Boston Beanpot Classic, Part 1

Today was a weird day...

At about 10:45 we were ready to head off for the 26 miles Road Race. I had my leg and arm warmers on, and an under armour shirt. It was in the 30s, maybe 40s. About halfway through the first lap (13 miles per lap), the temperature shot up to, I would say, the 70s! And it wasn't like it went from 40-something to 50-something, and so on... it literally went from cold to hot in a matter of minutes! I was ripping my arm-warmers and gloves off, and roasting in the under armour and leg-warmers. oh yeah, I also had my toe-warmers on over my shoes, which was affecting me!

Anyways, the start was weird... the pace car kept speeding up, then slowing down, repeatedly. it was confusing everyone. Also, some of the riders still don't know how to ride in a pack, there was constant breaking, shifting of the bikes from side to side, etc.

I kept up with the whole field pretty well. A few riders have dropped every now and then but I stayed with the pack for the first, I'd say, 7-9 miles. Then I just started dropping back slowly with a few other riders. I've got to learn to increase my pain tolerance, because one thing I know is that once I get over the initial pains that I feel towards the beginning of the races, I'm good for the rest of the race. I noticed that the hill climbs were a lot easier the second time around... is it just me or does this go for many people?

Anyways, so I get dropped and I'm constantly picking several people off to chase after and then pass. I caught up to a guy from Yale towards the end of the first lap, I pretty much rode with him the whole second lap. We kept together, working to catch several riders, and then usually they were going too slow so we would just draft off of them for a few minutes and then take off after the next guy. We did pretty well. However, Yale got tired or something on the one climb that I was going too fast for him, so "oh well" I thought and proceeded on my own after the next guy. Caught up to him with about 3-4 miles left before the finish, and Yale caught up to us on a downhill. I rode with these two guys until about a mile left, when I was leading the line of the three of us. I was leading and at about a mile left, I looked back to see they weren't with me anymore, so I just took off making sure they weren't catching me. At the finish I almost got hit by a car because the idiot cop/traffic-director had no clue what to do. He let this car, that I was about to pass, go ahead of me, so he cuts me off to get around this car that was turning left at the final intersection before the finish, and I shout out to the cop "what the heck, I'm trying to finish" then I thought "IDIOT!" to myself (not me, the cop is an idiot).

I finished 73 out of 79 that finished, 88 that started. I know I usually have complaints, or I start pointing the finger at people and/or things that happen, but this time, the finger's pointing at me. I should have tried to fight through the pain to keep with the peloton. Nothing else happened that made me drop off the pack. Other than that, this was one of my best road race performances. When I got back to the car after the race, there were no helmet thrown, no bike being shoved into the ground or anything like that... I just got back, put my bike on the trainer, and did my cooldown with a smile. Yeah, my results weren't impressive, but I felt really good at the finish, because I had a personal best.

Tomorrow is the Crit, results when I get back to school tomorrow night! Thanks for reading!

Inspirational

Yesterday when I was at the school's library, I went to check my email and found an email from my mom. She "subscribes" to dailythoughts.org which obviously sends you THOUGHTS in your email DAILY. Anyways, the DailyThought for yesterday she felt like I would like it, and she was right.

This is the first time I've seen this quote from Lance Armstrong, as I've been trying to keep up with all of his because he is my idol. I called my mom and told her that this has motivated me more for the Boston Beanpot Classic this weekend, which I am about to eat my power breakfast for after this post.

Thanks Mom!

False sense of Spring

I got my wish from the post several days, Spring has visited us for the past two days... however the next 2-4 days are supposed to be pretty crappy with rain and all... hopefully after that Spring will make its full appearance.

Today was a great day to be sunny and warm. Nearing the 70s, there was a training crit today that is held every Thursday from Spring to Fall. Last week was the first week but I did not get a chance to go. I made myself go today though because of the nice weather. I also got my wish of not only racing without leg-warmers, but I also raced with nothing covering my arms and fingerless gloves! Great day for riding!

Not much to say about the training crit though... since I didn't go all out. I was leading the first lap until the final turn when a few guys attacked... I kept up with the increasing speed for a bit but my main purpose for today was to train (hence a training crit) for the Boston weekend. Some of the guys take it too seriously, and the only prize is at the end of the month a free pizza from Pizza Hut or something like that to the highest point-maker. I got lapped twice, the second time was just at the end of the final lap, as expected, again because I didn't go all out. I could've done a lot better but I just wanted to ride in a racing setting to prepare for Boston.

Dear Spring,

Thanks for showing up finally, I hope you show up for good until Summer after the next few days of rain! Also, be good to me in the Boston area this weekend.

Yours Truly,
Zach

Boston Beanpot Classic

This weekend I have waited for all season. The Boston Beanpot Classic in Massachusetts, I can't wait!

Only two of us are going, Kim and myself. So I'm going to have to really step it up this weekend to try and help Kim bring in points, even though we're already guaranteed a lot of points with her racing (knock on wood).

On Saturday are the Team Time Trial and Road Race. Obviously with just two of us there will be no TTT for us this weekend so I won't say anything about that. Last year I didn't get to finish the Road Race because of a flat tire about half way through the race.

The Road Race; 13 mile loop, a gradual climb near in the first half of the course, a steep climb at the 8th mile... gonna be somewhat challenging but I'm going to try my best to stay with the peloton or leaders. Men's D-2 does 2 loops for 26 miles, I'm shooting for under 1:45. We go off at about 10:45 so I'll be able to get a decent night of sleep. Kim goes off at 2:10 for 4 laps. Gonna be a long day for just the two of us.

On Sunday is the Criterium. I liked this crit course last year, long, flat start/finish stretch with a challenging climb. I feel confident in this one, since I know my climbing is better than some others in the Men's D field. Men's D-2 goes at 8:45 for 18 laps. Kim's Women's A race goes off at 1:45 for 35 laps, another long day for just the two of us.

Results and Comments on Saturday for the Road Race and Sunday for the Crit.

Dear Spring,

It's April and I'm still wearing my leg-warmers not able to break a sweat. Please come visit soon.

Yours truly,
Zach

West Point = Beautiful, Race Results = NOT

This was a bad weekend for DeSales University. Jon, Sean and I just were not feeling it today. However, I must say West Point is very beautiful and I wish I had my camera with me to take some pictures!

Team Time Trial
We had a good start, and were rotating very well. I just couldn't hack the climbs though, and Jon and Sean kept pulling away from me. Then we learn from a UVM group that only 2 need to finish, so Jon and Sean took off without me. I'd like to make a request... ECCC NEEDS TO GET THEIR RULES STRAIGHT! I read on Thursday in the rulebook online that 3 needs to finish for the TTT. Then I went to the race official after the TTT to see what the rules were and they said only 2 needed to finish up to Men's A, which needs 3 to finish. Contradicting facts people!

Circuit Race
Men's Intro for Sean, he had a great start after the two "coached" laps. Then coming up to the climb as leader at the end of the first lap his shifter breaks or something while in a larger gear, so he was pushing a heavier gear up the hill, dropping behind and just disqualified himself. Jon and I didn't have much better fate. Right off the start of the race we were doing ok keeping with the main group, and then on the one road the pace car was going like 12-15 mph, slowing everyone down which I can't understand why. Then we made the right turn up the short, steep climb and there was a crash right in the middle that Jon and I were behind. I lost my momentum as did a few others, and a lot of us fell behind. I didn't know that Jon was in front of me, also behind the crash, and he dropped out after this crash because it took a lot of us out of contention and the officials were going to drop anyone too far behind because of the narrow roads and stuff. I ended up being in last place so I dropped out as well after coming around to the parking lot. We were all very pissed and disappointed that we just packed up our stuff, and left.

Someone please explain to me how do you freakin' crash on a climb going like 5-10 mph! Then I saw one of the guys' wheel was popped off when passing him. Did he not check the skewer before the race or something? Is there any other way the wheel could pop off in a race besides not tightening the skewer enough?

Then I get a speeding ticket in New Jersey, which I have no idea how I'm going to drive back to Mahwah, NJ to appear in court for it. As if I wasn't already having a bad day, cops gotta piss me off now to make it worse!

Boston next week people, I'm training hard early this week for that. Post later this week...

Army Weekend

This Saturday, Jon, Sean and I will be heading to West Point (in New York) for a team time trial and circuit race. I was the only rider that would have been able to go to West Point on Sunday, and I decided I wasn't going by myself.

The Team Time Trial, I have no idea if we're doing Men's D or Intros. Jon and I are D, Sean is intro, so since the majority of us is D I would say we're doing D. Sean is a strong rider so I'm sure we'll do good in D, but if we want to guarantee to bring points back to the team I say we do intro since there probably will only be 2 or 3 teams and I'm sure we could do first.

The Course is 7.5 miles on Route 293 with one turnaround, we should be able to get a good time.

The circuit race, later in the day, should be fun. Intros start at 9:30 for Sean, and then Men's D are right after for Jon and me. We should be done with the day by 10:45, which would mean we could be back at DeSales University by 1. Another short day like Columbia, I can't wait!!

The circuit race course is 2.07 miles long loop, rolling terrains with a short but steep climb "to test the warrior within" (as described in race flier). Will be interesting to see this climb!

Results and my comments saturday night, watch out for them!