Conestoga Report

Three of us, Shawn, Chris, and I, made the journey to Conestoga for what I believe to be the hardest road race I have ever raced. Of the 40 starts only 15 finished. I knew going into it that it would be hard but I really wasn't ready for the hard pace on the first lap of the 50 mile race. I was dropped on the second climb (second climb that hit grades of 20% that is). I found some guys and we clawed our way back to the peleton. I tried to get a hold of my heart rate and settle into a groove. On the second lap, the same thing happened. Only this time I had just one other person to work with the try and climb back on. We failed.


I am happy to report that all Milkmen finished. Shawn, 14th in his first 3/4 race. Me, 12th. Chris, out sprinted a Squarda Coppi rider for 5th.


I raced today with my PowerTap and after downloading my numbers I can see why I was dropped. In the first 1 hour and 10 minutes of the race I had spent 76% of the time at or above my HR threshold. Yikes! Once I was dropped and fending for myself I settled into a rhythm (all-be-it a slower one but hey, whatever) and kept my numbers under control. 25 miles with the peleton, 1:10. 25 miles of solo, 1:20. Like I said, it was a tough course. I think climbing Mt. Penn 9 times is easier.


Next weekend, I get married. 5-31 is Iron Hill. I hope to be recovered by then. Haha!

Smoketown and Conestoga

Sheesh. What a slacker I have been. It's been too long in between entries. In that time French Creek was postponed, Shawn took 6th in his final road race as a 5 (congrats on the upgrade my man), Chris and I tried to make some things happen with the Rock Star Jeff Bahnson in the 3/4 race, working too much (ok so it's only 40 hours but still the French have a 32 hour work week), and trying to tie up loose ends for the wedding. Oh and don't forget about training.

Last weekend was a bit of cluster. French Creek was cancelled so Shawn and I decided to race the Unionville Road Race. When we got there we saw that Chris and Steve McQueen...errr...McCann also decided to race. The course was at the lower end of being tough. Most of the climbs were right after a nice fast section and none of them were terribly steep. Long story short...Grouppo Compacto for most of the race. About 40 miles (10 miles to go) in a group of 4 got away. I sat back to see who would react. 43 miles in, still no reaction. I decided it was time to move up and pull them in. I contacted Chris and we were off. I was hoping we could connect with the breakaway and give them a little more firepower. When we caught up to them, they quit. This left me in a bad spot. I was redlined and when Chris hammered up the last big climb I couldn't hang with him. Chris and Jeff went for the glory but came up about 400 meters short.


Shawn and Steve faired much better in the 4/5 race. Shawn took 6th in the sprint finish. Then later in the week his steerer tube spit in half while doing a track stand.


This weekend the Milkmen will be aiming for some podiums at the Smoketown Crit on Saturday and the Conestoga Road Race on Sunday. Smoketown is on part of a runway from what I understand so I think it is safe to assume that this will be a flat one. Conestoga is a different animal. Other than the first 3 miles of the 12.5 mile lap I don't think there is one flat section of road at all. A lot of climbing, some (two) hitting grades of 20%. The finish will be fast (if there is even a group finish) with a super fast downhill screaming to a pancake flat finish line. Speeds will probably be hitting 40+mph.

Granogue Sunday

Here we are, once again, at one of my most feared races, Granogue. If you have been reading this blog since last year then you may remember me describing this as grueling and that's because it is. Fair Hill is super fast. French Creek is rocks on top of rocks. I can't put my finger on why Granogue is so hard. Maybe it's the grass fields that kill your momentum. Maybe it's the climb to the finish line. I don't know. What I do know is that every time I race this race I question why I race. Why I don't retire?

Fair Hill XC

Ok, so I've been slacking on the update from the Fair Hill race on Sunday. In my defense I have been working 12 hours a day for the last 10 or so days (did not work Sunday for obvious reasons).

Fair Hill was great. I think the picture says it all but if you need the details...
It was about 8:30 when Shawn and I took off to that lovely place called Fair Hill. Our goal was to get down there with time to set up and watch most of the Sport race. Check. We saw James flying past out of the start. A few minutes later, in the Single Speed category, Seth went whizzing past. It was looking like a good day for the Milkmen. Now the details for their race is still a little fuzzy but mainly James said he "went out too fast" but "was picking off people in the singletrack" and for Seth, it sounded like a lack of fitness is what got to him. His excuse would be that he is working and going to school full-time. I think we can let him off the hook. James ended up 15th our of over 40 racers and Seth well, like I said he has an excuse...32nd of 32 finishers. Believe it or not but that is something to be proud of.


The Expert/Elites were set to go off at 12:30. The skies were blue. The air warm with a slight breeze in the open fields. Joel was in the Elite field running with the big boys. Tom, Steve, and I were the sandbaggers (not really) in the Expert Senior I field. Shawn was pretty sick but decided to give it a shot in the Single Speed category.


The race from my point of view...


The Elites take off...the Trek and Scott boys were in full force...flying as usual. Two minutes later our horn sounds. The start was super fast on a utility trail (lots of gravel but fairly smooth and wide enough for a truck). I was sitting 4th wheel on the right side and noticed two riders moving up the left so I hopped in behind them. As I did this, they went to the right leaving me with a wide open road. Now I've been working on my 5, 10, and 20 minute intervals so I put the hammer down figuring this was my chance at glory. I few past everyone (even Steve who was in the lead at the time) put my head down and pedalled. When I looked back I was about 100 yards off the front just about the hit the singletrack. I never saw them again.


Results...Joel ended up in the money with a very respectable 19th in the Elite race. Shawn DNF'd due to his illness. Tom 8th, Steve 5th, and me, if you didn't notice the picture, 1st. My first win on a geared MTB in about 5 years. Woo! Woo! Not too shabby for the Fast Forward team either as they took 2nd and 3rd. Great job guys.

Rouch!

Do not try this at home. Chris is a trained professional. He is actually trying to see if a train is coming. Is one coming Chris? Just kidding.

So it's Friday and the Allied Milk Cycling Team will be officially starting the mountain bike season in Fair Hill MD on Sunday. We will have 7 riders in various categories. I sense some team points coming our way. If you want to come and do the spectating thing go here for more info. Our guys will be setting off at 10:30 and 12:30.

On a less selfish note...the folks at Isaac's have teamed up with the Central PA Food Bank in an attempt to Bag Hunger. Basically, for every dollar they receive it turns into $15 of food for hungry families. Isaac's is also donating $1 for every cup, $2 for every quart, and $4 for every gallon of soup they sell. Really you don't even need to donate money to help out. Just eat the soup!

Fun in the Crud

Yesterday was not the US Open Relay in Marysville (Mr. Kuhn does not want to be sued) and it was a blast. Going in I felt like I had a bad week of training, a general lack of power and fitness but, it turns out I'm not too far off of where I want to be.

Let's start at the beginning.

It was a downright windy day with temps in the 40's in the morning. A wee bit chilly. The course was just as I predicted. Singletrack, great. Grass fields, a wreck. Some of these fields were underwater, like 2 or 3 inches of water, and by the end of the day (4 hours and about 70 teams of 4 later) were just a soupy, sludgy mess. If you've ever seen swamp buggy competitions (like mud bogs only in swamps) that's the best I can describe it. Yum! Throw in a few brand new sections and you have yourself a nice little relay course.

Our team was made up of two Bike Line riders (Erick and Todd) and two Milkmen (Steve and I). To start the day I was either still sleeping or maybe Steve and Todd really do look alike but I was calling Todd Steve (seeing as Todd's kid called Steve "dad" at one point last year. Can you say vindication?)

Anyway...Erick was first in our order and lucky him got to do the ever-so-fun running start. He did well and was 7th or so to get to the bike. He's also a pretty fast rider so I knew we would be in good position when his lap was over. Erick set a good pace for our team with a 15 minute lap. Steve was the next to go. Another 15 minute lap. Long story short everyone on the team was pulling 15 minute laps. Each of us riding 4 laps on the course. None of us stuck around to see the final results since the pro's were turning 13.5 to 14.5 minute laps and one team had 8.5 lap handicap. We figured our chances of taking home the coveted Cup were very low.

A blast.

To Infinity and Beyond.

Tomorrow is the visitPA.com International Intergalactic Global Open Mountain Bike Team Relay Championship of the Universe Including the Anti-Matter One. (There, That Should About Cover It.) race. Due to some scheduling conflicts there will not be a complete Allied Milk team racing. Instead we will be racing with two riders from the Bike Line team making us Milk Line. Allied Line didn't sound right.

Anyway, tomorrow should be a mudfest since it seems like we got about 6 inches of rain today. I'm sure the singletrack will be in good shape but those grass fields are going to hurt a bit.

The course is a very short 3 or 4 miles which should be covered in about 15 minutes (if I remember correctly from last year). 4 person teams will rotate for 4 hours. Most points wins. Sport and beginner riders will receive a handicap to even up the field.

All week my power seemed lacking but hopefully I will be able to pull something out for my 4 or 5 laps.

Shawn will be racing Fawn Grove on Sunday. This is a road race that apparently has short punchy climbs with 7 sections of dirt/gravel road mixed in. Something like 13.5 mile laps. I hope they have a sweeper for the riders with flats. Good luck.