Sorry for the short report, but I'm tired and I just started studying for the MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam), which is the exam that conflicts the next Santiago Canyon, and the whole having a job thing sometimes leaves me tired at the end of the day.

This was my first time doing Tom's Farm.  I'd never done it before because I thought the drive was too much for a short time trial.  When I got there it was cold, but it warmed up just enough to go crazy and ride without arm and knee warmers.  There was a little bit of breeze, but since I couldn't tell how much wind there would be on the course, I decided to play it safe and not use my deep front wheel.  It turned out that the wind wasn't so bad and  probably could have gone a tad faster with the front, but it's hard to know for sure.

Even though I'd never ridden the course before, I did a pretty good job of pacing myself.  Although a few changes to the equipment (including a bigger chainring or 11 tooth cog for the downhills, a disc wheel or wheel cover for the rear and deeper front wheel) and maybe lower bars would have made me faster, I don't think there's anything more I could have done to go faster.  When I downloaded my data, I averaged 262 watts for the lumpy course and had a normalized wattage of 270, which was exactly the same as Fiesta Island a week earlier.  Basically, that means that 270 is what I can sustain at my current level of fitness. 

My time was 20:09, which made my first of three in the Masters 30+.  Although not a big or fast field, beggars can't be choosers.  My time also gives me something to shoot at next time.  Although it was only a 20 minute effort, I still felt trashed in the evening. 

That's all for now.

Josh


October 14, 2008

I'll plug the Slice even though I don't have one yet.  If you want to do well in time trials, one of the most important things beyond having a good engine is being able to ride efficiently in a good aero position.  To do this, you have to log in some time in the aero position.  The best way to do this is to have a dedicated TT bike.  I was on the fence with regard to getting a P2 (which I could have gotten right away) or the Slice and ended up ordering the Slice. 

In addition, you're not going to get a better deal than on these Cannondales unless you work in the industry and can buy something below wholesale as the prices we are getting on these are basically below dealer cost and include our special paint on all but the Slice.  If you're even contemplating a new (or another) bike, it's hard to beat the deal on the CAAD 9 with 105, since you get a perfectly fine race bike with custom paint.

Since I'm ignoring my work to write this email now, I will also throw in that in addition to FITT on Sunday, I did Santiago Canyon on Saturday.  It did not go well.  I didn't ride well (my power data proves it) and I lost a huge amount of time because the combination of the wind and a Blackwell 100 on the front was not a good one.  At times, I was more focused on staying upright than going fast and had to ride the cowhorns rather than the aero bars to maintain control.  At one point, I went into the full wobble mode, with my front wheel oscillating a lot.  At that point I was thinking that I just can't crash in a time trial. Fortunately, I maintained my compusure and regained control.  Although I sucked big time and was slow, I was told I got 5th, which is still good for points in the TT series.

On Sunday, I merely had the least slow time.  I didn't ride that well (although I couldn't have gone any faster) since I haven't done any training and was just riding on general fitness.  My average wattage was about 10 less than in May, which partly explains the slower time.  Also, as Bryon said, everyone's times were slower.  My goal was 28:30, which is about what I did in February, but that didn't happen.  As an interesting note, if you throw out the low, all the Swami's men who did FITT in Sunday were pretty close in time, with the times ranging from 28:11 to 29:19, so roughly all within a minute of each other.

Josh

This is my first race report in quite a long time, due to both not having been racing much of late and also due to not having much to say.  Last Sunday was basically the end of the season for Southern California.  Although in some ways it is nice to know that I basically have weekends free for the next several months, since I missed the entire summer, I really wish I could get some more races in, even though my form has been hit and miss.  Actually, thatʼs being generous.  Itʼs more miss than hit.  I occasionally have a good ride, but most of the time, not so much.  June and July were pretty much consumed with studying for the Nevada bar exam, which meant I really didnʼt have time to race, and, although I was still riding, the stress definitely took a toll on me.  This month has been a bit of an improvement, although the return to normalcy has still taken a lot out of me. 

I realize Iʼm rambling here, but you get what you pay for with my reports.  I have to write coherently at work and I can only do so much of that in a day, so this is running on fumes.

Since this was intended to be a racing report rather than merely an exercise in my typing skills, I now return to the intended subject, namely a bike race I did last Sunday.  ʽTwas the Summer End Grand Prix in Ontario, which is one my favorite crits in Southern California because breaks can stick, the course is just right for people who have steady power.  It was the end of August in Ontario.  Any guesses on the weather?  Anyone?  If this were Jeopardy, the response would be: what is hot, dry and windy?  While it was very dry and fairly windy, it was probably only about 100 degrees.  While thatʼs hot, Iʼve done Ontario at 110+, so this wasnʼt all that bad in comparison.  In comparison to here, however, it was still hot and less than comfortable.  My first event, and the real race of the day was the Cat 3 race.  It was me, Ted and Jake wearing the Swamiʼs colors.  The field wasnʼt really big, but there were a lot of juniors and guys from SC Velo.  There was an attack on the first lap and no one seemed interested in doing anything other than letting them ride away.  As a result, I ended up sitting on the front for basically an entire lap to try and keep the pace up, hoping that someone would come around.  I flicked my elbow a couple of times and even tried moving over, but no takers.  Eventually, someone came around and I retreated to the back.  While I didnʼt feel absolutely terrible, I didnʼt feel too good.  It was probably a combination of spotty fitness and the heat. 

After hanging out for a while, a break got away.  When it looked like they were starting to gain some traction, I moved up to try and bring them back, although I really wished I had the legs to go with them when they went away.  As before, there wasnʼt much in the way of help and at one point I was even off by myself.  Needless to say, that didnʼt work out so well since had I been strong enough to bridge, I would have been strong enough to have gone with them in the first place.  I think I did so more work at the front after getting caught, but really canʼt remember.  At that point, I (and my legs) sort of gave up, as did everyone else.  Of course, since SC Velo seemed to have ten guys in the race and a guy in the break, there wasnʼt a lot of impetus in the chase.  As a result, there really was no chase and thus, the break stayed away.  On the last lap, Ted moved into position and took the field sprint for 7th. 

Immediately after was the 30+ race, which was mainly intended to get some extra riding in on the day.  Since the races are back-to-back, I barely had time to swap out my water bottles, change headbands and have someone cut off my number from the 3s.  Although I tend not to drink much, I went through both bottles in the first race.  I didnʼt even realize how parched I was until I had finished off both of my bottles within the first 25 minutes of the 30+ race.  I was struggling in the 30+ race.  I think the heat and dehydration had taken a lot out of me.  At some point relatively early, a group of strong guys got away (they got away, therefore they were strong).  At a couple of points, I was really worried about even being able to finish.  Somehow, I managed to force myself to ride through it, which was good because I didnʼt want to end the season with a DNF.  There was a little bit of a high-stress moment on the last lap when a guy in front of me nearly went down, but it wasnʼt too big a deal and since I canʼt sprint and wasnʼt near the front, it wasnʼt like it really cost me much in the placings. 

Since my crit racing sucks, due a lot to my lack of high end power, the season highlights are the time trials.  While I didnʼt reach my goal of going under 28 minutes at Fiesta Island, I did set a personal record of 28:05 and also got a 28:29 and 28:14.  I think next year I really can go under 28 since I donʼt expect that I will have lost all my fitness by being off for four weeks like I was this past fall.  I did get 3 thirds and a second at Fiesta Island.  In addition, I either tied for fourth or got fifth in the SoCal TT Series.  I may concentrate more on that next year by doing more of the time trials.  In that regard, I will probably have to do Fiesta Island in October since thatʼs the first race of the series.  I think I may be able to get third next year by doing more of the races.  Consistency is important, so a series of thirds will be pretty helpful, even if I canʼt do them all, as itʼs pretty unlikely I will go up to Piru. 

Thatʼs all for now folks.  Nothing more to see here.

Josh

Iʼve been pretty quiet on the race reports, so this is a combined and brief report for my first four events of the year.

My first race was the Ride Like You Stole It Criterium in Dominguez Hills.  It rained a lot.  It was actuallly ridiculous, as the gutters were like streams.  The racing was pretty hard.  Chris Demarchi and Thurlow Rogers lapped the field.  Karl Bordine beat Joel in the field sprint for fourth.  I got some BAR points for not quitting or getting dropped, as a lot of guys did both.  I had planned on doing the 3s afterwards but was cold and completely soaked, so went home.  The 3s race got shortened due to the weather and the Pro/1/2 got canceled due to the weather.  The weather was the worst Iʼd ever raced in, but I was glad I did it.

I skipped Red Trolley because I had already raced in miserable conditions already and figured it wasnʼt going to be as epic.  No regrets.  I didnʼt do Boulevard because I donʼt do hilly road races.

My next race was Fiesta Island.  I did one of my better times and was pretty satisfied with my 28:29 considering it was February.  It hurt a lot and there was nothing left to give, although I think that if I meter my efforts a little better (and get stronger), I can get a new PR this year since my average speed for the first lap was noticeably higher than the overall, indicating that maybe I can hold that speed for three laps.

My next was the Anger Management Criterium in Long Beach.  Like Ride Like You Stole It, it was a CBR race promoted by VNC Racing (VNC is Vera and Chris).  Like all of their races, it was exceptionally well run and also had good music.  Even better was the good weather.  I did the 30+ race.  I spent 4 of the last 6 laps in the first few positions, but lost my position when it slowed down for a tiny bit with 2 to go.  Since I canʼt sprint, it probably didnʼt make much of a difference anyway.  Joel finished got second to Randy Coxworth, who ended up winning the Pro/1/2 later in as the sole survivor of a break that stayed off the front for what seemed like over 90 minutes (and may have been longer).  I next did the 3s and didnʼt do much, except for the last lap when I tried to catch the break, ride away from them and hold on.  I did manage to do the first two, but unfortunately, it was noticed that I wasnʼt caught with the break, so I did not finish off the front.

Next was the Ontario Criterium of today.  While the weather appeared menacing, it was dry when I got there.  I first did the 3s.  I tried to race it like a 3, which is basically riding like a total wuss.  Fortunately for racing and unfortunately for me, the break that could have easily been caught (and I think I could have bridged to had I not thought they would have been caught) stayed away because there was no organization in the field.  I tried to position myself for the field sprint, but reconfirmed that I canʼt sprint and could only do unshamefully in a sprint possibly if someone were getting a long lead out so I could move up in a fast moving field rather than have to do lots of jumps.  I finished somewhere in the 20s.

Immediately afterwards, I did the 30+ race.  It was hard, but in a very good way.  Even Joel said it was hard.  I did a lot of riding at the front.  At one point, I tried to solo up to the winning break, but it was like one of those scenes in a movie when the guy tries to dunk and then mightily falls.  Apparently, I cannot bridge up to a break with Karl Bordine pushing it.  The race was only 45 minutes, so before long there were only three laps to go.  I got stuck at the front for a good part of the start of the last lap (next time I may swerve a lot more and ride into the cones when no one will pull, but today I was a better sport about it) and that did not work out so well at the end.  I finished in the 20s again, though Joel took the field sprint.  It was a lot of fun, especially being able to spend time at the front when the hammer was down.

Finally, I did the Pro/1/2/3 race.  I was tired and ended up dropping out after an hour, as I was basically done after chasing on when a crash slowed me down.  Plus, I was somewhat fatigued from the two earlier races. A break was away for around an hour, but Rock Racing (which had several guys in the race) didnʼt think their guy (I think Sterling Magnell, but am not sure) would win, so they put the hammer down big time, caught the break, then later one put the hammer down again for the last lap, leading out Rahsaan Bahati for a win.  That was not a big deal, but some SDBC guy was only ½ a bike length back, which was very impressive, as Rahsaan isnʼt supposed to have such close calls in local races.

Next up should be the CBR race on Sunday.

Josh