Zachary Hilton
Cat's Hill Classic Race
Los Gatos, CA
Category 35+ 4/5's
Cat's Hill Classic Race
Los Gatos, CA
Category 35+ 4/5's
Seaside, CA
Place: DNP
Field: 35
Teammates: Michael Riyanto, Yokon Maruyama
Place: DNP
Field: 35
Teammates: Michael Riyanto, Yokon Maruyama
Weather: 76 sunny
Start Time: 03:15:00 pm
Start Time: 03:15:00 pm
Total Time: 00:18:18
Power: 284 W avg, 812 W max, 253 W NP
Power: 284 W avg, 812 W max, 253 W NP
Average Speed: 21.8 MPH, Top Speed 33.5 MPH
Average HR: 176 Max HR: 184
Elevation Ascent: 522
Elevation Ascent: 522
I'm riding a 2015 Specialized S-Works Tarmac with Ultegra 6800 53/39 11 speed group set with an 11/28 for this race. There is a short hill climb that lasts average 15 seconds, lots of poor pavement, and some fast downhills. I have a pair for Race Rim carbon tubular 46's for this race. I follow Hammer Nutrition's Steve Born on many pre-race strategies. This race started late compared to most. A 3:15 pm start meant that I needed to change things up a bit with the food intake for today. I ate my oatmeal mix for breakfast. The missed a bagel and peanut butter 3 hours prior to the race as usual. It was a family day and we went to a Chili Cook Off in Gilroy. I am carrying 1/2 bottle of Hammer Heed.
My goals for this race are to get some intensity for the legs. This is pretty much a threshold race. Some times the pace slows for 10-20 seconds at a time, but someone is usually always off the front and being chased down. I'd like to last longer than I did last year. I made the 8 laps to go in 2015 but got pulled with 4 to go. I'd like to have some data that shows I'm stronger and fast than last year! I am racing my weaknesses here today. I wanted to get a longer warm up but we were having too much fun with friends earlier in the day and arrived late. Still got around 20 minutes. Which turns out was just fine.
We were a much larger group than pre-reg showed. The race starts out with a prime for the first lap...so its on! I got despite lining up in the middle of the road in the second row I was 15th or so going into the first turn. Not where I wanted to start. It's big ring all the way around and then you drop it into a small ring before the climb on Nicholson. The roads are in poor condition too. Your brain is on high speed mode. You have to navigate the roads, racers, changing gears, drink, and positioning. I found myself being able to drop back and then climb my way back up to the top 10 on the climb. But we are spread all over the road on the climb, and sometime bumping elbows when coming around. The false flat at the top is where you go back into the big ring and then a small downhill turns right onto the top of the course. This is a recover point on each lap that lasts a few seconds, a good place to drink for me too. We dropped half the group on the second lap. I was comfortable sitting near the back of this front group. Lap 7 I was started to feel the cardiovascular effect on the body. My legs felt great but I could tell I was loosing steam. We were over halfway done and I went into the climb a bit wide to come around a racer. I think I must have switched into my small ring late and hit a bump...when I went to start climbing I could tell my chain was not engaged...then I gave it one good spin and the chain popped off into the frame. I was so out of breath all I could do was safely come to a stop and walk the bike to the top where SJBC's tent was. I had help holding the bike up and that's when I noticed a chain link was bent!!! Ahh man!! Second mechanical in back to back races. This better be out of my system now.
Scott Bales YouTube video of our race.
What I learned from this race is that I was more powerful than last year and got PR's all over the course. I was 10-15 seconds faster in some areas. I think I could have finished with the front group and not get pulled too. I'll be back next year. I hear that its supposed to be freshly paved then too. Huge thanks to Mike's Bikes in Los Gatos for letting me walk in exhausted and get my new chain installed quickly. Some bike shops would say "we need to make you an appointment, or we are really busy"...not Mike's Bikes. They recognize that you are a racer and need to get back to racing and training! Wonderful shop!
We were a much larger group than pre-reg showed. The race starts out with a prime for the first lap...so its on! I got despite lining up in the middle of the road in the second row I was 15th or so going into the first turn. Not where I wanted to start. It's big ring all the way around and then you drop it into a small ring before the climb on Nicholson. The roads are in poor condition too. Your brain is on high speed mode. You have to navigate the roads, racers, changing gears, drink, and positioning. I found myself being able to drop back and then climb my way back up to the top 10 on the climb. But we are spread all over the road on the climb, and sometime bumping elbows when coming around. The false flat at the top is where you go back into the big ring and then a small downhill turns right onto the top of the course. This is a recover point on each lap that lasts a few seconds, a good place to drink for me too. We dropped half the group on the second lap. I was comfortable sitting near the back of this front group. Lap 7 I was started to feel the cardiovascular effect on the body. My legs felt great but I could tell I was loosing steam. We were over halfway done and I went into the climb a bit wide to come around a racer. I think I must have switched into my small ring late and hit a bump...when I went to start climbing I could tell my chain was not engaged...then I gave it one good spin and the chain popped off into the frame. I was so out of breath all I could do was safely come to a stop and walk the bike to the top where SJBC's tent was. I had help holding the bike up and that's when I noticed a chain link was bent!!! Ahh man!! Second mechanical in back to back races. This better be out of my system now.
What I learned from this race is that I was more powerful than last year and got PR's all over the course. I was 10-15 seconds faster in some areas. I think I could have finished with the front group and not get pulled too. I'll be back next year. I hear that its supposed to be freshly paved then too. Huge thanks to Mike's Bikes in Los Gatos for letting me walk in exhausted and get my new chain installed quickly. Some bike shops would say "we need to make you an appointment, or we are really busy"...not Mike's Bikes. They recognize that you are a racer and need to get back to racing and training! Wonderful shop!
Time to recover with Hammer Nutrition's Recoverite and get a good night sleep. Don't forget to recover during your sleep and take some Hammer Whey to boost that HGH. I've also added Hammer Nutrition's Chromate, and Super Antioxidant to the recovery mix. Both have great recovery ingredients! Time to go to my sisters house now for a family dinner and beer!
Next race will be Mt Hamilton RR on May 29th!
Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!
