Mt. Tamalpais Hill Climb September 12, 2015

At home on Bolinas Ridge
photo: Tali Herzka

13th place in Masters 45+ Cat 123

This short “road race” is a traditional near-end-of-season celebration that brings out hundreds of participants with its many cat 5 and public heats. The roughly 12-mile course has three sections, with a total ascent of about 2050 feet:

• 4.3 miles at sea level, northbound on curvy California highway 1,
• 3.9 miles up Bolinas Fairfax Road, climbing 1531 ft., average 7% grade,
• 3.8 miles up Ridgecrest Blvd., ascending 567 ft of rolling terrain, along Bolinas Ridge (the northwest shoulder of Mt. Tamalpais), average 2% grade

This would be my first race in cat 3, and I had no fantasies of a podium finish. With training for flatter late season road races, and a couple of weekends taken up by shorter sessions at the velodrome in San Jose, my usual focus on climbing has been a bit blurred for the past six weeks.

Before preregistering, I debated whether to race m55+1234 or m45+123. When I saw that Carl Nielson and Harold Reimer were already registered for the older group, I opted to dive in and join teammate Kevin O’Donnell to hash it out with the likes of Tom Lyons, Bill Laddish and Hans Gouwens, among other of my local heroes.

Here come more excuses: For the week prior I suffered from nasty sinus congestion, scratchy throat, drowsiness, general malaise and eventually a bronchial cough, which I attribute to late summer allergies. I decided it was a signal to take several days off to rest up. The continuing hot weather made the decision easier.

When my alarm woke me at five a.m. on race day I felt good. I ate, coughed up a lung, loaded the bike and drove out to Stinson Beach Park, arriving at 7 a.m. Teammates registered for other heats began pulling in as I changed clothes, ate and drank more and warmed up on the rollers for 35 minutes.

Seventeen of us rolled out at exactly 9:05. One rider attacked immediately. When no one else bit, Hans Gouwens (Thirsty Bear p/b Akamai) sprinted in chase and the two had a 150 meter gap right away. Later Hans told me he figured he’d just go for it to give teammate Tom Lyons and easier ride to the base of the climb by making the rest of us chase. It worked pretty well, but the two were reeled back in within a couple of miles anyway. We were a busy little peloton though, just a couple more short-lived attacks, and for the most part, everyone rotating through to keep things together.

With none of us working too hard individually, we flew at 26.5 mph, for those first flat 4.3 miles, reaching the turnoff to Bolinas Fairfax Rd. in 9 minutes and 50 seconds (about 2:10 faster than the m55+1234s, 2:30 faster than the E3s, and 1:10 faster than the m40+4s).

That’s where my fun with the gang ended. The group split up before the first incline. Before I knew it I was hustling to stay in contact with the rear six riders. Dan Connelly, one of my Low Key Hill Climb teammates (Sisters and Misters of No Mercy), easily cruised past me at his own pace as my heart rate hit 179. I knew I had no choice but to let the others go, hoping that I could claw back some time on Bolinas Ridge.

Four riders remained in sight for the rest of the race as I was only able to maintain about 4.2 watts per kilogram. My time on the actual ascent portion of this course was actually my best to date, but still too slow to catch onto another wheel. The four I’d chased up Bolinas Fairfax road increased their gap as I was chasing solo on the exposed ridge.

I did have a good run for the final mile, and just managed to pip one guy from my group before the line. It turned out to be Gary Gellen, another Low Key Hill Climb teammate, who only entered this race on a lark, as his competitive focus is 50 to 100 mile runs. His cardio is absolutely supreme, but I’m amazed that I barely was able to catch a guy whose legs only pedal occasionally lately.

My 13th place finishing time (47:55) was my best to date, but only because of the blazing pace of our group in that first four miles. Some friends have suggested I may have chosen the wrong age group to race with, suggesting that my result would’ve put me on the podium in the 55+1234 group. On paper yes, but in reality that’s doubtful since that group started the ascent with more than a two minute deficit relative to mine. I calculate that I would have finished at around 50 minutes in that group, for 5th place.

I had a really fun experience in my first race with the m45+123s, even though it was “over in a (full-gas) heartbeat” and this twelve-miler just barely qualifies as a “road race”. I got a tiny look into this new-to-me level of competition, and they’re as elite as I expected. Thank goodness USAC Nationals in Utah kept more immortals from leaving me in the dust (namely the newly-crowned this very weekend national 45-49 masters champ, Chris Phipps)! I’ll get to ride with them next season.

I’ll spend the off-season doing the Low Key Hill Climb series again, as well as look for ways to carve out more time during each week to train harder and smarter. and of course in January, look for me at the afternoon Early Bird training criteriums, hoping to hone skills to fit in smoothly with the cat 123 peloton.

Road Cat 3

This season to date I've earned 22 more upgrade points in category 4 races. Combined with many more from last season, upgrading has been on the horizon. My team has a wealth of cat 4 masters, but not many 3s. This being my first season on a team, I wanted to gain experience riding in different roles first (leader, lieutenant, domestique).

As the road racing season is winding down, I'll only race one or two more events. One other teammate upgraded two weeks ago, and several more are getting close, so I put in a request yesterday.

Today I'm officially in cat 3. Now I'll choose between masters 45-plus and 55-plus races.

Winters Road Race: August 29, 2015

One of these crashed into me during this race.

m45+4 group

Teammates: Rob Lytle, Tony Low, Mark Carson, Jim Forester, Matt Tretheric, Jeff Bell, Jeff Kato, Peter Aughney, Neil Leary

Two laps for our group, on good roads, primarily flat, but for a good 2.5 mile ascent thrown into the middle of each. The climb isn’t big enough to weed out the big guys, but it does split up the field, causing some tired chasers’ legs.

Two weeks prior, I offered my help for any teammates who wanted a good result. Rob Lytle and Mark Carson both asked for support in their pursuit of podium finishes. Rob got on the phone right away to begin assembling a team plan. He put his hopes on early breakaways. He would attempt to use Tony Low, Jeff Bell and Matt Tretheric to support his efforts. Mark Carson is a good sprinter, who hoped to be in the mix for the final bunch sprint. I was Mark’s lieutenant, and had the help of Jeff Kato. If needed, I’d pace Mark up the climbs and keep him on my wheel if there was a separation in the group. Jeff, who hasn’t been focusing on climbing this season, would do his best to keep up. He would lead out Mark in the sprint, or if Mark wasn’t there, Jeff would be our sprinter.

The main competition for us to watch was Ron Stofan (BP Sierra Nevada) and Cal Erdman (Team City). Ron is a big-framed guy who is a very solid all-rounder. Cal is suited best for hilly courses, but has done well in each of the road races this season no matter the terrain.

Weather was cloudy at race start, 75°-85° and humid. The cloud cover kept the temperature below the usual 95°-100° for this region.

Our field was a full fifty riders at rollout. The course heads south along I-505 for the first 7 miles or so, into a headwind. Mark, Jeff and I stayed sheltered at around 10th wheel as much as possible. There were a couple of attacks right away, which were reabsorbed. Others may remember more details of early attacks than me.

Turning west towards the hills we were all together. Ascending through the feed zone it was dicey as usual, riders swerving to grab bottles or dodge dropped bottles. There was a pretty huge crowd of spectators here, which was exciting.

Up the climb on this lap Mark looked great and had no need for my pacing, while Jeff Kato soon slipped backward. Tony Low urged me to move up closer to Mark. Jeff Bell spun his cranks trying to coax his chain back onto the teeth, but lost momentum and was left behind for a bit. Jim Forester was policing the lead climbers in case of an attack. I think it was on this lap that he got a puncture and was out of competition.

Over the top I believe we still had our two A-racers: Rob and Mark. Also Neil Leary, Matt and me.
The descent is technical and it caused a gap. At the bottom, there were about 20-24 of us in the lead group.

Coming through the end of lap 1, Rob attacked, building to a 30-second gap. I think he hoped a couple of riders would go with him, but none did. Approaching the turn south, he was reeled in as the headwind really took its toll.

Three or four miles later, the pace slowed, then a moto came alongside to neutralize us so another field could pass. At this time, I heard voices behind our lead group as we were rejoined by a bunch from our race who had lost contact on the climb, including Tony and Jeff Kato.

I checked in with Mark, who said he was fine with liquids, so we’d skip the melee in the feed zone. As we came through, I tossed my two big bottles and stuffed the small one I’d been carrying in my jersey pocket into an empty cage.

Up the big hill, the pace was pretty relaxed again. No attacks. Mark was looking strong and smooth, so I drifted ahead to keep an eye on the front, but would drop back to check on him before the top. This was a big mistake on my part–I would’ve had more time to make a call on some bad news: Mark picked up a rear puncture. I let 15 or so riders roll over the top of the hill, then came Mark with a nearly flat tire, he began descending. I should have stopped him right there. I intended to stay right behind, but accidentally passed when he pulled over to the side. I did a u-turn and offered him my rear wheel, though it’s Shimano and his drivetrain is Campagnolo. The tube swap was going on at a relaxed pace, so it looked like our race was over. In hindsight, I should’ve just called out to stop at the top of the hill and hash out whether or not to swap wheels then.

After the repair, we worked a swift two-man rotation for the remaining 7 or 8 miles, just to get a workout. Along the way, during one of my pulls, a huge bird, the size of a buzzard, swooped low across the road in front of us. It altered its flight to avoid an oncoming vehicle, then turned casually back into my path, crashing into my left arm and shoulder. I chicken-wing-blocked the blow, which sent it cartwheeling, out of control onto the road. Mark said something like “whoa!” and hit the brakes a little bit, as this bird was huge, and though I didn’t turn to look, it might have required some good evasive riding to avoid hitting the poor thing. I felt bad for the bird, but kept rolling. I’m hoping it recovered and got on with its hunting.

Best finish for our teammates: Neil 4th, Matt 14th. And yup, Ron Stofan won.

Issues with this race:
We had a big team once again and half of us finished off the back. Two riders flatted out. Another with a shifting mechanical. Stuff happens. I suffered a hamstring cramp only 18 miles into the race, when I hadn’t been physically taxed at all, dropped off the back of the lead group to shake it out for a few seconds, then latched back on after it subsided.
My big goof: I need to be more direct with the protected rider when they have a puncture, mechanical or other issue, so one of us can attempt to get back into the pack.

Bad Cables

I really need to take my hunches more seriously. For the past three rides, my Emonda has been shifting a little bit funky. Shifts to the smallest two cogs have ranged from sluggish to impossible.
Since the rear dereilleur mechanics checked out fine, that indicates some binding somewhere along the cable.

Today at some point I was planning to put in my primary workout, so that I could do easy spins on Thursday and Friday, prior to the Winters Road Race on Saturday. So instead of a lunch break, I loosened the anchor bolt, pulled the cable up just enough to pry out the head and sure enough, the cable was frayed. Shimano shifters fatigue the cable substantially in the area of the mechanics of the dual-action levers. I assume that SRAM and Campagnolo must have a similar issue, since all of these shifters require the cable to bend around a tight radius as they pull. This action is repeated every shift. So a small area of cable goes from being relatively straight, to bent, over and over.

I noticed this about two years ago when my Dura Ace 9-speed shifters ate both shift cables on the same ride. At that point I vowed to replace the cables every year.

This bike has gone 5007 miles since I got it in mid-December last year, so I’ll adjust my MTBF for shift cables to 4500 miles.

I replaced both shift and brake cables today, along with new housings and ferrules, instead of riding. Unfortunately I didn’t get any actual work done either.

I like the Jagwire Road Pro Complete Shift and Brake Kits ($36-$48). They come with Teflon-coated cables, housing, all the ferrules you need, plus cable end caps.

Dunnigan Hills Road Race, Saturday August 15, 2015

Big team presence on this day, but not well organized.
photo: Yann Bertaud

This is a more public version than the report I shared with my team. There were some issues that I didn't feel were fair to air publicly (even though only the audience for this blog is likely fewer than three or four).

I and several teammates prepared more for this race than any other this season. Even so, we went into it with admittedly only part of a plan. And in hindsight, more conversation with team members in the week or so before the race could have helped outline roles for more teammates. But with considerable research, in-person riding of a key part of the course (the final several miles through the finish), and specific tactical drilling for at least three weeks, I can say that no other race got more of my attention… and this was not an A race for me.

Last year's course ran the opposite direction, with start/finish in a completely different Iocation. I have to say that reversing the direction, and putting the finish at the canal made a huge improvement. This is a fantastic, tough, classic course now. I’d hate to do more than one lap! The “hills” felt bigger and the wind really came out to play. Our group only had to complete one 42-mile lap. The new course challenged every field. In late summer, California skies are almost predictably laden with smoke from multiple wildfires. This August is no exception. the Rocky and Jerusalem fires had been belching for many days already, and some sort of inversion layer was forcing the crud all the way down to the ground. At 8am the air temperature was already approaching 80° and by the finish line, we expected high 90s.

From the time my teammate Henrik Schubert expressed interest in doing well at this race (back in July?), a lot of consideration went into whether or not other team members had similar aspirations. I brought this up and Henrik wanted to make sure that we should find out who else was game. No other teammates spoke up (until the phone conference on the Thursday before the race), so we got started with Henrik’s plan in the meantime.

In the three weeks prior to the race, Henrik initiated a plan to develop a strong leadout approach for the finish of this, relatively flat, Snelling/Bariani-style course, with an uphill sprint finish. We knew that the reversal of direction, combined with the tough new finish profile, would result in a challenging, double-bump finishing stretch that would tax even the toughest sprinters. Henrik, Russ and I drove up to recon the finishing few miles of the course (on the same day we drilled the Winters course).

We measured the distances and tested the efforts needed to stage a 3-person finishing leadout at Dunnigan. We searched the rolling terrain of our home training territory and found a few stretches of road with a similar profile, to drill with teammate Jeff Kato. We practiced staged leadouts on midweek rides for these three weeks, while waiting to hear if any other teammates had alternate or complimentary approaches to the race.

When our team’s Thursday evening conference call took place, Henrik presented the plan for this leadout finish, and mentioned we’d need some support to keep us protected and fresh for the finishing effort. We knew the haul north on 99W was going to be challenging, since there was no real plan to shed riders from the pack… but being a flattish course, that seemed unlikely (though race day winds arguably could have helped a skilled team that knew how to use them).

We drilled with the lineup as follows: Me, Jeff, then Henrik. I would initiate a strong acceleration on Road 6, from the base of the first rise, after the intersection at Road 88. I’d increase speed as close to my max without cooking Jeff (my max on rises like this is quite fast and it is difficult to hang onto my wheel, even though I’m tiny). At the top of the first rise, Jeff accelerates past through the dip, boosting Henrik’s speed. Jeff drills to his max, delivering Henrik as far into the final rise as possible. Henrik comes around Jeff and sprints the remaining 120 meters, hopefully fresher than others who aren’t lucky to have the same support. Jeff tries to keep his line, taking up a lane that reduces real estate for anyone on Henrik’s wheel. While practice with us three riders got better, faster and more efficient with repetition, we felt that several of our teammates could be interchanged if needed (in case of a mechanical or other mishap).

During the conference call, another teammate finally mentioned that he would like a shot at a good finish. Being on Henrik’s wheel seemed like a great spot to start a sprint with this leadout, or…

A suggestion arose to have two sprinters, each protected by different riders, since we had eleven or so team members registered to race, we could probably afford two squads. This would divide manpower though, and our original, much-practiced leadout plan still lacked some support for the final couple of miles up road 99W, through the final left turn, and over the Interstate-5 overpass, but we’d find a way to make do.

During warmup on race day, I had the impression from two teammates who and been “reassigned” to the second sprinter that, like me, they felt the team conference call ended with a fragmented approach to the race. It sounded like most of us wanted to unify the plan a bit more, providing shelter for both sprinters in the existing leadout plan. But both Jeff and I still needed to be kept fresh also. Time was getting short before the start (or so we thought… at the start area, we learned that races were running 15 minutes late). At the lineup I finally saw our second sprinter, but I don’t know if anyone had talked more with him. At this point it felt like it would result in a large team discussion in front of the competition, so I hoped we’d all get on the same page somehow during the race.

We rolled out at the whistle, and Henrik, Jeff and I attempted to stay as sheltered as possible in the front third of the pack.

From around mile 5 to mile 13, average speed was sailing, 28-33mph, with a tailwind. A Team City rider went off the front, chased by our teammate Peter Aughney, who we had picked to chase these attacks. Everything came back together, then our CW locomotives, Rob Lytle and Tony Low drilled the pace on the front going south. Their efforts were making it hard for anyone to sit in comfortably, considering the rolling terrain. I couldn’t tell if riders were being shelled off the back, but assumed that since I was breathing hard, others must be getting fatigued. I knew we had guys way up front, who were driving the pace, and I could see our Neil Leary protecting Mark Carson, our second sprinter. I felt like it was up to Jeff, Henrik and I to hunt for our own shelter in the peloton.

Turning east on Rd.14, finding shelter was almost impossible. The strong NNE wind broadsided us from the left. Riders “tight-roped" the right edge of the road, each sadly wishing someone would be dumb enough to ride just a bit to the left. Rob and Tony must have still been hammering up front because the peloton was in a useless, straight, single-file. Everyone was working. Henrik asked Jeff and I to slide over a bit. I knew I’d be cooked and worthless  before long. Neil was just ahead of me, so I asked him to move over two slots to the left to give us some more shelter.

The peloton got a small break from the cruel crosswind when the course turned south for a few miles, but the pace only picked up to match the same tough effort. Unfortunately as you might guess, the course turned left again, with another stretch of bad crosswind.

Turning north, into the wind, things suddenly went even more sour. A sudden pileup of riders expanded across the road. I couldn’t stop before somersaulting over a dozen or so riders and bikes. I whacked my left knee hard on something, then violent cramps seized my left calf and right hamstring. I was still clipped in, with my bike upside down, my left hand bracing me on a big rider’s pectoral. He grunted “Get offa me! I have a cramp!”. My only way off the big guy was to roll off onto the gravel shoulder. I was worried about the impact of that fall more than the actual crash.

When I got up I saw our follow vehicle (FV) pulling to a stop and the driver looked horrified by the scene. I looked across the road and saw Jeff Kato and Neil standing near Henrik, who was on his knees in the fetal position, keeping his shoulder immobilized. I heard someone say “collarbone”. Rob and Jeff Bell weren’t caught out, and wisely rolled on, seeing there was enough support for Henrik, but concerned nonetheless.

I asked the FV driver if she was calling in the incident. She said the race director hadn’t given her any information on who to call in case of accidents. I felt so bad for her because she really wanted to help quickly. We’ve all been instructed by race directors and USACycling officials, not to call 911 in these situations, because emergency services are specifically dedicated to these events, and dispatch systems can end up sending redundant services, possibly jeopardizing public safety. Out of desperation, she was going to go ahead and call 911 anyway but needed the exact location. I told her I’d go to the next intersection to get the cross road names. There was a course marshall there. I informed him we needed medics and he called in the incident. I returned to wait with Jeff and Neil, next to Henrik. In an impressively few minutes, one EMT arrived, began triage, then an ambulance pulled up. They evaluated Henrik’s condition and initiated transport. I asked them to confirm which hospital so we could meet there: Woodland Memorial Hospital. I’m upset to know that race directors are sending follow vehicles out on course without complete emergency instructions, and I’ve made one complaint so far. This is a serious matter that affects all of our safety on these courses.

The FV was pretty full already with Chris DiMattei (Victory Velo Racing) and “the big guy” I landed on, their unrideable bikes, and Henrik’s Colnago. My banged-up knee felt ok, and my handlebars were only a little bit crooked, so we mounted up and hammered the rest of the course. I had some energy to burn so I rode as fast as I could, hoping to get back to the car as soon as possible to get to the hospital. With a smooth 3-man rotation along 99W, into the NNW headwind, we reeled in stragglers from many other races. Several riders from the M55-open field latched onto our little homebound train for a free ride several miles, bringing them back up to a large group from their own race. I kept telling them they weren’t allowed to work with us, and called them out to the rest of their group. One kept trying to roll with us, then dropped back to his group when I kept badgering him. I was just angry since we just wanted to get to the car so we could get to the hospital.

We rolled in at last, the FV had dropped Henrik’s bike off with Rob, who passed it over to me. Jeff and I loaded up as soon as we could and drove to the hospital.

By the time we arrived at Woodland Memorial, Henrik was just being given the results of his x-rays: A fractured collarbone and some (four?) cracked ribs. They instructed him to see an orthopedic specialist in order to determine further treatment. Fortunately they released him within a couple more hours, and we delivered him home by about 5:30 after a long drive back through dense weekend traffic. At this point it ain’t about me, but I have to say I was cooked from the heat, smoke and worries of the day, but there were a lot of texts, emails and phone calls to take and make, responding to concerned teammates.

Since race day I’ve had a chance to strip my bike to the frame to clean it and inspect it thoroughly for damage. I’m lucky I had soft bodies to hit. It looks almost untouched except for a tear in the protective tape that keeps thrown chains from scarring the bottom bracket shell. I replaced that with vinyl electrical tape and reassembled.

I’ve also been able to help Henrik out with a trip to consult with a local orthopedic surgeon. It’s sad that his season is over, but I’m sure we’ll train together later this fall. Many of us on the team are regrouping and planning for the upcoming Winters Road Race at the end of this month.

My First Ride at the Velodrome

Three riders on the track during a pursuit drill, while another uses the warmup loop in the foreground.

I can’t believe it has taken me this long to take advantage of an amazing cycling facility right here in the bay area. Hellyer Park Velodrome is only about 65 miles from my front door, and it’s been there waiting for nearly my entire life. Last weekend, friend and teammate, Jeff Kato and I found out how fun and easy it is to get access to this track. We participated in a beginners’ session (the first of 3 required for any new rider). The idea to go was spawned by our teammate Fred Proudman, who races on this track every week. At a recent team meeting, he encouraged us to come try out track riding. He offered to come along, ride the session, and give extra advice. $6 to park, $5 for the session, and $5 to rent a bike = $16. The class runs about three hours. This is amazing value! Bring your pedals, shoes, helmet, and be ready to pay attention.

About Hellyer Park Velodrome and the Northern California Velodrome Association 

http://www.ridethetrack.com

from the website:

The Hellyer County Park Velodrome was built in 1963 for an original investment of $25,000. Located in Hellyer County Park in San Jose, the velodrome is part of the Hellyer Park and the Coyote Creek Parkway; a 354-acre urban park in the heart of Santa Clara County’s regional park system. Today, Hellyer stands as the only velodrome in existence within Northern California.

Since opening, Hellyer has hosted a number of National cycling events including the 1972 US Olympic Bicycling Trials, Madison Race National Championships and several Master’s and Junior championships.

• Size: 335 meters

• Banking: 23 degrees

• Material: Concrete track, wood railing

• Seating: Stadium style for up to 200 people

• Only existing bicycle velodrome track in Northern CA today

• Built in 1963 for the Pan Am Games

• Hosted 1972 US Olympic Bicycling Trials and Madison Race National Championships

• Anyone over 9 years old is invited to learn and train at Hellyer

• Junior’s typically race for FREE

• World,-ranked nationally-ranked and Olympic athletes including 3-time Tour De France winner Greg Lemond, US Olympian GiddeonMassie, Ben Jacques-Maynes, and Shelley Olds and have all raced at Hellyer over the years

• Beginner Saturday AM session available year round

• Juniors (under 18) train, rent bikes and get coaching for FREE

• $5 fee + $5 bike rental for adults

• Additional Intermediate, Advanced and women’s training sessions available

• Spectating is FREE

• Racing starts in April and runs through August

• Novice to Elite racing available

• California Non-profit organization

• Dedicated to developing athletes in the community

• FREE programs for juniors (under 18)

• Working in partnership with the Santa Clara County Parks Recreation Department

Details from the website on the beginners’ sessions

When: 8:30-11:30a. The session will begin at 9:00a.

No rentals after 9:00a.

Who: For Beginner and Novice Riders

What: Instruction on Safety, Fixed Gear Riding, Velodrome Racing, and lots of practice and exercise.

Why: Because to ride the track you need to learn to ride safely — it’s a lot of fun when you know the basics.

What to Bring: Waiver, helmet, warm clothing, a snack, water, sunscreen. If you use clipless pedals and shoes, you may swap those out on the rental bike (all rentals have flat pedals with cages). If you have a track bike bring that also.

Cost: $5 Adults (Season Pass not Applicable), $0 Juniors

Bike Rental: $5 Adults, $0 Juniors. Rental bikes are distributed on a “first come, first served” basis. Be there at 8:30 AM for best rental bike selection.

Parking: $6 (Paid at park’s entrance)

NOTE: No gear, wheel or other changes allowed on rental bikes

Required: County of Santa Clara Park & Rec & NCVA Waiver. Must be on-file or handed in at each session.

Weather: Rain or wet track cancels the sessions.

Questions: email Elizabeth Hernandez-Jones bess29@gmail.com

Bob (right) during instruction. A county park ranger (left) treated a rider's scrape after a fall on the track. There was only one minor crash at the session.

About the instructor and volunteers

With impressive patience, Bob Cronin single-handedly wrangled the 30-plus session participants, many were first-timers like me. He expedited registration and at least twenty track bike rentals. Then he instructed the session. Several other experienced track riders volunteered to provide guidance during drills.

About the participants

There were at least thirty riders on the track for this session. A handful were velodrome regulars with enough experience that they were great assets to Bob, while running drills and they made themselves available for advice. It looked like there were a dozen or so first-timers like me among the crowd. Ages seemed to range from 11-ish to 55-ish.

My whip for the day, a steel Fuji with clinchers. The 80-inch gear felt like a good choice for the low speeds of these beginners' sessions.

About the rental bikes

You’re on your own, switching out your pedals and setting up your fit on these (mostly inexpensive Fuji) rental track bikes. I keep my key fit measurements on my mobile phone, and I brought my own wrenches along with my pedals. My bike had a slack chain and loose rear bearing cones, which Fred remedied quickly for me. The bike itself rode nicely.

Fred Proudman (left) sharing what he knows with Jeff Kato (right). I should be paying attention.

A little about Fred

Fred Proudman is an amazing teammate. In fact he’ll be in the peloton with us at our next M45 race this weekend, even though he's nearly ten years my senior (we're both racing down in age). Currently he races at the velodrome every week. A month ago he scored a silver and a bronze medal at the district championships in the points race and the scratch race. At a recent team meeting, Fred mentioned this while encouraging us to contact him if we were interested in riding on the track. I knew at least one teammate from my town would love this, so we picked a date and contacted Fred, who graciously met us at the track and rode the session. When there were breaks, we grilled Fred for more tips.

I may have some of Fred's history wrong, but as I understand it, circa 1970, a (roughly 20-year-old) Fred Proudman collided with a semi-truck while training to qualify for the 1972 US Olympic Cycling team. Recovering from injuries, he moved to Europe, where he was picked up by a French (pro/amateir) team. He notes that his new French team managers and coaches accepted more accountability for developing skills of their riders than he experienced in the states. Therefore, with good coaching, he progressed rapidly, becoming a key member of the team in many stage races. I'm sure he'll scold me for blabbering, but I'm impressed and I'm likely omitting many details. But every time we talk, I learn a new chapter of his cycling career. He has several “racing with Hinault stories” that I have yet to pry out of him.

About the session

I’ve ridden fixed now and then over the past 3 years, but never on the track. I fully expected riding on the track would be like no other cycling I’ve ever done, so I came prepared to pay attention and respect to the etiquette of this new place to ride. The banking of the turns in velodromes corresponds to the length of the lap. Not all velodromes are equal in size. This one is about 335 meters (3 laps per kilometer), with banking of 23 degrees. When I saw it on this morning for the first time, the banking looked steep. I was glad the surface was concrete so the tires would grip at the slow speeds we were sure to ride at during this session.

Today there was a big group with wide-ranging levels of riding skills–from super-sketchy-squirrels to super-smooth intermediates. Some had never ridden a bike with fixed gearing. Bob gave a brief introduction to some essential rules of conduct, plus some explanation of what the different lines on the track surface represented. Then he told us to mount up and ride single file, getting used to the fixed gearing (and each other). We rode 35 laps at an easy 15mph-ish pace, which seemed to give everyone a good feel for the track.

There was some more instruction, then a “ribbon drill”. The big group was split in two, then led by experienced volunteers who took our lines up and down the banking as we rode around the track.

Next came a three-person, flying 100-meter sprint drill. 

The highlight for me was the final drill: two 3-person teams doing six lap pursuits. Experienced track riders will scoff at my "lingo" I know. Each team started from the rail (an actual handrail on the upper perimeter of the track–riders are clipped-into the pedals, ready to roll) doing exchanges (front rider pulling up-track, then dropping back down, onto the rear) every half lap. The goal is to catch the other team. For us roadies, just picture a 3-person pace line. I was lucky to be on a team with riders who had been to a few sessions before, and also happened to be quite fit. Jeff was on the other team, with two experienced track riders. My team actually gained on theirs during the first 4 laps, but by lap six, it was even. This drill was fun because we got to put everything we’d learned together, and we were actually racing for a short time. I learned that it was taking me longer to get back on after pulling up-track, because I wasn’t going high enough up the banking, scrubbing off enough speed. If you pull a little more up-track, your speed drops sooner due to gravity, then your teammates slip ahead sooner, so you can drop back down behind the last wheel. The faster the exchange, the more efficient, because you get back out of the wind.

What next?

Most track newbies start at cat 5 (there are some adjustments for allowing cat2 and above roadies to start higher than track cat 5). Before you’re allowed to race on this velodrome, you need to successfully complete three of these beginners’ sessions. Then you’ll be eligible to race in cat 5 track events. The more you race, you’ll work your way through the upgrade process. But the rental bikes aren’t available for racers (except by pre-arrangement for out of town travelers–another great component of velodrome riding, because if you travel for work or vacation, to an area with a velodrome, you can arrange some training time on one of their rental bikes). So in order to do your first race, you need a track bike. I’m not sure how far I’ll take this, since I can’t afford to buy another bike. I was just excited to try it once. I’m really glad Fred encouraged us to go. For now I’ll at least plan to complete the remaining two beginners’ sessions, then see what transpires. If they say my converted Raleigh with fixed gearing is ok to use on the track, maybe I can at least use it for some cat 5 races.

Lodoga Road Race Sunday, July 5th, 2015

L to R, Rick Kyle (3rd place, Body Concepts), Troy Deibert (1st place, unattached), and me (2nd place, Cushman & Wakefield Racing). Of 9 races this season, this is my fifth podium visit.
photo: Neil Leary

Result: 2nd of 22 in M45+4, 5th of 53 (in the full, combined field of E4, M35+4 & M454+4 riders)

Teammates: Neil Leary (m45+4), Rozel Tupaz (m35+4), and Yann Bertaud (m45+5)

Even shortened from seventy to sixty miles (compared to last year), this road race is one of the longest on our cat 4 calendar, which is one feature that has drawn me to it for the second year in a row. The other feature is the 3.1 mile, 1170 ft. climb that starts at about mile 21. This course demands not only strong climbing, but the ability to put out high power for the remaining 38 miles or so, to the finish. Whether you're in the lead, or one of many chase groups, there is no rest. You will work. It's fantastic.

A few days before the race, I was the only CW rider preregistered among precious few racers in all fields. So few in fact that I was really worried that Velo Promo might have to cancel the entire event. By midweek though, the M45+4 field nearly doubled to 21, including powerhouse teammate (and brand new dad!) Neil Leary. New team member Yann Bertaud (M45+5) signed up for his first road race also. And by Thursday, Rozel emailed that he'd be coming up also.

When I have too much time on my hands, I put together one of these. Fuchsia highlights the potential riders to mark.

In researching the preregistered competition, I usually create a spreadsheet that makes it easier for me to parse the riders' past performance in similar USAC events. If they're on Strava, I'll look at their profile and recent rides, to evaluate whether a the upcoming race is in their “wheelhouse”. This course has one decisive feature that frequently causes at least one split in the peloton. The race winner usually comes from the lead group over the top. This was the case when I won last year. The only preregistered rider this year who could match me over the climb was Don Dumaine (Team Revolutions), but sadly he had to withdraw after being pushed off the road by a reckless driver. Don is a blast to race with, and a great guy. He was in our 4-man breakaway last year, racing down in age, as a M35+4 (our fields were combined). I wish him the best, and hope to see him on the road soon.

Even though it's common for officials to combine smaller fields, it looked like I'd have to dial back my speed on the climb to avoid going off alone. Teammate Neil Leary has proven his serious climbing chops this season, but he wasn't so sure he'd get over with leaders. He and I discussed possible race plans on Thursday evening. I said we'd have to see how things shape up on the road, marking the front climbers, and going with them if possible. I would try not to push the pace to the point that Neil got dropped, but I only wanted a handful (4-6) riders in the lead group with me.

Yann Bertaud recently joined CW, lives in Marin Co. and was so excited to make this his first road race, he offered to captain our carpool. We met Neil in Vallejo, and rode together to Williams to check in and warm up. During warmup, Neil started the discussion among USAC officials whether or not to combine fields. Shortly before our 8:40 start time, they opted to combine E4, m35+4, and m45+4 riders for a field of 53. This added a bunch of unknown riders to the peloton.

After the initial few neutral miles, the pace was hot. Rolling outbound for ten miles of flat terrain, speeds surged to 27mph frequently, and the average pace was about 24mph. Rozel did an admirable job of staying at about tenth wheel, while I was stuck near the back of the field, which filled the road, four abreast. Two riders attacked on the 1% ramp leading to the first tiny climb. The surging had softened many legs by now, so it was easy to move up front to monitor the leaders. As the actual climb started, those two were absorbed and we settled into a pace that was noticeably faster than last year. We flew through the first 0.8 miles at 4%, at nearly 20 mph. I didn't bother to look behind to see how many of the 53 were still there, but from the sound of all the heavy breathing, there were too many to take over the top. The remaining 2-1/4 miles averages 8.7% and it feels relentless. The canyon we're ascending seems to be in a direct line with the climbing sun. Even though it's not even 10 a.m., it feels like my head at the exact focal point of a parabolic heat reflector. The actual temperature is probably 80°, expected to climb to 95° or so by the finish.

It's sounding quieter behind me now, and I turn to see Neil slipping back. I'm hanging in with seven leaders, and only one wears a number that matches the 7xx series of the M45+4 group–a good sign. This guy wasn't on my chart, and had registered today. The other leaders appeared to be E4s, as I didn't see any wrinkly skin.

I was trading positions with the back three of our select group, not even capable of matching the leaders. Simon Aeschbacher (E4, Davis Bike Club) pushed the pace so hard that he was soon alone, 10 seconds up the hill and gaining. One of my five remaining mates just said “Damn dude!”, I think mostly as a comment on how pointless it is to go over the top alone with a big gap. Simon did just that. One more guy dropped off the back by the time we crested, and sailed down the 0.9 mile descent, chasing the leader. I captained a good 5-man rotation that soon built a 36-second gap to our nearest chasers. Simon was still up the road, but must've seen the wisdom in soft-pedaling to benefit from our numbers. The six of us united by the short climb back. Our small group worked well together, but I was pretty cooked and was bringing up the rear by the time we crested the summit. I sprinted over the top to latch onto the last guy's wheel. No problem rejoining the others though, as this descent is fast and non-technical. It was easy to coast in a full-aero tuck, back into the group. We attempted to resume our earlier collaboration, but it was clear that some of us were a bit fried–me in particular. The first of many cramps to come were striking my hamstrings.

At about mile 40, coming through the feed zone, I'm pretty sure we're down to about five riders. Simon, Adam Beltz (E4, unattached), and Troy Deibert (M45, unattached) attack. I take a bottle as Jonathan Gunning (E4, Team Velo Wrench) works hard with me to chase. Over the next 20 miles, the two of us trade pulls while getting frequent time gaps from the moto ref. The gap to the leaders hovers at 2 minutes, as does the gap to our nearest chasers.

Cramps become so violent that my left leg locks in a straight position. I can normally power through a cramp but this is a large muscle and I just can't beat it. I wave Jonathan on for the first of several times. He's just so nice that he eases up just enough for me to latch back on once the cramp subsides. The moto tells us that he's racing for 3^rd among E4s, and I'm racing for 2^nd in my group. As the miles roll on, four different muscles are plaguing me with cramps. With 4K to go, it's certain we're not going to catch the leaders. It's almost certain we'll stay away from our chasers, so Jonathan went on ahead to the finish. I had one more bout of trouble, but luckily regained my spin enough to look like a classy racer as I rolled over the line, 2^nd in my age group, fifth on the road.

Later I learned that Neil was in the 4-man chase group behind us. He finished 6^th in our group.

Lessons:

I couldn't plan tactically for this race, due to the combining of age groups. I could only go on my experiences from last year. One thing that I did wrong was to leave my Skratch Labs electrolyte mix at home. Luckily Neil had a bottle of electrolyte capsules that I emptied into my bottles. Other than that, I prepared well, warmed up appropriately, hydrated as much as needed. The cramping is just due to a lack of fitness. It sounds ridiculous, but this race is more like a 60-mile TT. As I said, there's no opportunity to rest, hiding in the pack. No matter what group you're in, you're going to have to put out power constantly.

My report makes this sound like a miserable ride, but it's not... really! It's one of my favorite courses. Check it out next year.

This May 28th is the 43rd Anniversary of the Event That Made Me a Cyclist

70-pound me, rolling in to finish my first century, atop my 35-pound bike
photo: Mom (JoAnn Kinion)

In 1972, at 11 years old, after about eleven hours in the saddle, I completed my first century, the Oak Tree Century. Starting and finishing near Santa Margarita, San Luis Obispo County, CA. It definitely took “a village” to get me across the line, starting with my dad, mom, my sisters and our friends the Hubbards, with whom the Oak Tree Century in San Luis Obispo county became an annual get together for a few years, after we moved up from southern California.

Exhausted, sunburned and sore, being presented with the "Youngest Rider" plaque
photo: Mom (JoAnn Kinion)

Bless dad's heart (and uncle Russ's too) for pacing my short little legs through this long, hot ride. After about 75 miles, they rode on ahead to prep the welcoming crowd for me. A local shop owner rode back from the finish to meet me and escort me the last 25 miles or so, as I was really dragging.

This was my dad's (Tim) first century too. His practically brand new Schwinn Varsity was just as heavy! But he hammered it from Petaluma to Marshall and back almost every Saturday morning.

I think I was just over 4’ 5” tall. This, my first ten-speed, a used Schwinn Varsity, would still be too big for me.
photo: Mom (JoAnn Kinion)

Over the next year dad and I got Merciers with sew-ups.

My brand new Mercier 200 with AVA rims, Normandy hubs, Simplex derailleurs, my trusty leather Ideale saddle, and sew-ups. Quelle différence! Still too big, but I'm growing.
photo: Mom (JoAnn Kinion)

The pride I still feel, for completing this ride, has kept me immersed in cycling ever since. Thanks to dad, mom, and all who’ve encouraged me over the years. And thanks to my fantastic wife, Jen, who understands, and even appreciates my obsession.

Berkeley Hills Road Race, Master 45+cat4, May 9, 2015, 2nd place!

Aaaaaarrrrrghhhh! Can't catch Rob!
photo: Jenny Peng

With teammate Neil Leary. Not pictured, winner Rob Easley
photo: Kevin O'Donnell

Teammates:

m45: Kevin O'Donnell, Henrik Schubert, Neil Leary, Jeff Bell, and me

m55: Dan Wood, Scott La Perle

The field was a blend of m45+ and m55+ riders. The groups race together, but are picked separately. After getting so much support for a good result in my most recent race, I offered to work for other teammates in this one.

Plan A

(evolved during our pre-race conference call)

Kevin/Henrik (breakaway riders)

The peloton has seen CW's m45 cat 4 squad execute fairly conservative race plans this season, with good results, but we wanted to try something different this race... the breakaway. Somewhere in lap two, teammates Kevin O'Donnell and Henrik Schubert would hammer out a 5-min z5 effort to snap a big, decisive gap. If lucky, 4 or 5 guys: Kevin, Henrik, Rider C?, Rider D? (maybe a Zoca guy?). If it doesn't work the first time, hit 'em again.

If Kevin/Henrik successfully get away with a small group, Neil and I don't help chase. We sit in, still protecting Dan. Staying fresh for the finish, whether the breakaway succeeds or not.

Glen Kinion (m45)

has two jobs: Mark the main competition, namely Zoca riders, my buddy Rob Easley (m45) and his teammate Tim Davis (m55), as well as the state's top ranked cat 4 road racer, West Kurihara (m55) (Team Fremont/FFBC pb Chipotle). Job 2: help Neil Leary (m45) protect Dan Wood (m55). Dan has been looking forward to this opportunity to have some support from our deep m45 squad. Therefore I'm marking the top competition in both age groups, to allow Neil to focus on staying close to Dan.

Dan Wood (m55)

is the protected rider

Neil Leary (m45)

protects Dan, keeping him fresh until final sprint. I cover this job if Neil has a mechanical. Neil will keep an even pace on climbs, while keeping Dan safely near the front of the main group. This is where I plan to be doing my work anyway, so both of us will be pacing Dan.

The Race

Team Zoca seemed to be really organized early on. Their fantastic looking orange and blue kits were in control at the front of the field. This made it easy for me to keep track of my marked guys (though I needed Dan to point out Tim and West, as I didn't know them.

No surprises on this lap, easy pace on climbs, no attacks. On each lap, the “lumpy bits” consist of essentially two climbs: Mama Bear and Papa Bear (there is a Baby Bear but it's nothing more than a gentle rise that doesn't warrant a front shift off the big ring). Starting the ascent of Mama Bear on this lap, Kevin and Henrik quietly cruised to the front, then artfully and painfully increased tempo. The peloton reacted just like a blob of Silly Putty when it's pulled in two directions... it snapped. I intentionally soft-pedaled at the front of the rear group to define the gap a bit, more. Neil was next to me and I could see him instinctively cranking hard ahead to regain contact with the 15 or so in Kevin and Henrik's group. A few in the rear group were starting to line up for a free ride behind Neil, so I moved over and put my hand on Neil's shoulder and quietly explained that as counterintuitive as it seems, we need to let the front group go in order to give Kevin and Henrik's effort a chance. Their lead group was probably too big to be organized into a successful breakaway, but if the pace stays hot enough, half of them will be shelled out the back. This will leave a group of about 6, which if they can work together, can build a gap that can succeed. Later in the third lap, Kevin and Henrik would work several tactics to reduce their workload, while fatiguing the others in the breakaway, hopefully improving a chance for a CW 1,2 finish.

Rob and Tim (Zoca) were riding away in that group. Before the race, we agreed that if either or both of them joined, they would be controlled by Kevin and Henrik and then I would devote my efforts to Dan. I could tell Neil was frustrated watching the front group ride off, but he eased up and we sat in as others in our trailing group moved forward to do the chasing. To tell the truth, I wasn't exactly convinced of my decision, but it felt like the one that matched our plan A the best. Shortly, halfway through the dip just past the top of Mama Bear, others in our group gassed themselves towing the rest of us up to the lead group anyway, where Kevin and Henrik must have really been churning the watts with their impressive acceleration up the climb.

So ensconced, you can barely see me (mid-group, white helmet and shoe covers) right behind Kevin's left shoulder. I'm busy marking Rob (orange jersey). Next to me is Dan Wood. Henrik is just behind Dan.
photo: Katie Truong

Somewhere before the ascent of Papa Bear, Dan notified me that Neil had thrown his chain, so I needed to focus on protecting him until Neil could chase back into the group. The pace up Papa Bear was as calm as on the first ascent, except for Kevin, who was doing another hard effort, trying to draw Rob and anyone else who wanted a chance for glory, off the front. I was giving Dan a steady wheel when I saw him fly by. I came alongside and indicated that he was making it hard for me to be there for him by doing so. He apologized and said he'd seen another m55 rider he was concerned about who looked like he was making a move. Kevin and Rob were off the front over the top of Papa Bear, apparently talking about whether to keep growing a gap. The group reunited on the long descent towards the junction with San Pablo Dam Road. And by this time, Neil rejoined us and I went back to marking riders as before.

We're just beginning lap 3 now. Henrik and Kevin can fill in the facts here, as I'm a little fuzzy on the “whens” and “wheres” but on the long haul up San Pablo Dam Rd. Henrik whispered a “get ready” to Kevin. This stretch of the course wasn't one that was considered ahead of time for an attack, but here's to thinking on the road. Henrik surprise attacked, bringing another rider along. They were away around the turn onto Castro Ranch Rd. The group was slow to react, and on the painful pair of kickers on this road, the other guy faded while Henrik kept on the gas, increasing his gap. He got over the top and down the other side, to Alhambra Valley Rd., before getting caught. West Kurihara, who had been hanging out in the back of the peloton decided to ride closer to the front after these powerful CW surprise attacks. And I'm sure several in the peloton were getting tired from chasing them down. I was still fresh, having cruised in zone 1 & 2 all morning, letting others chase.

I checked with Henrik, and he said he was pretty cooked, and wouldn't likely be able to join Kevin on the remaining attack they had planned, somewhere along the rest of Alhambra Valley Rd. or on Bear Creek Road. The peloton was watching everything we were doing now, happy to cruise easily along behind us. I moved up to the front to check in with Kevin, letting him know Henrik was done. I was about to suggest I go with him on this next attack, but he mumbled something about being pretty cooked himself, and I might as well figure on saving myself for the “bunch sprint” this last time up Papa Bear.

I was a bit unsure, but dropped back a few wheels to get behind my marks while I giving both of my mates a chance to recover if possible. I was thinking things over: They had each put in very taxing efforts that had a big impact on the race so far. Each attack wasn't a coordinated, two-man attack as we planned, but I wouldn't even be seeing straight if I were in their shoes, so best to give Kevin some space. Then I look ahead and Kevin is making his own space! He's stealthily grinding away 30 meters, 40, 70, 100... Two from Zoca are chasing, but seem concerned about zapping their strength, so they ease off. Two Berkeley Bicycle Club riders take on the job, and with great difficulty, eventually reel Kevin back in. I can't remember if the chase continued part of the way up Mama Bear too.

During each of my teammates' attacks, all of my marked riders had to put in big efforts. Good job K & H!

Near the top of Mama Bear, Marty Panos (CA Racing) “hail Mary-ed” going to the front. He always puts it all out there, but this was too little too late. Neil and Dan were right with me as we carefully threaded our way towards the front of the group at the base of this final climb up to the finish. It was time for plan B.

The attacks Kevin and Henrik executed were an attempt to end a dynamic all too common in category 4 racing: The big, clunky, bunch finish. In this case we were still a big group, but only a few of us were fresh. So thank you so much Kevin and Henrik for wearing the others down. Plan A was still going to be a success after all.

Dan wanted me to pace him up the climb as long as I could hold back, and Neil was free to go his own pace. The front of the pack was already thinning within the first minute up the climb. I saw my main competition, Rob Easley go to the front earlier than I had hoped, so I had to abandon Dan (sorry Dan!). I didn't want to ramp up my speed too much yet, so tried to simply not let Rob's gap get any bigger than 10 or 15 meters. Rob and I have climbed a lot together, and I have yet to stay with him, but he does make a good “rabbit.” While trying to match his pace, we had a big gap on the rest of the field. With 200 meters to go, I shifted two cogs smaller, got in the drops and drove my heart rate to 182, but it was clear that Rob was unstoppable. Glancing under my arm at the chasers, maybe 40 meters back, it was also apparent that I would stay away for 2nd.

Rob goes off. Even if I hadn't delayed while trying to pace Dan for a bit at the bottom, Rob's un-catchable.
photo: Jenny Peng

Rob and I congratulated each other, then I was thrilled to see teammate Neil come in 3rd! Coming across 4th with a flat front tire was Dan Schaefer (Christian Cycling), who finished right behind me at the Copperopolis Road Race last month. Then 5th overall, but 1st among m55s, CW teammate Dan Wood! Great results considering this was “plan B!”. Crossing the line we each heard raucous cheers from CW teammates who rode out to watch the race. Paige was again a huge help during and after the race.

Henrik and Kevin were “in it to win it” with these successive attacks in plan A. We felt pretty secure that we could execute proper protection for Dan in the m55 group, and still be ready for Neil and I to play out plan B if needed. I'm convinced it's only because of the stress that Kevin and Henrik put on the rest of the peloton, that made that second plan a success. Once again a thinking team shows how to get results. Great job guys, and thanks for the sacrifice.

Thanks for reading, and for all of the support. Any comments, questions or discussion are welcome. As are any corrections from my teammates.