NFR - Race Report #8

[RidgeRider]

Another 4AM came this morning and once again I had to get up to go to race my bike, hours away from home, in the rain. Coffee already brewing, I snuck out of bedroom to get my thermos ready and to check out if anything happened overnight on FoF. After a couple of posts and my first cup of coffee, I started do a mental inventory of all things you need to have ready to race:

   Bike
   Floor pump
   Allen wrenches
   Water bottles – full with maltodextrin
   Food
   Sunglasses
   Kit w/arm warmers and leg warmers
   Heart rate monitor
   Skull cap
   Shoes and helmet
   Duffel bag with extra clothes and towel
   Garmin
   Cell phone
   Wallet
   Keys
   Butt Butter
   Map to the race

By 5:30, I was off, put some petrol in the Subaru and down I99 towards Modesto I went.

Arrived at the parking area in Snelling, CA at around 7:45AM, got out, got registered and got everything ready. Chatted with some fellow racers and then got my butt up to the staging area as race time was 8:30AM and I did not want to be in the back. Today I would be doing my first road race against an open age category and once again there were guys from 18 – 47 in the race.

I made sure I got to the line early and as we kicked off on a neutral first 3 miles, I was actually leading the peloton, RIGHT IN THE FRONT. We would be riding 49 miles in the race today and about 55 miles total, by the time we got to the course and then back to our cars afterwards.

The course wasn't flat but no real long climbs just several short but steep rolling hills and long false flats and because of the rain, there were two huge puddles on the road where water had collected and covered the road entirely. One such puddle was about 60 feet long. We got soaked.

The race kicked off and contrary to what I had been told, 3 dudes, all from the same team, laid in a wicked acceleration and put the hammer down almost immediately. Since I was on the front I jumped on their wheel and lead out the rest of the peloton. These dudes were crushing the pedals and I was hanging on for dear life. I was thinking WTF! Why are these 'arses' going so hard, so early? I won't be able to do this for 10 miles, let alone 50. Well in the process of all this I think we lost 10 guys almost immediately. As we got to about mile 8 or 9 the pace finally backed off a bit and I could recover. I stayed near the front, usually no further back than halfway through the pack.

We did the race on a 12 mile circuit and we did 4 laps. I was doing fine near the end of the 3rd lap, a couple of things happened, one was, those bastards who hammered it on the first lap were back at it and I was on their wheel again, in the wind and hanging on once again. I swear they hated me!

This actually had a negative effect as it tapped some of my reserves. Then next thing that happened was we were slowed down at one point to let the Pro's go by us, and it caused an accident right next to me, which once again got in my head. As we got around to pass the Start/Finish line again (which was on the top of a hill) I started to cramp so I slugged some water down and in the process ended up in the back of what was left of the peloton (which was also the lead group), maybe 25 or so of us. We then went into a headwind as we made it around turn 1 which immediately went into a hill and a fire engine was coming down it at the same time with the sirens on. I didn't hit it up that hill and in a momentary lapse of concentration, the rest of guys did, sans one other guy, and I found myself 15 yards down and having to really push to get back on the back of the lead group. I finally did, but by the time I got there and tried to stay there, I was shelved and couldn't stay with the better rested group who now were slowly moving away from me. s***e!!!! I recovered a bit and kept my head down and stayed within the limits of what I had left, physically, and kept going. I could see the guys ahead of me the rest of the race, not too far away, but they may as well have been in another universe cause with the headwinds, I was not going to get back on the front by myself....and I was by myself.

At the end, I came in around 25th of 50. Good effort and I was pleased given the climbing we had to do. I am 6'2" and between 212 and 215 pounds depending on time of day, the biggest guy out there by far. Most of these kids are jockey's so gravity is unkind to me when climbing.

I have three weeks till my next race and will be training hard to gain more fitness and drop more weight. The next race is also a road race and I think I will do more road races the remainder of the racing season and I am going down to Solvang in two weeks to do a Century (100 mile ride) with some friends. I have hired a professional cycling coach who has me on a plan, so my results will only get better. Oh, I just submitted my request to upgrade to Category 4!

In case you were wondering.....MY LEGS ARE SHREDDED RIGHT NOW!

[Tom]

Great job RR, keep up the great work! Will you be anywhere near Vegas in two weekends?

[Fernhurst]

Good report RR -painfully descripitive, thoroughly enjoyed it - more please.

Good luck with the next race.

[Lighthouse]

I find these reports very distressing to read. Somebody should stop this needless cruelty. Adult Human Beings hurting themselves in this way. I only read half way down the check list before I felt cramp clutching at my crying muscles. Off to hit them with a brick as it has roughly the same effect.

Great stuff. I still want you to arrive at a race with everything except the first thing on your check list next time. So you can describe the leisurely stroll you took.

[finnster01]

That made me chuckle Mr Lighthouse :)

Mr RR,

Just like everyone else, I love these reports. Keep them coming and a big  :D up for the big man taking on these young anorexic whopper snappers. Good luck building up for the next one