4/11/10: Boulder Roubaix

This race gets its namesake from the more famous race across the Pond, Paris-Roubaix (which occurred today as well; fantastic race to watch!). The lap is 18.7 miles set in a figure-8 with roughly 60% on smooth-to-rutty dirt roads of varying lengths. Pavement never felt so good!!

This was my first race in the Pro/1/2 ranks. Intuitively, I knew this would be a big step up from racing in the 3s (no disrespect to my former homeys), but I certainly couldn't appreciate the magnitude of the difference before actually toeing the line.

I felt fantastic while warming up, so I knew the legs would be ready to respond. Matt Gibble, the Feedback elder statesman and one of our 3s, walked by and asked why I was riding the trainer given my race was 75 miles. I said it was because I knew we were going to be shot out of a cannon once the starter set us off. At the time I didn't know how prescient a comment that would turn out to be.

As I made my way to the start line, I started seeing kits from just about every US-based pro team - Jelly Belly, Garmin, Bahati Foundation, Flying V/Australia, and a couple others I'm forgetting as well as the 2 feeder programs for Garmin and Radio Shack. "Ah, so this is going to be baptism by flame thrower, then," I thought. The goal was to stay in the front pack for as long as possible, then survive to the finish.

The first of 4 laps was incredibly fast, at greater than 28mph - all the more impressive because of the dirt and the slowing-and-accelerating through the serpentine sections of dirt. As in the Euro one-day races, attacks were being countered and contained until the "right break" got away, which it thankfully did about 50min into the race. Part way into Lap 2, the pace instantly slackened and everyone took a breather for the next 15min or so. I thought, "Great! If this is the way the next 2 laps are going to be, I can dig this." Well, the second half of Lap 2 was every bit as psychotic as the opening lap as folks started getting a bit nervous about the breakaway group. Even with the mid-lap lull, the second lap was minimally slower than the first.

I felt really, really good and handled the constant accelerations well, until it became too much and I no longer could. I wasn't simply surviving, rather mixing it up and spending short stints on the front. I knew the yo-yo'ing I was doing was wasting precious energy, but I really wanted to sink my teeth into this race. For better or worse.

At the beginning of Lap 3, I slid off the back of the blitzing front group and settled within a small group. With over 37 miles left, I absolutely needed to pull back on the reins if I was going to finish. After about 10min, we figured each other out and settled in to a solid but manageable pace. I started feeling good again and very much in control. About this time, I also realized that my 2 large bottles were not going to last as long as I had hoped they would. No worries, I had a full gel flask in my jersey pocket with enough fuel to get me to the finish line. I would just need to pick up a bottle of water along the way at the feed zone (which was not a neutral feed as I had thought).

Halfway through the third lap, I pulled out the gel flask for a big hit. I squeezed it into my mouth and . . . nothing. It had somehow opened in my jersey pocket and turned the back of my jersey and bibs into a sticky, gross mess. My first thought was, "Are you serious? It's empty?!?" My second thought? Not printable, but effectively, "I am so hosed!"

When cumulative fatigue sets in, the body can cope with it as long as there is enough fuel in the tank. With my bottles empty and no gel, the 2x4 hit me square in the face a couple miles into the 4th-and-final lap. Watts dropped to a pedestrian level, as did my speed. I stopped twice to pick up bottles jettisoned by the rutty dirt roads lying in ditches. The contents tasted horrible and hot, so I choked a few gulps down and then tossed them back to the road. With about 25min left, I was looking for any sign of a dropped bottle but, of course, there were none. I crossed the finish line cross-eyed and utterly depleted, but patting myself on the back for sticking it out (small victories to be found, right?). I was so spent, my gums were tingling and my teeth were numb!

I was surprised at how many P/1/2 riders dropped out. Given this, I have no idea how I did. We'll see tomorrow. I've definitely "outgrown" the 3s (again, no disrespect intended). Our first lap was about 4min faster than the 3s race, and we doubled that margin after 2 laps. It's another world.

Next up, Deer Trail in 2 weeks. Another undulating RR but one that is thankfully all on pavement! And, it's about 20 miles shorter. The goal is to "last longer" than I did today. It's all about incremental improvement.

Hats off to all the Feedbackers who raced today. And kudos to Jared for his 3rd place in the 3s!!

Ride safe,
Nate