Testing that training

This past weekend offered up some serious opportunities to test the progress of my training with two time trials on Saturday and a challenging road race on Sunday.  With the TT and road bikes on the roof of the car, Karla and I made a quick stop at Blue Star in Twisp to get a couple of iced coffees for the road and after some encouraging words from Meg headed off to the west side to see how far we’d come since the first race of the year six weeks earlier.  First up on Saturday was the Skagit Valley Time Trial held on a course overlooking beautiful Padilla Bay.  Conditions were nearly ideal with sun and temps creeping into the 50s and very little wind.  I had raced on this course three years ago, taking a second place that day, so I was hopeful of a good ride.  Of course that race was mid-season and this one was early on, but hope doesn’t trifle with details like that!  I had a solid ride and felt pretty good, definitely better than the first effort of the year.  My time was nearly a minute slower than my ride of a few years ago, so I wasn’t too sure what the results sheet would say.  It said 6^th place for me.  Faster than most, slower than some.  Five seconds faster would have gained me a couple places, but I was pretty satisfied with the early season result.

As with the morning event, the afternoon event, the Northshore Hillclimb Time Trial was part of the Cascade Time Trial Series.  I was not sure what to expect going into this one other than pain.  It would be the second time trial of the day and was nearly all uphill and under two miles in length.  It would be intense.  I decided the road bike was the correct bike for this test, but installed my deep section carbon Easton EC90TT wheels on it.  Their lightweight, stiffness, and aerodynamics were just the thing for this event.  As I warmed up, I was pleasantly surprised to find my legs responding and not feeling too hammered from the morning time trial.  Soon my start came, and I shot off the line across the short flat section before the start of the main climb.  The bike rocketed along, but soon the hill approached and the speed began to bleed off.  The course was not a steady climb and even had a flat to rolling section midway.  As I came off the steep parts, I really appreciated the lightweight of my wheels and how fast they accelerated.  Soon, I was in the final 150 meters, a very steep pitch, clawing my way to the finish.  I had survived one of the most painful six and a half minutes I have spent on a bike and began the wait for the results.  I was stoked to see that I had managed a third place with my effort.  My results from the day’s two time trials had moved me into sixth place in the Cascade TT Series standings after three of the five events.  The last two time trials are courses that I should be able to do good rides on, so a high finish in the series is in reach.

We closed out the weekend with the Northshore Road Race on Sunday.  The course in the hills along Lake Whatcom in Bellingham is a classic and challenging eight mile loop with two substantial climbs per lap.  My group was slated for 4 laps plus one more trip up the first climb to the finish at the top.  This race quickly turned into a training ride for me, as my legs were fairly trashed  from the previous days efforts and I was unceremoniously dropped about halfway through the first lap.  I eventually hooked up with another couple of riders and we worked well together throughout the rest of the race picking off stragglers as best we could.  The results placed me an even 50^th of 61 riders.  Certainly nothing to be excited about for that race, but given the results of the previous day though, the weekend was a success.

2009 State Masters Omnium - Road Race

Today was the first event in the Washington State Masters and Juniors Omnium Championships. Unlike most omniums which start with a time trial, today featured the road race with a time trial and criterium on tap for tomorrow. The road race was held on the challenging Northshore road race circuit which is about 8 miles per lap and has about 500 feet of climbing per lap divided primarily between two main climbs. A strong wind was blowing as well providing that extra touch.

After my disappointment with my effort and result at last weekend's state TT championship, I was hopeful that this weekend's racing would help me put that behind me. I didn't get a chance to pre-ride or drive the course so when I rolled away from the start with 36 other masters C riders, it was a little bit of a voyage into the unknown. Our race was to be 6 laps plus another time up the first climb to the finish at the top. This would leave us with a tally of about 50 miles and 3300 feet of climbing for the day.

In less than a mile, the first climb began. It was kind of a stair step affair with sections of various steepness but gained a couple hundred feet in about a mile. The pack took it at a fairly relaxed pace, with everyone still loosening up a little bit. After the "frontside" climb, the course had a long mostly flat, downwind leg that kept the speed nice and high. At this early point in the race, I was mostly still settling in and taking notice of any riders whose pack riding skills, or lack thereof, might make them a hazard to be avoided. Usually these riders are no longer in contact after a lap or two. Today was no exception. The rider that most worried me today had a habit of changing which wheel he was following without making sure he was clear. It's fairly amazing he didn't take anyone down, but he was off the back on lap two.

After the fast downwind section, the course turned and headed back into the wind and towards the other main climb, which also had the feed zone located at the top of it. The wind on this section was strong and as we turned onto it, the pack would stretch a little and riders near the back would have to sprint out of the corner to close back up with the group. I suspect more than a couple tired riders lost contact at this point today as the wind took its toll.

The "feed zone" climb was simlilar in size to the frontside climb, but was much more steady in its grade. It was followed by a fast, steady descent back down to the start area. On the descent, there was a couple spots with crosswinds that seemed to make life difficult for those racers running deep section wheels. You could certainly tell who had ridden their fancy wheels in the wind before, and those who had not.

The first few laps were marked by occasional attempts by riders to form breakaways. As would be expected on this course, the pack was also steadily losing numbers out the back. I think it was on lap four that a breakaway of four or so riders finally got a good gap and disappeared off into the distance. By this time the remaining field was down to about 15 riders or so. The pack had been pretty quiet up to this point. Generally, there is a little small talk going on between riders throughout the race, but I think today's effort kept the chat to a minimum. On lap 5 that changed, I think we all came to the same conclusion, the break was gone and with two laps to go there was no reason squander our individual chances chasing it. With omnium points going 15 deep, everyone still in the pack was in the running. The pace eased noticeably and the small talk picked up. Even approaching the feedzone climb for the last time, guys were chatting away like it was a weekend club ride.

We came down the descent quite leisurely, as everyone was waiting for the final time up the front side climb and the "bonus" 200m long climb on a side road to the finish line. As we rolled onto the bottom of the climb, I tried to be patient and get up it at my own pace, but obviously as fast as possible. I was pretty spent by this point and although I lost contact with the group, I was still hopeful I might pick off a straggler or two by the top and get into the points. As it was I caught and dropped only one but was able to hold him off to the line. The final 200m turned off onto a side road and was the steepest part of the whole race. By the time I was halfway up it, I was seeing stars. I got across the line and was quite relieved to be done and extremely happy with how I had ridden on this challenging course. For the record, I missed out on the points, but I did finish 17th out of 37 starters. Hopefully, I've got something left in the legs for tomorrow's time trial.