As promised, here are a couple of those race reportsGewilli loves so much. Ge can write a book about an 11 mile ride to work, so for the half dozen or so times a years he actually leaves the house on the weekend to compete, well, we're treated to days of buildup followed by days of recounting the event in minute detail. Those of us who don't have so much going on outside of cycling (or are just more dedicated...), can't practice quite that much literary indulgence, but for your Tuesday morning pleasures, here goes.
The Turtle Pond has been around for four or five years, not sure, but this was at least three years in a row for me. The course is an 11.4 mile loop in Loudon (yes Nascar fans, that Loudon) and East Concord, New Hamster. The finish sits just past the crest of a short hill. The hill is not a monster by any means, but it's big enough to keep most pure sprinters out of the money. Taking less than two minutes to climb, during the race the small chainring was deployed by most, but if you're serious in the sprint, you'd probably need to big ring it. The rest of the course is rolling NH roads, a few farms, no huge descents, but a mix of fast and slow sections. This year we started in a new spot at the base of the climb, so instead of 4.5 laps like in years past, we'd be racing about 5.2 laps. The Masters 45+ field had only 66 riders onboard for the start, as some of the usual suspects opted out of the 9 am start time and instead raced down in the 35+ race which went in the afternoon wave.
Team BOB had me, Duano, the Cronoman, Tim-mee!, Wayne, and Thom. Did I miss anyone? Portland Velo had a contingent, Rano and Jennings were there for Gearworks, and CCB had a full squad. There were lots of individuals and pairs too. The rollout up the hill was civilized. A small break soon went up the road, and on the long gradual downhill that leads back to the climb, Wayne went to the front to inspire the lethargic field. Shortly afterwards, I did the same, and ended up pacing the group into the tight right hander onto Oak Hill Road. The break was in sight ahead, and the field exploded up the climb. My not so well timed pull had left me a bit under pressure, and going up the climb that lap sucked pretty bad. Non-climber Duano pulled alongside nearer the top, so I knew I was close enough to the back of what was left of the group. Duane was sucking in low flying birds with his labored breathing, but his efforts inspired me to suck it up and crest with the pack. Things quickly recompacted, but it was about three miles before the last chase group that would make it back on swarmed us from behind.
The next few laps I decided not to repeat my mistake. A break went, but me and the Cronoman just decided to wait and see what happened rather than toast ourselves chasing. No point in bringing anything back unless we were going to have enough left to sprint on the hill at the end. I was counting down the laps, and in a fit of stupidity I calculated we would only be climbing the hill five times. After the fourth time up, they didn't ring the bell and after a quick conference with the Cronoman, I realized duh, since the lap starts at the top of the hill, five laps means we had to do the hill six times, since the start was at the bottom. I thought Duano was going to kill me, as he had been relying on my bogus info/encouragement each time he suffered on the climb.
At least it was grouppo compacto at this point, and we passed KL as she ran a lap of the course. I was feeling fine on the hill now, but early signs of cramping were starting to show up whenever I got off (huh-huh) the saddle . With one to go the field split after the climb, with only the Cronoman making the front group of about 15 riders. They had five seconds or so, and we flew down the farm road, but too many were sitting on and it all came back together. On the rolling road that makes up the far side of the triangle, Jennings again rolled off, and apparently strongman, killer climber, devoted solobreak reader and all around good guy Doug Jansen (Northeast Cycling) bridged up to him. Game over. Jennings later said Doug just rode him into the ground and went on the win by a comfortable margin. If we can't win, there's nobody else who deserves it more, so congratulations Doug! Any of you who think you have to be ectomorphic to be a great climber, well come and meet Doug sometime.
These guys had around a minute gap at the end. Back in the field, I took a position near the front on the long descent. There were lots of others interested in keeping the pace high, but about 300 meters from the final turn, they all sat up and I found myself on the point. Fuck. Going into the tight, sandy, 90 degree bend, the cops and marshall were waving their arms frantically. A guy in a pickup didn't accept the wave through the intersection and had stopped in the middle of the road right around the corner. Perfect for a group of racers who'd been coming out wide, curb to curb every lap (actually, this was the sticks, and there are no curbs). Now I was glad to be in the front. I went by no problem, but knew there would be a lot of people who had to brake and get all messed up. I thought for a second about launching right there, but it was too soon. The small rise after the turn leads to a descent of about a quarter mile before flattening and then rolling up into the climb. The climb has two stages, with a flatter spot in the middle. Like I noted earlier, it takes less than two minutes to climb, so in total it can't be much more than a half mile.
I just coasted down the hill. If I'm going to be stuck on the front, at least I can conserve. As the hill started, Jim Nash (CCB) came by to lead it out, with two Keltic riders on his wheel. I slotted in behind them, but Nash pulled off not long after the climbing began in earnest. Once again at the front, I waited to pounce on whoever came by. Kevin Hines (Bike Link) came up on my left, and others started swarming around. My legs were cramping and I knew I'd have to do this in the little ring (which is a 36 on this bike). I tried my best to follow wheels and hold position, but halfway up the Cronoman launched past with a decisive burst of speed, immediately getting a few lengths. Rano and Hines pounced after him, and I just continued to fight to hang on. Another half dozen slid by me, and at the crest I popped it in the big ring for one last surge, but it's only about 75 meters of flat before the line and all I could do was hold my spot.
The Cronoman got pipped by Rano and Hines, but he held off everyone else and got fifth overall, super for him on a hill finish. Way to go Cronoman. I ended up 13th of the 52 finishers. I was totally spent. Me and the Cronoman rode another lap at a snail's pace for a cooldown, so we ended up just shy of 70 miles on the day, all in about 3:20. The cooldown lap was good for me, because I was set to race the Wrentham Duathlon Sunday. But that's another story. Maybe this afternoon. Thanks for reading, time for work.
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