Too Old to Race Bicycles?

Cat 4 Upgrade

2006-03-04T13:05:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday's criterium in Ontario gave me my official 10th mass start race and an upgrade to Category IV. This is a milestone for me as I come back to racing after a taking a 20 year break. As a review for you bike racing newbies...all beginning male racers start out at Cat 5,(females at Cat 4) the lowest category in USCF racing. The categories progress from 5 to 4, to 3, 2, 1, and pro. Fours are basically advanced beginners with threes being intermediate racers. The advance from 5 to 4 is pretty much a no brainer, requiring the racer to merely start 10 mass start races.

How do I make it to Cat 3? Right from the web pages of USA Cycling: 20 points in any 12-month period; or experience in 25 qualifying races with a minimum of 10 top ten finishes. 30 points in 12 months is an automatic upgrade.

Cat 3 to 2: 25 points in any 12-month period
60 points in 12 months is an automatic upgrade

Cat 2 to 1: 30 points in any 12-month period
60 points in 12 months is an automatic upgrade

Check all this out at USACycling.

Here are a few pics from last week's Ontario #1 Crit, where I competed in Masters 30+ 4,5:

Riding at the front

It was a big field (I took 30th out of 65 or so)

Near the front

One lap to go and in 5th. I dropped back after watching two horrendous crashes happen directly in front of me

Find complete results at SCNCA.

I'm off to Central California and the town of Merced for the Mclane Pacific Cycling Classic. I'm going to compete in the Masters 45+ Cat 1,2,3,4 road race - hope to see you there.

Roger Millikan Memorial Criterium, Feb. 12, 2006

2006-02-13T17:29:00.000-08:00

My second criterium of 2006 (my first crit of the season was Nelson's Landing, see pics in a past post)is now under my belt…and I’m thankful that I finished it with the pack. This was the fastest race of my renewed career in bicycle racing. It was Sunday morning in the city of Brea. Brea is found in Orange County, California. Hundreds of racers gathered here for the Roger Millikan Memorial Criterium.

I'm in Black (2nd from right) Wearing "Team Block" kit

I decided to enter the Masters’ 50+ category, knowing that I would be up against Cat 1, 2, and 3 riders. I’m still a Cat 5 but only have 1 more mass start race to upgrade to Cat 4. I thought about taking the easy way out and entering the Cat 5 race but decided a fast criterium is no place to be with a bunch of raw beginners, especially if you value your skin. Good thing too, as the over 30, Cat 5s had at least 3 crashes during their race.

It was a big field, 65 or 75 very fit riders 49 years old up to 54 years of age. I knew I was in trouble when the race announcer said, “there are riders in this race with more than 35 years of racing experience.” Darn, if I hadn’t stopped racing back in the mid 1980s…

The race started and a fast pace was set right at the beginning – common to crits, so I just ignored my heart rate monitor and waited for the pace to settle, and I waited. Lap after lap went by and the pace seemed to just get faster. I knew I was in for a tough crit. The course was mildly technical, with three 90 degree right turns, and two sweeping right turns. The road was wide though and handled the big field well. The tough part was the slight elevation gain at the back of the loop. My average speed at the end of the race was 26 mph and I only finished 32! My heart rate monitor showed an average HR of 165 for the race but I never saw a HR below 170 whenever I looked down at the display. You can take a look at the data via motionbased.com.

I tried riding on the inside, I tried the middle of the field, and was happiest on the outside. The guys in this race handled their bikes well. There was much bumping of the handlebars but not a single accident occurred during this race. Finally, the race announcer called out 5 laps to go and the pace settled down…for about ¾ of a lap. I tried to move up through the draft and position myself within the top 20 riders but my bike handling skills are still not quite there and the raw speed to the group made it tough for me to change my position. Not to mention that I was beat and was glad to just to finish in the middle of the field. Check out the results at SoCalCycling.com. Unfortunately, I’m listed as the unknown rider as I crossed the line on the outside, and inside riders blocked my number from the camera. You have 15 minutes to fix the results but I missed that time. The SCNCA has me listed though, and you can view those results at scnca.org.

I've got one more mass start race and I can upgrade to Cat 4. My plans are to ride the Anger Management Crit in Dominguez Hills (Los Angeles)this Sunday (Feb. 19,2006.) I'll be with the Masters 45+, Cat 4/5. See you there.

Roger Millikan Memorial Criterium Race Pics Below

Roger Millikan Memorial Criterium Pics

2006-02-13T16:42:00.000-08:00

Pictures of the Masters' 50+ Race in Brea, California

2006-02-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

Starting Line; It's a Big Field

2006-02-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Good Shot of the Leaders

2006-02-13T16:37:00.000-08:00

Sitting in the Middle (#290)

2006-02-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

Sitting on the Outside

2006-02-13T16:32:00.001-08:00

I'm Sitting on the Inside (#290)

2006-02-13T16:32:00.000-08:00

Sprint Finish (I'm back 31 places)

2006-02-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

After the Race; Tired & Sweaty

Nelson Landing Pics

2006-02-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

I'm in blue.

Get complete race results at HERE.

2006-02-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

Road Race

Can't Talk Now

2006-02-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Road Race

Road Race; Still With the Lead Group After the 1st of 2 Big Climbs

2006-02-11T20:37:00.000-08:00

Criterium

In 3rd Position (Crit)

2006-02-11T20:36:00.001-08:00

Criterium

Wide View of Crit

2006-02-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

Criterium

Starting the Crit (I'm in blue)

Nelson's Landing Stage Race Results

2006-02-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

I had a great 3 days of racing. I'm now racing for Rich Bartlett's - Team Block. Check out the team, racing results from Las Vegas, and more at Block Alternatives. Go down to the 2006 Road Team Link.

My next post, this Thursday, I'll give details on Nelson's Landing. This Sunday I'll be at the Roger Millikan Memorial Saint Valentine's Day Criterium in Brea. See you there.

Welcome to a New Season!

2006-01-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

I'm back. To my many fans, all three of you, I'm back for another season of bike racing. It's the middle of winter, as my morning ride of 26 degrees reminds me (you tend to forget that the Antelope Valley may be in Southern California but it definitely has it's own unique weather.) This winter we have not had the torrential rains that slowed training last year. It's been a pretty dry off season and now my first race of the season is just next week. Just like last year I'm going to face off with the Nelson's Landing Stage Race in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unlike last year, I'm going to give the criterium a shot, my first criterium in over 19 years. Friday, January 27 is the time trial. Saturday, the 28th is the crit., and Sunday, the 29th is the road race.

A couple of things are different this year. I'm 49 now, so by USAcycling rules I'm racing as a 50 year old. The second difference is that I now have a full year plus of training under my belt and feel strong. I just completed a week of training that covered 209 miles, and 12 hours and 30 minutes of work. My training goal this year is to cover at least 500 hours of training. I'm already pushing 6,000 miles of road work for the year.

My goals are pretty simple this year. Finish another four mass start races allowing me to upgrade to Cat 4 and then actually place in the top 10 in a Masters 45+, Cat 4 level race. You really don't need the Cat designation in a Masters race, as any category could be in a Master's race but I also plan to ride a couple of Elite races at the Cat 4 level. My other goal is to get under 190 friggin pounds. All winter I've flirted with the high 180s but I always seem to level off at 190. My climbing is much better this year as I logged a lot of training time in the hills. One of my "favorite" hill workouts that I do with my training partner, Tim, is to ride Godde Road three times at a HR of 155-165. This workout has me climb around 3500' and is pretty tough.

That's it for my first post of 2006. Look for my Nelson's Landing Race Results in my next post.

Three Canyons Ride

2005-10-30T23:11:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite rides in the Antelope Valley is what the local bike riders call the “Three Canyons Ride.” The three canyons are Bouquet, Spunky, and San Fransquito Canyon. The way I like to go involves over 2900’ of elevation gain in 44 miles. Check out the profile of the ride below:

3 Canyons

If you’re familiar with my blog than you already know that I’m not exactly a superb hill climber by any stretch of the imagination. All the more reason to throw in a tough hill climb workout and the Three Canyons fits the bill. The hard way to ride the ride is in the clockwise directions, and to get to the first canyon you need to get yourself on Elizabeth Lake Road. This morning I choose to take 25th street, past Highland High School, and make the “long” approach. At other times, I might travel over Godde Road, and toss in another hill. But this approach also places me on Elizabeth Lake Road, around 11 miles up the road from 25th street. Elizabeth Lake is a great country road that climbs steadily until you reach Bouquet Canyon Road which branches off to your left. Bouquet Canyon will take you 24 miles south to the city of Santa Clarita, where the 14 freeway and the 5 freeway meet, home to Valencia and Magic Mountain. The only thing that mars Elizabeth Lake Road is the traffic. At times, on this road, you would swear you’re on a road in a suburb of Los Angeles – 50 miles to the south.

You turn left onto Bouquet Canyon Road and after a short down-hill stretch, you start your first of three climbs. It’s not a killer climb, 650’ in 5 miles; just enough to get your heart rate up to zone 3. After the climb you have a great downhill that almost makes you wish you’re going to continue to Santa Clarita but soon, on your right, Spunky Canyon road branches off – I swing right. With Bouquet Reservoir on your left you ride a relatively level stretch of a mile or two but soon see the steep switchbacks that await you. Spunky is short but steep with several switchbacks climbing up through the chaparral type vegetation. The climb is pure 7-10% and 11-12% briefly flickers across my Garmin’s display. But again, the climb is short and you’re now faced with a fast descent with a couple of hairpin turns. I love the descent but it is technical and not a time to completely relax after the 2nd main climb. Gravel and rocks on the road also keep you on “your toes” as you dive through the steep turns. The final turn to the left puts you right on top of the town of Green Valley but it hardly registers as you sweep through town at the speed limit of 35 mph. Even if I didn’t have my Garmin or my computer, I know my speed as local law enforcement has set up one of those radar displays that tells me, from the side of the road, just how fast I’m traveling.

You exit town and again turn right onto San Fransquito Canyon Road – the last of the Three Canyons. And this is the tough one – you don’t have to tell that to the many riders I’ve seen walking their bikes to the top of this climb. This climb actually sneaks up on you as the ride is very straight, due north. It starts pretty easy and then becomes an 8-9% steady climb for a couple of miles. The slight jag to the East keeps the top of the climb just out of sight and the route flirts with a 11-13% grade in short sections. Couple this with a headwind and you’ve got yourself with a pretty good climb and workout. I’ve never had to walk my bike up this section and today I’m riding it very well – holding at least 8-10 mph all the way to the top. I crest over the top and set up for the short screaming downhill that quickly drops you back to Elizabeth Lake Road. Now it’s 18 miles down the rolling hill road and back to Quartz Hill via either Godde Road or 25th street – today I choose 25th street and back the way I entered.

You can’t ask for a better training ride. You get 44 miles of climbs, descents, and rolling hills. You get a lake, mountains, and even a stream – in fact during the winter rains you get to cross about 5 streams on this ride. Check out the ride at MotionBased.com.

Garmin Forerunner 301 and MotionBased.com

2005-10-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any cooler with the GPS based 301 unit I discover MotionBased.com, a web site that really puts the functionality into the Forerunner 301. From the web site, “MotionBased is a web application that translates GPS data into functional analysis and online mapping for endurance and outdoor athletes… MotionBased automatically calculates time, distance, speed, elevation, and heart rate metrics and displays this information through meaningful charts, illustrations, reports, and maps. Take the second-guessing out of your training routine and make it more fun at the same time.”

Sound dry? Not a chance. You’ve got to see what the Garmin and this web site can do together. Below are screen shots taken from one of my recent training rides. This ride takes me over Godde Hill, a local 8-9% bump in the relatively flat Antelope Valley.

Map Player Page

Check out dot racing on the map player page; "The "player" aspect of this section allows you to simulate the activity along the map and the elevation profile with a moving "dot" indicator. The "dot" is controlled with standard media controls (Play, Pause, Forward, Reverse, and Speed). You may also interact with the map and elevation profile by zooming in, zooming out, panning, and displaying roll-overs on key sections of the illustration."

Or how about...

"The Dashboard"

The MotionBased Dashboard allows you to analyze core training metrics for a specific activity. The Dashboard is broken out into 8 sections: summary, elevation, time, workout, distance, lap, speed, and weather.

And I especially love...

Heart Rate Analysis

Man, if you love data, and who doesn't, you’ve got to love the Garmin and this web site. I’ve just given you the tip of the ice berg here – go see it for yourself.

Click this link My Godde Hill Ride it should allow you to explore all the data associated with my 1 hour training ride - you know you're going to want to upload all your rides!

A Cool Training Tool

2005-09-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

The 2005 racing season is now history and I’m already contemplating the 2006 season. With this in mind, I’m always looking out for a training tool to help me squeeze out some more speed and crank up my endurance to the next level, and I think I’ve found one – the Forerunner 301 by Garmin.

The Garmin Forerunner 301

Tim, one of my training partners, has the Forerunner and I always thought it was pretty cool; this wrist mounted device displays training time, pace, distance, lap pace, lap time, lap distance, average and best pace, elevation and calories – what you would expect in a quality training tool. But as you are biking along, have you ever wondered what the percent grade is for the hill you’ve been busting your ass on for the last 20 minutes? The Garmin, Forerunner 301 will give you this! I found this little piece of information as Tim and I were riding home from a workout and we had to do the usual slog up 70th street West on the Western fringe of Lancaster to get home and end the workout. To the eye, the slope is not that discernable, as you crank your way South from Ave. L to Ave. M-8, but your legs and heart sure notice the climb. I’ve always thought it started out at around 2% and made it to 5 or 6% or so. I started my usual bitching of the slog to Tim giving him my latest speculation of the percent grade of 70th, and Tim says, “let me check.” He punches a couple of buttons on his wrist mounted Garmin and replies, “were at 3%, oh it just went to 4%.” I’m now thinking, “way cool,” and I’m a complete pain in the butt as I continue to ask him every 20 seconds, “what’s the grade now?” As we closed in on M-8 the grade made it to 7% - I’ve got to get me one of these!

If that doesn’t peak your interest, check out these graphs of our latest hill repeats. Tim and I did a hill workout where you do 4 X 90 second repeats with a 3 minute recovery in between each hill. The idea is to start the hill seated and blast up it for 60 seconds and then drive out of the saddle for the last 30 seconds. Tim does great for the first two repeats beating me by 10 meters. On the 3rd repeat he fades and I shoot past him, by the 4th repeat he literally “blows-up” and I don’t even hear him behind me. The cool thing is, you can see the blow-up on the data graph from his Garmin…again, way cool. Look for the heart rate above 180 bpm on the last hill. Tim’s LT is similar to mine, around 161-165, his maximum HR is higher than mine but Tim’s also several years younger than me so his MHR is a little over 180 to my 176. The 4th repeat spikes his HR right to his red line. Of course, Tim doesn’t need a fancy tool to tell him he’s about to blow a gasket but if you’re a gadget freak like him and me you've got to love this toy.

Check out the Garmin Forerunner 301 at the Garmin site. I’m either going to buy this tool or wait for the new Garmin Edge 305 to come out in November. I haven’t decided yet as I’m still comparing the features of both.

Elevation profile of our hill repeat workout. Of the 7 "bumps" at the beginning of the graph, the actual hill repeats were done on the last 4 bumps.

This is so cool! An over lay of heart rate on elevation - notice the "red line" spike on hill repeat number 4 (the 7th bump at the beginning of the graph.)

Do you have experience with a tool like this? I would love to hear about it, especially before I lay down cold green cash for my new toy. Please drop me an email or make a comment to this posting.

San Ardo Road Race, San Ardo California

2005-08-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, August 27, 2005, and the temperature is a mere 53 degrees in the Monterey County town of King City. I’ve headed back to where I started bicycle racing 19 years ago. Those many years ago, I competed in the first annual San Ardo Road Race. San Ardo is a little town, located right next to the Salinas River in the Southern end of the Salinas Valley. I left the Antelope Valley the day before and put several hours, and over 100 degree temperatures behind me. By the end of my race the temperature had gotten all the way up to 85 degrees and had many of the racers commenting on how hot it is. Hot? I was kicking myself for not bringing along my arm warmers. Hell, I’m lucky if it’s not 85 degrees at 7:00 in the morning, when I start my training rides here in the high desert.

Pre-race With Jade

King City is a small town with a big name, located about 20 miles North of San Ardo. We left the motel at 7:00 am to be ready for the 8:47 start time. You head down the 101 freeway and get off at the San Ardo off ramp. Cross the bridge over the Salinas River and enter the tiny town of San Ardo. Today though, the tiny town has more bike racers than inhabitants. Racers are everywhere. I’m here with my wife, Esmeralda, and our four year old daughter Jade. I last raced here in the 1980s when they had the first road race in this town. It turned out to be my last road race of that season, and my last for over 18 years. Esmeralda was at that race too but I had just recently met her and she, and her young, 2 year-old, son Alex were my two fans. A road race is not much of a spectator sport, as the peloton whizzes by you in seconds and the riders disappear into the distance, only to return tired and sweaty an hour or so later. To pass the time, Esmeralda played with Alex in the local elementary school playground. Now 19 years later, Esmeralda played with Jade in the local elementary school playground. And the sport still hasn’t become much of a spectator sport, as the peloton still whizzes by in seconds, only to have you return an hour later hot and sweaty…

Masters 45 Completing Lap 1

I’ve stuck to my web blog address and I’m racing Masters 45. But once again, the Masters’ are a tough race. I take stock of the “old guys” with me and can tell that they are a dedicated lot. Northern California turns out some great racers and I’m sure a lot of these guys have not stopped since they started racing in their twenties. I listen to the announcer going over the rules of the road but only with half a brain. The other half is thinking I’m in for a tough, fast race. The course is perfect for me, a 188lb racer (lost another two pounds some how.) It is relatively flat with a few rollers scattered about. Similar to Merced but the rollers here in San Ardo have a little more bite to them; longer and steeper than their Central California cousins. This will also be the first test for my now Campy equipped racing bike. About a month back, I paid Bicycle Johns of Acton much money to trade out my worn Ultegra group with the cool Campy Chorus group. My relatively new C40 Colnago frame was just crying out for Campy gear anyway. My rear cassette is a 12-26, and this is more than adequate for the rollers in San Ardo. I actually never left the big chain ring anyway, as I just stood up and powered over the steepest of the rollers in the big gears.

My Face on the Far Left

I started my warm-up at about 8:00 am. For a road race I prefer to warm-up on the road instead of using a trainer. I find some out of the way back stretch and do build-ups for about 7-10 miles. I start really slow and then increase my cadence until I’m warm enough to use the big ring up front. I do a lot of sprinting out of the saddle and keep an eye on my heart rate monitor. At about 10 minutes to go I head over to the starting area. After the pre-race instructions, we’re off. We start out immediately up a small grade that leads to the bridge over the Salinas River and our speed settles in at around 20 mph. I actually start out at the very back of the pack but as soon as we cross the bridge I move up to the top ten of our 30+ member field. This being my last road race of the season I decide to ride very aggressively and ride the whole race in the top 10. I go a step further than that after a few miles and move up to the top 5. Before I know it, I’m at the top 1 and pulling the peloton. Another Colnago framed bike pulls up besides me and comments on how two Colnagos are in the lead. The first big attack comes, like all attacks, quickly from somewhere in the rear of the pack. A group of riders’ flies past me and the other Colnago and I immediately increase my cadence and speed and jump on the 4th rider accelerating past me. This will be the first of probably 20 attacks I covered during the race. We, the attack group, start a quickly rotating pace line but the attack fails and the peloton regroups. I settle back into the top 5 and quickly find myself back pulling the peloton again. The other Colnago takes his turn at the front with a quick pull and he pulls out. I take my turn and look back to see a guy in a blue jersey right behind me. I pull a reasonable time and pull to the left – blue jersey stays glued to my rear wheel. I move sharply to the right, the same thing happens. I even turn around and say, “take a pull.” Nothing happens. The guy is actually doing the smart thing as he’ll still have his legs at the end of this race – I won’t.

I’m just about to slow things down and let someone else come up from the rear or just wait for the next attack to come along when I notice the biggest hill on the course about 1 mile in front. I give the wheel sucker another chance to take his turn – he doesn’t, so I shoot off the front at 28 mph and head for the hill. Anyone reading these postings should know that I can’t climb hills worth beans so I decide to get a jump on the hill. The wheel sucker stays glued to my wheel and the rest of the peloton reacts as if I’ve attacked. I hit the base of the hill at 30 mph with the peloton in hot pursuit. I quickly drop two gears in the rear and stand-up to attack the hill as much lighter racers pour past me on both sides. I crest the hill near the back of the pack and glance at my heart rate monitor – 176 bpm. This is a new high. By using the age method, my max heart rate is around 172 bpm – I’ve bested this on a couple of races and one training ride but 176 is a new one. My lactate threshold has not been measured lately but was 161 bpm. It turns out that I averaged 161 bpm for the complete race and that my heart stayed at 165 bpm for 1 hour and 35 minutes of the 2 hour race! I’m thinking I should redo my lactate threshold test and I’ll probably find that it is now around 165 bpm. LT is trainable and my interval workouts must have done their job. A race like San Ardo is very intense. We averaged 23.5 mph over the 48 miles and had many attacks that jumped speeds well into the 30 mph range and above.

As we move into lap two and cross the Salinas River for the 3rd time (twice during each lap) I realize I’ve ridden the most aggressive race of the year. I’ve covered every attack, sprinted up every hill, initiated several attacks of my own, and pulled the peloton around by myself far too many times. Aggressive riding yes, riding smart – no. As we climb the last hill with only a few miles left before the finish I realize my quads are starting to cramp when I climb out of the saddle – very bad sign when one thinks of them self as a sprinter and relies on powerful quadriceps. The high school comes into view and that means the finish is just 2 miles ahead, right behind the Salinas River crossing. The peloton starts to get jumpy as no attack has succeeded and we’re still very bunched together. We’ve passed many “shelled” riders from categories that left before we did and I presume that some of our group has been shelled too – but at this writing I don’t know how many have been dropped – still waiting for the results to be posted on the web. We fly past the starting line at 25 mph and begin to move across the bridge. The turn-off for the finish line is just ahead and on the left, and also up the slight grade – the peloton jumps. It is a massive field sprint to make the left turn first and fly to the finish. I gear up and jump out of the saddle to stay with the peloton and both quads scream in protest and hardly a watt of power seems to be generated. I realize I’m out and sit back down and coast in with the back 10% of the peloton.

Warming Down

Did I learn anything from the way I rode this race – yes. I was over aggressive and covered every attack. Not a single attack was successful so I could have just sat in the middle of the peloton and been pulled back into the failed attacking group. Should I have pulled the peloton around so much? – No. I should have pulled out sooner and drifted back in the group. Should I have sprinted up every hill? – No. My descending skills, and larger body mass would have brought me back to the peloton without the quad wasting energy that I exerted on every hill. On the other hand, I was aggressive and stayed at the front the entire race so this should help my confidence next year. The fact that I was found wanting at the end of the race underscores the strategy involved in a good road race. A good road race involves endurance (possibly more anaerobic than aerobic), bike handling skill, and brains. I pushed the envelope and failed by using poor race tactics. I did not get dropped from the group, even on the small hill climbs – a moral victory at the least. Perhaps next year, no more group fodder for me.

CBR (California Bicycle Racing) Team Time Trial (TTT) Championships

2005-08-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

From left, Steve, Dave, Doug, Bob

It is 0600 hours and 58 degrees on this August morning, and Doug Short, Dave Cooley, Steve Caldwell and I are warming up on Division Street just south of Ave. E. The four of us are going to compete in our first team time trial (see my December 2004 post on time trials.) The CBR TTT is put on by Uncle Tren Race Productions and Tren himself is manning the megaphone alerting all racers to their start times. The TT starts on Ave. E, right at Division Street. The riders race directly East for 20 k and then turn around a pylon in the road, before heading back West for the last 20 k. The finish line is about 200 m west of Division on Ave. E.

The TT Starts (Bob on the left, Doug on the right)

We are competing in the 180+ category; our combined ages must be 180 or above but not over 220 and we can’t have any racer under 30. I’m the oldest at 48, followed by Doug at 47, Dave 45, and Steve 44. Of the four of us, I have the most experience in racing bicycles in general and time trialing in particular. Doug also has some racing experience and has completed one individual time trial this year. Steve has only 1 individual time trial to his credit, while Dave has never competed on the bike in either a time trial or bicycle race (though he’s completed several century rides.) Our goal, like any TT, is to beat the clock. In this instance, we would like to be below 60 minutes for the TT.

I'm Charging

As we are warming up on this surprisingly cool desert morning, we can’t help but be somewhat intimidated by the other racers and their gear. Almost every other team is in “full aero” gear. This means skin tight racing uniform, shoe covers, TT helmets, but especially the bikes. Almost all the bikes are TT or Tri bikes with the extreme geometry these bikes possess. Most of the bikes are outfitted with a 3 bladed front wheel and full disk rear wheel. We take stock of our “team bike.” I am actually riding a full TT bike, my beautiful Felt S22. It slices through the air with ease and is tough to draft off of. I do have very aero, deep dish Spinergy wheels for this bike and a Renn carbon fiber rear disk wheel but the consensus of the group is that I’m hard enough to draft behind as it is without the very aero wheels under the bike. The other guys, with the exception of Doug, have regular “slack” bikes and no aero bars. Doug has a set of clip-on aero bars on his regular geometry road bike. So we know we’re a little out-classed in the equipment area before the race even starts. But that’s time trialing; you compete against yourself and the clock, not against other racers riding superior or inferior racing equipment.

Doug is right behind

We move to the starting point and volunteers come out and hold our bikes up as we clip in. I hear the counter start with, “10 seconds, 9, 8, 7, …) and we’re off. I’m the lead rider and I quickly accelerate to 22 mph and wait to hear that our pace line has formed behind me. Doug is right behind me, followed by Dave, with Steve taking up the rear. As soon as I hear that Steve is “attached” I pick-up the pace to 24 mph and then 25 mph. My 1 minute pull is up and I peel off to the left and watch Doug smoothly pull through. I ease up enough to allow me to drift back to the end of the line and I swing to the right into a position right on Steve’s six. Doug takes his turn holding our speed at around 24 – 25 mph, and now it’s Dave’s turn. Dave is a strong rider and he picks up the pace to around 26 mph. I realize that with a 25 mile TT we need to average over 25 mph to finish under 60 minutes and I know we need to stay at 26 mph or above. Steve now takes his turn and we come back to around 24 – 25 mph. This cycle repeats itself for several revolutions and then the humbling thing happens; our “minute man,” the team that started 1 minute behind us catches us. They happen to pass us as Dave is pulling the line. Dave is an ex-fighter pilot and is currently employed as a civilian test pilot out at Edwards Air Force Base. He has “The Right Stuff” and getting passed so early in the TT doesn’t stick well with him. He immediately jumps our pace to 27 – 28 mph. His jump in speed is so great that for a moment it looks like we are going to join the pace line of the group that just passed us, which you can’t do. In any case, his increase in speed is keeping us with the team that passed us. This causes some grumbling from Doug who is finding the pace to be a little too fast. Doug is a good rider but still needs more training time to find his “racing legs.” Dave pulls out and of the line and Steve jumps in and our pace falls back to 24 – 25 mph and we watch the other team pull away. Steve is a lot like Doug, a strong recreational rider that will become a strong racer with more practice. Right now he is also training to run a marathon in the winter and is thinking he’ll have to back off on the bike training. It is now my turn again, and like Dave, I bring the pace back up to 27 – 28 mph but I’m told to back it off a little by Doug. With Dave and I the strongest two of the team we try a new strategy; We will pull for 2 – 3 minutes at around 26 – 27 mph, while Steve and Doug pull for 1 minute or less at around 24 – 25 mph.

The Pace Line is Forming - Steve Stands to Form Up

This strategy works well and we are now a good 8 miles into the 25 mile TT. At this point another “full aero” team passes us. They started a good 2 minutes behind us, so even though it’s not a race it is still a bummer. I yell to Steve, who was pulling at the time, “don’t worry, they’re a full aero team.” He told me after the race that he didn’t mind us getting passed, he was just having a great time. This is definitely the right attitude to have in a time trial race. We reach the pylon and the halfway point of the race. I’m feeling great. My lactate threshold is around 161 and I’m now reaching that when I’m pulling the line. But my HR drops to a nice 148 when I’m sitting in the line. Though with the increased pulling time I’m starting to see my HR not recover as much and as the second half of the race continues, my HR is only dropping into the mid 150s when I’m not at the front.

The Author - I'm Tired but Happy

We get to about mile 20 and we’ve finally passed a team. A full women team is our victim and we sail past them. But the toll of averaging 25.3 mph is starting to tell on our team. Dave and I are still maintaining 27 mph during our pulls but our pulls are becoming longer as Doug and Steve have to shorten their pulls. Doug is starting to labor and his speed drops to 23 mph as he pulls off the front. In his attempt to latch on to the back, a 10’ gap opens up and he starts to fall off. He yells for us and then realizes we are within 5 miles of the finish so he yells, “go!” at the top of his lungs. I was just getting ready to slow down and pull him back in when I hear the “go.” I stay silent and the team, now only three strong, pulls away from Doug. I’ve been “shelled” off the back many times in my bicycle racing career. It is never fun and you get strange feelings of being alone even though many other riders are around you. It is a very helpless feeling to be working at full capacity and still watch the pace line move away from you.

The Gang is Animated After the Finish

We are now a team of three, and in a four man TTT you must finish with the third guy. The race organizers do not stop the clock on a team until the 3rd guy’s wheel crosses the line. If we lose another rider we’re out. Now with only three riders our pulls come much faster. Steve is tiring faster than Dave and I and his pulls become quicker; only lasting a few seconds in some cases. My heart rate is now going into the high 160s and I’m not recovering at the back of the line but a cool thing is happening. The 2nd team that passed us in the first half of the race is now “coming back” to us. With less than a mile to go we are only 50 or so meters behind them and closing fast. It is my turn and I’m pulling as fast as I can, around 28 – 29 mph but I’ve been pulling for 3.5 minutes and with 100 m to go I pull out and let Dave take over. The other team senses our presence and they accelerate to cross the line, with us almost fully abreast of them. Even if we had passed them we are still 2 minutes behind them but it is a moral victory to us that we can catch up with a team that passed us early in the race and probably got as much as a mile ahead of us at one time.

"We've Got to do it Again!"

I cross the line and quickly press stop on my watch; 58:55.80. I realize that we’ve broken 1 hour and the three of us congratulate ourselves. Dave is pumped. He has never competed on the bike like this and can’t wait to do it again. We slowly pedal back to Division Street and pick-up Doug. My wife takes a bunch of pics as we animatedly talk about the race. For those of you thinking about starting out in racing, TTs are the way to go. It gives you a taste of racing without the dangers of large pace lines and zooming turns. But don’t underestimate the difficulty of a time trail. They don’t call it the “race of truth” for nothing.

Finishing the Season

2005-08-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

So what are my plans for finishing out the season? Here they are:

California State Team Time Trial Championships on August 21, 2005.

CBR Racing

This will be the first time I’ve ever tried a team TT. I’ve got 3 other riders from the A.V. High Desert Cyclists Club as my team mates. Doug, Dave, and Steve. We’ve entered the 180+ age category – this means that our cumulative ages must be over 180 and no rider is under the age of 30. This is no problem as our youngest rider, Steve, is in his early 40s. The other cool thing about this race is that it is in our own backyard. The CBR TTT race is held in the city of Lancaster, check out the link above to go to the race web site.

San Ardo Road Race on August 27, 2005

This will be my last road race of the 2005 season. It has a special meaning for me as almost 20 years ago, when I was a young racer, I competed in this race. It was to be the last race I would ever do until my rebirth in racing this year. My wife, Esmeralda, was my girl friend way back then and was at this race as one of my two only fans. She had her young son, Alex, with her and they cheered me on from the side of the road. Esmeralda has been my wife for over 18 years now and Alex is a young man of 20 years in the United States Coast Guard. I can’t wait to see how San Ardo has changed…or not.

Like last year, I’ll finish out this year with some winter time trialing. Fiesta Island, in San Diego got it started, so I would like to return this October. I’m hoping to see how a strong year of training has improved my time trial time. Piru is also an excellent TT venue and I’ll do a few TTs there as well. The Nelson Landing Stage Race in Las Vegas will get here fast in 2006 – I need to be ready!

2004 - 2005 Race Results

2005-07-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since my last post but a lot has been happening this summer. The only problem is what’s been happening has not been racing. Summer is a happy time for most people and certainly for teachers. But this summer is special for me as I am taking a leave of absence from my teaching job of 21 years to become part owner of my brother’s home improvement company called California Exteriors. We opened a branch office here in Lancaster in July and I am the Vice-President and General Manager of the A.V. Branch. If this new career works out I will not return to teaching. Obviously this career opening has kept me pretty busy and bicycle racing was placed on the backburner. Strangely enough, I didn’t miss any training time just races. So I feel I’m in pretty good shape and am looking forward to finishing the season with a few more races.

I thought this might be a good time to look at my season thus far. I actually started the season last October by racing my first time trial in San Diego. My last road race was also in San Diego. Here are my results (click on them to enlarge):

2004 - 2005 Race Results

Kind of a mixed bag, but I’m generally pleased with them. This was my first full year of racing after only getting back onto the bike in April of 2004. I can’t wait to finish out the 2005 season and start the 2006. I’ll have to change the name of this blog as I will turn 49 this December and will be considered a Masters 50 for the 2006 racing season.