Conradstudios Blog

I arrived at the SLO Criterium Classic at 7:30 Sunday morning, having spent the night in Paso Robles with the family.  We found a place to park and I went to go get my numbers.  On the way back from registration I ran into UMD and said a brief hello.  After I got dressed and pinned on the numbers I was running later than I planned and didn’t have time to get on the trainer, the course was free, however, and I got to get in a few warm-up laps. 

The 30+ 4/5 race started with a full field of 75 and my lack of a good warm-up was apparent quite quickly.  The course at SLO was pretty fun, a bit of an uphill, a bit of a downhill, and an interesting section where it narrowed down and went over a walkway where you’d have to watch out for hay bails if you were on the outside, which I was frequently.

Twenty minutes into the Criterium I was in pain, cramping up, and I was feeling a bit worn out.  I was doing ok keeping with the pack or at least the back of it as I would move up somewhat on the uphill back leg, but have a hard time maintaining position on the downward leg.  The intensity was pretty constant, too.  Perhaps I should have gotten up earlier and had a somewhat normal breakfast instead of the sports bars and drinks I had?

On the second to last lap coming out of turn 4 I heard a loud crash in front of me and saw a rider bounce off the ground, and another rider barely make it by him without getting tangled up.  I think the second rider rode over the front wheel of the downed rider, but it went so fast I can’t recall.  I braked a bit and swerved just enough to avoid becoming a part of the crash, but this blew my momentum enough that I was now off the back. 

I worked myself back into the pack, but since there wasn’t any way I was going to place I just decided to finish strong and not overdo it.  Coming upon the finish line I passed quite a few riders whom had already given up, or blown up.  Not that it mattered, though.

After looking at the data afterwards, my average power was 40 watts higher than CBR, but my heart rate never came close to maximum.  I think the lack of breakfast and lack of warm-up contributed to this, I’m not sure how much, though.  I didn’t make it into the Cat 5 race that followed, though, if I had had more than 5 minutes I would have given it a shot, but at that point I wanted to give my legs a rest and I was having some hand pain and numbness, too.

After watching a bit of the Cat 5 race I realized I should have gone ahead and ridden it anyway.

Last night I ventured down the 605 freeway, again, to ride in the Tuesday Night Crits at El Dorado Park.  The website listed the start time at 6 pm, and with traffic on the 210 I didn’t think I would make it in time to get much of a warm-up.  My middle child, Xavier, was accompanying me, too, since I didn’t want to leave him at home alone for the 3 ½ hours until my wife returned from work.  I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled with the idea, he’s not big on fresh air and sunshine, but he went along with it.

 I arrived around 5:15, walked over to pay my registration fee, and found out that they weren’t going to start until 6:30 so I did have plenty of time to warm up.  Again I listed myself as unattached even though I joined SC Velo recently, partially because I haven’t gotten confirmation from them that they received my application and check.  I did speak to the president of SC Velo and actually purchased a team kit and a skin suit and he mentioned that they had some mail that they hadn’t gone through, so hopefully there aren’t any problems.  I didn’t wear the SC Velo kit; however, I wore an Incycle jersey and my standard Assos bibs, instead.

 I put the number on my jersey, testing it out and moving it a couple of times until I felt it was on pretty well, then continued getting ready and it was at this time that I realized that I didn’t bring any cycling socks.  Great, I guess I’ll wear these white cotton gym socks.  Oh well, I never said I wasn’t a Fred…

 The ride felt a bit quicker than last week, I’m not sure why.  I also felt that I braked too much, I really need to work on that, I think I need to work more on my pacing as I think I tend to pedal too hard and not pay close enough attention to what’s happening up the field which brings me to brake.  I don’t use the front brake, though, and feather it so I’m not hitting it too hard.  I really need a coach.

 In the final lap I was on the wheel of a rider that started going up the left side.  While I really didn’t want to continue up the left, has a Cat 5 there wasn’t any reason for me to place and it would probably irritate the Cat 4s, a quick glance back told me that there was a string of riders on my wheel and since there really wasn’t a way to get out of this pace line I kept moving forward.  Eventually, I was at the front with a few other riders.  Hmmm, I guess I should go for it somewhat, I really don’t want to get in the way.

 Out of the final turn and heading towards the finish line a couple riders passed me on the left and I was accelerating, then all of a sudden two riders in front of me blew up while cutting me off.  I braked, but I know this caused problems behind me, so I got through the two riders and got out of the way.  Man, these guys can sprint; I’m going to have to work on that in the off season!

 Anyway, I finished mid pack, didn’t crash, and generally felt more comfortable than I did the week before.  On Sunday I’m going to be racing in two categories at the San Luis Obispo Downtown Criterium Classic, first in the 30+ Cat 4/5 race, and then immediately afterwards in the Cat 4/5 race.  My family is going to join me for this so we’re going to be spending the night in Paso Robles.  After these two races I’ll be half way towards my Cat 4 upgrade!

Dominguez Hills, August 5, 2007

This morning I did another Cat V race, this time the CMR Bar Series Finale in Dominguez Hills. I woke up before my alarm went off, rested, but didn’t feel like going. I got up and turned off my alarm (I use my cell phone and I don’t keep it next to the bed) and then contemplated whether I would go or not.

“Screw it, it’s only 20 bucks, I’m going back to bed!”

So I went back to bed, and laid there feeling pathetic. I’m not sure what the reason was that I didn’t want to go; I did have quite a few excuses lined up, though. Actually, I do know what the reason was: I didn’t want to look like an idiot. I’ve ridden a few times with the training ride at the Rose Bowl and have done El Dorado once, so I don’t really feel like I’m that experienced.”

“But that’s what Cat 5 is for… How will you ever gain experience if you don’t go?”

So I got up, had a banana, packed up my stuff and away I went. I arrived a little after 6 and they were just getting registration set up. For whatever reason, I’m the ONLY guy wearing bike clothes; everyone else is in t-shirts and shorts.

I feel like a doofus.

They’re finally ready for us to check in; I fill out the waiver and get my number. I then go back to the car and try and pin it on. I’ve done this before, and yet I can’t seem to get it on well. Typical.

I really feel like a doofus.

Okay, now I think I have it on okay, and I’ve got my shoes on and helmet and the guy next to me tells me to assume the racer position.

“Huh?”

“Let me help you unfurl that sail of yours, it’s such a pain doing it yourself.”

“Thanks.”

Now I’m a doofus that can’t put on his number.

Time to go out and do a few practice laps… This is a nice course, well-paved, wide corners; only turn three might be problematic due to the concrete gutters. On my third practice lap I notice some big pieces (like 3-4 inches long) or wood right in the exit for turn 3, so I stop and bend over and grab them and toss them off the course… and CHAIN MYSELF!

Dammit, I’m a real doofus, I hope I don’t crash!

A couple more practice laps and we’re told to line up. I think there’s only one other guy here who isn’t wearing a team kit. I really should get a team kit, I belong to enough of them and it’s not the cost… Maybe I should go get an Incycle one until I get around to getting a SC Velo one…

Here we go, I hope I don’t crash!

Around and around we go, and yet it doesn’t feel like we’re pushing it too hard. For the first prime a ride goes off the front and no one goes after him. I move up somewhat, but every time we hit the back stretch we all slow down. Maybe doing all these centuries and double centuries has given me more endurance, but I don’t feel like we’re working that hard.

One lap to go and we’re picking it up a bit. I go a little shallow in turn one and end up in the wind and the rider behind pulls up. Screw it, I’m going for it, maybe someone will go with me. Nope, just me. We go through turn three and still no one’s making much of an effort, but I’m really maxing out my heart rate.

“So that’s my maximum heart rate? Cool.”

The guy in the second position sees me and accelerates, there’s no way I’m going to catch him now. Crap. Out of turn four I’m blowing up. Cool! That may sound bad, but I have a better idea how much I can take.

Coming to the line and I’m getting passed left and right. I think I’m around 10, but it wouldn’t surprise me if I was 20^th, I know I’m not DFL, though, since there’s still someone out on the course.

Two races down, and I’m going to do El Dorado on Tuesday and two races in the San Luis Obispo Downtown Criterium Classic next Sunday.

A friend and I went out to El Dorado Tuesday night for the Twilight Racing Series. Since I’ve been interested in racing, and I have my learners permit (my USCF License) and I had no other plans for Tuesday night I thought it was time to pop my cherry. Since it was my first race, I had no intention to do anything else except finish and not crash, and I achieved both of these, although there was a couple times when I thought I was going to be taken out.

During the race I essentially jumped from wheel to wheel, picking lines that I felt comfortable with, and usually on the outside. Although towards the beginning I ended up on a couple wheels that were working their way up the outside which brought me close to the front, I tried to stay behind riders that weren’t making any moves, and hence I ended up slowly moving backwards throughout the race. I wasn’t sure if the pace would pick up towards the end, either, so I thought it was better to conserve my strength. Now that I’ve finished, I do know that, at least for El Dorado and the pace they ran Tuesday, I had enough in reserves that I could have pushed it harder and not blown up.

In what was the last lap, one of the other groups had a bad accident with a lot of riders involved. I would say that at least 15 riders were still on the ground when we came through. This effectively ended the race.

As we were leaving the park, the carnage was still apparent, with paramedics, fire trucks, and ambulances still tending to the injured, and as we were getting back on SGRT a second ambulance arrived. I hope will recover soon.

I’m going to have to do this again next week and may end up doing a race or two this weekend, if possible.