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May 6, 2006

2006 Racing results here.

This race is simple: 4.5 miles uphill, gaining nearly 1300 vertical feet. The climb isn’t very steep, but it is continuous and the pace is fast. I had hoped to do better in a hill climbing race this short. I would be sadly disappointed. But our team wouldn’t be.

The Rocky Mounts – Izze team is absolutely stacked with strong climbers, two or three of which would place in about the middle of the pro ranks. So, why are they in the 35+/Cat. 4 kicking my butt? Because there are no upgrade points giving for hill climbs or time trials, these guys have to win a hilly road race in order to move up. Of course, even if they did, it wouldn’t help me much. I need about twenty guys to move out of this division.

We had eight teammates for this race: our two undisputed ringers (Scott and Bruce), a potential ringer (Matt), two strong climbers (Brad and Chris), two big-ring boys (Kris and myself), and a crit. Rider (Rich). I knew I had no chance of sticking with Scott, Matt, and Bruce, but I secretly held out hope to stay with Brad and expected to match Chris and Kris. I would be humbled.

After watching my my wife and kids run a 5K in the morning, I headed down to the race, which was in Golden. The race goes up Lookout Mountain, which is just west of Golden. I signed in, used the bathroom, and warmed up a bit before staging at the start along with 80+ others. I rode this course last Sunday with Scott and worked very hard to do it in 23:00. Today my goal was to go my own pace and not blow up by trying to follow faster wheels and to break 22 minutes. Last year the winning time, by Bruce, was 20:30, so I hoped a 22 might get me into the top ten. I didn’t know squat.

We got the signal to start and I did my usual pedal fumbling, slipping way back in the pack. I wasn’t too concerned, though. I had some wheels to follow and still tried to settle into my pace. I was the last placed Rocky Mount at that time and I wouldn’t move up much. Most of the Rocky Mounts were at the front of the race, but I saw Scott just a little ways in front of me. He had some pedal trouble as well.

There isn’t any strategy in a race like this. It’s a time trial. My heart rate quickly went to 170 bpm and I averaged 171 for the entire race. The race quickly shattered completely apart with some groups on the road. A lead group with 3 or 4 Rocky Mounts went off and then a second group and a third group. I was eventually trying to chase down this third group, which Kris was leading.

I suffered and suffered and suffered some more and up we went. Eventually I caught Kris just before we topped out. I rode his wheel until things flattened out a bit. We both switched to our big ring and ramped out our speed. I thought about riding Kris’ wheel until the finish, but couldn’t do it after all he has done for me this year. I came around and took a pull. We had a chaser just behind us, but we kept the speed high enough and he didn’t challenge us. Kris pulled around before the finish and at 200 meters to go, we were side-by-side. The finish is all uphill, so I waited for him to go. He resisted until 150 meters and then we both went hard. I held my ground for a hundred meters, but I was cooked and started to slip back. Kris broke me and I sat up, finishing a second behind him. Still, I finished with a very satisfying time of 21:46.

Rocky Mounts did well. Scott regained the front group and Bruce set the pace most of the way up. In general this is a smart strategy for Bruce. He can usually ride anyone off his wheel, but this hill isn’t steep enough and a group of five stayed together, including Scott and Matt. Now Bruce can ride a great time trial, which Scott vows he cannot do, but Scott can sprint, especially after a big climb. Bruce’s only chance to beat Scott was to drop him, which he has on a number of occasions, mostly on steeper climbs. But Scott was there at the end and won the sprint for first. His winning time was around 19:20! Bruce took second and Matt fourth. Complete Rocky Mounts dominance. We now have four Rocky Mounts victories by four different Rocky Mounts riders (in the 35+/Cat. 4’s) so far this year. We have won every Colorado ACA race this year.

Chris Busacca finished 10^th with a time of 20:56. Brad finished 13th in 21:21. Man, these guys can climb. I was 7^th fastest on the Rocky Mounts team! Out of only eight. Dang. I really want to be a climber. I enjoy it. I’m mentally suited to the struggle and misery, but I just can’t muster the power. I either need to get a lot fitter or a lot lighter. I might have to give up seconds on ice cream and donuts. Kris stuck around for the results to be posted and found out that he fnished 18^th and I was 19^th, so I just made my goal of being in the top 20. There were 85 starters, but curiously only 81 finishers.