Yet another learning experience...
The race flier listed the Cat 4 race as starting a little after 3pm; 3 laps and 55.5mi long; medals to the top 10. The $40 race day entry fee was quite high, especially considering there were no payouts in any of the races. Word was that many didn't race because of this.
There were 26 or so entrants in the 4 race; we started out at a relaxed pace and I was getting pretty antsy early on. At mile 4, with no one working the front (guys basically just sitting up in the descents, riding on the bar tops, etc.), I took a solo flier. Pretty quickly I was about 1/4 a mile up the road and on the tail of our lead car. I stayed off for about 1.5 miles and decided to ease up and go back to the shelter of the group.
At the bottom of the first 200ft climb, I was back within the pack. I was a little concerned that there might be another attack, but no one tried taking off at this point. It was probably a good thing too, as I hit 205 (my peak HR for the race) at the top of the hill. I only went over 200 one other time during the race (201, also on the first lap).
On CR43, the rollers masked about 200 - 400 ft of descent and it was here that Stark Velo's Darrin Kert took a short flier up the road. He had 4 other teammates as the best represented team. Orrville had 2, as did about 3 other teams, Chris Belowich and I headed up SBR. On 514 Darrin again went off the front for a brief bit. I told Chris that this is the guy I'm most worried about - especially since SV had numbers.
The steeper climbs on 514 must have really taken their toll on the pack, because as we completed the first lap it looked like we'd shed about 10 riders. It took me a while to realize (and I spent plenty of time checking) but Darrin was no longer with us; I'm assuming he had a mechanical.
On the first climb of the 2nd lap, before the feed zone, I began to notice my left hip was feeling really sore. I'd been spending a lot of time out of the saddle, and I kept trying to mix up positions to find something that felt good or let me stretch out. I also began to wish I had brought more than 2 x 20 ounce bottles of accelerade (or just some straight water as the accelerade was very warm by now and giving me cotton mouth). Plus with the temp floating around 90+ staying hydrated is going to be hard.
Again, no one really wanted to work. Chris and I spent more than our fair share of the time on the front, but we were really tying to be smart about it. With the numbers SV had we needed to watch them as they weren't working much.
On the back rolling descent I went out front and bombed the hills allowing my momentum to really carry me up the next rise. There was also a nice S turn that was tight and well banked, and I was able to really fly through here. I hope that this helped push the pace a bit, and I wasn't working that hard. I just couldn't STAND having to brake and scrub speed and momentum being in the pack.
After most of the downs were passed and I was back in the pack, Chris told me that he'd been talking to a solo rider who would be willing to work here on the last lap. It sounded like a great idea and I said I'd do what I could, if noting happened sooner.
The steep ups on 514 again took their toll, as we were down another 4-5 riders after the 2nd lap. My left lower back or hip was still nagging at me. It would seem to get better after sitting up or standing, but it always kept coming back. After the right turn at the bottom of the hill, I also noticed my right calf was starting to cramp up. I drank a lot of my last bottle of at this point, only leaving some for CR43 and a drink on 514.
It was again really noticeable that other teams didn't want to work much. SV guys would go to the front, but with the pace below 20mph I wouldn't really call it working. I had been thinking about Chris's plan and I was worried that with the pace being this slow, that people would have no problems responding to any moves. I told him this and that I would push it a little through the first part of the rolling descent to try and stretch it out. I also wanted to be able to BLAST through those S curves again. I had company this time as a rider in white and light blue kit was also descending well. He was a bigger guy (200lbs + I think) but I would always get a bit ahead of him on the inclines.
Chris and the guy in the Swiss kit didn't attack and we were all together on 514 heading back into town. The hills coming up promised to be a factor as people finally started to push the pace here. I found myself off the back briefly at the top as 4 riders were already dropped behind me. Fortunately I was able to descend well and catch back on as was the guy in the Swiss kit. Up the last major hill and the same thing almost happened, except that I was more aware.
The pace slackened again with about 1.5 mi to go. I again went off the front in a couple of small attacks just enough to get a gap. I would let myself get pulled back in and settle into the pack; staying in the top 4-5. With under about 1/4 - 1/2 mi to go, a rider attacked strong off the front and Chris chased.
Here is where I really F-ed up. I should have stayed in a good bit longer. The pace had been 1mph slower each lap and others also had a kick left. I had no problems shooting up to the front and hitting 40.7mph. I could see a wheel RIGHT behind me as I got within what I thought was 20 or so yards from the line. MISTAKE - I was actually sprinting for the point where the officer was detouring traffic and had a cone set up. When I realized the finish was further up the road I also realized I was probably going to be SCREWED. It was pretty much an exact replay of my 3rd place finish at the Covered Bridge race. One guy passed me, and then another. A third guy got me by way less than 1/2 a wheel length at the line.
My demise:
Stats:
Duration: 2:48:48
Distance: 56.6 miles
Heart rate: 180 avg; 205 max
Speed: 20.1 avg 49.3 max
Cadence: 81 avg
Ascent: 4140ft
Lap stats:
Lap 1: 21.2mph 182bpm
Lap 2: 20.1mph 182bpm
Lap 3: 19.3mph 176bpm
