Tuolumne Crit 3/26 & Sea Otter RR 4/8

[BikeMomma]

A couple races to report on....I'll try not to make this too long.

Tuolumne Township Crit:
On Sunday 4/2 I did this race in Tuolumne, a quiet little town near Sonora, CA up in the Sierra Mountains (Tuolumne Township). The course was over a basic 0.7mi slightly flat set of about three city blocks, all left-hand turns for 30 laps. As not much in the Sierra's is flat, there was a small uphill portion to start, then left and over a small hump, left and back down the hill, then left, and then another quick left back to the start/finish.

The day before (Saturday), I did a hard ride with our Saturday am group for 57 miles total (18.4 avg so my 'puter said), so my legs were pretty much toast going into the race. I was doing this just for fun, however, with absolutely no pressure, so I didn't care. A fellow gal racer had entered and needed a ride, so I went ahead and did it too. She ended up doing AWESOME -- she's a Cat 4 and hung with the 1/2/3 gals the whole race (there were only 10 of us that started -- HUGE field! ). I lasted maybe eight laps with them, which I was rather proud of, considering how fast the race was from the start and that I rode hard the day before. After I dropped off the pack, after a bit I got lapped and I was sure the ref's were going to pull me. Well, they didn't -- they let me keep going, sore legs and all. So I basically just turned it into a training ride at high intensity for myself -- 30 laps (21 miles) of pure torture. I ended up being lapped three times, the last time on their last lap. All in all, it was fun and reeeeally painful. Oh, and I got a t-shirt out of it, so I was happy.

Sea Otter Classic Amateur RR 4/8:
Yesterday, I did the Sea Otter road race and it was awesome -- painfully awesome, but fun too!! Here's a link to the course description (be patient, it takes a minute to download): Sea Otter RR course map. Check out the profile! I hit my race max speed of 43mph on that first long downhill. Overall, my race stats were: Dist/38.21mi (includes ride back to the parking area), ttime/2:37.03, Avspd/14.6mph (uggh...the hills), mxspd/43mph, calories/1433, avghr/167bpm, mxhr/188bpm. The results page is up already: Sea Otter results. I placed 38th out of 44 finishers. I know that at least one gal cut out early.

I got caught in a little mishap on the neutral lead-out part of the race. The road turned left and narrowed severely. With fifty-odd cyclists at close quarters going around a narrowing corner, you can almost bet something will happen, and it did. I was holding my position and moving up alongside me on the right came another cyclist too close. She hooked my bars and I braced with my weight to the left to avoid her pulling me over. I managed to stay upright but almost touched wheels with the bike to my left as the other gal got unhooked and fell, taking another gal out with her. I started to pause to help, but realized "dummy! this is a race -- you're not her teammate -- GO!". With a chuckle at myself, I took off to catch up to the group. It was around that area, once we got over the initial little hills, that I hit the 43mph. I took it pretty agressively, getting in my tuck & all, and caught everyone else halfway down. Looking back, I saw the other two gals were ok and coming back up too.

At the bottom of that FUN hill (that we had to go back up at the end - OWW!), was the start of the loop that we had to do three times (on the profile link above, the loop is the yellow part). The first hill of the loop we nicknamed "the wall", and it was. I completely out of gears and crawling along at about 5/6mph by the time I got to the top (I don't have a triple, unfortunately). As I haven't been doing much hill training lately, my legs sure felt it and I ended up dropping off soon after this. I couldn't help thinking "I have to climb this monster TWO more times". Uggh.

The rest of the race, I kept trading places with a few gals, and at various times, we worked together. It seemed though, that I was more agressive in the downhill sections and around the corners (more particularly, a FUN s-curve, crit style) and got ahead in these sections, only to be caught again on the hills and eventually dropped near the end of the last lap. I took a long pull in the hills and paid for it. A few times I tried to get them to take over but to no avail. Oh well, that's racing. I'm sure they knew the downhill section was coming up, so they played it smart and made me work. My legs eventually couldn't take anymore. Also, something in the air must not have agreed with my sinuses and lungs, because a few times I was wheezing for air, my lungs and air passages felt like they were closing shut. Not fun. But, I'd recover on the downhills, so it was all good.

The last hill to the finish, was - uh - very hard. It started off fairly mild and then worked up to a monster grade near the top (% unknown - I can check later). My speed was fluctuating around 5mph and I was giving it my all. After racing in mostly hills for the last 35 miles, my legs were pretty much sapped for strength, but I made it up in one piece. The fans were great, very encouraging "good job's" abounded, but one guy very near the top almost got his jaw punched with an earful of expletives when he just wouldn't shut up, running alongside me saying "come on, you can go faster, come on dig, dig, dig, go harder, give it all you've got", and by gawd I WAS, and even told him so. I've never come that close to backhanding a total stranger. Ha! In retrospect, it's funny as h$ll.

Although the hill portions, most of them, were pretty horrendous, I had a total blast, and the downhill sections made the whole thing worth it. I even surprised myself in catching some of the guys from their respective races on a couple downhill sections. Waaay fun. I'm already talking and thinking of next year's race and how I can better prepare (duh -- more hill training, more work on building my thresholds, etc.). Plus, I'll have another whole year of riding and getting stronger under my wheels, so that will help right there.

Oh!! And I saw Adventure Girl, accompanied by her trusty sidekick Adventure Boy -- or rather they saw me. I heard my name said from right behind me on the bridge to the expo area, looked behind, and there she was! Way cool -- and good to see ya, AG. Hope you had fun looking around.

If anyone else can get to the Sea Otter in future years, I'd recommend going. It's cyclist heaven. Hopefully, though, they can bring more pro road events back. One of the locals I ride with during the winter months races with the pro's and he was extremely disappointed that all they offered was a slightly boring circuit race around the track. All-in-all though -- an excellent day.

Take care everyone & thanks for reading....
Downhills rule!!
~BikeMomma

[slinkedog]

Good for you, Kim! I wish I could have come and watched you. Someday I want to come out and watch you race. There's a crit in Morgan Hill over Memorial Day, I think. I think it's that time... a local LBS sponsors it, if I remember correctly. Might you do that one?

[Trekhawk]

Wow sounds like you had a great time in both races.
Thrilling stuff (umm a little scary too for this rider).
Love the reports keep them coming.

[CR400]

You go girl. Good job, sounded like it was fun. And very painful all at the same time. Glad it was you climbing those mountains, I mean hills. I would still be trying. Hey, even with my triple it'd be tough.

[bikerz]

Wow Kim - what a great race report - but I'm with Trekhawk - too scary! How irritating to have to listen to that guy - even though he probably thought he was helping - you showed good restraint not to whop him!

If you're ever racing in the Bay Area I'd love to come and cheer you on - I've never seen a cycling race "in person".

[E2theD]

Sounds like you did great and had a fantastic time. Sorry I missed it and seeing you race but the weather report sounded ominous so it kept me close to home. Bummer the weather man got it all wrong and Saturday was beautiful. Next year I plan on doing the century so I'll stay for the whole weekend.

Just got some new wheels so we should definitely plan to meet up for a ride. Got to break her in Sunday on a Headlands ride before the rain started.

Erin

[BikeMomma]

Good for you, Kim! I wish I could have come and watched you. Someday I want to come out and watch you race. There's a crit in Morgan Hill over Memorial Day, I think. I think it's that time... a local LBS sponsors it, if I remember correctly. Might you do that one?

I'll check it out...depends if they offer a separate Cat 4 race and how far I have to drive, if anyone else from around here is going, etc. I'm also trying to be careful to space my racing out and not do too much, because of the kids, and that goes for the training time, too. They need their Mommy. It's all a balancing thing. If I end up doing it, though, I'll let you know! Thanks, Slinke!

[BikeMomma]

Wow Kim - what a great race report - but I'm with Trekhawk - too scary! How irritating to have to listen to that guy - even though he probably thought he was helping - you showed good restraint not to whop him!

If you're ever racing in the Bay Area I'd love to come and cheer you on - I've never seen a cycling race "in person".

Sounds like you did great and had a fantastic time. Sorry I missed it and seeing you race but the weather report sounded ominous so it kept me close to home. Bummer the weather man got it all wrong and Saturday was beautiful. Next year I plan on doing the century so I'll stay for the whole weekend.

Just got some new wheels so we should definitely plan to meet up for a ride. Got to break her in Sunday on a Headlands ride before the rain started.

Yea, BZ --- I think my fingers even flinched I was so close to flicking a backhand at him. But like I told my 8-year-old, good manners took over, plus he WAS only trying to encourage me, and I knew that. The main thing that irritated me was here I was trying to focus on my breathing, tempo, etc. and he's yelling in my ear that I'm not trying hard enough. Ah, whatever. I made it up and finished proud.

Eden --- sorry you couldn't make it. Yea, the weather was gorgeous out, not too much wind, either, which I was SURE we'd have. You'll have fun doing the century next year...the hills are so green just ruggedly beautiful. I love the coast. Congrats on the new wheels! It's a deal on the ride. Maybe you can make it for the ride(s) that BikeGoddess is trying to put together, or the Monterey one in July (I think you already said you'd make that one).

CR and Trek --- thanks for the encouragement! You gals are great and make it fun to write the reports.

Happy riding,
Kim (BikeMomma)

[slinkedog]

Just think, Kim... now you know how Lance and George and Jan and Ivan feel.

[Lifesgreat]

Way to go!

There was a flat place in Sonora??? I am from Modesto and have been to Sonora tons of times, but don't remember a flat part

It just hurts to think about riding the hills around Sonora. . .

K

[tprevost]

Great Job!

I didn't realize there were any races up in the Tuolumne area! If you go to another, let me know, I'll definately try to come and cheer you on! My dad lives in Twain Harte and I went to school in Sonora for a couple of years and LOVE that area! It would be a cool way to spend the day when I'm up visiting my dad.

What a great report though! Do you have any pictures? Does your family come with you when you race or is DH home herding the chicklets? My DH usually stays home with the boys but I'm working on long rides now so it wouldn't be much for them to watch.

Again, ROCK ON! You did great!

Tracy

[Lise]

A-mazing. I am astonished at how hard/fast/long you go. Thanks for the reports!

[BikeMomma]

Me at the Sea Otter....I'm not sure how long these links will last, as they are from the site you're supposed to order prints from...

Just two, but here they are:
http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_...0182&SUB=26454
...and...
http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_...0182&SUB=26454
Maybe I can get everyone's opinion on which one is better? I want to order prints, but I'm not sure which one I like! Maybe I can just order two of each....

And this is Charlotte at the Sea Otter (she's the one who I talked about above at the Tuolumne Crit...she's awesome!):
http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_...0182&SUB=26454
I think she ended up placing 34th or thereabouts. She also didn't have a triple for those hills, and so was suffering a little too. Ah, but such fun!

Enjoy!
~BikeMomma

[Eden]

Eden --- sorry you couldn't make it. Yea, the weather was gorgeous out, not too much wind, either, which I was SURE we'd have. You'll have fun doing the century next year...the hills are so green just ruggedly beautiful. I love the coast. Congrats on the new wheels! It's a deal on the ride. Maybe you can make it for the ride(s) that BikeGoddess is trying to put together, or the Monterey one in July (I think you already said you'd make that one).

I think you may be confusing me with someone else? Not that I wouldn't love to come down for Sea Otter some day, but I don't think I'll make it down to sunny CA any time soon... I'll just have to deal with rainy Seattle , but heck this year it sounds like our weather has been reversed CA's been getting the rain and we've had a lot of if not sun at least no precipitation.
Congrats on the race - it sounds like you had a lot of fun and did great. Big kudos for hooking handlebars and still staying up. Even if the guy was obnoxious it must have been at least a little fun to actually have someone there to cheer. We generally race pretty much spectator free around here - I might get at least a little jazzed by having someone cheer me up a hill.

p.s. I like the first photo best.

[BikeMomma]

Great Job!

I didn't realize there were any races up in the Tuolumne area! If you go to another, let me know, I'll definately try to come and cheer you on! My dad lives in Twain Harte and I went to school in Sonora for a couple of years and LOVE that area! It would be a cool way to spend the day when I'm up visiting my dad.

What a great report though! Do you have any pictures? Does your family come with you when you race or is DH home herding the chicklets? My DH usually stays home with the boys but I'm working on long rides now so it wouldn't be much for them to watch.

Again, ROCK ON! You did great!

Tracy

Hey Tracy -

Check out these two sites for upcoming races in CA. The Velo Promo site has results posted, too. About halfway down the page is the 2006 schedule. They update the site often, and each year, so bookmark it for next year too! http://www.velopromo.com/

And....http://www.usacycling.org/events/index.php?state=CA
Notice that there are NORBA events on there too, if you want to see some mtb races. You'll need to scroll down a bit to get to upcoming events, as we're a 'lil bit into the season now...

DH usually holds down the fort while I'm out on the bike and at races. He's pretty supportive in this regard. The kids have only been able to watch me once, and that was the Merced Criterium back on Feb. 26 -- it was so cool to hear "Go Mom!" each lap. There was bad weather scheduled for the Tuolumne Crit (was supposed to rain, but didn't...yay!), so they didn't come for that.

It would be cool to see you at the races! Thanks for the kind words...
Kim