3 and out

This weekend we had the Tour de Louisiane Stage Race in Covington, LA just north of where I live by about an hour. I hadn’t been training super much recently. I’ve been riding but nothing structured other than some group rides in the morning on the levee. So TDL is composed of a short 3 mile TT, an 80 mile road race and a 60 minute criterium. I was just going to do my best and see where it turned out.

So here are the results and some quick highlights:

TT
6:48 good enough for ~ 23rd

Road Race
12th pack time
I tried attacking a bunch on the first lap to try and get off and have a chance at the hot spot.
It stormed so hard during the race which made it super hard and really a good “real” road race.
On the 3rd lap I had a flat and had to chase back on
By finishing with the pack I moved from 23rd to 18th

Criterium
7 seconds separated 10th and 18th place.
Once again I attacked early and often to try to get a chance at the hot spot.
I timed the crit to attack at 23 min in assuming that the hot spot would be rang around the 26 min mark. I was off for a lap but got caught as the officials rang the hot spot lap.
I still managed to be the 4th person across the line for the hot spot. No time bonus but a decent result.
I had another flat after the hot spot.
In the final laps I was sitting in good position in the front and ended up attacking on the last lap with about 1k to go. I got caught with about 200meters to go to the line.
I ended up finishing 17th overall. I took Diego’s spot when he DNF’d

Again I had fun racing, I tried some stuff it didn’t work but at least I was noticed and felt somewhat accomplished. Oh and to finish off my 3 and out I rode my TT bike on Tuesday after TDL and had another flat.

3 flats, 3 races, and 3 and out!

Learning to Race

I’ve been racing for four seasons now (this one being my forth) on the road bike. I know that along the way I’ve learned a lot about training, riding, traveling and a lot about suffering. But somewhere along the line it seems like I’ve forgotten how to do something that inherently when I started four years ago was so simple. How to race.

My first season I raced a lot, and in the course of one year jumped from a 5 to a 3. Looking back some of my best memories were of that first year. I didn’t win, I’m still working on that one but I raced, raced a lot, and had fun doing it. Over the course of the following years things became more cloudy and complicated. Training got more structured; scientific. Racing became a game of calculation, don’t go too early the chances are too low, don’t go too late, you’ll get caught, who is willing to go, who is going to chase, how strong the chase will be…. In every race it was a matter of calculations. When I got a coach it seemed that it became more about number’s, sustained watts, max watts, time pedaling, etc. In the mix of this I lost what I had in my first year, racing.

This year has been rough! I’ve worked so hard and it feels like all I’m doing in some of these races is racing to hang on. Enough! For the Month of June I’ve decided to just race and have fun. I’m not doing any structured training (I’ll still be riding), and I’m not going to use a damn power meter!



With this in mind Saturday before the State Road Race Championships I went to the shop and took off the ERGOMO. It had been giving me some problems anyway and I needed to send it back to get checked out so I figured that this is a good time to get all of this done. Additionally, Marc at Bicycle World wanted me to try out some new chain lube. It’s called No. 5 and is supposed to last for 1,000 miles without needing to be re-oiled. So after cleaning my bike, removing the Ergomo, and doing all the other crap at the bike shop I was finally ready to go get some rest for Sunday.

I picked up Shave Dave at 4:00 AM so that we could drive up to Natchez which is about 3 hours away. Our race started at 9:00 (a 15 lap circuit race). Kate was kind enough to come drive so that we could sleep and she was also going to hand us bottles in the feed zone. It was going to be a hot day so we loaded up on water and I have to tell you the race started off really boring. Dan Bennett took off a little quick from the gun but didn’t make it 10 feet without someone being on his wheel. On the first lap I was told that a predominant team would work with me if I got off the front with anyone except this one rider who had beaten a teammate of theirs in the master’s race Saturday. So toward the end o the first lap I see a teammate of the guy I’m not supposed to get off with come to the front. I was guessing he was up there to cover attacks, etc. There was also a good mix of other riders at the front. So I attacked and thought that I might draw some people with me off of the front with me. Before I knew it the motor Ref came up and informed me I had 30 seconds. I was thinking “Well, I’ll hang out here for a bit and hope that someone bridges up.” The motor ref then tells me I have a minute then 2 minutes. My lead ballooned up to a maximum of 3 min. 30 sec. I ended up getting caught with 6 laps to go. I rode another two laps the first one trying to hang on and the second trying to catch back on. Then I pulled of and sat down. I usually don’t quit races but I couldn’t bear thinking of riding another 4 laps by myself.

I didn’t win the State Championship’s, I didn’t even finish, but I learned to race again and had a great time!

Hangin Tough

I know that I may not be the next ultra-pro. I also see young guys that are starting earlier than I did and some of who have much more talent than I. However, the one thing I do like about this sport is that if you’re dedicated and smart it will take you a long ways. Over the course of the years I have developed something that I see many of the younger guys missing – toughness. I’m not just talking about the ability to push hard when it hurts in a race; I’m talking the toughness you have o have off of the bike. One of our Cat 3’s here in NOLA is amazing on paper. He’s had a rough time this year coming off of a stellar season last year and being herald as the next youth rider to watch. Adjusting to Cat 3 riding here is hard. Most races are 123 and everyone is pushing just as hard as you are. My first year as a 3 I think I finish only maybe 2-3 races with the group and rest of the time was off the back. Not quitting and not loosing your mental strength is important. Even to this day when I enter a race – I believe I have a chance of winning or doing well. Sometimes well might be defined as finishing and making a time cut. I however have been fortunate to never enter a race with the expectations of failure.

This past weekend I needed the mental toughness as I traveled to Tulsa to complete the Tulsa Tough Criteriums. Needing a riding companion for the long trip up there and not being able to get anyone from here to go I found Murphy who went the entire trip with me and shared his insight of philosophy, and laws of life.

Trip to Tulsa

Tuesday
Check Engine Light comes on in the car – I make an appointment to take the car in to get an oil change and get the car checked out (it’s probably just a filter)

Wednesday
5:00PM - Go to Wednesday at the square to see some long lost friends (lost since racing season beganJ
6:00PM - Go to Loews to get some LocTite for Darrel to put my spoke in my wheel and true it (this is the wheel that I broke the spoke on in Arkansas)
9:00PM - Go to Wal-Mart to get some pipe cleaners and acetone (also to fix the wheel)

Thursday
6:00AM - Get up early to swap cars with the parents & take mine into the shop
8:00AM - Go to the shop to drop off the supplies to Darrel then go to NAPA to get some different type of LockTite
9:00AM - At work – the one that pays
4:00PM - Get a call from the auto place … news … cracked transmission, and a half ass job on the repair from when it was in the shop a month ago and a blown fuse
4:30PM - Call Insurance
5:00PM - Pick up car at auto place
6:00PM - Drop car off at dealership that performs faulty work!!! (not my idea)
6:30PM - Pick up Wheel that Katie picked up from the shop for me earlier in the day!
7:00PM - Drop off mom and go pack her car
9:00PM - Glue Tubular
11:00PM - Go to bed

Friday
7:00AM - Get up Drive to Westbank
8:00AM - Get at Enterprise to rent a car for the trip
8:45AM - Leave for Tulsa in rental car
7:30PM - Arrive in Tulsa and get ready to race
8:30PM - RACE
8:15PM - Get caught behind crash and dropped
10:30PM - Eat Dinner with team
12:30PM - Get to Chad’s house and crash soon after

Saturday
9:00AM - Wake up and Eat
3:00PM - Begin Warm-up
4:00PM - Ride to Course
5:05PM - RACE – finish with main group (First finish of the year with this quality of field)
9:00PM - Eat Dinner with Team and go out to awesome cycling bar “SOUND PONY”

Sunday
1:00AM - Get back to the host house – SLEEP
10:00 AM - Wake up and Eat! – Homemade French Toast
12:30PM - Warm Up
2:15PM - RACE
2:35PM - Get Dropped on Killer hill and pulled from race
2:40PM - Make it around to the top of the hill again and get a complementary beer from the Sound Pony Race Party!!!
3:30PM - Leave to go home

Monday
2:30AM - Get back to NOLA
8:00AM - Return Rental Car
9:00AM - Back at Work