Listen to my latest phonecast

Listen to my latest phonecast

Listen to my latest phonecast

Listen to my latest phonecast

Listen to my latest phonecast

It is Race Across Oregon weekend, and I will be an official on Sunday. But, I wandered on over to the 5:00 am start where I found The Desert Coyote ready to ride.

I raced the Wildcat Mountain Time Trial today.  When Mark and I arrived, we were disappointed to clouds, mist and cool temperatures. I was hoping that the sun would break through the clouds, but I would be disappointed.

I started at 10:05:30, and the climbing started immediately. I dropped down into the largest cog and still it was not enough. However, I refused to let myself shift into my granny chain ring. All too soon, my 30 second man passed me. I was breathing so hard I could not talk, but he could. Then my one minute man passed me. This started a ritual that happened all race long up to and including Mark passing me. He started five minutes after me.

After about two miles of really steep climbing, the grade lessened and we even saw some flats and short descents until the final climb to the finishing line. This was about as long as the initial climb, but not nearly as steep.

I finished at 59:09 with a 11.3 mile per hour average. I burned somewhere between 670 to 900 calories due to my average power output of 233 watts. Interestingly, I average 285 watts for the first five minutes and 256 watts for the first 20 minutes. This calculates to a critical power of 246 as per the calculator at beginnertriathlete.com.

I focused on working as hard as I could during the race, unlike my Marys Peak TT. For example, I average 190 watts on a 135 foot 1.4 mile descent.

In the end, I am happy with my effort. While it was hard, and cold, and wet, I did have fun.

The Oregon Uphill CHallenge, OUCH, is 16 miles up Larch Mountain from Corbett. I have climb this before, but never raced it, until today.

This was my third uphill time trial of the season, and I was determined not to come in last, like I did in the first two.

The weather conditions were much different than my the other two uphill TTs. Instead of cold and wet, today was hot and dry. No need for arm warmers today. I was dripping sweat during my warmup on the trainer. I went through one water bottle warming up and decided to take two with me for the race.

Unlike all of the other time trials I have done, this one used a starting ramp, just like the Tour de France, except for the crowds, and the photographers and the television cameras. Starting times were 30 seconds apart, with the only tandem, the juniors and all of the women starting in front of me. Joanne’s starting time was nearly 30 minutes before mine and I wondered if I would be able to catch her.

One by one we climbed up the back of the ramp, and every thirty seconds a rider rolled down and was off. Soon, my turn came.

I declined the TT hold, and rolled down the ramp and onto the road way. This would be a long race so I did not start off with a sprint, but quickly brought my pace up to my race pace. Soon, others began to pass me. I rode as hard as I could and was impressed with my average heart rate of 139 bpm, but I was passed by many, many others. It would be that way for the entire race. The only people I pass were not in the race but climbing the hill for fun.

After a very long time, I knew I in the last two miles. I tried to pick my pace and put my heart rate above 155 bpm and tried to hold it there until the finishing lines. I did so for the first mile, but during the last mile I tired and my effort fell a bit.

Joanne was at the finishing line cheering me, and I was very happy to be done. After I recovered, Joanne and I traded times and I found out that I was three minutes slower than her. I was happy for here, but a bit upset with myself. I can climb better than her, but not today.

Once the results were posted, I was 157th out of 160 starters. Not what I was hoping for, but I knew I had put out my best effort.

Stage Three of the Deschutes River Valley Time Trial Festival is the longest stage of the festival. The stage consist of just one road, Bake Oven Road. You climb it and then you turn around and descent it.

Going into the stage, I was last in my age category. I did not want to be last after stage three, so as soon as I started, I brought my heart rate up to what I felt I could sustain for three hours. I was riding hard, but I was holding something back. In the end, I was ten minutes faster than my competition allowing me to finish in next to last place.

This was my third Deschutes River Valley Time Trial Festival (DVRTT). The first was in 2010 just after I was release from my doctor after breaking my right fibula and tibia. I was not in shape but wanted to force myself into getting into shape. The following year I was in better shape and did better. This year I am happy to report that my improvement continues.

The Festival consists of three stages, or races. The first two take place on Saturday with the third, and longest, on Sunday. The first stage is 26 miles long with over 1,200 feet of climbing. The second stage is only eight miles long but it is all climbing with an elevation gain of 1,700 feet. Sunday’s stage is very hard at 46 miles and over 3,200 feet of elevation gain.

I decided to race in the Masters Men 50-59 division. I could have chosen the Cat4/5 division, but I have always raced in Master Mens even thought it is a harder division. I could race with the older, seasoned bicycle racers or the younger rookies. Racing against folks my own age seems the appropriate thing to do, even if it means racing in a harder division. So, my goal was not to come in last in my division (like I did last year).

The first stage starts with a 800 foot climb from the Deschutes River to the top of the plateau overlooking Maupin. Once on the plateau, you cross over to and desenced into Tygh Valley. Fron Tygh Valley, the route turns toward the east and crosses over several large rollers before descending down to the Deschutes River. You cross the river and follow it back to Maupin, a nice flat nine miles.

My plan was to keep my heart rate to 145 bpm or below on the climb out of Maupin. I failed. My heart rate rose to over 150 bpm and beyond. But I felt good. I felt like I could ride harder. I knew that I would be passed on this section as I am not a climber. And I was. But I did catch some of the slower riders who started in front of me, so I was feeling good. Once I reached the top of the climb and the road flatten out, I could hold my own and I increase my effort to maximum. One of those who passed me on the climb was Mark Newsome. I could see him in the distance so I was trying to keep pace with him.

On the descent into Tygh Valley, I tucked and tried to go as fast as I could. With my mass, I slowly gained on the last rider to pass me when climbing out of Maupin. I did so at the bottom of the hill and I started working very hard crossing the flat of Tygh Valley. While I expected him to catch me, I held him off until the first roller where he catch me. I stayed close to him and passed him on the down hill side of the roller. At the next roller, he catch me again and I turned to him and said “Will you please stop passing me!”. He laughed and said not to worry as there is a down hill coming.

I did pass him on the down hill and used my brakes for the first and only time at the sharp left at the river. One rider who did not use his brakes over cooked the corner and went into the guard rail and fell. Ouch!

The last section was hard and fast. I held off my “passer” and tried to catch the rabbit infront of me. However, as I held off my “passer”, my rabbit held me off.

I finished in 1:23:09 setting a new PR for this route.

Maupin Climb