Clinton Training Race

First off, a big thanks to Shaun over at montanacyclocross.com for the interview and for adding this blog to his "favorites." No one has ever thought I was worth interviewing before, so that was pretty cool. I think he just needed something to post that day! Mtcx.com is where you can go for all the latest and greatest info about Montana racing and the inside scoop on Montana riders. I know I check it daily to see what's new, and you should to. Shaun has already posted his race report from the Clinton race, and it was informative and entertaining, as always. Thanks, Shaun

As Shaun reported, Brian "Freight Train" Frykman let people in on a little secret we've been aware of here on the GAS team for a while. He's a freaking animal. He picked the right time to attack, had a little help, and pretty much rode away with the race. I know Brian has a good training plan and has been training consistently throughout the winter, and it looks as if it is paying off. It's a fine example of what having and following a training plan can do for you.

This is the first time I had ever attended one of these "training races." There was a great turnout, as people are obviously itching to get the racing underway. These early season tune up races are a great opportunity to see where you're at with your training, as compared to your rivals. Although everyone has different goals and training schedules that will have them peaking at different times during the season, it's never a good sign if everyone your racing against can put the hurt on you, even if it is early in the season. If this happened to you, it's a good sign that you may need to reevaluate your training program, and see if there are things you may need to do a little differently to get your fitness level up to that of your competition. Of course, having a coach is a great idea, as he/she will be able to help you understand what you need to be working on, and why.

As for my race, it went pretty well. I put in a couple hard attacks early on the first lap. They didn't really accomplish much, but they did hurt. I did get a little gap just before the turn under the overpass. I had never been on the course before, and wasn't expecting that corner. I came in pretty hot, and had just dropped down into my "aero" position with arms on top of the bars, and suddenly had to shut it down as I realized there was a sharp, very gravelly corner to negotiate. That pretty much ended may "break", but did set Brian up to ride off the front as I was brought back into the group. GAS strongman John Curry had a "mechanical" issue, and was forced to stop momentarily, pretty much ending his race with the group. Never one to miss out on an opportunity to suffer, he still put in a hard effort chasing solo for three laps. With Frykman off the front and Curry off the back (Curry off the back-that doesn't even sound right), I just had to try and cover any strong moves off the front, and there were quite a few. I was confident in Brian's ability to get the W, so I was happy to sit in and see who would chase or attack. I covered a few moves, and tried not to get swallowed up by the sea of NRO green. The whole group pretty much stayed together. When we came down to the finish, I stayed right near the front. I was itching to give it a go from a couple K out, but decided there was just to much horsepower in the group to get off the front and hold it to the line. So, I was forced to use my "sprint," which, as usual, came up just a little short as Elliot from NRO shot past me and rode away to the finish. Sprinting is definitely one of my weaknesses, and that is something I hope to improve on this season by focusing a little more on that area of my training. All in all, I felt good. I never really had to dig to deep, and felt comfortable for the whole race. This is a good sign that my training is coming along as planned.

The best portion of the day came after the race, when the GAS team loaded up into the big green van, and headed out for a lap on the Roubaix course. We wanted to check out the road conditions, and a couple of us had never been on the course before, so this was a good excuse to put in a few more hard miles. The ride started out pretty mellow, as we were all feeling the legs after racing earlier, then sitting in the awesome van for a while. Once we got to the gravel and the first little climb, we hit it pretty hard. Curry and Frykman did not disappoint, as they cranked it up and handed out a little pain. I tried to reciprocate, and like to think I dished out a little as well. The best part of the ride was the rain and mud, not to mention a little cold thrown in before we were all back at the van. The rain came down hard, and we were all totally soaked, caked in mud, had bike that wouldn't hardly shift, and almost hyporthermic after a late ride stop to fix a flat. An epic ride for sure, one I was glad I got to be part of. Mud, cold, rain, and suffering, what a great way to spend a day.

Keep it PURE,
Brad