May 28, 2005, Tucson Criterium Series #1, Masters 45+
Tucson, AZ   14.1 miles

This was a fairly close race to home, just 45 minutes away. This is the first of a series of three races, with several weeks between each in the series. I rode the first in this series last year, so I was familiar with the course, which is a .6 mile, 3 corner, uphill finish.

I had considered also participating in the Cat 4 race, which started at 7:40 a.m., but it was run simultaneously with the Cat 3 race and was 40 minutes, compared to 30 minutes for the Masters 45+ race. I figured I wouldn't have enough endurance to ride that and the Masters 45+ race, plus racing with the Cat 3 riders would probably make it pretty fast. The Masters 45+ (Masters 45 years or older) was to start at 9:15 a.m. and run with the Masters 55+ and 65+, but scored separately. Checking the start list, I noticed Bob Pangratz was entered, this years current 45+ State Criterium champ (won in a bunch sprint) and he had raced very strongly in the hilly stage race the previous weekend. Also, David Beirne was here, a very strong rider who had one several of this years 45+ road races and third at the State 45+ Crit championships this year. Both of these riders are 45 years old and new this year to the 45+ class; this year saw several new, strong additions to the class.

I got there early enough to register and warm-up and the Cat 3/4 race was in progress, where my friend Jesus Lamb was participating, but sitting towards the back of the field.

As I was assembling my equipment, I heard a yell, a screech, a tire pop, and a crash, just after the first corner from the Cat 3/4 race with just 2 laps to go. One guy was definitely down and moaning in pain as many ran over to assist him. I wandered over to see how serious the injuries might be as this guy was sounding like he was hurt pretty bad. I was dismayed to see Jesus laying there, but fortunately there were no serious injuries. But without knowing the extent of his injuries, an ambulance was called. They finished up the race and closed the course to allow the ambulance access. I was happy to see Jesus later walking around and apparently OK. However, due to the delay, the organizers decided to change the venue, and rather than running the Masters 35+ race next as scheduled, they would race at 9:15 with the Masters 45+ and the 55+/65+ would be staggered back 30 seconds. Also, these races would now be 35 minutes. There were 5 35+ racers and about 15 45+ racers.

We got started on time and right from the gun, one of the 35+ racers, Denny Vaughn, was charging off the front. I got a good start on the outside and latched onto another rider who was chasing him down. After a very tight turn 2, the course goes slightly downhill, but also into a fair headwind of about 10 mph. The 35+ rider was still going strong, but he was not getting away from us. After the 90 degree turn 3, we head up the slight grade to the start/finish line and I was still in third with the two leaders right in front. On the second lap, just after turn 2, we discover that a rider had gone down already and people had gathered around him. We charged on and I stayed with the leaders and as we passed the downed rider again, I looked back and saw that there was one other rider on my wheel and then somewhat of a gap to anyone else. I took a turn at the front to help keep this break alive and I was feeling pretty good. I noticed that the other two riders were in the 45+ race (by their race numbers) and one of them was David Beirne. We were doing about 24.5 mph up the hill (assisted by a tailwind crossing somewhat from the right) and my heart rate had not exceeded 180 bpm.

Then a strange thing happened that I had not experienced before. The course marshals were waving red flags and the organizers at the finish line were telling us to slow down, the the race was being neutralized. None of us really knew what we were supposed to do, as we have never been in a situation where a race was neutralized and at the same time they were telling us to just slow down. We eased up a bit, but chasing riders were now starting to join us. It took several more laps before they announced that they had recorded the time gaps between the various riders and we would restart later; we should just keep riding to keep warmed up. After about 5 more laps, they told us it would be safer (due to the emergency vehicles that needed to enter the course) to leave the course and ride in the adjacent parking lot. So about 33 minutes from when we were neutralized, we started from a standing start again with 25 minutes on the clock.

The same 35+ rider charged off the front again and we had to chase him down again. However this time he was going about a mile per hour faster and my heart rate was hitting 184 bpm. I was struggling to stay with the three lead riders and knew that I would have trouble sustaining this pace. I made it through four laps, but then I just didn't have the strength to continue at that pace, dang it. At least I wasn't wheezing and I just wasn't fit enough to match these guys.

I eased up a bit to recover and join the lone chasing rider, Bob Pongratz, to help share the work for the 18 minutes remaining in the race. We settled into a pace, working together, but with little hope of closing the gap on the riders ahead of us. I was able to get Bob to lead into the headwind stretch and then I'd take over up the hill and along the back stretch. As we continued on, we'd pass several lapped riders from various categories and I didn't envy the organizers chore of keeping everything straight. For the next 4 laps, we'd be doing about 23.7 mph up the hill and my heart rate did not exceed 179.

Having recovered a bit, I found that I was able to pick up the pace a bit. We started going up the hill at 24 mph or faster and my heart rate also getting higher on each lap (see graph). I was somewhat concerned about the finish, as Bob was probably the strongest sprinter in the race. I'd plan the last corner each time we'd go around it and I'd watch Bob's preferred line, figuring that I could take it tighter. With seven laps to go, I was surprised to see that it appeared that Bob was struggling a bit, being a bit further off my wheel when I'd pull over to let him take his turn. The next several laps, he'd seem to be struggling even more, but I wasn't sure if he was just pretending to fake me out.

With five laps to go we got the lap board signs instead of the clock and I picked up the pace a bit, doing a bit more than 25 mph up the hill (and my heart rate hitting 186). I kept the pace up on the next lap, hitting 187 bpm. With three laps to go, I figured that if I was going to drop Bob at all, it would have to be on this climb as I knew the sprinters mentality was to find extra strength with two to go. So I did the climb at 25.3 mph, but didn't do an outward attack, and hit 187 bpm again. I pushed a little harder through the back stretch and taking the mild turns tight to make it a little tougher for him. At the end of the back stretch Bob was still with me and I knew it was going to come down to a sprint with the two of us. With one lap to go, we climbed at only 20 mph and Bob stayed in the lead (heart rate got to 181 bpm).

So now it was down to a two up sprint for third place in the Masters 45+ race and one lap to go. Bob maintained the lead position along the back stretch, relaxed and took a drink before turn 2, and seemed satisfied to remain in the lead through the headwind prior to the final corner, but not very fast. Although I had been in the 39x15 for the entire race, I geared up to the 53x15 for the final sprint. As expected, Bob didn't start accelerating until just before the final turn. I matched his speed, picked it up a bit just before the turn and started to pass him just as we were exiting the turn. As we started the final 120 meters up the hill to the finish I was able to keep the acceleration going, getting up to 34.1 mph and beating Bob by about a bike length.

Although it was very satisfying to beat a good sprinter, the overall outcome may have been quite different if the 35+ riders had not been mixed in with us and if the neutralization hadn't occurred. We'll see how things develop in the next race in a couple of weeks.

Summary
Start
Time		 Distance
(Miles)		 Starters Duration Weather
(Deg F, mph)		 Climbing
(Feet)		 Speed avg
(MPH)		 Speed Max
(MPH)		 HR avg
(BPM)		 HR max
(BPM)		 HR waking
(BPM)		 Calories Burned
(Kcal)
9:12 am 14.1 15 35:27 89, Clr, SW@10 440 23.9 34.1 179 190 48 514

Results     Photographs: Sprint Finish    Up the hill    Hanging on to Denny Vaughn

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