26 April 2011

training-core | commute | Pacific Raceways CR

Sleep 7
Waking HR  
Body Weight 7:00 AM - 177
Body Fat 7:00 AM - 9
Breakfast 6:45 AM – cereal, banana
9:30 AM – orange, almonds
Lunch 1:30 PM – smoothie, Stonewall's Jerquee
3:30 PM – 3 pieces Fitness Bread w/peanut butter and jam, tea
Dinner  
Workout Food gym – water
drive to the race – HEED 
race – water
Injuries  
Therapy stretching, sauna
Time of Day gym – 5:45 AM
race – 7:00 PM
Workout Type race
Weather low 50s, wet, calm
Course
plank 3 min, 2 min each side
back extensions 3x40
clam knee lifts 100 each leg
side leg lifts 80 each leg
twisters 40 each side – 12 lb.
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
push-ups 20
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb.
Pacific Raceways – counter-clockwise down the escape road
Distance commute – 9 miles
race – 19 miles
Time race – 45 min
Power  
Results Masters
1st prime - 4th
2nd prime – pack
finish – 1st
official results
Equipment commute - Town Bike
race - Road Bike
39/53, 12-25
Zipp 404 wheels
Clothing race – Sugoi shoe covers, knee warmers, bib shorts. Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, wind vest, cap, Polypropylene gloves

Blasted through my core routine today! It feels good not to dawdle.

Hit the IMA at lunch for stretching and a sauna, I am loving that. LOVING it.

At Pacific Raceways it was me, Greg K, Dave H and Brian S in the masters field. Leaving Seattle the weather was FINE. By the time we got to Kent it was NOT FINE. I was in serious danger of getting grumpy and had to keep telling myself to shut up as the rain dumped on us. Luckily by the time we got to the track it eased a bit and by the start it had actually stopped and the sun was poking out under the clouds from the west. In honesty it could have been a lot worse, it was not very cold. Too bad the track does not drain at all and there is always tons of standing water.

Rory said go and this guy takes a flyer. You'd think by now I would know his name but I don't... to me he is the-guy-that-only-races-here-to-train-for-cross-and-attacks-and-chases-at-random-nonsensical-times. So everyone let him go. Sure enough, we caught him half way up the first hill.

Since my warm-up consisted of hunkering down in the van feeling sorry for myself and conducting an internal debate about the merits of my seatpost fender I opted to sit in for a couple of laps before working hard.

The third time up the hill Keller Rohrback put in an acceleration but it was nullified pretty quickly and then we got the first prime bell which caused the usual bunching. Being warmed up now I figured I would try 'my move' which is to draft the sprint for the prime and then counter. As the sprint developed I saw Matt H in front of me with exactly the same idea so I caught him and he jumped on. Surprisingly we had a large gap. Nice.

After pulling for a bit I swung off and unfortunately heard Matt utter, "Sorry Martin, I have the brain but not the legs..." Darn. Time to get stuck in. I did what I could but it was not enough; we got caught after we crested the hill two (three?) laps later. Matt did pull a couple of times but the two of us were not sufficient. On the upside it was probably the longest break at PR so far this season. It made me tired.

On the lap after we got caught Michael P put in an acceleration. I was near the front and found myself drifting to the right to stay on a wheel when suddenly someone behind me had issues with another rider. Seems some guy had cut some other guy off or taken their wheel? Whatever, It sure was heated for a training race.

As the disagreement escalated Michael rode away. Greg went by me with a big grin on his face because of the argument behind me and I figured this was perfect. I sat up and let him go while attention was focused on the squabbling. As the gap opened Matt and an Audi rider went with Greg and soon the four of them were away. Matt sure did have the brains.

I thought this was the move. For sure. But it came back just one lap later. As we were chasing them Deanna gave us the two laps to go sign so in my head I was urging them on. Go Greg! Go!

I think it was Starbucks that pulled them back and we hooked up at the bottom of the second section of the climb. I was watching the gap shrink and anticipating the junction so across the flat portion half way up the hill I passed a few people to put myself near the front. As we rounded the left hand corner I realized there really was only one move. If I waited for the sprint the odds were not in our favor and although an attack might not stick it would at least make other teams chase so being near the front already I took off.

And I got away.

My jump is not very intimidating so I'm guessing people were afraid of making an effort this close to the finish? No matter, I went as hard as I could.

On a dry day the pack always goes down the hill faster than any single rider but today people were worried about seeing the holes in the pavement through the wheel spray and I bet that helped me out. On this gradual hill the pack is also usually faster than a solo rider but I did what I could knowing my TT was only going to be about five minutes long.

I looked back at the top of the descent and again half way up the climb and my gap was promising so I was hoping I wouldn't blow once I crested the hill. Going at full gas is difficult, if you literally go 100% you blow so you try to go at 90 ish and hope it's enough. I got over the climb and gave what I had left around the corner and down the finish straight. Turns out it was enough and I still had a comfortable lead when I crossed the line. Whew.

Not sure if I'm coming on or if I just got lucky but it is a confidence boost regardless; especially after my multi-lap effort earlier. And it was nice to get a shoutout in the blogosphere.

2 comments:

  1. Great job going off the front solo for the win!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Sean - thanks, you guys sure are hard to beat...

    ReplyDelete

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