2016 Ken Harrod Mem. RR p/b MRC

[pcollins]

After spending some time sizing up my competition doing the P/1/2 registration, I rolled out w/ 45 dudes with the Civil War reenactors firing their guns to start the race. 6 laps, 100km.

My plan was to tailgun the first lap no matter what, and get in a break later. When I am near the front I tend to get excited and follow most moves, and getting in a break on lap 1 is dumb. Sure enough, 5 guys went off the front and had a decent gap. Laps 2 and 3 I was near the front and followed some moves. The field caught sight of the break on Littleton Rd, prompting attacks, gaps and chasing, which put me in the wind quite a bit.

We caught the break just before the KOM when the field went really hard up Oak Hill on lap 3. Lap 4, five of us opened up a good gap turning left onto Pinnacle Rd. The break consisted of Ahearn, Carmona, Jennings, Rosenholtz and I. We all represented different teams (GLV, Errace, and Community Bike being the strong ones) so I think there wasn’t an organized chase behind us. We worked well together but it was obvious that Ahearn and especially Jennings were the strongest guys in the break, taking monster pulls that had me on the verge of getting dropped. I was hurting bad… more pain than usual, I was seriously thinking about throwing in the towel. But Rosenholtz kept the morale high, saying we were going to make it if we kept our pace.

The moto official was very helpful in providing time gaps. Our gap on the field peaked at almost 2 minutes on lap 5 at the top of Oak Hill. The last time up Oak Hill, Rosenholtz dropped, so it was a 4-man sprint. The combination of not going up Oak Hill that hard on lap 6 and some cat-and-mouse caused our gap to decrease to 40 seconds on Old Littleton, but I knew we had it in the bag. I took my last pull on Pinnacle and prepared for the sprint.

I knew Ahearn wasn’t a sprinter, so I got on Jennings’ wheel (the biggest guy in the group) on the fast descent. When the road started to go up, I led it out, sprinted as hard as I could, somehow managed to pull off one my best sprints ever and held it for the win! I was (and still am) in utter disbelief, as just a short while ago I was struggling to stay with the break. To be honest, I’m also surprised that our break stayed away and no one bridged to us, as there were several pros who missed the break.
This is definitely the biggest result I’ve had and it’s so awesome that I was able to pull it off at my “hometown” team race with so many club mates and friends present. I celebrated the win with my first legal beer in public provided by Wachusett Brewing.

I’ve never shed a tear about bike racing… but I almost did today.

I will never forget these memories and the people involved.

Thanks to everybody who raced, volunteered, spectated and supported the event in any way. This club can put on a darn good bike race.

[carlshimer]

Congrats! Do you still feel the pro race should be longer?

Getting a break on pinnacle was smart. Watching the 3s they were trying to do it on Littleton Rd with the longest sightlines in the race.

[pace21]

I remember a few years ago this 17 year old skinny kid in a mismatched Bicycle Alley kit that would get dropped on our group rides. Who was that again?

Taking it to Blackey is no small feat, he's been terrorizing MRC for YEARS

[jraguin]

Just an unbelievable (and now believable ) race by Patrick. Chapeau to him!

In the Masters race, there was a big field of 80+ guys and a lot of names that have been terrorizing the Masters fields for years including last year's winner and runner up Francis and Crowell, Bowden, Richard, Mattuck, Hildebrand, etc. Stacked which created a more modest expectation at least for me, and maybe some of the rest of the MRC with Chris B, Kevin, Rich, John E, and Dave M in the field. We knew we could not control the race but did have a semi strategy of sitting in for the first few laps and then seeing if Rich or Chris B could get in a break, Rich by creating with Chris B by countering. Dave and Kevin have the uphill power so I thought they might be able to get a gap on Oak Hill, with me being the designated "sprinter" (Capt Cratty laughed at that). My goal is to channel my inner Pare: stay near the front, let other wheels bring me to the front, and do as little work as possible until the end.

Long story is that it was a fairly chaotic race. Race goes off and one guy (Chrystall) goes off the front right away. He is pretty far up there which causes the first time up Oak Hill to be pretty fast and hard. We catch him over the top of Oak Hill which causes things to settle. Then for the next 2 1/2 laps it would go slow and then fast with all the studs marking each other, Francis especially can do nothing. Each time near Oak Hill I see him move to the front so I made sure to be right there in case I need to do a pack slide to hold on to his pace, but no one takes off and the laps up Oak Hill aren't too hard. Oh, the KOM lap goes hard for the last steep pitch of Oak Hill and Jerry D just gets beat out for the growler but the pace stays high for a bit which hurts a little but not too bad.

Late in the 4th lap 3 guys go off the front. None of them are the studs that I am marking and the studs let them go. I am surprised but I still stay calm. We are rewarded with the pace slowly picked up on the last lap and it was moving decently up Oak Hill led by Dave. We catch the break half way up Oak Hill. I move right up because I figure a counter attack is coming, but nothing happens. We get to the top of Oak Hill and then finally the pace picks up but not really an attack.

The pace is slow enough that we are two lines together so I am about 7th but only three wheels from the front. We take the left on Pinnacle fast and it is getting tight and bumpy. I hear a crash a bit behind me (turns out to be Kevin, ugh) but I am keeping my eyes straight ahead as guys are definitely getting testy. I am on Jerry D's wheel when we turn right onto Oak Hill when Hildebrand takes the turn tighter than Jerry and Jerry clips his wheel and goes down. I almost go on Jerry's bike and get unclipped and in the dirt driveway on the far left.

Now it is 2k to go and I am unclipped and at a dead stop with a train of guys going by. Something in me said don't give up. I got clipped in, put maybe one of the biggest 30-45 sec power surges of my life, used a slight draft to slingshot around one guy and somehow got on to a train of 15-17 guys with just over 1km to go. I paused to recover for maybe 10 sec, then hit the gas again to move up. All of a sudden with 500 to go I am in the top 10 wheels. I hit the bottom in the draft, and then try to slingshot out and throwdown all I have left. 5th place!!!! I might have got out of the draft too early but whatever! My Strava backs up my finish: From when I was unclipped for the next 30 seconds I averaged 750 watts and then averaged 800+ watts for the finishing sprint (18 sec). 8th all time on the Strava segment that is the final 0.9 miles.

The bummer was finding out that both Rich and Kevin crashed in the race. Both were having beers at the end so that is the good part.

[Len_E]

Wow, MRC is killing it. Patrick, I'm speechless. Those are some big names behind you on the leader board. Huge result. John, damn good result in a tough field. Way to hang tough and make the sprint pay off.

[djming]

Patrick, wow! I was hanging out after the finish of my race, near the common, when we hear "here comes the P/1/2". I looked up and said, to nobody in particular, "holy sh*t, that's Patrick" So cool to see.

45+ masters for me was a case of narrow misses and missed opportunities. 5x Oak Hill - couldn't wait!
As John said really uneventful, other than constant back and forth on the pace, for first 3 laps. Large field, tough to move position. For the first two laps, especially on Oak Hill, the moto appeared to be fairly lenient with the yellow line rule..
I found that on the final 1K (with the full road) of each lap, after the dip things would really spread out and if I put in just a short, hard dig could improve my position quite well. So that's what I did each time and starting into lap 4 was right near the front with Chris B. Was positioned well and there was one point where I thought a break might be made and I was ready for it, but nobody making a go at it. Felt good on and coming off Oak Hill #4 and into the final 1K (of lap 4) when just to my left I see a guy (not sure who it was) look and reach down (at pretty close to 50mph..) I saw him begin to slightly veer and quickly surmised this wasn't going to be a good situation. A quick glance right and luckily had some open real estate and moved away from him. Just at that instant he collides with guy on his left and they go into other riders (one, unfortunately, being Rich B). I just scoot by on the right. Adrenaline rushing but completely unscathed. And, another move up.
Pace ramps up for a bit but then settles down and we just slowly begin to gain on the break. Into Oak Hill#5 and after following a couple key wheels on the lower steep part, I put a dig in right after that and catch the break. A little respite but nobody goes by me, so on the next little rise go again. Not getting any opening at all. Finally somebody goes around me (Herrera from Downeast) and I grab his wheel and follow him to the KOM point. Relaxed a bit too much and had quite a few get by me. Make the left onto Pinnacle (and, like John, hear the KT involved crash) and the pace is upping. We come to the area where there's a large open property on the left and I see a nice little train going on my right. Perfect I think, hop on that and get back towards the front. That gets shut down as right in front of me two guys touch and go down. I'm off to the left practicing some CX skills hopping up into the grass and riding thru the some nice person's front yard for a good little stretch. Back onto tarmac with things really strung out now, and I say screw it with getting in line and just bury it in TT mode on the left passing people (not crossing yellow!). Approaching the final right turn and I'm carrying some good momentum up towards John's wheel when the crash with Jerry D occurs and I have to back way off and lose that momentum. Put in another huge effort off the turn to regain contact with the front group but then it was just maintain thru the finish.

[JBurgel]

Nice work all, especially PC. And huge props to the organizers for a great event - best yet.

Spoiler:
Dear Joshua Burgel,
The following request to change your USA/Road category has been approved and processed by USA Cycling:
burgelj - 2016-06-05 10:12
Member: Joshua Burgel
License: USA Road
Request to change category from Cat 4 to Cat 3
Hi JD, Please upgrade me from Cat 4 to Cat 3 on the road. I believe I have 23 points of the 20 needed. Thanks.
Ken Harrod Road Race
Harvard, MA
June 4, 2016
Men 4 (74 Starters)
5th Place (5 points)

CAT4 race started when I woke up at 7:02, realizing that I had less than 30 minutes to get to registration, throw on contacts shorts and head for the already packed car. Adrenaline high I checked WAYZ as I drove out of my driveway: ETA 7:29. Yes, I might make it!

Lots of friendly faces as I pull in to rock star parking and Mingori kindly pins me up. No time for warm up, I make sure I hit the head, adjust my brakes at SRAM, check pressure, and mentally adjust to racing from over 400 miles of Italian road riding.

We even have time for a team photo before we roll off in the coolth of the morning. Lap 1 is easy with a little surgy-ness and MRC at the front to even things out. The climb up Oak Hill felt fine, though I wondered why my brake was rubbing. Climbing in the top 10 I could clearly see a small rock fall that had left some debris on the road . . . but not everyone behind me saw my signal or heard my call. After that two guys get away on Oak Hill, but were pulled back quickly. Descending on lap 2 two guys go up the road, including Zach from 545, but no MRC's follow. And no other team steps up. In talking with those around me, they ask, why don't you chase, you have a big team? And before we know it, they are gone. 2nd time up Oak Hill we catch one of the break, but Zach is 30 seconds up the road, and it still feels like my brake is rubbing. Zach stretches the gap to 90 then 105 seconds by the time we start lap 3. Josh M pulls up next to me as a small break starts and I ask him to go, which he does and a nice group works all the way to the base of the climb, despite Nate Kemp's (545) continuous gapping and sagging. We claw back to within 45 seconds. One rider crushes the bottom of Oak Hill and I work hard to close him down by the bridge. While recovering, a second independent rider (probably this guy: https://www.strava.com/activities/598099269) blatantly crosses a painted yellow line next to the moto-ref and passes about 10 to start to hit it hard on the front. Despite repeated warnings he doesn't pull over until the moto basically rides directly next to him whistling and pointing. He stops sideways and the field has to swarm around him. We are again slowed at an ambulance for one of the women's crashes and as we pass the relegated women's field. As we pass through the start line the gap has grown to 60 seconds and I start recovery mode, sitting in, drinking, eating, and waiting - knowing I only need 2 points to upgrade.

As we take the final turn onto OH, an NEBC guy punches it, and Nate Kemp sucks on his wheel. Nobody can match it, and, despite the fact my brake no longer feels like its rubbing, I can't either; settling into my hard climbing pace I know I can hold until OH levels out at the bridge I pull the entire group back to Nate and sit on his wheel. Several guys pass me near the 5KM to go mark, but Nate latches onto them and I follow. At the hard downhill turn from Old Littleton/Old Littleton I'm 6th wheel, with Nate 3rd wheel. PERFECT! I won't have to work until the sprint. Turning onto Pinnacle, Nate crumples to the road, his bike is flying, and I end up rounding the corner in the dirt with the 2 lead guys 30 yards away before I get back on the road. Damn, I guess I have to start my sprint now. A contact peels off my eye by the time I hit the top of Pinnacle, but I nailed it back and am able to let my HR come down a little. As we hit the top of the OH descent I decide to try to sit on a wheel, but the turbulence peels off my second contact, and I am literally flying blind. I have to sit on a wheel otherwise I can't see. As we cross the bottom I hit it hard, full gas, but I can't see the finish line, just blurry white things ahead. I know I didn't cross first as someone on the right raised his fist, but definitely in the money.

[jraguin]

Congrats Josh! Welcome to the 3s! Great race... I can't imagine what it is like racing & sprinting with blurry vision!

[djming]

Nice Josh - John beat me to it on both comments. I am now very thankful I don't need to deal with contacts!
Extremely entertaining read. And that yellow line guy, guess some just don't quite get it..

[jmorrissey]

warm up felt good. Asked someone to adjust shifting = broken rear hanger 5 min before the race = day over

[kenchadwick]

Congrats to Patrick. Very well done!
CAT 4 for me....

Felt like I was going to have a real good day before the race. Started out pretty easy, not much happening, at or near the front all the way to Very Fine. As the climbs are my challenge, I was not sure how Oak Hill would go. First time up, no problem, stayed about 10ish or so the whole way, no matches (crash behind us early on climb). I practiced coming out of pinnacle and carlson orchard turns real hard, as that was my mission on the final lap if I was there. First finishing descent (I seem to be able to descend faster than most), went right to the front of the field easily. Came over the top and initiated the chase for the lone rider off the front. We gave up about 3/4 way to Very Fine. Second time up Oak Hill, I was about twenty back, also not too hard but not easy, moved forward (maybe first time ever). Took a different line through the turns this time. On the finishing descent, went right to the front again, but when I shifted a couple clicks for the hill, there was nothing, looked down and chain was off to the inside. Instinctively, tried to shift it back on and it didn't of course work, but it shifted. So I may have hit the shifter button on the descent or the ratchet in the lever released or something (it was bumpy). Anyway, thought about reaching down (not a good idea at 40ish at the front). Just held my line and couldn't get over until the entire field went by, coasting to almost the start finish. SRAM guy stopped, told him to go. Put it back on and started to chase. Was closing steadily and thought I might actually catch after about a mile or so I was about 100 meters from the SRAM car. Then, there must have been an attack or acceleration, 'cause I started to lose. Lost sight for good just before Very Fine. TT'd hard the rest of the way for practice. Had people to reel in (I think all other fields) all the way. Sprinted my backside off solo, probably for last place before the DNFs (silly).

I'm pretty disappointed, I think I could have helped Josh for the one more spot and done well myself. Continued improvement though...I'm taking my front shifter apart tonight to clean it, check it. Don't want that to happen again.

Hope everybody is OK, I didn't hear the details.

I'm not racing for about a month due to prior commitments (and the Fondo), but am planning on doing the hilly races later this summer, including GMSR, like to have some teamates for that one.

[PJ McQuade]

John M, SRAM probably would have let you use one of their bikes in that case, that's what they are there for, plus it was our race. Next time, though hopefully that's a freak thing.

This year's Cat 3 race was much faster and aggressive than last year's. I didn't feel good, so thought this was why, but comparing the data, it was faster/harder all around.
I came into the race fighting off the last leg of a nasty spring cold, but much like Chris Pare at Battenkill I was pretending it wouldn't hinder my performance. It did. My heart rate was through the roof at moments where it shouldn't have been early on in the race and I couldn't hold down sustained efforts when I needed to. Long story short, this destroyed the team plan to go off the front and hop in/initiate breaks or assist Miller or Cratty in similar moves. We all kind of faded by the last lap, except for Jacob who hung on to contest the sprint. My nail in the coffin was the final rise onto Pinnacle, which our pack DRILLED every time through it seemed. I knew I had zero left for a decent sprint so I cashed it in and rolled in just off the back. I'm hoping for a full recovery for Purgatory this Sunday, my nemesis!

The highlight for me was watching Patrick take the sprint in the elite race. Couldn't have happened on a more fitting day. The addition of the beer garden put this year's race a notch above our others. Great work John and Bill and the volunteer team!

[ssarah]

None of the ladies have commented on the women's race yet, so I'll throw my perspective in.

We had discussed strategy as a team beforehand, and we were going for gold. With 4 of us in the race and intimate knowledge of the course, we had high hopes for a podium presence.

All that changed with a crash at the top of Oak Hill on the first lap. Someone clipped Jen's back wheel, and Jen took a good chunk of the pack down with her. Sharon and Karen managed to escape, but I went down on top of a pile of other riders. This was my first time crashing in a race, and I was a bit slower to react than I should have been. I got up and looked around first to the PVC rider screaming about her back and then to Jen who was also on her back. I wanted to make sure that she was ok and if she could get back up and ride. When it was clear she couldn't and there was nothing I could do, it hit me that I was still fine and that my bike might be, too. So I pulled the bike out of the heap, checked it quickly, adjusted the front brakes, and hopped on. (It was only after the race was over that I realized I hadn't adjusted the back brakes and that they were rubbing for the remainder of the race).

I figured that the field would be nearly impossible to catch at that point, and I was just approaching the downhill section, so I decided to take it as hard as I could. Might as well empty the tank before I quit, I thought. So I went flying through the finishing section and around the corner. I caught up to another rider and tried to work together with her, but I ended up dropping her before the end of the downhill. As the rise began, to my utter surprise, I caught sight of the pack. I knew that there was a bit of a climb up to Route 2, so I was even more surprised when I caught them with relative ease before the crest. Too bad that I wasted all those matches catching up.

I was still gassed by the time we reached Oak Hill again, and Karen and I got dropped as the sprint for the QOM began. Karen told me to go on without her, but I struggled to catch up by the time the downhill began. I was solo again going through the finish for the bell lap and caught the pack at about the same place as I had on the previous lap. This time, I hung off the back and knew I was in trouble for the final round on Oak Hill. I saw Sharon at the front of the pack, and I tried to move up to give her a leadout up the hill before I completely exploded, but with the narrow roads and the moto breathing down our necks not to cross the imaginary yellow line, I couldn't find a hole through.

Sure enough, I got dropped on the first rise and was struggling. I resigned myself to finishing off the back, no leadout, no podium, no points. Totally understandable since I had crashed. But somehow a higher power intervened, and at that moment the race was neutralized so that the men's pack could pass us. The pack was big, which gave me enough time to catch up. Still, I was having a hard time recovering, and I knew that once the race got going again, everyone would take off and I would probably get dropped again. Which is exactly what happened.

Emptied, I resigned myself a second time to finishing off the back. But then, a seed of doubt sprouted in my head. What if you're not totally empty? it said. What if you're wrong and you can actually give a little bit more and hang on? I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but in that moment all the worry and pain and frustration left my brain and I just rode. I had lost sight of the pack at that point around the corner at Pinnacle, but I kept hammering and made contact just at the start of the finishing descent. I had no time to gain positioning, and no room either, as the pack had already consumed the whole width of the road. I sat in the middle, hoping that a hole might open up.

I was flying blind at the very back of the pack, but it seemed like the pace had accelerated far too soon before the line. Sure enough, as I rode the wave down the hill, I started passing people. As we reached the bottom, I hit terminal velocity, but riders were fading around me. I opened my sprint only 100 m before the line and managed to pass many more riders despite being essentially boxed in. I ended up finishing towards the front of the pack, 5th in the 3/4 race. Not a podium, but way better than I thought I would do after I crashed and after I got dropped again and again. Sharon finished 8th, Karen, 17th. Best wishes to Jen for a speedy recovery!

Despite being only 30 miles, this was definitely one of the toughest races ever mentally and also one of the best learning experiences for me. Thanks to everyone who helped organize this race and make it happen!

Final note: I put in for a Cat 3 upgrade...

Dear Sarah Shipley,
The following request to change your USA/Road category has been approved and processed by USA Cycling:
Member: Sarah Shipley
License: USA Road
Request to change category from Cat 4 to Cat 3

...Approved! Looking forward to hittin' it hard and learning a lot from the P/1/2's during the rest of the season!

[MarkMiller321]

Following a down week after Battenkill and an unscheduled off day Monday I was curious how my form would be at KHMRR. This was my first time ever doing this race and was on the fence but I figured I would give it a go given that I would be in the neighborhood as a volunteer.


Following my morning driving duties, which were a blast, I found a far flung parking spot and kitted up as fast as possible. I met up with Jeremy at the start and we did a brief warm-up on one of the off course surrounding hills. Surprisingly my legs felt pretty great and I was optimistic that a great result would follow.


The reenactors really scared the daylights out of me at the start and I felt frazzled the first few minutes of the race. My old nemesis frantic energy was back today and I did a terrible job with my book of matches. I’ve got to get back to the place of not caring when a move goes up the road. On the first lap I hit Oak Hill hard at the front with the youngsters. I was totally fine but it appeared that the effort took a toll on the bunch. After the first lap I was confident that I was going pull off a late move and get a good result for the team.


Mere moments later I dropped my bottle of super concentrated Hammer Heed during a brief lapse of concentration. I had never dropped a bottle in a race, especially one with something I needed on a hot day. Given my janky stomach and digestive system I need some serious punch on hot days and now it was rolling backwards down the course. In hindsight I should have stopped but I guess these are all things that you don’t think about in the moment.


The next two and a half laps went great. I was crushing it at every opportunity and every lap at the top of Oak Hill and the subsequent sprint at Pinnacle led me to believe that I had the legs.


On the second to last assent of Oak Hill my left hamstring cramped. It hurt really bad and no relief was in sight. I was off the back and in danger of being left. I adjusted my position and toughed it out for a hard four minute chase back to the bunch. I tried to scrounge some fluids but nobody had anything significant. Cramps are pretty real deal in that kind of heat and I was now nervous.


We kept crushing in the last lap as we had been the previous 90 plus minutes. Jeremy tried to save me with a bottle but it was too late to make a difference. At the start of Oak Hill we started to hit it pretty hard. I managed for maybe thirty seconds before both of my hamstrings totally locked up in debilitating cramps. I tried to adjust again knowing that I just needed to make it to the KOM but the writing was on the wall. I had been riding on borrowed time the last lap and the collector was there to take what was rightfully his. I was literally screaming on the side of the road unable to move an inch without the cramps increasing their unrelenting grip. The best way to describe my screams would be Godfather One when Jack Woltz finds Khartoum’s decapitated head snuggled up with him in his bed. I’ve felt pretty intense pain before, see broken femur, but in the moment this seemed almost as bad. I could not stand, I could not sit, I could not move. All I could do was stand in scream as the cramps had their way with me on the side of the road. A truck stopped and offered a ride. They looked at me with pity as I declined


Citing some mumbojumbo about needed to finish what I had started.


I rode the next sixteen minutes solo. The masters blasted past me with 1k to go. At the finish people gave me pity claps. Smudger gave me an attaboy over the line. The heat was hitting me harder by the second. I got sick back at my car. I almost passed out in the back before I changed. I couldn't even muster a beer back in town. My head wanted to explode. Probably should have doubled back for that bottle.


I did get to see Patrick sprint for the huge win. I remember pre-riding the Hilltowns course with him a few years back thinking he was a beast! Clearly he is and will continue to develop as all of us “old timers” continue to break down.


Onward to Longsjo.


Mark

[jraguin]

Great job Sarah! Way to come back in a tough race... never give up. And congrats on the upgrade!

Mark, bummer about the lost bottle and cramps. Karen and I were talking about cramps on our ride today. She was mentioning this:
http://www.teamhotshot.com/
It is essentially a pill that has hot peppers and some other stuff. It seems pretty pricey so for me I guess I would only save it for a day that was hot pre-race or bring it in case I need it.
I guess you could also make your own using hot peppers & pickle juice. Here is an article:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-15529/if ... -cure.html

John

[jgagnon]

I was in the follow car of the women's race. I witnessed the crash which wasn't cool but Sarah's chases to get back in the pack were awesome to see. Great job !

John

[Smudger]

Great racing and great reports props to Sarah for a super gutsy ride and a well deserved upgrade and to Mark for the Godfather reference in his report.

No surprise but the best part of the day for me, apart from the beer garden, was getting to call the final sprint in the P1/2. Any thoughts I had of being an unbiased reporter went out the window when I saw that Patrick's group had managed to stay away on the last lap. As he made a totally ballsy move to the front to lead out the sprint I could not stop myself from giving him every bit of encouragement I could. Hopefully someone caught the audio on their video of the finish so I can assure myself that I didn't swear in the process