Some Personal History and the 2013 Edition of Master Nationals

     I remember thinking to myself, years ago, that I would be lucky to achieve the results in the upcoming season that I had achieved in the previous season. The year was 1996 and I had just capped off an awesome year racing for the "Walmart Elite Team". We had twelve Cat 1 & Cat 2 riders, all of which hailed from Arkansas. We had a $50,000 budget, a team van, bikes, and training programs provided by the cycling guru, Joe Friel. It was as close to a "Pro" team as I would ever get. I had a lot of fun that year but I also put quite a bit of pressure on myself to achieve results. After the season ended, I was asking myself how I was going to possibly take the next step in terms of achieving even better results, given the fact that I had a house, a full time job, not to mention a serious relationship with the women I would end up marrying, I felt the chances of improving were nil. I ultimately decided not to race the next year simply because I would not be able to continue my progression without quitting my job, and then, either trying to go pro, or at least training like a pro.

     I think it was two years later that I hopped in a couple of local crits, thus reigniting my passion for racing. Soon after that, I started a team called the "Used 2 Bees". As we added members that did not necessarily fit that description, we changed the name to Central Arkansas Velo, or CARVE, now arguably the largest cycling club in the state. Back then I raised all of the money for our annual budget of $15,000. I was fortunate to have friends interested in cycling that ran successful businesses, and helped chip in for the sponsorship. We had a great group of guys that traveled and raced together to most of the regional races. Starting in 1999, and then well into the 2000's, I raced mostly Masters races and still placed a great deal of pressure on myself to achieve good results. It was interesting that some years were better than others in terms of results, and that my level of satisfaction seemed to be tied to how well my season went. Ultimately, life would win out and my ability to train would diminish with kid's activities, work responsibilities etc... In 2007 I passed the reins of running CARVE to Pat Barron at the Chainwheel. Pat wisely created a panel of Officers responsible for running the team. My interest in racing again waned until around 2010 when my son, Evan, started riding. Sometime between then and now, I had an epiphany!

     As I started racing and riding more, especially with Evan, I began focusing less on results, and more on the journey. I learned to enjoy my training rides with friends more, to enjoy the travel with friends to various events, to have a greater appreciation for the camaraderie that exist with all the great people with whom I associated while training and racing. As I consciously started focusing on this wonderful journey, and always trying to appreciate every little pleasure during the "process", a funny thing happened, I got stronger than ever! By simply trying to live in the moment, and not be so focused on setting goals for specific races out in the future, the pressure was lifted and the joy of simply riding my bike with friends and family replaced the previous attitude of doggedly pursuing a goal. I don't completely understand why I was able to get stronger after adopting this new philosophy, but I have to believe that it has something to do with eliminating what can be a very stressful way of living life. Without that constant stress and pressure I had always put on myself, the results were better than they had ever been. Why did it take me until I was nearly 50 years old to figure this out? I am sure many of you reading this figured this little secret out a long time ago. I guess it is as simple as the old adage of  "Stop and smell the roses", and other little sayings that encourage us to live in the moment.

     Now, having said all that, it's not always so simple to do. Try as I might, I still fall into old, very natural habits, and will obsess over some particular vision of the future I want to occur. And while I think I did a pretty good job of just enjoying the ride most of the last few racing seasons, I failed miserably when it came to this year's Masters Nationals race. Early in the year it was not even something I planned on doing because it was too late in the year (Sept. 7th), past the time I usually slow down and do other things. I decided in early July to go ahead and do the criterium, and that's exactly when the pressure started. I had been riding so well, that I began to visualize actually wining a National Champions jersey, something I have wanted ever since I started racing. With one near miss in 2006 where I got 2nd place in the Criterium at Nationals, I wanted to win this one! I started training as hard as I ever had before, eating as healthy as I had ever eaten, missing various activities with friends and family just so I could stay on the exact path that I had visualized that I felt would allow me to achieve this "goal" of winning a championship. As the event drew closer, the pressure mounted, and I actually started looking more forward to the event being over, than the event itself! That's messed up! Talking about reverting back to my old ways, I had literally thrown my new found philosophy out the window and was totally obsessed with the achievement of one goal, at the absolute exclusion of enjoying anything about the process of getting there!

     By the time I got to Oregon, I was so anxious and nervous about the race, that I literally was counting the hours until it was over. The day finally came and as soon as we started the race, I had this huge sense of relief. I was able to stay in the front of the 65 man field relatively easily, but I was still amazed at how many strong guys there were driving the pace. As we came through the start/finish with one lap to go I was sitting 3rd wheel feeling really good about my chances. Somewhere on the back side of the course, there was a huge attack up the right side of the single file line. It was the leadout train for the eventual winner, along with several guys that had jumped on the back for the armchair ride to the last corner. All of a sudden I was 12th wheel with three corners to go, further back than I had been the entire race! I had no choice but to get in the wind and start my sprint with about 500 meters to go, I dove the inside of the next two corners and came out of the last corner in 7th place, but was only able to move up to 3rd place by the finish. Had I been anywhere in the leadout that came around me on the back side, I may have been able to compete for the win.

     All that pressure and anxiety, and I still did not achieve the goal. Was it worth it? The answer is absolutely not. Had I treated it like every other race of the year, and gotten 3rd, I probably would have been ecstatic. The sad truth is that I was very disappointed given my aspirations. I wish I would have enjoyed the process more, focused more on all the positive ancillary elements associated with preparing for such a "big" race as Nationals. I guess I'm still learning. I don't think I will ever approach Nationals again with such an "all in" attitude. I would like to think I can adjust my approach to more closely resemble literally every other race of the year. I know that if I ever decide to race Nationals again, it needs to be on those terms. I guess I'm an old dog that's still learning new tricks! Live for the moment and don't obsess over your vision of the future! Those words are appropriate for every area in our live's. Thanks for reading.

   

An Awesome Year on the Bike

     Well, I didn't post a race report for many of the races I did this year, maybe because they were so numerous it would have been difficult to keep up. It turned out to be a great season of racing for many reasons, however, so I will just hit a few highlights.

     At close to 40 races, I think I may have set a personal record for the number of times I lined up this year. I also competed in several races that I have never done before and that definitely added to the overall quality of the season. I think I will endeavor to add new races to the calendar every year, even at the expense of the one's I normally do. Evan and I traveled and raced together several times this year as well, an experience that very few fathers and sons are able to have together. It is hard to describe how fortunate I feel to be able race at a high level at my advanced age, and the cherry on top is racing with my young son who is also capable of racing in the Pro 1,2 races and even being competitive in some of them. Jd McCay was also with us most of the time and the three of us were able to spend many hours in the RV solving the riddles of life.

     One of the races in which we raced together was a stage race in Louisiana. We both raced in the 1,2,3 race and Evan made the lead break in the Road Race and finished 4th. He then got 4th in the TT which put him in 1st place GC (overall) going into the crit! I was over the moon happy for Evan as that race really validated all of the hard work and sacrifice he has invested into the sport. I can tell you that there were some very surprised Cat 1's to have a 16 year old Cat 3 leading after the two most difficult stages. We went into the crit with a plan to try and protect his overall lead but it was not to be. He lost his 1st place but he made an indelible impression on all the participants in the race. I was also very proud of the humble manner in which he handled all of the attention.

     Later in the year we raced an incredibly difficult circuit race called the Crawdad Kermesse. I raced in the Masters race earlier in the day and only managed 4th place in a very hard, very hot circuit race. I then signed up for the 1,2,3 race in which Evan would be competing. I didn't really feel like I would be able to finish it because I was exhausted, but I hoped I might be able to help Evan somehow before abandoning the race. On the very first lap, a small group got off the front that I knew would stay away because the largest team was represented. I yelled at Evan to go with it but he hesitated and they immediately established a gap. It quickly became apparent that there was little interest in chasing the break and their lead continued to increase. I decided to go to the front and try to bring the break back close enough for Evan to bridge across either solo or with another rider. I sat on the front for the remainder of the first lap, putting myself into severe oxygen debt, but bringing the break back to about 20 seconds right at the base of the big climb at the beginning of the 2nd lap. To my delight Evan and one other strong rider launched an attack to bridge to the break and they very quickly made it across. My day was done at that point but Evan went on to win the race with a daring last lap attack that saw him ride in alone for the win. I don't remember ever being so proud of him as at that moment.

     Not long after the Crawdad Kermesse we traveled to Oklahoma City to race in the OKC Pro Am. We both doubled up on Saturday as I raced and won the Masters Race and then later,  entered the Pro 1,2; and he raced the 2,3 race, and then the Pro 1,2. The P 1,2 race was a night time crit with about 65 guys racing. In just the 3rd lap we came around a downhill corner to see a car directly in our path. The peloton veered immediately left and right in an effort to miss the car and the lead moto, which had stopped in front of the car. I barely made it past the car when I heard a terrible crash behind me. I somehow intuitively knew it was Evan. I yelled at no one in particular "was that my son?", and heard the terrible answer from some unidentified rider in the group, "dude, that was your son". I immediately did a U-turn and rode back to the scene to see Evan screaming and writhing in pain in front of the car. He had hit the motorcycle going close to 28 MPH and I was scared to death that he had internal injuries. While I had visions of a ruptured spleen, torn aorta, and assortment of other horrible possibilities, I was incredibly relieved to find out that his knee seemed to be what was causing him the most pain. He had hit his leg on the motorcycle and also hit his ribs very hard on the asphalt after launching high into the air after hitting the moto. He turned out to be very beat up, but without any long lasting or serious injury. We were very lucky that night!

Evan after Winning Crawdad Kermesse

     It took Evan almost a month to completely recover, and as a result, he missed what is now my favorite race on the calendar, Tulsa Tough. This year I got 2nd place on Saturday in a 75 man field against a beast of a man, Bret Crosby. Brett races for Elbowz out of Dallas and is a National Champion. I was very upset with myself for not winning that race as I made a big mistake to lose it. I am fine with losing if there is nothing I could have done different in a race, but I was furious with myself knowing I let a big one go by not being in the right position out of the last corner to win out of the four man break. The next day on the Cry Baby Hill course I only managed 5th, but was OK with the finish given how the race played out. The race has become the best organized, best attended, and most fun race on the calendar. The party on Sunday on the Cry Baby Hill course has no equal in the world of bike racing and I plan on being in attendance for years to come

The Cry Baby Hill Party in Full Swing

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    I closed out the year by winning our local criterium series which was a blast this year, and then also winning the Star Spangled Criterium. I was happy to be able to win these events in the 1,2,3 category which at 50 is getting harder! We have so many talented juniors racing now and I really enjoyed sharing some experience with them, hopefully teaching them a thing or two in the process. Looking back on the year, I am proud of having worked hard to be fit, and racing very close to the best of my potential, if not above at times. I have never been one of the strongest, but have been able to have some success through a combination of hard work, some crafty riding, but mostly sheer will and determination. I am convinced the latter ends up being as important as just about any other factor in a race, and I love to see Evan, when I know he is suffering like a dog, but hanging onto stronger riders
with grit in his teeth and red in his eye. That will carry him a long way in this sport, and in life. Thanks for reading!

2013 Rouge Roubaix "The Hell of the South"

     "The Hell of the South".... that moniker truly fits the 2013 edition of the race known as Rouge Roubaix. The race is 106 miles long, 30 miles of which are over dirt roads! The race has the character and feel of a European one day classic. Specifically, it is incredibly similar to what is arguably the toughest one day classic in the world, Paris Roubaix, otherwise known as "The Hell of the North". Given the length of the race, combined with the relatively early date on the calendar, preparation for this race is critical. So....Evan East, JD McCay, Dave Grundfest, and I all loaded up in the RV on Saturday morning, March 9th, for the six hour trip to Saint Francisville, Louisiana. We have all been training hard for this race and the day had finally come to go down and test our legs against the course and our competitors.
     My team, OKC Velo, would have seven riders registered for the Masters 40+ race. People ask me all the time how Masters racing compares to the Cat 1,2 races in which I still sometimes compete. Given the fact that a high profile race like Rouge Roubaix attracts riders from around the country, there would be several Cat 1 and Cat 2 riders racing in the Masters race, making it very fast, but with a wide range of abilities, which means that only about half would have a realistic chance for a top 10 placing. JD and I were both in the Masters field of 60 riders, Evan raced the Cat 3,4 race which had around 75 participants, and Dave raced the 4,5 race which had the most riders with close to 80.
     As we lined up Sunday morning, I felt really confident that I had put in the work to be competitive in the race. I also know from past experience, however, that flats and mechanicals can end your race in a hurry, so a little luck always helps. The other thing that I have always dealt with is the length of the race. At 106 miles it is about an hour longer than I am really capable of being strong. I tend to lose about 20% of my power after three hours, or 75 miles of racing. From that point on, it is just survival, but every year I am always secretly hoping "maybe this year will be different"!
     The first 3 or 4 miles are neutral through the middle of town and then the lead vehicle pulls ahead signaling that it is time to race. The first dirt section came at 17 miles and things were relatively calm until about two miles before the turn. Just like Paris Roubaix, there is a race to be among the first onto the non paved sections of the race. I made my way towards the front and was fortunate to hit the greater than 90 degree turn sitting second wheel. The gravel was thick and very loose going into that turn and I watched as several guys had to unclip with one or two actually falling over. My teammate, Paul Bonds is 40 years old and lean as a rail. He is a nationally and internationally ranked cyclocross racer and his skills are tailor made for the dirt sections on the course. Immediately after the turn onto the dirt he went to the front and set an absolutely brutal tempo. Not only were we flying down this gravel road rarely going less than 25 MPH, but we were also doing it in loose, sandy soil that sapped the strength out of the legs much faster than normal. In all of the editions of this race I have ever done (7), the condition of the dirt roads was the worst ever! Just navigating the road in a straight line was difficult, and going around even the slightest curve in the road could cause the back end of the bike to come around if not ridden perfectly. After only one mile Paul and one other rider had a large gap back to an already small group. I suggested we wait on the small group knowing we would need the horsepower once we came back out on the black top. I had no desire to ride the next 80 miles with only three guys. Once the small group got up to us we put the hammer back down again. Paul and I traded pulls at the front and we were quickly back down to only a handful of riders. Coming off the first dirt section there were probably ten guys, and we had three OKC Velo riders in the group, including JD!
     I was so happy JD had made the split that I slapped him on the ass maybe a little to enthusiastically. He grinned knowing I was congratulating him on making the, extremely difficult, first selection of the day. The next dirt section was only a few miles down the road and was one of the longest at close to seven miles (with a few very short paved sections included). Once on that section, Paul and I put the hammer down again. I must admit that I was having more fun than is typical in such a hard race. The combination of being able to put down enough watts to cause pain to so many, and also having the bike handling skills to negotiate the many hazards at speed, was so much more fun than being on the receiving end of the pain while barely able to stay in control, a condition I have also experienced many times!
     When we exited the second dirt section at mile 33, we were down to only six or eight guys. I was sick JD had not made the selection. He had gotten behind a crash and never could close the gap to get back in our group. The next 30 miles would be on pavement and the only goal was to go fast enough to stay ahead of any small groups chasing. It was around this point that I saw Evan riding along with Zack Smith. He had gotten a flat, and a very slow wheel change, as the wheel truck was over ten minutes behind him when he flatted. Evan hopped on the back of our group and actually made every selection with us over the next 75 miles to actually finish slightly ahead of my group. As our group rolled along, everyone did their share of the work, but it was apparent that the loose sandy conditions had taken its toll on all of us. There were no attacks at all, as everyone just wanted to get to the next dirt section at mile 65 with the group, knowing that the one mile long dirt climb at that point would explode the group anyway.
     About two miles before the turn, a guy finally attacked the group. I jumped to get across to him and only one other rider came with me leaving the others in the small group looking at one another to see who was going to tow them all up to the newly forming breakaway. The three of us had a nice gap as we turned onto the dirt section at mile 65 with the one mile climb just around the corner. At this point we were riding through the remnants of the Cat 3 race. I had no desire to be behind any of them on the climb as many of them would be forced to unclip after losing momentum in the sandy conditions. We successfully passed all of the Cat 3's and hit the base of the climb where I figured the race would be won or lost. As we began the climb, one of my breakaway companions, Peter Beland from Little Rock, was able to stay with me, but the other guy, Mike brown from Dallas, came off the back. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Evan had managed to stay with us to the top of the climb, but that none of the other Cat 3's we had ridden through were even in sight.
     Once we came over the top of the climb, I was amazed to see my teammate, Paul Bonds, ride up to Peter and me. He had bridged across the gap on the climb leaving all the other guys in the original small break in his wake. The next obstacle was one in which we were all familiar from having ridden the section the day before. It was a 60 yard long "sand trap" for lack of a better description. The sand was so loose that your tires sunk as much as 5 inches while trying to ride across. As a result, it took massive wattage just to stay upright. Paul and I made it across (as did Evan), but Peter and Mike both had to come off their bikes and walk. Paul and I then began to open a sizable gap on the other two riders. By the time we came on onto the paved road we had around a one minute gap on the chasing duo. We decided to put our heads down and ride. It was apparent very quickly that the first 75 miles of the race had taken their toll on my legs. I felt like I had lost about 20% of my normal power (my secret hopes were dashed) and was simply not able to maintain the pace that would have been required for us to stay away. It was not long until Peter and Mike came into view and it was apparent they were committed to an all out chase. Paul and I decided to slow and let them catch in order to spread the work for the next 30 miles.
     Once together, the four of us (Evan still with us!), began to roll through and worked together to stay away until the next dirt section which would come at mile 83. At this point we had a major headwind of between 17-23 MPH! The wind was brutal after what we had all been through, but the fact that the four of us were sharing the load meant we were probably making out better than the many guys riding by themselves or in smaller groups. As we turned onto the last dirt section we all knew what lay ahead. There is a steep climb at the beginning of the section that is difficult to climb in perfect conditions. On this day it was made virtually impossible due to the loose, sandy gravel and Mike and Peter came off their bikes about half way to the top. I made it just a little further, and Paul made it about three quarters of the way up. Peter and I would never see Paul again until the finish! Once at the top, I hooked up with Mike but Peter was now behind us. I stayed with Mike for about two more miles in spite of experiencing some major cramping. I finally came off his wheel up one of the last steep rollers on this last dirt section. Not long after that, Peter rode back up to me and we began to ride together hoping to bring back Mike. Once onto the paved road Peter and I just rode a steady pace, both realizing we were not going to catch Mike. At this point, I was absolutely cooked. I was giving Peter the occasional break, but he was doing the lion's share of the work. That last 10 miles seemed like 50! About four miles from the finish I pulled up alongside Peter and we rode side by side to the finish not wanting either one of us to have the advantage of the draft before the finish. Peter is a one hell of a bike racer and I have always respected his abilities, and as important, his sporting ethics. He jokingly asked if I was going to sprint him and I, of course said, "yes". I fully expected to lock completely up in the sprint to watch Peter ride ahead for 3rd place, but was surprised that the opposite occurred. It could have gone either way and I was just lucky to have gotten the last place on the podium.
     Ahead of us, Mike had actually bridged up to Paul and the two of them rode to the finish with Paul winning out in the sprint. I was super impressed with both Paul and Mike that day. Mike has amazing endurance and does not seem to lose much power over such a long distance. Paul was definitely the strong man on the day and deserved the win.

Five of seven Pirates celebrating our 1st and 3rd Place!

     Evan was able to finish 17th in spite of his flat tire early in the race, an impressive feat considering how many guys he passed over the 80 miles after he punctured. Dave Grundfest had a similar experiencing flatting early, but then riding super strong through most of his field to claw his way back to a top 20 placing. JD, unfortunately, experienced "full body cramps" where even his lips got stiff! He was forced to abandon around the 70 mile mark. Wes Wolfenburger provided support and a special thanks goes out to Wes for everything he did for all of us. He worked his tail off and just made the whole experience better for not only the four of us on the bus, but also all of my teammates on OKC Velo. In spite of multiple flats, we still had several Pirates finish in the top 20 of the Masters race. Having two of us on the podium, however, was really surprising and especially satisfying given the unusual difficulty of the 2013 edition of  "The Hell of the South"! Thanks for reading.

2013 "Calm Winds" (Crosswinds) Classic

     This will be a very short race report as there just isn't much to talk about. As indicated by the title of this post, the wind was relatively calm on the morning of February 23rd, which allowed most every category to stay together for a mass sprint finish. A great day for the sprinters, but a very frustrating day for someone like Evan who needs to separate himself from the masses to avoid the mass sprint scenario. Evan raced the Cat 3 race and attacked no less than 25 times, trying in vain to establish a small breakaway. His last attack was with about two miles to the finish and he was caught with only 1 kilometer to go, thus nailing his coffin shut for a decent placing. I have told Evan that saving himself for the sprint so he can get a top ten placing is not how he should think! I have encouraged him to risk it all with late attacks where he will either win, or get last place. Go "all in" and take all the chips or lose it all! He has embraced that philosophy enthusiastically and is learning how to exploit his strengths better in every race.

 A beautiful but chilly Arkansas morning!

     In the Pro 1,2 race, there was the typical flurry of attacks very early, all of which were marked and brought back. Finally, Zack Lavernge put in a very well timed attack that saw everyone just sit, waiting on someone else to cover the move. Zack got a nice gap and put his head down and it was apparent he was totally committed to his escape. I have to admit that I was marking the guy I thought was one of the strongest in the race and that was Trevor Johnson. Trevor seemed to be just following wheels and never really tried to bridge to the developing move. Finally a Marx and Bensdorf rider (the eventual winner) accelerated away and eventually bridged across to Zack. There were several attempts by multiple riders during the next lap to separate from the field but everything was marked and brought back, which was ensuring the success of the lead break. Without any organization in the field, Zack and the Memphis rider built a lead of three minutes as the field was racing very negatively, which can be expected in such a small group (only 15 in our race).
     Finally, in the cross/headwind on the south end of the course, I was able to get some separation from the field and built a 30 second lead very quickly. I knew I would have no chance of bridging across the gap solo so I just tried to maintain the 30 second gap waiting on another rider to break the elastic and get up to me. Eventually, three other riders made it up to me and we began working together to further distance ourselves from the now desperate and panicked field. Unfortunately, one of the four riders in our group was Zack's teammate and the other was the teammate of the Memphis rider. Those two guys did their share of the work to keep us away from the chase, but they were not interested in putting in the kind of chase that would have been necessary to bring back the leaders, thus insuring the success of the early morning move! Zack made a great move early in the race, then had the legs to back it up by staying away for 65 miles with only one other guy for a much deserved 2nd place finish. I ended up sprinting against my three other breakaway companions for 3rd place which was a one place improvement over my 4th place in last year's edition. At this rate, maybe I'll win it when I'm 52! Ha! Thanks for reading.

2013 Iris Stagner Stage Race, Mineral Wells , Texas

     Friday, February 15th started out similar to most race weekends with a mad scramble to get everything packed in the RV, and then get in some "leg openers" before departure so that the legs are not "blocked" the next day when the race starts. Inevitably there are also work related issues that need to be addressed, along with other "must do" chores that have to be completed before we get out of town. With everything on the "to do" list, it is a wonder we ever make it to the race with everything we intended to bring... oh yeah, we NEVER  make it to a race with everything we intended to bring! On this particular trip, I may have set the bar for "most critical gear forgotten" in my rather long history of bike racing. I think the only way it could have been worse would have been if I forgot my bike! I pack two bags when I head out for a race weekend, one for my regular cloths and a large back pack with all of my cycling gear, cloths, helmet, shoes, etc... Two hours out of town as we were rolling through Texarkana on our way to Mineral Wells, it dawned on me.... I had left my back pack in my closet with freakin everything I needed to race a bicycle. After I stopped cursing, we began to frantically call everyone we knew from Little Rock that was coming down for the race. We got lucky and the Lavergnes had not yet left town. They graciously agreed to go by my house and grab my stuff. Disaster averted!

Major crosswinds in the road race Sunday!

     JD and Evan were both along for the trip and we all took our familiar places on the RV for the trip to Texas. Amazing how comfortable we have gotten with our respective responsibilities on these trips. Everyone knows their job and with very few words exchanged we can load and unload, fill water tanks and gas tanks, put away groceries, and perform the myriad of task necessary to roll a 40' RV down the road. The road trips themselves are as memorable as the races, and all of them have their "memorable" moments, although some we would just as soon forget!
     The Iris Stagner Stage Race in Mineral Wells is a race that was on the official race calendar for the Slipstream Craddock Junior Development Team for the Cat 2 members of that team. Since Evan is still a Cat 3, he would be racing with no other teammates in the Cat 3 event, but he would be receiving support from his Team Director, Christian Williams. JD and I both registered for the Masters 40+ race, as did 8 of our teammates! I ended up deciding to switch categories and race the Pro 1 event in order to reduce our already overwhelming numbers in the Masters race as well as to test my fitness against the best in this early part of the season.
     The race had a crit and Time Trial on Saturday and a road race on Sunday. When we woke up Saturday morning for the crits, it was 26 degrees! Evan's crit was first at 7:30 and mine would start at 8:30. While we were crit racing JD would be racing the Masters Time Trial about 4 miles away from where we were parked at the crit course in downtown Mineral Wells. The crit course was very rough with one particularly bad corner coming into the finish straight. There were a few crashes in Evan's race, and a lot more as the day progressed. I would speculate that there were more crashes per racing lap that day than in any other crit in the state the entire year previous, and that is saying a lot given that the course was dry. Evan ended up flatting, but he was able to get a free lap, and get back into the group and finish a respectable 12th place in a field of over 50 guys. He is becoming more aware of his need to attack before the last lap in crits in order to have a shot at the podium. He has a big motor, but at this young age, he still does not have the kind of sprint he will develop later. I on the other hand have the exact opposite physiology, a relatively small motor where I have to follow stronger riders, but a decent burst of power towards the end of a race that can sometimes produce a result if I make a string of good decisions in the race by following the right wheels. This particular crit ended up having a lead break of six guys that resulted more from attrition than from attacks. The course was just hard enough, and sketchy enough, to reduce the numbers throughout the race. I ended up winning a small field sprint for 2nd Place which was a very good result for me at this stage of my racing career. When one of the guys asked me how old I was at the end of the race, he was rather disgusted to have been beat by a 50 year old! I have to admit I took great pleasure in his reaction.
     After the crit, it was time to get ready for the TT. The course was about 7.5 miles long with some rolling hills with the last hill being about a one mile long climb. The course suited Evan very well and he was confident he would do well. I, on the other hand, with my smaller motor, was nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs, knowing I would lose my 2nd place spot in the overall or GC (General Classification). JD had ridden a very good TT earlier that morning for 8th place in the Masters 40+ . He has trained very hard this year and deserved the result. Evan's start time was about 30 minutes before mine so he hopped on his TT bike to ride the 4 miles to the start of the TT. He had not gone 500 yards before slamming into the back of a van while he was looking at the crit going on parellel to the road on which he was riding. He hit very hard and went down. Amazingly, he was relatively unhurt other than a scrape and a bruise, and his bike also escaped with no damage. He was lucky, but very emabarrassed!
     I later rode to my start and had no such mishap, however, about three minutes before my start my skinsuit zipper blew out like the hulk when he turns green. I was able to quickly borrow some safety pins to close the front of the skin suit just in time to roll up to the start. I felt decent during the effort but my time was only good for 12th place in the TT, a result in which I was not terribly disappointed considering the competition.
     When the Cat 3 times were posted Evan had gotten 1st Place and had beaten 2nd place by 30 seconds, a huge margin in a relatively short TT. His time would have placed him 3rd in the Pro 1 TT, which made it that much more impressive. While he was confident of his chances before the race, I don't think he knew he would crush it the way he did. The Time Trial is often referred to the race of truth, as more often than not, the winner is the strongest man in the race. I was so happy for Evan because he has worked so hard this winter training, and this result was his just reward. Needless to say, he got quite a bit of attention as his result was impressive, especially for a 16 year old racing against grown men. Dad was extremely proud, in spite of having been beat by son by an entire minute over the 7.5 mile course!
      That afternoon, JD would race his crit and be a victim of the carnage that defined the day. He crashed twice, yet still managed a decent result in the race by placing just outside the top 10. His wounds were relatively minor but the impact took its toll on him the next day in the road race. He made the lead break but ran out of steam coming off the lead break, but still managing a 7th place. Evan flatted in the road race and never got back in the field, so his GC result was not great. He was happy with his TT, however, so all was not lost. I also made the lead break in my road race and held on for a 4th place result which propelled me back up into 4th place GC. A result that frankly far exceeded my expectations for the weekend.
     The trip home was uneventful with all of us reflecting upon what could have been. Probably the exact same conversation being had by virtually every participant in the race, other than all the winners. It's probably what keeps us all coming back, the hopes and dreams of improving one's lot. If I can just get a little faster! Ha, I love it. Thanks for reading!

Another Year, Another Race... 2013 Tour of New Braunfels

Pre Race Meal in New Braunfels, Texas

     On Friday, February 1, 2013, Evan and I loaded up our bikes in our travel cases for the trip to San Antonio, Tx. Southwest airlines is the only way to fly when you have bikes in tow as they only charge $50 for the travel case verses $150 on every other airline. Traveling on commercial airlines works great when the flights are on time and there aren't any mechanical issues or other inconvenient delays. We got lucky and arrived in San Antonio on time. We threw our gear in the rental car and headed to dinner, then the hotel for a good night's sleep.

     The next morning was bright and sunny and would eventually warm up to nearly 80 degrees! Awesome weather for the first race of the season. This would be Evan's first race with his new team, Slipstream Craddock Junior Development. He would be racing in the Category 3 race against men twice his age and everything in between. As his race started at 11:30 I would have the luxury of getting to watch him compete in the hour long circuit race around a 2.5 circuit. The Cat 3 race was full as they had reached the 75 rider limit imposed by the race organizer. That means the racing would be hard and fast from the gun. It was so fun watching Evan and his teammates race super aggressively, always at the pointy end of affairs. Evan got in a couple of break aways but the field was not letting anything go on a course that really was not technical at all, and therefore not conducive to any small groups slipping off the front. When the bell lap arrived, Evan must have been cleaning his ears because he did not hear the bell and had no clue it was last lap! Imagine his confusion when the pace quickened and guys start throwing their hands in the air. Needless to say, he was not happy. I told him I had made the same mistake one year at Joe Martin.... and I never have made the same mistake again, and my guess is that neither will he!

The start of the Men's Cat 3 Circuit Race

     My race was at 1:30 that afternoon and I lined up with just over 50 (40+) guys. It was a little strange racing with so many guys and not knowing who any of them were, so I really did not know who to watch. I ended up going with almost every break, all of which got brought back. Can you say colossal waste of energy? I paid for the wasted efforts by getting passed 30 meters before the line by two guys for a 3rd place finish in a race I really thought I could win. Another lesson learned about the need to race somewhat conservatively, even when you feel really good in the race. Another slice of humble pie!

     The next day was the road race which was two laps around a 30 mile course. Evan's race started about 10 minutes before mine so I would not be able to watch his finish but watching road races as a spectator leaves a lot to be desired unless you have TV coverage and have Phil and Paul commenting on the dynamics of the race. Evan put in an all out attack with only 6 miles left in his race and if not for an all out organized chase by several of his competitors he would have stayed away. Unfortunately, he was caught only one mile from the finish. He made an incredibly brave move very close to the finish and was almost rewarded for his bold effort. He came away from the race with a good feel for where he is fitness wise, as well as how he stacks up against his competitors. I think he left the race with some added self confidence that he will be vey competitive this year. He also had the awesome experience of racing with teammates that are loyal to one another and prepared to sacrifice their own chances for the good of the team. All very valuable lessons learned.

     Ironically, I attacked late in my race also. There were close to 60 guys that started my race that day and there was a flurry of attacks on a windy section of the course about 15 miles from the finish. After every attack was almost immediately neutralized, I went with all I had at a time I thought everyone would be gassed. I was glad to see one other guy on my wheel as we accelerated away from the field. About 5 miles later our lead had been whittled back down to only a couple hundred meters. Toward the top of a small rise we sat up as if we were giving up, but once over the top and out of sight of the peloton I accelerated again down the back side and very quickly had another nice gap back to the chasing field. With about one mile left to race it was still debatable as to whether we would be caught. As we came around the last curve to the base of a half mile climb to the finish, I felt we would make it. As we began the climb, my breakaway companion slipped off my wheel. I put my head down intent to make it to the line without getting swarmed by the now charging peloton. I won by 300 meters and felt really good knowing I won the race in a manner in which I am not to familiar... solo and off the front. There is a certain satisfaction when a big risk, like attacking with 15 miles to go, is rewarded with a win. Unfortunately, my breakaway companion got swarmed just before the finish.

     After the race Evan and I had to quickly get our bikes packed up and go straight to the airport to catch the last flight back home. Fortunately we made the flight and got home as scheduled. It was a great way to start off the year made extra special by the shared experience with Evan and by seeing him gel with his new team. Thanks for reading!