Rain : Grayslake; Heat : Glenco

Grayslake Cycling Challenge (Cat 4), 8/8/09
Race #33

???/40ish

Not much to say. I didn’t think I’d be able to race here on Friday afternoon. By Friday night I was making arrangements. Sweet. I was off the bike for a few days and this would be a good opener for Sunday's races

T1 Report: Nothing unusual. Things were looking very good.

Nice course. Jason K. (Burnham Racing) & the ICC had the ship running tight. Weather sucked. I had a good day until the final lap. I allowed myself to drift back a bit too far with 4 to go and so I desperately needed to make up ground. So, in the bell lap I made some aggressive moves. And it cost me. As I was passing on the outside of the lane just before we hit turn three I knew as I was entering the turn that I was not going to make it. So, I bunny hopped the curb, rode the grass and got back on the tarmac without a problem other than being off the back. So I chase. I almost caught a few riders dangling. Almost. Too bad, I felt good that race.

Glenco Grand Prix, 8/9/09

I’ve got to say thank you to the organizers of the Glenco Grand Prix. They did a great job ensuring that, despite the heat, they were as well prepared as could be. The water and cookies for racers was super nice and sooooooooo much appreciated. So was one number for two races...I hate needless pinning.

T1 Report: Well, BGs were fine. Thought I suffered a stupid thing that, luckily, a past flash of genius carried me through. I forgot to refill my pump before I left the house. Shit. Luckily I long ago decided to keep an extra insulin pen in my backpack. So, I was able to manage the sugars well enough with several shots throughout the day. Actually, I did the 4s race without my pump; this was the first time I raced without it. Felt good. Sugars were stable, though because the pen was low I didn’t eat anything between races. This played a part in my fatigue, though I had some HEED to keep my legs going. Not satisfying but functional.

Masters 4/5
Race #34

7th/60???

Great race. Great environment. Great course. And the organizers lived up to their title, it was super efficient: we only needed ONE number for our different category races! And to top it off, I had a lot of fun in this one.

I missed this race last year and was mildly disappointed that we didn’t need to ride through the “Amen Corner” for this race. Too bad, because I could have used another 100m headed into the finish. This was the most active race all year so a special thanks goes to MS Racing for keeping the racing interesting. This was obviously a target race for the team as there was, what, 5 or 6 riders in the field. One or another of their riders was off the front for the whole race and so the field was active. I took it easy for the first half of the race and in the second I started to participate. I chased down a break, only half way, and Tony (Beverly Bike-Vee Pack) finished the job. (Nice work, Tony!) I think it was Mike (xXx-Athletico) who attacked I chased on and two MS racers went along and we became a break of 4 (or it was the MS racer that went and I chased on—either way, someone went and I chased on.) Mike pulled off and the two MS racers did not do much work as a team—one pulled, the other didn’t. I’m sitting third wheel wondering why the guy sitting second wheel doesn’t pull through or why the lead rider doesn’t pull off. Then it dawns on me! Ah Ha!!! He’s “the guy.” I’m thinking this is great: two MS racers, one of whom is “the guy” so the other must be the dedicated workhorse and their team will block; an xXx’er, and his team will block; and me…we can actually make this thing stick! After about one lap or so and the MS guy is still on the front I revise my evaluation. They don’t want it to happen. He does not want his guy to pull and waste his juice. I should have attacked then and there; at least Mike would have come along. At least there would have been three doing some kind of work rather than just one. Tactics. Hmmm. I’ve no idea how much of a gap we had on the field but we’re caught with two to go. Now, I’m on “the guy’s” wheel…second wheel. Yes, he must pull with two to go. Nice. I’m sitting and waiting for the jump. The bell rings, we exit turn one…he turns around and gives me and everyone else “the look”…and then attacks. Hard. I chase for 5 seconds and need to reevaluate my actions very quickly. Game over. I pulled aside and slid in about 5th wheel going into the final turn. We exit the final turn and a rider wobbles a bit, turning wider than I expected…so I grab some breaks. I restart my sprint and finish 7th. The wheel I was on made it on the podium. Damn. Cookies are crumbling all around me. Seems to be my modus operandi: sitting one wheel too far back at the start of the sprint.

Category 4
Race #35

11th/50???

Holy crap was it hot. It felt way hotter than the master's race. I felt bad for the cat 3s. Seems like the 3 o’clock hour was the hottest.

I felt ok at the start. I wished I had some ice in my bottle and water (not heed) so I could dump some on my head through the race. Mental note: check. Race started. More heat. Two or three laps in I started feeling like doggy doo. I heard Dean and Vanessa, and someone else, cheering my name and felt encouraged to hang on. I think Rob (Bike Heaven) was telling me to move up. (Really. Jesus, don’t you know its hot?!?!?!) I really just hung on. Four guys escaped and no one was interested in chasing. I was totally fine with that. With three to go I started to feel optimistic, not at my chances of a strong finish, but of finishing the race. The bell lap; someone crashed at the Amen Corner, I was behind it but not put out too badly. I sprinted for 11th. Went to the Gatorade tent and got some ice for my head and neck and some water and couldn’t imagine eating one of those cookies. Though, I did later. They were amazingly good. I should have gotten more.

It was great to have my parents out for this one. The masters race was a good show where even my father picked up on some of tactics behind the action. He even gave me advice.