Last year I was eliminated so needed to try this again today. Hung with the group (Elite 4) until the last sprint when the field left me. The best part was that during the last 5 laps I really felt awful. Suffering badly and thinking I was going to have to drop off. Might have [...]

Mike C. and I traveled to Yolo on Sunday for the Dunnigan Hills Road Race.  I was off to an infinitely better start this year as I managed to bring my front wheel to the race with me (unlike last year).  As Salavatore and James indicated, the course is actually quite scenic.  The Cat 5 [...]

I highly recommend this race for next year.  The course consists of two 24 mile loops with one moderate climb in the middle.  The conditions were clear and warm, with the temperature at the finish line around 90 degrees.  Unfortunately, I managed to bonk around mile 35 and limped my way home across the finish line [...]

I use the term “race” lightly but I sure enjoyed myself. I did Patterson Pass on Saturday and lost the lead group just before the very steep part of the climb on the first lap. Super fast descents and a lot of wind and suffering. It was a really hard race. I don”t think I [...]

It went well!

Noe and I really put together a good strategy. On the first of four laps, I attacked on the big climb causing some movement in the field. Dropped a 3rd of the group, and then Noe and I took a commanding lead into the 2nd lap. I was feeling pretty good, and Noe was looking to be the strongest in the pack. I was sitting behind two guys from Total Athlete waiting for them to show signs of weakness so I pulled ahead of them to set the tempo a little higher before the feed zone. Then came an attack led by one of the guys from Total Athlete AT THE FEED ZONE!!! I wasn’t ready to respond to an attack at the feed zone but I reacted anyway. All of a sudden I felt a painful cramp right below my right rib cage. I knew then and there that my day was over. I had to regroup and hope the break away would suffer the same fate as I. So I rode in no mans land, admiring the barbed wire fencing and vultures that accompanied me. I knew a good portion of the group was still behind me so I was determined to finish strong. Meanwhile Noe was putting some heavy damage on these guys, and eventually ended up in a 3-man breakaway on the final lap. Unfortunately he hit a pothole, and flatted out. Noe was unable to finish the race, but left his mark carrying the TFK flag. I came across the finish line solo I’m guessing in 6th to 8th place.

As you may know, the Mt. Diablo Hill Climb Time Trial was last weekend. While I was a little off the mark from last year, it was a great day to get out and ride the 10K uphill course. For those of you who don’t know, riders start in 30 second intervals from the start house located at the north gate of Mt. Diablo. The staging and set up area is at Northgate High School about two miles away. The course ends at the ranger station about half way up the mountain. There were some incredibly talented athletes out there ripping up that course. This is definitely an event to put on your calendar for next year.