Hugo RR - 6/17/06

So, Hugo was a good learning experience. I learned that if the terrain is not going to be a factor in splitting up the race, then my chances of winning are pretty slim. I just don’t have a finishing kick. And I’m not patient like the best pure finishers are and need to be. I also learned that whatever kick I do have – whether I’m trying to use it for my own benefit or for that of the team sprinters – I need to start it a lot later than the “1k to go” marker.

All in all, I felt very strong on the day. The rectangular course meant the wind would wreak its havoc on various legs. It was soon evident that the final 12-mile leg would be aided by a cross- and tail-wind (more cross) and a general loss of altitude. In a drag race, I count my chances as less than stellar and halfway through this race, it was evident this would be nothing but a drag to the end.

The team, on the whole, did great. There were some early breaks. I recognized some of the rabbits as those who did very well at Deer Trail, who were in that final selection of 12 with me, so at some point I knew we would have to chase them down. Halfway through the race, toward the beginning of the third leg of the rectangle (about a 19-mile stretch) Feedback decided to push the pace and see who had what in the legs. In the head and cross winds, Andy and Titus did an incredible job of protecting me and Andrew, and it creating the appropriate echelon for us. I was loving it and feeling very protected. Boys, you dun gewd!!

Andrew, despite his 31st place, was super, super strong. Even though he was the one we were all supposed to be working for, he threw his hat in the ring on the front to help elevate the pace and keep everyone honest, and to make sure no breaks stuck. The problem was two-fold: 1) no one on the front was willing to organize, so there were a bunch of broken efforts. This allowed everyone to stay together until the very end; and 2) with 90+ racers, no one was going to get dropped that would normally get shelled in a training ride. So many “hacks” were there at the end.

So, to avoid the boring details. . . Andrew and I were right at the front and on the front in the final 5k. The final 3 miles were a long, rolling drag to the finish line. With about a mile to go, I could see the finish line structure, and asked Andrew if that was it. He said yes. Then, we passed the “1k to go” spraypainted on the blacktop. The final 1k was flat before a slight uphill across the line. Andrew and I were spot on the front. My first thought was, “Where are Andy and J-Rod???” Andy had done a shitload of work earlier, so I was thinking he was spent and hanging on. Titus had blown a few miles back, his selfless job very well done. The pace had elevated so much that I was impressed at Andrew and myself to be right on the front where I thought was the perfect place to be with 1k to go. Silly, naïve boy that I am . . . J-Rod had made a couple of guest appearances at the front at the latter stages of the race, but I was honestly wishing he would have been up there when Feedback was making its presence known in the middle of the race. The extra body may have made a difference. But, probably not. Certainly, the extra body would have save the legs of the other four of us at least a little bit.

So, on to the final 1k. . . I looked at Andrew and told him it was time to go. Again, silly little boy that I am. I take off and give it everything I’ve got. I can only hope that Andrew is on my wheel and ready to come around me when I crater. I immediately notice that I do not have full access to my top end staying power. I’m in dire need of a rest week, and it showed in that final 1k. Andrew, sorry I let you down at the end there. I should have waited until the 500m mark to do what I did. It certainly hurt your final position.

The wheels came off at around 400m to go, with me spot on the front of everything. I pull off and expect Andrew to come around. Nothing. But, 4 guys then do come around me. After them, there is a nice gap before the wave overtakes me. Hearing later that J-Rod got 3rd amazed me. He was so far back when I got overtaken and he finally came past me, that it shows how many other people also jumped a bit too early and did not give that final shallow uphill enough credit. I know I did not.

So, I finished in the pack with the same time as the winner, but in 38th place. Lessons learned? Probably more than what I alluded to above. Maybe I can win a race like Hugo. But, to do so will require a lot of luck. And, it will require me to jump from wheel to wheel until the final 100m, then cross my fingers. Don’t know if I’ve got that tactician wired into my being. I guess I can figure it out with the rest of my races this year. The other lesson I learned is that when terrain is not a factor, that sitting in is the only thing to do, to save every last smidgen of energy until all hell breaks loose at the very, very end.

All in all, a great race. I enjoyed it and learned some lessons. A race like this does not go to the strongest racer (not that I was necessarily the strongest), but to the cagiest. And the one with the most patience. I’ll be curious to try out the “patience thing” in subsequent races. Anyone who knows me knows patience is not one of my long suits. Patience is evil.

The good news? It was a great training race, if nothing else. Also, four of my final races all include significant climbing. My guess is that the race reports will be different when I write my posts on them. Till then, I’m looking forward to my recovery week, licking my wounds and coming out the other side ready to do battle once again.

Next up, the Mike Horgan Hill Climb on 7/16.