I am seriously considering selling my bike and taking up some hobby where I might actually be any good. Or a hobby where months of work will yield real results, perhaps building ships in bottles. I bet if I spent all winter building a ship in a bottle, I would have a ship in a bottle by the end of that time.
The Palmer race was perfect for me and my strengths. It was long–three laps of about 20 miles each. The hills were not too bad–I was able to climb all of them fast and in the big ring. The finishing stretch was perfect for me–a relatively long uphill.
The race began with a neutral start, and I had positioned myself in the very front, so when the racing actually started, I was right there, setting the pace. I stayed in the lead for five miles or so, and I felt practically invincible, rolling easy, breathing deeply, pushing the pace at 25-26 mph. Boston Road Club, which had entered 17 guys in the Cat 4 race, sent about five or six to the front of the pack with me, and every few minutes one of them would launch an attack. At first, I chased, but soon realized that they were trying to soften up the competition with pointless attacks, so I settled in and let the BRC guys drift back on their own.
At about mile 15 I was at the front with a BRC guy and someone from another team. The course made a hard right after going over a bridge under construction, and the three of us went hard. I missed a wheel as we were rotating and couldn’t catch back on, so I waited until the hard-charging pack caught up and went to work with them. As we passed the finish line for the first lap, two more guys jumped hard to bridge to the breakaway, but I was on the wrong side of the pack to jump with them.
The pack soon started to try to reel in the break. The problem was BRC. Every time we tried to organize a pace line at the front to pick up the pace, BRC would throw off our rhythm or not pull through. That was fine, though, since they had someone in the break, and they really shouldn’t attack their own guy. Nevertheless, we were able to push pretty hard, screaming down the descent in a paceline at 42 mph.
On the long climb not far from the finish, I started to worry. My calf muscle kept sending me little twinges of pain. When I stood on the pedals, my hamstrings did the same thing. To counter this, I took deep swallows from my bottle, and hoped that I could stave off the problem. As we crossed the finish line for the second time, the pain was becoming more intense and insistent, but I gritted my teeth and tried yoga breathing exercises to loosen up.
A few miles later, I got forced off the road into the sand at the shoulder and skidded sideways. Although everyone who saw this made horrified noises as they thought I was going to go down, I showed the months of riding on dirt roads paid off and regained the road without a problem. I was feeling a little too cocky, though, and about ten minutes later, as we started up one of the hills, my calves, my hamstrings, and my quads on both legs locked up with excruciating cramps. I screamed and tried to stretch out my legs, but I saw the last of the pack slip past me, with the race follow vehicle bringing up the rear. When the follow vehicle passes you, you are in trouble.
I told myself that I was not going to get screwed out of this race. It was mine, and I knew I had at least a top ten if not a top five just waiting for me. I was easily one of the strongest racers there. I yelled some more and stood on the pedals, ignoring the cramping muscles and forced myself to hammer hard past the follow vehicle. I had just reached the back of the peloton when my legs started hurting so bad they just stopped working. No forcing, no screaming, no swearing would make them work. I drifted to the side of the road, got off my bike and fought tears of utter frustration. My race was over.
I have had problems with leg muscle cramps before, but this was extremely bad–my legs still hurt today, more than 24 hours after the race. I have tried everything. (Please don’t suggest I eat bananas: bananas trigger my migraines.) I take enough mineral supplements to build a battleship. I am careful to hydrate properly during the race. I had dumped some Hammer Endurolytes caps in my bottles. Nothing seems to work. I am so frustrated, angry, and humiliated by this–I have been training so hard this year (I have over 1500 miles of training since January), and I am finally racing smart (holding my place in the pack better than ever). And then, to make it even worse, the guys who sat in the back of the fucking pack the entire race while I’m up front really racing finish in the top ten. Wheelsucking pack fodder finish in the money, and I get a fucking DNF. No justice.
The Hobgoblin of Little Minds 
Don’t know what to tell you about the cramps, but that part about leading the group for the first five miles…No offense, but that’s not smart racing. Maybe even the reason you cramped up, yes? Best of luck with the rest of your season — there’s plenty more races to win 😉
Hang in there! I know it seems tough and that you get no justice but training and racing are 2 different things. Get input from a local cat. 1 or 2 about tactics – they should be able to help you figure out how to do well on a course that suits your strengths. For example: if you knew you ‘owned’ this course; sitting in until the final 20 mile lap may have been a prudent tactic. Whatever you do don’t give up – you’re obviously a driven rider – that’s what will make you a success.
From your writing I did see 2 things: next time you’re in trouble on a hill, don’t fight your body, just survive to the top and bridge back to the group on the down hill if possible – even if the gap is bigger. By you surging past the follow vehicle you hurt your body – when in fact you needed to have nursed it through the trouble spot.
The second thing I was saw was bananas trigger your migraines. I have a friend who grew up in Hawaii and races in Florida and has liquid acceleration. Problem is he can’t get to the end of the race due to dehyrdation. He started drinking Advocare Rehydrate and WHAM, he’s our closer now! You might want to consider trying it – it has lots of Potassium, very palatable and will help replenish what you’re missing out on the bananas.
Keep the faith.
z
Orlando, FL
Thanks for the advice–I’ll have to try some of the hydration tips, and I see now I should have eased up, but I was so frantic and upset about losing the pack. Ericv–I guess I didn’t make myself clear about the first five miles. My point was not that I was hammering too hard then, but that I was feeling fine and ready for the real racing to start–the pace was EASY and my HR was in the mid 130s to 140s, where I should be able to ride all day long. I was also trying to stay near the front five or ten, out of the mid- and back-pack mess that always seems to cause trouble in races (crashes, missed breaks, and so on).
Hmmmm, isn’t it a wonderful sport? Those are the worst days: when you feel good and the race doesn’t go according to expectations. There will be more days like this.
As for your cramping issues, I don’t know what to suggest. It might not be an electrolyte deficiency. Maybe you need to get yourself a foam roller and start regularly taking hot and cold baths. An ice bath after a race really helps take away the soreness. Finish with heat. Massage, too.
Well, I know I throw psychology at every problem, but there’s a story I’ve always loved about Sven Goran Erikson and the English football team (now if ever you have a bad day, there’s a bunch of folk who ought to make you feel better). They had been on a terrible losing streak when Erikson took them over and he worked hard not so much on fitness or technique but on keeping them buoyant and focused. In the first big game they played under his management they were losing 1-0 when an easy shot at goal hit the bar and missed. As of one, the team sagged and looked up to the manager’s box. From there, Erikson remained impassive but gave them all a big thumbs up. They went on to win the match 2-1. You give yourself such a hard time, dear Hobgoblin, when you are such a talented and able rider and have so much potential. Be an understanding witness to yourself and work with your body. I know so very well from the ME how much worse bodily problems become as soon as you say ‘O God, I don’t want you, and I’m going to work right over the top of you’. Then the body takes over and becomes insistent. Meditate on the race – it might be really interesting to see what emotions come up. And believe in yourself. You have every reason to.
Some good advice. Fendergal–I have scheduled a massage appointment for this Friday (I’d make one with you, but you’re just a little too far away!). There is a problem with the bath thing, though: I’m too tall to fit comfortably in our little tub–my legs are too long! And Litlove, you are so right about the mental and emotional aspects of physical pain. I need to refocus as much as anything.
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