Wente Road Race - April 26, 2008

Category: Elite 5

3 laps ~50 miles

Teammates: None!



The most amazing part of this race was that I got to race...I was 15th on the waiting list, so I wasn't sure if I'd get in, but I woke up Saturday and headed out to Livermore via the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station (14 miles of flat riding between BART and the race start, which made for a nice slow warmup). I figured if I didn't get to race, I'd just do a ride out nearby Mines road, since I rarely get to ride this part of the Bay Area. I rolled up to the start line just in time to hear my name called for the wait list, pinned my number on, and lined up. It was good old-fashioned hot outside, which was kind of a nice change, but also made for a grueling race. There were Touchstone riders is several other categories, but none in my race.


Unlike other recent races, our field was frisky right from the start, and within 2-3 miles a group of 3 took off. The loop's main climb on Altamont Pass Road started shortly thereafter, and as others had warned me, it was a pretty stiff climb. We were only 5 miles in and I was already redlined - but by the sounds of the breathing around me, so was everyone else. I moved toward the front as we crested the hill to avoid the infamy of sketchy Cat 5 descending, and I was relieved to find that the descent was on near perfect pavement. I was glad to be near the front, as some gaps opened up on the descent, but a group of about 10 were able to stick together near the front. The downhills on this course were strange - they never let you truly recover - I'm not sure if there was a slight headwind, but I know that I did plenty of pedaling even when going downhill.

The 2nd climb of the first lap wasn't nearly as long as the 1st, but it was enough to cause some further gaps to open up. I thought that a lead group of 15 or so would stay away at this point (and I hoped it would, since I was in that group), but I was wrong - a large pack reformed within a few miles. This pattern would become a theme for the day - a lead group consistently opened a gap on the two climbs, but would then rebunch on the downhill and flat sections. We just weren't working together very well at the front (there were lots of us without teammates, and no great organization happening) and there was enough motivation in the pack for a big group to stay in contact. The heat became a factor on the 2nd lap - I was going through water like it was going out of style, and wishing that I had an extra bottle tucked into a jersey pocket. I totally botched an attempted water grab from an unknown (and generous) spectator, and was OUT of water as the 3rd and final lap began.

The action started on the 3rd trip up the main climb (the race was 3 laps, but it finished on the main climb, so we would make a total of 4 trips up the hill). Several guys who were near the front all day still had plenty of juice left, and they hit the hill hard. I struggled to go with them, nearly blew up, and then settled into a manageable tempo with another rider. I hoped that what had happened on laps 1 and 2 would repeat itself, and that we'd catch back on going dowhnill. We alternated pulls, and ALMOST did catch back on before the second climb, but not quite, and the effort was causing me some serious pain. I was unable to do any more serious work, but the guy I was with did bridge to the lead group. I couldn't believe I was putting myself in a situation to ride alone yet again (it happened at Orosi and Wards Ferry too)...what kind of an idiot bike racer am I, I thought? Well that thought didn't last long, because two other riders who were also alternating pulls came flying by a few minutes later. I knew I'd regret not digging hard to latch on with them, and I was relieved when I made contact and could catch my breath for a moment.

One of these two riders was the same guy from Simply Fit that towed Elmar and me to the finish line at Orosi (tree-trunk legs...), and he soon shed me and his compadre. The two of us worked together pretty well along the flats...the poor guy thought we were done when we went past the start area, and patted me on the back for a job well done. I had to explain to him that we still had 5 miles to go, including the Altamont Pass climb. He looked at me in horror, and I didn't mind that he mostly sat on my wheel after that. My mouth was so dry, but my legs felt pretty good at the base of the climb - I punched it as hard as I could, but never did catch the guy from Simply Fit. I crossed the line alone in 11th place.

Thanks to Ken for the lift to Oakland after the race. The 4 mile ride from the finish line to the start area was enough for me...I'm not sure I would have survived the ride all the way back to BART!