Monday, May 1, 2017

Cat's Hill Classic Criterium

Zachary Hilton
Cat's Hill Classic Criterium
Category 35+ 4's
Los Gatos, CA 
Place: 11
Field: 15
Teammates: None
Weather:  79 sunny, first warm race of the season
Start Time: 01:55:00
Total Time: 00:30:28
Power: 249 W avg, 835 W max, 254 W NP  
Average Speed: 19.1 MPH, Top Speed 33.8 MPH
Average HR: 161 Max HR: 183
Elevation Ascent: 705


Training Peaks Data

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. I have a pair for Race Rim carbon tubular 32's for this race. I'm wearing my new Road Suit from Zaavy Custom Apparel, and my new S-Works Prevail II helmet. I follow Hammer Nutrition's Steve Born on many pre-race strategies.  Another great race for the spectators and crowds are all over this race course.

My goals for this race are to continue to try and get my fitness back to wear I need to be this time of year.  The field is stacked with eager Pen Velo riders that are surely to keep the race constantly hard.

I got a 20 minutes warm up on the rollers and did a quick lap around the course before riding to the start line.  Small field all stretched out across the start line and at the gun Pen Velo attacked off the front and we were single file all the way to the hill where it would break up on the hill.  Basically no place to hide!  The 4th lap up the hill I was in the middle of two riders when James Cho from Tesla on my left started to lean into me right as we finished sprinting up the hill...before I had time to shove him off he leaned so hard into me that it threw me into the rider on my right and he took us down...while Tesla rider James Cho rode off.  I hit the back tire luckily as I fell of the rider in front of me.  I pretty much bounced off his tire on my right rib cage and hit the ground unclipped.  I hoped right back up as the moto came up to me and told me if I was OK I could go back to the start and get a restart.  I couldn't catch my breath at all and I actually thought I might have broken some ribs.  Luckily my breathing slowed, bike works, and everyone around me cheering me on to finish the race.  I used a short cut and rode off to the start line.  I restarted and finished the race but it was really hard to breath still.  It helped having my wife, daughter, and good friends cheer me on at the top of the hill till I finished.   Nothing broken and that will only make me stronger.  I usually don;t have to defend myself too much because most of my races aren't that aggressive.  Most back off when they get close and nudge shoulders.  I won't allow that to happen to me again.

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!  

Next race will be Pescadero RR June 3rd!

Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Nature's Bakery!
Thanks to RaceRim!
Thanks to iRC Tire USA!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!

Sea Otter Classic RR

Zachary Hilton
Sea Otter Classic Road Race
Category 35+ 4's
Seaside, CA 
Place: DNF
Field: 15
Teammates: Ben Clarke in the combined 45+ 4's
Weather:  64 sunny, no wind, and no base layers needed
Start Time: 04:24:00
Total Time: 02:01:00
Power: 219 W avg, 849 W max, 225 W NP  
Average Speed: 16.4 MPH, Top Speed 42 MPH
Average HR: 158 Max HR: 184
Elevation Ascent: 3,107


Training Peaks Data

I'm riding a 2015 Specialized S-Works Tarmac with Ultegra 6800 53/39 11 speed group set with an 11/32 for this race.  Lot's of climbing in a short amount of time.  I have a pair for Race Rim carbon tubular 32's for this race.  They are light and stiff enough for some 40 mph plus racing and poor roads. I'm wearing my new Road Suit from Zaavy Custom Apparel, and my new S-Works Prevail II helmet. I follow Hammer Nutrition's Steve Born on many pre-race strategies.  

My goals for this race are to get some hard intensity in the legs!  I'm not where I should be for this time of year.  I just haven't had the good weather or discipline on the trainer.  Despite all that I need to keep fighting it.  There isn't a big group here either.  That means that it's harder to find guys on the same level as you.  Am I the only one out there that might not be ready for a race but I still support it and show up anyways?

I got a 30 minute warm up and rode to the start line only to find that we weren't starting anytime soon!  Apparently the new race course and number of laps doesn't equal the total mileage....we were delayed for 1 hour!  That doesn't help at all.  I was good for 3 laps on this new course and then I just began to fade out.  I was hungry and my legs were shot.  I was getting discouraged about finishing the final two laps alone and the sun setting too...I opted to DNF and fight another day.  I haven't done this for years but that's what's up right now.  I was getting more excited about coming back for the awesome bike festival with Avery on Sunday.  It's time to drink beer, eat great food, and free swag!

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!  

Next race will be Cat's Hill Classic Criterium on April 29th!

Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Nature's Bakery!
Thanks to RaceRim!
Thanks to iRC Tire USA!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!

CCCX Seaside Circuit Race

Zachary Hilton
CCCX Seaside Course 
Category 35+ 3/4
Seaside, CA 
Place: 4
Field: 10
Teammates: Ben Clarke
Weather:  64 sunny, headwind towards the ocean, tailwind on the way back
Start Time: 01:50:00
Total Time: 00:54:00
Power: 268 W avg, 923 W max, 245 W NP  
Average Speed: 21.5 MPH, Top Speed 35.6 MPH
Average HR: 164 Max HR: 192
Elevation Ascent: 1,001


Training Peaks Data

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.  I have a pair for Race Rim carbon tubular 46's for this race.  I'm wearing my new Road Suit from Zaavy Custom Apparel, and my new S-Works Prevail II helmet. I follow Hammer Nutrition's Steve Born on many pre-race strategies.  

My goals for this race are to gain some race course experience for the future while getting some race intensity for the legs.  This winter has just plain sucked for training.  I'm not where I want to be.

I got a 40 minute warm up on the rollers before the race.  There's a good chance that this race will start off fast!  We combined with the 45+ 3/4's but scored separately.  Race starts off and it's pretty mellow for the first two laps.  There are a few attacks off the front but nothing sticks...then Trevor from Mike's Bikes takes a big pull off the front after the far 180 turn.  No one responded and then James from Cyclesport jumped and went with him.  I stayed in the top 3.  That was too early for me to go and match all that power.   We never saw them again!  I wanted to stay and conserve my energy till we come to the final turn and uphill finish.  The moment finally came and we were single file going into the final turn...I was sitting behind a wheel almost all the way back after the turn and I knew that Matthew Johnson was a few bikes behind me.  We cam down the hill single file and left a gap open in the gutter...Matthew was really quiet and accelerated on the right side....I jumped and reacted as he was half way through our group.  So did all the other racers.  We had maybe 200 meters left, and I was sprinting uphill behind someone.  I came around him and noticed Matthew was starting to back off.  I was sprinting too early for the finish line, but I had to react to Matthew.  I ended up maybe a wheel behind Matthew and enough to make the podium.  I loved this race and it was nice that my wife and daughter could come watch too.

What I learned is that it OK to try new things here.  If I was in better shape then maybe I could have stayed away with Trevor and James.  What I did learn is that I need to pay attention to what's going on behind me at the end.  I could have been all the way in the back, but then if the top 2 took off early I'm not sure if I would be able to catch them.

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!  

Next race will be Sea Otter Classic April 21st!

Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Nature's Bakery!
Thanks to RaceRim!
Thanks to iRC Tire USA!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!