Finished my third stage race as a CAT 5

[Archaea]

This time about mid pack, nothing special, but I am the oldest there.

TT, 14th out of 28.

Crit, which I led for two laps, 17 out of 28 (my third crit ever, including crit practices, scary)

RR, about 15 to 16. So nothing special. I need to learn to push when the climbers jump, but as a triathlete, I'm always thinking, save the legs. Roadies tell that's the wrong attitude.

Making progress, slowly, maybe by the end I won't be dropped by the peloton. Had fun, but nobody will mistake this slow fat ass for Lance Armstrong.

After I blew in the crit, a fat, fat guy beat me.

I was determined that he would not beat in the RR, and he didn't.

[MikeWaters]

that's awesome. I'm still far, far away from not getting last in a cat 5 crit.

I thought this was going to be the year for me to have time to ride, but it doesn't look that will be the case.

Keep it up.

[bluegoose]

Which race was this Archaea?

A few of my buddies were at Sea Otter this weekend and had a great time.

[Archaea]

didn't make it to Sea Otter, but my bro may have.

It was a smaller race, Vuelta de Valencia. The crit was rated a simple 1.0, but the RR was a 2.0.

I haven't done anything harder than a 2.0.

[creekster]

Very impresssive arch. I am so far away from anything like that I can't even imagine doing it. All kidding aside, I iwould like to come watch you race sometime, but not about to race against you. Keep up the good work.

[Archaea]

Thank you for your kind words. Nothing impressive about it, but I'm on the verge of almost getting it.

I need to be willing to suffer just a bit more to go with the surges. As a I triathlete, you're trained never to go too far into a deficit, which cyclists are willing to endure. I'm a pansy. Once my legs are on fire, I usually back off, right when the surge starts. Then I kick myself for not going with them.

We had a bunch of skinny, guys, guys over six foot, weighing less than a buck thirty. Still had power to stay, but the whimp factor set in.

Someday I'll see the famous Cougar cyclist, creekster.

[bluegoose]

My buddy that did Sea Otter this weekend gave me a brief report. He raced as a Masters Cat 5. The RR stage was a 47 mile course, primarily composed of rolling hills with a moderate grade 3 mile climb to finish.

Half the peleton was dropped about half way through (I probably would have been dropped before leaving Laguna Seca raceway). Buddy hung on to the pack until they splintered on the final 3 mile ascent. 10 riders took off on a break away. 2nd chase group of 10-15 riders was never able to catch up. He finished about 15 out of 100 riders. Very respectable showing, imo.

He told me his heart rate never dropped below 160 or 165. There were numerous occasions where we was above 180, and on the final climb he did the entire 3 miles at about 186.

Ouch. Thought you guys might appreciate that.

[Archaea]

your friend did well.

My bro got 15th in circuit race and 17th in RR. He wasn't in shape, so I'm surprised he did that well.

[SteelBlue]

He finished about 15 out of 100 riders. Very respectable showing, imo.


He told me he had no idea where he'd finished but thought he hadn't done very well. There he goes being humble again.