June 27 - Benicia Criterium
CTL: 116
TSB: 8

I thought I might have a bad day on the bike because after standing around for six hours at the Hellyer AVC my legs and back were still sore in the morning and only got four hours of sleep. Was looking forward to the post race snooze. The course is a figure eight with a lot of small undulations, maybe at most ten to twenty feet over the course of a block with the finish on a long uphill drag.

E4
Hang out midpack, feels like I am struggling. Half way through the race there is an accident and a gap opens up in front of me. I know some folks behind me so I pull to get us close to the pack and am really not feeling good at all and just quit. The data shows the race was not that hard. Hmmm...


T:19:46
D:12.45km
S:37.7 kph
C:101
Pavg: 202
Pnorm: 225


35+ 3/4
I feel a little better during this race. When I try to move up the legs are not responding so I am not going to be able to help anybody out. I can just hang in the back just to finish but since I am racing tomorrow, don't need to just finish for the sake of finishing and pull out again...


T:22:42
D:14.4
S:38.1
C:104
Pavg:179
Pnorm:216

Labels: Criterium

- posted by Steven Woo @ 7:19 PM 0 comments

 
2009 June 19 Hellyer Friday Night Racing
CTL: 117
TSB: 3

Three or four of the really strong juniors are not in the 3/4 field tonight, one has upgraded to 2 and the others are saving themselves for Nevada City and the USA Cycling junior camp later this weekend, still the field is pretty big at fifteen to twenty.


3/4 20 Lap Scratch Race
T: 9:03
S: 44.5
C: 104
Pavg: 270
Pnorm: 299
This is a little different without the kids - a lot less attacking so the field stays intact until almost the end AFAIK. I set tempo for a bit, then Rick counters and almost gets away but we bring him and the others back. At one point I am behind Shawn and we are getting dropped and I am wondering what happened, he got a bug in his unshielded eye and can't see anything for a bit! Then Rick does a leadout and causes a slight separation, I react too late and can only manage a fifth.

No rear view, didn't turn it on.

3/4 30 Lap 6x5 Points Race
T:14:11
S: 43.6
C: 102
Pavg: 268
Pnorm: 297
On the plus side I didn't get lapped! Scored a few points, was pretty conservative after getting dropped the last two times, maybe could have gone for more points, not enough points to score.

2009 June 19 Friday Night Hellyer 3/4 Points Race Front View from Steven Woo on Vimeo.

2009 June 199 34 points race rear view from Steven Woo on Vimeo.

Did five laps of the 123 Points race at the suggestion of Eric Petersen, this was a pretty good idea just to keep warm. It was really easy sitting in but I didn't want to burn any matches just to sit in back of the field
T: 2:07
Pavg: 259
C: 105
S: 44.9


3/4 Miss and Out
I use the simplest strategy which is stay on the front as long as possible but I only last a lap before the Neal, the strongest rider in the field, takes over. Then I am boxed in by Rick for most of the rest of the race, which sort of turns out OK. At one point he let's up and I attack (maybe too hard) but Neil reels me back in, and I am behind him and boxed in by Rick again! I keep waiting for an opening and for a few seconds I look back and there's an opening where Rick is ahead of me and Erik is off of my hip but I hesitate and Erik moves forward and I am boxed in again(!) so finish fifth - mostly by following Neal for all but three laps.
T: 7:46
S: 41.5
C: 96
Pavg: 282
Pnorm: 311

Labels: Track

- posted by Steven Woo @ 1:29 AM 0 comments

 
2009 June 13 Pescadero Road Race
CTL: 116
TSB: 11

Not quite the same shape as last year and five pounds heavier but had some different goals of helping some folks get through the first couple of climbs. That mostly worked and I didn't have to finish the race but felt kind of oddly fresh after the first climb on Stage so I continued. We had dense fog and a little rain on the first lap. From the data it looks like we went easier than we had in past years on both of the two hills on Stage. Then I just sat in. Takes a lot of pressure off in some ways to have goals that don't involve finishing!

When we hit Haskins we didn't go that hard either, though I was huffing and puffing. The guy next to me had never ridden it before and asked while we were going up "Is this it?" - I think if he thought it was easy, he should be able to win. :) We were in one pretty big clumpy group and I should have gone to the front to make things safer but got lazy and didn't think to have a secondary goal at the start. Then there was an accident near the McDonald Park entrance so I stopped to help out. Dan had his derailleur hanger bent so Mitch bent it back but it skipped all the time then they told me to continue without them. I just went tempo to the top and they caught me at the base and we TT'ed to the start where Dan dropped out and I tried to pull as much as possible before I had to ease up on Stage. The sun started shining so I decided to enjoy the last lap for fun, not really racing at all.

T: 2:33:38
S: 29.3
C: 91
Pavg: 176
Pnorm: 214
D: 75.3 km

Labels: Road Race

- posted by Steven Woo @ 11:46 PM 0 comments

 
2009 June 7 Two Wheel Criterium ( I guess we can have a tricycle and unicycle version...)
TSB: 7
CTL: 115

Signed up for this race because it's new and wanted to see the course. The name of the office park - Sonoma Mountain Village - portends a mountain top setting but it's more like Mountain View, the mountains are right there on the horizon. The course though is not the usual office park criterium fair, lots of undulations in the road, none long enough to cause any difficulty, and somewhat narrow twists and turns (for a sixty plus rider field of newbs).

The 35+ 4/5 race has a big field. I want to move up but am a bit scared by the riding habits of some of the riders ahead of me, not that I am perfect - see yesterday. There are so many close calls that I get out of the mode of racing and into survival mode and just finish with the pack.

S: 41.7
C: 98
pavg: 166
pnorm: 184
T: 38.24


e4
After not feeling notall that tired from the first race, decide to at last work a little bit to get a better workout, sprinting legs not back from yesterday's efforts. Am able to work to the front - it seems a little safer but we have one crash where there were only a bunch of close calls in the masters' race. Not feeling the mojo so only sprint enough at the end to finish in front of Lloyd. :)

Here's one lap for those who were not there (that junior is really strong as was near the front until the end):



T: 38:10
D: 26.8
S: 42
pavg 181
pnorm 212
C: 102

Labels: Criterium

- posted by Steven Woo @ 9:21 AM 0 comments

 
2009 June 6 ICCC Dash for Cash
TSB: 7
CTL: 115
Took it a little too easy on Thursday and Friday due to lack of sleep.

Trying to work on team tactics today, first race, trying to go for primes or lead out for primes. Lead out Reed for one, but I died before turn four, need to go a little longer or start a little later, or not go that hard at the start?


Next one I just happened to be near the front when there was a prime, Peter told me to go for it so I did, just sixth or seventh. Then Peter led me out, and did a much better job for me than I did for Reed. Unfortunately I made a few mistakes. Not following closely enough as Mark advised before the race. I also was not pedaling in the corners. Still getting confidence back after striking a pedal at Brisbane, need to forget about that and pedal through most corners, just not sprint through the corner... Ended up burning a lot of matches to stay close and came up a little short. Dang.

Also I totally blew after that effort, tried to keep going, but couldn't finish, sorry about blocking the course there everybody!
T: 26:43
pavg: 203
pnorm: 245
D: 18.75km
S: 42 kph
C: 100


For the second race I was supposed to attack a little later but I screwed up here after ten minutes:

and couldn't get back with the group - made the mistake of pausing when I caught some stragglers and should have kept on going. I guess on the bright side I didn't sign up to do the time trial tomorrow since I could not do it today.

T: 17:19
pavg: 198
pnrom: 227
C: 99
S: 37.1
D: 10.8 km

Labels: Criterium

- posted by Steven Woo @ 9:16 AM 0 comments

 
2009 May 25 Memorial Day Criterium
CTL: 115
TSB: -6

If my legs felt sore yesterday before the two hilly crits, naturally they feel a little worse for the wear today. Since I don't have much hope for a good result, want to work on spinning in the races today since I have a bad habit of using too big a gear and mashing. In that regard the E4 race is a smashing success.

e4
t: 37.24
s: 42.5
c: 106
pavg: 158
pnrom: 176 - it was easy but it sure didn't feel easy
d: 26.6km

one lap of the course for the two of you out there who haven't seen it





35/45+ 3/4 race
This race is a little harder, I actually stuck my nose into the wind a few times, and it's a little more strung out, even with a lot more riders in this field. No team takes control so the last few laps are chaotic with every one trying to get into a sweet spot location of close to but not on the front. A few times the field goes curb to curb over four lanes and am not feeling the the ability to move all the way to the front so resign myself to sitting in back. There is a mishap on the first corner of the bell lap, one rider goes down and I stop to avoid hitting him and immediately pull of the course so just in case that guy who hit me last time in the back is here so doesn't get a second chance! :)

t: 38:58
S: 40.9
d: 26.6km
pavg: 163
pnorm: 196
c: 101

Labels: Criterium

- posted by Steven Woo @ 8:32 PM 0 comments

 
2009 May 24 Auburn Criterium
CTL: 111
TSB: 4
Should be an OK day for me to race according to PMC but my legs are still sore from track racing on Friday night. This is a new race in Auburn which is about half an hour east of Sacramento. The course has a long slightly uphill drag to start/finish line that continues uphill after the finish with a steep section that lasts about twenty seconds, sort of like the start of the finish straight at Santa Cruz before it crests and leads to a 90 degree right that is narrow due to other lane being open to traffic, this goes under a railway crossing and immediately after the crossing (about 150 feet from the last turn) it turns 90 degrees right again (narrow initially then wide) with a long headwind and slightly uphill section until one reaches the top of the course which goes over the railroad tracks on a bridge a right turn onto the bridge, and 50 feet later a right turn onto the gradual sweeping left hand turn down to the hay bale lined left 90 degree turn. It was slower than I thought as I only reached about 32 mph into this turn. Then after a block there was a 90 degree right and another 90 degree right back onto the home stretch. Enough words:



The race goes with what is called a neutral lap so that everyone can view the course once with the moto ref at the front. We are not supposed to pass the moto, it's sort of like a keirin fight for position. My legs are not cooperating at all so I just sit on the back and it's strung out single file when we get the whistle for the rolling race start. My race is pretty much over on this first lap. I am getting gapped by the railway underpass, and after the two right turns come across the aftermath of a couple of riders sprawled on the ground, both talking so they are OK, and see a small gap to the field ahead on the long back stretch. Try to catch on, blow, and after a few laps chase for the rest of the race, get lapped once. Since our field is only about thirty five, the officials are nice and let us finish the race.

t: 36:19
pnorm: 239 - this is close to just doing Montebello at threshold for me - the part where I got dropped wasn't that hard ( i.e. I went harder for longer at the track on Friday )
pavg: 181
d: 18.4 km
c 97
s: 30.3


On the positive side, I stayed attentive during the start and was on the moto's wheel or close to it for the neutral lap, but the steep section of the hill got the better of me on the first lap, and I went straight to the back of the pack. I was with the group for one lap which was a minor improvement, until we got to the steep section and I could not do it a second time at race pace. Luckily(?) the officials had mercy and let us stragglers finish even though the original field size was around fifty.

One of the course marshals told me I would go faster if I shut my mouth, the additional wind resistance from riding around with my mouth wide open is probably slowing me down! The loud breathing is a dead giveaway whenever I am catching up to people, too. I considered quitting both races early but I could hear people yelling my name or possibly a similarly named competitor and would have felt worse if I quit and someone was cheering for me, can't let the spectators down.

2009 Auburn Criterium 35+ 4/5 from Steven Woo on Vimeo.

t: 35.17
pnrom 238
pavg 182
d: 18.3 km
c: 98
s: 31.1

I want to try this race again, but I will have to skip the Friday track if I want to do well, even with one full day of rest my legs are not the same.

Labels: Criterium

- posted by Steven Woo @ 9:10 PM 0 comments

 
2009 May 22 Friday Night Hellyer
TSB: -6
CTL: 115

Cat 3/4 15 lap scratch -


6/13?
T: 6:57
S: 45.2 kph
C:105
Pavg:302
Pnorm:329

match sprint with Brian Peterson and Doug Hall for *fun*


Cat 3/4 30 lap points race
T: 14:08
S: 42.3
C: 99
Pavg: 279
Pnorm: 292
first ten minutes
7?/13?

last ten minutes



Cat 3/4 Miss and out
T: 3:00
S: 40.3
C: 95 (clearly needed to gear down...)
Pavg: 356
8?/11?



All of these efforts are the maximum for the duration for me this year, clearly I need a rabbit to chase or be the rabbit to motivate myself to go this hard.

Labels: Track

- posted by Steven Woo @ 1:21 AM 0 comments