March 31, 2012, San Tan Criterium
Mesa, AZ   40 minutes
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ
Many thanks to Julie Morgan for the photography.

This was a 40 minute criterium on very smooth roads around a bar bell shaped course, 1.16 miles per lap. The length from the final turn is short, such that whoever gets through the final corner on the last lap will likely win the race. The weather was in the mid 70s, sunny, but with a bit of wind from the North West.

I had won this race on it's inaugural event in 2008 and had competed in it several times in later years, so the course was familiar. We had a nice size pack of 24 and another 5 60+ riders riding with us. Mark Fosenburg was absent, spending time with his ailing father. Keith Brodhagen would be the main favorite and a few others could show their stuff: David Bixby, Steve Cullinan, Bob Pongratz, Peter Smith. I had arrived at the race just in time to get ready, so I did not check the start list as I usually do.

The race started off mildly as everyone got used to the course in a crowd. After the first lap, Keith sent a teammate up off the front and blocked at the front. This led to a few guys going off the front in pursuit and after a lap there was a small group up ahead. A lap later, Keith put in a surge on Ingram street just before the turn and I quickly chased him down, hitting 37 mph in the process. So we then had a strong group of 5, but everyone was concerned about Keith putting in another attack, so we were all timid in putting in too strong a pull and Keith only put a mild effort in when he was at the front. Thus we didn't get a strong effort to keep ahead of the pack and soon the pack absorbed us and it was back to watching for attacks.

With Keith being the main favorite, most riders, including myself, were sticking close to him. A few more riders slipped off the front as we kept a fairly brisk pace. A few laps later, Keith attacked at the same spot and I caught up with him after Quail street. We had a little group of 5 again and got better organized. David Bixby was in our group and riding well. We were able to maintain the gap for a while, but I was starting to feel a bit below par, struggling with the pace. Keith would take strong pulls and the rest of us would take short turns at a slower pace. At one point Keith was at the front, David on his wheel, and I couldn't stick to them, watching a gap open in front. I knew I was going to be in trouble as we were not even half way through the race. Fortunately Keith pulled over and David didn't have anything to contribute, so the pace eased and I was able to rejoin them.
23 minutes into the race. Next lap. Keeping a close eye on Keith.

We kept a paceline going, but Keith was slowly demolishing us. A couple laps later, Keith took another strong pull and I was again in third position behind someone else and a gap opened up immediately in front of me as I struggled. This time Keith did not ease up and there was nothing I could do to keep him in contact as the three of us watched the two pull away. Wow, Keith is really strong. I have mainly been training for sprint speed this year and I certainly was not up to this continued high effort.
Watching the win ride away, 31 minutes in. Back in the pack, Bixby just two ahead also back in the pack.

Eventually the pack caught the rest of us and I was blown, so my only option was to sit in the pack and hope for an opportunity after I recovered. A few other riders slipped off the front and I was able to spot 3 away, making a total of 5 ahead of the pack. With the shape of the course, we eventually could see Keith about half a lap ahead of us as he went the opposite way on the adjoining part of the course. Eventually he was storming away alone.

I first heard the lap board countdown at 3 to go. I put myself in the top 8 and looked around to see who might be the best sprinters. Bixby was taking pulls at the front and can sometimes pull off a good sprint. My plan was to be on the inside and take the last two corners ahead of the pack. Alas, with one to go the pace eased up and the bunching of the group made it hard to be on one side of the other and I was boxed in with half a lap to go. As we went down Jasmine street for the final time, riders attacked on both sides and we all surged ahead. I had to move to the outside on Rochester steet to get out of the crowd and took the next corner on the outside, accelerating ahead of the others. Down Julep street I put in my kick and gained about 3 lengths on the others as I looked down between my legs to see where they were. I took the final corner carefully and only had to maintain some speed to keep the others at bay. Still the pack sprint win was only good for 6th and there were 5 places for prizes.
Lead at the finish line, making sure no one is sneaking up.

There were two out of state riders that I was not aware of their stature. They both finished in the top five, but there was nothing I could have done to prevent that. Guess I'll need to work more on my endurance capabilities.
Summary
Start
Time		 Distance
(Miles)		 Starters Duration Weather
(Deg F, mph)		 Speed avg
(MPH)		 Speed Max
(MPH)		 HR avg
(BPM)		 HR max
(BPM)
8:25 am 16.2 24 38:30 76, NW@5 25.2 37.0 168 189

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