June 21, 2011, Boxwood Criterium #8
Nanaimo BC

It's nice to be able to train outside every day. There still has been no more short sleeve riding, with every day in the 60's and an occasional break through the clouds to let us know that the sun does exist. The previous week I worked on my sprints, 200m, 250m, and 500m. This last week I did some short time trials, discovering that I felt strongest while pedaling at 125 rpm (which is good and surprised me). I felt good during all sessions, so progress is coming. I actually get some recovery on my easy days, rather than just going for a ride and still having a big ache in my legs afterwards.

Today the temperature actually got just past 70, but it was back in the upper 60's by race time at 7:00 pm. I dressed with the extra layers I'd normally need for the 60's, but after a few warm up laps in the sun, it felt excessive. So just before the start I peeled off the leg warmers and went down to one layer on the top, though still with long sleeves.

I counted 19 starters, including one junior and one women. Thus we would have three neutral laps out of the total of 40 (making the race over an hour long). Ian was not in the crowd, but Warren was (the top 2 contenders during the previous weeks). We'd have four primes and money for the top three. I felt no wind on the finishing stretch, but there was a bit of a headwind between turns 3 and 4.

I began by staying about midway in the pack, watching who was at the front. The first lap averaged 26.4 mph and most of the laps would average over 25 mph. Warren would be my main worry about getting away, as I was assuming he was the strongest. Although two guys went off the front, they were kept on a short leash and Warren and Mike (a rider my age known for trying to escape) were still in the pack. After several laps, we finally absorbed them and a few others gave it a go. This would continue for the majority of the race, keeping the pace fairly lively and the majority of the pack being strong enough to bring the pack back together.

At 28 laps to go, the first prime was announced and two guys slipped off the front. They got enough of a gap that by the time we hit turn 3, it would have been very difficult to reign them in before the line, so they were allowed to contest it on their own. Warren was the winner, but they were soon hauled in and we continued with the constant small attacks.

At 23 to go, another prime was announced and we were all together. As we approached turn two, I saw that Warren was sitting on my wheel. Soon after turn 2, I went to the left, boxing myself in between two other riders ahead of me, which caused Warren to move up on the right. Before we got to turn 3, I was on Warren's wheel and I was ready to contest the prime. It's about 350 m from turn 4 to the line and Warren jumped with almost 300 m to go (a long way out), with me sitting right behind. With 150 m to go, I was having an easy time of it and thought it would be no problem to pass him for the prime. I began my acceleration and got to within a wheel of passing him, but he got out of the saddle and found enough extra speed to hold me off and take the money. Fortunately this didn't totally exhaust me, but I still had a ways to go and the distance is longer than I prefer.

Another prime was announced with 13 to go, but we had already been racing for nearly 50 minutes and my ham strings were giving me signs of cramps. I watched Warren take the prime easily and I kept near enough the front to be prepared to chase down any attempted escape. As the others tried to sneak off the front, Warren found himself more often at the front than he probably wished, trying to keep the escapees within reach. Mike slipped off the front with Rob Russel and Mike was able to take a prime while they were away. With 5 laps to go Warren, Mike, Ray and Rob got a dangerous gap on the rest of us, so I soloed up to them on the back stretch, only to have us shortly all regroup again. This didn't overly tax me and I hoped I had enough time to recuperate before the final sprint.

With three laps to go, the bell rang for the last prime to be contested at two to go. Everyone got excited and I sat in the middle, keeping an eye on things. The acceleration started late and Bill McMillan jumped with less than 200 to go to take it, while Mike and David Beggs continued their speed past the line to attempt an escape.

So now we had less than two laps to go, two guys off the front, with Warren at the front of the pack and not wanting to do all the work. The gap continued to grow to over 100 m on the back stretch and Chris Cameron (a former winner) and Ron Hewitson jumped from the pack as I stuck to Warren's wheel, figuring he'd eventually make a move to try for the win. The penultimate lap averaged only 24.9 mph.

Bell lap, one to go, and Mike and David had extended their lead with Chris and Ron in between them and the pack. With half a lap to go, it looked like the race was lost. Warren was sitting about third in the pack and it felt like we were not moving fast at all, which made navigating turn 3 a breeze this time. As we approached turn 4 I couldn't take it any longer and jumped from my position in the pack on the outside just before the turn (about 400 m from the line), passing everyone else in the pack as I pedalled strongly coming out of the turn, then I began my pursuit of the escapees. I caught one of them just after the final turn and made a beeline for the group of three in front of me, aware that Warren was probably glued to my wheel. My calves were torturing me with cramps, but I was committed at this point. I screamed up to the slip stream of the leaders and just before I approached them, Ron went a bit to the left, so I threaded the needle passing Mike and Chris on my right. I had a lot more speed than any of them and I was in the lead with only 20 m to go. Due to the congestion, Warren was not able to get around and actually only managed third place behind Ron, Mike taking fourth, and Chris fifth. We actually averaged 28.4 mph on that lap, with a top speed of 39.5 mph, sprinting in my 47 x 14 (with a sprinting cadence hitting 145 rpm), Max heart rate of 189 bpm (all good indicators). So I guess my adrenaline just made it seem slow. The race duration was just under an hour and ten minutes; I'm usually happier at 40 minutes or less.

Last seconds of last lap:


Of course, it's extremely satisfying to finally win one of these races. The speeds we are doing are not shabby. I'm especially happy that I'm finally getting control of my legs again (excluding the ever present cramping problem); I'm able to progressively make them stronger and recuperation rides are working to help them rejuvenate. As long as I don't twist my left knee while under pressure, it is usually not a problem (although it does occasionally remind me that it's not to be ignored).

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