Wayback 6/1/2008 - Lewis Morris Challenge
My recap from the team forum for this race:
Since this seems to be the recap thread, might as well go. So to recap, I think I have mental problems...
My time last year was 1:53:50. This year it was about 1:39:50. That's a 14 minute improvement. My goal this year was to be under 1:40, shooting for 33 minute laps. My laps were 33+, 33-, and 34-. I wanted to start out slow and steady, not blowing on the first 3 climbs - I did exactly that, and after that 3rd climb on the first lap the only person to permanently pass me was Kirt, at the start of the 3rd lap.
In short, I knew this course wasn't great for me. I had a few goals and I hit them. I paced myself very well, managed to reel back in a ton of riders. Never pushed past the breaking point. And yet, I still feel like that race where it all comes together just hasn't come yet. When I was done my legs hurt. Squatting down to get some carrots in the fridge this morning while I was packing my lunch, my legs let me know just how unhappy they were. I feel like I raced at my limit, right where I should have been. I had a strategy, stuck to it, and beat last year's time by 14 minutes. And yet, I dunno, I still felt lethargic out there. I don't know if my warmup isn't right, my pre-race meal, my race nutrition of choice, or what.
Oh and another thing. I joked about one of the experts pacing me through the race. Well just into the second lap, Marc Lewis passed me and we went back and forth the rest of the day. Marc used to work at Planet Bike and used to race expert-level on the Specialized team. NORBA denied his expert application so he was in sport class. Literally for the last 9-10 miles, we paced each other around the course, and at the end we sprinted out the fire road to the finish. He bailed at the end and I took the spot ahead of him, but I'm pretty sure he backed off the gas and let me have it, though we were hammering at a pretty good clip. Regardless, his pressing me at the end is why I managed to keep it under that 1:40 time.
Still, it was a fantastic day. I got to see everyone from the team (except Steve!!!!!), plus a whole lot of other people from the site. These races are turning more and more into really fun events and even if I have the crappiest race, the before/after is really a lot of fun. Good stuff.
The BBQ after was good times. While I wish more people could have come by, my wife would have punched me if the whole team showed.
I do remember Marc Lewis and I racing at the end, but I don't remember much else from this race. A lot of 2008 just blends together when I look back, though I'm not sure why. This is just another race in the stream of races. At this point the LMC is my longest running race, spanning from 2007-2010. I'm luke warm on 2011, though there is that utterly meaningless streak to consider.
I've also done JH 3 of the 4 years it's been run, though again, I have zero recollection of it. That will come in another post, but as it pertains to my memory, Utah insisted that I was there because he said that's where he met me. But I have no memory of that.
Since this seems to be the recap thread, might as well go. So to recap, I think I have mental problems...
My time last year was 1:53:50. This year it was about 1:39:50. That's a 14 minute improvement. My goal this year was to be under 1:40, shooting for 33 minute laps. My laps were 33+, 33-, and 34-. I wanted to start out slow and steady, not blowing on the first 3 climbs - I did exactly that, and after that 3rd climb on the first lap the only person to permanently pass me was Kirt, at the start of the 3rd lap.
In short, I knew this course wasn't great for me. I had a few goals and I hit them. I paced myself very well, managed to reel back in a ton of riders. Never pushed past the breaking point. And yet, I still feel like that race where it all comes together just hasn't come yet. When I was done my legs hurt. Squatting down to get some carrots in the fridge this morning while I was packing my lunch, my legs let me know just how unhappy they were. I feel like I raced at my limit, right where I should have been. I had a strategy, stuck to it, and beat last year's time by 14 minutes. And yet, I dunno, I still felt lethargic out there. I don't know if my warmup isn't right, my pre-race meal, my race nutrition of choice, or what.
Oh and another thing. I joked about one of the experts pacing me through the race. Well just into the second lap, Marc Lewis passed me and we went back and forth the rest of the day. Marc used to work at Planet Bike and used to race expert-level on the Specialized team. NORBA denied his expert application so he was in sport class. Literally for the last 9-10 miles, we paced each other around the course, and at the end we sprinted out the fire road to the finish. He bailed at the end and I took the spot ahead of him, but I'm pretty sure he backed off the gas and let me have it, though we were hammering at a pretty good clip. Regardless, his pressing me at the end is why I managed to keep it under that 1:40 time.
Still, it was a fantastic day. I got to see everyone from the team (except Steve!!!!!), plus a whole lot of other people from the site. These races are turning more and more into really fun events and even if I have the crappiest race, the before/after is really a lot of fun. Good stuff.
The BBQ after was good times. While I wish more people could have come by, my wife would have punched me if the whole team showed.
I do remember Marc Lewis and I racing at the end, but I don't remember much else from this race. A lot of 2008 just blends together when I look back, though I'm not sure why. This is just another race in the stream of races. At this point the LMC is my longest running race, spanning from 2007-2010. I'm luke warm on 2011, though there is that utterly meaningless streak to consider.
I've also done JH 3 of the 4 years it's been run, though again, I have zero recollection of it. That will come in another post, but as it pertains to my memory, Utah insisted that I was there because he said that's where he met me. But I have no memory of that.
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