Exeter Crit - Masters 40+
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 10:47 am
I lined up with the old but really fast guys for what was supposed to be a 45 crit on an up-and-down course with more pot hole and manhole covers than I've ever seen (they love manholes in Exeter apparently). I've been feeling like crap after a huge week of training and thought of passing on this race but since I convinced Smudger to do it I drove up anyway. Of course I got a text from Smudger that he was bailing because of "work" (you can't BS a BS'er). Anyway Russ and Chris would be up there (Chris had to race with the youngins) so I went anyway. I felt like crap during an extended warmup then sat on the start line for 25 minutes while they towed cars. Our 45 minute race got reduced to 40 minutes (or so I thought). I'd say my legs cooled off but it was 95 degrees so who knows.
The actual race was a blur, my only goal was to sit in, always be on a wheel, never attack and sprint as little as possible. I executed it well but still was in vomit mode 10 minutes in. Starting feeling better after 20 minutes and generally rode in the front half of the race but slipping once and a while. At the 30 min mark I was still doing OK when the pace really ramped up for what seemed like one of the 9 primes so I jumped on a wheel and surfed the line before realizing the race was over. I finished 25th but lost at least 5-10 places by not sprinting thinking we had 10 minutes left. At first I thought they shortened the race again (which may be the case) but also learned a lesson, look at the lap cards. Still I'm not all that sad about 25th as it was a stacked field, but top 20 would have been better. Average speed was 27+, yes the old guys are fast.
Chris did the P123, yes the young guys are faster. Most of my younger Cat 3 compatriots got alleviated from their place off the back halfway through the race. I'm glad I didn't do that one.
The actual race was a blur, my only goal was to sit in, always be on a wheel, never attack and sprint as little as possible. I executed it well but still was in vomit mode 10 minutes in. Starting feeling better after 20 minutes and generally rode in the front half of the race but slipping once and a while. At the 30 min mark I was still doing OK when the pace really ramped up for what seemed like one of the 9 primes so I jumped on a wheel and surfed the line before realizing the race was over. I finished 25th but lost at least 5-10 places by not sprinting thinking we had 10 minutes left. At first I thought they shortened the race again (which may be the case) but also learned a lesson, look at the lap cards. Still I'm not all that sad about 25th as it was a stacked field, but top 20 would have been better. Average speed was 27+, yes the old guys are fast.
Chris did the P123, yes the young guys are faster. Most of my younger Cat 3 compatriots got alleviated from their place off the back halfway through the race. I'm glad I didn't do that one.