would have to drop 30 lbs just to match his weight.
As always I am in crap shape, but at least I am in stellar shape compared to last year. I can only hope I can see this much of an improvement again over the next year. Looking forward to more racing.
Just dumped some SERIOUS money on a getaway weekend for the wife for her b-day. Mine is in December. If she understands the depths I went to then I feel a powertap coming on in December.......between that and some weight loss..........I could be dangerous in the spring.