It's been awhile since my last update, but in the post-Bear Mountain aftermath, I thought it was time to check in. The beginning of the season, April, came and went rather unceremoniously for me. I'm about 8 or 9 races in (including Battenkill and Bear) and results have been less than stellar. I've managed to put together some strong efforts in a couple of local races, but for one reason or the other, have not been able to close the deal. I'm not worried, I think my fitness and mental focus are starting to catch up with my desire to win, so I'm sure I'll get a couple before the season is out. My two main goals for the season are to: (1) get some wins at the Cadence Prospect Park Series, and (2) return to Bear with a top 20(ish) result. Both lofty but achievable goals.
With that said, let's talk a little about the Bear Mountain Spring Classic. Given that this was my first time doing this race, my goal simply to finish strong and in the top half of the field, and for the most part I accomplished that result. While I wasn't in perfect form, I did get plenty of rest and I had been feeling good in the week or two leading up to the race.
The temperature couldn't have been more ideal. It was in the mid-60's and the sun was shining. There was somewhat of a headwind kicking up, but nothing like FBF. I was pretty surprised, everything happened sort of quickly. We lined up - lots of people didn't show (probably those people who really care about Mother's Day), so anyone on the waiting list was in. We started 89 deep, which given the length of the race, really isn't too bad. At the start line, Alex kept saying, make sure you stay at the front going into the climb (a sign of things to come). I kept it in my head, but I also kept thinking, well, I generally have no problems moving up, so I'll be ok no matter where I am, as long as I'm not in the back. Nutrition, check, glasses, check, set the watch, done. Ready to roll, no doubt.
The bell or horn or whistle or gun or whatever (I don't remember) went off and we were rolling. The first 3kms, the initial descent going into Tiorati was neutral, so there was a lot of breaking and burning rubber down that long hill. It was probably harder riding the break down the hill than pushing the big gear at 47mph (that's what I hit on the last time down). Finally, we hit the turn and were into the first climb. It wasn't too bad. My heart rate was higher than I thought it should be, but in a race, you don't worry about that, only staying with the field. Even with my heart pounding, I felt ok mostly. I was thinking, "whatever you do, fight and stay with the field, there will be time to catch your breath later." Once we were through the climb, the pace picked up significantly and I managed to settle in right in the middle of the field next to one of our team's legit climbers, David Trumpf (the "Frenchman"). The pace was fast, and before I knew it, we were back at the start line and as we came through, there were loads of spectators cheering. I can't say I've race a lot - this is my second season of racing - but I've raced enough to know that it's not often that you can race in an environment that is so spectator friendly. It was cool. We had a big NYVelocity cheering section. What's funny is that as I looked into the crowd and made eye contact with Alex - he yelled out, you got to get to the front, or something like that. That one adjustment could've possibly saved me 4 minutes in my overall time. Why? Because I made two big mistakes on the second descent. One, I failed to shift into a lower gear before I hit the bottom and, two, as Alex predicted, if you're not at the front, you'll fall behind some guys that are really struggling on the climb, you'll get gapped and it will be virtually impossible to catch back on. I realized that when you're not a super climber, you have to think your way up a longer climb - meaning you have position yourself in a way to stay withe field, which may require a little strategy. Bottom line is, I had to stay in my big chain ring and climb out of the saddle from the base of the hill until the first crest (about 400meters) - By now my heart rate was climbing fast. I wasn't exactly in the back, but I was no longer safely in the middle of the pack. Because I expended so much extra energy at the beginning of the climb, I was starting to worry, but continued to fight. I was determined to stay with the group, but I was working a lot harder than I would be if I were toward the front with a little cushion. Finally, I manage to get to the top of the climb with the group, but by now I was at my max heart rate and breathing like an old man without his asthma medication, and immediately the pace picks up - I can't rest and enjoy the downhill, I have to keep hammering to stay with the group. It's like almost being knocked out in a boxing match, but being saved by the bell... only there's no bell. Finally, as we come into the third loop, I needed to catch my breath, and in that instant, there was separation. Not a lot, but enough for me to think, I need a wheel... or two. Lucky for me, I wasn't the only one pulled off the back. There were a group of other relatively strong cat 4 riders who got pulled off the lead group, including Etsu, Steven Fritz from Ave A and Eric Robertson from Kissena.
Etsu and Steven managed to convince the non-CRCA guys that it was in our best interest to get together in a double pace line and work as hard as possible to catch back on. Some agreed and others didn't. The one's that didn't eventually got dropped off the back completely.
While we weren't able to catch back on, we were able to manage a respectable (it's all relative) finish of about 11 minutes off the winning time. Coming into the final stretch, we were six deep, some still taking pulls others resting a little in the draft. I was a little too noble in pulling and rotating to the back about 800meters from finish line. Bill Moss, from SA who joined our merry little band rotated to the front and then jumped. Etsu, also at the front jumped. I reacted late and before I knew it, my pace line brothers were across line just before me! Damn, that was MY 45th place! LOL I took a look at the overall times and it looked like there were quite a few guys, that didn't finish or came in so late that they didn't get clocked in. Not an easy race at all, but definitely worth the effort.
All in all, it was a fun day, excellent workout and I learned a lot about racing. The motto is for the fall race is "get 20," meaning fight hard for a top twenty(ish) place. Gotta have goals man, gotta have goals.
