Greenville Spring Training Series - SCTAC Race #2

http://carolinacyclingnews.com/2011/02/27/greenville-spring-training-series-donaldson-center/#more-5776

Thanks to Neil Browne for a nice write-up!

A View from the Back. Mel Diaz (Posted by Teenie)

Thanks to the slow pace after the opening sprint, (SPRINT!?) I felt pretty good…yet once over the railroad tracks I realized something was wrong with the bike, more noise and vibrations than normal, so I slowed to pull off…the pack had cleared…there was the side road before the road smoothes…then a slow motion fall…going down, what happened!!! Tire rolled, bam! Hand, forearm, shoulder, watch my glasses go bouncing in front of me…get up...everything moves, my hand has a lot of blood, forearm road rash. Get on the bike and ride it in, pass another of our group with a flat, Keith changes the flat for me Christina cleans me up a bit and I get on the bike ride back down the course to turn before the tracks. 28 MPH to get back on, took forever…tag back on still going…another acceleration…bye bye, fun while it lasted. Pass a masters rider from Augusta who was popped off…here comes an organized group of young racers…big guys for Juniors but they were riding hard and fast so I jump on, go up golf course hill…is this really only the second time? Again go up it over 20mph at the top around the bend 100 yards ahead are 45+ Masters, the group accelerates to catch and I watch them ride away…again this is getting old. Recover…the masters rider from Augusta catches me and we ride in together into the wind, cross the stream at the bottom, snap, my seat is now pointing up and something falls off…the connector broke…stand up and ride in. Enough for one day. By evening wrist has a minor sprain, hip has minor rash and what feels like a point in shoulder has a little more than a Cat 1 AC separation, I have had a 3 and 1 so am fairly certain I will heel. Other than that, it was a fun weekend!

The Seminole Classic

Cinthia has won all three races and the Omnium!!

Click here for the event flyer.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!

Women Rule

Women dominate the Pro/1/2/3 field.

Click here for writeup....Carolina Cycling News

Click here for Video... GSTS Donaldson Giselle Victory!

GTS Opening Week

I will not run down the individual accomplishments. Race Results are in the column at the left of this blog but they only tell part of the story.

The TEAM came out 'guns a blazing' this week. Teenie and I anxiously awaited texts and calls after the races and to say we were delighted, would be a gross understatement......we were THRILLED.

Each of you, who raced, helped create an outstanding race weekend. I always like to compare one year to last and we are way ahead of this time last year. We had great efforts across the board!

Next week we focus on Fork Shoals and Donaldson. FS will give us a chance to go uphill and I feel we will be on 'our turf' as opposed to the flatter BMW and Donaldson.

Let's start with a big turn out on Saturday.........and hope for good weather!

Teenie and I look forward to seeing you and racing.

Congrats and I look forward to seeing your posts on the weekend and the details!

I say, well done!

WOW. What a great group of people to have on your team. I was all struck by the purple and black as you guys raced your hearts out at the Greenville Spring Series. I had not seen many of you in some time, and I have to say, YOU GUYS ARE FIT!

Giselle gathering the troops before the race to talk strategy and tactics. That large cup of coffee I saw her with helped to perk everyone's mojo up before the race start.

Congrats to everyone for a great race!

In the 4's, Emily finished 2nd for a birthday present to herself. She is the epitome of age is just a number.

Elizabeth would have been right there with her except that she was taken out by a squirrly rider. Heal up quick! We need you!

In the 1, 2, 3's women's event, Team HeadStrong represented with three women finishing in the top 5!

Ray had a 2nd place finish with the help of a lead out from Brian. Brian already has his eye on the Fork Shoals Race which suits his climbing capabilities!

Patrick must be doing something right. After 90 days on a trainer and 3 days of road riding, Patrick stormed the pack with a solid 4th place finish. That titanium clavicle must be less than 2 grams. Next time, request carbon, it weighs less.

On a beautiful day, an AWESOME team named HeadStrong did the Upstate Proud. Forgive me for not including more photos of later races, work was calling my name..................

Upgrade congratulations to Cristina Lindsey

Congratulations to Cristina Lindsey on her recent upgrade to Cat. 3. On top of that, Cristina placed 2nd in her first W123 race yesterday at opening day of the Greenville Spring Series in a sprinter-heavy field, and is off to a rockin' good start!

GTS is here

Teenie and I are with you guys. Have these things in mind:

* Have FUN

* Be safe

* Know you and your team goals

* Have FUN

Racestrong!

Mt Lemmon Climb

25 mile climb to up over 8,000ft.... 80 degrees at the bottom... snow lining the road at the top...

Randall said it was not steep, maybe 4%...... He lied!

Valley of the Sun

3 days of racing against a very strong field in all categories.  
Day 1   ITT 14.5 miles ... slight uphill into a head wind then back down to the start
Day 2   RR  41.5 miles ..  2 and half loops with a 3.5mile climb on each lap
Day 3   Criterium  .9mi with 7 turns

Great weather, and people were here for some serious racing.   Lindz did Team Headstrong proud taking 2nd, 3rd, 2nd each day and 2nd overall in the Cat 4 Womens.  

Randall, despite his inability to walk to car (note prior photo), garnered 6th overall in the 60+ with a 5th place sprint finish in the Crit (I must say he had great leadout....).  Teenie took 10th in the time trial ( 1 min off due to timing error that would have given her a 5th place.... but.. that is bike racing).  In addition to being the only 50+ female in the race she held her own in the road race fighting a ferocious headwind to finish 17th (out of 32) in the Cat IV women's.

Well, as for me..... I have run out of space and the DS is calling....... 

It's good to have teammates

Another day riding the UWBL. Less miles, faster and 3 sprint zones. An excellent preparation for next weeks races. 4 teammates riding the A group Giselle, Emily Brian and myself. From the start all riding together. We stood out as a team. Somewhere the women decided to do there own ride, which was understandable. Brian and I rode the rest of the ride glued to one another. We both got dropped in the last sprint zone because we were near the end on the hill at SCAT (not paying attention), when Boyd and a few others cranked it up so hard that a huge gap occurred, which we could not bridge. The lead group slowed down and I told Brian lets time trial it and try to catch them. He did not hesitate and took off, as I followed. No one else went with us. We rotated every 60 seconds. Unfortunately we did not catch the group, but made a statement, finishing 1 minute or so behind them. Teamwork! Yea it is fun to have teammates.

TEAM headstrong in Arizona

While Linz, Bird and I did the usual intervals and 30-30's in preparation for today's Time Trial at Valley of the Sun in Arizona, Randall did his preparation while we were in Dick's Sporting Goods. This didn't seem to hurt him as he finished in 7th place, today, in the 60+. His times and data show he was almost exactly where he was last year. Not bad, hu, for a guy 2 months out form back surgery!

Jon joined us arriving late last night after dealing with the weather that caused plane cancellations and delays. Bringing one bike (road) and racing in maybe the most competitive AG (50+), plagued by technical issues (Chain, etc.) and 4 hours sleep--he ran a TT he can hold his head high with. His time was 39 and some change on the road bike without a TT helmet.

My race pretty much looked like last year, as well. Joe tells me to measure ourselves against the field as opposed to the race as the conditions change. Today there was a headwind which according to the buzz, put us 1 -2 minutes off the prior years time. They logged me at 41: something. In the CAT 4 field I finished 10th out of 32. Not what I'd hoped for, but there it is, none the less.

Linz again made us proud. She raced a strong TT clocking a time of 39:05 and placing 2nd behind a triathlete-turned-cyclist who finished in 36 something. Yikees!

What the first place racer doesn't know, however, is that although she may have taken first on the TT, Linz can handle a bike like a pro and that both the road race and the crit are her tramping grounds!

Tomorrow the Road Race. 2.5 laps requiring a climb be tackled 3 times. Stay tuned!

Just another day in Greenville, SC...

I took advantage of yesterday's spring-like conditions to sneak in a two hour training ride. My "coach" (that would be myself) had me scheduled for 8x2min "Big Gear Hill Climbs", which I like to do out by the Green Valley area. I escaped the apartment with shorts and legwarmers, a long sleeve jersey and a wind vest, my first day out in months without full tights, a jacket and shoe covers. I enjoyed the tranquility of a warm-up spin on the smooth asphalt of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, where I had the road to myself with the lone exception of the kamikaze field mouse that darted in front of my wheel, challenging my bike handling skills. I turned left past Furman U, crossed the highway, and rolled down the hill and across the bridge before starting my first climb. Pushing a big gear at 60 rpm's and 300w, I forced myself to concentrate, and not pedal in "squares". As I was recovering at the top of my 5th repeat, a slightly built woman in headstrong kit streaked by me, intensely focused and tucked in behind another rider. It was none other than our own Giselle, absolutely crushing the climb...in February! I turned around and rode back down the hill, ready to begin my next repeat, when on the opposite side of the road, tucked in behind a motor scooter, a tall rider in red BMC kit and white Oakley sunglasses was effortlessly flying up the hill, trailed by a small gaggle of riders.

Riding home, I reflected on the day, and I don't know who was more impressive, Big G or Little G, but I do know this: I would never have experienced what I experienced today in the Fla Keys...or Cincinnati...or Pittsburgh...or anywhere else for that matter. Greenville, SC is a pretty cool place for a cyclist to live.

Working Race Calendar

You can upload a spreadsheet of the Team Headstrong Calendar at Team Headstrong Event Calendar Rev 1.01  (this is in GoogleDocs as Google Groups is no longer supporting files and pages..... you should receive a notification about this.   I will be uploading the maps and other files from the Groups to the Docs for your access). 

This is a working copy and is only as accurate as race promoters have provided data.   I will be updating it on a regular basis, so if you have comments send them to me and I will incorporate additions, changes, etc.

GSTS is around the corner.... time to start "testing" the engine.....  AND REMEMBER it is a TRAINING SERIES..... it is about RACE training... Tactics (Individual & TEAM), Fitness..... Testing Yourself......

I hope to see alot of you out there.....

Bird

The telephone is ringing!

Holy Crap! We are racing in 5 days. Months ago, when Teenie, Linz and I set the goal for Valley of the Sun, it seemed like a great idea. Now, Bird is in. With 5 days to go, there is a little voice in my head saying:

* What were you ever thinking?

* How in the hell do you think you can race 8-9 weeks after surgery?

* Your fitness is crap.

* You can't put the same power out you could last year at this time.

* You are too old for this stuff(I know I never say it, but I think it at times).

* You..................(finish this with every negative thought you can imagine).

You see, I am just like you. In fact, we all have this type thing going at one time or another, when we face big hurdles.

I have no answers for the questions above, no rebuttals for the negative thoughts. I only know one thing to do. Every time I have these thoughts, I am going to place(in my mind) an image of me standing on the podium. I am in my body and what I see is very vivid. Two competitors are next to me. Teenie, Linz and Bird are in the crowd of thousands(well maybe 50-60?). People are cheering. I think to myself, "Dude, you are a winner!" I know in my heart I am a winner even if I don't make the podium.

The GTS is two weeks out and for many of you, "the telephone is ringing". Pick it up.......and remember that, "Dude(or Dudette), you are a winner!" Hold this thought even if you don't get to the podium.

What are your plans for the GTS? Which races are you in? What are your weather contingencies? What are your goals? Are you talking to your team mates to know their goals? Who will you be racing with in which races? Remember that your current thoughts determine your future.

Teenie and I will see you at Fork Shoals, Week 2 of the GTS!