Zachary Hilton
Placing: 29
Monterey, CA
Teammates: Mike Scaglione, Mark Beckstead, Steven Aurousseau
Weather: 50 degrees avg. Foggy Entire Race, little wind
Start Time: 9:22am
Total Time: 00:38:29
Power: 226 W avg, 834 W max, 679 W NP
Average Speed: 20.7 MPH, Top Speed 43.8 MPH (Down The Corksrew!!)
Average HR: 170 Max HR: 183
Elevation Ascent: 1260 ft
Well after competing in the Road Race yesterday I was trying some new ways to recover and be ready for today's Circuit Race on the Laguna Seca Race Track. I have been using some Hammer Nutrition products (Race Day Boost, Premium Insurance Caps, Race Caps Supreme), compression tights, scoop of Hammer Whey in water 30 minutes before bed boosts the natural HGH while you sleep, and naps. My goals for the race were to stay with the lead group as long as possible, and then chase them down if I get dropped. Last year I got time cut after 4 laps. This was going to be a 50 minute race and I wanted to leave it all on the course.
Learning from yesterdays shivering start, I decided to wear my thermal jacket from the car to the start line. Plus I was wearing my Voler Speed Suit, and I needed to stay warm till the start. I got in a good 1 hour on the trainer. I put some power intervals in the warm-up, and felt ready at the start line. I stuffed my jacket and warmers into my bag and left them near the finish. Race started off and we were combined with the 45+4's. This race course is worth the price of admission! To be able to race around the track that motorcycles and cars go over 100 mph was awesome! Each time up the first hill before the corkscrew I tried getting near the front and slowly fall back. We were all spread out on the track in a large peloton. The group would come flying down the corkscrew and into the flats. We always seemed to slow up a bit as we came under the bridge and getting ready for a sharp left hand turn on our way back to the finish. That was a position where I was able to latch back onto the group during laps 3 and 4. After the 4th time up the hill I was beginning to loose some power, probably due to chasing the peloton down. The peloton was still in site and I kept chasing. I was determined to not get cut from the race and do more than 4 laps! I came around for lap 5 and still was able to see the peloton and didn't get cut. By now there were many riders getting dropped and I was passing them up, and keeping my own tempo. I came around for lap 6 and wasn't told to drop out!! I was stoked and that kept me encouraged to keep chasing. That was my last lap, and I was able to pick off a few more riders who gave up.
I am coming into this race with a heavy training load, and that was by design. I felt recovered and my data seems to show I was. I was able to hold some high watts and get my HR up. Looking at the data compared to last year made me really stoked:
I finished 2 more laps than last year before I got the time cut! That's why you never give up! That was a huge achievement for me.
Like in my last race report I need to focus on short power intervals. 3-5 minute hard efforts at above threshold.
My next race is Wente Road Race April 26.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Voler!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!
Thanks to Sea Otter Classic for another awesome race and lots of swag! 2 days worth!!!
