Why Cycle Wednesday is usually about taking the time to just enjoy the simplicity of riding a bike and appreciating the ever-changing landscape we get to see from the saddle. It's everything that racing and training is not.
Sometimes though, the reason we get up for an early morning ride isn't to watch the sun rise over the water, but to get stronger and faster. Whether your goal is to keep up with the bunch on your weekly group ride, or win the local crit, you have to put in the time and miles, making regular deposits into your training account.
Last night, at my 2nd Tuesday Night Crit of the season, I got to cash out some of the savings I'd been squirreling away. And I had a blast! What better answer to the question "Why Cycle?"
As I've mentioned elsewhere, our team, CVC/Subaru of New England, sponsors the Tuesday Night Training Series at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. These races are perfect for trying new strategies/tactics and taking risks you wouldn't normally take. There's a "B" race (for Cat4/5) and an "A" race (Cat1/2/3/4) and last night was only the second time I've raced the "A"s since upgrading to Cat3.
After helping out some beginning racers in the "B" race, I lined up for the "A"s. I did fine in last week's race, winning the first prime(!) and finishing with the pack. But after my conservative racing last Sunday, I was ready to get out of my comfort zone and see what I could do, without having to worry about the result.
The speed was very high right from the start, a change of pace from last week, and we were all strung out from the gun whistle. A guy in a black kit had launched, gapping the field almost immediately. The pack eventually chased him down, but it was strung out for a bit. When we caught him, DaveH, apparently wanting to stretch his legs in prep for the Fitchburg stage race this weekend, started to detonate the pack. That's him at the front (above).
Things calmed down a bit after a couple of laps (Dave not wanting to use up TOO much reserves before his season's major goal), but then the attacks started. Fortunately, CVC had a lot of guys in the race so we were able to cover most of them.
But not all. About 10 minutes into the race, "black kit" launched again - a perfectly timed attack on the headwindy back stretch, taking 3 other guys with him, but no CVC. I was near the front (already doing better than on Sunday), so I was able to see what happened. They got about 70 meters up the road and just before corner 3 (which turned into a tailwind) I jumped, trying to bridge.
When I took off, it was like I was sprinting for the finish. But it was effective - I gapped the pack immediately with nobody on my wheel. It took me about 1/2 a lap, but I caught them at the Start/Finish. The 3rd guy in the paceline saw me hook on and pulled over, motioning me to pull through. I thought "Crap! I just bridged!" - actually I may have said it out loud, because as I came through the guy told me he was cooked, and fell off the back.
So now I'm in a 3 man break - the first time ever in a race at this level. Race Mission Accomplished: I am definitely outside of my comfort zone now.
I don't normally "do" breaks, usually contenting myself with staying sheltered and waiting/hoping for a field sprint. I've been in a few, but I'm still very new to it. I know to trade pulls, try to keep things smooth, try to conserve as much as possible - without letting on. I think there's a fine line between racing smart in a break and being an outright slacker. Being with the Big Boys now, I wanted to be proud of my effort.
We worked well together, and smoothly. And got over 1/2 lap lead on the rest of the field.
I was doing my share, but I had to make sure I didn't work so hard I got shelled. Now that I was in the break, my teammates could relax a little and maintain pace at the front of the pack. But if I got popped after building such a long lead, it'd be tough for our team to get back in the game.
Fortunately, for some reason, "black kit" (BK) was always pulling into the headwind on the back stretch, with me on his wheel, and a young CCNS rider ("Chris" who I'd met earlier during the "B" race) on the rear. As luck would have it, my pulls tended to be through the tailwind into the final stretch, then CCNS would take a turn. My quick observation was that BK was by far the strongest of the three of us - he just kept plowing through that wind, and even took a full lap pull once(!) - and CCNS, while young, looked very smooth and fit - strong too. They obviously knew what they were doing. I just tried to hang on, keep things smooth and do my share.
A couple of primes came up and it looked like we ignored the first one. CCNS was usually at the front through the S/F and he was there at the prime as well. We just did our normal rotation. I wasn't going to contest it.
When we came to the line for the second prime though, BK, who was 2nd wheel to CCNS, came around and took it - and continued to pull all the way around to the 3rd corner. After CCNS took over and then pulled off, I asked him whether we should go back to our original order - "that seemed to be working well for us" (well, for me anyway). But no luck. With the re-sorting, I found myself pulling more into the wind.
Fortunately, it looked like there were only 15 min left before the 5 lap countdown and I surprised myself that I was still able to hang in there - but it was getting a lot more difficult. I was the one pulling through the headwind on the backstretch now and every time I pulled off at corner 3, I had to stand and make a hard effort to catch back on. And that was with the tailwind helping me.
5 laps to go - thank God - and we're still working together.
4 laps. 3 to go. Wondering how long we'd stay together like this . . .
At the final corner, coming into 2 laps to go, I got my answer.
BK launched a HUGE attack in the final corner, flying to the far edge of the road. My first thought was "it's way too early - he'll never make it - let him kill himself". Then I reconsidered: he'd gapped us decisively with a huge effort, after all that hard pulling for so many laps. He was still very strong.
So I dug deep into my Suitcase of Courage (sorry, couldn't resist) and chased, with CCNS on my wheel. It took all I had, but I caught him just after corner 1 and he sat up.
We fell back into an illusion of working together through the backstretch and around the final two corners. By the time we went through the S/F, we'd almost stopped, watching each other, with the bell announcing the final lap.
All I could think of right then was Paul and Phil saying "Ah, the cat and mouse games have stahted" (because, during ALL of our greatest moments riding, we ALWAYS hear Paul and Phil in our head, don't we?).
"ON YOUR RIGHT!!!" broke my reverie and I saw CCNS launching up the right side up the road as I'd been watching BK on my left. "Click" "Click" no mo' buwwets. But a "GO CHRIS!" from Mrs. SOC and Mrs. SDC at the line went straight to my legs and I chased, with BK on my wheel.
Big mistake.
I was hurting, but surprised that I was in this dream-like state. All that existed for me in the world at that moment was CCNS' wheel.
I ... Had ... To ... Get ... On ... That ... Wheel.
We hit the headwind back stretch and I was still digging my own grave, shoveling for all I was worth.
I caught him, finally, going through the 3rd corner.
Then POW! BK launches off my wheel, comes around us both and goes for the line. Forget bullets, I ain't even got a gun now. So it's CCNS' turn to chase, if he can. I'm not letting go of his wheel for love or money.
As I see BK raising his hands at the finish, I notice CCNS look over his left shoulder. I jump off his wheel on the right and start sprinting, shocked I have anything at all left. I come in second.
Here. See. And watch to the end, noting the gap to the pack - at least as much a testament to my teammates' control as to the break's speed.
It wasn't until we were cooling down that I realized what illustrious company I'd been in. CCNS/Chris is a Cat2 and - at only 23 yrs old - looks like he's got a lot of racing experience under his belt already. When I introduced myself to "BK" and he said his name was Tim, I knew he had to be Tim Unkert and he confirmed that, yes, in fact he was. I'd heard a little about Tim before since he frequents these Tuesday night races and when I was in the "B"s I'd watch as he often placed in the "A" race.
But it wasn't until the Mrs. and I joined Mr. and Mrs. SDC for dinner afterwards that I learned I just lost to a former bronze medalist at the Elite Road National Championships! Tim's a Cat 1 racer and won the silver medal at last year's CT state crit championships. Oh, and he podiumed at 6 other races last year.
Big Boys indeed.
You can probably tell I had a lot of fun. Sunday's race was fun too, but not as much. Conservative racing may be smart - and it will continue to be what I do best at. But there's nothing like taking a risk and seeing what happens. That's what made New London and Ninigret so much fun too. The final results weren't what I'd hoped they'd be in those races - I'd burned too many matches taking racing aggressively - but I had a blast.
That's why I love these Tuesday night training races - results don't matter. You can take all the risks and have all the fun without worrying about how you place. Sure, they're not "BIG" races and a even a great result is mitigated by that fact, but only a little.
I have to realize that, at my amateur level, ALL races are "training races." The results never matter - not really. It's not like I do this for a living. Thank God.
But I DO do this for the comraderie of being on a great team, for the competition, to test the limits of my capabilities, to help out my teammates when they need me.
And sometimes, like last night, it's just pure, unadulterated fun - especially if I can keep up with the big boys . . .
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If you want to know what was happening in the peleton, click here.
And thanks, as always, to Mrs. SOC for the pics and video. ESPECIALLY last night!

























