Sylvan Island

Ahh the first race of the 2009 IMBCS Series, and it would prove to be an experience. The forecast called for scattered showers, and with the weather being so nice lately the guys that pre-rode yesterday said it was dry and fast. That would change quickly as we were driving down there we got about 20 minutes out and it was raining, and it wasn't looking like it would stop. A quick check of the radar confirmed that and it was going to be a fun muddy race. I haven't really been on the bike at all in the past 2 weeks due to some personal issues and wasn't sure how my legs were going to do today.

Got to the start line about 5 minutes to go and noone was lined up yet so I shifted to a gear I would be able to get a good start in and locked out the fork and tried that out with a few starts from a stop. Guys started to roll in so I jumped right on the front line in the middle. She blows the whistle and we are off, I was in the big ring and just flipping through gears one at a time, the starting stretch is probably 600 yards before hitting the single track and I knew from last year you needed to be up front to do good here. I was unaware until after the race someone in about 4th or 5th position crashed and took out a group with him, including Landon from the Bike Tech Racing Team and he ended up being taken out on a stretcher. Into the first couple tight sections and I was still in front, but had small group behind me. When the trail opened up 2 guys were able to get past me, so I was sitting 3rd. Another guy got by me at a less than desirable spot that caused us both to have to put a foot down. So now I was in 4th and would be there for sometime.

Second lap and I was sitting in a great spot and was just trying to push, but could see one guy coming up fast. He got behind me about 1/2 way through the lap and we rode that way for quite sometime. By now the skies had opened up quite a bit and it was raining hard. Puddles were getting bigger and some sections were getting sloppy. The guy that had caught me and was able to get around when it opened up. I was starting to feel going out so hard at the start in my legs, but as long as I kept drinking I knew I would be able to avoid cramping.

Start of the 3rd and final lap I was in 5th place and there was a group of 3 coming up fast behind me. I would get caught by the first one pretty quickly and he got by me. I had the other 2 guys in front of me one section up and just couldn't shut down the gap. They were maybe 15 seconds, and I could see them alot, but now able to make up the ground. The other 2 guys caught me at just past the 1/2 way point and one got by but not both of them. I was able to hold him off for a few more sections, but once it opened up he got by me. I was digging as deep as possible and was able to get back onto his wheel by the last section but had no way to get around. Final straight going to the finish line and it was down to a sprint, but since he was already out in front I was basically riding his wheel and no way to get around.

I came across the line in 8th Place in Sport Men overall, and 3rd Place Sport Men 30-39. Good start to the season and hopefully I can find some time to train in the next couple weeks and continue to have a great MTB season.

Sylvan Island IMBCS #1

4-07-09 Night at the Oval

First race of the year, and those are always a good way to see how your winter training has paid off. Well to say the least mine needs more work. It was about 40 degrees out witha strong NW wind which meant the back stretch would be killer.

First up was a 15 lap scratch race, and since there was only 14 of us there wan no splitting up into 2 groups.everyone raced at the same time. I did the same as last year with going out to hard on the 2nd lap instead of just sitting in an got shelled by the 3rd lap. Thankfully I had another guy fall off with me and we just took turns pulling each other around for the next 10 or so laps.

2Nd race they split us up in 3 groups divided by age. Being in the young group has its advantages but also some disadvantages. We were the 3rd and final group to go so we could watch what everyone else did and not make the same mistakes. Finally it was our turn for a 3 lap lead out race, so out timestarted when the first person crossed starting the last lap and ended when the first guy finished that lap. We led out Mac to what ended up being the fastest time by almost 2 seconds.

3rd and final race was another 12 lap race, and this time I was determined to stay with the pack. First couple laps and so far so good, I am able to sit in and even spend short bursts at the front. Then at about the halfway mark it happens, I got shelled again, this time was my own fault, we were into the headwind and I miss judged why was the last guy in the group and they shot by me like I was standing still. So knowing I was OTB and no hope of getting back on I rode the next 4 laps like a time trial just doing what I could to not get lapped. I did however get lapped because the 3 lead guys were putting down a blistering pace, so I saw that and just sat up and let them finish.

Next race is on the 19th, and that is a MTB race in the Quad Citites, hopefully I do better offroad than on.

Frost Buster Roller Race

The final race in a 7 race series for a State Championship title. I had only done 2 others, so doing today would qualify me for possibly getting a place in the Cat 4's. Seeing how all the other guys were doing at previous races I knew I had to run about a 6:20 to get into 3rd overall, as long as noone bested their times today. Well it was apparent that the other guys had also brought their A game and weren't letting anything back. I had watched a bunch of races and knew when I had to ride, so I got dressed about 45 minutes before my run to start getting warmed up.

I got up on the rollers and Vern asked if I had a goal for the day, and my only goal was to finish, seemed reasonable. I went out at a pace of just under 6 minutes, knowing I more then likely couldn't hold that for the entire 2 miles I just kept giving it all I had. I got to the half way point and started to really feel it in my legs, I backed of just a tiny bit, and was on track for a 6:30 which I would have been totallt happy with. I pushed as hard as I could through the middle, got to the one minute to go mark and just laid it all out there. I was able to turn a time of 6:22.3 which at that point had me in 3rd for the day and .3 seconds out of 3rd for a medal, so that hope was gone. Only one Cat 4 left to go so we hung around and waited to see him go, and of course he ended up doing a sub 6 minute run so that knocked me out of 3rd, but oh well.

I did set some personal records today, one of them being my time of 6:22.3 (21 seconds faster than my previous best) and a new Max heart rate of 211. Here is the power file from todays race

Final Roller Race

New MTB Bike Day

Well the day finally came, got enough money set aside to get my new ride.  I have been eyeing this bike for quite some time at the bike store, and today we went in to pick it up.  It is a 2009 Cannondale 29'r F2.  Nicely speced bike with disc brakes, now I know you are thinking they have been around for quite some time, but this is the first bike I have had with them.  I have not gotten to do a good test ride yet since it is snowing out now, and the local trails are quite sloppy from all the melting snow, but soon enough I will be able to report on how it rides.  Here are a few pictures I took before the snow started really coming down.

45 degrees in January "Carpe diem"

When translated it means to "seize the day" and that is exactly what I did.  I just couldn't pass up riding outside today, temps were warm, wind wasn't too bad, and even though there was still ice in spots, and run off from the melting snow I had a really good time.  I forgot to bring the camera but did get a couple pics with my phone, I will add them here in a minute.  Rode for 1:35 and got in just over 25 miles, chose to do a flat route since I didn't feel like hills today, but tomorrow I plan on getting out again for a bit and will probably hit up some hills just to see how my early season workouts have been treating me.

Bikes 2 U Roller Race

Today found us traveling to Grinnell for the next Roller Race in the series.  4 of us from the team headed that way to represent from HBA, myself, Vern, Chris, and Jason.  We showed up just after 11 and got signed in, the nice thing is you can basically choose which rollers you want to ride on, and in what order you want to go.  I decided to get in early and get it over with along with Vern, and Chris and Jason took some later runs.

Vern was up first, and he was doing a good job, up until the guy on the other rollers fell off, hit the bar and took out Vern, so both of them were off and needed to get the belts back on which cost them alot of time.

Next was my turn.  Last time I did it in my big ring, and that seemed like if I needed to switch gears I was putting myself into some hurt, so I tried this week in my little ring, and wow that made a difference.  Starting off I knew my legs were starting to feel a little week from all the intetsity training I have been doing the past couple weeks (looking forward to a rest week) and I thought maybe using the little ring I could drop my time to a 6:30.  Started off pretty strong, but I quickly realized I couldn't keep that pace, so I just found a pace that worked for me.  At the halfway point I was at about the same pace as last week, and knew I had to hold it if I could.  I gave it one last push towards the end and came in with a 6:46, so a couple seconds off last weeks time.  Still in the end was good enough for a 2nd Place finish in the Cat 4's.

Jason was up next and was hoping to put down an under 7 minute run, but come up a little shot of his goal.  Chris went a couple after Jason, and was able to put in a run of 6:17, which was also just a couple seconds off his time last weekend.  We had all notced that and commeneted on how ths week seemed so much harder and times were slower for just about everyone that raced.  It was another good weekend for HBA, no pictures as the wife and kids didn't come, but they will be there for the next one.

Here is my power meter reading from today

Rollin' the Rapids

Today was the Rollin' the Rapids Roller Race held at Gold Pointe Fitness Center in Cedar Rapids.  Having never done a roller race before I wasn't sure what to expect.  The setup is Kreitler Rollers with a Killer Headwind unit attatched for some major resistance, and you race for 2 miles just like a Time Trial.  At our training ride the other night I did try doing it on the exact setup and had a time of just under 7 minutes.  

Got there shortly after registration opened, found a spot to setup my rollers so I could warmup, and got signed in.  Was 15th on the list to ride, so I had sometime to hangout, talk with some of the other guys and watch the other races.   There was a good turnout from the HBA Team, with Jason up first, he set a good time of just over 7 minutes due to having to stop because his front tire hit the one belt and it came off and had to be reset.  Next up was Vern, and he put down a personal best of just over 7 minutes.  Ian was up shortly after and threw down an impressive sub 6 minute ride.

I was up next, and the guy I was next to is the current state record holder for fastest time, so I knew I had no chance of keeping up with him.  We got the signal to start, and I went out a little to hard at first and had to tone it back some.  It does show your estimated time on the computer screen, so I was trying to get a check of that every once in a while, and saw it kinda hovering around the 6:45 mark.  When I did the ride the other night I was on my wheels with a 12-25 cassette so I was able to use the big ring, well today I had my other wheels with an 11-23 on it, and used the big ring, but looking back I should have been in my little ring and used a gear that if I needed to change it would only be a 1 tooth difference, not a 2 tooth one, so now I know for next time.  One mile into it and I was really feeling it, and had to try and settle in for another mile of suffering.  Got to about .2 left and gave it all I had, and posted a time of 6:43.00.  Which was good enough for a second place in the Cat 4's.

Chris was up about an hour later and put down an impressive run with a time of 6:15.9.  Also Tom the newest member to HBA did just a shade over 6 minutes.

Rollin' the Rapids