Caleb Pike 1: Neutral Start
So today was Caleb Pike, a local race where I'm given the option of a cat 3/4/whatever race (aka B race) or a cat 1/2/3 race (aka A race). I was thinking I would do the 3/4/whatever race but was convinced that I should do the 1/2/3 race. Here's how it went.
I'll actually start a bit earlier, give you an idea of how the day went. I left the house shortly before 9am and started riding over to the race about 20km away. About 7km in I heard a sound I never like to hear, a hissing sound, and a really bouncy feeling from the back tire. Since I run tubeless (admittedly without sealant) this is a $150 fix if I want to replace with the same tire. Not the greatest start to the day. It also took me 20 minutes to put a tube in because I didn't have tire levers. Thankfully Philip was kind enough to pick me up and drive me to the race course (I also lost my CO2 inflator, he brought a pump). A great way to start the day.
I was told the race was neutral until we hit the start line (about 1.5km away) so I wasn't concerned that I wasn't at the front. Apparently either someone didn't get the memo or I have a VERY different idea of what neutral means, I was going into VO2max just to try and move through the group (which I remind was apparently neutral at the time). I was about to have a tough race.
Once the race started (halfway through the neutral rollout) I was either going anaerobic to get on after a corner, riding at or above threshold to stay on a wheel, or coasting into a corner or down the one hill. I managed to hang on for 20 minutes, at which point I looked down, though my numbers looked good, and promptly got dropped. It didn't take long for me to realize that I wasn't about to catch back on, but I paid my 15 dollars and I'm going to keep doing laps on the course until I finish or they pull me out.
About 20 minutes before I finished the race I was caught by the B group. I'd started soft pedalling, which I regret because I may have been able to stay away, but I guess I'll never know. There were two other people from the A group with me just chilling at the back. Since the A race was longer we did a couple more laps and finished with a gentleman's sprint (line up together and sprint from 300 ish meters out). I managed to win the gentleman's sprint (which took place two laps down) but hey, little victories, and I held on longer than I did last week which I'm calling a win.
Overall the race didn't go too well, the day as a whole wasn't super impressive, and I've lost my streak of either getting on the podium or getting a DNF which isn't a super great feeling, but I am improving. Not the greatest start to the season, but I'm celebrating the little victories. I guess you could call it a neutral start,
I'll actually start a bit earlier, give you an idea of how the day went. I left the house shortly before 9am and started riding over to the race about 20km away. About 7km in I heard a sound I never like to hear, a hissing sound, and a really bouncy feeling from the back tire. Since I run tubeless (admittedly without sealant) this is a $150 fix if I want to replace with the same tire. Not the greatest start to the day. It also took me 20 minutes to put a tube in because I didn't have tire levers. Thankfully Philip was kind enough to pick me up and drive me to the race course (I also lost my CO2 inflator, he brought a pump). A great way to start the day.
I was told the race was neutral until we hit the start line (about 1.5km away) so I wasn't concerned that I wasn't at the front. Apparently either someone didn't get the memo or I have a VERY different idea of what neutral means, I was going into VO2max just to try and move through the group (which I remind was apparently neutral at the time). I was about to have a tough race.
Once the race started (halfway through the neutral rollout) I was either going anaerobic to get on after a corner, riding at or above threshold to stay on a wheel, or coasting into a corner or down the one hill. I managed to hang on for 20 minutes, at which point I looked down, though my numbers looked good, and promptly got dropped. It didn't take long for me to realize that I wasn't about to catch back on, but I paid my 15 dollars and I'm going to keep doing laps on the course until I finish or they pull me out.
About 20 minutes before I finished the race I was caught by the B group. I'd started soft pedalling, which I regret because I may have been able to stay away, but I guess I'll never know. There were two other people from the A group with me just chilling at the back. Since the A race was longer we did a couple more laps and finished with a gentleman's sprint (line up together and sprint from 300 ish meters out). I managed to win the gentleman's sprint (which took place two laps down) but hey, little victories, and I held on longer than I did last week which I'm calling a win.
Overall the race didn't go too well, the day as a whole wasn't super impressive, and I've lost my streak of either getting on the podium or getting a DNF which isn't a super great feeling, but I am improving. Not the greatest start to the season, but I'm celebrating the little victories. I guess you could call it a neutral start,
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