Santa Barbara - Elings Park
Yesterday was my fourth race in the Socal State Series. Racing categories are divided by skill and age. They are as follows:
Pro
Semi-pro
Expert
Sport
Beginner
So if you've never raced and you think you aren't that good, you'd start in Beginner. If you work part time and race bikes for a living (or TRY to race for a living), you race Pro. I happen to race Sport.
This last race was in Santa Barbara at a place right near the ocean called Elings Park. Just like the last three races - I had never been on the course prior to race day.
I drove up with Doug and we managed to squeeze out a pre-ride before the Beginner men took off. The course was a lot harder than I thought it would be. For some reason I thought it was going to be short and easy without a lot of climbing. Instead it was roughly 16 miles with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. The course consisted of doing three laps which added up to the totals previously mentioned.
An interesting comparison:
Big Bear Race (6/1/08):
Distance: 19.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,050 feet
My Time: 1:44
Elings Park Race (6/8/08):
Distance: 16.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,507 feet
My Time: 1:40
So wait. I did MORE climbing in LESS distance FASTER yesterday? I don't understand how that works. I felt like I had an off day yesterday and had a fantastic race at Big Bear and yet the numbers say otherwise. *shrug*
The course started with a pretty long climb which was intended to thin the groups out. It worked really well and I found myself almost dead last in the middle of the climb. I managed to work my way past one or two guys before starting a singletrack descent with tons of fast switchbacks. I managed to make up the time lost in the first climb on the downhill because of the traffic jam on the singletrack.
The next part of the course was a long paved climb. This is where I consistently fell behind. Each lap I must have lost 20 seconds at least on this part. I just couldn't get the strength and rhythm to get up the road at a good speed. Frustrating.
After the road climb there was a series of switchbacks to climb. Maybe four or five. Every rider I talked to from Orange County said this section reminded them of Meadows at Aliso. Really steep and tight switchbacks.
At the top of the switchbacks there was some pretty fast and windy singletrack. I heard from someone that the course was about 80% singletrack and I wouldn't doubt it. There was tons of it.
From there you're at the top of the hill and it's all downhill for a few miles. The singletrack is tight in some spots with a lot of switchbacks as you descend towards the front of the park.
Right before the end of the course there is some climbing with some more tight switchbacks on loose and sandy terrain.
I would write about chasing guys from my class but there is no point because halfway through the first lap the race was decided for me. I was fourth at that point and that's where I finished. I managed to pass two guys from my class a little later in the first half of the first lap, but once I got beyond them, they were unable to catch up.
Some notes from the race:
1. In my starting group, out of maybe 12 riders only two of us were NOT wearing spandex shorts. I stick out by wearing baggy shorts.
2. On the second half of my last lap I raced a guy the entire way to the finish and beat him. Too bad he wasn't in my class. Still it felt good to destroy him on the last climb.
3. I got caught several times in the wrong gears on different climbs. I found myself moving in slow motion trying to get the bigger gears turned. Lesson learned.
4. I could see the second place guy from my class even on my last lap. He was less than 2 minutes ahead of me and with the singletrack turning back on itself so much I was able to see him often. So frustrating being so close and yet so far away.
5. I was a little under 5 minutes slower than the first place finisher.
6. Talked with the first place finisher after the race (Adam) and he was a really cool guy. He is from Team Platinum and I'm from Team Sho-Air and I guess we are rivals? I had no idea, but that's what I hear. He lives in Santa Barbara so he had an advantage with course knowledge, but he still blew me away on the climbs.
7. Jason beat me by _7 minutes_. If I ever thought I was getting close to his level, this race proved I'm not close at all. Hahaha.
8. I felt like I did very well on the downhill sections. Not a lot of braking and I rode aggressively. I know I can get better, but I felt good.
9. Looks like I'm going to finish fourth in the overall series now. I thought I had third locked up, but another rider showed up and has taken third away. =( I just want to finish the series now and race to my potential.
Next state series race is July 27th - a Rim Nordic race which is in Big Bear again.
Pro
Semi-pro
Expert
Sport
Beginner
So if you've never raced and you think you aren't that good, you'd start in Beginner. If you work part time and race bikes for a living (or TRY to race for a living), you race Pro. I happen to race Sport.
This last race was in Santa Barbara at a place right near the ocean called Elings Park. Just like the last three races - I had never been on the course prior to race day.
I drove up with Doug and we managed to squeeze out a pre-ride before the Beginner men took off. The course was a lot harder than I thought it would be. For some reason I thought it was going to be short and easy without a lot of climbing. Instead it was roughly 16 miles with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. The course consisted of doing three laps which added up to the totals previously mentioned.
An interesting comparison:
Big Bear Race (6/1/08):
Distance: 19.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,050 feet
My Time: 1:44
Elings Park Race (6/8/08):
Distance: 16.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,507 feet
My Time: 1:40
So wait. I did MORE climbing in LESS distance FASTER yesterday? I don't understand how that works. I felt like I had an off day yesterday and had a fantastic race at Big Bear and yet the numbers say otherwise. *shrug*
The course started with a pretty long climb which was intended to thin the groups out. It worked really well and I found myself almost dead last in the middle of the climb. I managed to work my way past one or two guys before starting a singletrack descent with tons of fast switchbacks. I managed to make up the time lost in the first climb on the downhill because of the traffic jam on the singletrack.
The next part of the course was a long paved climb. This is where I consistently fell behind. Each lap I must have lost 20 seconds at least on this part. I just couldn't get the strength and rhythm to get up the road at a good speed. Frustrating.
After the road climb there was a series of switchbacks to climb. Maybe four or five. Every rider I talked to from Orange County said this section reminded them of Meadows at Aliso. Really steep and tight switchbacks.
At the top of the switchbacks there was some pretty fast and windy singletrack. I heard from someone that the course was about 80% singletrack and I wouldn't doubt it. There was tons of it.
From there you're at the top of the hill and it's all downhill for a few miles. The singletrack is tight in some spots with a lot of switchbacks as you descend towards the front of the park.
Right before the end of the course there is some climbing with some more tight switchbacks on loose and sandy terrain.
I would write about chasing guys from my class but there is no point because halfway through the first lap the race was decided for me. I was fourth at that point and that's where I finished. I managed to pass two guys from my class a little later in the first half of the first lap, but once I got beyond them, they were unable to catch up.
Some notes from the race:
1. In my starting group, out of maybe 12 riders only two of us were NOT wearing spandex shorts. I stick out by wearing baggy shorts.
2. On the second half of my last lap I raced a guy the entire way to the finish and beat him. Too bad he wasn't in my class. Still it felt good to destroy him on the last climb.
3. I got caught several times in the wrong gears on different climbs. I found myself moving in slow motion trying to get the bigger gears turned. Lesson learned.
4. I could see the second place guy from my class even on my last lap. He was less than 2 minutes ahead of me and with the singletrack turning back on itself so much I was able to see him often. So frustrating being so close and yet so far away.
5. I was a little under 5 minutes slower than the first place finisher.
6. Talked with the first place finisher after the race (Adam) and he was a really cool guy. He is from Team Platinum and I'm from Team Sho-Air and I guess we are rivals? I had no idea, but that's what I hear. He lives in Santa Barbara so he had an advantage with course knowledge, but he still blew me away on the climbs.
7. Jason beat me by _7 minutes_. If I ever thought I was getting close to his level, this race proved I'm not close at all. Hahaha.
8. I felt like I did very well on the downhill sections. Not a lot of braking and I rode aggressively. I know I can get better, but I felt good.
9. Looks like I'm going to finish fourth in the overall series now. I thought I had third locked up, but another rider showed up and has taken third away. =( I just want to finish the series now and race to my potential.
Next state series race is July 27th - a Rim Nordic race which is in Big Bear again.
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1:39 PM
1 Comments:
I think the elevation had alot to do with the Big Bear race. Remember, we were at a minimum of 7000 ft of elevation. I know you can push harder Ryan. You just have to want it and endure the pain more.
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