Nothing beats racing in 20min from home!

Chicago Criterium (Cat 4), 7/26/09
Race #30

6th/125

After the race on Sunday the Spidermonkeys had the privilege to hand out and drink many Goose Island 312 beers. And that position of privilege made it possible to chat with people I’ve come to look forward to seeing at the races. No one was in a rush to go home. Nice. The one subject that came up most often was how disappointing it would be for the Chicago racing community to loose the Chicago Criterium should our bid for 2016 go sour. Regardless of your position on Chicago winning the Olympic bid, we’ve got to find a way to keep this race going.

Personally, I’m planning on writing a few letters to my alderman (I’m sure he really does not care), to my congressmen, President Obama, Mayor Daley, his wife, and every major media outlet that will take my letters to print praising this event.

For the two or three people that may read this post, please do the same.

The race organizers did a great job heeding the complaints from last year and that is a generous sign of respect. The layout and logistics were also improved, which allowed the races to go off more or less on time. And frankly, though I’m not “overjoyed” with my result, I can’t look to anyone but myself for any missteps that occurred yesterday. I know there were some (there always are) and I’m sure someone has something to complain about (not sure what?), but I give it a solid two thumbs up.

So, on to the race report.

Type 1 report: diabetes was easy to manage today and my BGs were spot on. As a result, I felt great. My CGMS was cherping during the race and I wasn't able to turn it off...yes, that was me...sorry.

As we were waiting for the officials to let us onto the course, my wife suddenly appeared smiling which totally relaxed me. I knew she would be there, but I didn’t expect to see her before the finish. It was great to see her before the race, it put me in a really good mood.

My goals for this race were simple. I know I’m strong enough to finish well but my weakness are, as shown through all the Superweek races, my field position and passivity. So, I planned on getting a good starting spot on the line, and holding a position in the front of the field for the duration of the race. Also planned to take a few pulls on the front, get my ass in the top 10 with two laps to go, mark the strong finishers, and jump just before cresting the Balbo overpass and bury myself in pain for the final 350m. If I did that, I knew I'd get a good result and secure a few upgrade points.

The race started very awkwardly for me. We get onto the course and +125 guys all immediately line up. I was expecting a free lap and so my start position was once again terrible, second from the back. As we stood there, I chatted with the guys around me for a few seconds then I hear a whistle…oh, we’re racing now. Its funny how Superweek shapes your race expectations: for the last two weeks we'd generally sit on the start line for a looooong time and listen to the pre race lecture from the official. Perhaps because there were 100 riders in front of me I may have missed it. So, with the whistle, I clumsily began to move to the front of the peloton with little problem.

IT was so great to hear the Spidermonkeys cheering from the sideline. We had great representation at the race in both the fan and racer categories. Thanks for showing up!

(here I am, on the front 10 min into the race in turn 4)

The pace was not too tough, though I felt that my legs needed a brief working over so after two or three laps I went on the front. Not an attack, just a pull for a bit short of a lap to see how the legs feel. After I dropped back a few positions, and recovered I felt pretty good. The riding and bike handling was normally bad and at times terrifying. I was almost taken out only a few times by people chopping my wheel near the Congress “chicane” or by a few knuckleheads bombing the inside of turns two and three. Lots of riders; lots of fresh 4s. Heads up!

The call for 2 laps to go also surprised me—once again, an effect the Superweek. I quickly moved to the front 10 or 15 and avoided all the foolishness around me. In the bell lap, I had good position, was ready to go, got on a good wheel on the backside and going up the overpass at Balbo a bunch of riders shifted thier lines and, as result, I lost the wheel I was on. That was the one I wanted. He made it though a gap that closed right behind him and like magic he was gone at the top. I slowed to avoid riding up another riders slowing, flailing ass; was forced outside and couldn't take the inside lane of turn 4 and lost a precious 2 seconds in that place but was able to out sprint a few riders to regain some positions for the finish. I finished 6th. I was pissed after the results were posted because there are no upgrade points for 6th. Well, that’s racing...the best laid plans...etc. etc…Bummer.

To compensate riders, like me, who had glorious aspirations for this race, the payout for 6th was a very nice $75…I didn’t expect to collect any checks the day of, especially after last year’s payout fiasco. But they had checks on hand! Nice.

My parents were out watching and my brother saw his first bike race and was very impressed. I think the Chicago Crit is a great example of what bike racing could be.

I hope it lasts.

Superweek

International Cycling Classic, 2009

Superweek? Well, it actually has been...sorta.

The events have been run well, the courses safe and clearly marked, the organizers have been living up to their title, the addition or resurrection of some really fun courses--what more can you want?

Elgin, 7/12/08, Masters 4/5, 25th/63
Race #26

Nice course. Very technical and fun to ride. This was my first day back on the bike a week so I was just going to use it to open my legs up and go for results Monday and Tuesday. That said, I would have found it hard to work up to the front because with only 5 laps it was really difficult to find a mental rhythm on the course. I never got a good feel for what would come next. If I were looking for a result, like so many others, moving to the front would be challenging. But I was happy to slam on my breaks and then sprint out of every turn to finish 25.

Richton Park, 7/13/09, Cat4/5, 7/35ish
Race #27

Nice environment, very…suburban. There was nothing really technical about this race, it was a typical flat crit. Every attack was chased down making the pace very choppy. Though I didn’t spend much time on the front, it was so much easier to glide rather than navigate through the turns. Jeff was going to lead me out and I didn’t come around him in time, so I lost a few positions as a result. But 7th wasn’t bad...thirty five smackers for a payout. Which was almost one race, it weren’t for a ridiculous “convenience fee” attached to writing a personal check for registration. I asked Chris (the registration diva) if I could charge them an extra $6 for the checks they would be handing me this week and she coldly replied…you know, I’ve never heard that one before. Point taken.

Artlington Heights, 7/14/09, Cat 4/5, 17/40ish
Race #28

Christ! How many times do I need to learn this lesson: the race happens at the front!

This course was a tight 8 corner crit with the finish opposite where they place it at Proctor. So, you had to be in the top 10-15 going into the final 5 turns, or you have no chance. I had no chance. I was feeling “it” a bit more today than the others. I thought the bounce was gone from my bungee. Its not. But I had to relearn that old lesson: read the course, analyze how to do well and where to make your moves. Then go race and make your moves. I didn’t. I just got on my bike and rode around kinda fast. The up side was that I had to bridge a nice size gap (7-10 seconds) that opened up by a crash. Riders in front of me were not going to do it, I feared they may be content to be group 2 or 3—so I pulled around them…oooooohhh wow! Once again flying around those turns without slamming the breaks and sprinting out again! It took a little less than 1 lap for me to jump the gap (and bring everyone with me). But another funny thing happened—my legs opened up. I felt the effort but I actually felt good! But I didn’t go to the front. Why? Because I’m a dunce.

Drew looked to be in great position going into the final two turns when he ate it in the corner..he’s fine. John was also doing great holding his position in the top 10 (I’m jealous), but he ate it in turn 3 or 5. Luckily noth are ok…

There is no way I’d race Bensenville. That course sucks…

Lakefront Short Course, 7/16/09, Cat 4/5, 28/40 starters???
Race #29

I have not written one word about my diabetes. The reason? It’s been great at every race (well, could have been better at Arlington). Today was the terrible exception.

The course was awesome. The hill scared the shit out of me and I’m glad I put on the 26t cassette. It was just over a solid min. effort, but it was not really Wisconsin steep—it was very manageable for dudes like me. The descent was really, really fun. This was by far the greatest addition or resurrection of Superweek. Bravo!!! I’ll do this race again next year even if I’m not race ready.

Diabetes…so, as usual, I was nervous, I wanted a better result after a very, very lackluster crit in Arlington Heights. But I’ve already learned to successfully manage the diabetes as relates to my never ending nerves. Today, Jake and I hit the Whole Foods for a muffin and espresso…I took what I thought was an appropriate amount of insulin to cover the muffin. But as we were less than 1 hr from starting a race I apparently took far too little. I was 94 when I sat down to eat; I was 224 five min before the start; 10 min into the race I was 250. Uh, oh. Looking at my data (no powertap, CGMS data) I can trace it back to that one delicious, chocolate, fucking muffin.

For the uninitiated: normal folks BGs are between 60-110 all the time—diabetics try to aim for that range using doses of synthetic insulin. Exercise boosts your metabolism and makes insulin far more effective. The down side is that when the insulin is too effective, or you over bolus a dose you can go low (which is very, very bad) –in this case, before a highly aerobic activity lasting ~1.3 hrs I took what I thought appropriate. Nope, I totally undershot it. Nerves apparently play into this too…espresso + nerves + under dosing for a muffin caused my BG to rise throughout the race. The effect of elevated BGs can be loss of power, heavy legs, really, really dry mouth, which is caused by dehydration…all fit the bill today.

So, in the second lap my CGMS gave me the alert that my BG was too elevated (yes, that was me cherping). I shut it up. It continues every 5 min. In the 5th lap, I go to the front and help Jake pull. I didn’t take a hard pull, then fell back one place. It goes off again. We turn right and hit the climb. When I crest I hear an alarm I have never heard…it sounded like a “Hey you, fucker! You must look at me NOW!” alarm. So, I go to the back and pull out my pump/CGM system and see that I’m nearly 355. Holy crap. I take two units of Insulin and let the pack slip away.

Looking back on it, I should have stuck at the back occasionally going OTB to check my numbers. But I was scared. I didn’t really know what to do…so I let the race slide away. But I finished. I finished the remaining 9 laps by myself (more or less).

It was my first time going off the back and then getting lapped. A few kind folks in both the 4/5 and masters 4/5 peloton asked, “hey Mike, you alright?”

“Yeah…I’m fine. Sorta.”

I whish I could have been there to help Jake. I wish I could have been there to see how I faired up the hill on the 16th lap with tired but driven racers. Well, I can’t do anything about it….I don’t regret my decision, though this week has been quite disappointing for me. New racing experiences bring new experiments in managing my Diabetes. I’ll probably email Phil Southerland and see if he can’t offer some advice.