This is a nice video showing the gravel segments. It's quite a bit different when you wrestling wheels and going full gas in a big field, but still, this is very cool.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
2012 Season in full swing
My 2012 race calendar has started with a bang. I hope I haven't used up all of my good race karma so early in the year, but I'm not complaining. I had a really good off-season, which for me, really began Sept 1, 2011. Coach convinced me that I needed to do some cyclocross this year. Try it out, have fun with it. Little did I realize how much I would enjoy it. I stuck to my typical fall program (gym workouts & running for cross training) and raced cross on the weekends. I raced cross about 15lbs heavier than I should have been and got completely pummeled, but it was GREAT to get that intensity once or twice a week. I think it had the effect we were looking for. When I really started to transition to the bike more, I was WAY ahead of the game.
I had a really good period from Jan-March. I logged a bunch of miles with the team. I think some well-timed hard riding provided a nice fitness boost. I did 2 of the HWBL (trying to blow myself up), along with 3 days out at Raw Talent Ranch at the beginning of March. I think those were key. I probably had the best base build I've ever had and when I threw in that intensity it was very effective at boosting fitness.
Battenkill was a big target to peak for, so I needed to get my ass out and race as much as possible before that. I think some folks misplay these early season races. For me, it's all about the training. If things pan out with a result, great. But it's not the driving force behind the motivation to improve. Plain and simple, racing hard IS the best way to get faster...not sitting in doing nothing hoping things come down to a sprint.
So here is how things went (I've provided some links to our team blog about races)
1. Tidewater Classic (March 18)- Hyperactive during the race. Throttled myself at the end by attacking the break only to be caught by the field at about 300m mark. Ouch. That hurt, but I knew it would come back in spades later. Field finish. BLOG
2. Blackhills (March 25)- LONG day here. I wasn't sure how the legs would respond. Amazingly, I felt really good. Tried to spend as much time being as active as possible. Our team did really well here. I made the critical move I needed to at the end, but with some slight regret at blowing up going into the last lap and leaving Nicholas alone. A good video of this one can be found CLICKING HERE
3. Jeff Cup (April 1)- I was beginning to realize before this race that my fitness was about as good as it has ever been. For some reason, I've always done well here. But this was going to be a big test doing the P123 race. The field was stacked. Well, low and behold, I made it into the winning break. I was really at first when I didn't have any teammates in the initial move b/c I was heavily out-numbered. Thankfully, Custer came across. And the HUGE bonus was once we realized the make-up of the group, he was in a position to get the Nature Valley Pro Ride slot if he got to the line! I did a lot of work here to keep things going and the pressure off of Custer. It was great! I love doing this type of thing. We had a really tough moment when we hit the climb on the last lap. Holy bejuses did Joe D light that thing up. I honestly think that is the hardest I've gone in a long time. It took awhile to rejoin the front group, but we made it. Those last 2k's were nuts. I was pegged to the limit, just didn't have anything else left in my legs for the final 1k, so I had to settle for 15th. BUT, Custer got the slot! Amazing! BLOG LINK
4. Morgantown RR (April 7)- Wow, what to say here? I freaking won my first P123 race against some really great riders. This was going to be my last hard race in prep for Battenkill. Since the race is short for a Road Race at 50 miles (although the climbs definitely add to its difficulty), I wanted to go early...see what happens. I knew immediately during warm-up that my legs were GOOD. Holy crap, I didn't realize how good though. I attacked to bridge to a solo rider and brought some guys with me. Man, we rolled hard for about 30 mins, just a great breakaway group. No bullshit. Heads down, pedals turning in smooth rotation. I felt phenomenal. Here's the BLOG LINK
5. Tour of the Battenkill (April 14): Oh, man. Stick 136 Cat 2's from all over the east coast & Canada and you wind up with the most nerve wracking race in history. Geez. This race was stressful. Rist loaned me his 303 tubies and boy was I happy to use them. Absolutely incredible wheels. I was nervous to look at them after that race, but I'll be damned. Those wheels were true as can be and not a scratch on them. Incredible! I had a bad scare about 50 miles in when I went ass over tea kettle and my shifter got caught in some guys wheel. This is the same crash that took my teammate Sobe out, a real bummer. I got going with a boatload of adrenaline running through my veins and chased back on. Evan gave me a little lift to get going. When we hit the Meetinghouse gravel sectors, things imploded. I felt super strong and wasn't having a problem keeping with the lead group. In hindsight, I should have crested the Stage Road climb with an all out attack. Our group let one guy slip off and then we just rolled along pretty easy to the finish. I wanted to attack but we were yellow lined until 1k to go. With an official in front of us and right behind, I worried that I would get DQ'd if I went over the yellow which would be necessary to attack the proper way since the group was bunched up. I jumped on a guys wheel about 150 meters before the final corner and then he sat up so I said screw it and just went as hard as I could to the finish. Pretty surprised I was able to hang onto 6th doing that. I'll take it though. Anything in the top 10 is something to be proud of at Battenkill.
BLOG LINK
So that's it for now. I'm hoping I can hang onto some of this great form over the next few weeks!
I had a really good period from Jan-March. I logged a bunch of miles with the team. I think some well-timed hard riding provided a nice fitness boost. I did 2 of the HWBL (trying to blow myself up), along with 3 days out at Raw Talent Ranch at the beginning of March. I think those were key. I probably had the best base build I've ever had and when I threw in that intensity it was very effective at boosting fitness.
Battenkill was a big target to peak for, so I needed to get my ass out and race as much as possible before that. I think some folks misplay these early season races. For me, it's all about the training. If things pan out with a result, great. But it's not the driving force behind the motivation to improve. Plain and simple, racing hard IS the best way to get faster...not sitting in doing nothing hoping things come down to a sprint.
So here is how things went (I've provided some links to our team blog about races)
1. Tidewater Classic (March 18)- Hyperactive during the race. Throttled myself at the end by attacking the break only to be caught by the field at about 300m mark. Ouch. That hurt, but I knew it would come back in spades later. Field finish. BLOG
2. Blackhills (March 25)- LONG day here. I wasn't sure how the legs would respond. Amazingly, I felt really good. Tried to spend as much time being as active as possible. Our team did really well here. I made the critical move I needed to at the end, but with some slight regret at blowing up going into the last lap and leaving Nicholas alone. A good video of this one can be found CLICKING HERE
3. Jeff Cup (April 1)- I was beginning to realize before this race that my fitness was about as good as it has ever been. For some reason, I've always done well here. But this was going to be a big test doing the P123 race. The field was stacked. Well, low and behold, I made it into the winning break. I was really at first when I didn't have any teammates in the initial move b/c I was heavily out-numbered. Thankfully, Custer came across. And the HUGE bonus was once we realized the make-up of the group, he was in a position to get the Nature Valley Pro Ride slot if he got to the line! I did a lot of work here to keep things going and the pressure off of Custer. It was great! I love doing this type of thing. We had a really tough moment when we hit the climb on the last lap. Holy bejuses did Joe D light that thing up. I honestly think that is the hardest I've gone in a long time. It took awhile to rejoin the front group, but we made it. Those last 2k's were nuts. I was pegged to the limit, just didn't have anything else left in my legs for the final 1k, so I had to settle for 15th. BUT, Custer got the slot! Amazing! BLOG LINK
4. Morgantown RR (April 7)- Wow, what to say here? I freaking won my first P123 race against some really great riders. This was going to be my last hard race in prep for Battenkill. Since the race is short for a Road Race at 50 miles (although the climbs definitely add to its difficulty), I wanted to go early...see what happens. I knew immediately during warm-up that my legs were GOOD. Holy crap, I didn't realize how good though. I attacked to bridge to a solo rider and brought some guys with me. Man, we rolled hard for about 30 mins, just a great breakaway group. No bullshit. Heads down, pedals turning in smooth rotation. I felt phenomenal. Here's the BLOG LINK
5. Tour of the Battenkill (April 14): Oh, man. Stick 136 Cat 2's from all over the east coast & Canada and you wind up with the most nerve wracking race in history. Geez. This race was stressful. Rist loaned me his 303 tubies and boy was I happy to use them. Absolutely incredible wheels. I was nervous to look at them after that race, but I'll be damned. Those wheels were true as can be and not a scratch on them. Incredible! I had a bad scare about 50 miles in when I went ass over tea kettle and my shifter got caught in some guys wheel. This is the same crash that took my teammate Sobe out, a real bummer. I got going with a boatload of adrenaline running through my veins and chased back on. Evan gave me a little lift to get going. When we hit the Meetinghouse gravel sectors, things imploded. I felt super strong and wasn't having a problem keeping with the lead group. In hindsight, I should have crested the Stage Road climb with an all out attack. Our group let one guy slip off and then we just rolled along pretty easy to the finish. I wanted to attack but we were yellow lined until 1k to go. With an official in front of us and right behind, I worried that I would get DQ'd if I went over the yellow which would be necessary to attack the proper way since the group was bunched up. I jumped on a guys wheel about 150 meters before the final corner and then he sat up so I said screw it and just went as hard as I could to the finish. Pretty surprised I was able to hang onto 6th doing that. I'll take it though. Anything in the top 10 is something to be proud of at Battenkill.
BLOG LINK
So that's it for now. I'm hoping I can hang onto some of this great form over the next few weeks!
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