Purgatory 2017

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djming
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Purgatory 2017

Post by djming »

I'll start off as I sit here nursing my wounds (spoiler..) and sipping some Wachusett Wally.
Masters 40+ lining up alongside Burgel, Busick, Daniels, Pare, Raguin, Teves plus a who's who of NE 40+ talent. Smallish (31) but strong field. Figured screw the 50+ to go complete domestique duty as always better to race with more teammates and we needed all the help we could muster today.
Realistically we concluded that for any of us (namely Josh) to have a shot at a top 5, we needed to get him a good gap heading into the final time up Lackey. Or have him get in a late race break.
CVC/Healthcare had 6 strong guys so they were the team to watch. 545 had their usual Campbell/Billings duo plus McMahon and Lopera to round out a solid foursome for them.

On the 1st lap 2 (or maybe it was 3) guys off the front including Hildebrand but no other key guys or teams in it. Hey, we've seen this before (last year) with Dave H except this year he's got no teammates and the field basically let him dangle at 15 seconds or so. On Whitins Rd CVC started a train to pull them back. I got in the mix but didn't need to do too much work. As we hit the climb it was apparent they would be caught so I settled in. I felt okay, but still struggled a bit to maintain, got a little worried, and had to work with Mangan from CCB and one other to close the gap before the turn onto Central Tpk to start lap 2.

Start of lap 2 I was back in contact enough to see 2 guys go off immediately on Central but not in position to help and didn't see who they were. Held my own on Uxbridge and Mendon and by Whitins was moving back to the front, with 2 still away. Sometime after halfway on Whitins Rob Lyons (Finkraft) kinda rolled off the front of the main group and I decided to jump up to him. We didn't get much and when it was obvious he wasn't interested in trying anything, I just upped my tempo somewhat to see what would happen as we passed the dam into the step climb. Well, nobody really came with me when suddenly Mangan comes by hard on my right yelling "let's go". Eh, why not? We got a gap and then I figured this could be a good thing having a lead heading into the climb so I could keep it a bit more steady. Sure enough, that worked and while the field caught up I was in a good position this time to stay right at the front back down to Central.

Start of lap 3 Mangan goes again. I wait thru the feed zone and make sure I have a good position. Then a white kit guy goes followed by Colm McMahon from 545. Okay, this one I gotta cover especially with Campbell and Billings sitting in the field. Initially on Central I'm a bit gassed so let the other 3 do most of the work (getting a few rightly deserved "pull thrus") but then I recover and start equally helping out. We had been given a time gap of 1min earlier on Central. At one point on Uxbridge a moto told us it was 50 sec to the leaders with 35 seconds to the field. But by the end of Mendon descent and onto Barnett that 35 was basically gone and the 4 of us gave it a rest as we came up to Whitins. A chat with Josh about getting together with Lopera from 545 to go again but I'm not recovered enough to be all that effective just yet. By this point though the field has been whittled down to 18 or so, so I hold mid-pack position to recover. We approach Lackey #3 and in what turns out to be my undoing allow a few to swarm past me. Made the right turn onto Lackey, glued to Lyons' wheel hugging the right side when one of the guys who passed me and is now just ahead on my left comes to a dead stop (assuming a dropped chain or some shifting issue). Two guys veer over with one clipping Lyons and those to stop. The other nudges me. I can't stop and rub up against Lyons' rear wheel, taking out my front. Into the dirt/mud and I'm going down. Except now the ground is falling away from me. Oh fun, here's a streambed/ditch going down 2+ feet. Fall into that landing on my right arm and (apparently) hit my head on something. Hey, the running water over me kinda feels good. Jump up, SRAM right there to check the bike (all okay). I've got stuff on my knee and elbow but otherwise am okay. Back on the bike with a push from SRAM but on the steepest part of lower Lackey with the field now at least 30 seconds ahead. Uh, right. Then as I go to get out of the saddle I realize there may have been a bit more than I thought as get some pain in my arm. Okay, see how this goes. Thru the finish, onto Central Tpk and it's abundantly clear I have no prayer of catching back unless they all just sit up (as if there really was any thought..) Just see how things go. Arm progressively gets more sore and stiff and can no longer grip the bars. I'm done. Otherwise, I actually feel okay and really felt ready to help out more on the final two laps. Ride tempo to the finish and get checked out as Alice comes up to meet me.

Badly swollen right elbow and a dented helmet (no crack, but yup, another Lazer bites the dust). Contusion on side of right knee. Coulda been much worse. Bike being checked out fully tomorrow by Landry's as there is a chip on the fork (riding the Giant today, so not another Madone issue!) EMTs said no indication of a break. Nurse Alice, along with her sister (who's an ER nurse) confirmed this. Ice/compression definitely helping so she thinks no ligament damage either. And that's that.
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jraguin
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by jraguin »

Bummer Dave. Sorry to hear. It will probably feel worse tomorrow, but hopefully it will feel better in a few days.

My story and lesson is simple: Don't go to a serious race when you are mentally and physically not ready to race. I was on my feet non-stop working for 11 hours at a lacrosse tournament that my store is the equipment vendor for. Legs felt cooked the moment I woke up on Sunday. Wrestled with not going and warming up wrestled with not starting. Started and the first lap was pretty hard. Up Lackey the first time didn't feel great. Decided to quit. A bunch of guys go by. Kevin goes by and yells at me, can't leave Kevin alone, so I do ride a bit with him. Surprisingly, we get back on the pack. But my mind is on quitting, so the next surge, I just stop pedaling hard. I do eventually catch up to Kevin who was dropped later and after going up Lackey again decide to go home.
JBurgel
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by JBurgel »

Ouch and Ouch - Sorry to hear both those stories in more detail. JR's "mental" quit is backed up by the fact that he left his vehicle's fancy key in the parking lot - found by Busick...Speaking of, CB was also a hero today, chasing down breaks, jumping in front of me when I happened to find the wind, and suffering mightily - looks like the legs are finally back after the NC malaise. He can tell the story, but his reward? State Championship Bronze for the 45-50!

Picked to be the sprinter, my trial-by-fire course learning was marginal as Dave's encyclopedic planning went way over my head proving I needed to mind meld with Pare, stay chill for 3 laps then hope to steal a 20 second gap just prior to Lackey on the 5th lap. Everything was going according to plan, except Lackey was really f'ing hard and the day was getting warmer. Thanks to Dave and CB I sat blissfully mid-pack, eating, drinking, and trying to stay cool. At one point Hildebrand admonished me for "drifting" . . . apparently I wasn't really holding my line? And then, a bit later, he made sure my bottle stayed in my pocket, such a kind man. Then, lap 3 hit and I was on alert, tagging onto Bobby Bailey on every flat and downhill, and finding myself in the wind a bit. As Dave described, the 2 man CVC break was still up the road at 50 seconds, so, brainwave messaging Pare "you seem to have good climbing legs on Lackey, I will help reel in the break, and you be the sprinter". CB, Billings, me, and Eric Nedeau formed a nice rotation, and within the flat along Hawley and Manchaug cut the break down to about 5 seconds before the 4th climb. Filtering back I received the bad news from Pare "I'm going to put you in time out". I guess he hadn't received my mind meld and I was still The ONE. My legs started to twinge, so pounded a HotShot before Lackey, and sat back waiting for attacks. They came, but most were half-hearted, and I was able to follow wheels. As we descended Mendon Rd one last time, I applied the Chris Horner mantra: if you are breaking you are losing. And found Bobby's wheel just before he jumped. Yes! perfect lead out...oh, he isn't pulling through, and everyone is now on my wheel. Again. I begin to prepare for the final climb and get my usual acceleration a few meters ahead into the bottom - Baily and McMahon (545) pull through, but I catch McMahon's wheel and he accelerates while Bailey throws out the anchor. 1st flat I'm still on McMahon's wheel and then Billings, BFC, Lipinski et al start flying by at the 666' mark. Perhap Pare is coming too (then I can quit? Please?) Mind meld not working, I stand to go, heart rate spiking, passing McMahon and top out only about 30 meters back. Still a chance? Maybe if they all look around at each other, I catch one guy, but noooooo, Lipinski takes charge and they are gone. I cross the line in 9th.

As consolation, as I go to check results and shake hands, I am called to the podium for state champion 40-45...so cool, I get to come home with a bronze medal.
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JeremyC
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by JeremyC »

Nice job Josh. FYI "mindmeld" is not a recommended race tactic communication strategy
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pace21
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by pace21 »

Not much to add here. I came to the race with minimal expectations having sort of mailed it in on training since April and spending the previous 2 days downhilling at Highland (it's really tiring, I swear! ;)), but with a solid squad I wanted to do my part. I've known for a while that I don't have the same snap as previous years (too much MTB, not enough hammerfests) but thought I might have a shot by playing it chill for 3.5 laps and then "seeing what happens".

4 out of 5 Lackeys I felt fairly good on, no problem staying with the leaders and even pushing the pace a time or two. The last 1.5 laps (following Josh's timeout and our mindmeld fail) I basically marked every attack hoping one would stick. This resulted in many matches burned on the last lap (and a new 5 second power number for the year, on Whitins Rd no less). I simply didn't have the top end for the final assault on Lackey. I let the initial surge go (somewhat voluntary, but a mistake) and figured I would stay in the pink rather than the red and keep it there for the whole climb. Problem was the initial surge created a 3-5 second gap that I just couldn't close. About halfway up I was still dangling from the front group but turned around and there was a massive gap behind except for the lone figure of Busick still plugging away. A CVC guy and I called a truce on the stairsteps after conceding verbally that the race was up the road, so 5 seconds quickly became 30. I pulled through on CVC guy on the false flat just to reiterate that I wasn't gonna be "that guy" and sprint for 13th place, but then I looked back and saw Busick with the bit between his teeth, so of course I had to launch with everything I had left in the tank to win the sprint for the cursed (13th) position. This was much to the dismay and anger of CVC guy until I pointed out to him that I wasn't trying to beat him but rather my teammate who was in arrears. Because as we all know it's way more fun to smash your teammates than to win sprints for minor placings ;)

In the final analysis I'm not sure we should have done a single thing different. The podium was probably always going to be some combination of Lipinski/Campbell/Billings regardless of tactics. I will say though, at least 2 of the massive efforts on Whitins Rd on the last lap were attacks by Bobby Bailey that both Campbell and I covered (one was my max 5 sec power) but both times we got a small gap and were committed to start a rotation only to look back and see Billings chasing us down with the field in tow. 545 might need a refresher on team tactics. If that 3 man break put 15 seconds into the field by Lackey, the podium might have been Campbell/Pare/Bailey with Billings 4th or 5th, is that better than Lipinski/Campbell/Billings? Tough to say, 2 guys on the podium is pretty sweet too.

All in all a good day, with the exception of Dave's crash and John's malaise.
djming
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by djming »

pace21 wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:16 am 545 might need a refresher on team tactics. If that 3 man break put 15 seconds into the field by Lackey, the podium might have been Campbell/Pare/Bailey with Billings 4th or 5th, is that better than Lipinski/Campbell/Billings? Tough to say, 2 guys on the podium is pretty sweet too.
I go with top step trumps. Not only did he chase down his teammate, but pulled along the eventual winner.
Always easy to MMQB though...
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JeremyC
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by JeremyC »

djming wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:32 am
pace21 wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:16 am 545 might need a refresher on team tactics. If that 3 man break put 15 seconds into the field by Lackey, the podium might have been Campbell/Pare/Bailey with Billings 4th or 5th, is that better than Lipinski/Campbell/Billings? Tough to say, 2 guys on the podium is pretty sweet too.
I go with top step trumps. Not only did he chase down his teammate, but pulled along the eventual winner.
Always easy to MMQB though...
#topstep #dotherightthing
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peterkuhn
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by peterkuhn »

Men's 5:

This was my first time doing this race, and I had thought that the hillclimb was sort of similar to the last part of oak hill. Turns out, lol, it's not! Tucker was also entered in this race, so after Ken Harrod the plan was just to watch what happened at the front and try not to get destroyed by it. I had a non-MRC friend in the group too who was doing his first RR and wanted to keep an eye on him too if possible.

In a remarkable display of hot-weather naivete, I thought I'd be fine with one (large) water bottle. Fortunately I happened to ask Josh B an unrelated dumb question, who then recommended a second bottle the same way you would recommend that someone not pee on a high-voltage wire, or attempt to fight a badger. I also got a frozen bottled water for jersey stuffing out of the deal.

We line up in staging, and the moto guy rolls up to take his place in front of us, looks directly at me and goes, "I've seen you for like two years at wells, what are you doing in cat 5?", to which I respond, "I haven't won yet!" Which is true, save a Jamestown Classic that ended in traffic with another group. Still it's worth noting that race officials I have never met are now calling me a sandbagger, entirely unprovoked. Hmph.

The race rolls off, the neutral start ends, and some guys on the front start pushing up the pace. We go through the downhill section that some highway administrators might consider 'paved' and some poor schmuck loses a bottle and it blows up on the downtube of the guy next to me. Then another bottle about a minute later! It is raining bottles out here. Turns out the same guy lost both, and it's the same friend I brought along to his first road race. So now he's got 30 miles to ride at 90F with no water. I tried to give him one of mine, but he understandably didn't trust his cages anymore (cannondale alloy side cages, thanks a lot cannondale) so he took my ice bottle instead.

The first go up Lackey, a guy in a light blue rapha jersey puts on a bit of a gap, and Tucker cranks his way up to him, and I crank my way up to Tucker. Tucker asks him if he wants to make a go of it, and he says something like why not, sure, we're racing, in a european accent (this should have been a warning sign). So they blast off around the finish line and I chase with a 545 guy. The 545 guy falls off a minute or two later, and then it's time to settle in for an all-new episode of Pretending I Can Hang. Pretending I Can Hang is a show I love, and it usually comes on at 5:30AM on Tuesdays in Concord center, but here's a surprise episode at 90F! Shut up legs, but also, shut up lungs and shut up heart. I am just about completely wrecked after the next lap, but by this point we have a three minute gap, which is almost entirely due to the efforts of Euro Blue Rapha and Tucker, who are still happily sailing along on beams of wattage and are a little perplexed as to why I'm not doing any work on the front.

The second time up Lackey, I hold on until they accelerate after the top, then that's all she wrote. Tucker tried to help me back on, because he is a kind man, but that was not going to happen and my lap of PICH had come to an end. So began a lap of TTing as best I could without any knowledge of how much of that nice big gap remained. I passed a few cat 4/5 guys and couldn't see anyone behind me, then creaked up the final climb to take 3rd, still a minute ahead of 4th.

On the podium I got a small brown paper bag filled with sand. Tucker and Jorn (turns out he's dutch, of course) got larger bags, and more sand.
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PJ McQuade
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by PJ McQuade »

Men's 3 race staged at the height of Sunday's heat. Can't say I was properly acclimated for these temps given the cold spring we've had, but who really was? Field was 40-deep or so, including Chris Gibson making his MRC Cat 3 debut (tough one to break the ice with!)

I've actually grown somewhat bored with this race over the years, but it's so close to home it's a can't miss. I'm not bored because of the race itself but because of my riding style, which hasn't really changed since the race's inception, and doesn't really lend itself to the punchy/spikey/unsteady power required for conquering Lackey with the top-dogs. I'm more of a go twelve rounds till the final bell kind of boxer and Purgatory is an uppercut to the jaw TKO sort of affair. In the Cat 3 race (sounds similar to Masters) things typically end with some variety of: make it with main pack to last Lackey, get gapped by front group of 10 or so and finish strung-out just outside the top 10. Sometimes small breaks stick, sometimes not. I've literally placed 11th here 3 years in a row. My two minute power is roughly the same. The kids in Cat 3 haven't gotten slower. You do the math.

Oh yeah, the actual report. Lap 1 a small group jumps on Central TPK. Seemed dangerous when they still had a gap turning onto Whitins. I burned some matches on Manchaug trying to close it (could have used those later!). We finally pulled the group back after the feed zone along Central. Tame for a bit now. Lackey #2 didn't feel good and I'm clawing up to stay with the pack. I slip back before the top with a small group and we're gapped. Chase, burn more matches, latch on in the rough section, Uxbridge Rd. Catch my breath on the descent, notice a little while after this I've been riding at FTP for 60 mins. And it's 92 degrees. And we're not even half way done. This won't end well, the voice in my head says. Lackey #3 feels better, but I'm a ticking time bomb at this point. Grabbed a water feed (went through 3.5 bottles), tried to recover on lap 4, but felt like I was wet and wearing boots on the 4th trip up Lackey. There were 18 of us at this point. I know this because I got popped by the mailboxes on the final kick, chased for half the lap (could still see the lights of the SRAM car!), surrendered on Barnett when the marshal said. "1:15 back to group" and limped up Lackey a fifth and final time for 18th. Thought I was DFL but apparently there was a lot of carnage. At least I didn't get 11th!
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JBurgel
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Re: Purgatory 2017

Post by JBurgel »

peterkuhn wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:35 am Men's 5:

In a remarkable display of hot-weather naivete, I thought I'd be fine with one (large) water bottle. Fortunately I happened to ask Josh B an unrelated dumb question, who then recommended a second bottle the same way you would recommend that someone not pee on a high-voltage wire, or attempt to fight a badger. I also got a frozen bottled water for jersey stuffing out of the deal.

On the podium I got a small brown paper bag filled with sand. Tucker and Jorn (turns out he's dutch, of course) got larger bags, and more sand.
Happy to help and . . . great write up! Glad you got your bag of sand! Good luck on the BT in the morning. Hopefully the legs come back?
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