Monday, October 7, 2013

Mt Diablo Challenge Race Report

Mt Diablo Challenge Danville, CA (Wave 1)
Field Size: 507
Placing: 66
Start Time: 8:35am  (Finishing time 00:57:32)
Teammates: Alexander Komlik
Average Speed: 11.3 MPH, Top Speed 27.5 MPH
Miles: 10.9
Average HR: 181 Max HR: 190
Power: 235 avg  626 max
Elevation Ascent:  3,182 Ft.
Weather:  61.7 deg avg, sunny, clear day throughout, a little wind around Curry and Juniper warmer on the top of the mountain


                This was my 4th time participating in the Mt Diablo Challenge.  This was my first race that I have ever done and it’s always been the last race of the season for me.  I really wanted to get under an hour again, but also improve on my overall time to 54 min.  The beauty of this sport and race is that it’s all about the moment you show up to the start line.  It’s all a strategic attack to get there.  Sometimes the plan works and sometimes you need to change things up.  That’s how writing these reports come into play for next season, and also tracking your race data.  I got a parking pass for the parking lot at Athenian School for organizing a donation campaign to raise funds for Save Mt Diablo.  Thank you to all that donated in my name.  We raised $630 for them.  Morning started off with some Peet’s coffee, multi-grain oats, bagel, and powerbar.  Monster Pump is also awesome an hour before a race. I’ve been using it since Cascade Classic.  The promoters sag up a bag for you to the top.  I took off the bottle cages for this race.  Got to be as light as possible.  I always pack shoes, shirt, shorts, Recoverite Hammer Bottle, and some arm warmers just in case.  Plus there is a ton of free stuff to take home from the venue at the top.  I got a good pre-race warm up on the trainer, and was not feeling 100% strong.  OK enough about that for now.  The race!
               
                I got down to the start line with 10 minutes to spare.  Lined up next to Cushman & Wakefield racer Stu.  We met here last year also.  Always a good conversation to relax to nerves while we waited.  Wave 1 was off and rolling.  The pace was steady and we were all scattered on the road trying to be the first ones through the twisted turns before the south gate entrance. Once we hit south gate groups started to form on their own.  The trick about this race is finding the right wheel to follow at the right time.  Ideally you would want to set a time goal and have someone pace you the whole way.  You don’t want to be by yourself ever.  I stayed with a group of 10-15 all the way till just prior to the pay station.  We then began to split up.  There were also guys that began to pass us up.  This made me think that maybe I went out to fast.  Turns out after the data review, that I didn’t go out to fast.  I was right on the same pace as 2012. I wanted to find a good group to pull me through Rock City.  There ended up being 6 of us.  Not a big group, but I felt they were backing off a little too much for me.  I pulled away from them as we approached Curry Point.   I was hoping to find another group ahead.  I caught up with 5 Wells Fargo riders and latched onto the back of them before the junction.  I was still feeling great and no issues.  As we turned right after the junction I once again tried to move up to another group.  There were pockets of 2-3 guys throughout the road so I followed some and used the entire road from turn to turn.  This actually allows you to pass guys up who stay on the right side always.  I was alone for a bit through Juniper where the wind was picking up slightly.  Made it around Devil’s Elbow and realized that I wasn’t going to beat my goal time of 54 min but was on track for under an hour.  I tried to get as aero as possible and push hard for this last section.  I did take off 4 seconds on the Wall at the end.

                 No PR for the course time but still achieved in coming under an hour.  I finished the same time as last year. That’s a huge accomplishment in itself.  For 2 years in a row now I have kept this.  I felt well rested, but more ready for the season to be over.  I have raced more and put in more hours on the bike since last year by a lot.  I think my mind and body were done already from a long race season.   I thought I was doing the right thing by tapering off the riding volume and recovering between Fremont Peak Hill Climb (Sept 7th) and Diablo Challenge (Oct 6).  I felt the best this year at Fremont Peak HC.  That was by design.  I was peaking at that time.  Next year I am planning on peaking for Fremont Peak and training through the rest of the races until the Diablo Challenge.  I learned you can’t have multiple A races with high expectations within 30 days of each other.  Sounds simple now…. J  October and November will be about riding when I want to and taking some well-deserved off season.  Until the San Bruno World Championships Jan 1, 2014!  Time to build the core back up and recover.
             

Thanks to my wife!
Thanks to SJBC!
Thanks to my teammates!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Concept Cyclery!
Thanks to Specialized!

Thanks for reading!