Over The Hump 2015: Race 4

I was finally able to make a few moves on the line up and snag a front row start for this weeks race.  Knowing that Dave (the guy who won last week) has had me covered up to this point in the season, I figured my plan would be to go hard off the start, get out front and hope that he would get caught in traffic allowing me to get away.  Then I looked over and saw him 3 people over from me.

I was 4th off the line when the pack narrowed for the first dogleg, but shot to the lead around the first turn using the inside edge of the lake for a berm.  I simply kept pedaling while everyone in front of me negotiated the turn on the flat ground just above it.  I put my head down and charged into the narrow tree section, and when I finally glanced over my shoulder, all I could see was Dave and the other guy we have been battling with all year right behind me.  My plan to get out front worked, but unfortunately they came with me.  Oh well...

 

On the rev limiter early in the race.

One thing I've not mastered in this whole cycling thing is pacing.  I assume it’s the "moto" guy in me, but once I get to the front all I know is to go as hard as I can to get away.  I have these visions of dropping everyone and disappearing, but in reality I usually end up bringing at least one person with me and then watching them as they motor past me later in the race.

I led most of the first lap and pushed hard through the new "BMX" section and one of the long flat straights.  We stayed very close together and traded work back and forth for the first lap.  We were so close that the 3 of us got the same lap time!

Lap two was a lot like lap one, except by the end I was struggling to hang on to the back and cursing my inability to pace early in the race.  I stayed in a good position until the steep climb in the back when a slower rider held me up and the leaders got a small gap.  I held the gap to 8 seconds for the rest of the lap and most of lap three, but was never able to get close enough to latch back on.   I took a big gamble on the last climb on lap three, but that soon backfired and I lost about 20 seconds.  I ended up a distant 3rd with Dave stretching a good-sized lead over 2^nd place on the third lap as well.

Stats:
Race Time: 0:50.2
Max Heart Rate: 187
Average Heart Rate: 176

Photo by Steven Nadaskai

So 4 races in I can tell the three of us probably need to be moved up a class because it doesn't look like anyone else will be able to match our pace.  That being said, I would have finished 15th out of 25 in Super Sport this week, so its not like we would move up and be contenders in the next class.  Either way, this has been a great time and it is the first time I have been able race with a few guys who are all relatively close in speed and are able to work together to pull away from a group before we take on each other.

Thanks to Red Monkey, Fullerton Bikes, TLD, Swiftwick, Kenda Tire, KMC Chain for all of the help this year.  

PB Creative Photo

Photo by Steven Nadaskai