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