2013 Air Force Association Cycling Classic: Tactically Deficient

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

Race	Air Force Association Cycling Classic
Date	June 8-9, 2013
Field	40+
Field Demographics	Pro/1/2

Title for this novella:  “Tactically Deficient”

This past weekend, Arlington County was the host location for a weekend of pro criterium racing, as well as amateur men’s races.  For women, the only race option was with the pro women’s peloton, which necessitates being a Cat 2 or higher.  Until this year, this race was (happily) out of reach for me and was one that I pledged never to do.  Last year, I had “official” race duties as podium girl for the amateur races, which was just fine.

This year, I traded bike shop employment for the US Department of State and podium girl for peloton girl, as I decided that my week up to the race was not filled with enough stress and registering for another pro race was a good idea.  I missed the online registration due to an excellent demonstration of procrastination and wandered down to the race hotel during a heavy rainstorm to register.   As people queued up to pick up their packets for the citizen’s Sunday morning ride, I found the sign that announced “Pro Races” and paid my registration to Jim Patton, who, despite my best smile and winning personality, would not let me negotiate a fee based on laps raced, for my attitude was not when I finish the race but how many laps could I complete before being pulled.  I had realistic expectations.

Saturday:  Clarendon Cup, 50 km distance, 1 km lap course, 5 turns, off-cambered road surfaces.

Race day dawned.  Nerves almost made coffee a moot point (key word:  almost).  Car packed.  Shoes packed despite an attempt to leave them behind.  This race would be unique in several ways: 

(1) In the past I swore I would never, ever do this race even if someone paid me to do so….yet I paid $50 to register.

(2) I was joined by two teammates, Wendy and Kelley.  Today was only the third time we lined up together

(3) Wendy and the Boy live about 2 blocks from the race course.  We could warm up on her front porch.

I have ridden the streets of Clarendon for years, perhaps the source of the fear I have for this race.  CA and I did a couple of laps before his race and I happily realized the road surface was much better than I expected.  I was concerned about the corners, since this race has the reputation of being more of a NASCAR environment, with lots of crashes and near misses.  The pre-riding calmed my nerves a bit.

After warming up with Kelley and Wendy at Chez Cassius, we rolled to the line.  As with Wilmington, there were some impressive call-ups.  By this point, I realized that I was actually going to do this – ride around and around and around with the national champion of New Zealand, an Olympic silver medalist, and Laura Van Gilder. I should have brought my sharpie for autographs.

I made Cycling News.....one benefit of being in the back
of the group.  I am number 69.
Photo credit:  Cycling News

The whistle blows, I easily clip in only to find the person in front of me had not accomplished the same task and I had to slow and move to the right and my decent starting position was lost.  Yikes.  We go through the first turn and I started looking for my slow-mo button on some remote control that could slow the group.  The acceleration out of the corners was fast and I found myself getting gapped through them.  I knew I should try to move up but the course was short and technical, which made that difficult to do.  It would take more aggressive riding that I was comfortable executing.  Instead, I fell into the rhythm of coast and then sprint.  Those ladies would also pedal through corners that I was certain would grab my pedal if I tried to follow suit.   Later in the race, when I was off the back, I was on the wheel of one of the pro women and followed her line through the corners….wow.  It can be done but with 40 others around me….hmmm.

I popped off the back on one of those corners (after 5 turns per lap x 50 laps = 250 turns during the race, they are a bit of a blur) and tried to time trial it to others who have suffered the same fate.  I was in the same situation as Wilmington and I knew I was in danger of being pulled.  Darn it.

CA was positioned on the course to be able to see the part after the sort-of chicane and the last turn.  He noticed the officials pulled riders behind me.  He yelled at both Kelley and me to sprint from the last turn to the start/finish to show that, while out of contention, we were still “racing”.  We both followed his orders and I think that saved our race. We ended up with a group of seven or so and started working together.  We were lapped by the field and re-integrated.  The field was then lapped by the break-away and things settled down for the sprint finish. 

I was a bit deydrated and very
 happy after the race

CA keep yelling for me to move up to the front on each lap.  During this time my thoughts were many:

“I am not moving to the front of a pro race even if I could.  I am happy in the back. “ 

“I wonder if he knows I can hear him, but choose to ignore him.” 

“Will this race ever end?  Still 10 to go.” 

“I am never riding on Wilson Blvd. again”
“OMG.  I am going to finish.”

The podium girl hand the flowers and kiss the riders
was tough....and I made cycling news on the podium....

To paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt:  I did the thing I thought I could not do. 

About an hour later, I learned that I received a podium girl promotion to the big leagues of the pro men’s race.  After an interview on the podium about Freshbikes which landed me on the news (perhaps showering after the race would have been a good idea), I returned to hand out the flowers to the men’s podium. 

Sunday:  Crystal Cup, 1 hour, 2km lap. 7 turns with one of them 180 degrees, very poor quality road surface.

In the paraphrased words of Scarlett O’Hara, unfortunately, tomorrow is another day.  After a great Saturday, Sunday brought another race.  CA and the US Military Cycling Team had ride ambassador duties for the Crystal Ride, so Kelley and I had a leisurely morning and headed to Arlington around 10:30.  Parking gods were with us and we found a spot very close to the course. 

I should know by now…..within the 2 hours to start window, I hate racing.  I will think of any excuse to pull out of a race.  After pre-riding the course with Kelley, I wanted to use Sunday for a long training ride.  The roads were filled with potholes.  I like skin on my body and not the road.  I was tired from Saturday.  It might rain.  I just saw a Cicada.  Jupiter is aligned with Mars and Venus.  I forgot my front wheel.  I plan to give up racing for Lent and want to start early and the list goes on.  Kelley and CA calmed me and we headed down to the car to get ready.  Larry and CA played the role of soigneur and set up our trainers and made sure that we were set to go.  I did leave my front wheel at home but….funny how CA lent me his 303 tubular.  So with mismatched Zipps (first world problems) I started the warmup.

As we were finishing with the warm-up, we heard the sound that no one wants to hear – ambulance.  Later than evening I learned the story (the falsehoods making the rounds of the race watchers were many) and I am amazed at Tim Rugg’s bunny hopping ability and the luck that no one was seriously hurt.

With a very gracious
Laura Van Gilder after the race 

We queued up with the other ladies waiting for the kids’ races to finish.  The threatening skies were gone (along with that, “I don’t do crits with pro women in the rain” excuse) and I readied myself for the impeding pain.  Gun goes off and so do we.  The corners were more forgiving than the day before and I would be doing less of them.  Unlike Saturday, there were longer stretches which allowed me to move a bit more forward in the pack when I lost my head and forgot with whom I was racing.  The wind after the second turn was brutal and the sprints after 250 corners the day before were taking its toll. 

I fell off for about half a lap but was able to re-attach.  Jenette Williams, with whom I battled the prior week in WV, yelled at me a couple of times to get back onto her wheel – which kept me with the pack longer than I would have without her.  With about 7 or so to go, I popped off the back for the last time.  I was tired – although I think the fatigue was mental rather than physical.  When you exceed your expectations, it is good but…..I did not expect to still be in the pack and when the pain started, I only could tolerate so much.

I was pulled with 4 to go.  I ended up 26^th overall for the omnium,

Lessons Learned:

1. Training:  When we looked at my powerfile from Saturday, the numbers showed that I was well trained for this race.  I did not set any PR for power for either race.  I have trained harder than I raced this weekend.
2.  Given (1), in the words of CA, I am “tactically deficit”.  As everyone knows in these races, to sit on the back is to wait to be popped off it.  I knew that but…..I don’t want to be the amateur that takes out the women’s pro peloton in a corner or for the sprint.
3.   Given (2), time to spend more time cornering at faster speeds.
4. Sometimes you surprise yourself…

Kudos and Shoutouts:

• Kelley and Wendy:  Rolling to the line with you on Saturday made my nerves and desire to vomit better.
• Kelley:  Thanks for keeping me sane on Sunday when I wanted to quit and cheering for me for my remaining laps.
• Larry: EvoFemme soigneur – want the job?  You are a great friend and I think I can rent you out on race day…..
• Jenette:  It is always an honor and pleasure to race with you.  Thanks for keeping me in the group a couple more laps!
• CA:  I did it.  You made that possible.