Cyclists love tips. In fact, tips are such a part of cycling that not only do bike magazines regularly publish such tips, but it's even a regular part of a very popular cycling podcast.
I myself am not immune to the lure of tips. And, like any true afficionado, I often enjoy coming up with my own, and passing along some of my favorites.
So, on the occasional Tuesday, watch this space. If the post isn't something for TechTalk Tuesday, it'll be a Tuesday Tip.
For this inaugural edition, I offer something I discovered when I last cleaned my bike.
Some of you know that I truly went over-the-top in outfitting my bike for 2009 installing red brake lever hoods to complement the red frame and all-red tires(!) While colored brake hoods look very pro, like white bar tape, they sure do get very dirty very fast.
But GoJo works wonders. Just put some in your hands and rub all over the hoods. The pumice will provide all the scrubbing action you need and the soap itself is tailor-made for removing the black gunk that Hudz seem to attract. Just be sure to rinse as normal. Repeat if necessary.
It may work on bar tape too, but I haven't tried it. It'd save having to change your tape so often (are you listening DaveH & SDC?). If you try it, lemme know if it works.
And from among the 102 tips from this month's Road Bike Action magazine, here are my favorites, ones that I'd never heard before but have found very helpful:
"#14 Run your brake pads as far away from the rims as you can without compromising stopping performance. Wheels flex wildly when you are climbing, accelerating and sprinting - which drives the rims against the brake pads, causing brake drag when you need it the least."
Up until I read this, I did just the opposite - adjusting my pads as close to the rims as possible for hyper-responsive braking. And I wondered why I wasn't going as fast as I should. I hope this was why. . .
"#(30) . . . Route the right side shifter housing to the left side of the downtube, and the left side shifter housing to the right side of the downtube. The shifter cables will need to cross each other mid way down the downtube in an X pattern in order to reach their proper location on each side of the bottom bracket. This routing will result in much smoother arcs to the housing [and] less friction. . ."
My bike actually came like this, but I thought it was wrong so I changed it. Now I realize I was wrong. Such is the newbie experience.
One of the attractions of racing is its variety. Every race offers a number of opportunities to push yourself, find your limits, try new tactics, learn. Just when I think I have racing figured out (being able to act on what I think I know is another matter), I realize how much I have left to learn.
Case in point: yesterday's race.
But first, an introduction.
Course Description
In addition to our weekly training races, my team puts on a larger, annual race in East Hartford - The Keith Berger Memorial Criterium in East Hartford, CT.
The track itself is a pretty straightforward one mile circuit, with few unique characteristics. Despite its proximity to the river, there's no view - just a very large levee. The roads are wide, in decent shape, and (technically) closed to traffic. One distinguishing characteristic is the short leg between corners 3 and 4. It's very short, so you have to be in good position going into corner 3 and there's still a long way to the finish line (located where the "54" is at the corner of Hartland St. and Founders Plaza - click for a larger view) but at least it's straight and wide.
One other thing: it's pancake flat and very fast. The only thing that'll break things up are your competitor's legs, or the wind - if there is any.
Despite the plainness of the track, this is one of the best crits I've raced. Sure, I'm biased, but the team knows what it's doing and is very organized. Since I'm new, I think I can still say that with some level of objectivity. Registration was well-manned ("womanned" actually) and smooth, "facilities" were close at hand, and there was even neutral support provided by SRAM. I wouldn't have minded getting to use one of their backup bikes, but I didn't want to crash to be able to. There was a finishline camera, plenty of officials and the results were posted quickly.
Best of all - the main point of the race was to raise funds for junior racers and cancer research. Keith Berger was a CVC team member who died of cancer and one of his passions was supporting and encouraging younger racers. I never had the privilege of knowing him, but his family continues to support the race and were there yesterday thanking people. First class folks for sure.
This was the first time I'd ever raced here and the first time I've been able to volunteer with some of the logistics. Mrs. SOC and I volunteered to help marshal the course and, in addition, I was able to get a good deal on PowerAde.
A REALLY good deal - 10 cases worth. Consequently, we had to use the truck - too much to pack. How much?
Well, in addtion to the 15o bottles (32oz each!), there was: 1 bike, 4 wheels, race bag, trainer, pump, cooler, 2 beach chairs, 2 umbrellas, "sundry" bag and other miscellaneous items. Thankfully, my truck has an "extra cab."
The Race
Back to the "learning" though. Being "our" race, we on the Cat3 team hoped to do well. And we were packing some extra firepower in the form of a couple of strong new teammembers. So we had a total of 5 in the race. Since it was the first time we were racing together like this, our plan was to each race our own race and see where we were at the end. It was pretty windy, with headwinds on 2 sides of the track, so we figured no breaks would stick. "No problem" I thought - I figured we'd just stay sheltered and see how we'd fare in the sprint.
Me and Hobgoblin at the line - the last time I'd see the front of the race.
Just under 50 of us lined up and were off. This is a shot of the first corner. S/F is behind to the left.
It was a very good race. Here's 4/5ths of the CVC team together. The pace was never really unmanageable, though it did vary a lot depending on whether we were heading into the wind. We used our brakes more than we really should have. But, despite some minor bumping here and there and a couple of clipped pedals in the turns, there were no crashes.
Any safe race is a good race and this was definitely a good race for me. Flat, fast races suit me and though my HR data shows me in Zone 5 for most of the race, it didn't feel that hard.
I raced very conservatively - trying to practice moving up within the pack when I could, but mostly staying to one side or the other about 1/2 way back. Conserving my energy but, paradoxically, using more than I should have when it didn't matter.
Consequently, I wasn't near the front where I could attack or chase down any breaks. Since that really wasn't in our plan, I didn't think too much about it at the time, but I think I would have had a lot more fun if I'd been more near the front and latching onto attacks when they came.
Turns out, I raced too conservatively. The front got away from me during the final few laps and I couldn't move up quick enough, despite a great effort by SDC to thread me through the pack and up to the front. I was glad I could follow his wheel as he threaded needles (learning only later that there were a lot of gaps he decided not to go through) .
I *did* move up though, and though I lost the wheel through the 3rd corner, I passed a lot of guys in the final stretch, guaranteeing a top 20 finish (barely).
But on the video I think I look a little ridiculous sprinting past guys that had basically sat up. I think from now on, if I'm not in contention for the top 10 I'll sit up too, even if I lose a bunch of spots.
So, what did I learn?
Practice staying in the middle of the pack, making my zone of comfort smaller and smaller;
Practice holding position, especially if you're on a good wheel;
When you have teammates in the race, have a clear plan, deciding who is going to be set up for the win and have the others race/sacrifice accordingly;
Related to the above, race less conservatively - especially if you're not the one responsible for saving all your matches for a sprint that will win
And, finally, I have to consider that in the Cat3s, if you end up lower than 10th, it should be because you blow yourself up working for your teammates, and not because you race so conservatively that you aren't near the front when you need to be - either racing for the day's designated leader, or maintaining a winning position in the final laps.
As I've said before, one of the nice things about racing is that there's usually another race and another chance to learn and perfect your skills and tactics.
My next race is tomorrow night and class is in session.
I finally got around to uploading/creating links to the data for my recent races. This may not be considered "Cycling Fun" for you, but it's a good reference for me - as well as a quick way to access all the stats without having to dig through my TrainingPeaks.
If you're interested, check out "Recent Races" in the left hand column (scroll down). You'll see a few brief stats and a hyperlink to the full data in either MotionBased or GarminConnect.
Funny - as I was going through my past races, I realized I've raced 11 times this season so far (including the Bethel & Plainville Spring Series races) - already more than all of last year (not including the Tuesday Night training crits). I guess this whole racing thing is more mental on many levels. I really didn't think I was racing all that much. Guess it's only true that I wasn't racing all that much, uh, in May.
Future
Well, not TOO far in the future - but wanted to be sure to remind y'all about our team's annual race in East Hartford, CT this Sunday:
You can pre-register here. Do it now! Pre-reg ends at NOON TODAY. 'sokay if you miss pre-reg though. We'll have an ample number of folks to cover Day Of registrations, so you can register Sunday too, no problem. But save your 5 bucks if you can...
I've never done this race before, but I'm looking forward to it. On the map, it looks like a nice 4 corner crit - with one shallow corner and a corresponding sharp corner. The nicest feature looks like the one long stretch that goes along the Connecticut River. The weather's supposed to be good (a rarity so far this season), so c'mon out and join us for the fun!
My usual training loop includes a little branch. Consequently, it's more a "Q" than an "O." That little branch goes through Essex and down to the river. This particular morning, the fog off the water was especially heavy, greying the otherwise sunny day.
Ever look in the sky and wish you could bounce around on the puffy, white clouds?
On some mornings, one of those puffy white clouds walks down Main Street. As you can see, there's no way you can bounce around on it. But riding through it has its own unique & wonderful sensation just the same.
I raced at Charlestown, RI this past Saturday in a crit sponsored by Mystic Velo. Despite its official name, however, this race will always be "the race at Ninigret" - sounds cooler, like "the races at Narragansett" - but instead of horses, the ponies here are made of carbon fiber and aluminium.
It's one of the few tracks in the region dedicated to bike racing (the other one I know of is Walnut Hill Park, in New Britain, CT) and it's nice to race on a totally closed course. As you can see from the pic above, like The Cyclone in New London, it's a technical crit: 5-7 corners, depending how you count'em, including a very sharp (almost 180) corner and a broad S curve. The pavement is a little rough - literally. No potholes, but the tarmac is like a cheese-grater. You certainly don't want to crash here. Thankfully, there are no curbs and - despite a litte grass surfing - there were no crashes in our race.
The track's surface may be an artifact of the track's (storied) history. You may notice (especially if you click on the pic or zoom out on Google maps' satellite view of the area), this was a former airport. In fact, it was an airbase during WWII - and where George HW Bush was stationed before going to fight in the Pacific. Lots of history at this crit track (including drag racing during the '50s?!) - click here for more.
The white rectangle is near the start/finish and it's where you register. You race counter-clockwise and, although the track is pancake flat, wind is always a factor here. The first corner is a 45 degree shot to the right, then you hit the sharp corner going back left. The rest of the track is pretty straightforward (despite all the corners). But note: the final corner actually has two angles which can cause some sketchiness. And it is FAR away from the finish. You don't want to start your sprint out of this corner.
Like last week, the weather forecast wasn't good, so I didn't pre-reg, figuring I'd wait and see. Well, as the fog in the distance attests, the weather wasn't perfect, but it was dry and not as windy here as usual. 37 of us lined up for the Cat3-only race. While breezy, it wasn't too windy to prevent a break from going. I didn't have any teammates, so I'd have to keep a very close watch on things.
I stayed near the front for most of the race and it was fast (26.5 mph avg). But these flat, fast races suit me and I didn't think it was as hard The Cyclone. I guess even the slightest undulations get to me (one of the few drawbacks of living/training near the shore...)
There were plenty of attacks as we tried to split the field and shake off the marginal guys - hard to do since there's no "selection hill." All you've got to shake out the field is raw speed. And the wind.
Most of the attacks would launch as we headed into the wind down the long straightaway coming back past the S/F. A few guys would usually get a decent gap, but the pack would chase them down. Cyclonauts had a lot of guys in the race (as they often do), so any break with a 'naut in it had to be watched closely - or joined if possible.
A couple times, I found myself at the front - not really where I wanted to be, especially since I had no illusions of breaking away myself. But at least it resulted in a few decent pics!
Speaking of pics, our friends from RI - Sarah & Jeff - met us at the race and were there to cheer me on. Thankfully, Sarah had brought her camera too - which proved VERY helpful when ours died toward the end of the race! The pic above (and the rest of the pics in this post) courtesy of Sarah.
Here's a rare shot of Mrs. Suitcase herself, shooting the pack as it races by.
As I mentioned, there were a lot of attacks and if I were a little smarter, I would have just let the teams chase them down. The risk of that strategy comes from "the teams" having teammates in the break. If "the teams" are represented, who's gonna chase? Especially when the teams' teammates tag along for any free ride?
However, the reward comes if you can get in a break where the teams are represented. You can rest assured that the pack will have a hard time chasing. As an individual, you've gone from fighting the entire field to just having to worry about your break companions.
But you have to get in the break first. And fortunately, Sarah caught one of my attempts on, er, "film." While I don't remember when during the race I made this effort, but I do remember the result. I made the same mistake last weekend: instead of launching & committing to the effort to bridge, I just ramped up the pace.
When I flicked my elbow to have Mr. Disc Wheel 1 come around, he gave me the bad news: he had a guy in the break. No help coming from him.
But it was worth trying. As you can see (esp. if you click for a larger view - which you should always do on all the pics :^), there was a 4 man break and not only was Mr. Disc Wheel 2 in it, but a Cyclonaut was as well. It was a dangerous break.
What am I doing chasing it down and bringing the field with me?? I hope the rest of the guys appreciated it. I, for one, had burned a bunch of my precious matches...
SIDEBAR re disc wheels: I've noticed these in a couple of races during my (relatively short) time racing and somebody asked whether they're legal for crits. I'm not sure, but I don't think there's a rule against it. I do know I wouldn't want to race with one in windy conditions. I prefer sails on a boat - not a bike. But one of these two disc wheel guys is local legend & long-time racer Paul Curley and I for one am not going to second-guess his choice of hardware (looks like he uses it in 'cross races too(?!)) END SIDEBAR
When we caught the break, I was pretty spent. And then the inevitable counter-attack launched. I almost got spit out the back, but was able to hang on enough to recover - and got some more experience moving up in a pack. Not that easy - with only 37 racers, there wasn't much of a "pack," what there was was usually strung out, and the corners kept everybody shifting from side to side. But I did my best to recover when I could, and stayed no further back than 1/2 way.
As I watched the lap cards count down (having learned THAT lesson well), we got to 3 to go and I noticed Head 'Naut motioning for his teammate DM to get on his wheel, which he did (impressive threading of the pack BTW). I figured that was the leadout/sprinter combo to watch for and I did what I could to follow DM's wheel. But this is my first season as a 3 and I still have a lot to learn about threading those needles. I kept them in sight though.
I think it was about this time (or at least it's when I first noticed) a 'naut fired off the front and up the road, alone. There was no way from my position that I was going to chase him down (not to mention the inevitable, um, passengers I would have collected along the way). It was a nervy move and I figured if he could hold it to the end, good for him. He'd deserve the win.
But as we came blazing around the final corner, we passed him like he was going backwards. I figured he either blew up, or more sinisterly (if that's even a word), he was just there to keep the pace high for his teammates. One thing I've always admired about the Cyclonauts is their sacrificial teamwork.
As we came out of the corner, everybody notched it a few gears higher and opened up the sprint - a little early, I thought, but I had a bunch of guys in front of me so if they wanted to fry themselves early, so be it (especially if it benefitted me).
But then a funny thing happened. What little field remained in front of me split wide open - 1/2 going to the left side of the road, 1/2 to the right, with a few left across the front, about 3o meters up the road. I hesitated for a split second - at least as much from indecision about which wheel to follow as consideration for others' safety (I didn't want to cut anyone off). I had no choice but to sprint, unprotected, into the wide-open maw in front of me.
The result was predictable. Yeah, I was able to pass a few guys (it helped that a couple of them sat up - ha!) but not enough. I'd had vague dreams of being in the money (top 5) and high hopes of a Top Ten finish. But the results - not to mention the photo finish camera - don't lie. I came in 12th.
If I needed any further confirmation, Sarah supplied the finishline video - after gamely responding to screams polite, if not particularly demure, requests from Mrs. Suitcase - as the sprint was starting! - to shoot the finish since our camera had just died:
Note that I had at least identified the right wheel, even if I couldn't follow it. Head 'naut - either leading out too strongly, or having DM sweep his wheel - won, with DM coming in 2nd. Master Curley came in 3rd. An impressive podium by any measure.
So, while a little disappointed, I'm pleased with my result against that field. I'm doing better each race, and - most importantly - learning more. That's what keeps racing fun.
Of course, friends - old and new - play a huge role too. Before the race, Central Wheel teammember Anthony recognized me from this blog - and thanked me for chasing him down at New London (though he, graciously, declined to mention that, while I chased him down, I didn't actually catch him). And I saw new CVC teammember Rish, having just gotten 5th in his race, and our newest member Paul, so new he doesn't even have our kit yet.
Most surprisingly was seeing a friend from way out on Cape Cod lining up for the race right after mine. Dusty is no slouch having done very well last year at the Cyclocross Masters Nationals. He came in 3rd at Ninigret. It was great to see him.
And, in what has become an after-race ritual now (and a VERY welcome addition to the, ahem, race routine), we spent the afternoon with Jeff & Sarah eating, shopping and checking out the bookstores. The weather held out until we were literally walking back to the car to head home; the rain adding its own unique ending to what turned out to be an otherwise wonderful day.
(for more pics from this race, AND more video, be sure to check out this link)
Is your ride feeling lackluster lately? I don't just mean your ride, as in your route. Your ride - your bike.
Maybe it's time to give it a little TLC. Washing your bike - especially getting your drivetrain all nice and clean - not only gives you a chance to see whether there are any safety issues (cracks in the frame, worn chain, etc), but it'll make your bike look like new. And don't we all like riding around on a new (even if only new looking) bike?
And this time of year, you can do it outside. But you can, um, do it in your shower too. The result is the same.
So if you're feeling "meh" on the bike, give it a little love. It'll likely pay you back with a little additional motivation to ride.
The weather has kept me from getting out to ride as much as I'd like, but rainy days are perfect for hangin' out at your LBS (local bike shop).
Our team's sponsor shop, Vernon Cycle, isn't too far from where I work, so during a recent lunch break, I went on over to pick up an order. Here's what I got (try to contain your envy):
Park Tool Heavy-Duty Apron
I've been wanting one of these for a while since - even though I keep my bike pretty clean - there's always a good chance black grease marks will inexplicably show up SOMEwhere on my clothes. And since I'm seldom patient enough to actually change clothes before working on my bike (if I'm going to have to change anyway, I might as well kit up and ride), I'm in constant danger of ruining my perfectly good jeans-and-flannel-shirt combo. No longer.
Park Chainring Nut Wrench
Despite its scary sounding name, this will likely become one of the most useful tools in my new apron. If you've ever tried to tighten a chainring bolt and have discovered the back (nut) just turning along with the bolt and never tightening, you need one of these. Neither a thumbnail nor even a wide screwdriver will fit the two little slots as well, or be as effective. I'm so excited to use this that I'm offering - for a limited time only - free chainring tightening. Just call our operators, who are standing by, to schedule an appointment.
Topeak Road Morph frame pump
I bought one of these a long time ago, then changed my mind, then got one as a gift, and then returned it. Why vacillate? Well, I know that a pump is superior to CO2 (it's less expensive and doesn't run out of air), but I didn't want to clog up my fancy racing bike. But since I've started commuting, I realize that function trumps form when you ride over 40 miles to work. And this pump is the bomb. Not only does it have a little push handle and flip-out foot pad for stability and ease-of-use, but it has a short length of hose too - all the better to avoid snapping off valve stems (ask me how I know). I haven't determined yet how accurate the built-in gauge is, but it sure is handy - and more than what's available with CO2.
Garmin Speed/Cadence Sensor
Ok, I admit I didn't get this through the shop. Garmin sent it to me free under warranty when mine quit transmitting last week. But I thought the pkg would look good with the other stuff, so here it is. It's totally essential for indoor training.
GU
LOTS of GU, as you can see (and I have a box of 24 already opened). I admit it - I love this stuff. The Vanilla Bean flavor tastes almost as good as frosting. And if you know anything about me, you know I have a sweet tooth. I got other flavors though, for variety. And I use 6 per day when I commute, so I'll certainly use it all.
Tubes
While I already have some tubes in my stash, I needed new ones to go with my new wheels. These hard-to-find tubes have stems which are a whopping 80mm long. Valve extenders no longer needed (so HOB, if you're listening and need those back, lemme know...)
Finish Line Cross Country Wet Lube
I've tried "dry" lubes (wax based) but they never seemed to work right for me. While they would keep the chain clean, it'd sure be noisy. And one of the joys of road biking is sailing along a well-paved road with nothing but the whisper of the wind to distract you. I don't want a noisy drivetrain (one of the primary reasons I haven't switched to SRAM. Well, that and the fact that I love Campy and don't have the money to switch anyway). After seeing "words about chain lube" here, I knew that guy was speaking my language. I got a bottle of Cross Country Wet, applied it as he directed, and have never looked back.
I hope you enjoyed these mini-reviews, or at least got some vicarious pleasure out of my little shopping spree. Sure, these things don't technically count as "bling" but for me they're essential for maintaining your ride. And I needed a third "B" for the title.
Dunno yet whether weather will cooperate for tomorrow's race at Ninigret, but if it does, you'll know where you can find a full report & finish line video next week...
(This is a long post, but there's lots of good info here - not to mention TONS of photos and even a movie(!) If you've never raced here before, this post is for you especially. So getcher coffee, settle in, and enjoy the ride...)
A Cyclone came to New London, CT on Sunday, and I was in it. The New London crit takes place at Fort Trumbull state park these days, but it sounds so much more impressive to say "I raced The Cyclone."
It's a relatively new race, in this venue. I've heard about an old crit in these parts - near Connecticut College I think - but this one has been around for only a few years. Even though it's practically in my backyard since we moved (26mi away, by bike), there's always been some scheduling conflict that's kept me away.
Until this year.
Actually, it almost didn't happen again. The weather in Southern New England has been more like the Northwest lately. Lots of rain. Even many of our Tuesday Night Crits have been canceled. So when Sunday's forecast called for rain, I didn't bother pre-registering opting to take my chances (and suck up the $10 late fee). Strangely, this lack-of-pre-reg gave me an uncommon calm leading up to the race (prolly cuz I knew I could back out & not lose money). But after Saturday's weather turned out so nice (despite the forecast), I figured The Cyclone would be a go.
When I woke up Sunday morning, it was POURING. As in "we can't even DRIVE in this, much less race a bicycle" pouring. It was 6am, so I turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. Woke up 3 hours later to sunshine and birds singing. It was REALLY weird. Like a totally different day.
Suddenly, the race was back on. And, despite my spotty apprehension lately, I was very glad. It turned out to be a beautiful day and a great race. Of course, having plans to meet up with Hob & Dorothy at a bookstore & for dinner afterward made it even better.
Sooo... with that prologue, what about the race? Departing from my usual report (which often sounds to me like "we went 'round & 'round - it was fast - I felt lousy - finished in the bunch"), this will be more of a review of what - to me - was a Brand New Race. Since it takes place the day after the Nutmeg State Games (a.k.a. New Britain crit), a lot of you may not have raced it before.
I hope that after this report/review you'll give it a try. I think you'll be very glad you did.
And to give you the best sense of this race possible, I've included TONS of graphics (courtesy Mrs. Suitcase). Some of them could have benefited from a telephoto lens, but if you "embiggen" (i.e. click for a larger view), you'll see more. It's worth it.
The Skinny
The Whaling City Cyclone is a 6 corner, technical crit with an uphill finish. You race counter-clockwise on one of the prettiest tracks around, being situated in a state park, near the shore, and has plenty of parking (and "facilities"). As a crit, yeah, there's some industry nearby (natch), but the track goes right past historic Fort Trumbull and you get water views on most of the course, with the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, boats, and even the Groton Battle Monument in the background.
The track is also the site of a property made famous by a recent US Supreme Court case (a fact I just discovered, actually - though the City of New London might just as soon forget). The race is promoted by local legend Bill Humphreys and sponsored primarily by Henny Penny and Garelick Farms. Bill's stated goal is to make New London County a "hotbed of cycling" and hopes that events like this will prime the pump. Along with the Rose Pedal Crit and Three Village Tour that take place later in the season, that goal shouldn't be too far out of reach.
It's clear that Humphreys wants to make this a headline event - despite an uphill battle with the Nutmeg State Games being the same weekend. He has a live band there, BMX trick riders, food vendors, the works. The crowds probably weren't as large as they could have been, but IMO that's just a matter of time.
The Course
Did I mention the SIX corners? It's a crit-racer's dream. No crazy "selection hill" to kill you. Just fast, freaky, fun. Ya gotta like cornering though (which I do, despite it all). And it isn't actually flat. There's a rise going up to the Start/Finish that's not as steep as the one at Bethel, but steeper than Hartford.
The "top" of the course is at corner 1, so the first S-curve tends to be very fast. "First" you say? Yeah, depending on how you count, there's THREE of 'em. Corners 2 & 3 are the most troublesome, since they're on the downhill. But corner 4, after the "Horseshoe" is tough since it's not only fast (there's often a tailwind here off the water), but there are at least 3 manhole covers and a (slightly) raised brick crosswalk to negotiate. Then it's a little uphill to (shallow) corner 5 and downhill - along a tall curb/median - to the sharp, final corner #6.
Then you pedal for all you're worth to the line.
What the course doesn't have in "hills" it makes up for in corners and WIND. I've heard it's always windy here, and Sunday was no exception. And even though it's relatively flat, you have just enough undulation to make it hurt.
See? Told ya it was a fun course!
The Race
For whatever reason - whether the fact that I got plenty of sleep or that I decided to embrace, rather than fight, my anxiety/adrenaline and listen to some VERY fast music on the way - I was really looking forward to this race. It also helped that it was so nice out and SOOOOO close. I couldn't NOT do it.
And - an extra benefit - a LOT of my team were there. The women and masters had a strong contingent and the lower categories were well-represented too. Alas, it was only me and Dave in the Cat 3 race, but as soon as I saw he'd made it, I knew we were in for a fun time.
The fields weren't the largest I've been seen at races this year - likely given the previous day's race wasting so many legs. But about 30 or so of us line up at the start.
After the usual pre-race instructions, Bill Humphreys welcomed us & shared his vision for the race. Not too long - but just enough to show how committed he is to the sport.
At the whistle - we're off! I was glad Dave had made a spot for me at the start line.
While not the fastest race I've been in (just over 25 avg), all the corners mean there was a lot of accelerating. And something I didn't expect - you couldn't get a drink. No time between corners. I only grabbed my bottle three times - once through the "Horseshoe", once on the second-to-last straight, and once going up the hill to the S/F.
And - unlike any other race I've ever been in - I was in the drops The Entire Race.
I'll let the pics help tell the rest of the story . . .
This is the final straight leading into the S/F. Obviously. You can see the little kicker. I think the wide-angle lens flattens it a bit.
This is the pack going downhill from corner 1 and leaning into corner 2. Gold Star bridge and the Thames River are in the background.
And going around corner 3 - second S curve negotiated safely.
This time anyway.
(you really should click for a larger view - there really are bike racers there)
This is corner 4 just after the Horseshoe. De rigueur (for most crits anyway) industry adds flavor.
Here's a better view of corner 2. Mrs. Suitcase got me in the middle of the frame, but I'm still obscured staying sheltered.
And here we are rounding the very-fast corner 3.
Another view of the 3rd corner from the inside - with Fort Trumbull in the background.
One of the things that makes this course so nice - boats, water - a very shoreline feel.
The tricky corner 4 - the only one Dave made certain to point out before the race. This is the corner that you see on the race flyers. Note manhole covers and walkway. But the view is worth the trouble (not that we were seeing any more than the wheels in front of us). I'm still - ahem - doing my best to stay sheltered.
Now the race got more interesting, for me anyway. Dave and I had a typical race strategy: Stay near the front, try to get in a break and, if successful, the other sits on wheels/blocks. Dave had already raced 3 1/2 races in the previous 24hrs so, admittedly, didn't know how much juice he still had left. And I forgot to remind him that I'm, um, well I'm not really one for getting into breaks. I've got one box of matches and they burn quickly. I prefer to save them for the end.
But, apparently, I follow direction well. At some point about 1/2 way through the race (while I kept an eye on the lap cards, I forget what lap we were on), a GHCC guy gets off the front - probably about 75 meters up the road by the second S curve. I hear Dave behind me say (yell) - "You can catch him Chris - get up there - take a chance!" That really hurt spoke to my inner apprehensive self.
I launched and immediately gapped the field (yes, that's a prompt to enlarge this photo - Groton Battle Monument in the background too). Unfortunately, either Tim Ratta is really fast or he was ready for me (actually, the first - definitely - and prolly the second too), he chased me down. But he wasn't going to be able to cover for his teammate without working for it. In this pic, I'm in front, then Tim, then the pack - barely - at the right edge.
Screaming fast around the Horseshoe, I didn't realize yet that I'd been caught. I hit corner 4 so fast and hard it was almost a drifting turn - my bike skipped a little sideways as I hit the brick crosswalk.
"EASY THERE!" - Tim's voice behind me confirmed I'd been caught (btw, BIG thanks to Mrs. Suitcase for catching my "chasing attempt" - she was in the right place at the right time).
Not knowing how close the pack was, I continued to chase through corners 5 & 6, but by the hill to the S/F, I was cooked and drifted back.
Here's corner 5 - at the top of another little upgrade.
No pic of corner 6 - which is sharp. More than 90 degrees and with a brick crosswalk and manhole covers to boot. But for some reason, it was usually pretty slow through there. Probably because the front of the field would always accelerate up the hill toward the S/F and force guys off the back.
That's pretty much what's happening to me here. Ouch.
It took me a bunch of laps to recover from my earlier effort. Dave recovers much more quickly and was able to stay near the front for most of the race. I was doing what I could to get up to the front to be able to block if he got up the road. Unfortunately for him (but fortunately for me) nothing else went. The pace just did its inevitable ramping up in preparation for a field sprint.
It had been a safe race so far, despite the speed and the corners. I didn't see any real sketchy riding - everybody seemed to be handling pretty well. I think the corners - especially the S curves - got to a bunch of them though. A lot of them forgot what it meant to hold a line through BOTH corners/directions, not just the first one. So I allowed a little more real estate than I normally do, just in case something went amiss.
Which - perhaps inevitably - it did.
With about 5(?) laps to go - it must have been right after a prime (guys tired from the effort) - we rounded corner 1 a little sloppily, a little yelling, then hit corner 2 pretty fast and corner 3 even faster - guys who didn't contest the prime taking advantage of their (relatively) fresh legs.
Being at the bottom of the largest "hill," corner 3 was fast all day, but REALLY fun to rail (esp. since there were two marshals sitting on the outside curb right at the corner. Not too smart, but it was fun making their eyes bulge). It was usually strung out through here, but not this time. The guy two guys ahead of me and to my left (inside) must've hit the corner too hot - or touched a wheel, whatever - and went down. As he's sliding, the guy behind him - just off my left - tries to get around him, forcing me to the curb (and the marshals!), doesn't make it, BAM! hits the downed racer and goes end-over-end over his handlebars. Fortunately, I was paying close attention to the road and trying to avoid the curb so I only saw it out of my peripheral vision. But it was very dramatic anyway.
Thankfully, I didn't see any ambulances - and saw one of the guys that'd gotten mixed up in the crash afterwards - so I think everyone was relatively ok. But a crash is never a good thing to see, much less be in.
And the front of the pack, having already started sprinting out of that corner, had a big gap on the rest of us and it took me and the others a while to get back on. More matches burned, but at least I was upright.
Bell lap (again, thanks to Mrs. SOC for capturing the moment - she's getting really good at this). A Cyclonaught and one other attacks and strings us out. I'm hanging on and hanging in there, ignoring all the parts of my body and mind that are screaming at me to quit asking me politely to pull out and give them a break. But I can hold on a little longer.
Going into the final corner, I knew I wouldn't be in contention - I was too far back still. And I saw Dave up at the front duking it out. But instead of sitting up, I decided I owed it to myself to sprint, even if it was for 20th place.
Suprisingly, I still had a teeny bit left in the tank. Ok, just barely enough to get my butt off the saddle, but enough to pass guys who were blowing up more than I was (though I didn't think it possible).
And while I didn't have enough energy to throw my bike at the line, that was actually a good thing. I would have looked a little silly. I'd passed a few in the sprint, but ended up 14th. Considering my "goal" for the day was to get another race into my legs (haven't had much of that, or even riding, lately) and be safe, I'll take the result.
My teammate Dave? He took second place. One of the best things about being on a team is that results become *team* results, sure, but he certainly was one of the strongest individuals in the race.
Despite the crash, I think this race may have just put me back on track a little. I certainly learned a little more about my capabilities and limits. I don't mind saying I'm a good bike handler and race smoothly, but I need to work on my solo efforts a bit. And I need to get my "snap" back so I break the elastic when I go - I can't expect to ride guys off my wheels as I sometimes could in the lower categories.
But most of all, it was just a really fun race and made me look forward to the next race in Ninigret this Saturday.
What more could you ask for? Next time The Cyclone comes to New London - bring your bike and jump in. You're guaranteed a wild ride.
I raced the 3rd Annual Connecticut Coast Criterium this past Sunday. See this post to read about my "prep" for this race.
I didn't feel at all ready, but as usually happens, once I started warming up, my pre-race anxiety went down and the pre-race adrenaline went up. When the whistle blows, I'm ready to go and my world for the next hour narrows down to essentials: Hold that wheel, close that gap, remember to drink, pedal pedal pedal...
As I mentioned, I wasn't expecting much of this race given the previous few weeks at the office. But I didn't expect to suffer quite as much as I did. I found it to be a pretty tough race, probably since it had one of the worst accordion effects of any race I've done.
It was 30 laps - 27 miles. It was breezy, but not especially windy, so there were a bunch of attempts at a break, but nothing stuck. In what became a pretty common pattern during the entire race, if more than a few guys got up the road, the pace would ramp up until we caught them - usually ending up at some crazy speed - and then, once the catch was made, we'd slow right down.
And there usually wouldn't be a counter-attack. Weird.
So sometimes we were going around 30 mph, sometimes we were going less than 20. Downhill. VERY weird.
Given the many slow sections, I was surprised that I felt like I was working so hard. Granted, I was out in the wind more often than I should have been, but I did try to stay sheltered in the pack.
It wasn't until I checked my Garmin afterwards that I realized this race wasn't as slow as I thought - it averaged almost 26 mph. Not slow.
The highlight of the race for me was feeling like I'm finally getting a handle on how to read a race better. At one point, about 2/3 of the way through, I was near the front (a rare occurrence that day) and the entire front of the race surged forward. Hard. So I jumped on a wheel figuring that this would finally be the decisive split in the race. I burned a lot of matches hanging on and we did split the field.
But not for long. Everything came back together. My instinct was only 50% correct. And despite this, I must've been happy with the effort - that's me waving at the front:
The rest of the race was a lesson in staying safe in the pack and dosing my effort on the climb each lap. But as we got down to the last 5 laps, my (lack of) preparation was catching up with me. By the time the bell rang for the final lap, I was near the back.
Then the lowlight of the race for me: As we rounded corner 1, I was OFF the back. OTB with only 1 lap to go. Ugh. I seriously considered just sitting up and soft pedaling the rest of the lap since the catching back on would require more effort than I was willing - or able - to give.
But like most racers in this situation, I made a deal with myself: Give it everything for just 1/2 a lap and see what happens. So I did.
And then, going into the 3rd (soft) corner, inexplicably, the pack sat up(!). My momentum brought me almost to the front of the race. Man - going from OTB to almost OTF in 1/2 a lap is a real indication of how pronounced that accordion had become.
It was all fantasy though since my newly discovered legs were short-lived. When the pack surged again for the hill and the final sprint, I blew. Fortunately, teammate Rishabh, who had gotten on my wheel, was able to come around me and zipped up the hill at a brisk pace - impressive since he'd come in 2nd in the earlier Cat4 race - but we were both too far back and finished with the pack.
Friends SDC and Hob did much better though, coming in 3rd and 6th respectively (particularly impressive since Hob had a concussion just a few days earlier). Here's a video of the finish:
As always, it was fun racing with them - even if I couldn't be in on the fun at the end.
But that really isn't the point of racing - not this race anyway, not for me. Sure, it was another opportunity to gain some experience racing in my new/higher category. And it certainly gave me a chance to see how my body would do under, shall we say, less than ideal conditions.
But the main reason for racing at this level is to be able to spend time with others that have the same sickness passion that you do. Sure it sounds corny, but the cameraderie of such great folks makes the suffering worth it.
AND! It gave me the inspiration for my first Haiku ever (don't laugh; hopefully they'll improve with practice...)
Another bike race
Tired and unmotivated
Friends make it worthwhile
(btw, as you can tell from the pics - esp. if you enbiggen them - our camera is washing out. We need a new one. Let us know what we should get!)
I need some advice - maybe you can help. What's in it for you? Higher-quality pics and video & more of it!
Here's the deal:
We (well, Mrs. Suitcase mostly) have been using a Canon ELF for all the pics and video on this blog. The pics are pretty good, and the video's ok for what it is. But now that we're getting into the height of racing season, we'd like to upgrade.
Being cyclists yourselves, I KNOW you like upgrades.
We'd like one camera that will do both video and still shots. The ELF - as a camera - takes 2 megapixel still shots, but the shutter speed lags a bit which makes it tough to shoot fast-moving bike racers. As a camcorder, the ELF is also ok (we've used it for all of the finishline videos on this blog), but we'd like something better. Ideally, we'd get a great camcorder that will let us capture individual frames that are photo quality (no need to worry about shutter delay then!).
I like the Flip for its video quality and portability. But it does not have still-shot capability and, reportedly, the frame capturing results in a pic which is about .5 megapixels. My phone takes better pics than that.
The Webbie has both video and still capabilities, but does neither very well. The video isn't as good as the Flip, but it can take 5 megapixel still photos. No zoom capability though - and I have no idea whether there is much of a shutter delay.
I know the best thing would be to have a dedicated camcorder AND a dedicated camera. But even if we had that kind of budget right now, we'd (she'd) like to carry just one gadget around.
You don't have to pick between the two I've mentioned here. In fact, I'm really hoping you have a suggestion for something even better.
So, what should we get?
*(ok, if you have a really awesome suggestion that costs more, we can try to swing it. But it has to be "really awesome" and it can't be, like, TWICE as much)
