As for the race start at 8:30am on the day we "Spring" forward for DST, I could have done without that. After the race, I was glad to start that early since it did get pretty warm for the CAT2/3 race. Since upgrading to CAT1, one of the most annoying differences from CAT2 is the insanely blistering fast pace at the start of races. On that note, CAT1 is definitely more orgainized and racers seem to work together more, but they definitely like to attack and put the hurt on others.
The start of Bonelli took off like a flash. We were the first age group to go off, most likely due to Ty Kady (US Cup Marketing Director) racing in my class. I really tried to hang on to the lead pack, but it got away from me towards the top of the first climb. I just don't like to keep my HR in the 180 range for too long. That's what it took for me to hang on in the beginning. Despite the 2nd bridge being iced over warnings, I still managed to slip right on the bridge. I was going so slow, but hit the bridge at an off camber angle which caused me to slip. The bridge was fine on the following laps after it warmed up. I was happy to be able to catch on to Barbee's wheel for part of the 1st lap. He always gets me on the climbs and eventually would open up a gap. It wasn't until the 2nd lap where I started to settle into a rythym. I would try to grab a wheel on faster riders when I could which really helped me not to focus on the pain. Mental toughness is what XC racing is all about. Sure there is power, skill, and talent, but all of that means nothing if you can't mentally block the pain of pushing your body beyond it's limits. I didn't seem to make much progress on my competitors, but I also didn't seem to lose much either. In the end, I took home 8th with a time of 1:51:19. Another mid-pack finish, but I'm really happy with the results. I wasn't that far off from a podium finish and if I really started training seriously, I think I have a really good chance of making the podium. I've been putting in maybe 8 hours a week on the bike and I know alot of these guys put in more than double that amount of training. Plus, I know I can work on my diet too. I was also very happy with lap times being consistent. This has always been a problem for me racing CAT2 last year. My lap times always got slower as the race went on. Since this was my first lap based CAT1 race, I am happy to report that my last lap was my 2nd fastest lap. I'm happy I was able to leave some gas in the tank for the final stretch.
Matt (not pictured) was of great help with the bottle exchange.
In addition, I had zero issues with cramping and felt strong the entire race. I switched my sports drink from Cytomax to First Endurance's EFS Drink. I made sure to follow the usage instructions and I made sure I was strict with my hydration intake. Hydration is much more important with these longer CAT1 races. I could get away with not hydrating properly more last year. So far, I'm completely satisfied with the product. The true test will be Vision Quest. Next US Cup race is Fontana, but I have VQ to tackle before that. (Finished VQ yesterday at the time of writing this entry)
Love the Fruit Punch
PS: I've recently been introduced to track cycling and it's insanely addicting. With that being said, I just purchased a Felt TK2 (Thank you Nick!) with the intention of racing next Saturday at the ADT Velodrome in Carson. I have no idea what to expect and I'm not entirely sure on what the rules are. I've only ridden a track bike twice in the last 3 weeks and I must say it's such a joy riding a bike at it's most simple form.
