Last weekend was one of my target races of the year at Indy Crit. in Indianapolis. I really liked that race last season and had my best finish of the year there. It is one of the few chances I get to race in front of family as well. With Shannon's family living in northern Indiana, they can get down to Indy quite easily. This race also draws a stacked field each year so it really is a good one for them to see.
We like to visit Todd & Lyndsy up in Muncie whenever we can. They always open their house up to us whenever we need it. I enjoy hanging out with them and their four kids. Plus, they live only a few miles from the really nice Cardinal Greenway so it is perfect for an early morning spin.
Shannon on the Cardinal Greenway
Field alongside the greenway
The weather forecast looked grim for Saturday afternoon's race in downtown Indy. The radar was a big spot of green that was moving more south than east, looking as if it would not clear the city until after our race began. But to everyone's amazement, after an initial downpour, the rain moved away. The clouds looked ominous all afternoon, but the rain never fell again.
I felt great in my warm-up and was good in the race. I got a decent start spot in the middle of the 96-rider group. On the start, the rider ahead of me had trouble getting clipped in and we sank to the back of the group. That has happened to me at almost every crit. this year. If there is one guy out of the pack that can't get his foot in the pedal, you bet I will be lined up behind him.
The pace was brutal the first few laps. The course is flat and fast. It has 8 turns in 1 mile, but the turns are wide so even a big group does not have to slow down much. I enjoy the brick portion from turn 6 through turn 8 around the monument. It's something different that we don't get to ride very often. We had a 28.5 mph average speed at the 12-minute mark. I was 3/4 of the way back in the peloton, but I did not try to move up. The pace was just too fast. I saw my highest heart rates of the race during the first 15 minutes, topping out at 187 bpm.
Indy Crit. Course Map from my Garmin
Once things calmed down a bit, I began to move up through the group. With so many corners coming in 1 mile, the straightaways are short. Add in that you are traveling at 28-30 mph and that leaves you with little time to pull out and pass on a straightaway. With the speed so high, I had to pick my way through the group instead of passing a big bunch all at once. It took me many laps to get into a good position. I made most of my passes on the outside of the last turn, which was where the family had set up their cheer camp so they got to see me being a little aggressive at times. Once on my way up through the group, I got run over to the left on the final straight stretch. There was a barricade on that side blocking us from running over a very deep pothole that was full of water. When I got forced over, I had nowhere to go. I squeezed me way between the two barricades, which were not as wide as my body. I had to do a wiggle maneuver to fit through and then jump the pothole. It slowed me down, but I still gained some places for my troubles and Shannon got it on video.
Video: Me splitting the barriers at Indy
The race was a longer one at 75 minutes for our Pro/1/2/3 group. I finally got to the front after about 35 minutes, then got shuffled back behind a few pedal drags from other riders and a few near-crashes right in front of me. I had been finding that the left side was the spot to move up while on the backstretch. It started to get more crowded on that side as everyone saw the move-up potential, so I changed to the right side just in time for a big crash to happen on the left. We were already rolling at a good speed, then a rider tried to attack. He hit a pothole as soon as he pulled out of line and it took his front wheel right out from under him. Down he went collecting at least 10 others. I took advantage of the slowing and moved up into the top 10.
Attacks were going left and right. I did not want to follow any so I dropped a few places farther back. Then I got stuck behind a few slower riders and found myself 3/4 of the way back again. I tried to move up the rest of the race, but I was fighting an uphill battle. I would pass 10 riders, get stuck behind someone and drop 10 places. Then go up 15 places and slide back 15 places. Looking back on it, I think I was trying to move up without using any energy while I should have been more aggressive and used the good legs I had. I actually got so frustrated once that I coasted until I was at the very back of the 75 riders that were left and then moved to the opposite side of the road and started working my way up again. It seemed like the side I picked was always the slow side.
The pace dropped a bit near the end despite Texas Roadhouse starting their leadout train at 10 laps to go. It seemed like the perfect scenario for me with a bunch sprint looking imminent, but I never found my way through the pack. We were often 7 and 8 wide through the corners the last few laps and there was simply nowhere to go. It was getting sketchy at 2 laps to go and I decided that it was best that I not push it too much. I was 60 riders back and the chance of winning was gone now. It wasn't worth getting in a bad wreck over 30th place.
The pace was fast those last two laps and I found myself closing many gaps at one to go. I was actually drifting off the back when another crash happened with just half a lap left. It again happened on the backstretch. I rode by to see a guy laying face down and not moving. Spectators were coming to his aid, so I rode on to find an official. I didn't see the guy's bike anywhere when I went by. Then I saw it. It was 150 meters further up the road hooked on a another rider's back! He was dragging it down the road as he tried to stop. Now I have seen it all! I found an official and told him there was a crash and one rider looked to be rather injured. He showed not one sign of caring. He actually looked at me like I was bothering him. Other than the disgusted look, there was no response. I yelled to the head officials as I crossed the finish line and they gave me a good response, calling for immediate help to be sent to the backstretch. At least somebody acted like they cared.
I finished a very disappointing 60th. My goal was a solid top-10 and I was never close to that today. The field was very strong and there were many riders who could've won the race. I had good legs, but not as good as last year. My heart rate was never very high after those first 15 minutes. It was like I couldn't push hard after that. I was sad to not do better in front of the family. I know they want me to do well and I was hoping to put on a show for them tonight. They weren't crushed that I finished so far back, but I was. It was like I was never in the right place at the right time. Then again, maybe I was. I did manage to miss both of the nasty crashes so I guess it wasn't all bad. We ended up with a fast 28.0 mph average speed for the 78-minute race. Sarah and Shannon shot a few video clips on Sarah's new phone that are posted below.
Video: Indy Crit.
We stayed with Sarah on Saturday night. She lives in a nice little neighborhood on the south side of Indy. It was nice to be able to sleep in beds and have kitchens this weekend. Hotels get old after a while. We were hauling an extra load with us today. Shannon's Mom brought down 10 boxes of canning jars for us to take home. We were running low here at home so we were happy to take on some new boxes when someone offered them up. I was expecting like 2-3 boxes, not 10. The car was packed on the way home!
Sunday brought another race in the Indianapolis area, this time in Speedway for the Speedway Cycling Grand Prix. I was hoping it would not be a flop as many Sunday races tend to be when they follow a big race. Last year's race in Ft. Wayne the day after Indy Crit. was very disappointing. Add in the other Sunday disappointments like the Sandy Springs Crit. in Atlanta and NoDa Grand Prix in Charlotte and you could see why I was a bit worried. One thing that gave me hope was that this race was the Indiana State Criterium Championship. It also had good payout. They gained some additional sponsorship just over a week before the event and were able to add another $500 to the Pro/1/2 purse. Money always helps people stay in town an extra day.
The course looked boring on paper, but turned out to be lots of fun to ride. It was flat and wide with all right turns. You could pedal through every corner. The challenge was provided by the wind today. Storms were blowing in from the west, giving some brief showers, but nothing that even got the pavement fully wet. The wind was straight in your face on the backside of the course, especially on the straightaway leading to the final turn, which came just 200m from the finish line.
Speedway course map
We had time to go to church with Sarah before driving over to Speedway. I got changed and began my warm-up to find tired and stiff legs. Shannon and I rode over to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and tried to get a glimpse of the track through the fence. The speedway was less than a half mile from the crit. site. There were some cars out on the track, but we could not see them at all. It was still awesome to hear the sound as they came roaring by. The crit. course actually went alongside the Dallara IndyCar Factory. I am a race fan through and through so I found it all very exciting and fascinating. Now I just need to get into the track and see a race!
My legs felt terrible the whole warm-up. Crappy legs combined with intense wind made me worried for this race. We had a good amount of very fast Cat. 1s and even a few Pros on the start list. Just finishing this race was going to be a feat. The Pro/1/2/3 Women didn't give me much hope either as they blew apart into the wind. A break of five stayed away to the finish. I expected a break would win our race as well.
Three off the front in the Pro/1/2/3 Women's race
Two bridging across to the break
And then there were five up front
The start was really fast. I started on the front row and stayed in the front half of the 40-rider peloton early on. I chased nothing. Attacks were going everywhere, but I wanted no part of it. In the first 5 minutes a break of four established a gap. The break was made up of two Bissell riders, a Texas Roadhouse and an Upland Brewing rider. It seemed like the perfect combination to go all the way. The break did make it all the way, but only with three riders as the Upland rider fell back after a few laps. For a while there were constant attempts to bridge, then things calmed down.
Bissell rider off the front on the first lap
Me early in the race
The group was strung out on the backside with the raging wind
Halfway through the race came another round of attacks and another break got off the front. I was feeling good and just sat back in the peloton. Bissell was not letting anything go. It took a few laps of fast riding, but they were able to pull all the attackers back except the original three that were now way up the road. Those three would lap us at the 45-minute mark, leaving us 15 minutes to sort out the finish. I was surprised to now have great legs. I think they may have been even better than the day before at Indy!
The first four to get away
The group goes into the wind on a very wide course
The three that lapped the field
More riders attempt to get a gap in the middle of the race
In the closing laps, Texas Roadhouse started their leadout. They were lined up at the front with 8 to go. It was difficult to stay up to the front as far as I wanted to be. You had a line of 6-7 Roadhouse guys, followed by a line of 6-7 Bissell riders. A few times I got mixed into the Bissell train and they did not like it. There were some elbows thrown and a lot of yelling, but I never backed down. They don't like anyone getting in their way, let alone some guy who isn't even on a team. I got onto Adam Leibovitz's wheel. That seemed like a good one to be on as he was the only non-Bissell or Roadhouse rider that was a favorite. Things got crazy with three to go and I lost his wheel. I got shuffled back, but fought my way back to within a few riders of the back of the Bissell line with one to go. Roadhouse was still controlling the front. They did a better job in Speedway than they did in Indy.
The final lap was ridiculous fast. I gave it everything I had just to hold my position as we raced single-file across the back stretch. The rider in front of me slowed at one point and then swerved toward me, forcing me up onto the sidewalk for a few feet. I quickly hopped back into the road and did so rather smoothly, not losing any speed. But it happened as the surge forward was happening ahead and I lost a few bike lengths to the main group of sprinters. I spent all I had left to catch the group going into the final turn. The legs were spent and I had little left to sprint with. I came across the line on the back of the riders that were sprinting. I didn't beat any of them, but at least I was there, involved in the finish. When it was all sorted out for the results and the break riders were put in their position, I wound up 16th, just one spot out of the money! So close! Texas Roadhouse were repaid for their efforts as their sprinter, Kyle Perry, was in the break that lapped the field and then took the bunch sprint.
We averaged 27.0 mph for the full race, which I thought was very fast considering how tough the wind was. I was very, very pleased with how I felt. I was never once in danger of getting dropped. Actually, there were even very few times where I had to work hard to stay on the wheel ahead of me coming out of the corners. Either I'm getting stronger or these wide courses are just that much easier. I was disappointed with my heart rate again today, only hitting a max of 182 all day. That came in the finish sprint. Strava backed up my feeling of pain those last few laps. We were definitely flying. The last three laps were the fastest three of the race and the final lap was 11 seconds faster than any other lap! That is insane! I averaged 33.1 mph for the final lap and hit 35.1 mph going into the last turn. No wonder I couldn't sprint! Overall, I really enjoyed this race. It was far from a "Sunday let down." I will gladly come back here in the future. It was very fun and a well-run event. A video from the race is posted below. Thanks Shannon for filming and taking pictures!
Speedway Cycling Grand Prix Video
I found out that I have some blog readers in the Indy area. It's always good to hear that somebody reads this blog more than once. I think most people find my blog while doing a Google search for Twilight. The reason I say that is that my Twilight blog (about Athens Twilight, not the vampire books/movies) has more than triple the views of any other post. It's probably all teen girls finding it and then being all disappointed. Here's a shout out for Frank. Congrats on rocking it at RAIN! That was a fast average my friend. Thanks for reading!
Early last week we finally got the news on our exams. We passed! Shannon and I are both Certified Personal Trainers and I am also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I was so nervous about the scores. I wanted both certifications so bad! I really studied hard and I guess it paid off. We were actually very far from failing them. I couldn't believe how well I did on both tests. I guess they weren't as hard as I thought.
Last Wednesday was Race #7 of the Music City Crits Series. I rested for two days after the Indy weekend, so I expected to have great legs. Usually I am a little off right after a rest week, then after a race or two I find great form. Not today. I had bad legs in warm-up, but they got better after 10 minutes of racing. I sat on the back of the group the first 15 minutes, then moved up. It was a fast pace and there were many attacks. It seemed as though the elastic was bound to snap at some point and a break would go away. I was fine with 3-4 riders going up the road since I was not feeling 100%.
Start
The break formed much like in Race #5. Two riders went up the road, then a few bridged. Then a few more bridged and before I knew it there were 8 riders up there. I knew I had to go, so I followed the next move. It just so happened to be two of the strongest Cat. 1s I know. Ryan Sullivan went first, followed by Tim Henry, then me. I never got to Tim's wheel, but I was pushing hard. I knew this was it. As I started to hurt, two riders came by me. I jumped on their wheel and then they sat up. I slowed for a second and then it was game over. I have no idea why they passed me and then sat up. It makes no sense. The break eventually became 10 riders as Ryan and Tim crossed the gap. We never saw the break again. I made one attempt to bridge, but they were going too fast and the riders in the main group were watching me like a hawk.
Me chasing Tim Henry trying to make it to the break
Craig Evans attempting to bridge to the break
Photo by Josh Cook
After a few laps of recovery, I tried to bust up our group. I attacked several times, but never could get a real gap. They would collectively chase me down and then sit on me. I did manage to blow some riders off the back, but that left me with four Treehouse and four I Am Racing riders. There were many attacks the last 20 minutes of the race, but everybody wanted to go solo. The only rider that would work with me any at all was Craig Evans. I got frustrated near the end and fired off many attacks in the closing laps. I think I attacked either into, or out of, the chicane three laps in a row. I knew they would catch me, but oh well. I'm not getting any stronger sitting in the slow pack sucking wheels.
Peloton. I'm over on the left in the black.
Photo by Josh Cook
Me on the attack in the left hairpin turn with Riccardo Cannone chasing after me
The venue looks good under the evening sky
Photo by Michael Edens
Needless to say, I was tired at the finish. I started the final lap a little too far back and then got myself blocked in with half a lap to go. I wound up taking 20th in the end. And again, I could not reach those upper 180 heart rates I was hitting a few weeks ago. I managed only 182 today. Congrats to Jason Chatham who won the race from the break! I ran my GoPro on my handlebar using my new K-Edge GO BIG Pro Mount. It's aluminum which keeps the camera more stable than GoPro's plastic mounts. It also mounts the camera below the handlebar so it is a little more discreet. It's perfect for those few finicky officials who are still convinced it is made of glass and will shatter or will fall off my bike. It hides well. Check out the highlight video below.
Off the front with 3 laps to go
Two riders leaning on each other with 2 laps to go
Bike Cam Highlights from Music City Crits Race #7
My Mom also shot quite a bit of video this week. It is posted below.
Music City Crits Race #7
Precision Videos were on hand to do a little filming and they have already produced a really nice video. See it on Vimeo here: http://vimeo.com/101254941
This weekend was another Tennessee weather rarity. It was 54 degrees Saturday morning. It's July. It's supposed to be 84 in the morning and 100 in the afternoon. It was drizzly on Saturday and never got above 70 degrees so I did not go for a real ride until late in the afternoon when it was at its warmest. I had time to kill in the morning. I watched the Tour de France (go Nibali!) then got an idea for fun. I took a few 55-gallon plastic drums, stacked my ladder bridge on top and made a fun ride. Oh yeah! Give a mountain biker some wood and a few drums and he will have fun all day! It felt good to get back to freeride mountain biking. I don't get to do it near enough these days.
Setting up
The stunt wound up being harder to ride than I expected. I have good balance, but things change when you are standing still on a platform that is moving and tilting. I ate a lot of grass, but had a lot of fun. I made it several times so it was a successful idea. Not bad for a dreary day! Some still shots and a video are posted below. I actually think it is possible to space out the drums and ride it all the way to the other side of the creek. I have a lot of work to do on my balance before that will happen!
First attempt
First try ended with a soil sample
Made it!
A shot just before impact using the Chesty mount
Video: Backyard Barrel Ride
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