January 21, 2018, Sun Devil Criterium, Category Masters 55+
Tempe, AZ 25 minutes
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ
This was a flat, 30 minute criterium on very smooth roads.
The course was a clockwise 0.6 mile, somewhat triangular shaped course with 3 ninety degree turns, the last one 140 meters from the finish.
The first corner was a little bumpy and the last had a hump in the center of the road just as you enter the corner.
The second corner had a tight exit, precluding taking it at full speed.
The last corner opened up wide and could be pedaled through.
The weather was just a little cool with a left cross wind on the back stretch, so I wore leg warmers and full length sleeves with two layers on the torso.
I was happy that it was about 10 degrees warmer than the forecast, as I do not do well in cold weather.
We would be riding the race on the course with the 65+ race which would start with us.
Two Women's races, 35+ and 50+ would start 30 seconds behind the men and were not allowed to mix, but would be on the course simultaneously.
Having recently come off the Flu, I knew that my condition was not optimal.
My main strength is normally my sprint and in training I was not hitting the speeds I normally would and my jump was not as powerful as I was accustomed to having.
Thus I had little expectation that I could win this event.
On the first lap, one rider was allowed to wander off the front.
At the end of the first lap, they announced a prime and that rider easily took it and then rejoined the pack.
The pace would occasionally surge, but was generally not too difficult.
If I was too far back, the second and last turn would need too much extra effort to keep on the wheel in front, so I eventually stayed in the top 6.
One complication was that there were two categories of women races also on the course, plus the 65+ race started with us and soon formed their own group.
Being such a short course, we would encounter these slower packs several times and it was sometimes used by riders in our group to try to get an advantage as riders got caught behind then during our passing.
With 2.5 laps to go there was a surge and I found myself at the back of our pack.
I moved up to about 5th position as we crossed the line with 2 to go and my intent was to be near the front for the remainder of the race.
I was in good position with 1 to go.
On the back stretch there were some women up ahead that would cause interference, so I quickly moved up to 3rd position for the 2nd turn.
Down the stretch coming to the last turn, I attacked and took the lead, but I did not get my usual gap that my jump usually affords me and I could see riders directly on my wheel as we approached the final turn.
I took the final turn first and kept to the left since the wind was coming from the right down the finishing stretch, but I just couldn't get up to full speed.
I only hit 31.1 mph for a top speed (whereas the previous time I participated in this race in 2015, I hit 34.5) and this allowed 3 riders to pass me before the finish.
At least I was able to hold my own during the surges and didn't suffer from lack of lung power as in my previous race in October 2016 where I was wheezing so badly after 5 minutes I had to quit.
Then I was only 3 weeks from an illness and this time I had an extra week after starting the flu 2 days before Christmas, which wiped me out for 2 weeks.
I knew that my sprint power was not at my full potential, so hopefully I'll get my strength back as the season progresses.
2017 was a big disappointment with an injury in January and getting sick 4 times (usually I don't get sick for years), so I'm hoping 2018 will be more fun.
Final sprint.
Notice Blond woman in black also finishing her race.
Side shot in the middle of the race.
Summary
Start
Time |
Distance
(Miles) |
Starters |
Duration |
Weather
(Deg F, mph) |
Speed avg
(MPH) |
Speed Max
(MPH) |
| 11:07 am |
9.1 |
13 |
23:02 |
59, W@7 |
23.7 |
31.1 |
Results
Racing page Bike page