Monday, November 21, 2011
Busy, Fun weekend
It was a busy weekend for the Warner family. We started off Saturday by driving out to the 540 Cyclocross at Vint Hill in Virgina. Emir and I each raced. Me the 35+ open, and Emir the Junior race. It was a low key, grass roots affair..just getting more experience with this cross thing. Here are some vids:The post race meal at Wegman's was awesome, love that place. On Sunday, we headed up to the Rockburn Cross Race in Maryland. This is a big, well run event. It was a beautiful day, actually fairly warm in the mid-60's. We again raced the 35+ open and Emir the Junior race. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this cross thing. The improvements are slow, but it really is a ton of fun. Maybe even more so afterward when we get to hang with the crowd and enjoy a few beers. I was really proud of Emir though. I think it was his best race, yet. He hung tough throughout the entire race. Now maybe we'll even get him doing some actual training!More vids:A few pics:
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
If it's not fun, why do it?
This was a bumper sticker I noticed on the way to work this morning. Who would have guessed it was a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker? I thought that would be a good theme for this post since this is really about Cross. So, two races under my belt (Tacchino & Winchester). Two really great races. Two very fun experiences. I'm beginning to understand the draw here. I'm not going overboard, just enjoying the newness of it all. I'm not going into full blown race reports, well, quite honestly there's nothing to write about other than being humbled. So, I'll just toss out some things that have stood out to me in a random analysis.
1. At first I thought I'd just go out there "ride" around the course during the race, but I'll admit, when that gun goes off I'm REALLY trying hard. I just don't like sucking.
2. I hate off-camber turns. Maybe one day I'll love them, but not anytime soon.
3. You can definitely blow yourself up out there no matter what place you are in. It's a great workout. It's fun trying to catch and pass folks. I like how mini races develop within the race. For me right now, I'm just racing against whatever group I find myself in. It sure ain't at the front.
4. KEEP YOUR MOUTH CLOSED ON MUDDY COURSES! Damn, I nearly had to stop at Winchester b/c a piece of mud from a wheel in front of me flew straight to the back of mouth nearly choking me. How come nobody told me this?! Mouth open...bad
5. Riding in thick, soupy mud is tiring...nuff said.
6. These promoters that have washing stations are money! I feel spoiled.
7. Cross photographers rock. Just tons of great pics.
8. I'm 0-2 with doing a race wipe-out free. Hopefully that tide will change but I'm guessing it will only get worse.
9. I'm digging take the cross bike out and working on skills over and over and over....
10. Don't think you can do a one lap warmup 15 mins before the start of the race. You might miss the start...stupid.
11. Looking forward to November when Emir and I can get out there together without being pressed for time.
12. Being a Master 3 is a great spot to be in; which is key when you are juggling other priorities in the day. There's about a 5 hour window in time there you can choose from for scheduling purposes.
13. These MABRA promoters really know how to put together a cross race.
14. Oh, when you eat it on a corner once during the race, you'd think you'd be mindful of that corner the next time. Nope. Ate it again in the exact same spot.
That's about it. I'm getting back in the gym a few times a week now which is a refreshing change. Even banging out some good runs to mix it up. Cross training and Cross racing go together nicely. I'm going to try and jump into a few more races in October until Emir's soccer is over on Nov 6. Then I hope I can do a lot more racing in November and December. Maybe I'll have my own bike by then!
Here's a few pics (thanks Jor & Nic!):
My fan club:
MUD!!!!
Running a barrier:
Post Race Tacchino...I'm spent:
1. At first I thought I'd just go out there "ride" around the course during the race, but I'll admit, when that gun goes off I'm REALLY trying hard. I just don't like sucking.
2. I hate off-camber turns. Maybe one day I'll love them, but not anytime soon.
3. You can definitely blow yourself up out there no matter what place you are in. It's a great workout. It's fun trying to catch and pass folks. I like how mini races develop within the race. For me right now, I'm just racing against whatever group I find myself in. It sure ain't at the front.
4. KEEP YOUR MOUTH CLOSED ON MUDDY COURSES! Damn, I nearly had to stop at Winchester b/c a piece of mud from a wheel in front of me flew straight to the back of mouth nearly choking me. How come nobody told me this?! Mouth open...bad
6. These promoters that have washing stations are money! I feel spoiled.
7. Cross photographers rock. Just tons of great pics.
8. I'm 0-2 with doing a race wipe-out free. Hopefully that tide will change but I'm guessing it will only get worse.
9. I'm digging take the cross bike out and working on skills over and over and over....
10. Don't think you can do a one lap warmup 15 mins before the start of the race. You might miss the start...stupid.
11. Looking forward to November when Emir and I can get out there together without being pressed for time.
12. Being a Master 3 is a great spot to be in; which is key when you are juggling other priorities in the day. There's about a 5 hour window in time there you can choose from for scheduling purposes.
13. These MABRA promoters really know how to put together a cross race.
14. Oh, when you eat it on a corner once during the race, you'd think you'd be mindful of that corner the next time. Nope. Ate it again in the exact same spot.
That's about it. I'm getting back in the gym a few times a week now which is a refreshing change. Even banging out some good runs to mix it up. Cross training and Cross racing go together nicely. I'm going to try and jump into a few more races in October until Emir's soccer is over on Nov 6. Then I hope I can do a lot more racing in November and December. Maybe I'll have my own bike by then!
Here's a few pics (thanks Jor & Nic!):
My fan club:
Friday, September 9, 2011
This thing called Cyclocross
Last weekend, Emir and I attended THE Cyclocross clinic at Rosaryville State Park. This wasn't just your everyday clinic. It was organized by a great group of knowledgeable coaches (Fulcrum Coaching (Dan Tille & Rusty Williford), JVB Coaching- Chris Mayhew) along with some other talented cyclocross riders, namely, Jeremy Powers - arguably one of the best Pros in the US.
Well let me tell you, this was a real eye opener and an incredible learning experience! We started at 9 a.m. and went until 5 p.m. We didn't know what to expect. Hell, I don't even own a cross bike. Custer let me borrow his (Thx!). We had just bought Emir his bike the previous weekend. Chris Richardson at Bike Doctor-Waldorf really took care of us and got him fitted on it. The level of service and experience of the staff there is top notch...so lucky to be sponsored by them. Regardless, we were pumped to begin this adventure.
I knew cross was going to be a different animal than racing on the road, but I had no idea it would be so dramatic. After the formalities were over, we set out with the beginner group to learn how to re-mount. HOLY bejuses! I must have practiced jumping on that bike a hundred times. There's definitely a right way and WRONG way to do this. It's NOT nearly as easy as it looks, especially when you try to do it with a little bit of speed. Emir and I had a good chuckle when we got home and compared our saddle bruises and butt chafing! Too funny.
Then we covered dismounts and jumping barriers. Again, not so bad until you start adding some speed. Then it gets real interesting. I learned more in those first few hours than I ever thought possible. We got some great technique pointers throughout the day which will help us immensely as we practice on our own. The one standout thought that came to mind pretty quick is that cross WILL humble you. Peter Nicoll put together a great video. He shared it here:Somewhere in there, he captured me taking a fall...lol! As I mentioned in a note to Rusty, when you take a fall in cross, you pick yourself up, dust off and laugh about it. On the road, you just cry. I like cross already. I think I fell more than Emir. He kept making fun of me and pretending that he didn't know me after I fell, lol. But, I do have to pay him back now since I got a short clip of him going down (I was just about to start filming him. He's going to kill me for posting up!) I got a few good action shots of Emir.
Here's a few more shots during a Q&A with Jeremy:
AND NOW THE MONEY SHOT WITH JEREMY POWERS!
I really can't thank Rusty enough for squeezing us in. It was such a blast learning something new and being able to share the experience with Emir. We had some good bonding moments - lots of laughs together. But most important, we got a taste of what this sport is about. A whole lotta respect for it and a yearning to give it go this fall. It will be a fun adventure.Oh, one more video in from Bill Schieken of In the Crosshairs (cxhairs.com)some of his pics: HEREBruce Buckley also shared some amazing photographs:HERE
Well let me tell you, this was a real eye opener and an incredible learning experience! We started at 9 a.m. and went until 5 p.m. We didn't know what to expect. Hell, I don't even own a cross bike. Custer let me borrow his (Thx!). We had just bought Emir his bike the previous weekend. Chris Richardson at Bike Doctor-Waldorf really took care of us and got him fitted on it. The level of service and experience of the staff there is top notch...so lucky to be sponsored by them. Regardless, we were pumped to begin this adventure.
I knew cross was going to be a different animal than racing on the road, but I had no idea it would be so dramatic. After the formalities were over, we set out with the beginner group to learn how to re-mount. HOLY bejuses! I must have practiced jumping on that bike a hundred times. There's definitely a right way and WRONG way to do this. It's NOT nearly as easy as it looks, especially when you try to do it with a little bit of speed. Emir and I had a good chuckle when we got home and compared our saddle bruises and butt chafing! Too funny.
Then we covered dismounts and jumping barriers. Again, not so bad until you start adding some speed. Then it gets real interesting. I learned more in those first few hours than I ever thought possible. We got some great technique pointers throughout the day which will help us immensely as we practice on our own. The one standout thought that came to mind pretty quick is that cross WILL humble you. Peter Nicoll put together a great video. He shared it here:Somewhere in there, he captured me taking a fall...lol! As I mentioned in a note to Rusty, when you take a fall in cross, you pick yourself up, dust off and laugh about it. On the road, you just cry. I like cross already. I think I fell more than Emir. He kept making fun of me and pretending that he didn't know me after I fell, lol. But, I do have to pay him back now since I got a short clip of him going down (I was just about to start filming him. He's going to kill me for posting up!) I got a few good action shots of Emir.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
RIP Mike Fawell
Yesterday, I noticed a very sad, shocking message via FB. Mike Fawell passed away after a bike on car collision on Thursday evening I believe. I noticed the messages about the incident on Friday from the VA listserve. Although the incident sounded horrendous, I prematurely thought he would pull through since he was at the hospital from what I could infer from the emails. As I understand now, it appears the severe head trauma was just too much to overcome.
I’ll be honest, this news was a dramatic jolt. Although I’m not a close friend to Mike, I did consider him a great competitor after being in numerous races against him this year. He was a serious powerhouse…always a threat to win a race. Above all else, he was a gracious competitor, a gentleman in an otherwise cut your heart out sport. I had mad respect for his talents on the bike. His presence will be greatly missed.
My heart hurts just thinking about what his family must be going through. I read his wife’s message on Caring bridge and really teared up upon reading her note. It’s scary shit and it makes you evaluate what’s important in life. But I also know you can’t live your life looking through the rearview mirror.
That said, I’m making a pledge to myself. I’m not going to ride like an a-hole roadie. I’m not passing judgment on who was at fault or wasting time trying to figure out how it happened. The only thing I can control are my decisions. I love to ride my bike. I don’t want to become a victim. No matter if I’m alone or with a group, I’m going to obey the laws of the road and stay alert, for my safety as well as the others that I’m riding with. I’ve seen WAY too many close calls. It’s just not worth it. I’m fine with letting others ride like idiots. I just won’t ride with them. I’ll do my own thing.
RIP Mike. You won’t be forgotten.
Post Update 10-14-2011I just read what appears to be a description of the accident HERE.I have a lot of thoughts going on in my head about this one. Not necessarily about the court proceeding and fine, but more related to the accident itself. Lots of what if's. It got me thinking about a ride not too long ago during a morning ride. A thunderstorm came thundering through about 11 am. I just happened to be riding my commuter bike with a rear light. I thought, "Wow, lucky me. I should turn this light on since the visibility is getting tough." I have to say, I was really glad to have that light. I've now mounted rear lights on all my bikes. You just never know! I'm still a firm believer that most cycling accidents result from not being seen. Maybe I should always carry a front light. It has me thinking about safety. Check out Ridebright
I’ll be honest, this news was a dramatic jolt. Although I’m not a close friend to Mike, I did consider him a great competitor after being in numerous races against him this year. He was a serious powerhouse…always a threat to win a race. Above all else, he was a gracious competitor, a gentleman in an otherwise cut your heart out sport. I had mad respect for his talents on the bike. His presence will be greatly missed.
My heart hurts just thinking about what his family must be going through. I read his wife’s message on Caring bridge and really teared up upon reading her note. It’s scary shit and it makes you evaluate what’s important in life. But I also know you can’t live your life looking through the rearview mirror.
That said, I’m making a pledge to myself. I’m not going to ride like an a-hole roadie. I’m not passing judgment on who was at fault or wasting time trying to figure out how it happened. The only thing I can control are my decisions. I love to ride my bike. I don’t want to become a victim. No matter if I’m alone or with a group, I’m going to obey the laws of the road and stay alert, for my safety as well as the others that I’m riding with. I’ve seen WAY too many close calls. It’s just not worth it. I’m fine with letting others ride like idiots. I just won’t ride with them. I’ll do my own thing.
RIP Mike. You won’t be forgotten.
Post Update 10-14-2011I just read what appears to be a description of the accident HERE.I have a lot of thoughts going on in my head about this one. Not necessarily about the court proceeding and fine, but more related to the accident itself. Lots of what if's. It got me thinking about a ride not too long ago during a morning ride. A thunderstorm came thundering through about 11 am. I just happened to be riding my commuter bike with a rear light. I thought, "Wow, lucky me. I should turn this light on since the visibility is getting tough." I have to say, I was really glad to have that light. I've now mounted rear lights on all my bikes. You just never know! I'm still a firm believer that most cycling accidents result from not being seen. Maybe I should always carry a front light. It has me thinking about safety. Check out Ridebright
Sunday, June 26, 2011
I'm kicking my ass!
On tap for the weekend was the 40k Church Creek Time Trial Saturday and Reston 123 Crit on Sunday.
This video pretty much sums up how Church Creek went and felt:
Stephen Robinson continued his streak of pummeling me. Yep, 2nd place for moi in the 35+. But hey, it is fun to know that guy is going to show up every time bringing the pain. It keeps pushing me to try and improve. Thanks ABRT for promoting!
NOW, on to an interesting topic, RULES. After having raced triathlon for several years before coming to cycling, I've always been very conscious of drafting. But after my TT on Saturday, I realized that I wasn't really sure what the drafting rules are per USAC. Here's what happened. I catch the guy (different division) who started 30 seconds before me about ~8-9 miles in, just about that point where you are headed into the wind for what seems like forever. This guy decides to ride right off my left side for several miles. He would randomly pull up alongside me on the left, not passing, just sitting there. His bike was making this god awful annoying noise. He passes me back right before the final turn. So, this whole episode led me to read the rules, and yes, jackass, if you read this, you should have been penalized as you were cheating. I hope you feel good about your effort. Man, you were an annoyance.
3E6. Rider Conduct.
(a) On an out-and-back course, riders shall stay to the right of the centerline at all times [disqualification].
(b) No rider shall take pace behind another rider closer than 25 meters (80 feet) ahead or 2 meters (7 feet) to the side. [A rider who is observed taking pace shall receive a time penalty as specified in Table 2]. A rider may also be disqualified for extended and/or repeated pacing.
(c) No two riders may ride abreast other than when attempting to pass and such attempts shall not be maintained beyond a distance of 500 meters. An attempt to pass may be repeated an unlimited number of times but each time a challenging rider fails in his attempt, he shall drop back to 25 meters behind the challenged rider before renewing his attempt.
Oh, yeah, some 46 yr old dude went 50:39 and DESTROYED everyone. Wow, he only was like a minute behind DC Velo's wicked fast 4 man team. Things that make you go, hmmm.
Haig came over for dinner on Saturday. Igda and Emir whipped up an awesome Bosnian meal, Cevapcici & Burek!!!! So fattening, yet so delicious.
On to Reston Sunday:
With the toilet repaired, Emir's bedroom door fixed and furniture re-arranged between bedrooms, we headed out for the afternoon race.
This is a pretty sweet race. I've only done it twice, but I have to say, it is a killer venue and it's close! Evolution always runs a first class event. This race takes A LOT of volunteers for sure. Thanks Evolution!
start:
Not much to report really. An early move got away with some firepower...that may be an understatement. XO and DC Velo played havoc at the front of the field [which they should and is expected].
I like this overhead vid:
Much of the rest of the field appeared comfortable with racing for scraps after that for the next 70 minutes. Umm, that's about it. Igda shot a good video of Russ Langley inching out the win.
SWEET, just read Gilbert won the Belgium jersey!!!! Wow, Tim Rugg took 3rd at Elite Nats. Congrats, Tim!
This video pretty much sums up how Church Creek went and felt:
Stephen Robinson continued his streak of pummeling me. Yep, 2nd place for moi in the 35+. But hey, it is fun to know that guy is going to show up every time bringing the pain. It keeps pushing me to try and improve. Thanks ABRT for promoting!
NOW, on to an interesting topic, RULES. After having raced triathlon for several years before coming to cycling, I've always been very conscious of drafting. But after my TT on Saturday, I realized that I wasn't really sure what the drafting rules are per USAC. Here's what happened. I catch the guy (different division) who started 30 seconds before me about ~8-9 miles in, just about that point where you are headed into the wind for what seems like forever. This guy decides to ride right off my left side for several miles. He would randomly pull up alongside me on the left, not passing, just sitting there. His bike was making this god awful annoying noise. He passes me back right before the final turn. So, this whole episode led me to read the rules, and yes, jackass, if you read this, you should have been penalized as you were cheating. I hope you feel good about your effort. Man, you were an annoyance.
3E6. Rider Conduct.
(a) On an out-and-back course, riders shall stay to the right of the centerline at all times [disqualification].
(b) No rider shall take pace behind another rider closer than 25 meters (80 feet) ahead or 2 meters (7 feet) to the side. [A rider who is observed taking pace shall receive a time penalty as specified in Table 2]. A rider may also be disqualified for extended and/or repeated pacing.
(c) No two riders may ride abreast other than when attempting to pass and such attempts shall not be maintained beyond a distance of 500 meters. An attempt to pass may be repeated an unlimited number of times but each time a challenging rider fails in his attempt, he shall drop back to 25 meters behind the challenged rider before renewing his attempt.
Oh, yeah, some 46 yr old dude went 50:39 and DESTROYED everyone. Wow, he only was like a minute behind DC Velo's wicked fast 4 man team. Things that make you go, hmmm.
Haig came over for dinner on Saturday. Igda and Emir whipped up an awesome Bosnian meal, Cevapcici & Burek!!!! So fattening, yet so delicious.
On to Reston Sunday:
With the toilet repaired, Emir's bedroom door fixed and furniture re-arranged between bedrooms, we headed out for the afternoon race.
This is a pretty sweet race. I've only done it twice, but I have to say, it is a killer venue and it's close! Evolution always runs a first class event. This race takes A LOT of volunteers for sure. Thanks Evolution!
start:
Not much to report really. An early move got away with some firepower...that may be an understatement. XO and DC Velo played havoc at the front of the field [which they should and is expected].
I like this overhead vid:
Reston Crit overhead shot from Peter Warner on Vimeo.
Much of the rest of the field appeared comfortable with racing for scraps after that for the next 70 minutes. Umm, that's about it. Igda shot a good video of Russ Langley inching out the win.
Reston Crit 123 Finish 2011 from Peter Warner on Vimeo.
SWEET, just read Gilbert won the Belgium jersey!!!! Wow, Tim Rugg took 3rd at Elite Nats. Congrats, Tim!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
SOOO many things going on here
I was perusing Jim Wilson's excellent photographs from the Williamsport Crit on Sunday. I found this one to be extremely interesting prior to the start...brilliant photography
Monday, June 20, 2011
Why? Why Not?!
It's Monday. I survived.
Writing those two sentences nearly took the final amount of energy I have at the moment but I will try to dig deep here and write more (this turned out way longer than anticipated). I competed in the 1/2/3 Tour of Washington County this weekend. This is hands down the best stage race in our area. To do well, you need to bring your A game, be consistent and use your bullets wisely where it will have the most impact. As in all stage races, there's a heavy emphasis on the timed events. They can make or break you. Oh, and the field was STACKED with talent. What? around 90 fast dudes entered. Yikes!
Oh yeah, the promoter wanted to make sure we had plenty of pre stage race excitement by hosting an unbelievably cool Twilight Criterium starting at 8:15 p.m. on Friday. Without really thinking it through, I thought, "Hell, yeah!" I've never done a twilight crit - this will be awesome. The timeline begins (YES, I know this is overkill but I wasn't sure how to organize my thoughts so I just started typing).
FRIDAY:
11:30 am- Igda, Emir and I load up and start the drive to Hagerstown.
2:30 pm- Check into Holiday Inn Express and I try to get a nap in, somewhat successful
5:15 pm- Start heading over so we can watch the Bike Doctor fellas in the 3/4 race at 6 pm. Sobe TAKES the win from the break! Totally pumped to see that.
8:15 pm- Our race kicks off. I don't know, maybe 50 riders. A really cool course right in downtown Hagerstown. Joe Jefferson was keeping the crowd informed and adding to the excitement with his play by play. I will be honest though, I was a touch nervous that were no barriers set up on the main drag. I just had visions of someone walking across the street and taking out the field, but that never happened so I guess it was unwarranted. My plan was to chill as much as possible (if you can really do that when the average speed of the race is 27+mph) and just try to get in the money (top 15). It was an incredible experience as the daylight slowly subsided about 1/3 of the way through the race. The gradual darkening of the course added a whole new element to the sensations of the race. It was wicked cool. Although it felt like everything was a blur, you could really feel the energy from the crowd lining the start/finish stretch. It was motivating for sure. After maintaining good position during the race, I made sure I was positioned well going into the final 2 laps where the pace really ratcheted up. Unfortunately, my plans got derailed with a pile-up at the very front of field at the final corner. Somehow I managed to brake and slide/skid hard enough to avoid endoing over the top of a few riders on the ground, but that ended my chances. It looked like everyone walked away which was good. Eh, it happens. Just a bit bummed to go 75 mins with little to show for the effort. But no regrets for sure. When Igda asked me what the highlight of the weekend was, I told her, "I think I'd have to say the Twilight crit." That was cool.
Short Clip of Race:
FINISH:
10:30 pm- Make it back to the hotel after stopping for the greatest recovery dinner you can have, Taco Bell.
11:00 pm- Off to sleep...er, maybe not. Of all times to have insomnia! I don't know if it was the adrenaline from the race or the nervousness about getting up at 6:30 a.m. for the prologue and road race the next day. What the heck did I get myself into?! I think I finally got to sleep at about 2 a.m., geez.
SATURDAY:
6:30 a.m.- Ugh, wakeup. I wanted to stay in bed. We grabbed a light breakfast at the hotel, packed up the car and headed over to the Prologue.
8:49 a.m.- PROLOGUE start time. I rolled around for about 25 mins beforehand just to get the blood flowing. This is a pretty violent effort since it's only 4.5 miles with a few hills. It's just flat out going to hurt the entire time. But I was hoping the legs were ready for pain. Well, I let it rip the best I could for a time of 10:51 placing me 18th for the event. Ok, not a bad start.
Finish Video:
9:30 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.- I really wasn't sure what to do with myself. I tried to lay down in the car for a quick nap, but that wasn't happening. We went to the Subway at a nearby gas station for an early lunch. Otherwise, just chilled with Igda & Emir.
1:00 p.m.- Road Race! 63 miles. Man, it got a little steamy and hot by start time. I loaded up the bottles with some extra electrolytes. I'll be honest, with the amount of racing already in the legs, I knew I had to play it conservative. I cramped bad last year on the last lap and lost a good chunk of time so I was hoping to avoid that. There was definitely an interesting dynamic to the field this year. A) It was larger B) There were two significantly strong non-Mabra (GPOA & Happy Tooth) teams present and they DEFINITELY added intensity to the race. Folks were trying to get off the front all day...and some did for sure. But I don't think it was ever the mix the big teams all liked, so it would be pulled back by the one not represented. I do remember GPOA just hammering with like 3 or 4 guys, lining out the field for a good while at one point about a 1/3 of the way into the race. I must admit, it's pretty cool to witness a team working so well to bring back a move. Maybe it was the green uniforms that stood out, but those guys appeared to be everywhere. There were a couple of larger groups that split off, but they never really got any traction. I did make a couple of blunders in the race. The first being that I whiffed two bottle feeds from Emir. We were using these bottles Emir scored from UHC and those things were like trying to grab an ice cube, just slippery as hell. Custer did share a bottle of 100 degree water on lap 9 with me after he saw me miss the feed. The other blunder was chundering the high speed corner going into the lap. Geez, a big gap was going and I came flying down that hill a bit hot passing a few riders that didn't seem interested in closing the gap, ok, a lot hot. My back wheel slipped for a second causing me to alter my line, but I couldn't really brake. I thought for sure I was going into the ditch. Somehow I saved it and then did the honorable thing and quickly closed the gap. That sure got the adrenaline going. I sort of figured on about the 7th lap of 10, it was going to be a mad dash to line starting at the hill on the homestretch. The finish was a bit anti-climatic for me. I'll be honest, I sort of wanted that anyhow. I needed to save as much as possible for the TT the next day. I "thought" just making sure I finished in the field was good enough as they would give "same time". Well, that was a mistake on my part. It appeared they gave everyone their exact times by the second. So, I lost a handful of precious seconds for the mental lapse. Okay, now off to try and RECOVER!
123 Road Race Finish:
5:00 pm- Back at hotel and my savior wife gives me a short massage on the legs before dinner. We headed over to a great little Sushi place around 6:30.
8:30 pm- We heard there was a Bike Doctor team meeting at the pool plus Emir wanted to go swim. I didn't realize that Sobe had a cooler full of good beer! Yep, stayed until about 10 pm hoping a few beers would help me sleep! Sobe, I think I owe you a few beers.
10:00 pm- I begged Igda for a leg rub. She saved me. My legs felt better. Bedtime...a bit better sleep.
SUNDAY:
6:00 am- wake up call!!!! OUCH! Load up and drive 20 mins to TT. I was sitting 15th on GC going into the TT.
7:31 am- 10 mile TIME TRIAL start
I hopped on the bike and rolled around for about 25 mins, just trying to get the engine warmed up without taxing the legs. I guess I felt about as good as could be expected. I knew this would be more of a mental challenge than anything. It turns out that I had a relatively average performance (23:13, 25th for the TT). If I could have gone harder, I would have I guess. You gotta move on. This pushed me back to 19th on GC going into the Crit. I think about 40 seconds separated 10th through 20th. Every second REALLY does count! Side note: TOTALLY bummed for my teammate Scott Giles. He was sitting 5th on GC and flatted during TT. That was a horrible message to get.
10:00 am- Grab some breakfast at the hotel and lay down for about an hour. Still can't really sleep. Body and mind just won't relax.
12:00 pm- Head out to grab lunch and mosey over to the crit race down at Williamsport.
3:00 pm- 30 mile Criterium Race. FINAL leg in this journey. I had no wild ambitions for the race. I just HAD to finish this sucker! Last year, I suffered like a rented mule at this event...dropped halfway through. No lie, I was nervous. It looked like a large number of guys mailed in the TT to stay a bit fresher. Well, through a lot of self talk throughout the race, I did finish, 31st. I couldn't feel my legs afterward, but it was an exhilarating feeling to wrap this up! My GC placing held at 19th. Hey, I'm happy with that. It's a little consolation that the prize money went down to 20th...just about paid for my race registration.
Some Crit Video + finish:
[just in- pics from Nic and Jor from the crit- thanks!]
Pain Face:
A good field pic:
In hindsight, there's no doubt the twilight crit hurt my GC aspirations. I think there were only like 6 guys in the top 20 that also raced the Friday crit. But, I'm ok with that. This weekend was about pushing the envelope, doing something crazy, and above all else having fun. No regrets. Thanks Joe Jefferson and AVC for an amazing weekend! Emir, Igda and Leo- you are the BEST supporters!
I'll try to round up some vids and photos to enhance the post this week.
Writing those two sentences nearly took the final amount of energy I have at the moment but I will try to dig deep here and write more (this turned out way longer than anticipated). I competed in the 1/2/3 Tour of Washington County this weekend. This is hands down the best stage race in our area. To do well, you need to bring your A game, be consistent and use your bullets wisely where it will have the most impact. As in all stage races, there's a heavy emphasis on the timed events. They can make or break you. Oh, and the field was STACKED with talent. What? around 90 fast dudes entered. Yikes!
Oh yeah, the promoter wanted to make sure we had plenty of pre stage race excitement by hosting an unbelievably cool Twilight Criterium starting at 8:15 p.m. on Friday. Without really thinking it through, I thought, "Hell, yeah!" I've never done a twilight crit - this will be awesome. The timeline begins (YES, I know this is overkill but I wasn't sure how to organize my thoughts so I just started typing).
FRIDAY:
11:30 am- Igda, Emir and I load up and start the drive to Hagerstown.
2:30 pm- Check into Holiday Inn Express and I try to get a nap in, somewhat successful
5:15 pm- Start heading over so we can watch the Bike Doctor fellas in the 3/4 race at 6 pm. Sobe TAKES the win from the break! Totally pumped to see that.
8:15 pm- Our race kicks off. I don't know, maybe 50 riders. A really cool course right in downtown Hagerstown. Joe Jefferson was keeping the crowd informed and adding to the excitement with his play by play. I will be honest though, I was a touch nervous that were no barriers set up on the main drag. I just had visions of someone walking across the street and taking out the field, but that never happened so I guess it was unwarranted. My plan was to chill as much as possible (if you can really do that when the average speed of the race is 27+mph) and just try to get in the money (top 15). It was an incredible experience as the daylight slowly subsided about 1/3 of the way through the race. The gradual darkening of the course added a whole new element to the sensations of the race. It was wicked cool. Although it felt like everything was a blur, you could really feel the energy from the crowd lining the start/finish stretch. It was motivating for sure. After maintaining good position during the race, I made sure I was positioned well going into the final 2 laps where the pace really ratcheted up. Unfortunately, my plans got derailed with a pile-up at the very front of field at the final corner. Somehow I managed to brake and slide/skid hard enough to avoid endoing over the top of a few riders on the ground, but that ended my chances. It looked like everyone walked away which was good. Eh, it happens. Just a bit bummed to go 75 mins with little to show for the effort. But no regrets for sure. When Igda asked me what the highlight of the weekend was, I told her, "I think I'd have to say the Twilight crit." That was cool.
Short Clip of Race:
FINISH:
10:30 pm- Make it back to the hotel after stopping for the greatest recovery dinner you can have, Taco Bell.
11:00 pm- Off to sleep...er, maybe not. Of all times to have insomnia! I don't know if it was the adrenaline from the race or the nervousness about getting up at 6:30 a.m. for the prologue and road race the next day. What the heck did I get myself into?! I think I finally got to sleep at about 2 a.m., geez.
SATURDAY:
6:30 a.m.- Ugh, wakeup. I wanted to stay in bed. We grabbed a light breakfast at the hotel, packed up the car and headed over to the Prologue.
8:49 a.m.- PROLOGUE start time. I rolled around for about 25 mins beforehand just to get the blood flowing. This is a pretty violent effort since it's only 4.5 miles with a few hills. It's just flat out going to hurt the entire time. But I was hoping the legs were ready for pain. Well, I let it rip the best I could for a time of 10:51 placing me 18th for the event. Ok, not a bad start.
Finish Video:
9:30 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.- I really wasn't sure what to do with myself. I tried to lay down in the car for a quick nap, but that wasn't happening. We went to the Subway at a nearby gas station for an early lunch. Otherwise, just chilled with Igda & Emir.
1:00 p.m.- Road Race! 63 miles. Man, it got a little steamy and hot by start time. I loaded up the bottles with some extra electrolytes. I'll be honest, with the amount of racing already in the legs, I knew I had to play it conservative. I cramped bad last year on the last lap and lost a good chunk of time so I was hoping to avoid that. There was definitely an interesting dynamic to the field this year. A) It was larger B) There were two significantly strong non-Mabra (GPOA & Happy Tooth) teams present and they DEFINITELY added intensity to the race. Folks were trying to get off the front all day...and some did for sure. But I don't think it was ever the mix the big teams all liked, so it would be pulled back by the one not represented. I do remember GPOA just hammering with like 3 or 4 guys, lining out the field for a good while at one point about a 1/3 of the way into the race. I must admit, it's pretty cool to witness a team working so well to bring back a move. Maybe it was the green uniforms that stood out, but those guys appeared to be everywhere. There were a couple of larger groups that split off, but they never really got any traction. I did make a couple of blunders in the race. The first being that I whiffed two bottle feeds from Emir. We were using these bottles Emir scored from UHC and those things were like trying to grab an ice cube, just slippery as hell. Custer did share a bottle of 100 degree water on lap 9 with me after he saw me miss the feed. The other blunder was chundering the high speed corner going into the lap. Geez, a big gap was going and I came flying down that hill a bit hot passing a few riders that didn't seem interested in closing the gap, ok, a lot hot. My back wheel slipped for a second causing me to alter my line, but I couldn't really brake. I thought for sure I was going into the ditch. Somehow I saved it and then did the honorable thing and quickly closed the gap. That sure got the adrenaline going. I sort of figured on about the 7th lap of 10, it was going to be a mad dash to line starting at the hill on the homestretch. The finish was a bit anti-climatic for me. I'll be honest, I sort of wanted that anyhow. I needed to save as much as possible for the TT the next day. I "thought" just making sure I finished in the field was good enough as they would give "same time". Well, that was a mistake on my part. It appeared they gave everyone their exact times by the second. So, I lost a handful of precious seconds for the mental lapse. Okay, now off to try and RECOVER!
123 Road Race Finish:
5:00 pm- Back at hotel and my savior wife gives me a short massage on the legs before dinner. We headed over to a great little Sushi place around 6:30.
8:30 pm- We heard there was a Bike Doctor team meeting at the pool plus Emir wanted to go swim. I didn't realize that Sobe had a cooler full of good beer! Yep, stayed until about 10 pm hoping a few beers would help me sleep! Sobe, I think I owe you a few beers.
10:00 pm- I begged Igda for a leg rub. She saved me. My legs felt better. Bedtime...a bit better sleep.
SUNDAY:
6:00 am- wake up call!!!! OUCH! Load up and drive 20 mins to TT. I was sitting 15th on GC going into the TT.
7:31 am- 10 mile TIME TRIAL start
I hopped on the bike and rolled around for about 25 mins, just trying to get the engine warmed up without taxing the legs. I guess I felt about as good as could be expected. I knew this would be more of a mental challenge than anything. It turns out that I had a relatively average performance (23:13, 25th for the TT). If I could have gone harder, I would have I guess. You gotta move on. This pushed me back to 19th on GC going into the Crit. I think about 40 seconds separated 10th through 20th. Every second REALLY does count! Side note: TOTALLY bummed for my teammate Scott Giles. He was sitting 5th on GC and flatted during TT. That was a horrible message to get.
10:00 am- Grab some breakfast at the hotel and lay down for about an hour. Still can't really sleep. Body and mind just won't relax.
12:00 pm- Head out to grab lunch and mosey over to the crit race down at Williamsport.
3:00 pm- 30 mile Criterium Race. FINAL leg in this journey. I had no wild ambitions for the race. I just HAD to finish this sucker! Last year, I suffered like a rented mule at this event...dropped halfway through. No lie, I was nervous. It looked like a large number of guys mailed in the TT to stay a bit fresher. Well, through a lot of self talk throughout the race, I did finish, 31st. I couldn't feel my legs afterward, but it was an exhilarating feeling to wrap this up! My GC placing held at 19th. Hey, I'm happy with that. It's a little consolation that the prize money went down to 20th...just about paid for my race registration.
Some Crit Video + finish:
TofWC Final Criterium 2011 from Peter Warner on Vimeo.
Crit Start:
[just in- pics from Nic and Jor from the crit- thanks!]
In hindsight, there's no doubt the twilight crit hurt my GC aspirations. I think there were only like 6 guys in the top 20 that also raced the Friday crit. But, I'm ok with that. This weekend was about pushing the envelope, doing something crazy, and above all else having fun. No regrets. Thanks Joe Jefferson and AVC for an amazing weekend! Emir, Igda and Leo- you are the BEST supporters!
I'll try to round up some vids and photos to enhance the post this week.
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