Training Log Archive: arg

Rode to *Bux in Cadboro Bay with family.

Out with BamBam for a PIH ride. The Kinz was there, however she opted out to ride solo.

A bit drafty, but otherwise an ok ride until BamBam's seat post broke. Was able to get him back in the saddle and we completed the last 20% of the ride; I don't think he put too much weight on the seat after that ;-)

Great means by which to start the day. Spun my legs out on the hills, got out of the saddle in heavier gears. Lots of traffic northbound on the TCH on the way back into Victoria: was backed up from Goldstream to Millstream. Saturday morning commute for holiday seekers.

Mt Work

Home to Switchbridge to meet with tonights racers, then to Caleb Pike

Caleb Pike Crit. A race marred with unpleasant incidents, including a deer that just about took out the lead pack and a junior going down hard on the last lap giving himself a fx'd clavicle and leaving a lot of skin on the pavement, donated by right elbow; his helmet was a mess and it worked like it should have.

Warm and sunny - went through a bottle of water on the ride out to the race site, even at a leisurely pace and the only other bottle was done during the race, which led to a thirsty ride home.

This was the last crit of the year and there was possibility of some place movement for 2nd and 3rd so some attacks would be laid down. I was't in any contention for placing in the overall standings, but I entertained the notion I might be able to pick up a few points in the top ten, if and only if I positioned myself properly in the last lap.

We had a casual first lap, then the race began. I stayed mid pack mostly, but would drift between the mid and front with the occasional pull.

I wasn't comfortable in the corners for about 60% of the time as lines were not being held and lots of braking into corners - not smooth but almost panicky braking which really disrupts the flow of the pack and creates a whiplash effect for the back end. I was forced outside 4 or 5 times by riders not holding their lines and I was thankful I didn't have to avoid curbs, but only traffic cones. Lots of vocalizing during the race to 'encourage' riders to either hold their line, or get to the back of the pack.

Deer came on course a couple of times (or maybe it was just one deer intent on creating race disruption) in a downhill section where we were gaining spped of 75+ and this caused anxiety in the pack for the first instance where the deer looked to be pondering at the side of the road whether he/she should cross as we were riding past, and then a few laps later, it did make the decision to mosey to the other side just after the lead rider went by who was on an attack for a preem and had a gap ahead of the pack. I was maybe 8 back from the front tucked in single file when the chaos started. Bikes scattered and wheels locked, burnt rubber, riders skidding everywhere not wanting to hit the deer, other riders or go down or off the road. Everyone managed to stay upright but the momentum was lost and we called a neutral lap.

All was fine until the last lap. We had built up a lot of speed as the second to last lap was a preem and as no one wanted to be left out, we all sprinted to keep our place in the pack as we entered the bell lap. I positioned myself well in the last 90 degree turn and started to accelerate ahead of a few riders. There is a slight downhill on this fairly straight portion and the pack was starting to punch foward as riders wanted to be in postion into the swooping right hand turn down the pitch to hit the uphill finish sprint - usually the plan is to sit back behind the lead out who is max'd out in cadence and taking the brunt of the pull, and then sling shot past to the finish. We were about 200 m from the right hand turn and I was sprinting into position, looking to be about 5 back at the sprint, when one of the juniors ahead of me went down hard to the right and literally disappeared off the shoulder and into the brush/trees. I had riders to my right and behind me and there was no way I could relax my pace or else I'd cause a collision with those behind me, so put in a full out sprint to get ahead and swing left to stop and head back to the downed rider. It didn't seem like anyone else stopped and I was sure there was going to be some ugly injury.

As it turned out, the front wheel of the rider had hit a rock kicked out from the right shoulder of the road by a rider ahead that tried to gain position on the inside by going off the pavement and onto the dirt. The half baseball sized rock was struck by the front wheel and this threw the rider down and to his right. He slid on his right shoulder/head and right elbow off the shoulder of the road and into the brush where he miraculously missed trees, rocks and other large stationary objects. He was sitting up, some what alert and pumped full of adrenaline. A modifed rapid body survey later and some GCS review indicated he was ok. By this time we had some other folks come by, and a van with a medical kit was enroute. His right elbow had quite the road rash and there was a very ugly wound on the lateral epicondyle where elbow and road met. He had originally said he right arm/shoulder felt ok and gave me a half hearted attempt at lifting his arm as he wanted to ride to the finish line (his bike was suprisingly unscathed but for handle bar and tape). So upon further exam, there was evidence of a fx/dislocation at the AC joint. We got him packaged up, and off to emerg.

So, no points for me but I did eventually cross the finish line.

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