Dogfish Hermann CX Race Report

Cyclocross!

The season has started and I feel 50 years older.  Back, legs, arms, feet, hands all have cuts, bruises, knots, and soreness.  With my body beat up, why am I so happy?

This past weekend was the Dogfish Hermann CX Weekend.  I was on the fence about racing the 3/4s or the 1/2/3s but decided to race the 3/4s to gain experience and to get back home for church on time Sunday evening.  I think I made the right choice.  We made it to church (though I was pretty strung out and covered in mud) and I have a lot of room to grow as a crosser!  Here’s the race rundown from my blue Kona:

Saturday:

Conditions were cool (high 50’s) and we were racing in the dark/under the lights.  About 40 guys lined up and the course was wet but not too sloppy.  I got a 2^nd row start due to pre-reg order and promptly missed my pedal but moved up during the long paved hole shot.  I think I took the first turn in 10^th wheel or thereabout.

The course was a lot of fun to race.  There were open power sections, lots of 180’s, a few off-camber bends, a double sand pit, 2 mini barriers, and 2 regulation barriers.  There were also a few swampy bits and a double staircase runup!  Lighting was ok and there was only one corner that was completely dark – right next to the band.  Yes, live band during the races!

At the front of the race BJ (Momentum) took the early lead with John (My Wife Inc) on his wheel.  I could see the two of them establishing a gap on the line of guys I was with as soon as the first bend around the baseball outfield!  I passed several guys on the stairs and worked my way up into the top 5 catching BJ during lap 3 (I think).  We rolled together for a bit until he slid out on a turn.  I think the two of us were evenly matched this weekend – he with the bigger motor but I with slightly better driving.  It wasn’t much of a difference but that’s how I think it was.

Huppin' through the 2nd sand pit.  Photo Credit: Dan Singer

Out front John was cruising along to a nice gap.  Some friends said I was chipping away at it but I never got within 20 seconds.  My back started to get to me and two Michelob Ultra riders were nipping at my heels.  Then I dropped my chain on a remount and bled 8 spots (my guard obviously was not set up correctly – by me!).  Big thanks to Revolution Cycles for getting me back in the race!  

I worked my way back up to 5^th at one point but in my duels with Aaron Koch (Dogfish) I was bested, finishing 6^th.

I watched a few laps of the 1/2/3s and saw former teammate Jason (Psimet) throwing down monster attacks with the area big dogs.  The kids and the wife were either sleeping or about to be and I needed rest before round two so I missed the finish.  It was a great day of racing though.

Sunday

The forecast was for more heat and more water!  It rained enough overnight that the course Sunday morning was pretty swampy.   The masters coming off the course all told the same tale: don’t take the lines you can see!  It’s slick!  However, as the day went on the rain stayed away while temps went into the 70s (F) making a tacky track that was quite fun.

Another 40 (+/-) dudes lined up for 45 min in the crucible.  John (who won Saturday) won the hole shot and we foolishly let him start earning a gap on the ball field.  I couldn’t believe it, I was in 6^th wheel and couldn’t move up!  Argh!  My legs weren’t so fresh for day two but I started passing people before the stairs and found myself with a little gap in 3^rd by the end of the lap.  I wasn’t really comfortable out there and really felt the fatigue from yesterday, but I was chipping away at the guy in front of me.  

Due to the increased temps I didn’t use embrocation and I also stowed a bottle in my skinsuit between my shoulderblades.  This latter choice was a mistake as it was soon in my saddle area.  Rather than ride it out, I sat up on the road section and fished it out of the skinsuit.  I lost 3 or 4 places doing this dance.  Rather than messing with the bottle, I should have been RACING MY BIKE!  Aaron came flying past me during this time, since he was, y’know, racing his bike.  He was not going to wait for my shenanigans!

Flowing on Sunday!  Photo Credit: Jason Watkins

Well, I clawed one more place back from the guy who was in second earlier but blew up.  The closing laps I was getting closer to the fifth place rider but needed another lap to overtake him.  However, that last lap was zen-full of smooth cornering.  I felt like I could flow on the course that last lap!  I was finding my pedals, taking turns faster and smoother than previously, it’s like I finally “got” the course.  It is my hope that with more cx racing I can start to figure out how to ride a course before the last lap of the second race!!

Auditioning for Stomp?  Photo Credit: Jason Watkins

Epilogue

Big congrats to John on two decisive wins.  Also, thanks to Dogfish Apparel, the city of Hermann, and the promoter Jeff Yielding for putting on a great event.  Those of you who missed it, MISSED OUT!  The family and I are already looking forward to next year's event.

Lafayette Square Race Report

Lafayette Square

Labor Day weekend was flipped upside down on me as my work needed me in Arkansas Saturday through Monday, so the big introduction to the P/1/2s at Gateway Cup would not happen.  However, I was able to race Friday, and for that I’m thankful.

My teammate Kurt advised me to stay cool mentally as “it’s probably going to be the fastest and most dangerous crit you’ll ever do.”  Lol.  He added that he had been crashed out of the top 5 wheels before so…nobody is safe in the dark!  Yes, this race is run in the dark on flat ground.  It is great fun.

The field was pretty strong with real PROs showing up (Huff, Young, Dominguez, Sheerer, Jamis, Kenda, etc.) and plenty of strong amateurs gunning for a result.  I went from racer mode to fanboy when I got a pic with PRO crit champ Eric Young beforehand.  He was cool about it.  I also joked with Brad Huff going through turn 2 or 3.  We were racing around in fast circles and a group of (what sounded like) tweens were cheering rabidly.  I asked Huff if they were cheering for him or me, he said “they don’t know me, it must be for you!”  The other PRO watching moment was with about 10 minutes to go I was trying to stay to the front when as I took an inside line into turn 4 I noticed the Cuban Missile was to my left, bar to bar with me.  I didn’t say anything but it was a cool feeling.  I’m never going to receive a through ball from Messi, or tackle C. Rinaldo, but here I am with real PROs in the midst of the sport.  Pretty cool stuff.

The big surprise from the race was that I felt I belonged.  My concern coming in was that my legs would explode and my lungs would be singed as the PROs dropped kilowatts out of every corner.  It wasn’t like that.  It was fast (our first lap took 2 min on a 1 mile course, from a dead stop), but I could hang and move around the pack.  The realization came to me during the race in a Navin R. Johnson sort of “I’ve figured something out so I’m shouting it” kinda way.  Fortunately my breathing restricted this effect.

I also learned a bunch watching Sheerer, Frey, Huff, Young, and Dominguez during the race.  I’m not going to share any of that with you though.  You have to learn it for yourself!

So I ended the road season with a 43^rd place finish (114 starters I think) and as a cat 2.  As much as cyclocross is exciting, I’m still sad that the road season is closed.  It hit me for the first time when I looked at my carbon racing wheels in the garage: I need to hang those up in the basement now.  I guess it hadn’t occurred to me that I won’t even be using them for six months.  Sad face.

Next up: Dogfish Hermann CX Weekend and an Embrocation Writeup (Review is too thorough for what I'm doing!)

Sedalia/Otterville Weekend

I’m a pretty fortunate guy.  You see, this past weekend was my wedding anniversary and my wife let me go to the races.  Yeah, I’m a lucky guy.

Sedalia Crit [8/40]:

We stayed at the Hotel Bothwell.  Recommended.  Know going in that it was built during a different era, namely the era when people weren't so big and used to such big spaces.  As Cameron pointed out: "it's euro."  In the one bedroom we fit myself, my wife, two toddlers, and my road bike, so it wasn't that small.  After watching the 3/4 race (with teammate Eric holding off BJ by a whisker for third!) we tucked the kids to bed and I ran back out to warm-up for the 1/2/3 race.  Perhaps the best warm-up was the trip up/down 6 flights of stairs?

This was a night-crit in a small MO town.  A good mix of StL and KC racers turned up, I’d guess around 40 guys and Carrie Cash Wooten (kudos to her!).  The course was lit just so-so as turns 1 and 3 were pretty dark.  Ok, turn 4 was dark too.  Pavement was pretty good, a few bumps here and there but nothing awful.

A huge number of primes were offered, it felt like every other lap $20 was waved in front of us.  A $300 crowd prime was put up.  It was pretty cool of them to offer so much cash at this small race.

I followed wheels and practiced cornering in the dark.  The field was pretty hungry and the constant primes meant nobody was staying off for long.  The legs felt good, especially in the second half of the race.  I noticed I could stay seated coming out of turns 2 and 4 when others were standing – always a good sign!

Unfortunately, the race organizers/officials did not have a clock/lap counter at the venue.  For once I wasn’t so hypoxic that I could actually look for/read it and it wasn’t there!  That was pretty bush-league, but Aaro kept us informed of the last 5 laps over the PA.  

Coming into the last couple laps I was in the top 20 or so as swarms were constantly altering the pack.  On the last lap I was in the top 15 and moved up going into corner 3.  I got a little nervous when I saw 4 guys to the inside of me as we hit the turn faster than any lap prior.  I tapped my brakes and instantly lost a lot of speed and valuable positioning.  A loser in all white kit then chopped the last turn, clipped a pedal, slid out, and took Cameron Rex (Gateway Harley/Mesa) into the curb (and breaking his s-works tarmac).  I was the last rider through, but the whole ordeal distracted me enough that I let a gap open – not ideal with 250 meters to go!  I jumped hard and passed some folks taking 8^th place.  

It was a fun crit and sort of a slower dress rehearsal for the Lafayette Square crit next weekend.  I’m pleased with another top 10 in a 1/2 race though it highlights many lessons I need to learn about crit racing.  Thanks to my teammates for cheering me on!

Otterville RR [DNF/14]:

After getting to bed around midnight due to the crit, I was up early for the 9am RR in Otterville!  Otterville does not have a gas station or any restaurants, so any food or water you needed you had to get in Sedalia.  I had enough to start the race (3.5 bottles) but not enough to finish (3 laps/72 miles/2 feeds), so I had my lovely wife run back into town to fetch a pail of water.  Yeah, I’m a lucky guy.  The other thing Otterville had a dearth of was restrooms.  Big blunder by the organizers here: 2 restrooms on site.  Sorry guys, but before I spend (an anticipated) 3 hours on the bike, I’m going to have to hit the potty – and so does everybody else!  The line was 15 minutes long which, given the early start sent a lot of people to the trees – not what you want if you wish to hold the race again!!  Toilet talk aside, the road race course was a good one.  The roads were pretty empty and featured rolling hills and changing winds which reminded me of the Hermann RR course, though more open.

The crit field was 40 strong while the RR field the next morning turned out 14.  Jensen and Stolte (Trek/Tradewind), 2 Mesas, Justin + Jim + Anthony (Dogfish), a Monster drink, Lawrence (CBC), Kent (Colavita), and a few others made for a small but fast bunch.

Justin attacked on the second hill and built up a sizable gap.  Jensen then organized the chase urging us to help out.  I foolishly obliged.  I would pull a turn or two, then think I was being conservative by dropping back and resting a while at the back.  However, all I was doing was softening myself up for the decisive move later in the race.

On lap two we started to reel Justin in and I knew the punches would start flying.  Everyone else knew too, so nobody would pull except for Kent and the Tradewinds.  Brian saw this coming and sat up while Kent kept riding and cruised off the front to join Justin.  Over the top of the next climb Jensen attacked hard taking Jim with him forming the break du jour.  Brian had successfully isolated the best TT’r in the race (Justin), tired him (getting everyone else to chase him for a lap), isolated the next best chasers (Kent + Jim) to weaken any possible chase group, and then dispatched us on a climb.  By leaving Bill in the chase group, he was guaranteed a rested counter should it all come back together.  Well played sirs.  

After we topped out I took a few breaths and then tried to bridge, I got away cleanly but blew up on the next hill before making contact.  The chase group caught me and I slotted in to recover.  After a spell of resting I started to take turns at the front again.  We were catching them and I wanted to help our group stay in the race.  Unfortunately, we hit another steep ramp after I pulled off the front and that was all she wrote – popped off the back.

While cruising into town I could make out another rider in front of me, I “caught” him as we came into the feed zone hill and both of us decided to call it a day.  I started rehydrating and cleaned up while getting to spectate the finish (actually I was just waiting for the wheel truck!).  Jensen won, with Jim and Kent filling out the podium.

I was quite impressed with the way Jensen and Stolte played the field.  Why did we let the strongest guy in the race talk us into working for him?  Next time I don’t plan on playing the pawn so easily.  Kent also impressed as he was working the entire race showing strong fitness, earning that podium.

This race will serve as fodder for the trainer sessions this winter as I struggle with forging ahead in my fitness.  How fast do I need to be?  How fit must I be?  This is a new benchmark.  The entire weekend reminded me of the words of Wayne Simon here, under Cat 2.  

Next up: Friday Night at Gateway and returning to AR for work…

Morton Crit Race Report

Racing in Peoria

The Proctor/Peoria crit has been a favorite the past several years.  Not only was the race on a really fun course, just a short drive from Urbana, it also served as the state championship criterium.  I was disappointed to see the classic 8 corner removed from the schedule but excited to return to greater Peoria nonetheless for the Morton Community Bank Cycling Classic.

I was excited since Peoria served up my very first bike race back in 2007.  I was reminded of this when I bumped into Nick Ramirez (Psimet/Enzo’s) and he introduced me to a cat 5 named Michael.  Mike just completed his first race and (I think) placed fifth!  I hope Mike finds the rewards we all enjoy through the challenge and discipline of competitive cycling.

Like Michael, this part of the season is all about experience for me.  As a new cat 2 I have a lot to learn about racing, so I approached Morton with this in mind.

At registration I handed in my waiver and said I was there to race.  The woman responded: “Cat 4’s?”  Ouch.  Nice ego bruise that.  Whatever, I cheerfully said what race I was in and was given the number five.  I love low numbers.  It is clear you are in the big boy race.  But five?!  It didn’t look like a big field would be showing up today, meaning there would be no place to hide in the peloton.  I’d need a lot of tactical nous and good legs to finish well. 

Morton Crit P/1/2 Field.  Photo Credit: Niki Campen Nation.

Sixteen other riders found their way to the start-line: Hogan Sills (ABD), Nick (Psimet/Enzo’s), the Stone Pony (Scarlet Fire Racing), Drew (Nuvo), Joey Iuliano (Racing for Riley), James Bird (ISCorp), two Wheelfasts, two Bloomingtons, two Proctors, two Panache, a guy in orange/purple kit, and an SCW rider.  There were lots of fast dudes in the group but I was particularly concerned with Sills, Ramirez, and Drew.  The only reason I was not watching Mr. Stone that carefully was that he already raced twice that day!!  (And if you know about this guy you know that he races at and off the front.)

The race was very exciting with numerous attacks from the start (Joey gets the “most attacks” prize by a nose over Nick!) and (perhaps wrongfully) I was concerned not to be left out of early moves.  I was bridging and jumping with early stuff as I had witnessed Hogan get away early in other races and I watched Nick ride away with the Hermann Cat 3 RR earlier in the year.  Nick was hyper-active during this time, jumping away and driving breaks.  My legs hadn’t really come around to feel good but there was little time for that – go go go!

Holding on to Hogan's wheel for dear life during an early attack.  Photo Credit: Niki Campen Nation.

75 minutes is a long time to be on the gas, but you need time to separate the racers.  After numerous attacks, counters, and reshuffling of the breaks two men were off the front with a good gap.  I think Dave Stone was one of them.  Nick and two others got free of the pack and began chasing.  Perhaps Hogan was in this group, perhaps Drew.  The rest of us were largely looking for others to do the work of pulling these guys back as the frenetic race had left many on the ropes – myself included.  If you’ve been in a race you know exactly the moment I’m describing: legs and lungs hurt, wits are dulled, and gaps are opening.  It is THE time to get away if you can.  Well, three more opportunists (including Sills – the order of the second and third groups may be off) broke the elastic and now half the field was up the road and half the field was left in the “pack”.  I was in the pack.  Then I saw it – the coup de grace – the moto ref pulled ahead of our group.  I don’t recall what time/lap we were at but I’d say about 45 minutes in (complete guess).  Was my race over?  Were we fighting for the distinction of “also ran”?  Would we get pulled?

It was gut-check time as a lot of firepower was up the road.  There were no more games, we had to chase!  Joey, a Wheelfast rider (#12), myself, a Proctor, and occasionally a Panache rider began rotating.  I recall several times having both legs light up with lactic acid on pulls going into the red as we chewed up tarmac to reach that front group.  Miraculously, we made it!  We closed down the gap and brought it back together.  The dark humor in the moment came when I looked up and the announcer/officials called out “22 laps to go!”  Oh, only 22 more laps?!  Then, on the next lap (or so) 2 guys went off the front.  Here we go again…

Ramirez, Bird, and Bloomington (?) took off and a new chase began.  I guess my legs came around as I did help a little.  Hogan, Drew, Joey, and some others did work and as the laps ticked down it looked like we could catch them.  During this chase we lapped several riders who got dropped in the field split chase.  The Stone Pony came unglued during this time, too.  The man made the big split in the race, only to have it blow up again.  His racing was absolutely incredible considering: 1) he had already podiumed in a master’s race on the day, 2) he already raced yet another masters race, 3) he has a son my age (!), and 4) it took an hour plus of an all-out-knife-fight to pop him.  Studly stuff that.

The last three laps I skipped pulls to try to save something for the finish.  I had a top ten on account of the lapped/dropped riders but maybe I could finish higher.  Perhaps this is the loathsome lazy sprinter in me, or perhaps said tactical nous.  Sometimes they are hard to differentiate.  The finishing stretch was quite long and I was too timid coming into the line.  Rather than jump multiple times to try to hang on to Hogan, I waited at the back and then moved up late to take 3rd in the bunch, 5th on the day.  I am still pleased with a top 5 finish in this race.  Racing with the big boys (and this isn’t even Gateway we’re talking about!) is much more taxing mentally and physically but also much more exciting and rewarding.  Of note: James (ISCorp) hung on for the win while Hogan (ABD) took the field sprint for 3rd.

It is worth noting that this is the third race on the new Tarmac.  I can't believe the difference.  Cornering and sprinting are noticeably better. I'm super pleased with the bike.

After the race Nick took me aside and clued me in to some needed tactical advice.  Here’s to gaining wisdom!  Then the wife and I headed to a state park for a fun night of camping with the kids. 

I am really thankful for that Saturday.

Next up: the Sedalia Crit and Otterville RR!

MO State Crit Report

MO State Crit

First time in Jeff City.  First race with Brian Jensen and some of the Trek/Tradewind Energy crew (he won, by the way).  First time a shifter broke with 4 to go and I DNF’d in a P/1/2 race.

Yup, that was the MO state crit for me.

My teammate Kurt and I raced well as a team but came up shy of the result we wanted.  Regardless, the race brought my confidence up as my new Tarmac felt great and I was able to go to the front during the race and put in some work.

With a few more crits before Gateway, I hope I can bring the speed up a bit and have a solid finish to this great season.

Babler Circuit Race + GEO Crit Reports

Babler Circuit Race [13/17]

Babler was my first race as a cat 2, so there was a lot to learn going in.  Add to that a 3 week break from racing and I was fairly nervous.  The course was a 4 mile loop with 2 big hills – one up and one down.  I don’t have numbers (no computer, just feel!) but Adam (RecycledCycles) said his Garmin topped out at 18% on the climb.  Let’s just say it wasn’t easy.  With 8 laps I was looking to follow wheels and try to help my cat 1 teammate, Kurt.

I felt good up the climb the first two laps as an early move dangled off the front.  I felt comfortable in the group but was definitely working hard on the hill.  The two-tiered climb usually played out with a steady pace on the lower section with riders kicking it up on the second slope and over the top.  Once they saw that everyone was together the pace would slow a little and the pack would take a deep breath.  It’s funny to me how the first couple times up the climb you keep your breathing quiet and try not to show your cards but by the third or fourth time up the hill you don’t care that you sound like a sow in heat!  By the seventh time up the climb my back was a snare drum and my legs were empty.  I gave in and let the pack go up the road.  I was in the race until the real racing started.  Ouch.

The race highlighted the need to be judicious in the use of strength and cautious to put one’s nose in the wind.  Next time I plan on being around when the fireworks go off!  I’m also taking steps to move past the back pain by getting a bike fit with Russ of Mesa Cycles.  I’ve waited too long to do this!

Kurt rode well and placed 3^rd - another podium for 708 Racing!  

Thanks to Gateway Gastroenterology, Off The Front Racing, and the Park Staff for putting on a great race!

Note: only 17 riders were scored but I thought I counted 25+ at the start – this was confirmed by Daniel (Lindenwood) at the GEO crit as he thought there were ~30 guys in the race.  Suddenly 13th doesn’t suck so much.

Great Egyptian Omnium Crit

After attending a friend’s wedding in Indiana Saturday, I stopped by Carterville, IL for the GEO crit Sunday.  Keith and Erik rode well in the Omnium but had to finish the crit as a t-storm rolled in.  Dead air became 30mph+ gusts uncomfortably quick.  The boys kept the rubber down to seal a good weekend of racing.

For the P/1/2 crit I was hoping the race would be a quiet affair – another chance to get my legs going before the MO state crit and Gateway Cup.  I knew Daniel (Lindenwood) and Eduardo (Bigshark) were going to be there but as I had suspected, Jonathan (Nuvo, National TT champ) showed up.  It would be anything but a slow race now!  Not only that but more firepower came to play via 5 IsCorp riders – this would be quite a race!  Unfortunately, that t-storm that escorted the 3’s to the line poured out lightning on John A. Logan College for 1.5 hours, scrapping our race.  It looks like another 3 week gap between races.  Motorpacing time?

Big thanks to Chad Briggs who put on a great race (from what I could tell about the rest of the omnium) and had super community support (I heard a GEO ad on the radio while driving in!).  Not only that, but Chad refunded the P/1/2 crit entry.  This is definitely a race to attend next year!

My last weekend of bike racing...as a cat 3

Glencoe Grand Prix and Webster Groves Criterium Race Reports

In brief:

Buncha guys lined up.  One rode away 15 minutes in.  I won the field sprint.

If you’re not into the whole brevity thing:

Mike, Nick, Keith, and I headed up to Glencoe to contest the IL state criterium championship for the cat 3’s.  I decided coming in that this would be my last weekend racing in the category.  I had the points for the upgrade (including several wins) and more importantly I was starting to feel stagnant.  Part of that is the place in the season – after racing since April I had accumulated more race starts this season than any prior YEAR!  In fact, I have raced more this year than my first two in the sport combined.  Regardless, I convinced myself that I wasn’t happy with a race unless I won (or a teammate won).  So of course the rational next step is to begin racing in a category where winning means finishing!?

Off the shrink’s couch and on to the race…four of us showed up to represent 708 Racing.  The guys all had good attitudes but I was a basket case.  The state crit always gets in my head and I have trouble sleeping and notice that my normal neuroses and compensation mechanisms all fly into overdrive to deal with the additional self-inflicted stress.  During the warm-up I felt alright but not great and everything that had to happen got done.  I entered the staging area pretty late but pushed Tim Speciale out of the way.  At first he thought someone was being rude, but once he realized it was me the joking began.  It was a good way to kill a little stress before the start.  As they let us go to the preliminary line I snuck forward in the group.  Then they let us go to yet another line and I again moved up.  The race was soon underway and I was looking out for 5 guys: Tim (Psimet), Kyle (Tower), Ryan (xXx), John Villena (Rhythm), and The Squirrel.  I also had to watch the Burnham team as for sheer numbers they could sneak somebody off the front.  

The pace was quick and Burnham kicked things off.  Mike (708), acting the dutiful lieutenant, covered several early moves.  The plan was for Keith and Nick to cover moves while Mike would lead me out for the win.  “Plan B” was to put me in a break.  The team was 100% committed to me (see nervousness above) and I could see it in those first laps.  Nick jumped away during an early lap and stayed off long enough to take the first KoH sprint and I felt comfortable about how we were minding the pack.  I believe that at this point the pace was quick and the course tight, but all 4 708’s were near the front (top 20?).  On the first sprint lap Ryan Fay (xXx) took off.  It was around 15 minutes into the race and I was riding next to Mike in the top 10 or 15 wheels.  I turned to him and said: “What do you think?”  Mike: “It’s early.”  Me: “Yeah, let’s let him dangle.”  Well, that was the wrong decision!  Ryan began putting time into us.  A chase group formed just off the front with Tim and a few others (John?  Kyle?), so I jumped just before the start finish to bridge.  People on the course were giving us splits – 12 seconds, 15 seconds.  Alright, I thought, we caught Ryan and the field has split.  We even have a nice gap!  But by the end of the lap the numbers had gone up and the field had caught us…hmmm, aren’t we all together?  No.  Ryan was still off the front.  I thought for sure he was part of the group I bridged to, but I was very wrong – he was 25 seconds up the road and hammering.

After these early efforts guys started making poor decisions in the tight turns and crashes befell the chase.  The Squirrel was the first to go down (surprise?), but even TSpesh ate it.  Ryan on the other hand knew how to drive his bike and just kept the pressure on.  The gap from spectators was coming in as high as 45 seconds.  The race was up the road.

Nick, Kyle, and I trying to get something going in the chase.  Photo Credit: Elizabeth Rangel.

I ordered Keith and Nick, my khalkotauroi, to the front and they worked to bring back Ryan.  We got back 10 seconds - down to 30 total - but it was too little too late.  I even began my own probing attacks and taking turns at the front to try to instigate a more energetic chase.  It is on this point that I’ve thought over the last week(s).  Should I have tried to bridge solo?  Would it not have been better to go down swinging (or pedaling as the case may be) than to sit in and wait for 2^nd place?  I did have some of these thoughts at the time and considered that there was a chance that Ryan would run out of gas or crash in a turn.  I wasn’t hoping tragedy would befall him, but cracking while holding off the field was a real possibility.  Secondly, being a week or so past prime I haven’t felt very strong for 20 minute solo efforts.  So bridging a 30 second gap solo was racing my weaknesses, not my strengths – it seemed a fool’s errand.  Avoiding this scenario was exactly why I introduced myself to Ryan before the race as I wanted to be sure I knew who he was, what he looked like, and what number he had pinned.  Ultimately, I let a known mark get a gap and race his strengths.  So this race boils down to my tactical failure.  I don’t think this was a question of legs as I bet there were 8-10 guys in the field who could have bridged to Ryan’s move, but we all thought it was too early.  We were all very wrong.

Ryan stormed home with a 34 second advantage, supposedly (since I didn’t see it!) soft pedaling the final straight and enjoying the win.  He certainly should have as he earned it!

Behind we were on a quick lap but I wasn’t in the red – a good feeling leading into a sprint.  I was in about 10^th wheel and I saw Nick in the top 3.  Clearly he was my leadout man into the final turn.  I burned a match up the climb one last time and kept the gas on to make it to Nick’s wheel.  He assumed the front and I shouted commands as he kept the pack strung out.  I told him “this is it!  Go Nick! Go!” and he stood hammering out a pace which served as a launch pad.  While still 50 meters out from the corner I jumped at 80% and hammered into the turn, railing it at speed.  I stood and powered out of the saddle as hard as I could shifting as I got on top of the gear.  I could see Kyle’s wheel beginning to edge up to me on the right so I gave it another kick to be sure he didn’t get me at the line.  I sat up and held up three fingers.  I thought there was a two man break up the road and I had just found the last podium spot. 

Sharing the podium with Ryan Fax (xXx, center) and Kyle Selph (Tower, right).  Photo credit: Nick Gierman.

I was surprised to hear that I finished second but was still disappointed.  I was truly happy for Ryan as he had earned the victory.  However the race was my best chance at a state championship for some time as the P/1/2’s aren’t exactly going to let me waltz across the line uncontested.  But this is what makes state championships special – they are hard earned.  If everyone was champ they’d be meaningless.  My cat 3 campaign for 2011 will close with a silver medal in both state races – not too bad.  Shall I buy a TT bike and see if I can finish second to Ryan in late august for the trifecta?  No thanks.

I think it's clear from my recap, but just in case you missed it: I have awesome teammates.  Thanks again to the 708 team for working for me.

Webster Groves Crit

Racing is fun, but most of the time it is serious fun.  You set goals, train hard, and do your best, accepting the outcome.  Sometimes it is fun to just have fun and not take it seriously and that is how I approached this race.  I think I had to.  My shoes (which have worked great all year) had a buckle break (already repaired – thanks Mesa!) and I was mentally exhausted from the previous day’s race and travels.  So my goal was to win preems and be a jerk to anyone in a breakaway.  I didn’t care how I finished, I just wanted to horse around!

To that end I took the front on the first lap and kept it strung out for a little bit.  It was a 3/4 race after all, and we don’t need those cat 4’s hanging around crashing us out(!).  I chased moves and stole a preem from Jason (CBC), even tried my hand at a “Fay” but only stayed off for 2 or 3 laps.  Je suis fatigue.  (I don’t speak French.)

We had fun and mugged for our great cast of StL photogs.  One of the highlights of the day was seeing my sister’s Father-in-Law there.  Lockwood is a Webster Groves local and he came out to see a race.  His nephew, Jeremy Bock (Dogfish) was unable to make it – a huge disappointment for Lockwood.  What started as “I can only watch the first 20 minutes” ended as “I just couldn’t leave – it was so exciting!”  Amen.  Nick Hand hung tough and finished 5th on the day.

This race day saw a crash from a racer named Randy.  He's still in the hospital (several weeks later) and we're all pulling for him.  If you think of it, please pray for his recovery and his family's comfort.

At the end of the crit I took off for a 2 3 week work trip to Arkansas.  Yeehaw!