Mingo Creek Race Series #1

Note for the photo: Recreation of the condition on the race day


Race name: 2009 Mingo Creek Race Series #1

Date and start time: 03/29/2009; 10:10 am

Location: Vicinity of Mingo Creek Park;

Type/distance: Rolling hills; 6 laps = 28.3 miles

Competitors to watch: None - first race and don't know anyone

Weather: 48 degF, freezing rain turning into cloudy

Course condition: Mostly clear of debris, but slippery due to rain

Race goal: Finish with the main group

Race strategy: Stay near the front for the first two laps, and try breaking away in the third lap

Pre-race meal :
0600 - 3 Quaker rice cakes with peanut butter; 1 glass of soy milk
0930 - 1 cliff bar

Mid-race meal :
2 GU gel pack
16 oz water with two scoops of GU powder

Warm-up description:
2 full effort 15-sec sprint
Endurance ride (150-200 Watt) for the rest of the time
Total 30min

Start-line arousal level(1-5): 5 (mostly due to cold)

Results: #32/45 (1:40:16)


Power files start/end point: 40"32/1'36"04

What I did well:
1. Making check lists for race kits really help putting me at ease. I had one of the best sleep last night.
2. Being prepared for worst weather really helps. I brought rain jacket and booties, and they prevented me from fainting due to cold
3. Staying in and finishing the race despite the cold
4. Catched two guys during the race

What I need to improve:
1. Didn't expect the freezing rain would soak through my full-finger gloves and cause numbness. An extra shell besides the full-finger gloves may help.
2. The Gel-Bot didn't work as I hope, and I couldn't get food when I wanted.
3. Improve strength to climb short-steep hill better

Aches/pains/problems afterwards: None

Comments on or description of how race developed:
I was one of the first few people who got there. I went throught the registration process in a few mintues. As I was about to get dressed and take my bike out for warm-up, it began raining heavily. I tried to ride hard a bit to get my core temperature up, but the freezing rain seemed to sap my energy and I couldn't stay warm.
The rain seemed to cause the organizer some problems, too. They were ten mintue late to start the race. The Cat 1-3 rolled out ahead of us, and five mintues later, it was our turn. While waiting to start, I couldn't help but shake all over from the cold. My fingers felt worse - I could hardly move them, let alone shift properly. People around made fun of me, and said I should get more body fat (My body fat was measured at 8% with BodPod recently).
There was a short climb about 100 yards from the start line, and I was among the first 20 people at the top of it. And then there was a relatively flat portion. At this point, I noticed my PowerTap computer went into sleep mode while waiting for the race to start. Silently cursing, I fumbled with the buttons with my numbed fingers and made it start to work again. Soon afterward, we approached the major climb on the course, and I started to have trouble. I couldn't stay seated and mash the pedals at slow cadence, for if i did so, my muscles would get cramped. And my hands were so numb that I couldn't stand up and try to catch up with the other people. So I watched the main group rolling away helplessly. I didn't expect the competitors to be so fit. Ninety percent of the racers stay with the main group throughout the race.
Starting the 2nd lap, the main group was already out of sight, and I couldn't find anyone to work with me to try to catch them. So, my main goal for the rest of the race was to time-trial at my sustainable power output (200-210 Watts) and hoped that I wouldn't get lapped. I also tried to stand and crank out as much power as I could on the major climb on each lap, because I know that's what the main group would do. At the 5th lap, I noticed that I no longer could stand and pedal on the major climb, so I held back. During this lap, I got lapped by the Cat 1-3 group. On the last lap, I felt so tired, I didn't have the energy to sprint for the finish line. But nevertheless, I felt happy that I was able to finish the race despite of the miserable condition.