Giro d' Grafton Race Report

June 21, 2008 - Grafton, Wisconsin. The 'A' Race of the season. Can I call it an A race if its only my third race and haven't been training all that much until recently? Well, I'm going to.

Had a good long warmup on the trainer while blasting Jack Johnson on the MP3 player to relieve some of the pre-race anxiety. And there was a lot of anxiety, but it came down to time to roll the start/finish and I was feeling more relaxed. Thank you Jack!

Race started a bit late so I road some side streets for a bit to keep my legs warm. A little trouble clipping in at the start, but got right back on track. Listened to my coach and the advice of others to stay in the top 15-20 riders to avoid trouble - i.e. according effect, crashes and getting shot out the back - and it paid off. I was doing a lot of suffering at 95-97% of my maximum heart rate for half the race managing to hang on to all the surges when someone would attack up the sides. The attacks were quickly chased down and the field was gradually becoming strung out through the quick turns on the back stretch. I was able to make my way up to eighth wheel and hold there for a few laps before tucking in a little further back during the prime laps as I didn't have the gas to go for anything. My body began to adapt to the high intensity I was working at half way through the race and I knew I'd be able to hang on up top.

The last lap everyone ramped up the pace quite a bit and we were coming into turn six hot in single file. I was sitting about 15 wheels back when I see a guy two wheels ahead of me washout in the turn sliding across the pavement in my line. I grab a fistful of brake and I'm able to make it to the outside gutter. I'm clear! Wrong. BAM! The guy on my inside saw the crash and was trying to avoid the downed rider. Well, he did not look where he was putting his bike and put it right into my front wheel, taking me out. F'ing bonehead. Now my wheel is out of true, shifter hood and bar tape needs to be replaced, bibs have a hole in the arse and I've got a nice patch of road rash on my ass with some minor road rash on my wrist and elbow.

Shit happens. It's racing. And there's always next weekend. At least I'm not any more injured than I am. Most importantly, my bike isn't really all that damaged. Mostly cosmetic, but I needed something to complain about! Do I need to change the title of this blog now since I accomplished being a pack fodder? Nah, I'll at least wait until I finish a race as a pack fodder.

Oh How I love Intervals

Tuesday is interval day. I look forward to these for some odd reason. Do I like the pain? Yea, because I know in the end it is making me stronger. I felt I could have done a few more yesterday, but six was good. Joe calls yesterday's workout Crit Intervals, which are essentially bridging / two minute power. Had a nice warmup, relatively no wind. Went over to moderately flat Pleasant Valley Road - one very short hill and a false flat. Did six 2 min 15s intervals with 10 min rest between each one. They weren't too hard or too easy. Which seems to me that I'm not doing something right or not in the right zone as everyone talks about being ready to keel over or throw up after doing intervals. The sprint intervals make me want to keel over at the end, but not these.

Anyways, tonight is crit practice for the big Grafton race at the indutrial park in Germantown. I think I'm going to attend, but don't want to over due it before Saturday.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I'm so sick of all this frickin' rain. It has rained for the past week with essentially no let up. Here I sit in the car for the past 9 hours at work with no more than an hour that it didn't rain. On top of that no one has signed up for the overtime slots on June 21 for the Giro d' Grafton Race, which means I will be forced to work on my day off. Mother %!*^&#! I've been planning this for the past year, took some additional time off the day before and after the race so I would have a nice four day weekend, just to get screwed and possibly not even be able to race THE race of the year for me. I'm starting to get sick of getting f'ed with all this overtime. I like to money, but damn somebody else needs to step up to the plate once in a while.

Signed,

Needs some off time for his sanity.

Burnt...

Did the WCBC ride today. Good time on some new roads for me. I've never ventured out west of Big / Little Cedar Lakes so I was able to take in some new scenery. Some nice climbs with about 2200 feet total climbing today according to the Polar. I really like the nice long grind up Aurora Road (at least that's where I think it was?).

After the club ride, I rolled back home and picked up Sarah for a ten mile spin. She said her fit is much better now, but still developed some hot spots from her cleats. Probably have to go see Karrie again to check everything over.

Rode for a total of 65 miles today. It felt really good to go out for a long ride and have nothing else to do after (well immediately after - gotta work at 10PM). I got some pretty wicked tan lines going on. Didn't use enough sun screen on my face and I've got helmet straps etched in by my ears. Looks pretty gnarly.

With all the nice weather upon us, Sarah and I are really looking forward to Superweek and having Kate and Evan back out (with their friends / teammates of course!). We had a really good time last year and Sarah and I both have got some time off around then. Kate and Evan - you'll be happy to know there's a new mattress waiting for ya and a bigger fridge!