Minuteman Road Club

Great race out on the original Hilltowns course (first time for me racing this one). Pre-road it with Mark Bernard few weeks ago and glad I did.

40+ (1-4) with me, Josh B, Jason C and John E lining up in a stacked field. Some prior days discussions about who's who with Jason and some final race day details. Right after neutral and right as planned Josh jumps and a 5-person break forms (I'll let him fill in details as to the makeup and how that shook out). Initially it (very) slowly grows and a few solo bridge attempts. Then things start getting animated by teams that missed it (especially Finkraft) and my job turns into covering bridge attempts and doing what I can to make sure the break sticks and grows while allowing Jason to sit in as much as possible. Well guess what, blocking and covering a whole lot different in a 40+ race than in the 4's...
Jason yells out the guys to watch, with mainly one of the 3 Finkraft guys taking flyers now and then. Others mixing in attempts and I manage to get up each time to 2nd/3rd wheel and then not pull thru. So is Gary from Aetna (with someone in the break) but this quickly gets figured out so now 2 or 3 guys would go. The break is now well out of sight, but surges continue, and we're into the long downhill. On a flattish section a Finkraft guy with 2 others makes a big move to try to close the gap to the break before the climb. I dig in and while it takes me a bit longer, pull them back and Jason comes right up alongside them. After that everyone just shut it down for the final 3+ miles to the base of the climb and the break was way out of sight.

Hit the climb and I was further back than I wanted and pretty much on cue the pace goes HARD and things getting completely strung out. Felt okay, but as soon as I tried to ramp up the power on the initial sections the legs just weren't responding and was struggling to find that steady hard rhythm. Just couldn't get the power out that I knew I needed to stay in some sort of reasonable contact. By the hairpin I was snapping out of it and finished the climb strong, passing a good number of riders.
Over the top and latched on with 2 others, which become 5 as we approached Rt112, then picked up a couple more who had fallen back from the leaders around the feedzone. A good number and we seemed to be working decently. Then I started with patches of good/bad. Struggled to hold a wheel but then would snap out of it and feel strong and do my time on the front. Onto Rt.9 and after some good stretches, we kind of stopped working and sure enough more catch on to swell the group to at least 15. This actually messed things up even further and all cohesive worked stopped, despite a moto telling us we were "only" 2:15 down.

Hit the first Rt.9 ramp and the early part feel good and held 3rd/4th wheel as the group splits and we're down to 8 or 9. Then another bad patch and that group rides away from me. Take a few swigs of water and dig in - not giving up. Slowly start to close and on the dip in between ramps almost catch back on. Hit the start of the final ramp and it's all I can do to hold the gap. Middle section and it's clear I'm not catching back on. Glance behind me and nobody in sight. Catch Josh who's just in a world of suffering from his huge work in the break and after. I wasn't even thinking straight and continue past him. About 300yds later it dawns on me that neither of us is going to catch anyone or be caught so I really should ride in with him. Slow and look but then it's back to "I just want to finish this thing" so I roll across in 24th.

Jason ends up 6th in what he described as a total beatdown finish (saying something like "I've never been so happy with a 6th place finish")
Good part - beat my race predictor by 10 places. Also, being able to stay vigilant and active early and help with our team plan.
Bad - E.Hawley. Power not there. Too many ups and downs. From E.Hawley to the finish I was either feeling quite good or just downright awful.

Filling in the Break:

Was a total nervous wreck at the start knowing my job was STUPID: Ride As Hard As Possible for 53 Miles against the HARDMEN, get to the top of E. Hawley in the break and work for Jason C to the finish. And even stupider as I volunteered for it. It was hot as balls too, and heat isn't my thing, but at least I didn't have to warm up.

At the start I sat on the line next to Colm McMahon from 545 and Bart Lipinski. Colm's teammate Jeb Fowler, rolled in between us and said, "I'm going to go stupid early so that nobody follows me" to which I said, "I'll do that"... Neutral roll out was animated when some dude took off at the whistle. Guess he had the same plan.

Anyway, when we did start racing, Jeb jumped, I jumped, Aetna dude (David Hildebrand I guess) jumped, and Bart joined in. A DownEast Racing guy joined to make it 5 and we were off. I didn't look back, but we quickly started working, trading turns equally, smoothly, and pretty soon the moto and wheel car was in the gap.

It was full gas for 10 miles until the downhill at which point I tried to take on a chocolate gel - which literally sprayed all over my face, arm, leg, jersey and nearly regurgitated when my stomach revolted. Hildebrand and Lipinski controlled the break, trying to keep us all together - but Jeb was faltering and DownEast popped on a couple of the short climbs only to hook back on. At one point the moto told us Four-Five, but the peloton was way more than 4 or 5 seconds back. One of the steeper drops a contact flew off my eyeball, and all depth perception failed. At mile 20 we eased a little and the moto reported a 1:50 gap, just before the climb on E. Hawley. Hildebrand made a case for climbing together; which sounded good to me, so I got into a rhythm and tried to hold Bart's wheel. Jeb and DownEast were dropped, but Hildebrand hung in. Coming to the top we could see the chase group of about 12 closing fast.

I was psyched knowing that I'd done my job, getting in the break at the top of E. Hawley. But not psyched when I saw that Jason C wasn't there. And my legs were cooked - 28 miles to go. So I sat in, recovered, drank, and tried to not get yo-yo'd off the back when the 3 Fincraft (or Finbots as Jason calls em) guys attacked just as Jason had said they would. I started feeling better at the feedzone at mile 33, but got boxed out of any fresh water as a rookie should when riding with legends.

And then Jason rolled through! Yes! Where did he come from? He can tell that part of the story, but our plan was now in action - Part B: Blow Your Watts. I commenced to close down breaks and keep things strung out. Which worked for about 10 miles with renewed legs and purpose, until Alex Weil, F'bot, shot off the front, just after I'd taken a pull. I had no answer, and even had to chase back through a traffic jam that had formed behind us, to catch back on - legs were pretty much done. Luckily the riser to the base of the final climb isn't that steep, so I was able to work, but I didn't have enough to catch the F'bot but I thought I'd give Jason a shot - it was clear he was the best sprinter along with Alec Donahue, if I could get him within striking range.

At mile 49, the flashing construction lights signaled the end of my race as the road turned steep. I don't remember much after that other than: 1) wishing I could get a tow from the touring bike dude with full panniers 2) seeing guys getting shredded out the back of the group and 3) getting passed by a big group and then Dave and not even wanting to tag onto any of them.

Like Dave said: Good Part: Did my part for the team and Beat the race predictor. Bad Part: Wheels fell off with only a few miles to go.

Great report Josh. Badass break

Here is my sad story for the CAT 4. Me and Dave D.

Started out well. A few very early attacks for fun, one by me. Got in a very short lived break of about 5 or 6. Seems like they wanted to be in the break, but except for me and one other, didn't want to give the effort, so we got absorbed after a few minutes. Dave went off the front a little bit on the descent and I followed him a few back. Ripping fast, until we pulled up for the climb. I took a few turns at the front for a bit too.

I was real good at the bottom. 10 wheel or so when a surge started to go by on the left. I was blocked, but found a crack on the right side after about 10-15 went by, this is on the first real steep part. Told the guy in front of me the usual on the right thing. As I was coming around, something happened to my left and the next thing I know I was going slow-motion into the shoulder and small ditch. Picked my self up, put the chain on, said something stupid to the car guy and started chasing. No damage whatsoever. Super panic though.

I couldn't see anyone when I started, but after a minute or two or three I caught on the back and tried to get my heart rate down a bit. I passed people all the way up the climb the rest of the way. I thought I got back to the top 30, but I was delusional. I'm sure I would have gotten smoked on this climb anyway, because I went what I thought was pretty good and only got back to about 45th. No friends at the top or at least anyone that could help. I eventually saw two chase groups in front of me by 100s of meters, I chased hard for about 10 miles, I came real close to crashing on a ripping fast s-turn descent and saw a crashed group on the side of the road (saw an ambulance enroute). I eventually settled in to TT mode. Fighting the wind on route 9 solo cost me many minutes. I didn't reel anyone in from my field until the final mile. At least no one caught me, but I was embedded in the weak guys, I guess.

Dave D was in the train that went by me on the hill I think. He looked strong.

My effort was way better than my place at least, my legs are real tired and even sore, so I'm happy with the effort. Try again next time, still getting stronger every time out. Next year I'll be good enough for the masters races, that's the goal.

Nice job guys. Super tough race. I have to admit, that course scares me so that combined with late in the season = I have never done it.

The key to this race, like most races, is that the faster you go, the less time it takes to finish.
I've never threatened the podium at this event, and maybe I never will, but it's a great test of your ability to ride a bike and a good personal yardstick for me.

I think that any top 10 in ANY category is a huge accomplishment, so kudos!