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Jumpin’ Jiminy
By: Tom Butler
The CBRC Cat4s and Cat5s were out in full force at the Jiminy Peak Cat4/5 road race on May 3, 2003. CBRCs Mark Sumner, Dave Spore, Paul McDonnell, Bill Raleigh, Tom Butler, Mike Fallone, Dave Wren, Dieter Drake, Marty Haire and Ken Sadlemire were eager to pedal the competition into the ground.
Typically, the Cat4/5 race stays together since group breakaways are hard to get away with on this course; however, newcomer Mike Fallone was unaware of this “rule of thumb” and led out a vicious, high speed pace line on the Route 7 back stretch. Mike continued the blistering pace up the Jiminy Peak hill and pulled away with an 8-10 man breakaway group. The main group of CBRCs stayed back, protecting Mike’s lead. By the middle of Route 43, the breakaway group slowed and the lead group came back together.
Because of Mike’s bruising attack, the main field was completely shattered and the lead group was whittled to 45 guys. At this point, 7 CBRCs were in the lead group making us the dominant team.
On the second lap, CBRC went into attack mode on the Jiminy Peak hill, this time led out by Dieter Drake. Once again, by the time the lead group had turned onto Route 43, it diminished to 35 riders. Interestingly, one budding rider, on the fast track to a Cat 2 upgrade, had pulled ahead solo during the second lap. Somehow this rider was forgotten and we never organized to reel him back in. He won the race by 1:13.
Looking around on the second lap, CBRC was again dominant. All seven originals were still there. The pace slowed slightly at this point since it became obvious that it was going to be a field sprint/hill climb finish for second place. At this point Butler and McDonnell were exchanging lattes and cappuccinos at the back of the pack. and commenting on the fine Jiminy Peak views.
Rounding out the high-speed approach to the final climb of Jiminy Peak hill, three CBRCs, Fallone, Raleigh and Butler, jumped into the top six slots. From there on it was a war of lactic acid buildup with Fallone leading the charge at a searing pace. Of course, the race was decided in the last 200 meters with Tom Butler winning the field sprint for 2nd place, followed by Bill Raleigh in 6th place (on fire with his 5th consecutive top 10 finish) and Mike Fallone, finally realizing he was human and susceptible to lactic acid, finishing a respectable 10th – a very impressive effort for his first race as a CBRCer. Paul McDonnell came in 15th, a scant 11 seconds behind, Dieter Drake, 26th, Dave Wren, 30th, Dave Spore, 40th, with Marty Haire, Ken Sadlemire and Mark Sumner finishing in the field.
This was a great day for CBRC, we dominated the race from start to finish and our fine results, three top ten finishes, were directly attributable to our fantastic teamwork. Nice work CBRC.
Other CBRC and local riders had a good day at Jiminy. A 10-man break got away on lap one in the masters 35+ race. Many of the heavy hitters were in the break, including Andy Ruiz. Andy finished second.
Tim Huneck was happy to stay near the front of the main 35+ field each time up the climb and satisfied with his 29th place finish. Ian Beilby and Eric Juzysta also reported that they had satisfying days in the tough Pro 1/2 field. And Dave Fisk said that he was pleased with how he finished in the Cat 3 race.
CBRC Geezers Rock at Binghamton
Chuck Quackenbush recorded CBRC’s first victory of the season in the 35+ race at the Binghamton Circuit Race on April 27. Paul McDonnell and Tim Huneck were not far behind in fourth and sixth places respectively.
This race is a 1.6-mile loop around an industrial park. Think Bethel times two. The loop is about twice as long as the Bethel loop, and the finishing hill is also about twice as big as Bethel’s. Like Bethel, there are no corners.
Masters raced 14 laps. About 3 laps into the race, Chuck powered away from the field on the climb. As he went across the line with about a 5 second gap, the bell rang for a prime. Chuck thought he was doomed. He told me later that he figured the prime would whip the field into a frenzy and he would get swept up. Only one rider made a solid move, however, a member of the home club, Tioga Valley Velo.
Chuck held off the Tioga rider to claim the prime, a pair of socks, then waited for the other rider to join him. The two joined forces and were off.
Back in the field, Paul and I as well as a couple of Tioga riders went to the front to do what we could to keep our riders away. I’ve tried this sort of thing before, and it usually doesn’t work. Blocking is a lot harder than it looks. But on this day it actually worked. We were able to disrupt a couple of attempts to chase down the escapees and slow down the field a bit.
Chuck and his partner didn’t need much help. They were out of sight two laps into their break and soon had more than a minute. No one was going to catch them. In the end, Chuck won out, beating the Tioga rider up the hill for the win.
Meanwhile, in the field, once it became clear that Chuck was gone, I drifted back to save some energy for the sprint. Paul stayed near the front, however, and with one lap to go got into a three-man break that stayed away. Paul finished second in this group, taking fourth in the race. I took advantage of a driveway to get around traffic and somehow managed to get up the hill first out of the field for sixth place in the race.
CBRC riders also did well in other races this day. All five of us entered the 3/4/5 race. This race stayed together and we were all in good position coming into the sprint. Chuck proved he wasn’t tired from his earlier effort by shooting up the climb for 5th. Dave Fisk claimed 8th. And John Conners, in his first race, finished 13th. John rode strong all day. It was had to believe this was his first time out.
Dave was active all race in the 1/2/3 event. At one point he jumped on a break that got a big gap and looked as if it had potential, but after a couple of laps the field dragged them back. Dave continued to ride near the front, finishing about 10th.
One More Lap At Bethel
By: Chuck Quackenbush
Paul Marchese called Saturday night & forced me to go to Bethel the next morning. OK he just said that Bethel was dry. But he said it forcefully. We agreed I'd pick him up at his house at 7:30. Until now we haven't been able to team up except at the Empires. It's mighty good to have Paul as a CBRC mate. Though he was probably wondering about the wisdom of all this when he called at 7:50 a.m. asking whether I'd turned our clocks forward the night before. When I picked Paul up an hour late, Liz was in the driveway leaving for work. She was kind. "Morning Chuck. I hear you blew it."
When we reached Bethel we found out that they'd run two Cat.5 fields & were running late. The 40+ race we figured we'd missed would be going off in about 20 min. Sweet. We suited up in the parking lot, enriching everyone with naked butts. It'll be nice to do the outdoor naked thing when the temperature is above 35. By the way the new uniforms are cool.
Course was nice & dry. We had heavy, steady winds. Between the end of the downhill and the start of the uphill we had to slog through 30+ headwinds. We got going at a good clip. Things strung out early mostly due to some juniors spraying premature aggression. Big guys weren't reacting so Paul & I lodged near the front & kept eyes open.
Around lap 5 the bell rang for a $30 prime. When the sprint went I saw
a couple of breakaway types trailing the wake of the money guys. I went uphill after them. The prime guys sat up, four of us countered & off we went. We started out with a junior, a guy with Yale shorts, Stephen Gray & me. Morgan Stebbins came out quickly after that.
We didn't start out well. Yale shorts & junior seemed to have a problem with each other, and Yale shorts had some sort of issue about getting away with Bethel guys. A guy in green made a nice bridge out through the wind while we were screwing around. After some juking & pointless attacking, things settled down & we got to work. We seemed to be gaining about 10-15 seconds per lap, but rarely got time splits. Finally with about 4 to go we saw the field ahead. We overtook them on the hill, passed up the left side & dissolved into the crowd.
The next couple of laps I worked on staying near the front, trying to see the other four. Juniors & women finished two laps early & stayed on the course to warm down, causing some traffic distractions. When the swarm hit the bottom of the hill Paul punched the afterburner & was close at the finish with Stebbins, Gray & Yale shorts. I'd let myself get clogged but wove through traffic and took 4th place ahead of Green Guy, one or two seconds behind Paul. In his first race of the year Paul took 6th, one place out of $$$.
Then there was anguish over whether Stebbins had taken a leadout from a lapped teammate. I didn't see the point in getting excited, but Yale shorts was giving the official an earful. What is it with these Yalies.
Paul & I regrouped at the car, got some water & agreed this was fun. A few minutes later we were away with the 3/4's. After about 6 laps I broke away with a new Bethel guy & a Colombian rider from Cafeteros. Paul saw us go & took up post at the front of the group. We opened up 25-30 seconds & stayed away a little over 4 laps, but the pack came up hot & heavy with Bethel guys leading the charge. Weird.
After that I just worked on staying near the front & out of trouble. On a prime lap I saw Paul was in position to have a go so I struggled to get up the left side & try to lend a wheel. Futile. I was baked. With about 10 to go a break of six containing one Bethel rider went clear. Paul & I made some efforts to break up the yellow block, mostly because there was nothing better to do. With about 5-6 to go, the Bethel rider popped & came back. We figured a yellow train would form up to reel in the break but they didn't do it. Weird. Paul & I finished safe & sound after a half-fast sprint through traffic.
Other Results
Below are CBRC results for other races
Eastford Road Race(75 starters):
5. Bill Raleigh
8. Tom Butler
Jersey Hill Road Race(35 starters):
6. Bill Raleigh
10. Paul McDonnell
13. Dennis Humphrey
Palmer and Monson Road Races:
Bill Raleigh wrote: “The Palmer Road Race was wet, cold and overall miserable. I finished 5th in the 4/5 race, and managed to avoid two fairly large crashes just short of the finish line. Probably had some luck on that one due to the endemic stupidity that occurs in a 4/5 field.”
“Monson had much better weather, but some nasty sections of road. I finished 9th.”
Tom butler finished 12th at Palmer.
Tymore Park Challenge:
Karl Detrick finished 14th in the 30+ expert mountain bike race at the Tymore Park Challenge. Karl reported that he was pleased with this result in his first race after a five-year break.
Getting Back in the Race
By: Gary Toth
From my days in the peloton and, more recently, while officiating either in the pit or in follow cars, I’ve seen a lot of racers take advantage of the technical support provided and successfully get back into the race, but a lot more frequently, due to not knowing the rules and procedures, or just getting freaked out, they end up out of the action - an opportunity lost, an entry fee and a tank of gas wasted.
The rules and procedures for service are quite different for criteriums and road races, so I’ll address them separately:
Criteriums - Unless it’s stated on the race announcement, the free lap rule is in effect in all criteriums (see rule 3D5 - either in a printed rule book, or online at usacycling.org). Basically, if you have a mishap (A puncture, a broken part of the bike, or being in a crash are all mishaps. Having your chain fall off when you shift to the small ring, having your shifters work poorly because they are dirty or misadjusted, or being delayed behind a crash are not.) you are allowed one lap to make your way to the pit, report to the official there, get necessary repairs or replacement equipment, and be returned to the back of the same group you were in the lap prior to the mishap without being a lap down - except in the last 8 km. Obviously, that is an awful lot to happen in the space of one lap. In fact, on courses under 1 km, you are allowed two.
That’s what the rule book says. In reality, this is the way most officials interpret the rule: After a mishap occurs, as long as you are proceeding to the pit as quickly as possible, when you get there the official will give you the benefit of the doubt and give you a free lap. Similarly, if the group you were in goes by while you are still in the pit and the mechanic is still putting the wheel in your bike or adjusting a spare bike to fit, you will be put back in the next time around without losing a lap.
This is what you should do at a criterium:
• If you have an extra pair of wheels, bring them to the race. Besides being spares for the pit, you may need them if you flat before the start, or you may want to warm up on them if the streets around the course are crappy. They do you no good home in the garage.
• When you get to the race and register, check out where the pit(s) are and whether there is a neutral support service (usually Pedro’s or Mavic) - if there is, you don’t have to bring your spares to the pit.
• About 10-15 minutes before the start, bring your wheels to the volunteer or official in the pit. If you really want to impress them, and have a chance of them finding your wheels fast when they are needed, write your name/number/team on an index card with waterproof marker (instead of ballpoint pen on the used McD’s napkin from the floor of your car) and put it between the spokes.
• When on the start line, actually pay attention to the start instructions - the official will tell you where the pit is, whether you have the option of cutting the course to get there, and the laps to go when the free laps end (important!).
• Once the race starts, if you have a mishap, stay calm! You can get to the pit 3 ways - ride or run in the direction of the race, cut across the course, or run backwards on the course (you could probably get away with riding backwards on a sidewalk or the grass). Unless you happen to ride tubulars, and pick up your butt and your bike from the pavement only to find one or more tires off the rim - you should instead head for the parking lot, unless you would enjoy a lecture on gluing tires and maybe a two week vacation from the sport of cycling.
• When you arrive at the pit, calmly tell the official what happened and what group you were in. He may already know, or verify it with officials on the podium, so don’t lie (and don’t say you were at the front - everybody does -the rules say you get put in at the back. You’ll usually end up somewhere in the middle). They will then tell you whether you qualify for the free lap. The mechanic will replace your wheels or make other repairs if necessary. If it’s a neutral support service, let him do his job. If it’s a volunteer from Fred’s Bike and Lawnmower Repair and it looks like he’s going to screw it up, you may have to get more involved or take over.
• If you have time to wait for the group you were in to come around again, use it to your advantage. Having a mishap and going to the pit for a free lap is stressful, and the adrenaline will be pounding through your system. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Ask for some water and take a big drink, so you don’t use up what’s on your bike (If you are getting a spare bike, make sure your bottles get put on it.). Eat some gel if you have it. The mechanic will push you back into the race on the official’s instructions, but don’t get on your bike and get clipped in too soon so that you have to be held for more than a minute.
• When the mechanic starts to push, accelerate hard and stay on the side of the course until you can merge into the group.
• After the race, return to the pit and pick up your wheels (some nice ones get left at almost every race) or promptly return any equipment you were given which isn’t yours.
One more thing to remember - when do the free laps end? Keep track of the laps to go near the end of the race. If you have a mishap after the free laps have ended, you won’t get one. Definitely do not run backwards on the course, unless it happens just past the pit, because you will have to make up the distance. In fact, you don’t have to report to the pit, unless you need a wheel or bike - just get going as quickly as possible. This is especially important in a points race or a crit in a stage race, where not losing a lap may be more important than not getting a top placing at the finish.
Road Races - In a road race, support is provided from vehicles traveling with the race, and after service, you must make up the distance lost (Don’t whine and beg for a motorpace back to the field - that is not how they do it in the pros or in Europe, at least not when the officials are watching.) The support may be from neutral support cars or motos, but at most races it’s a single volunteer vehicle carrying wheels that the riders have put in.
Here’s how it works:
• Again, always bring your spares. At registration, find out where the support vehicles are, and bring your wheels, legibly labeled, to the volunteer (If you’re lucky enough to have a neutral support service, never mind - they supply wheels and bikes.) Chances are he will have more wheels than he can fit in the vehicle, so you and your teammates may want to put in just one pair for the team. Ask him and/or the official how they will run the support - strictly “wheels in, wheels out” means just that - you will get your own wheel, and if you didn’t put any in, you don’t get one. Finding your wheel among 30 or so will take so long that support is reduced to giving you your wheel so you can ride back to the finish. What most volunteers and officials will do is give anyone who needs it a wheel, and record whose wheel goes to who, so they can make sure everything gets returned after the race. Even though this means that the slimeballs who never put in wheels will get one, too, it also means that you will get a wheel a lot faster. And time means everything - more that 30 seconds for a wheel change, and you’re probably not going to rejoin the field.
• If you need service during the race, move to the right (it’s in the rules) and drop back to the back of the group. Tell any teammates you can find what is happening - you should have prearranged plans if any of them are going to wait and help you team time trial back to the group (That’s how it’s done in the pros.) Make sure the car is there, as it may have been delayed by a previous mishap. If you are lucky enough to have a problem like a broken spoke or slow leak, you can ride along at the back until they show up, or wait until the pace slows before you stop for service. Communicate to the service car what the problem is so that they can have a wheel ready before you even stop. Tradition is to put up your right hand for a rear wheel and left for a front (same as your shifters). If you need a tool (allen wrench, etc.) for tightening or adjusting something, just drop back alongside the car and ask. If you’ve been in a crash and can’t ride the bike, stop and wait on the right side of the road. Shift to the smallest (outside) cog and take the bad wheel out of the bike and hold it up so that the service car can see what you need as it approaches.
• Once you and the support car are stopped, stay calm. Set the bad wheel down out of the way, hold the bike up and let the mechanic change the wheel, but like in the crit, keep an eye on him - if he’s all thumbs, you may need to take over. If you’re getting a spare bike, remember to take your bottles.
• As in the crit, you are entitled to a push. As soon as the bike is ready, jump on and let the mechanic start pushing - you can clip into the pedals and shift gears while he’s pushing. The idea is to get going as fast as possible - being 20 seconds down instead of 40 will have a lot to do with whether you make it back or not.
• There will be service/officials’ cars and possibly vehicular traffic backed up behind the race. You must pass these cars on the right - hopefully they will see you approaching and move left to let you by. Once you have gained contact with the line of cars, you are permitted to briefly take shelter from each one as you leapfrog back to the peloton, but you can’t be motorpaced back.
If a teammate has to stop and you are going to help him get back on (it’s better if two teammates help), drop to the back of the group and watch - if he is delayed a minute or more, there’s not much point to blowing your race by going back for him. Once you see him on his bike again, if the distance is doable, stop - you want to help him as much as possible, and just slowing down will result in him riding longer alone. Start accelerating as he approaches to match his speed, and then put your heads down and team time trial back to the caravan, where you can get some shelter and move up to the peloton. Easy, right?
A lot of this is common sense stuff, but it’s another reason why, in cycling, you can’t just turn off your brain and hammer like you can in some other endurance sports. Remember, you ride with your legs, you race with your head. Any questions, see me on Tuesday night.
One last thing: these days many front forks come with “lawyer knobs” on them - legally required little protrusions at the bottom of the dropouts which keep the wheel on even if the quick release isn’t tightened (Darwin would require that anyone dumb enough to do that should die in the resulting over-the-bars crash before they reproduce.). Installing a wheel requires first loosening the quick release several turns, and then re-tightening it - not conducive to 10-second wheel changes. If you ever hope to get a fast wheel change, you must file the knobs down flush with the dropout surface and pre-adjust your skewers to clamp tight just by closing the lever.
Tuesday Night at the Races
After a one-week delay due to snow and ice, CBRC’s Tuesday night training races kicked off on April 15. In complete contrast with the week before, the temperature this night was in the 80s. It was the first time this year some of us had ridden in shorts. Perhaps because of the good weather, perhaps because it was the first race of the year, or perhaps because there are more people riding this year, a huge group turned out. I estimated about 30 in both the A and B group.
The A group did a 4+ lap race. The pace was blistering the first lap. Everyone seemed to be fired up on the first night out. I began to think I was going to be in trouble if this kept up, but, fortunately, it didn’t. Things slowed a bit after one lap.
Aside from the usual strong men, Chris Shaffer was often at and off the front driving the pace. Chris has taken this semester off from college to train full time for triathlon. He’s obviously been working hard because he has come out raging. In the end, about a dozen riders came to the finish together. Andy attacked hard to take the win ahead of Chris and a charging Chuck Q.
April 22 was cold and damp. Several riders from the week before chose to stay home, including me. I was told that, while the field was smaller, the pace wasn’t any slower. This was the second-ever group ride for Mike Fallone, and he impressed everyone with his strength, riding off the front much of the evening with Andy and Chris.
On April 29 the A group did two shorter races in case anyone wanted to stop midway and save themselves for the opening time trial the next day. Ian escaped near the end of the first 2+ lap race. He was joined by John Miller and they held off the fast-charging pack. Ian again attacked in the second 1+ lap race. This time Chris joined him on the hill. Coming into the last corner Ian and Chris caught up to the B group, which was doing intervals. I thought we might use the confusion to help reel them in. However, we first had to catch the B’s, who were now flying along in their final sprint lap. It took most of the finishing straight just to catch them. Seems like some of those B’s should be riding with the A’s. Anyway, Chris and Ian held us off.
May 6 was another 4+ lap race. Andy and Ian got away on lap 3. It took a well-organized effort to reel them in after about a lap. Turning onto 102 for the last time, Chuck was at the front with Mike on his wheel. Chuck used one of his power moves where he doesn’t really attack, but gradually ramps up the speed and puts the hurt on anyone attempting to follow. Dave and I managed to get onto this train and by the top of the hill had a small gap. We were joined on the descent by descending demons Derek Walsh and Paul Marchese. I thought this group might stay away, but the surging filed and the headwind brought us back. Derek started the sprint much too early with a violent effort into a violent headwind. I tried to go with him, but didn’t come close. Derek almost held everyone off, getting passed just at the end by a couple of riders.
Time Trial
Ian threw down the challenge to all CBRC riders to come out to the first time trial of the season and try to break his New Baltimore course record of 27:02 set two years ago. Seventeen riders responded to the challenge, and Andy Ruiz and Chris Shaffer both got under the previous best time. Andy now holds the course record with 26:08. Nancy Welsh also set a new women’s course record with a time of 35:15.
The next time trial is Wednesday, May 14 at the New Baltimore course. Results of all riders are listed below.
1. Andy Ruiz 26:06
2. Chris Shaffer 26:38
3. Dave Fisk 28:58
4. Tom Butler 29:36
5. Paul McDonnell 30:37
6. John Conners 31:04
7. Don Welsh 31:09
8. Kenneth Sadlemire 31:51
9. Darren Blanchard 32:54
10. Jonathan Masters 35:13
45+
1. Dave McLeod 31:33
2. Walter Klimek 34:28
3. Paul Dillon 36:19
4. Herb Insley 40:35
Women
1. Nancy Welsh 35:15
2. Teresa Carichio 35:24
3. Michele Rawlins 35:48
The House of Pain
I judge how good a winter it has been by the number of hours I have logged on my trainer, the fewer the better. For a while, I deluded myself into thinking that this winter was perfect. There was ideal snow to for skiing from Christmas until early March. Then, magically, the sun came out, the temperature warmed up, and the snow melted. I went straight from skiing to riding outside.
Then, came April. The first week of April offered up some of the most miserable weather in memory. I skipped riding the first two days of the week, convincing myself I needed the rest. Wednesday I rode anyway. The rain wasn’t all that cold, I reasoned. I would do anything to avoid the death machine sitting in the basement.
Thursday the weather was bad enough to make Johan Museew cringe. Friday and Saturday my kids were ice-skating in the street. There was no riding in that weather. The death machine called.
In the book Catch 22, Captain Dunbar tries to lengthen his life by cultivating boredom. If Dunbar had had a trainer, he would have outlived Methuselah. Sometimes I think time does not move at all when I am on the trainer.
We all have our ways of dealing with of riding indoors - spinning classes, structured workouts, heart rate monitors, Tour videos, workout videos, alcohol. Anything to break up the monotony. I use most of these, sometimes all at once. But my favorite diversion is music, loud angry music. I cannot ride the trainer while listening to Willie Nelson or Neil Young. I need The Smoking Popes. Music that makes your hair curl, if you play it loud enough. I play it loud.
Once, my 11-year old daughter, Emma, came down to the dungeon after bedtime and said, “Um, Dad, I can’t get to sleep. The music is shaking the floor.” Talk about role reversal.
And in one of the more surreal moments of life, there was an evening this winter when Emma and her 7-year old brother, Austin, were upstairs dancing to big band music while both their parents were downstairs strapped to various workout machines, listening to dangerously loud music. As a kid, you would have had a better chance catching me playing with Barbie than listening to big band music. But then, you would have had an even lower chance catching my parents riding a trainer. Maybe that’s why they so badly wanted grandchildren.
That’s the kind of weirdness you get with a trainer. Still, I ride the death machine anyway. I suppose it’s the price we all pay to come out of winter with some sort of cycling fitness.
Final Thoughts
I apologize for the delay in getting this newsletter out. My computer, a Gateway that has been a fiendish device since its creation, finally blew up for good in early April. After a foolish attempt to repair it, we finally decided the best plan was to have it rebuilt. Now it is newer, faster, and no longer a Gateway, all good things. Anyway, I scrambled to get this out and may have missed some results. It is probably also not as polished as it should be. I apologize for any errors.
On the subject of results, I’m not sure how far to go with this. I guess I’d rather not go through BikeReg and search for results. It’s time consuming and maybe some people don’t want everyone to know how they did. We all have bad days. For now, I will list results of anyone who sends them to me, or of anyone I discover has had a good race, either by looking at BikeReg or talking to you Tuesday night. The best way to get your results listed in the newsletter is to e-mail me at thuneck@nycap.rr.com. It is helpful if you send your full name, place you finished, name of the race, and date it was held.
Results for the club have been great so far. We have scored one victory and a lot of top ten finishes. Local riders have put in strong rides in all categories. The Cat 4s have been especially successful. I look forward to having them upgrade to bolster the Cat 3 ranks.
It has also been nice to see a lot of new faces this year. One Tuesday, when a lot of regulars were absent, there were so many new faces that I felt almost out of place. New riders have done well. Keep it up and recruit others. We need more new riders to keep the racing scene fresh and improving in this region.
Finally, thanks to all who sent me information for this newsletter. When I volunteered to take this job, I envisioned being more editor than author. I hope more people will step up and send more than just a list of results. I’d like to get as many different perspectives on races as possible. Even if you are in the same race as me, chances are you view it differently. Write something up and send it over.
Until next time - Tim.
At the Back
The Presidential View
Bike racing is an endless series of ups and downs. Of course there are the physical instances of climbing and descending but then there are the metaphysical alterations that accompany the racer throughout the year. Every year starts out in the gym with lots of optimism, goal setting, and upgrading whatever stuff you broke on your bike last season. Then come the first February rides outside in the subfreezing weather bringing with them the taste of road salt and smell of diesel exhaust. You start to doubt your commitment to the season and your ability to distinguish between rational and irrational behavior.
Things get easier when the sun turns warm and extra layers of lycra can be left at home. Racing seems to make sense again. There may be a few early season disappointments such as a mechanical or silly crash that took you out of contention at the finale of a training race. With plenty of big events to come later, its no big deal.
Leading a cycle racing club can foster many of the same changes in outlook during the course of a season. There are the disappointments of failing to land that big sponsor, the anticipation of the new kit coming in, watching responsibilities pile up, and the satisfaction of seeing riders that have worked hard for several years achieving big results. The club is definitely enjoying some terrific success as Tim’s reports on the Tuesday night rides also point out, with many new pairs of legs taking part in a weekly dishing out of pain.
And here’s the pitch. To keep CBRC moving up, I will do my best to provide leadership and the members must continue to participate and encourage others to participate in ways that benefit the entire club. Organize rides, car pool to races, race in club events, and, finally, submit your results.
See you all on the road. Train Hard.
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