|
|
Post by Tom M on May 18, 2009 11:29:59 GMT -8
Alan got me a copy of this flyer, so I thought I'd share:  I assume this series probably uses the same loop as the 24-hour race, can anyone confirm/deny that? I'm thinking about going out there this evening after work, assuming that (1) it does use the 24-hour course, and (2) that the course is currently marked, since I don't know it myself. Anyone interested in going for a fast XC ride tonight, post back and let's see if we can coordinate. The soonest I could get out there would probably be 6:30PM and that's if I leave right at closing. |
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on May 18, 2009 19:58:22 GMT -8
Work went into overtime today, so it's a good thing no one spoke up  I found the course pretty well marked. Whoever devised that course has an awfully good memory (or a GPS, more likely) because it certainly has a lot of twists and turns! Anyway, I was all warmed up, so I tried it out and managed a 54:05, which includes maybe 30-45 seconds of time wasted at one ambiguous junction. The bugs and I took turns using eachother as energy food ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 3, 2009 19:53:16 GMT -8
I went to tonight's race and they had a 2-lapper option for non-Masters (I'm one year too young to be in the Masters class). So I gave that a shot. Surprisingly, they mass-started everyone at once. I'd heard from Glenn Copus that there was a bottleneck after about 1/4 mile, so I edged up and was into the singletrack in about 7th place. From there, I just waited for the inevitable attrition, and 2/3 of the way through the first lap it was down to just me and one other rider, Greg Smith. In the end, I was a very close 2nd-place by just 50 feet and closing  We had a serious gap on 3rd and beyond (turns out it was almost four minutes). I chatted for a while with the other dude, and then wandered home feeling pretty dehydrated and moderately fried. Now it's recovery time, and to heck with the diet, I want...  |
|
|
|
Post by Mike S on Jun 3, 2009 20:25:16 GMT -8
Third place Tuesday night and Second place Wednesday night. How that's not a bad week. Nice work Tom. Way to represent.
|
|
sean
Full Member
cool
Posts: 132
|
Post by sean on Jun 4, 2009 9:14:08 GMT -8
Nice work Tom. You blew by me on Little Vietnam like I was standing still. Next time stay around for a bit and have a beer afterwards; not looking forward to having you in the Masters division next year...guess I'll have to get better ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 4, 2009 11:09:54 GMT -8
Nice work Tom. You blew by me on Little Vietnam like I was standing still. Next time stay around for a bit and have a beer afterwards; not looking forward to having you in the Masters division next year...guess I'll have to get better ;D I confess I didn't recognize you then, I only made the connection after seeing your name in the results. You were in green, right? You were right in front of me through most of Little Vietnam and looked pretty smooth  I had to get home, I was beginning to bonk on the ride home, but next time I'll bring some recovery food and hang out |
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 10, 2009 21:19:29 GMT -8
I went to another Wednesday-night race tonight. Anyone who wants a workout, this is just the ticket... my average heart rate was 174, max 188. It's not easy to force my HR into the 180s and keep it there, but XC racing works for me I had Greg Smith to pace off of for the first lap, and then Kevin Bradford-Parish came up, bided his time for a little while, and then passed us with an unstoppable move on 5-Minute on the second lap. He finished well up on Greg and I, despite his front tire having a slow leak! Nice riding, Kevin! I wasn't very happy with my own ride, because I made some serious errors, actually missing two turns on the course and having to backtrack  But in the end, it didn't change anything, Greg and I were both right there together at the finish anyway. We had a long flat lead-in to the finish line this time, so it ended up being a drag race for 2nd place, which I won by maybe 1 second. I guess that "Extreme Caffeine Mocha" I got at the gas station was worth it  Side note: if I do another Wednesday-night race, I want to get there early enough to do one pre-ride, because they keep changing the route. Forewarned is forearmed...Sean was out there again too, good to see you Sean Ditto for you, Alan! |
|
|
|
Post by aj1152 on Jun 11, 2009 7:00:53 GMT -8
Point of Clarification: Alan was out there, but not racing. He was too much of a sissy and came out to cheer.
Way to go, Tom. First place on Tuesday night, second place on Wednesday. What does it feel like to podium two time a week for two weeks in a row?
|
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 11, 2009 7:32:49 GMT -8
What does it feel like to podium two time a week for two weeks in a row? It feels good, but expensive! Between entry fees, lost hours at work to go to the race, energy food, fuel to drive the car to Cheney, a new bottom bracket for the Stumpjumper this week... it's adding up  I was cheered indeed to see you out there, thanks for coming! |
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 17, 2009 20:02:46 GMT -8
Another Wednesday, another brutal workout ;D Average heart rate: 175 (and that's despite being stuck behind people for the first ten minutes) Maximum heart rate: 189 We had a bottleneck after about 1/4 mile and unfortunately I was behind a bunch of people as we went upstream on Little Vietnam. I squeaked out a few passes, then went to catch the leaders once we got out into the wider stuff. After getting through Little Vietnam and crossing the Centennial Trail, I was with about five guys. Before long, we hit the singletrack climb called "Wicked Witch." I knew it was coming, and knew I could blitz Wicked Witch and the next climb after it, if I wasn't stuck behind someone, because they're pretty short climbs. So I made sure to get the holeshot on WW ( unfortunately a medium-sized bug picked PRECISELY this moment to fly right down my throat). From there on, I was by myself until Kevin Bradford-Parish came up on me in the second lap, and then went on by. He's not just strong, but very smooth too Way to make it look easy, Kevin! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 24, 2009 20:03:45 GMT -8
Tonight was the last night of the series. It was pretty warm weather, so I took along a couple waterbottles. Kevin wasn't there tonight, so Greg Smith and I paced off eachother and didn't go quite so hard. On the first lap, I pulled away from Greg for a while after we'd gone up Angels Up, but then eased off and regrouped with him. We stuck together until that point in the second lap, where I got a little reckless on a descent and flatted my rear tire. I told Greg I'd see him at the finish line, and got started on fixing my flat while being eaten alive by mosquitos  Did I mention I'd inhaled another bug earlier...? Insects. They're evil.  OK anyway, I'm fixing my flat and OH NOES , two riders pass me! MUST. NOT. ALLOW.!!!!  So I gave my tire one 16-gram CO 2 and make a judgement call that ok, it's soft, but if I'm REALLLL careful, I can nurse this to the finish line. In retrospect, I should've spent another 30 seconds topping the tire off with my pump, or given it another cartridge if I'd had one, but the mosquitos were vicious and I wanted to get rolling. I went slow through the rocky parts, but I caught up with the two guys and passed them back on a 1-minute climb, and got to the finish line without flatting my super-soft rear tire again, finishing a couple minutes down. It was an enjoyable challenge |
|
|
|
Post by Mike S on Jun 24, 2009 20:05:58 GMT -8
Nice report Tom. Where is the next stop on the podium tour?
|
|
|
|
Post by Tom M on Jun 24, 2009 21:00:52 GMT -8
Nice report Tom. Where is the next stop on the podium tour? Well, I'm almost certain to place in the top 25 in the race on Sunday... |
|
I found the course pretty well marked. Whoever devised that course has an awfully good memory (or a GPS, more likely) because it certainly has a lot of twists and turns! 
We had a serious gap on 3rd and beyond (turns out it was 
I had to get home, I was beginning to bonk on the ride home, but next time I'll bring some recovery food and hang out 
But in the end, it didn't change anything, Greg and I were both right there together at the finish anyway. We had a long flat lead-in to the finish line this time, so it ended up being a drag race for 2nd place, which I won by maybe 1 second. I guess that "Extreme Caffeine Mocha" I got at the gas station was worth it 
Did I mention I'd inhaled another bug earlier...? Insects. They're evil. 
OK anyway, I'm fixing my flat and OH NOES 
So I gave my tire one 16-gram CO2 and make a judgement call that ok, it's soft, but if I'm REALLLL careful, I can nurse this to the finish line.