Minuteman Road Club

2 beers into my recovery so it's time to write my report

Not good outing for me today. The spanners were out. The weather was no good for a Scotsman. I've. Not been riding enough hills.

Ok now the excuses are out lets get down to the details. Great race in a great location. Yesterday Allan and Bruce convinced me the hills of Housatonic were rolling. Sorry but that's the last time I listen to you guys. Start was neutral to the top of Constitution hill and that was enough to let me know Housatonic has REAL hills. Steep with a couple of switch backs and went on and on. The course is a 2x27 mile loop with 2 big climbs, 1 really big climb and a KOM on the descent! !!!!

1st lap and I was struggling to move up.Doug was well positioned but my legs just wouldn't get me to where I wanted to be. Got over the top of the big climb ok but was too far back as we approached the KOM on the descent. This was a steep lump that lasted longer than I expected. As we turned onto it somone dropped their chaina and forced me to loose any momentum I had, climbing hard to bridge the gap Jerry Dezutter from 545 who were riding with us pulled past and I couldn't stick on his wheel (not a good sign for me). Made it back to the start of the 2nd loop and Constitution hill in the middle of the group. John was close by and Doug was again well positioned up front. Your constitution says something about all men being created equal. Not the case today. As Jerry nailed it on the front I just slid farther and farther back. John however climbed up into contention. Not sure why but I just didn't have it today. Seriously contemplated jacking it in but chased back to a small group of the back of the main group just as we hit the 2nd climb then slid off agaain. Chased back again and caught Doug at the bottom of the big climb. All I could think of was great we can soft pedal in together. Unfortunately we got the bit between our teeth and started reeling in the remnants of the earlier races and a few from our race. On the final descent I decided to make a move to shake of a CCB rider who was sucking our wheel. With my head down I totally missed a right turn and went off course. Fortunately Doug had his head up, made the turn and took out the sprint to beat the CCB guy. I rolled in a couple of places back. John had another very impressive outing but I'll let him tel his story. Jerry got in the money with 5th

There is also some big news from the 3s but PJ will have to tell that story

Thankfully that's my road race season done

I felt really good on the first lap, sitting near the front and only putting my nose into the wind once. I had delusions of the KOM, but quickly faded. When we hit Constitution for the second lap, I began climbing comfortably. That lasted for about the first half of the hill, then POP... the pack slide began. Over the summit I joined a group of 20 or so chasers, and we caught on...just in time for another hill. POP and I'm off the back. Another chase group, too hard...cramps. time for the soft pedal ride of shame. A look back and see Smudger which gave me a good reason to sit up and wait. We commisserated together for a few miles, then got remotivated as we reeled in a few riders. John drilled it, I cramped, he blew a corner and I took a mini field sprint of 3 to place somewhere in the 50s or 60s. Maybe worse.

As with John, my road season is over. Viva Cyclocross!

Smudger, I believe my description of the hills was more like "very long requiring a lot of watts for an extended period." Sounds like it was even worse than that, especially if you're sporting bags of spanners instead of good legs. Glad everyone finished safely, and looking forward to John's report.

First let me say that this was a really tough race. 5100+ feet of climbing turns a 54 mile race into either we were going up or down. It seemed like there were almost no flats in the whole race. Add 80 degrees, no wind, and full sun on us and we were getting cooked up for dinner in multiple ways.

Race goes off and I am at the very back due to a last second bathroom break. Moving up through a 120+ rider field with small roads and yellow line is challenging to say the least. Each hill I move up some and can see there will be carnage on the 2nd lap by how hard people are working the first lap. I see Smudger, Doug, and our alliance buddies of 545 riders closer to the front. The long hill on Davenport Rd I feel good on, but then we hit the KOM hill and although I am moving up it is hard and a bit of a gap develops with the lead group. I lead the chase back on and 1 lap is done.

Our race strategy had us working hard up Constitution hill the second time, and Jerry did just that. Great, he put everyone in some pain but that included me. I was behind slower guys and had to weave around and power back on the front 8-10 guys. I burnt some matches there and shortly after on Hut Hill I started feeling leg cramps in a few places still 20 miles from the finish. Not good. I alter my gearing a bit to see if that will help and take in even more fluids. Jerry is still doing most of the forcing of the pace but others including me just aren't leading so other riders catch on.

Just before Davenport two riders go off the front. No one chases. Up Davenport I feel ok and move to the front at the top of the climb, but I am in no state to chase the two. We start going downhill and I am in a tuck but guys yell at me to pedal or move over. I move over but there is no organization to chase. We hit the KOM hill and I am in big trouble. My legs are cramping so I put it in a small gear and try to spin up. I am surprisingly not losing place but 3 guys are moving away in front. We crest the hill, no one is chasing, so I get motivated and yell back to another guy and Jerry to get on my wheel. I catch them and they look at me and ask me to lead the paceline to get the 2 guys still out there. I want to say "I am toast" which is how I felt, but just mumble and sit there. A bit later a guy says short pulls so I do one and pull over. But it is a chaotic paceline. Jerry comes next to me and says this is the most f@+;d up paceline which I laugh at.

We hit final stretch and people are jockeying for position. We get a rolling neutral due to a crash in a previous field about 1 mile from the finish. As we approach the final turn I put on a burst of speed, go around everyone and am first wheel (3rd overall) into the turn. I take a good line, jump out of my saddle to sprint the slightly uphill last 400 m. FULL LEGLOCK CRAMPS IN BOTH LEGS. I sit down but my legs are still totally cramped and I can barely turn the pedals. I watch many wheels go by and cross the line and literally fall over on the other side of the line as my legs cannot move.

Still very happy with the 12th place finish.

Jerry gets 6th so just out of the money but a big kudos to him as he did a lot of work out there. PJ is man of the day so wait for his report. Honorary member Steve W also had a good day.

Nice work all

Hey, what's all this talk about road season being over? It's crit season! I didn't suffer all spring just to sit on the beach until 'cross starts...

swawersik wrote:Hey, what's all this talk about road season being over? .

Road Race not Crit. I owe some lead outs for you and others (Chris, Jeremy .....)

Smudger wrote: Road Race not Crit. I owe some lead outs for you and others (Chris, Jeremy .....)

I was less worried about leadouts than about loneliness - good to know I won't be the only one flying the MRC colors while riding in tiny circles.

jraguin wrote:... FULL LEGLOCK CRAMPS IN BOTH LEGS. I sit down but my legs are still totally cramped and I can barely turn the pedals. I watch many wheels go by and cross the line and literally fall over on the other side of the line as my legs cannot move.

Ehh... well at least that's one thing I have in common with you.

Ugh, sounds like a tough day Smudger. Walking up with spanners (sounds like something Edward Scissorhands experiences) is a depressing prospect for a course like that. Doug, it sounds like you had your usual leadership ride pushing the pace in the front. A couple of more blue-n-whites would have given you a break and put you in better position at the line. John, wtf. Week in, week out you're racing like a veteran and getting great results. The crazy thing is you're learning every race which is leading to better results.
I had hoped to make it down there but my wife had a birthday party for me the night before and I was in no shape to ride downhill let alone uphill.
Stefan, thanks for making sure our mates are going to be around for crit season. That statement about road season coming to an end scared me. This has been a good start for MRC 4s and we gotta see it through. While I'll continue to do road races count me in for crits as well. Let's nail down some races.