Apple Pie Criteriums, 2011

Apple Pie criterium
Corporate Center
03 April 2011


After a very tiring Boggs' 8 hr race on Saturday I certainly did not put any pressure on myself for a great result at the Apple Pie criteriums on Sunday. I had signed up for two races, the 45+ category I-II-III and a few hours later the 35+ category I-II-III.


My back was f-ed up Sunday morning, hurt to pump up the tires, let alone get on the bike, let alone pedal the damned thing. Legs pretty beat from Boggs, that plus maybe a little too much recovery hopps and barley up at Boggs. Anyhoo, loaded up on ibuprofen, I decided to race anyway. I mean how many times can you do a bike race on the weekend a mere 8 miles from the house?


the 45 men's race: my plan was to hopefully ride myself into feeling good but that never happened. The group of favorites got away, telegraphing the move, they did it early and I watched them go knowing full well that was the move. I tried to jump across midway while the break was still a reasonable distance away and got halfway across the gap with a Monty Securities guy who wasn't helping too much (he had a mate up the road) and I didn't have the suds and fluttered back to the field. At which time the rest of the field just basically pussed out and sat up. What is it with these old guys? At least I had a couple excuses. My back would flip out just getting out of the saddle! I did finish the race anyway, calling it a semi-motor pacing session. avg 140 avg HR, 26 avg mph


A few hours until the 35+ and I hung out at the race, socializing etc. Nice day out. The lower back was starting to feel even worse though. But I spent a half hour stretching slowly and then deeply and when it was 10 min till the start it still hurt like hell but I talked myself into suiting up ('I can always quit at any time' I convinced myself). It took some effort to throw the leg over but once on the bike I actually felt good. In fact, once in the race my back problem just magically went away. Just one of those things. I think in some ways I might be more comfortable on the bike than off it. 


So in the 35+ race, a couple guys got an early 20 sec lead, then there was a barrage of attacks that all came to naught. Right as everyone was looking at each other I just lit it up and bridged with one other rider right up to those chumps. We were 4 and then about three more came up. Some of us drilled it but were disorganized, some sitting on, some seemingly unsure about pulling through. It was amateur hour, and at this level we're supposed to be experienced racers. Eventually it settled into a pretty good rhythm though with everyone taking short hard pulls. Dig it. 


A couple others make it up to our group. Uh oh, the group is getting too big. After about seven or eight in a crit, the break loses it's cohesion and begins to fight like like an extended appalachian family (but without the shotguns). I stop riding at the front (not wanting to be some sort of sap) and notice Bubba Melcher had just bridged up to us. This must have lit a grenade in what was left of the field as many guys were coming back up on us. However the pace was high and everyone was getting pretty fagged. My back didn't say a word as I went with a couple of attacks.  As we got into the final five laps the fog of war descended upon the race as it was not playing out into a default script, and difficult to read how to play the end game. As the wind picked up it was mayhem, with riders coming unhinged, riders attacking, guys off the front blowing up in spectacular fashion and so on. On the last lap it was that sort of disarray that saw me jump past a fading group that was once leading, finding big Bubba's wheel and slotting in behind while he made his predictable move with about 700 meters to go, but then unpredictably blew skyward with 400 meters to go, leaving me with a whole snootful of wind between me and the finish line. I jumped around him, not knowing who was behind me, just wanted to catch a few guys just ahead me who were fading. I did that, but lacked the strength in this kilo-like effort to get out of the saddle at all and just tried to pursuit in. Turns out I had two guys on my wheel who managed to come around me and take 6th and 7th right at the line (ungrateful bastards). So I had a very strong ride I felt, received the grudging respect of my peers but came away with only 8th. That and four bucks and you can order a frappucino at any Starbucks (as they say). 161 avg HR, 26.7 miles, & substantially windier.


After that there wasn't much left in the tank at all. Changed, rolled over to the mexican BBQ place down the block, came back with some tacos and a giant Tecate and had a good time watching the P123 race with 120 riders crush the same course, won by that Cal Giant US Criterium Champ whose name escapes me at this moment.


Other notes: Our local Junior racer and Analy High student and Elevengear sponsored rider, Caitlin Scheder-Bischein, crushed all in the sprint in the women's 3-4 race!


Also: I noticed that every local team had great participation in either the racing or spectating ... except Team Rev. What gives? I know we've been having a lot of "stratgy sessions" lately, so maybe this is part of the team strategy? I gotta say it would have been nice to have seen some other teammates there, or even the racing curious. The Pro 1-2-3 race especially was an extremely fun, extremely cheap way to see an elite-level sporting event.


-Rick