Mt Hamilton Road Race (long post for a long race)

Yesterday I raced the Mt Hamilton road race. It is the probably the toughest race on the norcal road racing calender at 60 miles and over 7000' of climbing. The race starts with about 1 hour of climbing which crests at the top of Mt. Hamilton. Following that the race starts to get hard !; with 40 miles of technical descents, short punchy climbs, rollers, canyon induced headwinds, finishing with a fast long descent and a short uphill sprint.

My goal was to stay with the lead group up the climb to the top and hang in for the rest. For several days leading up to the race I was suffering back and neck tightness so coming into the morning I was a little concerned about finishing.

Fortunately the pace started out relatively easy and I was able to warm up the back before the pace picked up. One rider went off the front early but there was no immediate reaction, big difference here between the 35+ field and last years 4s where all the early attacks brought immediate reactions. The field was large at 100 registered riders so during the first climb I focused on working my way up in the pack and was 4th wheel as we descended to the base of big climb.

Knowing the climb better was a big help this year and although I wasn't able to with the lead group all the way up I made it much farther and counted 15 riders in the group when I eased off and let them go. I found a good rhythm and worked on reeling in some riders. It wasn't long before I caught a Wells Fargo rider, I urged him to join and keep up, we passed a rider in our field with a flat, then caught a WebCor rider. Now our group was 3 near the top we caught a Davis rider, to make 4. A good size to work togther for the next 40 odd miles.

I led down the descent and soon had a gap. A few turns later a rider calmly called for room and the two lead e4s (they started 10 mins after us). Not long after a not so calm rider called for room passed me and on the very next corner slid out right in front of me. I was able to avoid him and slowed down to let several more e4s including the Davis rider from my field pass me. He promptly slids out in front of me, again I avoid crashing, but am a little rattled so I'm constantly checking behind me to see what other numnut is going to over cook it trying to get by me ! Big sigh of relief and I'm at the bottom and in a group of 4; Davis recovered from the crash, Webcor, and PenVelo.

We get in a pace line and start working together. Davis seemed a little out of it from his crash and before long has a mechanical and we are down to three. We are working well together I'm feeling good and pushing it a bit on the climbs. At about 20 miles to go we come across another PenVelo rider and he joins up. I'm a little nervous about getting caught and not really thinking about the lead group so I push the pace up the last series of climbs get a gap but ease off near the top so we can work together on the descent.

The headwind gets fierce through the canyon and I'm really happy for the help, we are all continuing to take solid turns but I'm starting to feel tired. I don't remember the race being this long !, the long descent is full into a stiff wind so its not much of a descent. Finally we clear out of the canyon and see a group up the road, we work together and what do you know but its a group of 6 riders from our field.

They looked pretty ragged and fearing more crashing I go to the front and pick up the pace. Right at this point I start to cramp but swallow hard, yell a bit and manage to hold it together. PenVelo comes up along with a Roaring Mouse rider. PenVelo attacks but I make no move to chase, finally Roaring Mouse goes to chase and I follow his wheel. Once we catch him his teammate attacks, this time I jump on him. At this point we've gapped off a few riders and roll down to the flat in a group of 6. At 1k to go I ease off to the back, figuring either of the two PenVelo or maybe Roaring Mouse to be the strongest. Wait, wait, wait... at 250k to go I jump and yell for room as I go around. At this point I'm all out and cramping to boot. I see Roaring Mouse come up but fade, than a PennVelo comes up, my legs start to give and he nips me.

Later I find out that our we were sprinting for 9th and 10th. A 10th place finish is a great result in this race so I'm pleased particularly since I earned it with a sprint finish.