Deer Trail Road Race - 04/28/07

The more I race my bike, the more I realize there is evermore to learn about bike racing. Deer Trail is a case in point. Same course with drastically different weather conditions from last year to this year. Last year it was in the 40s, very windy and drizzled most of the race. This year, it was sunny, low-80s and very little wind. And the winning time was over 20 minutes faster this year. It's not a course to make selections, and this was the lesson learned. At Deer Trail, it is the weather that makes the selections happen. This year, the conditions were good for everyone. Last year, they were good for a much smaller group of racers.

I finished 33rd, in the lead pack. We (lead pack) finished :18 behind a front group of 3 which broke away at the very end. I was in no position to go with that attack as I was in the middle of the group at the time. I didn't even see the break happen, so by the time I wriggled my way to the front to have a final go at it, I saw the 3 up the road and realized it was game over. Then, at the actual finish, I got boxed in and ended up soft-pedaling across the line. It's hard to sprint for it when you've got two guys next to you, sand/dirt on the other side, one rider directly in front of you, and yet another diagnolly in front. I suppose if I were making millions I would have tried to find a way through and, in the process, almost assuredly caused a crash. "Live to fight another day," became the phrase of the day.

Great finish by Diran! He ended up 8th and was perfectly placed throughout the entire race including, most importantly, at the very end. He made the most of the slight wiggle room available as we were all crammed into one half of the road. Given the 3 who cross the line ahead, that means he got 5th in the bunch sprint. Most excellent!

Hats off to Jeremy as well. While he ended up flatting out of the race, he did go on an early flyer that lasted well over an hour. A solid but questionable move. He's also a strong closer, so it was disappointing that he flatted.

For my own perspective, given perfect conditions it will be difficult for me to win a race such as Deer Trail. When the weather sucks, I thrive and am decidedly happier than when the weather is ideal. I tried a good 10 times to attack. All of my attacks - and, all attacks except for the very last one - were quickly reeled in. The peloton gave the aggressors no quarter. Which seemed to be the modus operandi of the weekend. Across the pond in Europe, pros offered the same musings during their Liege-Bastogne-Liege race. Similarly, all attacks were reeled in decisively until the final break launched by Frank Schlek with 4k to go. We covered the 80-ish miles in 3 hours flat. With that sort of speed, breaks will be few and far between and attacks will rarely succeed.

And that's OK. In future editions, the weather will dictate my personal goals for the race. When it's shitty, I'll go in shooting for a top placing or the win; when its nice out, I'll look for a great race-specific workout and try to help one of our sprinters win it. My only regret is getting boxed in so I could do nothing to help Diran or Andrew (who was also boxed in right in front of me). But, maybe that was for the best given the narrowness of the course. Anyone leading someone else out and then pulling off would almost assuredly have caused a crash.

The eye is still on the prize - Mt. Evans, Salida and Gore Pass. The first two are the final 2 weekends in July and Gore is the second weekend in September.

Both the 3s and 4s teams experienced some bad luck. Jeremy flatted out in our race, as stated above. J-Rod got caught off guard at the 2nd feed zone and missed the decisive acceleration (which, I'm loathe to admit, was almost assuredly caused by me. SORRY, J-Rod!!). On the finishing sprint, Andrew and I were by the shoulder, which for the entire race had been the best place to be for any movement up to the front. However, we both got completely boxed in that final quarter-mile and I was stuck on his wheel across the line. Turns out being by the yellow line was the Promised Land for the final sprint. I don't think Andrew ever got out of the saddle to wind it up. I would stand up and would desperately search for any gap I could try to shoot through but then would immediately sit back down and coast. I literally coasted across the line because pedaling became superfluous and useless. Kudos to Diran for getting himself into a position where he had some elbow room to let 'er rip! On the 4s team, Tim double-flatted and DNF'd; Brad dropped back and brought Tim back up to the peloton the first time but then failed to re-bridge on Tim's second flat so he race was over as well; Andy flatted out; and Josh got a rock lodged in his derailleur and had to dismount to pry it out. He finished outside the top 10 as this squashed his chances at a top finish.

Kudos to Jerry for finishing 13th. Didn't know you had it in you, bud! And a great effort by Bryan as well. Both teams races smartly; we're showing growth. But the results for both teams were dictated by luck and circumstance as much as outright racing. While unfortunate, this is a part of the game. No whining. Just learning with the goal of not letting it happen again.

Next up, Scott's memorial race on May 20th.

Till then . . .
Nate

Deer Trail Lead Up - 04/26/07

Deer Trail is in two days. Can't wait. With a new bike and new legs, I'm excited to get out there, see what's what and jam the final 25 miles through the wind and steep rollers.

Nuff said for now . . .

Just How Important is "All This"? - 04/23/07

Today's message is a good one. And one that needs to be oft-repeated - more to yourself by yourself than to you by me (or someone else).

I was thinking yesterday about why some athletes - or maybe it is many athletes - seem to fail when they prepare diligently for a competition. Now, there could be tons of factors which we need to dissect first in order to ferret out the root cause of any particular failure. But, for the most part, I don't think so. Every athlete fails at some point at some thing. The failure doesn't necessarily have to come when all the chips are on the table for our most important races, but a lot of our failures do seem to come at these most inopportune times.

Why is that? This is what I was thinking about yesterday. This is where the mental game really comes into play. When we are primarily defined by that which we most covet, we run into trouble. For those of you who have seen the movie "Chariots of Fire", think of Harold Abrahams. He was the cocky sprinter who thought he could never lose in the 100m dash. He also defined himself through his running. I don't remember his exact words in one of the poignant scenes, but he said something to the effect that when he looks down the track at the 4-foot wide corridor he's about to sprint down, he defines himself based on victory or defeat. If he wins, he essentially knows his life has not been for naught.

Contrast this with Eric Liddell, the man who hands ol' Harold his first defeat in the 100m. In this scene, Harold looks dumbstruck and like a spear has just been rammed into his heart. He looks to come undone. Eric understands the importance of running to himself and to his life, but he sees it within the context of living a balanced life as well. While important to some but not to others, Eric's religious faith is central and paramount to his life. He won't run on Sundays - the Sabbath - and so forgoes the 100m in the Olympic Games. He still wins the 200m and you can tell the experience has filled him up. By bypassing the 100m on that Sunday, Harold is assured the gold and wins it. He, too, appears filled up with the achievement. But, you realize that their paths to fulfillment are quite different and that the act of "being full" holds a different meaning for each of them. For Eric, it is the act of running. He feels free and happy. For Harold, it is the winning through running which is fulfilling.

Harold is held captive by the running whereas Eric is not.

All of our workouts and all of our races are not going to be happy, successful affairs. That's fine. This should be readily accepted. However, how do you feel after one such sub-par performance? Are you disappointed and vow to do better next time but happy that you were out there mixing it up, or do you sulk and get angry and play the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" game with yourself? Wanting to be your best, or wanting even to be THE best, does not automatically mean that sport becomes your identity. I would argue that if this is the case, then no matter what your results, you have failed. Sport isn't who we are. It is one thing of many we do with our lives which should constitute a fraction of our identities. And certainly not the crux of our identities.

Happy Training,
Nate Llerandi

Because It Needs to Be Done - 04/11/07

The weather here in CO has been quite topsy turvy this winter. A definitive pattern has formed, with weather being crappy on the weekend followed by nicer weather during the week and then further crappy weather the following weekend. At times, putting in the time has become challenging.

Just this past Saturday, I was forced onto the trainer for a 4-hour stint. It wasn’t fun, but it was a solid session and got the job done. I did what had to be done. This weekend is not looking any better. The prospect of another 4+ hours on the trainer is distasteful. But, if I have to do it, then I’ll do it. I can handle the cold. But cold coupled with freezing rain or blowing snow is a match made in hell.

I do it because it is what needs to be done. If my plan was to ride 4 hours outside, then why would I get on the trainer for 90 minutes? Or for any length of time less than the 4 hours? The answer is, “I wouldn’t.” A minute equals a minute; an hour an hour. Riding inside for any given amount of time is equivalent to the same amount of time riding outside. The body knows duration and effort. Don't think for a moment that riding 2.5 hours inside somehow magically translates to riding 4 hours outside. That's a bullshit cop out.

My goals are clear. I know what I need to do in order to have a shot of achieving them. So, when necessary, long trainer rides are inserted. I’m not special. I just do what needs to be done because it needs to be done.

Pretty simple philosophy.

The Koppenberg - 04/03/07

The first race of any season causes "the jitters." Regardless of how well I've prepared, I always wonder if I have prepared well enough. Only getting to the start line will answer this, but it leaves me in an edgy mood in the days leading into the race. On top of that this season, was the fact that this was my first race in the CAT 3s. Telling myself I was ready would do no good if, when push came to shove, my legs failed me.

The ’07 racing season officially kicked off on Sunday, April 1st with the Koppenberg Road Race. The Koppenberg circuit race is so-named after the famous cobbled climb in one of the most famous European Classics – the Tour of Flanders. This 77m climb in the Ardennes region of Belgium is feared by many riders because of its extreme steepness (22% on the trickiest parts) and because it is paved with cobblestones. This makes the Koppenberg extremely difficult to negotiate even for top professional cyclists. Quite often, riders will slow down almost to the point of losing their balance (especially common for those who approach the climb while riding at the back of the peloton) and thus have to dismount and scramble to the top on foot, while pushing their bikes. Our Koppenberg climb here in Colorado is similar in stature – short and over-the-top steep. However, instead of being paved, it is pure dirt and rutty. In fact, the circuit is not that challenging in-and-of itself. What makes the Koppenberg circuit race a leg breaking challenge is that half of each circuit runs over pothole-covered dirt roads. Finding a rhythm can become impossible so riders end up wasting a lot of energy.

Feedback Sports fielded two teams. The 4s went off first, to complete 4 laps of the 5.5-mile course, with the 3s having to complete 6 laps later in the day. If you understand bike racing, then you realize that the race does not always go to the strongest or the swiftest, or even the most tactical of riders. As both the 4s and the 3s would experience firsthand, sometimes Lady Luck throws the card which makes all the difference to a particular race’s outcome.

In the 3s race, all five of us were in the lead group. The first lap proved fast and furious as riders fought for positioning and being at the front for the first foray up the steep dirt hill. The hill hits us halfway through each lap, so it can be the launching pad of a decisive move. I hit the hill feeling great, positioned within the top ten. As we hit the dirt starting the second lap, I moved to the front and set the pace leading into the second time up the dirt climb. I wanted to keep everyone honest and, quite frankly, limit my exposure to knuckleheads who could force me to come off the bike on that climb. After topping the climb in the top three, I merged into the front pack which was still fairly large to conserve some energy. We still had 4.5 laps to go.

The third-of-six laps was the crazy one. I could feel that something was going to happen. At the top of the climb, I was riding third when from behind me another rider shouted, "We're clear, we're clear! Go, go, go!" So we went. "This is the decisive break!" I thought. Well, it turned out not to be. A couple of miles later we were caught by the main pack. No problem. I was prepared for another split to occur on Lap Four, but this lap turned out to be the most sedate of the race. I think people were either conserving energy and recovering or marking particular riders. If those marked riders ended up moving, then I would be sure to match their attacks. But none came, and Lap Four passed uneventfully.

Things started to heat up on Lap Five. And, we started to catch riders from other races (like the 35+ crowd). Hence, things got a little sketchy leading into the fifth attack of the dirt climb. I was positioned well again, within the top 5-8 riders. However, we also caught a clump of 35+ riders right at the base of the climb. There were two smooth ruts leading up the hill, basically tire tracks from vehicles off-roading in the area. In between the ruts was some clumpy crap you wanted to avoid. If you got stuck in the clumpy crap, you were sure to come off and be forced to run it up the hill. Not a fun prospect.

When I hit the base of the hill on this fifth lap, I had a choice to go in either rut. I chose the right hand rut because it proved to be smoother. Well, this is where Lady Luck reared her ho bitch head. Some joker was in that clumpy crap and, as I was directly next to him, he lost his balance, hit me and caused me to pitch over. I had to clip out to avoid falling and came to an instant stop. You can imagine the expletives running through my head as I vaulted off my bike and ran like hell up the hill. I desperately needed to get to the top in order to mitigate my time losses to the front pack. I kept telling myself I could hop back on my bike, sprint like hell and catch back on.

Behind me was a chain reaction. I don't know if anyone else ended up falling or running up the hill, but momentum definitely slowed as rider after rider made his way around me. I saw two of my teammates, Diran and Jeremy, come by and thought they looked strong. Then, about 3/4 of the way up the hill, I passed Andrew who had also come off the bike. At the top of the hill, my whole body's on fire and I am in "Red Alert" panic mode. My race, which had been going so well, unraveled in the span of 30-45 seconds.

At the top of the hill, the dirt road flattens out and hits a sharp bend to the right. As I hit that point and shifted into the gear I needed to get moving again, I noticed the lead pack quite a ways up the road. Then, about 50 meters in front of me was the first chase pack, to which Jeremy and Diran were trying to latch on. They made it, but I was falling into difficulty. Each lap took us about 14 minutes. From the top of the hill and for the next 10 minutes, I experienced a level of pain to which I have exposed myself a very finite number of times. It's a place where your brain shuts off and you "go reptilian." It's not fun to be there and it sure as hell is no fun realizing you HAVE to go there. More often than not, you back away. It's they body's survival mechanism kicking in. This time, I overrode that instinct, but did not particularly enjoy it.

Thankfully, the chase group lost its focus for just enough time for me to catch on at the back. At that point, all I wanted to do was sit in for a few minutes and try to catch my bearings. My lungs and legs seared. Unfortunately, right as I caught on, a couple guys launched themselves off the front in a last ditch effort to bridge up to the front group. I knew I had to go with them or resign myself to the chase group. So, I went. The three of us ditched the chase pack and picked up two stragglers from the front group as we hit the final lap. I had nothing left in the tank, so I focused on the wheels in front of me and made sure I lost no ground.

The last time up the climb split the five of us and, luckily, I was one of the front three to top the climb. The three of us worked to stay away from the two we had just dropped and to make sure we passed any other stragglers from the front group (there were none). Due to my effort after running up the hill, I got crushed in the 3-up sprint among the three of us, though we finished with the same time.

The net-net of the race: 13th and :32 down on the winner. In retrospect, I can't be upset. Disappointed, sure. Being forced off my bike is what kept me from being in the mix for the win. Or at least a spot in the top 10 (the front group numbered 10). However, on the bright side, my fitness was great. The first race is a perfect opportunity to blow the rust out. Mission accomplished.

I was also duly impressed with our 3s corps. All five of us finished. Jeremy ended up 15th, Diran was 17th (so all 3 of us scored team points for overall season results), while Andrew ended up 38th and J-Rod 39th. Our collective results would assuredly been better had neither Andrew nor I come off on that fifth climb.

Next up, Deer Trail at the end of the month. Stay tuned . . .