State Road Race : Team Aggress!

State Road Race

I was nervous as usual. I guess I’ll never get over the pre-race jitters. It helped that I was with Rich & Cathy because they’re super chill before a race. We drove up together and stay at a friend of theirs. 
That morning I wad lucky to line up with Rich Horn and Philip Brown. We started in a masters group that was 30 through 49. It looked like we had some competition. 
I’m always quiet and focused at the start as I’m visualizing the race. 
Things went amazingly as I planned. I stayed near the front of the race not wanting to get into any trouble. I Was able to match any pace and felt very comfortable. The only real problem was my rear shifter was having issues. I think a new chain is in order.
I did struggle on one steep rollers in the back stretch of the race. I had just eaten and that often slows me down for whatever reason.
I made it back on easy enough and tried to conserve energy for my eventual break away. 
We finally reached the last turn towards Show Low and had a headwind heading back. I came around the corner and put in a hard two minute effort and created a huge gap from the field. Two riders who turned out to be one of my 40+ guys and a 35+ guy from Mexico. The group let us go because they had just been caught by the chase group.
The three of us worked relatively well together with me barking orders to put in work. I tested these guy on the first big climb and was surprised that they stay with me. We continued working because we knew the group wasn’t that far behind. However on the bottom of the last big climb I timed my break just as Bill the 40+ guy finished a pull and the other guy was starting his turn.
Bill was quickly dropped. He told me later he was already at the end of his rope at that point. The P&S rider manage to stay on my wheel and he must have been strong because on Strava I had the second fastest time of the day on that climb. Just behind the winner of the Cat 1 race.
I spent the next several miles cursing the wheel sucker who I couldn’t shake. I couldn’t afford to sit up because this guy wasn’t even in my category. I tried to explain that to him and he gave weak little pulls and claimed to be exhausted. Join the club right?! 
I yelled at him that if I was going to pull him to the finish he better not sprint me.
Guess what he did as we came around the corner. GAME ON! I gave it everything and caught him and we finished together. I haven’t seen the timing chip times yet but I’m pretty sure I had it. I won either way. 
However my hamstring instantly cramped up as I stopped peddling. I was embarrassed to have to drop to the ground in such pain. I was dehydrated and needed sugar.  I had given everything and it paid off.
 
-Timbo 

Howdy, esteemed Aggressors!

First off, congratulations to those that raced, you guys all represented Aggress well!  Tim, two years after shattering his femur, killed the field.  I was more excited to see him win than had I won myself!  I did a dance of pure joy when he told me!  Rich, Shane and Rich and Cathy (who I just met), all raced well and had great results.  

For me, I’ve never been less relevant in the outcome of a race.  Yet, I can only think of one race where I was more proud of the outcome.  I’m literally in uncharted territory regarding my recovery.  There was hope I’d be “here” by December.  


As Tim mentioned, the race organizers lumped together all masters under 50 years old in one group.  I believe that was 35 total men.  I was nervous, which is very unusual for me. No matter what happened in the race it was to be a surprise, and I don’t like surprises during a race.  Just before the race, out of nowhere, my wife showed up and hugged me.  I really needed that!  She drove 6 hours the night before and stayed at our friend’s cabin!  I had no clue.  It was the best surprise I’ve ever had!  Thank you Tim for helping pull that off!

As for the race, mine wasn’t much of a race.  On the first real climb, about 18 miles in, I got dropped.  I tried to position myself up front before the hill so I could drift back and catch on, but I have a negative V02 max… I did drop back, but did not catch on.  

I found my own pace up the hill, and started catching and passing a bunch of other guys who also got dropped.  As normal, they were all surprised because I look more like a beer league softball dude than cyclist. I went by them all hoping they’d catch up and we could work together to catch back on.  We eventually formed a small group of about 10 or so. They tried to form a pace line but frankly, they sucked and were really slow.  I was upset to be with such a group.  When we made the series of right and left turns pretty quickly where there were a few houses around mile 22, I went to the front.  I didn’t attack at all, just gradually lifted the pace hoping to flick the clingons off the back.  Well, all 10 of them were clingons.  So I rode from there to the finish by myself.  I did just enough to keep them at bay. I had about 43 miles of solace.  It was a great time.  I really wasn’t hurting, kept my heart rate around 155 most of the time, and just stayed as aero as possible.  

I had some problems on the ride with my feet and hamstrings, which isn’t unusual still, but I knew how to keep it in check.  I kept looking back to see how close the chasing group was.  On the big rollers to finish the race I could them, so I stood up to make it look like I was attacking those hills even though I was just going a steady, relatively easy pace.  Anything to break their spirits!  From reading Strava accounts they were trying to catch me, and were upset they didn’t.  I thought they’d given up really.  

I’ll continue to take things one day at a time, but this was a big victory for me.  Not a result I’m used to, but I’ll take it! 

-Philip

 

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  • Mission

    Aggress is a Tucson-based statewide / regional cycling team formed in January, 2004.
    As a developmental team for both road and mountain bike racing, Aggress continues to actively – yet carefully – recruit according to a philosophy that emphasizes teamwork in both training and racing tactics.
    Our focus is to race as a team, utilizing team tactics to get our man the win. We ride in support of our designated racer, with each member in turn supported in the key event(s) of his choosing.
    We are aggressive when we race, but we behave in a courteous and sportsmanlike manner at all times. We also have team training rides that we utilize throughout the season.

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