Downers Wrapup

Congrats Joel Friedman on your 2009 US National Criterium Championships Elite Cat 3 Victory. It's only been a few months but it seems like forever for you to get to here:


From Here:




By far though your biggest achievement was talking her into doing this:



Saturday's news - we had a great turnout. Finally I was lucky enough to race with the old slow guys. It isn't often you get to race in a 35+ 4/5 event. Truly for us old fatties. Last time was Chicago and I got paid there (14th). I didn't have my hopes too high for this one but thought I might have a chance.

As I mentioned in previous posts the day didn't start off well. I ran late then was pretty edgy and ended up being kind of mean to Mrs. P - who admittedly sometimes has a hard time reading a map - OK always has a hard time reading a map. She simply asked me how to get to the start finish line and I said "here's the map. Read it." After a bit of "but where do I go?" followed with, "read the *&^% map!" I got a cold, "I hope you wreck today." out of her.

Ladies...here's some advice...that's about the MEANEST thing you can say to a roadie. Especially to one who has known someone killed on a bike. That's like saying "I hope you die in a very painful way."

So I had that going for me...as I went to registration. As the registration volunteer searched for my number I said, "make it a good one" and she handed me #13. Sonuva. I was freaked and pissed at the same time. Tradition has it in cycling that you can make a 13 lucky by pinning it upside down. Problem with that is that when you are still in the 4/5 ranks everyone thinks you screwed up pinning your number. That leads to long explanations when all you really want to do it slap them.

So, I don't get a good warmup in because we're all just hanging out and talking (on the trainer at least) and the whole time I am saying "I am taking next week off then it's cross time. I'll still race road but I am going to re-jump my training for cross." This is my way of saying, "yeah I suck, but for a reason....see?"

Get over to the course and we have a cheering section about a mile deep. It. Was. Awesome! The BH peanut gallery is growing and getting better. I shudder to think what it will be like at cross events. Kind of like the 30-something with kids version of the hipster/bus collection. BTW - fair warning to the young guys....we can drink more...and afford better beer.

Does anyone find this...annoying? I like to...do it alot....in case you couldn't tell... ... ... ... ... ... ...

So as I am sitting there talking to our "fans" I look up and notice we are camped out right in front of a cemetery. I look up and see a HUGE monument...with my name on it. No crap. Sonuva, sonuva, sonuva.

I go to hit the porta potty and slip a pedal and bang my shin. Now I'm bleeding. Great. This is going to get interesting. We all line up near the entrance to the course waiting for that moment when we can sprint out and lineup. As soon as it was done I was out there and on the front in the middle. Nice. Good way to start.

As we rolled out it was pretty much the same old same old. Being a 35+ 4/5 event there were some fast old newbs that came out to see if they could hang and ended up getting in over their heads early on. Always happens. You try to identify those guys and stay as far away as possible so you don't end up following their wheel all the way to the back as they pop.

Everyone tells me there was a wreck at the base of the hill on one of the early laps. Supposedly that wreck separated the field pretty well. I didn't hear it because for once I was holding my own near the front. The hill was Sooo much easier than I thought it would be. This course is really meant for us short fat power riders. If you can handle a bike and power ride you can do well here.

I found myself consistantly riding easily near the front. I was able to move around easily, etc. It was kind of an easy race. I only found myself huffing and puffing a few times but everyone backed off at just the point where they could have cracked me. I have to chalk that up to not having a lot of the usual suspects in this field because of their "young" over 30 under 35 age. If they would have been there they would have just killed us.

Then somewhere around mid race we were climbing up through the start finish area and I heard a HORRIBLE wreck on the opposite side of the pack. It sounded horrible. Come to find out the guy (sorry can't remember your name but we race together a lot) from xXx with the long hair riding the cervelo got taken out and ended up splitting his bike in a couple of places. One of my xXx friends mentioned he was bummed because he couldn't afford to replace it right now...this is an open call out to him because I believe he rides a 52 - I have my Flyte frame and fork that he can have for a steal. Pass the word if you know him.

After that it was pretty uneventful. Some guys who had been sitting in took a run at an attack on the hill but really only just shed some guys which is fine by me. Then (OK I hate doing this but it's time he gets called out) ______ takes off....again....

OK I have been told this guy has been a cat 4 for years. He's won a butt-ton of races. He's got more upgrade points than I have excuses. He's a sandbagger. I know of multiple people who have gone up and directly confronted him about it and he seems to always have some lame excuse. As a result I know a few people who have made it their mission to chase him down no matter what. We have also resorted to yelling "sandbagger" everytime he comes around in any race that we aren't in.

I don't like doing it but seriously - what he is doing is lame.

Well our guy chases him down and sits on him. Drags him back to the pack. I got to hear the guy say, "what's your problem man?" To answer that for the man...it's you. You need to cat up. You have overstayed your welcome. Get out of the way and let someone else who has been working hard a chance to get on the podium.

While I am on the poo slinging fest I might as well mention another little tidbit. There was this highly annoying guy hanging at the front for a lot of it. You could tell he's a guy that rides the group rides fast but hardly if ever races. His bike handling skills were crap but he was all about trying to blame everyone else for his crappy moves. Then he runs up the inside to the front and swings in and chops a xXx that had been doing a butt-ton of work at the front. He damn near slaughters the guy. He kept it upright - to his credit (nice work) and a few of us engaged with some yelling. The chopper did his whole - hold up my hand and shrug like "wha?" which I promptly called BS on. He may be strong but he can't race a bike for shiz.

OK - now for fun stuff. I rode well. Had a ton in reserves. It dialed up on the last few laps. Looking at my HR I was averaging something like 180-185 for the last few laps. Our man Fuller was looking to go and did. He took Vidmich with him. I could have gone as well but I was pretty well redlined and knew I should recover for the final sprint. I should have gone.

In the final sprint I started to go and really wasn't picking anyone up - just holding position. Then I saw this:




I am right on the yellow line here with the blue and white helmet...


Sandbagger is on the left with the red jersey and gold arm band on the black sleeves...sandbagging....my man Fuller is over his shoulder with the black helmet and new BH black sleeves.


I pass no judgement on what happened here. Can't really tell. Think it's just racing to be honest with you. If you can't tell that's our man Vidmich going down. Ouch. He dislocated his shoulder. Badly.

I took 16th. Fuller took 9th. Vidmich would have been 5th or so. I should have followed Fuller. Oh well.

We finished the day watching the 3/4 race and guys I have a hard time keeping up with in the 4's get shredded like crazy. Lenski broke a spoke and held on. Tim pulled himself after the suffering had taken its toll. Joel finished mid pack somewhere along with Scott. Jason raced well as well. Ryan got yanked. Matt, Riccio, and Justin all pulled themselves. Well we had impressive numbers at the start. :)

That's it. Now it's time for TT's, Fall Fling, and CROSS. Fire up some brats and start folding some dollar bills.