Spring Prairie Update

Seven Tower Racers and an affiliate member (My wife Karin) braved the rainy weather forecast and headed up to Wisconsin for the race on Sunday. As we got close to the course it wasn't looking good. There was a line of thunderstorms coming hard and fast from the West. The parking lot (farmers field) was a swamp, if Ed and I didn't have four wheel drive we may not have gotten out. Just as we pulled in the rain hit and hit hard. The racers that were out on the course came in on their own because of the thunder/lightning and torrential rain. But after one more wave of rain they were off to finish their race and we got rolling about 45 minutes late at 12:45.

There is a neutral/rolling start here taking you from the parking lot up the first hill. It would have been nice if the pace car would have controlled the pace up that hill every lap because after the second time up it (6.5 mile laps) I realized that I need to lose another 10-15 pounds. I got gaped off the back, by just a fraction, and in bike racing that's all it takes. So I ended up in a group of 6 or 7 which made the remainder of the race more manageable. After the 6th, one neutral and five times up that hill, it was nice to see the finish line. Didn't see my results but I had to have finished somewhere between 30th-40th range.

My wife Karin came along yelling encouragement which you will have to trust me helped quite a bit. She also got some great pictures which will make it onto the web-site soon.

Turns out that Jim got into a breakaway on either lap 3 or 4 and stayed away thanks to some blocking assistance from Doug and Mark. Jim did some blocking work for Doug down in Indiana so he was returning the favor. Both Doug and Mark looked very strong and were at or near the front the whole race. Ed E. flatted and jumped back in a lap down. He was able to chase me and my group down and hearing his voice and having him with me in my chase group motivated me to work harder than I may have otherwise. Ed looked strong and would have been with the lead riders without that bad luck.

So your probably wondering, come on cut to the chase. Jim ended up on the podium in third, Doug was sixth, I didn't see where Mark finished. Case and Pat finished after me. We only had a little rain during the race and we were all glad we did the race. It was wet in places but the way the couse is laid out there are no high speed corners. Let's all try to plan on doing this race next year. It was tough, but what a great course. Maybe the calender will be kinder to Tom, Fran, Tony, Terry, and Dr. Phil next year. They all would have done well on this course.

Stay tuned because I will post or Pat will post for me some great pictures that my wife took. The best ones of the group that I have seen to date.

Sherman Park Criterium

I know that many are riding in the Horrible Hilly on Saturday, June 14th. For those who are not, I am interested in racing in the Sherman Park crit on Saturday. This race is put on by the XXX team and is held in Chicago. The race I would enter would be the Cat 4/5 40+ which begins at 9:30 am. Let me know if anyone else is interested.

Matteson Returns June 10th & Illinois State Road Race

The Tuesday evening criterium races start up again (for 3-weeks) June 10th. See Chicago Bike Racing web site for details.

Also saw that there will be an Illinois State Road race championship Aug 23rd but the location is yet to be determined.

Those that have not done a race yet the Matteson series is the perfect place to start. The B race is not that fast, 22 mph avg. speed depending upon who shows up. It is a safe low key way to introduce yourself to racing. Anyone that can hang in the Saturday ride would do well in the B race. The B race field size was 15 riders when I did it last, this may grow as the weather is nicer. Race with the A's if you want simulate what a fast cat 4 race is like. It is probably faster than a hard cat 4 race.

Spring Prairie Road Race (Sunday)

Racing Fans (I took this line from Eddie B)

As most of you know this coming Sunday is the Spring Prairie Road Race in Wisconsin. This is probably one of the best road races in the Midwest this summer. I know I have been pounding many of you to go to this race just for the simple fact that the course is like a Saturday morning Bluff ride. For those of you who haven’t gotten your four races in yet this race will give you the opportunity to perform to what your fitness is use to. Plus be able to spend your day with friends and family. I know some of us are bringing our wife’s and children. Furthermore, I know there is talk of a Barbeque after the race.

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?item_id=2558 Sign up link.

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/files_flyers/2558.pdf Event flyer link.

This is a list of who is coming.

1. Pat D.
2. Jim H.
3. Eddie E.
4. Doug B.
5. Don H.
6. Case H.
7. Mark M.
8. Fran C.

Chicago Time Trial Series

Here is your chance to do a time trial in your backyard on the hills of Willow Springs Road. This goes up the same hills as our Sunday ride from Archer Ave. This is a 30K Time Trial on June 15th and is a USCF sanctioned event hosted by Beverly Bike Club. Web site as follows: https://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2008-1650

50+Masters ABR Championship

Hey Racing Fans,
First of all I was pretty happy with my fitness until Sunday.That race was the hardest race that I have been in to date.Last year I had no trouble keeping up with the peleton.This year the top guys were out for blood.We were sprinting up that hill.There was no going to the small ring .It was big ring in the drops for me every time up the hill.My hats off to Dr. Phil.That hill did me in.After I got dropped on the hill I just decided to just TT by myself as I saw nobody coming up.My last time up the hill the front guys caught me and I got to see Team Mack workin it on the last lap.They had a lead out of about 3 to 4 guys drilling it up the hill and somebody on the team was barking out orders.The strangest thing I thought was all the guys that had got dropped in the first few laps were tacked on to the back of the peleton. In my head I'm thinking what the hell.Oh well I've known my biggest limiter has been my weight, but I have not weighed any less in almost 15 years and I just can't justify liposuction.I wonder if those guys that are way fitter then me enjoy just riding as much as I do.Sorry I couldn't stick around after my race but I had to rush off to work.I heard you guys were aggressive in your race and thats great from the kid that works at the shop.He took 2nd Saturday nite and 14th on Sunday.He also weighs in at 135 lbs.I bet I could take him in a wrestling match.
Eddie b.

I checked my email this evening when I got home and found a message from Eddie B. The first thing he said about Sunday's 50+ Winfield Crit was, “ Wow, were those guys fast.” Yeah Eddie, I'm a bit depressed too. I guess we'll have to start training for real if we expect to hang with the old guys. Each lap I couldn't help but wonder who was pulling this train. Finally, about twenty some minutes in I'd had enough of climbing that hill at warp speed and decided to watch the sprint from the sidelines. Almost as soon as I sat up I regretted it. Not that I've pulled out of more than a couple of races over the years but doesn't it always seem that the pace eases just after? Had I known we were chasing a break I'd have dug in for a lap or two more.

On a more upbeat note, Dr. Phil did a good job just hanging after three hours in the saddle on Saturday morning plus the Twilight Crit Saturday night. Until next race, he's my hero.

As for the rest of you, you all looked great.

BRB