USA Cycling Masters Nationals Race Reports - 7-8-08
It was a stellar drive to Kentucky, and we arrived in plenty of time to preview the TT course. I used Aidan’s paradigm given to Katherine for the Fitchburg TT … one slow touchy feely ride (on the Serotta road bike to get the feel) ... one race pace ride on the TT bike (thank you very much Dave Jordan for my new bike) – especially testing out the turn around and how fast I could ‘tripod’ the turn (Yay for Cross training!).
Since I was my only competitor, I decided to see how many of the 55+ and 60+ I could beat in each race. I thought that some people might late register, but was not counting on there being any in my age group. so, in the TT, I ‘beat’ 2 in the 55+ and would have podiumed (Bronze) in the 60+, beating 5 women there.
The course is lovely rolling hills with very litle opportunity to gather much speed (for me it was 35mph max) in the test rides. On my race pace ride I got to race a deer on the way back, what a rush! Thank goodness I won %-). This was not a very good forcast of the actual race experience.
I used the morning to warm up for the TT by previewing the road race. and was able to assess places where I would be able to make up time during the race. The downhills were pretty good, but my max speed was only 38mph in the test rides.
The Officials are not very adept at the measurement thing (UCI standards – lots of us pre measured to be safe, but they were slow, very slow). There are many stories of complications for the starts. For me it involved being told that my time had already started, which blew any composure/focus I still had … I flew down the ramp (after having to admonish the holder to straighten me up so I could go) ... and the chase to catch my 30 second person was on. Just as I caught her a car intervened and I had to wait for him to pass her, so I could do the same. This also happened for the next person – small glitches. the turn around came, and I seemed to do it too slow … anyway, I saw my 30 and 60 sec people closing in. The wind was very high in the afternoon (felt like both out and back – I know that is an exaggeration) ... a great ride all together. They could not get the podium frame & flags to stay up because of the winds, so it was not my imagination. And it appeared that one podium winner was blown off the step on to the ground.
The weather was a factor each day for any number of reasons, but all of my races went off without any hitches.
I was stellar in the Road Race start, 3rd off the line and into the first corner, then the eventual winner turned on the afterburners, and I got caught unprepared for an attack on the first downhill, and was behind a timid descender. Keep on learning!! I really enjoyed the race (maybe a little too much, as I had time to ‘see’ a Cardinal as she ate alongside the course … on each pass). I passed and worked with a 55+ rider, we almost got hit by a garbage truck turning onto the course (this was when I waited for the other rider to work with her, not taking advantage of Cross skills in avoiding the truck and get away from her). Another lesson learned, she recouped and left me. Again, beautiful course and fun race.
In the Road race, I would have again podiumed (silver) in the 60+ placing ahead of 4 other women.
Last but not least – the Crit, where I should have excelled, we were told at the line that we did not HAVE to race, ... & I let the other rider select the distance (not work too much!) bad idea, and then, I waited while she had ‘CLIP IN’ Problems (oh, no, not that!) ... what a dweeb, I should have dusted her right then … but no, I was ‘nice’ ... and got beaten to the line! Well, being an endurance person, I should have taken it to the max … lesson learned (I forgot the last year’s road race lesson).
But, at least, I had the ‘Best All around Rider’ award this year. Now to put all that learning to work for the rest of the season!