Racing tomorrow in the 30's -40's and snow

[stephenmarklay]

We have had a really great mild spring and this weekend we are getting a storm :crap: Rain snow wind and 3 races!! Should be a ton of fun.

[PCR]

We have had a really great mild spring and this weekend we are getting a storm :crap: Rain snow wind and 3 races!! Should be a ton of fun.

Wow, best of luck to you, be careful. Here in NW Washington State it's super windy and raining too. :crap:

[stephenmarklay]

I am in Spokane! I am sure it is the same front. I heard some of the guys were having problems getting here over the pass. I think I am going to drop the pressures a bit :)

[wasfast]

I've been going on and on about how mild the winter was etc. Rode in shorts a week ago Thursday. Did a 54 mile road race last Sunday when it absolutely poured the first 30 minutes and the wind never let up. Thankfully, it was in the low 50's. Now this week, it's even worse. Looks like February out there today.

I only have to do 4 hours thankfully. The shower will feel quite good after that!

[stephenmarklay]

What race did you do? A couple of my mates were on the west side racing last week.

[William]

When the snow is flying and you're suffering, just remember......if Andy can do it, so can you! :cool:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_atrK-jBKJKY/SP5KBrfQ7II/AAAAAAAADi8/NC3hBiiEzLc/s400/gavia-andy.jpg





William

[stephenmarklay]

If all the races were like this I might rethink things. Really though I like to ride in the rain. Although rain and 30's will bring on the big chill.

I have a bit of merino to carry me through today :banana:

[stephenmarklay]

It was not too bad today. We did see a little snow and a little hail but it was the winds that were the big spoiler.

I was able to eek out a 9th in the TT (50 registered but I an not sure if everyone did it)

The road race was pretty rough. I held out with the front guys most of the race but I started cramping early and a steep 9-10% wall at mile 40 made my legs rigor stiff. I could barley bend my legs to sit back down.

I lost the main guys at that point but my legs happily freed themselves and I bolted the last bit (7 or so miles) with another guy. I think I ended up ok but I did not see the results.

[PCR]

It was not too bad today. We did see a little snow and a little hail but it was the winds that were the big spoiler.

I was able to eek out a 9th in the TT (50 registered but I an not sure if everyone did it)

The road race was pretty rough. I held out with the front guys most of the race but I started cramping early and a steep 9-10% wall at mile 40 made my legs rigor stiff. I could barley bend my legs to sit back down.

I lost the main guys at that point but my legs happily freed themselves and I bolted the last bit (7 or so miles) with another guy. I think I ended up ok but I did not see the results.

Well done! With the weather you had today, it was good that you even finished. I did 40+ on the west side of the Cascades... wind, rain, wind, rain, 45 degrees. C'mon spring... :D

[stephenmarklay]

Well the weekend went better than I would have thought. I won today's fast 25 mile race, and yesterday was 15th after limiting my loses after cramping and ninth in the TT. That edged me into 2nd overall for the weekend. Not bad for my first road race.

[Karin Kirk]

Well done Stephen! :)
What a nice way to start off the season, and thanks for sharing your results with us.
How did you win today's race? Field sprint? Breakaway? Frame pump in the spokes? Tell us the tales!

[TMB]

I am absolutely positive that in years past at this time of the year I have been in short fingered gloves and short pants.

Today I wore knickers with knee warmers under them, and a winter jacket.

And it snowed on me.

I was not happy.


Yesterday I was out, knickers and two woolen sweaters, I got so cold I stopped at a coffee shop I was riding by and figured something hot would be good.

I am sitting outside by my bike, two fellows come by and look a the bike and start regaling me with tales of their world conquering adventures "when they were younger" ( neither of them looked older than me)

One of them says to me - where is the bike made? I pointed to the sticker on the seat tube that says "made in Bozeman"

He says " yeah, but where are they made?"

I didn't figure at that point I was going to get far so got on the bike and headed for home.

[soulspinner]

Well the weekend went better than I would have thought. I won today's fast 25 mile race, and yesterday was 15th after limiting my loses after cramping and ninth in the TT. That edged me into 2nd overall for the weekend. Not bad for my first road race.


Better than not bad. Great job :beer:

[stephenmarklay]

Well done Stephen! :)
What a nice way to start off the season, and thanks for sharing your results with us.
How did you win today's race? Field sprint? Breakaway? Frame pump in the spokes? Tell us the tales!

Thanks so much everyone. Karin it wasn't pretty, I actually thought I got DQ'd.
It was pretty fast today but none of the breakaways mounted to much as we had a lot of wind today and they were easily pulled back.

I made a rookie mistake by not positioning myself very well at the end. I had fallen back a little in the pack and there were basically 60 guys ready to go at 250m but no where to go. I was riding the center line that we could not cross until the 200m but I went over the line to give myself enough room. I looked up and an official was pointing me over so I got back in but at that point I had made the 200m point.

Just before this a guy also trying to position himself behind me, in a very James Bond like move, lost his front wheel in my rear dérailleur. The sounds were not pretty but he stayed upright. He's wheel disintegrated however.

The 200m mark was at the base of a about a 6% grade. I put my head down hands in the drops and pushed the biggest gear I had. Like a bullet I was out and 2 breaths later I was over the line.

It was one of those finishes that people just sat up to live another day.

I live to tell the story and learned a lot this weekend. More importantly I had great fun through all of the hard riding, snow wind, pushing and elbows. Made some new friends.

Now that I have tasted blood I won't be happy until I am riding pro/1/2. I want to ride at a high level locally an perhaps regionally. I will need to increase my fitness by a factor of 10 and my racing tactics and pack riding skills by a fact of 100. But I am OK with that.