Leesville Gap RR

63mi. Main climb was 1500' in 2 mi. 

Sample of some of the pavement: 
http://tinyurl.com/5l7dum


Highlights for me: 
- Chatted up Greg Remaly before the race. He'd passed me just a few k into the Mt. Diablo hillclimb from starting two minutes back (and finished in under 26 min to my ~30), so I knew he was a guy to watch. He's a pro triathlete and it turns out he's road racing due to an injury that's preventing him from running. Said he's done some club races but it was his first real RR. 

- After a pedestrian opening 20 min, a few guys rolled off the front. I recognized Greg in there and convinced Scott Davis (Tim Fehon's friend) to help me ramp up the speed and get it back together again. 

- Saw Isaias lose a bottle and told myself it was a good thing I'd bent a loose bottle cage back into shape. I'd given my bike a once over and put Conti Gatorskins (w/ kevlar) on the bike to be ready for the day.

- Once we hit the rough stuff, I totally agreed with Dave Parrish (a Mouse cat 3) when he told me at breakfast that the gravel was way better than the cratered, broken pavement. Tried taking the advice to stay up front in the last section before the climb. 

- Saw Greg go. Pace was already decently high, but having him off the front ensured we were really hammering. He stayed away for close to 50 mi for the solo win. Impressive. 

- Lost a bottle in a particularly rough section. Was real sorry to see it go. 

- Consciously worked to eat and drink where I could through the rough lead up into the climb, since it was already 45 minutes in. Ended up spending a number of minutes with a half-open gel pack hanging out of my mouth when it went from not-rough to rough. 

- Was feeling OK in the rolling stuff but there were definitely some surges here and there. Was pretty surprised when we hit the climb and my body didn't seem to want to follow the pack. I saw Keith Jordan clawing his way back to the pack as I drifted off and told myself I should follow his wheel. Didn't grab on, but after a few moments, I was back in it. Climbed a steady threshold pace and caught 8 or 10 guys who'd popped off the back. 

- Caught Tim right at the top and passed him at the bottom of the gravel descent. Was working hard to chase and was thinking that I might still be up far enough for a top 20. A guy in a "Beer" jersey went past and I grabbed his wheel. A chase group of 6 or so formed, including Scott Davis. 

- On the rough descent my handlebars started rotating forward. Made riding on the hoods pretty odd, but figured I could make a go of it on the tops and drops. 

- Hit a fist-sized rock that I really should have seen (black rock on white gravel) except for all the sweat in my eyes. It took me a minute or so before I really felt my front tire go flat. 

- Pulled over to the right and muddled through fixing the flat. Discovered I'd lost my other bottle. Had a real rough time getting the wire bead tire back on, but fortunately a support car stopped and helped me out. I asked for some water and they gave me a welcome but small screw-cap bottle. 

- Got going again and rode with various 4s and 5s at a moderate tempo. Found the screw top bottle annoying to drink from, but cherished every drop of water. Attacked on the hill before the feedzone just for the heck of it. Thought I might as well get some training in. 

- Grabbed 4 bottles in the feedzone. Downed and dumped one right there. Asked for a cytomax bottle since I'd lost two and didn't have enough gels to make up the fuel difference. Guy happened to have one in a cooler at the end of the feedzone. Just in time. 

- Had some fun in a mixed group paceline. No one was in contention, and any shelter was a welcome in the headwind. 

- Cramped 7 miles from the finish. Right on the inside of my left quad. Stopped to stretch it, then soft pedaled back solo. 

- Was super glad to see the car. Even more glad to scarf down a bunch of watermelon. Waited for Paul's 3rd (officially 2nd) finish to get sorted out, then off for sandwiches. 

- Results were interesting to mull over, between Keith getting 3rd and the Beer guy and Scott got 19th and 20th. I was posted as 35th. 50 started and 38 finished. 

- Think I learned a lot regardless. I thought I knew how rough a RR with unpaved stretches could be (I've done a few collegiate ones), but this one is something else. I know better how seriously to take locking down my bike before a race like this. Now I just need to take it to the shop to get some of the rattles and creaks out.