SeaOtter, CA (35+Cat 4) 6 Laps
FieldSize: 26
Placing:19
StartTime: 8:05 am (Finishing time 2:58)
Teammates:None
AverageSpeed: 18 MPH, Top Speed 37.5 MPH
AverageHR: 166 Max HR: 189
ElevationAscent: 5518 Ft.
Weather: 67 degrees avg. Sunny No wind until lap 6.
I love this course, and it’s my 2nd timeriding/racing it. It’s a greatchallenge for me, and has a little bit of everything to work on. Hills, rollers, flats, and some fastdownhill. My goals were to stay with thelead group for as long as I can. Getsome PR’s on the course, and use this race as a training race. I have been battling some nose and chestcongestion for 3 weeks now. It’s almostover, but that has definitely played a negative factor in my training. I had a great March but not to good Aprilthis year. My ultimate goal for the 2013season is the Mt Diablo Challenge in October. I want to climb that mountain with a sub 54:00 time! There is a Hammer drink feed zone that Iconfirmed the day before so I planned on carrying just 1 bottle to lighten upmy load. I kept up with my pre race mealthat I changed to this year for morning races. Basically a low fat meal the night before, a bagel with cream cheese inthe morning 2 hours before race, and then a Performance Power Bar within anhour prior to race start. I have a lotmore energy with this meal set up. Staying away from the fiber and anything that slows the digestion down. Raced my Zipp 404 tubulars. I wish I had gotten my 45 minute warm up inbut there just wasn’t enough time. Registration opened up at 7am and there was a line…then I had to pin thejersey and make it down to the race track for the start.
Race starts off with a neutralstart from Laguna Seca Race track. Thiswas the highlight! Warming up and startingthere was pretty sweet. Once we hit HennekensRanch Rd the race was on. First lap up the wall no one hit it toohard. We all stayed together. The second lap the group started to hit theclimb hard, but each lap a group of us could catch the lead group after theclimb. On lap 4 up the hill the top 15guys pretty much dropped the rest of us. I began to couch a lot and my legs felt fine but the breathing didn’thelp! I settled in with 5 guys and weraced with each other to the end. Wepushed each other will the end. Thefinish was brutal, but I PR’ed. (Barloy Canyon Rd 1.5 miles 7% grade)
I went through 4 bottlestotal. I am learning a ton each time Irace and enjoy being a part of SJBC. Great group of cyclist! Overall I PR’ed on the Sea Otter Lap, FinalClimb, and some others. My avg heartrate decreased, and my avg MPH increased. I also did one extra lap compared to last year in the 5’s. I just bought a Specialized TT bike fromConcept Cyclery in Morgan Hill. I amhoping that this will build up my ability to hang with a fast paced group onthe flats.
My next race is Sea Otter Circuit Race April 20.
Thanksto Voler!
Thanksto Cytomax!
Thanksfor reading!
