Friday, July 30, 2010

7/26 USCF Upgrade Race @ ADT

Photo By Pat Benson

RACE #1 – 20 Lap Scratch: The race started out pretty smooth, riders taking ½ lap pulls at the front. Then one rider let a gap open on purpose so he would not have to rotate through and could watch for any attacks. I was behind this rider so I ended up skipping a few pulls as well. Then the attacks started and let the guy who created the gaps bring us back to the group. After it was all back together the pack started rotating again and then with 2-to-go everyone was jockeying for position. With 1.5-to-go I was third wheel and the guy at the front went for it. It was fast enough that no one was going to try to come around early so I was sitting pretty. I jumped out of turn 2 on the bell lap taking the pole just before turn 3 and giving it all I had to take the win by a few bike lengths. 1st place (7 omnium points).

Photo By Pat Benson

RACE #2 – 32 Lap Points (sprints every 8): Unlike last month’s Points Race the field stayed together. I was in bad position for the first sprint so I aimed for the next but only managed 3rd (2 points). Then I ended up on the front with a 1.5 to go for the third sprint so I soft pedaled as long as I could before winding it up and taking the win. (5 points). Again I was not in ideal position for the final spring but hung on for 3rd again (2 points). This was a pretty tough race and I really had to dig deep to get those points. Not my best points race, need to work on timing and positioning for the upcoming sprints. I ended up 3rd Place (3 omnium points) 3 points off the winner and 1 point off second, but most importantly I was still holding onto the omnium lead by 1 omnium point.

Photo By Pat Benson

RACE #3 - Miss-N-Out (last rider pulled from race every other lap until only 1 remains): Like the last upgrade race we had a small field so I rode the miss-n-out from the front until it was down to a few riders. Everett and I kept the pace just high enough so riders did not want to come over the top and box us in. With four riders left there was some confusion with the bell/lap cards and Everett got pulled. It was down to the top 3 riders in the omnium. I was in the pole watching the third rider and gave it just enough gas so that he stayed back there and got pulled. I eased off the gas and tried to recover for the final sprint and with 1 lap to go I swung high up track in turn 1. The other rider jumped hard coming out of turn 2, I saw it coming and jumped on his wheel. I sat on his wheel a little too long and jumping just before turn 3 missing the win by a few inches. 2nd Place (5 omnium points).

OVERALL: 1st in Cat 3 Omnium and got some more upgrade points. The field was stronger than the last event, but I was more consistent than everyone else and managed to take the omnium by 1 point. The next upgrade race is Aug 14th.

Back In The Water


IMAG0432, originally uploaded by jtenright.

After almost 2 years I actually got off my bike and on my surfboard. Ten years ago I was spending all my free time at the beach surfing at least 5 days a week. For the past 4 years I have probably only surfed a handful of times. Now I am training on the bike five to seven days per week. I have been talking about getting back on my surfboard for about 6 months but finally after racing a ridiculously hot criterium up in Ontario, CA I decided to rush home and dust off the surfboard. I have one word to describe the experience of surfing 11th St. Del Mar for the first time in several years, Amazing! It was like riding my bike (no pun intended), I was a little less consistent but if anything my added leg strength has helped my surfing. After a few more sessions I am sure I can get all the cobwebs out. Natalie was so impressed that she too has committed to getting back on her longboard for the first time on years. I can’t wait to get out in the water again, but the surf report is not looking so good for the next few days…good thing I have my bike :).

Friday, July 2, 2010

Back On The Boards

6/26 USCF Upgrade Race @ ADT
RACE #1 – 20 Lap Scratch: The race started out pretty smooth riders just taking ½ lap pulls at decent tempo. I few riders attacked including myself, but no one was 100% committed. Everyone was too busy eyeing each other to figure who was who. With a few laps to go it really slowed, with 1.5 laps to go it was down to a snail’s pace. I was up top towards the rail and decided to jump over the top of the group...I knew the track at ADT is shorter than SD so you have to make your move sooner, but I went a little too early. I faded in turn 4 and hung on for 4th place (2 omnium points).
Photo By Pat Benson
RACE #2 – 32 Lap Points (sprints every 8): Again we started off smooth and riders we willing to rotate evenly but the pulls got shorter as we got closer to the first sprint. I was a little too far back for the first sprint and as expected EVERYONE went hard to grab points early. Not being in the ideal spot I decided not to go all out here but managed to grab 4th (1 point). I kept my momentum and rolled on through adding some pace as I hit the pole lane while some of the other riders were gassed from their sprint. A few riders went with me and when I pulled off I saw there was just four of us. I encouraged my break companions saying to just keep rolling and we will all grab points. We upped the pace even more taking hard 1/2 lap pulls. As we got closer to the second sprint the pulls remains strong, but just shorter so we were not slowing too much. I grabbed the second sprint and we just kept rolling. As we got close to the third sprint we were 3/4 of a lap up on the chasers. The pace slowed a bit because we were content to sprint amongst ourselves rather than the entire field. I ended up on the front just before the bell of the third lap and I tried to soft pedal as long as possible so we wouldn't catch the chase group. Luckily everyone else was thinking the same thing so I started the sprint out of turn 2 and was able to win that sprint just as we caught the chasers. Now it was all back together so the pace again slowed with a few of us rolling through just to keep it going. With two laps to go one rider attacked over the top and broke up the group again, I slotted in a few wheels back of the chasing riders knowing it was still a ways before the final sprint. We caught him with one to go and then I was second wheel...perfect...I jumped out of turn 2 and was able to get back in the pole lane just as we hit turn 3, now I had the shortest distance to the line and finished it off. I ended up with 16 points winning the points race over the second place rider who had 6 points.

Photo By Pat Benson
RACE #3 - Miss-N-Out (last rider pulled from race every other lap until only 1 remains): The pressure was on because the rider that won the Scratch race got 2nd in the Points so he was winning the Omnium and I was sitting in second. The Miss-N-Out is highly tactical so it was anyone’s race. I have been getting schooled in the Miss-N-Out at TNR with all the fast guys so I was hoping that I actually have taken note and learned something. I knew with a small field that I could probably ride from the front (either in the pole lane or preferably on the red line so I am not boxed in) until it was down to a few riders. So I did just that, keeping the pace just high enough so riders did not want to come over the top and box me in. With four riders left I they started to come over the top and box me in so eased off the gas and went all the way around and over the top at the last second to insure I didn't get called out. I heard one rider yell **** and looked back and it was the guy leading the overall Omnium. He knew if I got 1st or second I would take the overall. I made it to the final sprint and with 1 lap to go I pulled off the front slowing as I swung high up track in turn 1. The other rider came with me but I made sure he stayed below me as I went higher. He jumped coming out of turn 2, I saw it coming and jumped on his wheel. I waited just a tad before jumping and took the final sprint and winning the Miss-N-Out and taking the overall just by 2 omnium points.

Overall: 1st in Cat 3 Omnium and got some upgrade points. Everyone was having a great time and the racing was pretty friendly compared to your typical 4 corner criterium. Although TNR at the SD velodrome is pretty hard to beat It was awesome to get back on the boards for the first time in a few years.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Fiesta Island 20km Time Trial 5/9

I have done the 20km FITT (Fiesta Island Time Trial) several times over the past few years. Although TTs have never been my strong point it is a great way to judge general fitness/form. My current PR (personal record) of 29:33 (25.3mph) was set the previous year on my old road Giant TCR road bike that had been fitted with TT bars and race wheels. This winter I got a new (to me) Javelin TT frameset and tried to train on it once every other week to get my position dialed in. On race day JT owner of Moment Cycle Sport let me borrow hit rear disk wheel to help slice through the wind. So with those factors in addition to all the training I had been doing on the bike with the guidance of coach Sean Burke, I knew I should set a new PR. I got to the race early and warmed up well. Off the line I eased into my effort making sure I found my pace quickly, but gradual enough to not send my heart rate through the roof. I was very comfortable in the TT position with my new frame and was able to just concentrate on pushing a good gear. It was pretty windy for FITT standards and in the end I clocked a 27:59 (26.65 mph ave) beating my old PR by 1:34 and winning the 19-29 age group. Under 28min is a pretty respectable time so I am very happy with that performance and hope I can continue to improve my time trialing.