Going into the season I had the goal of racing Category 4 Men 45+ and hoped to be competitive with top 20 placings. My results far exceeded my goals and expectations. I am thankful for the ability to race and excited for 2016..
Results (17 Races)
1st Place: 6
2nd Place: 3
3rd Place: 2
4th Place: 1
9th Place: 1
10th Place: 2
11th Place: 1
17th Place: 1
CXR Series: 1st Overall (Category 3 Men 45+)
MFG Series: 3rd Overall (Category 3 Men 45+)
UCI: (Upgraded to Category 3)
Thank You's
I have lots of people to thank for their help over the last year putting me back together and getting me ready to race, from the hospital nurses, my PT at Lake Washington PT and BikePT, Sean at The Balanced Spine, my doctor Geoff Lecovin and my friends that provided encouragement and support through some dark days. To Pacific Bike and Ski for the team support and some quick repairs and all my team mates who encouraged and supported me. My coach Jim Lehman of CTS who kept me on course and ready to race each week.
A special shout out and thank you goes to Gregg Hodges and the support of the Hektic Team who where there for me every race and who I am thankful to call my friends. You guys rock!! Above all my wife, team mate and best friend (Sarah) has been simply amazing. Providing moral, nutritional and race day support and honestly putting up with me after racing - I love you baby.
Pre-Season Preparation:
After a near death accident last year I signed up with the CTS Coaching service after receiving a recommendation from my Physical Therapist to help me build fitness and keep me honest. I returned to track racing after a hiatus of over 20 years and everything was going to plan until on July 12th, the day after winning at the Derby Day criterium in my category I crashed and separated my shoulder and punctured a lung. A week in hospital did not deter me but it was not what I had in mind just a month before the start of the season. Obstacles are a fact of life and this was just another one to put
behind me.
What to Race
With weeks to go the next job was to decide on the events I would attend. To figure it out I started with the "Washington State Bike Association" calendar. With three series running I had to make a choice between the MFG Cyclocross Series, CXR Cross Revolution Series and Cascade Cross Series. In addition I had to decided if I wanted to get USA Cycling (USAC/UCI) points as none of the series are sanction races. In the end I decided on a balanced schedule containing MFG, CXR and USAC races. The decision was based on travel time as well as non overlapping races.
Secret Weapons
Nutrition and no not the funny stuff but good quality food carefully thought through by Sarah. It has maintained my weight, kept me healthy and aided in recovery. It helps having an holistic health coach on the team. Foundation Training has helped with both injury recovery, strength and flexibility and my coach Jim that without whom I would have over trained for sure and failed to change my warmup program.
8/29/2015 Washington Women of Cross (WWCX) - 1st Race of the season (17th/50)
Category Open
Yes for the more astute of you, it is a women's focused event. They do however kindly cater for the men with a single open event. Being the first race opportunity of the season it was decided I would race using it as a training opportunity to see how my body was holding up. Everything was going great until the second lap when I managed to shrink wrap my rear cassette with tape. I lost a lot of ground but managed to unwrap the tape and with only one other fall I finished up 17th and left pleased with a top 20 finish if a little peeved with my bike handling skills.
9/7/2015 Labor Day Cross - 2nd Race (3rd/28)
Category 3 Men 45+
Heading into the 2nd race I was getting feedback from friends that I should ride Category 3 and not 4. With no way to bench mark my ability I discussed the idea with my coach and we decided that since we were still considering it as a training race I would enter the Category 3 Men 45+ field. The outcome would decide the entry for the MFG and CXR series. To my surprise I got away fast and found myself leading the race. I was caught by one rider who got away when I crashed. I was then caught by a second rider and again he got away when I crashed. I then stayed upright and held on for 3rd. The result was a big surprise to me and based on the result we decided to stay with Category 3.
9/13/2015 MFG No.1 - Lake Sammamish GP - 3rd Race (10th/56)
Category 3 Men 45+
With no small amount of nerves we headed to Lake Sammamish for the first MFG race of the series. The big features of the race were two sandy beach sections. Talk about a shock to the system, I had all kinds of problems with the sand. I got away well but the second time into the sand I fell, took a dunking in the lake and watched riders run by me as I discovered I could not run well. I came in 10th and was overall very pleased with the result especially since I was racing Category 3.
9/19/2015 CrosstOberfest USAC Race - 4th Race (1st/29)
Category 4 Men 45+
As a sanctioned USAC race I had no choice to self seed at category 3 and had to race in the category 4/5 race. My strategy was to mark the front riders and look for an opportunity. That plan fell apart when we caught the category that went a minute ahead of us. With the same color numbers I had no idea who I was racing. At that point the new plan was go as hard as possible and not let anyone pass me. I slid out once in the race and went on to take my first 1st place and secure my first CycloCross points.
9/20/2015 MFG No.2 - South Sound Super Prestige - 5th Race (10th/55)
Category 3 Men 45+
As the second day of my first back to back weekend of racing I had no idea how my body would hold up. I was tired but optimistic after my win the day before. The race had a long climb and fast decent as well as a very rough grass section. In the first climb I let the leaders go and then slowly pulled riders back. I had just passed the second placed rider when going into the barriers I failed to unclip and crashed putting my foot into my rear wheel. I was forced to watch riders pass me as I limped as quickly as I could to the pits. With a change of bikes I was able to pull back placed to finish 10th.
9/27/2015 CXR No.1 - Arlington Cross - 6th Race (1st/38)
Category 3 Men 45+
In the first race of the CXR series I got a good start and marked the leaders of the race. In the first lap I marked a strong attack and then took the lead. I stayed on the bike and went on to win my first category 3 race.
10/3/2015 MFG No.3 - Brian Tracy Experience - 7th Race (11th/55)
Category 3 Men 45+
Going into my second weekend of back to back racing I was unsure how to approach the race especially as I would be defending a lead in the CXR Series. I got a lousy start to the race failing to clip in quickly and was once again being foiled by the sand and run ups, giving me a 7th place finish.
10/4/2015 CXR No.2 - Swan Cross - 8th Race (4th/30)
Category 3 Men 45+
After the racing the day before I was looking to do better at Swan Cross. The hope of getting a good start was foiled on the line. Jamming the studs in my shoe into my pedal I crashed on the start line. By the time I was back on my bike I was dead last and had to fight my way through the field, something I ended up doing multiple time during the race as I was passed on the run up and then had to make ground back again. Going on to finish 4th.
Coaching Moment
After the weekend my coach and I evaluated my performance. The outcome was a new warm up program based on the discovery I was still warming up in the first 2 laps of a race. Oh and I removed those blasted studs.
10/11/2015 CXR No.3 - Sprinker Cross - 9th Race (1st/51)
Category 3 Men 45+
Getting ready with the new warmup program on a lovely day I felt apprehensive but ready to race. I got a great start off the line opening a good gap. I was chased down but stayed upright and in control going on to win the race.
10/18/2015 MFG No.4 - Magnuson Park - 10th Race (2nd/62)
Category 3 Men 45+
I got ready for the race with the new warmup and started the race going hard off the line. The strategy worked again giving me a good start. After defending one attack I was gapped a lap later but went on to finish in 2nd, my best MFG result to date.
10/25/2015 CXR No.4 - Cross at the Tac (Jerry Baker Classic) - 11th Race (2nd/52)
Category 3 Men 45+
Starting strong I completely misread the first corner nearly leaving the course. I was able to recover and get to the stair run up first. I opened a gap only to be chased down and then dropped. With a 25+ minute deficit I went about pulling the leader back. We were back together in the last lap and poised for a sprint finish when I was crashed out by a rider limping around the course. I fought back but lost ground in the last run up to finish 2nd.
11/01/2015 MFG No.5 - North 40 CX - 12th Race (2nd/54)
Category 3 Men 45+
With the rain pouring down and a super cold day I went hard off the line opening a good gap. I was pulled back after a slow lap. We exchanged places a few times but going into the last half of the final lap I felt strong. Hot on the heels of the race leader going into the last run up my foot jammed and against all the odds my shoe came off. I was able to get it back on but could not fasten it. I chased the leader but was unable to close the gap to finish 2nd.
11/08/2015 CXR No.5 - Cross the Frontier - 13th Race (1st/42)
Category 3 Men 45+
Feeling good after the last three races I was still hunting a win. Going hard off the line I opened a gap that was closed briefly then reopened. Halfway through the race I was forced into the pits after a crash bent my rear hanger causing me to miss gears. With only one other crash in the last lap I went on to win the race.
11/14/2015 Subaru Cyclo Cup Day 1 - 14th Race (1st/28)
Category 4 Men 45+
On the hunt of UCI points and a category upgrade I had high hopes of doing well. Going hard from the start on a very wet and muddy course I opened a gap and kept it for the entire race going on to get my 2nd UCI win of the season. The biggest surprise other than the monster run up was that my brakes locked up just after I finished. Luck was on my side on the day.
11/15/2015 Subaru Cyclo Cup Day 2 - 15th Race (1st/31)
Category 4 Men 45+
After a frantic bike repair I was still concerned about the brakes. After the warmup lap I made the hard decision to race on my pit bike. It was a good call and I pulled off my first back to back win after getting to the start line without my gloves on a very cold day - doh.
11/22/2015 MFG No.6 - Woodland Park GP - 16th Race (3rd/60)
Category 3 Men 45+
The last MFG race of the season was hotly contended and I wanted to finish strong. I got a great start and held the lead in the first part of the race. I was then caught and passed, we had a touch of wheels and I went down losing ground. I fought my way back and then crashed in the start transition. In a hard fought race I worked my way back to 2nd and then crashed, sliding out in the transition to the finishing straight losing 2nd and coming in 3rd.
11/29/2015 CXR No.6 - Claw Cross - 17th Race (9th/41)
Category 3 Men 45+
The day started cold with frozen ground that warmed up to a slick slippery course by the time I raced. Going into the race I stuck with the program of going hard from the start only this time it did not work out. Putting too much power down on a slippery surface resulted in me going down hard in the first lap, jamming my chain behind the chain guard and breaking my shifter. Not the start I was looking for. Limping into the pits I finally got back in the race well off the back. I fought my way back to 9th place and managed to stay upright for the rest of the race. I could not resist a victory salute as the winner of the series as I crossed the line,
For sticking it out this far you are invited to ride along with me by viewing the race highlight videos on my YouTube channel.
Until next time Max Life Out and stay Rubber Side Down.
No comments:
Post a Comment