BA Series - Whiskey Island

Gary charging......

Dan in the twisty section.....

Just a quick post....The folks at Lake Effect/BA did a great job laying out this course. Just the right mix of everything. It seems like there was a lot of flats happening though; I got lucky and didn't have that problem. I needed all the help I could get racing in the A Masters Race.
I did get some shots of the B race and others warming up posted on my FLICKR. I regret that I couldn't shoot more but I needed to pre-ride the course and get warmed up myself. After I tried bunny hopping over the rails and endo'd big time I decided that I was going to run them during the race. Nice.
Dan B, Gary B, Sadie D, Linda M did the B race and Samantha M did the Cs. David S was doing the A open and Dr John & I were in the A Masters. Yeah, I was afraid, very afraid of what the hour long race was going to do to me. I'm not sure my fitness level was going to keep me anywhere close to where I wanted to be. Long story short, I felt pretty good (nobody could tell by the look of pain on my face the whole time) and was on the Dr's wheel for a lap plus along with a Spin rider....then a slower Summit rider got b/t the Dr & I, John opened up a gap on me and I couldn't close it. I then was mixing it up with two RGF guys who are uber fast on the road, but thank goodness don't have the off road skills yet....watch out when they do! Anyway went back-n-forth with them, got a gap on them and I think at least one flatted out. It was just me getting chased by Tom H. from Spin the rest of the time and he pushed me like crazy the rest of the race while I in vain tried to reel in Brad B from Spin. I ended up in 7th; results are here.
A painful but great time followed by food and drinks at the eatery next to the Park.

A big thanks goes out to Mike V. at the BA for a great job on gluing my Vittoria tubulars which worked well at 45 lbs that day. Rougher than I liked, but no flats. (yeah, I was lucky)

Gotta go work....
Rick

Back to Back Fun

Since I'm going to race two back to back UCI 'Cross races in October, I wanted to do some back to back hard efforts to see if this old bod could handle it.

Sooooooooo, I figured that the Westlake A Group on Tuesday and Spin 'Cross practice race on Wednesday would be a good way to start.

Dumb.

Westlake As consisted of Lake Effect/RGF some Spin guys and Tom K, Gary B & I. We had a nice parade lap and then all hell broke loose.....distance was 11 laps at 21.3 miles, avg speed of just under 27mph, avg watts 304 and only twice during the race (like 30 seconds total) was I at below TH....avg HR - 159. Big fun until at the final group sprint a car pulled out and since I'm not even on the OA point radar screen, I sat up....

So the next day I'm feeling pretty good so I head over to Gary's to go to the 'Cross practice race with Gary & Sadie. We get there and David S, Tim F and low and behold did we see Brett D show up? I had just spoke to him and he had done a MTB workout that morning had wasn't going to show. Well Bart had set up a track that I thought I was going to need a GPS unit to find my way around....it was long but a real good mix. It was decided that we were going to go for 45 minutes and not laps. I didn't even get my splits during the ride...it was around 10 miles long. We started and Gary & I kept the lead group of 6 or so in sight. Brett D came up and what seemed like for two laps we kept going back-n-forth...I was with a group of 3 MTBers sitting in when they (Brett included) took off and I couldn't respond. Damn. Gary was on my heels the whole time and Greg (?) from Spin was in my sights so I had someone I could chase. Let's just say from 18 minutes through about 28 minutes into the ride I really wondered what my sanity level was for wanting to do this. Things got better or went numb at the 30 minute mark and I felt better. Except for my back which was screaming by now. I have never been in my drops as much as I was that night trying to take the pressure off my lower back. Felt pretty good......once we were done.

Much more training to get ready for Oct. I'm off today.

Caio,
Rick

UCI Cincy 'Cross

What will be round one of the "Tour of Pain" for October....

Event Name - Java Johnny's - Lionhearts International Cyclocross (UCI C2)
-- Event Date - 10/11/2008
---- Category - Beginner Master Men 45+ (License Cats 3, 4)

Event Name - Bio Wheels/United Dairy Farmers Harbin Park Cyclo-Cross (UCI C1)
-- Event Date - 10/12/2008
---- Category - Cat 3/4 Men 45+

Derby City Cup

Round Two of the "Tour of Pain".....

I'm pre-reg'd for both days....I did this Louisville UCI race last year. Only one day and wish I would have done both days.

Event Name - Papa John's Derby City Cup
-- Event Date - 10/24/2008 - 10/26/2008
---- Category - SATURDAY - Cat 4 Men
---- Category - SUNDAY - Cat 4 Men

http://www.usgpcyclocross.com/Races/DerbyCityCup.aspx

I'll have room for others.....

Rick

Spin 'Cross Practice

Was last night at Edgewater...not an official race, but just a practice to ride hard and work on (lack of for me) skills. It's a bummer that the real race series was canceled, but this works out well.

Roughly 5 Spin, 6 SBR (Tim, Gary, Dan, David, Sadie & I), 1 Lake Effect (Fast Matt) and 2 or so unattached.

Bart laid out the roughly 1.3 mile track....we were to do 7 laps (or when he didn't feel good) according to Matt....and he was going to be the rabbit. :-)

Lots of sticks still on the ground and Gary picked up a big one in his derailleur when he & I were trying to maintain contact of the lead 4 guys....after the 3rd lap I broke off my CAD sensor...luckily I saw it, stopped, picked it up and kept going.

lot's of pain, but a great workout....see everyone next Weds.

He's the man.

Jonathan Page.....(don't try this at home)!
I came across this image and had to put it up. Recognize the bike? That would be one of the 3 modified Cervelo R3s (or 2.5s) that the company made for him when he came in 2nd in the WORLDS. Gawd I wish they would come out with a 'cross bike for "us"/me.
:-)

Who's Bike is this?

Actually I was hoping that the owner would post a picture of it built out....maybe we will see it tonight???

Motor Pacing?

Well, that's not the whole reason for going to PA and then driving this 1986 Honda VT500 422 miles back to Ohio. Seems Anna would like to get her motorcycle endorsement and this is just like the first bike I had out of college.

We celebrated picking it up in PA at the Hotel that night with the smallest (uh, three of the smallest) bottles of Champagne and Cooke had fun too.
I took my son for a ride on it Saturday and (finally) after tracking Eric & Alan at the Ironman WI via computer, I actually rode my neglected Cervelo tonight.

Nite,
Rick

Ford Ironman WI

Here are the results for Eric....I was watching him and Alan Wong on and off most of the day via the gps locator they were wearing.
ERIC GIBB
BIB AGE STATE/COUNTRY PROFESSION
1167 41 AVON OH USA CONSULTANT
SWIM BIKE RUN OVERALL RANK DIV.POS.
1:06:57 5:46:53 3:59:53 11:03:36 293 46

LEG DISTANCE PACE RANK DIV.POS.
TOTAL SWIM 2.4 mi. (1:06:57) 1:45/100m 452 60

TOTAL BIKE 112 mi. (5:46:53) 19.37 mph 346 59

FIRST RUN SEGMENT 13.1 mi. (1:54:06) 8:42/mile
RUN FINISH 13.1 mi. (2:05:47) 9:36/mile
TOTAL RUN 26.2 mi. (3:59:53) 9:09/mile 293 46

Congrats Eric!

I'm looking for Alan Wongs' info and will post that soon.

Outstanding effort both of you guys!

Euphoria 'Cross Race #1

I came late with Anna, pinned alot of numbers on jerseys and didn't warm up or pre-ride the course. That and I endo'd with the help of another rider in the first 500 or so meters and wiped out again shortly after ending up in a solid last place start with the next person in front of me barely in sight. Heck I could have started with the Bs and done better.

I had a blast.

It's freAK'N 'CROSS SEASON AGAIN!

:-)

Lot's of DNFs/Mechanical issues, but the Spin & Kyle did a great job with getting all the work done and doing a great starting course. Greg kept saying the track would be more technical next week. It was pretty good this week for a new track. Laps were 1.7 miles long and the starting temp was 84'F. My avg speed was pretty good with no slow down during the race of 53:06.

I'm disappointed about crashing at the start, but that's 'cross and I'm pretty happy with the fact I was able to reel in 4-7 people in and finish strong.

Gary, Sadie, Anna, John, Dan & Tim did well and it was great to see them out there. Matt O was out taking pictures and Michael L showed up after the race....good stuff.

I'm going to PA tomorrow and back Friday and will have another two wheeled vehicle. Hopefully for some motor pacing?

Ciao,
Rick

The Death Ride

80 miles, 13 hills, 4:30:00.....more later.

Bedtime for me.

Rick