Year: 2025

Second race of the season and I decided to use Christian’s old bike for a bit more snap in acceleration than my Domane. It’s nearly 20 years old at this point but still handles great and brought back great memories of our rides together. Christian got me into longer bike rides back in the early 2000’s after I started getting back in shape following Ashley’s birth. At the time I’d ridden all my life but never further than 10 miles and always in street clothes. Over the course of a couple years of progressively longer rides on the Burke Gilman, some epic bonks and riding STP together I was converted into the world of full Lycra, clip in shoes and gel blocks.

This was a high end bike once upon a time but times have changed and now it was the only rim brake, manual shifting bike in the race.

Our field was combined with the 60+ field for this race and we had about 25 people total in the field. Apex had 4 people in the 50+ field and we had established our plan ahead of time. Frank and Brian were to launch an attack on the second bump on the course, form a break and ride off to victory while Harrison and I shut down any bridge attempts and controlled the peloton. It’s rare that a plan actually survives contact with the “enemy” but this time the break went exactly as planned.

Frank and Brian attacked and formed a strong breakaway with 3 other riders at the spot on the first lap that we had planned and vanished up the road. They kept putting time into the group as we continued our remaining 3 1/2 laps and by the end had over 6 minutes on the field. Harrison and I had fun covering any move from the peloton and it was good motivation to stay near the front, one of us was always in the front 4 wheels or so and often right on the wheel of anyone launching an attack.

The breakaway (with special appearance from bell ringer extraordinaire, Susan)

The peloton with myself and Harrison marking wheels

I felt pretty good throughout the race and the only tough attack to shutdown came on the third lap when the field fragmented a bit after the downhill coming back into the woods. I was in good position, 4th wheel for most of the last 6 miles but then after the downhill coming into 1k to go my shifter acted up and I couldn’t get into the right gear quickly enough to keep my position and played catch up for the rest of the finish. Ended up 5th in the field sprint (9th overall) as Harrison and I rolled over for a pack finish.

Frank and Brian came 3rd and 4th respectively and were a bit disappointed that they hadn’t handled the end of the break better, particularly with numbers that would allow them to try alternating attacks. Still a good result for the team nonetheless and good learning experiences all around.

Field sprint

Then it was back to the cars for some beer and a chance to hang out in the sun (not a guarantee at Mason Lake in March). There’ll be another chance on the same course next week so we’ll be back.

Spring racing started as usual with a trip out to the rain shadow in Sequim with 300 other local racers itching at the bit to get off the indoor trainer and see how their winter fitness was going to shape up against the local competition.

We have the routine dialed by now and Susan and I headed off for the morning ferry and donut stop ahead of my afternoon race.

It was just Wayne and I in the Masters 35+ (Cat 1/2/3) field for Apex and my only real goal was to get some race speed back in my legs ahead of the Mason Lake races later this month. Racing in a Masters field were people can be 20 years younger than me is getting progressively more difficult and the last couple years I’ve been dropped relatively early in the race.

This year was going to be different! (TLDR: 32nd / 46 with a pack finish)

We had 46 people in our field and the main reminder from Mick the evening before was for me to make sure I moved up ahead of the corners and didn’t get gapped to much (a recurring bad habit I have when I’m happy to hang out at the back of the field but then need to surge around people and close gaps when they get dropped and end up burning to many matches needlessly).

I kept channeling this throughout the race and it made a big difference. I was never right at the back and was never behind anyone who got dropped (though from the results about 5 people were at some point in the race).

All the riders were pretty smooth and experienced so it was a good opportunity to get mentally back into the flow of being in the middle of a pack. Small breaks went off the front most laps but nothing was sticking until coming into the final lap when a 5 man break with all the main teams got away. I was tempted to try to bridge up with Nate when I saw him going for it but wasn’t sure of my fitness so stuck with my main goal for this C race of not getting dropped. In hindsight I should have gone for it as I felt fine at the end and probably had some reserves.

Coming up to the latter part of the last lap I got talking with Wayne and tried to stick on his wheel coming up to the finish. I love this part of a race and it was a good incentive to keep moving up with him and keeping decent positioning near the front of our pack. The break was in sight up the road, never more than a minute away but didn’t come back.

In the run up to the final bumps leading into the finish I lost Wayne’s wheel and then had to dodge some slower riders that materialized in front of me (I think remanants of another field) which threw off my ramp up a bit but still comfortably finished with the pack. My current bike is very comfortable but doesn’t have much snap for a sprint and I certainly noticed the difference between it and my Kestrel. I may need to revisit what bike I race on if I actually start being in contention again this year in any races.

Overall happy enough with my result and riding, we averaged just under 25mph for the 60 miles and my finishing sprint was only 2 seconds slower than 10 years ago.

Susan was great, cheering along each lap, heckling with choice Irish phrases and ringing our big brass bell on each lap. Next stop, Mason Lake.

The last couple of years we’ve been off on family vacations just ahead of Spring racing starting up and my fitness has taken a hit each time (though the vacations themselves were great).

This year Apex were having a training camp down in Tucson and the timing worked out so down me and my bike headed for a week of riding in the sun.

We had a great week of hanging out and hammering the various local hills (Mt. Lemmon, etc..), trying out “The Shootout” (a long running Saturday local ride/race that any visiting pros tend to attend), and of course riding the Loop (a local trail network).

All in all a great way to kick start my season and get ready for spring racing.