Mark Dames Reports from CCCX (Funny!)

Written by Mark Dames

Where: Central Coast Circuit Racing, Fort Ord, CA

When: 9 July, 2012
Race: 45+ Cat 5
Course: 60 Minutes, roundybout the former Ord Military Base.

Teammates: Dave Tripier

Saturday morning. The dilemma .


A) Sleep in,

B) Mow the lawn,

C) drive 1 ½ hours to Monterey, and propel my body into hypoxic overload in the hopes that I’ll recapture my misspent youth.

With no competing family events, no work deadlines looming, no triathlons scheduled, option C rose to the top of the list.

The bike was in good shape, the rider had been newly fitted to it, and I was rested. Excuses not to go, were not materializing.

And the Venerable 45+ Cat 5 category needed some team representation.

At Monterey, the weather was perfect. Slightly cool, but warming in the Sun, windless, beautiful.

This could be a good day.

I signed up and then warmed up taking a few runs down the army base road towards the ocean. What a view.

I meet up with Dave T who is in the same race. We take another warm up lap and then hit the starting line.

There are about 20 entrants between two divisions, 35+ and 45+ Cat 5 racing together. Big Jeff Anders from MVV is there. I take note. He’s gone off the front and stayed away the two prior times I raced this event. I’ll have to watch him. If he goes, I commit, I’m going.

Whistle blows, were off at a blistering first lap pace of about 18 mph. This is a warm up lap to get the old bones working again I guess. Dave T. chats me up for some strategy, and I disgorge my interpretation of Andrew’s race wisdom. Stay in the draft. Conserve energy. Stay near the front. Don’t chase a single breakaway. If a 2nd guy goes, go with him.

Lap two speeds up, and I start to get near my limit going up the back side stepped ascents, but no one is interested in going kamikaze. On the descents I coast past most of the peloton while they are still pedaling. Hmmm. Can I make that work to my advantage? Lap Three is more of the same steady pace, but I don’t feel so winded on the back hill climbs. I try and stay behind bigger guys for more draft. I do note that coming off the long down hill to the last turn I don’t want to be on the inside, so I don’t have to pinch the turn to the finish. Note to self. Stay left.

Third lap, a guy goes off the front on the back side straightaway. After a couple of minutes, big Jeff motors away to bridge up to the breakaway rider. I’m about halfway back in the peloton and not particularly well positioned to jump his wheel. I consider bagging it and riding with the pack home. I remember Andrew’s counsel, “If you let a break go, you blew it”. I’m reminded of the Great Cat Fives who have come before, Merckx, . . . Foster, . . Indurain, . . . Rice. To heck with it I’m going. I surge off the front. As far as I know, no one follows. I get 100 then 200 yards on the peloton. I close to 30 yards on Big Jeff and the other guy. They are working together and I feel like I’m crossing the Sahara solo. It’s desolate out here. I’m working, working, working, but not gaining on the leaders. Lap 4, and I’ve still got a good lead on the peloton, maybe I can stay away. As soon as the road starts rising again, I give up that delusion, and coast back to the pack. At some point on the back side Jeff is done using his breakaway companion and discards him like an old shoe. Alone he flails wildly to stay away on his own, but comes back to the pack. This looks better now. Another spot on the podium is up for grabs. I get a minute to rest and the stair steps start again. For the first time I have to down shift out of the big chain ring. Bad sign. I’m drifting back, now. Now I’m off the back. I go anaerobic trying to get back on and after I crest the hill I force myself to power down the other side hoping I can hook up again. While the pack coasts I catch back on. Down the final hill I’m coasting up through the pack, I maneuver to the left, I should be able to finish mid – pack. I carry some good speed around the final corner, and drift a few more spots up the pack. I look up to the finish line and there’s Big Jeff in the distance and a half a dozen guys in front of me. Some of these may be catchable. Should I expend all that energy? (I read somewhere that its bad form to pass someone just to get a non-podium spot.) The Great Ones beckon me onward. What the heck. I spin furiously. I pass two or three guys before the line and finish what I think is a probable third or fourth. Dave T. is close behind me.

I learn later that I got second amidst the 45+ group, and get a medal for the effort. My first hardware in a bike race!

A good day.

Congratulations to all the CoreTechs riders, especially Alan and Rick for their First and Second finishes!

Cheers.



Mark A. Dames