Andy Powell tackles ToAD: Blue Mounds
Well, all those pre-race butterflies and nerves didn’t help much today. What I thought would be a top 5 slam dunk turned into a lesson in gear preparedness. While I would like to find a valid excuse for my poor performance, the underlying root cause is that I suck.
The course is absolutely beautiful and the climbs did not disappoint. I don’t think the profile on the ToAD website was accurate because the grades we much more than the max 10% listed. My computer reported 17% max grade.
Anyhow, the race started at the top of the hill in the park and we had a neutral start until County F. The 3’s had over 50 starters which was a bit surprising considering the mid-week race. At 42mph, it was the fastest “neutral” rollout I think I’ll ever have. The first 6-7 miles are downhill. Then there is a steep climb at about 1/2 a lap, a much bigger one with a slight downhill and then immediate climb again, and finally the last mile of the lap is a brutal climb that never seems to end. I felt good on those first two climbs, keeping pace and holding back a little. The second was tough, but managable. I had a 39×23 which suited me just fine on the many times I’ve ridden in the area. But for some reason, on that last climb of the lap, I had a horrible time turning over the pedals. I let a gap go and struggled to find a rythm, and hoped to catch on after the top along with the other 10-15 stragglers.
Most of my anticipated chase group just quit at the top of the hill and headed back to the park — perhaps they were racing tomorrow, knew they were out, and threw in the towel. So, I’m on my own to chase. At the bottom of that long hill, I look back and see Uve (Get a Grip) so I wait up for him. We kept good pace and could see the pack a few minutes ahead of us — no way to catch on, but we were trying not to get caught by any stragglers after us. I would drop Uve on the hills and he would catch back on on the flats & down hills. We caught a few masters who started 5min before our group. I had a hope of making up places from our field who died.
Again, on that last climb, I was miserable. Oh how I wanted a 25 or 27. I could always sit and power my 39×23 on those climbs but could only find myself having to stand. One lesson learned today is that going uphill in a group requires frequent changes in speed — and the ability to climb slower than you would on your own. Having too high a gear forces a very slow cadence which is unnatural and takes a lot more energy to work with. Also, if everyone else is in a 39×25 and you are in a 39×23, your rythm is different and you can’t “go with the flow”.
Well, I didn’t pass anyone in our group. Ended up with 26th. Only Uve and John (the X get a grip guy who had back surgery) finished after me — so 28 finishers. Wow — I think almost 30 dropped out.
Now, I broke my own rule of racing new equipment without testing on a group ride first. I threw some new Easton EA90 SLX wheels on, and I think that was a mistake. When I took my bike out of the car, I found the rear brake rubbing — the rear wheel did not turn freely. Perhaps that was when I loaded it in the car, but if it wasn’t that might explain why the climbs were more difficult than expected. But I wont use that excuse until I do a few more hilly races without the performance problems experienced today.
So, here are the stats:
44.2 miles
2hr 17min
HR MAX 183 AVG 155
1892 calories burned
44.3 mph max speed
19.3 mph avg speed
17% max grade (10 deg) (perhaps the profile is listed in degrees and not percent)
3560 ft of climbing
100% pain
