Mouthwatering...

Not Reston...this thing:



I want one.

Poolsville 3/4

Tough Race.

The gravel is something else. I never figured out the right line to go into the gravel. The first two times we went through I took it too hot and ended up in the dirt off the left, but not going down. The last few times I just slowed down to a point where I wasn't all over the place going in...sacrificed some spots on the run in, but stayed up.

Thoughts:
Tim from Bike Rack is strong...so is Ryan from Evo. If Ryan had a couple of teammates in that race that would work for him, he'd win everything. Tim is also a bull of strength, but I think he was getting frustrated with the race, the rest of us, and maybe even his teammates. They need a gathering to go over strategy...had they played that right, Bike Rack would have won that race. That leads me to my next thought...when did Bike Rack become the dominant team in the 3/4 categories!? Impressive stuff guys.

My bunny hopping skills are legit. :) Saved me from a whole lot of gravel-burn. I'm not sure what happened, but there was a crash right in front of me and it was either try to make an evasive manuever on the gravel (which would have led to disaster) or pull up on the pedals and handlebars and hope that those days on the BMX bike were good for something. Luckily, disaster was averted.

Although I was there at the end, I'm not sure what good I was. Brandon ended up 2nd overall and Brig and I attempted to string it out coming past the feed zone for the last time. I didn't have much left at the end, but even it was for just a second, I'm thinking that keeping the pace high improved elder Lumm's chances a little. I need to figure out what these guys are doing that have all this power to maintain power during the race. I'm good for short bursts...not the long haul.

Anyway, good race and very well organized. Thank you NCVC!

Cheers...see you suckers tomorrow at Reston.

"Under-Cat" Racing

Shouldn't we "pay respect" to racing etiquette the same way we pay respect to general cycling?

We shave our legs, we wear matching team kits, we're loyal to our sponsors, and we tip the soignors (or if we had them we'd tip them). So shouldn't we also follow the "rules" when it comes to racing as well? I don't know all of them, but the one that seems to be sticking with me this week is: "if you're team missed the break, do everything in your power to bring it back when the time is right".

Now I know there are situations where you wouldn't (stage races, rolling solo, weak as f*ck, etc), but outside those cases, doesn't it feel better afterwards if you know you "did the right thing" as a team? I guess that's one of the rules of racing, right? I think it is a beautiful thing when, mid race, a team has the organization and the discipline to put their horses up front and reel back a break when they want to. Now sometimes it doesn't work, but I'd respect a group of guys that put in their best effort to get the win as a group a whole lot more than those that did nothing and were content sprinting for leftovers.

Maybe it isn't something that happens very often outside of the Pro/1 races, but I think it should. Not only out of respect for your sprinter, but to respect the "rules" set forth by all those who toed the line before you. Hopefully we don't miss the breaks this weekend at Poolsville and Reston, but if we do, I'm putting the R1V/Arrow Bikes train on the front to bring it back. :)

Cheers and good luck this weekend!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

This can only end badly...

Full Sequence

Kids should not run out in the street... ;)

Triathletes

We were fans this weekend and made our way to the city center to watch a couple of friends compete in the Dextro ITU sanctioned triathlon. What a setup. This was the first time I had watched a draft-legal triathlon race and it was really cool. I kept trying to do the math while watching it and it looked like the lead guys were averaging right around 26 ish miles per hour on the bike. I was expecting speeds a little faster, but after looking at the run times, my hat goes off to all those guys. Here are the top 5 finishers 10K times after 40K at about 26 miles per hour:

1) 31:00
2: 31:12
3) 31:26
4) 31:50
5) 32:29

?!?!

I've run a 10K or two in my lifetime and that is impressive. 4:59 pace for 6.2 miles after riding 40K at 26 mph...more than impressive. Cyclists like to make fun of triathletes here and there, but the guys at the top of their game earn the respect they deserve. Wow.

On a side note for all you race promoters out there. The bike course they used for the bike leg of the race would be perfect for a road course. Very spectator friendly, scenic, and challenging.

http://www.washingtondc-triathlon.org/index.php/en/elite/courses

Cheers and how about some d@ng TOWC results!

Tuesday strategy sessions

Mr. Joe jefferson sent out an interesting question to the listserve Monday that, when first reading it, I thought there was no question what the answer was. If you didn't see it, here it is:

<i>On Jun 8, 2009, Joseph Jefferson wrote:

This is just a little something to get start the Monday off right.  I announced the Race Avenue Criterium in Lancaster, PA on Saturday and had the chance to witness something that I have not seen in a rather long time.  A break of six went early in the men's I, II, III race and it soon went down to five guys.  I noticed that they appeared to be in the same order every time they passed me and just assumed that they were all working well together and taking their turns like clock work.  The laps clicked by and the sprint finally came.  The race was one by a Jittery Joe's U25 rider while Chad Gerlach to second.  The rider who I routinely saw at the back of the break took third, while Jeremy Grimm and Johnny  (El Gato) Sundt to fifth.  It was only after the race that I found out that the third place rider never worked in the break.  The riders who placed fourth and fifth gave the youngster a post race talking to but things seemed to be civil. <b>That being said, should the rider have contested the sprint knowing that he did not work in the break?</b></i>

Hellz Yea he should have contested the sprint. No brainer, right? Let's put it into perspective: If I get myself into a break with someone who is willing to work solo and is stronger/faster than I am...and doesn't seem to care whether I help or not...and there is money at the finish line...and he's keeping us away...I'm sitting on and enjoying the ride. Sure its not the classiest thing, but this is RACING!


The muscle, chuck, frick, ramon, super dave, young, and myself make a break....I aint doing a lick of work. ;). Now if that could only happen...

Cheers.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Clarendon Cup 1/2/3

I had been wanting to do this race for years. When I first started racing for Evo as a 5, doing one to two races a year, back when the elite team had Nima and Brent and they were riding those yellow Giant TCRs; I remember thinking to myself that CSC was the only reason I'd want to upgrade to a 3. It really was the showcase race in the area and starting it seemed like something you had to do to be able to say you were a road cyclist in the area. Well I finally got my start this year (the broken arm last year delayed it by a year). The race itself was fun, although it sounds like it wasn't as fast as in years past based on some conversations afterwards. I won't bore anyone with the little details, but there were two strategy situations that came up during the race for me.

1. Esmonde (who we thought was our ace in the hole) got in the decisive break early in the race. I knew he was up the road so we sat in and just made sure we closer to the front than the back. What I didn't realize at the time was that the monster from Kelley was attempting to lap the field from the break. His teammates were at the front of the pack slowing it down (really just keeping the pace in check) and the rest of us were content to let them stay there. What I wonder is if someone in our position, having someone in the break racing for second while a guy is midway to lapping the field, what do they do? Accept that their team won't get the win? Go to the front to not let the guy catch the back end of the field? Do nothing? Who knows? What would the pros do? Should the guys in the break sat up and gone back (I'm thinking no to that one)? Problem was that I didn't know that dude had lapped the field till the race was over. Maybe they need to let the 1/2/3 guys wear earphones too...that would be cool.

2. With about 4 to go it was accepted by all that it was going to come down to a field sprint for sixth. I looked around and saw a lot of the better sprinters in our region sitting pretty and looking pretty fresh. Brandon was sitting in a good position about 7th wheel and I fought to get up to him for 2 laps. I spent the next lap debating to take the suicide flyer with one to go or try to get Brandon to the last turn second wheel behind me. Being tired and sore made me choose wrong. I jumped going through the start/finish, got a little gap, had it going through the final turn, but got swarmed by a few in the final 100 meters. Good enough for tenth. Thinking back, I think the odds would have been better if I had taken control of the front coming out of turn 3 and taken Brandon through the last turn faster and launched him to the line. Not sure what to do there when you got such talented sprinters against you.

Anyway, all in all it was good times and I'm looking towards the next one already.

Cheers.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Weeknight rides

Tuesdays...specifically, the first Tuesday of each month.

There is a gem of a group ride out of Balston (Conte's). It may not be the hardest, yet, but it is hilly and there is enough firepower there to keep you honest. But that isn't all...there is free beer and food after the ride. Wait, what was that? Did he just say what I think he said?! Yea, that just happened. Free drink and food. Wow. Team Z, a triathlon team/club sponsors it and they put on quite a spread.

There isn't much that can touch this one on a Tuesday night. On every other Tuesday (not the first of the month) the ride still rolls, but there isn't the freebies afterwards, but still good stuff.

Check it out.


Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

To Do List

I've been pretty lazy/work busy as of late (update wise). I have the mental list of what I need to put down on paper though.

1. Italy trip
2. Air force cycling classic weekend
3. Tuesday after work rides
4. How to do a group ride "not like a wuss" (sorry mike..)

Slowly but surely it'll happen...

Cheers.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®