RR - Murraire Crits, B Grade

Background
Well after plodding around in D Grade a little since deciding I should get my butt back on the roadie (or being told to by Lotte ) I had moved up to C-Grade last week for a race. All went well in the C-Grade race and I didn't really have any problems with the speed (39.4ave) of the race and ended up finishing about 15m off the winner in about 9th. My goal had been to move up to B-Grade by the end of the year or beginning of next year.

This weekend just gone, a number of things needing to be done were making it look like I wouldn't have time to race on Saturday morning. In order to try and fit everything in I decided I might as well move up to B-Grade as they race first in the morning, followed by A and then C,D,E later in the morning.

I rode to the race as per usual and showed up about 30mins before the start. The great thing about B Grade being the first race of the day is that the track is empty so I could use it to keep the legs warm before the race. I did a lap then decided I should enter and got my number on (I am not very flexible so putting it on can be a task and a half). B Grade had been split in to B and B-1. I opted for B-1 as apparently it is slower. Almost exhaused from the number incident I headed out for another lap to stop my legs going to sleep and then decided that the beginning of the race was nearing so it wouldn't hurt to sit around a litte.

After the usual pre race talk we were off in a Big bunch with directions to keep it easy until the first corner. The pace was reasonable and I was surprised that it wasn't faster. I settled into a good position about 10th wheel and was feeling pretty good. An attack off the front was pretty much ignored and we got them back a couple of laps later. Another attack by 2 guys went off the front and the pace lifted a little but was still ok. I ended up on the front (somewhere I wasn't keen on being ) and I decided that I would lift a little and try and bring the 2 guys out front back to the bunch. I did a reasonable turn and had halved the gap. I was starting to hurt a little so I moved aside and let the others take over. The bunch seemed to be moving a little quicker (or I was now tired) and caught the two guys after another 1/2 lap. Then the bunch surged pretty hard (mabye to hurt the breakaway guys) and I had to work pretty hard to keep in the bunch and not slip out the back. The prime came and I didn't contest although I made sure I was near the front without competeing in the sprint as I didn't want to risk another surge occuring with me further down the field. The rest of the race was spent trying to keep near the front of the bunch and I did another turn on the front for a bit. Finally we got the 3 lap sign and the pace dropped a little and the bunch spread out about 7 wide. For the next two laps we surged around the track until we recieved the 1 Lap bell thing. The bunch slowed with noone wanting to be on the front and I took this opportunity to move up a little closer to the front. Once we hit the back straight it was pretty much on with some bloke pulling a stupid move down the inside on the grass and then cutting back onto the track just before the second last corner. Fearing the worst alot of people slowed while the rest of the bunch put the hammer down. I chased pretty hard but was now a fair way off the guys in front. I kept the power on to the line and finished feeling fine. Average was 40.5 and distance was actually shorter than C Grade the week before (I noticed the 3 Lap sign went up at about 38mins).

I handed my number in and rode home feeling pretty good. Surprisingly my legs felt ok, however they took a while to wake up this morning. So from now on I will race B-1 with the goal of stepping up to B (much smaller bunch so probably a fair bit more work to pull the same speed).

Hey Paulie

I rode the crit for the first time in a few years - entered C grade,
which was good fun. I went out on Sunday on what I thought was a
recovery doddle and ended up in a paceline for about 70km - some
recovery!

Donga

Paulie-AU wrote:

<insert B-grade crit story here>
> --
> Paulie-AU

*applauds* Awesome work Paulie!!!! Needless to say, I'll be putting a
complaint in to the Balmoral commitee about you sandbagging in D-grade
for so long....

Cheers,
Abby

Not sandbagging ( I got dropped in D Grade a couple of times not so long ago) merely on the comeback trail

I am finding I am having trouble getting into a "Hard working" state atm. On the roadie the lungs and HR seem to be really out lasting my legs. In the bush on the SS I blow to pieces pretty quickly when the pace goes up.

edit: I threw some intervals in this morning which did seem to get me breathing a little harder. Also ventured to Mt Gravatt for a slog (and felt every meter of it)

Nice one Paulie! I know you as a B grade rider, so hearing you racing D was just wrong, glad it was only temporary!

Adam

I assume you did the airport / nudgee beach ride given you said you were heading to Peleton. I was supposed to do it (i'm frequently there) , but .. ... vomitting 4yo's have a way of denying parents sleep....

Paulie-AU wrote:
> Also ventured to Mt Gravatt for a slog (and
> felt every meter of it)
>
>
> --
> Paulie-AU

Must have just missed you - I stonked my way up Mt Gravatt this morning
as well. Probably a bit slower than yourself tho' - it took me 9:25 to
complete the 2km journey to the top.....

Abby

monsterman wrote:
> > DongaI assume you did the airport / nudgee beach ride given you said you were
> heading to Peleton. I was supposed to do it (i'm frequently there) ,
> but .. ... vomitting 4yo's have a way of denying parents sleep....
>
> monsterman

Yup, that's the one. Kennie apparently was racing the Darren Smith and
no one took over as ride leader, so we all defaulted to the
Airport/Nudgee paceline. I really like the idea of the new Peleton
Sunday rides, steady pace with different routes - variety and a nice
recovery from Saturday. The first week (last week) was a reasonable
ride, even though we had a couple of wrong turns! I'm sure it will
improve, after two dodgies in a row!

That's right, blame the 4yo - sure it wasn't your hangover? ;-)

Donga

Did you do the Darren Smith, Adam? How'd you go?

Donga

The hangover was Saturday morning.

Yesterday was the Darren Smith memorial ride to the coast, not the race, that's this weekend. But nah, didn't race this weekend, just spectated, although I did go out to practice my bidon throwing yesterday

And before some spelling nazis come along you and MM better start spelling it "peloton" not "peleton"

Adam

adam85 wrote:

> And before some spelling nazis come along you and MM better start
> spelling it "peloton" not "peleton"
>
> Adam

I spend much too much time polishing my spokes and not enough on my
homework ;-)

Donga

Donga is that a euphemism, or do you really polish your spokes. Oh and Adam, I was always more of a soccer fan anyway.

MM (they're my spokes, and I can clean 'em as often and as hard as I like)

monsterman wrote:
> Donga Wrote:
> > I spend much too much time polishing my spokes and not enough on my
> > homework ;-)
> >
> > DongaDonga is that a euphemism, or do you really polish your spokes.
> Oh and Adam, I was always more of a soccer fan anyway.
>
> MM (they're my spokes, and I can clean 'em as often and as hard as I
> like)
>
>
> --
> monsterman

I know mate, if you've only got one, it's hard to understand ;-)

OT: Adam are you racing tonight?