Brandon Twlight Crit (4-30-11)

I could only do one race this last weekend and I decided to do the Brandon Twilight Crit. I have developed a real talent for picking the wrong venue to go to and this proved correct also.

I'm not knocking the race or the team (AJ's) that put it on: I like a lot of the guys on that team and thought I'd support them. The course was a closed track and had no bad turns on it. A perfect power riders course.....and my least favorite, except for that there shouldn't be any crashes on it. Add it that the size of the group racing was kinda small (26). The race was at 3PM and by then it was well over 90'F. I also had brought Sadie with me and for once she wasn't behaving too well and she was keeping me from doing a very good warm up.

The race started pretty fast and within 3-4 laps and break had gone without any of my team members in it. We had 3 people and the two other guys went up front to try to bring the break back....AJ's had a guy in the break and was doing everything they could to break up anyone chasing them back in. My two guys & I were trying to work together....after a while I was still feeling like crap and I fell back from them and in the second chase group. The lead 3 riders lapped us with 3 to go; nobody else got by.

I finally felt better and was working to get back some of the guys that went up. By the time the bell lap was rung, the group I was in was bringing more back. At the last turn Scott's team mate Bruno had signaled to Scott that he would lead him out...I jumped before they could set that up and went by them. I ended up coming in 10th. My team mates finished 4th and 9th. The AJ's guy that made the break had fallen off the break and didn't even podium.

My data from the race is here.

This is my best finish so far this season of 6 races that I've done; I'm not happy with my performance but I am making some progress.

Ciao,
Rick

Fixied Fight 5 Alleycat Race (4-23-11)

I really enjoy doing these AlleyCat races on my fixie....it's a completely different type of race and riding (and group of people). Plus, it's in St. Pete, so I know that area pretty well. An AlleyCat race is basically a race that is styled after what messengers do for a living; go to different stops as quickly as possible and pickup/drop off something to each "check point".

Here's the data on the course from my Garmin.

156 people had signed up for the race; Fixie/Single speed and geared bikes, "racer types" along with the shorts-n-t-shirts crowd. It's a Lemonds style start and unfortunately there was a bad crash at the start behind me once everyone had gotten on their bikes. There were more crashes at this race than normal...I'm sure it was due to the large field size.
The difference for this race was that at each check point you got a map that showed were the next check point was, which made it more difficult but a touch slower than normal. IO was lucky enough to stay on the top group of 5-6 riders (which had to include Pete) the whole time; the first two-three check points had up to twenty riders but it soon thinned out. Flats and crashes/near misses cut our group down to just five people. It was hot and having water was going to be important; I had two bottles with me....unfortunately, on the "pave' section" many people lost one or two of their bottles. I didn't know it until later but I had lost one of mine. We kept going and a guy from Miami and I were hanging on; I had run out of water and didn't know how much longer the race was going to be going on. We only made one wrong turn and that's were I almost got dropped from the lead group...lucky for me the check point was back a long sandy/grassy road and I was able to ride 1/2 of it and catch back on. Pete had ridden the whole thing and had gaped us. We were not going to be able to bring him back and and the guy from Miami flatted there so it was down to three in the chase group with 2 more check points to go I think.
Before the race started the organizer had told everyone that the number card everyone got would determine the placing for everyone....you had to give it at the finish line and that's how placing would be done. right.
Well, at the last check point I knew where we were and where we needed to get to...I was behind Elizabeth and Giorgio had dropped behind me. I sat up the last 100 meters to grab my number out of my kit pocket and that's when Giorgio went by me...I calmly gave my number to them b/f he did and expected to be 3rd OA and 2nd place for male fixie....it didn't work out that way and I should have just gotten to the line first and worry about that damn number later. I did win some cool DVS shoes that I can pick out so 3rd ain't so bad. Lot's of luck is needed to do well in one of these.


The top ten placings:
1 Pete Young Tampa
2 Elizabeth Hill St. Petersburg
3 Giorgio Torregrosa Orlando
4 Rick Adams Dunedin
5 Ben Pridgeon St. Petersburg
6 Daniel Gochneaur Tampa
7 Bryan McGuire St. Petersburg
8 Kirstin Johnson Washington, DC
9 Klaus Gopfert St. Petersburg
10 TIII West Palm Beach

Great times and people along with free PBRs made for a great day.

Ciao,
Rick

Chain of Lakes Road Race and TT (4-2-11)

After all the crashes and the disappointment I had in the Tampa Crit....I thought a Road Race would be a good way to break out of my funk. Plus, I thought trying a Time Trial would be "fun" to do on the same day. I decided to try again the CAT4s....I knew Craig and David were going to racing that along with some of my GearLink team mates.

Well some team mates help out by watching Sadie for me and I go to get warmed up. It's a big field and the double-yellow line is going to be strictly enforced which means a NASCAR style road race where getting in position will be very tough. True to form, the CAT4s bunch up, attack, set in and bunch up again...interval work and very frustrating to race. On lap two I end up getting pushed off the road by a guy; I recover nicely by "calmly" riding off the road for 10 meters than gently coming back on the road without missing a beat. To say that I'm happy that I didn't freak out and go down is an understatement and the guy that caused it was really bumming that he cause it. No blood, no foul.
It takes me 1 & 1/2 laps on the 13 mile course to work my way up to the front...we slow up again and I say "f it" and go to the front to pull hard and try to string the group out. Two others come up with me and will work but the "Colombians" are more than happy to chase and then sit in/bunch up. Good grief.
So I try to keep in good position for the remainder of the race and will try to lead out a couple of my team mates who are doing well in the points classification. I get great position and talk with Jason on what I'm thinking about and then at the 2K sign to the finish, I suddenly have a terrible cramp in my left thigh....I let Jason know and try to spin out the cramp losing positions as I do. I spin out the cramp and think I can still sprint for a pretty good finish. Well during the race there were 2-4 strong but squirrely riders and I was able to keep away from them most of the time...unfortunately one goes for the sprint, freaks out and somehow losing a tubie right in front of me....
I end up going off road again and almost getting knocked over...I jump back on the road but the best I can do at that point is 19th. Can you see me in the two photos?

Bummer. But that's FL racing.

So in less than 2 hours after finishing the roadrace I'll be doing my first TT ever Merckx style. Let's just say it was 8 miles of pain and hoping I wouldn't cramp up, start crying like a little gurl and be able to finish it. I ended up around 19th in the CAT4s. My lame data on that is here. The course started down hill with the wind at your back, then some rollers with the wind at your side and finishing with the uphill and the wind dead on. I'm glad I tried it and would like to try the fixie at the Ft Desoto TT sometime.

I'm missing my BMC SLX01 by the way.....

Ciao,
Rick

Tampa Twlight Crit (3-26-11)

This was my A race for the season....it is a technical course that goes on in a cool part of downtown Tampa. I watched it and took pictures last year and wanted to race it but got pretty sick the week before the race.

Due to all of the crashes that I've been involved with while racing with the CAT(Crash)4s I decided to race with the Masters 45+. It should be safer but a lot faster. Some ex-pros were going to doing that race.
I prepared for the race well and felt well during the group rides and the B group training crit; I didn't go out Friday night......all in prep for the afternoon race.
I arrived there on time....hooked up my bike on a trainer provided by the race sponsor and ended up warming up next to the winner of the race, an ex-pro.
The race started and I was in great position; around the top ten for 2-3 laps. The group started coming up and around and I think I was too cautious due to my crash two weeks before and lost 10 spots or so. Another couple of laps went by and after turn two I was towards the back and my legs were cramping up anytime I got out of the saddle to stay in the group coming out of turns. It got bad enough were I ended up getting dropped. I figured to just finish the race and see if I could spin my legs out and jump back on. No such luck.

Despite getting dropped and lapped, I still enjoyed riding the course. I was just extremely bummed that I didn't do better. Everyone said later it was the hardest race they had done so far this season.....yeah, it was hot, but no excuses, I just had a bad day. My data from my Garmin.

At least there wasn't a crash in our race; the CAT4s had one in the bell lap....

There more races to go.

Ciao,
Rick

1st Racing Weekend - Woodlands & GearLink Cup

Wow, I didn't realize that I haven't done ANY race reports.

My first race of the 2011 Season would be the Woodlands Classic (3/12/11). It's good because it's where we do the training crit every Weds so I know ever bump/crack/hole on the course. I had decided to do the CAT4 group due to lack of fitness and I wanted to race with guys that I was used to racing with. I had decided to ride my bike to the race (20 miles), do the race and ride or get a ride back. I was having two of our Pro's (James & Rad) stay over my place for the race the next day.

I got to the race in plenty of time and kept loose. The race started and went like this when with only 5-6 laps to go a terrible crash happened and the race was neutralized. After the course was cleared, the race resumed....this killed any chance for the stronger riders to separate themselves from the weaker ones and the resulting sprint was a mess....I didn't keep the position I wanted and ended up coming in at 18th. I waited to watch the Pros and then rode home after their race. James and Rad are cool guys and it was nice having them stay over and chat with them.


The next day was my team's race - The Gearlink Cup and everyone was supposed to be there early...I brought Sadie with me and arrived on time only to find out I wasn't needed. I ended up shooting some photos while I waited for the CAT4 race. The course had two technical turns and was fun to ride on. After the crash the day before (the CAT4s are really sketchy) I was either starting at the front or the very back. I chose the front and rode 2nd wheel for 2-3 laps. I faded back a bit then fell back to the back after another 4-5 laps. I was working my way back up when on the S turn I felt a push from the inside right when I was next to the curb moving at around 24-25 and heard someone say "sorry" and then I went off the road and hit a sign post. Next thing is I'm on my back and seeing if I've broken anything...ok, no and I throw my helmet in discuss for having been pushed off the road when I was feeling pretty good. I then look at my bike and realize that it took the brunt of the hit from the sign post. Damn. I get on the bike and ride to the start/finish line for the neutral support tent to check out my bike and see if I can get a "free lap" and get back into the race. With only 5 laps to go....no go on the free lap. Damn. The mechanics said it looked like the seat stay was cracked and I was out of the race....I figured "screw-it" and finish the race anyway. I finished the race and ended up with a broken bike and a super sore thigh. Stats are here.

Not a great start or even a good start for my season if factoring in breaking my BMC.

That's Racing....

Ciao,
Rick

New Bike/Broken Bike

Before (new)
and after the wreck (more on that later)

This is the shortest I've owned a bike and then had it break on me. Actually I got pushed into a post during a race and the above is what happened.

Lucky for me Cliff was able to find a demo/loaner for me and get me back racing...
These BMCs are very different bikes; the SLX01 (carbon rear and top tube) has a longer top tube and more std geometery whereas the SL01 (carbon rear seat stays) has a compact frame.
I may have the SLX01 fixed....more later.

Ciao,
Rick

Aaron's Visit

I was flying my son down from Cleveland to visit me and was taking off (for the first time in 2 years) a Friday & Monday. This 4 days has been a blur so I wanted to jot down what we did before I forgot some of the details.

Friday morning we went to Honeymoon Island's "dog beach" to hang out with Sadie, cook some hot dogs and just hang out at the beach. It was nice (you must keep your dog on a leash at this beach) but was pretty windy, er really windy. We saw the sunset in Dunedin and then to relax in the hot tub and watch a movie.



On Saturday we drove to Tampa and Aaron and Sadie "helped" me keep laps/assign primes/write down the podium for the A & B race at the Tampa Crit. After that we went to the "dog beach" at Davis Island and had a cookout out and played with Sadie; it was a great time. We dropped Sadie off and headed back to my brother's gym and then home; we went to the Dunedin Brewery and then after dinner a friend stopped by to see my place and meet Aaron.

Sunday we took a slow drive down to Pass A Grill after I got back from a 35 mile solo ride. We ate at the Brass Monkey (yum) and then hung out at the beach....it was a perfect day. After getting back we were invited for dinner at a friend's in St Pete and brought Sadie with us; it was a nice evening.

Monday had me renting a tandem kayak and packing up a small cooler, backpack, the dog and Aaron for an adventure. If it wasn't too windy I had wanted to go to Honeymoon Island and paddle to an Island to play/eat at.
Well, the wind had kicked up from 7kts to what I was guessing to be 15-20 kts....I only really knew how windy it was once we got in the water. Long story short, the boat flipped over; luckily, I had secured all the "extra things" we had brought with us...Aaron stayed calm and even though Sadie loves to swim...I took her over to the shore then got back to the kayak, flipped it back over, had Aaron hold on to it and swam out to get the paddles which had drifted away....Aaron helped get the kayak back to the seawall then we put it back onto the van. I asked him if he wanted to drop Sadie off at home and try it again on a more secluded spot and he said sure. That was awesome of him and we put the kayak back into the water at Safety Harbor and had a great time....he even got the hang of paddling.




After that it was getting to be time to get him back to the airport so we dropped off the kayak and went home to shower and go to the airport for pizza and wait on his plane.

It was one of the best times that I have had with him in a long, long time.

Back to work and training on my bike for the race season that has already been underway for a month!

Ciao,
Rick