Mt Diablo Hill Climb Time Trial Race Report 2013

Mt Diablo HC TT Walnut Creek, CA (35+Cat 4/5)

Field Size: 27

Placing: 10^th Overall (8^th in Cat 4)

Teammates: Alexander Komlik, Andy Crews

Average Speed: 11.9 MPH, Top Speed  31.0 MPH

Average HR:  182 Max HR: 188

Elevation Ascent:   1,699 Ft.

Weather:  89.7 degrees avg.  Sunny and hot!

Garmin Data

                This is my 2^nd time racing Mt Diablo Hill Climb TT.  It’s a great way to check your mid season fitness on a hill climb.  My goal was to get a sub 30.  34:42 was my best time so far.  That is a big chunk of time to take off but that time was from 2011 when I got a 1:06 time at Mt Diablo Challenge.  In 2012 I did the Mt Diablo Challenge in 57:17.  I stripped everything I could off the bike including water bottles and cages.  I raced my Zipp 404 tubulars, and a skin suit.  I packed a few Clif Shot Chews under my right leg of the skin suit if I needed anything.  Stuck with my whole grain oats breakfast 3 hours before the race, a bagel 2 hours before, and a performance power bar during my warm up.  This combo seems to be working well for me.

             I started off warming up on the trainer for about 45 minutes in the shade.  Felt great on the trainer.  I had gotten off duty that morning from work, and headed straight to the race.  I knew it was going to be warm because it was already 75 degrees while warming up.  In 2011 that was the race temp, but this year the race temp would be 90 degrees.  There is no shade on the mountain either!  I started about mid way down the start times for our group.  It’s a little over a mile to ride from the registration to start line.  They have a ramp for us to clip in and start the race, and there is a 30 second gap between each rider.  Started off fast and feeling good.  The first couple rollers you can build some good momentum for the climb.  It’s a 6.2 mile climb so you can really push yourself the entire way.  There is no reason to slow down for recovery time.  You can recover after.  I caught my 30 second guy about 3 miles in.  I got passed up by 2 riders, and caught another 2 on the way up.  Not much to report until I got to the 1K.  Two years ago I wasn’t paying attention to the mileage and they only had the 200 meter sign out.  I wanted to try and ramp up my effort from the 1K mark.  It’s a lot harder to actually do that because that last 1K is tough and not flat!  I managed to shave off about 30 seconds.  That’s a good improvement for this course.  2013 vs 2011 Garmin Data  Finished the ride to the junction so that I could get some water. 

               

                Overall I am pleased with my finishing time of 31:31, and a 10^th place finish overall in the combined group.  I scored some team points for SJBC also.  8^th place for the Cat 4’s.  That’s a PR of 3:11. I bet if the temperature was a little lower I could have shaved some more time off. 

             

My next race is Cascade Classic Stage Race Bend, OR.  July 19-21!

Thanks to SJBC!

Thanks to my Teammates!

Thanks for reading!

CCCX Fort Ord Race Report 2013

CCCX Fort Ord Seasode, CA  (35+45+/1,2,3,4,5) 5 Laps

Field Size: 7

Placing: 4 (1^st in 35+ group)

Start Time: 12:35 pm  (5 laps)

Teammates: None

Average Speed: 19.9 MPH, Top Speed 42.7 MPH

Average HR: 163 Max HR: 187

Elevation Ascent: 1726 Ft.

Weather:  73 degrees avg.  Windy

Garmin Data

                Well I decided last minute to register for the CCCX Fort Ord.  This is a fun course and probably one of the courses I will try to score some upgrade points on in 2014.  I had to register for the open 35+/45+ group because I was getting off duty and a 12:35pm start time worked perfect.  Only 3 pre registered and 6 guys at the start line.  Turns out I was the only 35+ guy so I got 1^st place without even starting!  Seeeeee you have to show up to win!

                Race is off!  We were doing 60 minutes of racing.  There were 3 racers from CoreTechs Cycling, 1 from CyclesFanaticRacing (Keith DeFiebre), 1 from Don Chapin, and 1 from Suffolk-Sunpower.  A CoreTech rider attacked the field right after we started and everyone responded.  That would be the 1^st lap the entire time.  I pretty much sat in the group and matched every attack.  The CoreTech guys were just taking turns playing this game.  3^rd lap around the Suffolk guy tried an attack on the uphill after the start finish.  We all chased.  Doing this course last year I got dropped after a few of these accelerations.  This year it felt awesome to be able to look at these uphills and accelerations as not a big deal!  I felt strong this entire race.  Each lap I was trying to be 2-3^rd wheel as we descended the back side to the finish line.  On the 4^th lap after the finish I decided to try by own attack.  I hammered it hard and didn’t look back.  Everyone followed and then I soft pedaled to get the group to move around me.  We all pretty much took it really easy on the 4^th lap.  Lots of soft pedaling and guys looking at each other.  The final lap was pretty much led the entire time by Suffolk.  He was trying to attack the group on each of the climbs on the backside of the course.  A strong headwind was present also.  I was last wheel in our group and couldn’t move up.  I was getting hurt on these attacks but staying with the guys.  I tried to move up in position for the descent but I decided to get back in the group for protection rather than move out into wind and burn some matches.  As we approached the right turn to the finish 2 CoreTech guys, CyclesFanatic, and Don Chapin launched an attack.  I was passing the Suffolk guy and couldn’t match them.  I began my sprint, and caught the lead out guy for CoreTechs at the line. 

Finished strong!  Learned a lot by watching how these experienced racers were attacking each other.  Got a good race in the legs. 

My next race is Mt Diablo HC TT June 22!

Thanks to SJBC Racing!

Thanks to Concept Cyclery of Morgan Hill!

Thanks to Voler!

Thanks to Cytomax!

Thanks to Vittoria Tires!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks to my wife and family for coming out on Father’s Day!

Pescadero Coastal Classic RR 2013

Pescadero RR Pescadero, CA (35+Cat 4)

Field Size: 40

Placing: 30

Start Time: 9:45 am 

Teammates: Andy Crews, Christian Mauri

Average Speed: 19.1 MPH, Top Speed  40.3 MPH

Average HR:  162 Max HR: 189

Elevation Ascent:   4,006 Ft.

Weather:  61 degrees avg.  Drizzle and mild wet roads at the start, back side of course was sunny.

                                                    

Garmin Data

                This is my 2^nd time racing Pescadero RR.  Last year we were combined with 35+ 1,2,3’s and did an extra lap.  This year we are alone and doing 1.7 laps.  Got a great night of sleep and pre-race ride the day prior.   I carried two bottles of drink mix and there is a neutral water zone as well.  I changed up my morning eating routine and added some multigrain oatmeal to the mix.  It wasn’t too much at all, actually something that I will be doing now. 

                The race starts off neutral for just under 2 miles and then when you turn onto Stage Rd it on!  We had a field of 40.  The 1^st and 2^nd place winners of Mt Hamilton RR Piers Barry of Thirsty Bear and Morgan Reins of Team Bicycle Trip/Symantec were there.              Team Oakland had the most guys at 5.  They finished 3^rd place.  The pace was heated up for the Sprint Prime which Piers Barry took.  We caught up with him and all climbed together up Stage Rd.  This is pretty much the point where I popped last year.  It was on the final climb out of Stage Rd.  The moto ref was not at all enforcing guys coming up on the far left side of the road to the front.  There is no centerline on Stage Rd, but also had to be aware of oncoming traffic and cyclist.  The Sequoia Century was taking place and lots of riders would be climbing Stage Rd the opposite direction of us.  No attack off the front on Stage Rd, but the pace was steady.  I managed to stay up front and on the left side of the road. I was constantly trying to move forward and follow those that came around on my left.  I always had someone to draft off of.  We made the right on HWY 84 and all stayed together.  A few surges at the front, and it was pretty easy to match them.  I was again always moving forward and never got boxed in on the right side of the road.  I only finished about 2/3^rd’s of my first bottle by the time we made the right turn into the feed zone.  It was a cooler day and I wasn’t overheating at all.  I decided not to grab a water bottle, but instead stayed on the left side of the road and move up to get near the front for the climb up Haskins http://app.strava.com/segments/614445 I went into the climb 10^th place or so.  Piers and Morgan were already attacking each other and the group followed.  I stayed with the front group all the way until we hit the 1K sign.  I started to just fade back off the group and couldn’t go any faster.  Then a truck decided to play leap frog around us that scattered off the back.  This would end up hurting us in the chase group on the downhill back to the start.  I managed to catch up with Harish from Leopard-Sapporo and one guy from Cushman & Wakefield as we hit the top of the climb.  The groups had probably 30 seconds on us.  The three of us started the descent and got stuck behind truck for at least a minute before he was nice enough to pull over for us.  There was traffic coming up the other direction that prevented us from going around him earlier.  About half way down.  Christian Mauri SJBC and one guy from Core Tech joined us.  The 5 of us did an awesome job in a pace line trying to catch the field of around 28 guys.  When we were at the bottom of Stage Rd’s first climb we could see the group at the top.  We timed it and they were about 2:30 away from us.  We dropped the Cushman guy on Stage Rd.  I think he was taking too long of pulls up front for no reason.  A couple times he was told to pull off.  You’re of no use if you get worn out.  We were a group of 4 just keeping the pace high and I began to try and conserve a little in order to try and win the climb between the four of us up Haskins for the finish.  Harish is a good climber and an even match for me.  Christian Mauri SJBC is an AWESOME lead out man!  I had no idea about the Core Techs guy.  I dumped my 2^nd bottle at the neutral zone, and dumped out some from my first bottle.  I didn’t need a lot of fluid for this race.  I was pretty well hydrated and the weather was playing nicely.  We took it pretty easy through the feed zone and Christian led us into the turn up Haskins.  It was Christian, me, Harish and Core Techs guy.  Christian and I didn’t even have to talk about it…….he performed the best lead out for me.  He kept it steady up Haskins and I was right on his wheel waiting for the right moment to attack.  Chad Rosser and I talked about making a move at the 500m to go sign.  I was also listening for Harish to either switch gears or breathe different.  That’s how in tune I was.  Christian was putting the hammer down.  Harish came along side of me at the 1K sign, not sure why…maybe to show me he was there or he tried to attack and then backed off.  I was ready for him to go at any time.  Just after the 500m we were coming alongside another rider on the right, and I decided to attack through the middle.  Hoping to startle the other guys and maybe use this rider as a block.  I was off and digging deep.  I didn’t hear anyone behind me, and kept my body and head low.  I was pretty much staring at the road and staying in the middle.  I began to spin too fast and thought first to drop the gearing down one cog.  That move actually made me stand up a little earlier than I wanted to for my sprint.  I could see the line and Harish came around me off his saddle and riding fast.  Beat me by a few bike lengths.  I learned that I got away from him initially and did catch him off guard, but I think that if I was in the right gearing I might have kept the momentum.  I think I slowed a little when I stood too early!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Finished riding down to the start with Harish and Christian.  Both really good competitors.

                I learned a lot from this race.  I lasted a lot longer than last year, and got to be in the position for me to practice being in a lead out and attacking on a climb.  That’s what I enjoy and want to get better at.  Katie and Avery joined me for this race also!  We went and had lunch with our good friends Hanns D. and Sahar in downtown Pescadero after the race.  Fresh wood fired pizza never tasted so good.

             

My next race is Mt Diablo Hill Climb TT June 22!

Thanks to SJBC!

Thanks to Christian Mauri SJBC!

Thanks to Chad Rosser SJBC for the pre-race chats!!

Thanks to my Teammates!

Thanks to my beautiful wife!

Thanks for reading!