Barry Roubaix 2011 Recap- From an average Joe cyclist point of view #601

Lookey Lookey! Wannabe is racing his commuter/CX Gunnar Fastlane bike in the
Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race!!!!

Photo credit: Hans Nyberg at Tenmilemedia

(*__*)

Watch more video of Barry-Roubaix: The Killer Gravel Road Race on cyclingdirt.org

LOOK!!! at the 2:00 minute mark Number 601!! That is me!!!
Extreme Gravel Racing!

Oh where to begin... was it the eighteen degrees biting cold wintry snap that held our attention, or was it the fact that it was my very first road race?

At first I was all jittery and confused, didn’t know whether to wear my boots or my canvas shoes with toe warmers, glad I chose the latter, and whether or not to wear my other jacket, just wrapped up in my team kit and a sweater I was very cold, but this was at idle, which would surely change once we started pedaling about like mad men / women. So this is the Wannabe all dressed up in the RACING GREYHOUND team kit for the first time, a great day to try something new, on a less than perfect day of 18 degrees! But at least the sun was shining bright; this made a HUGE difference in all of our rides, guaranteed

Cold Crisp Spring day on Gun Lake

My initial excitement grew when I had realised that there was an absolute no turning back during warm up, and I had to just make do with what gear I was wearing and how my bike was set up, which was perfect as far as I could tell, I really wouldn’t change a thing but maybe clean the chain and use a dry wax lubricant instead of the oily lot that was on there gathering all that grime and grit from the road, thus causing inadvertent shifting errors and other crazy things we shall delve into at a more proper segment.

After rolling up to the group of people for the 35 mile route in my class, I had a sense of ease and well being, after all, everything was in its proper place, the bike was tuned the gear was sufficient and warm-ish, the food stores, although could be better, were suitable for the first hour, as so I had thought. I see some fellow hounds and roll up to then asking them if this was the correct group to be in, just to really make sure, and it was, as if it wasn’t then it would disqualify your race. Four minutes to go, I reset my Garmin GPS and just let it count, I was still too nervous to manually start the counter as we crossed the threshold, in hind sight I totally could have, so the first four minutes or so were added to the total time recorded, as well as the last few minutes or so, it really didn’t matter too much as my time was far less than acceptable, but hey, you got to start somewhere. It was time, I was shaking and feeling all kinds of emotion, it was so fast and so exhilarating to me that it felt euphoric in a weird way, all the pre race stresses vanished and I was riding my bicycle again.

RIDE DETAILS OMMITTED - STAY TUNED FOR VIDEO!

Yes, indeed, after a rough road race even the bikes needed to take a little nap. ;-) Wouldn’t you know that there was well over a Million dollars of bicycles here on race day, more like 3 million as 3 grand a pop times 975 entries or so, and is such a testament to the cycling community that, although not the safest measure, and most certainly not the brightest, you can just leave your 2400 dollar Sach’s laying around for the taking. But we cyclists would never do such a thing, that is like kicking down your door and having an affair with your spouse right in front of you while eating your supper and taking a crap on your throne whilst reading your favourite issue of Velonews. Sick and wrong on all accounts, therefore it is rather safe to presume that your bicycle will be safe at such event. We are a very trust worthy community, as far as I am concerned, for the most part that is, as there are bad seeds anywhere.

Like this one here in the center, number 601.

Photo credit: Andrea TuckerTucker Bikes

Enough reading? How about watching this small video clip of how the race pace was on these roads, this is the Sagar road segment, which was, quite rough in relation to the rest of the ride.

Not too shabby eh? A fellow GREYHOUND is shown in the yellow and black for the most of the video, and this pace was almost double my slow precarious pace in this section as I was both scared of crashing into the icy cold ground and wrecking my awesome Gunnar Fastlane, I know, kinda lame of an excuse but it is all I got. If you look towards the 4 minute mark, a rider goes down hard, he may have been the one with the broken bone injury. A few people were injured during this rough race.

See the map below for specific details if you please:




Links

The OFFICIAL Facebook page HERE
The OFFICIAL race results HERE
The OFFICIAL Garmin results HERE (Note: there was a four minute lead in and an outro to my time recorded.)

Cycling Dirt's Totally stellar review of the race, read this!!



The GARMIN results of my rather EPIC ride.
Summary
Overall
Time: 02:50:49
Distance: 35.26 mi
Elevation Gain: 1,882 ft
Calories: 2,099 C
Timing
Time: 02:50:49
Moving Time: 02:40:17
Elapsed Time: 02:50:49
Avg Speed: 12.4 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 13.2 mph
Max Speed: 29.5 mph
Avg Pace: 04:50 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace: 04:32 min/mi
Best Pace: 02:01 min/mi
Speed
Pace
Elevation
Elevation Gain: 1,882 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,884 ft
Min Elevation: 744 ft
Max Elevation: 1,096 ft
Heart Rate
Avg HR: 160 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
_________________________________________

Which comparatively speaking, in relation to all my other rides recently, including but not withstanding, sucks royally, period.

In summary: I went out too hard too soon thus depleting my main energy stores, hitting my "wall" and essentially falling off the back of the entire race. I basically did a "What not to do" during the event and seem to do the same subsequently on our Tuesday Night World Training rides, you would think I would learn by now. At least I have did this so many times that I am rather predictable, pathetically so, but always consistent.


Anyway, the ride back took 2 hours including filling up and on the way we so happened to see a wonderful Barn-o-gon in all its splendour:

Barn-o-gon?

I got fourth place... from the last in my class. ; )
81 601 Wannabecyclist M 36 Racing Greyhounds 2:45:32 12.7

It is not how fast you are, it is how much fun you have. Ride safe my friends!!





-WCFTW

Barry Roubaix 2011 (Pre-race thoughts)

Barry Roubaix - Killer Gravel Road Race

WEATHER
or not it is cold, sleeting, and windy, we shall ride the entire 35 mile route.
I just put on the Kenda Small block Eights and they are gooey. :)

As for training for this race... Not so much.

I do have a whole bunch of miles in this year so far, about 604.82 miles so far, which is on the cusp for my training program. I am supposed to do at the very least 200 miles per month until mid-march and then more outdoor rides, however, the weather has been less forgiving than last year this time. Oh, I have tried a "Tuesday Night World" ride for the first time three weeks ago, got dropped once I took a pull in the pace-line!! LOL Apart from feeling just about every emotion from defeat, joy, elation, sedation, and confusion, it was one heck of a fun ride, wind and all. :) This ride is here in Garmin format: RIDE DATA


All in all, the hardest part will be waking up at 0430 for this event, sort final details, eat, drive three hours out to the race, grab bib #601, put packet in car and do last second checks and roll out. This should be very similar to the Worst Day Of The Year Ride from January, temperature, wind, and elevation are just abut similar, so now I know what to do in advance. Hand warmers are a number one priority for the boots.

From the site:
Barry-Roubaix: The Killer Gravel Road Race
will be held March 26th, 2011. Registration will open December 15th, 2010. No limit on entries. The start/finish will be at the The Yankee Springs Recreation Areas Gun Lake Unit on Briggs/Gun Lake Road.

$2000 cash awards plus trophies or medals to the top three 65 Mile racers (no age categories). 1st-$500, 2nd-$300, 3rd-$200. Michigan Youth Cycling and Kisscross Events will award $250 in scholarship to the fastest under 18 year old male and female in the 23 and 35 mile races each.

Trophies to the overall winner of the 35 and 23 mile race. Medals to the top three in age categories (age categories are 10 year splits for 23 milers, 5 year splits for 35 milers), plus prizes to top 3, 4 or 5 and raffle prizes to many lucky racers.

Friday and Saturday registration is an additional $10 (Registration opens Friday from 3:00-9:00 p.m. at Bay Pointe Inn (join other racers for a meet and greet in the Terrace Grille from 4-7 pm). Registration will also take place Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. at the Gun Lake Unit). Packet pick up is open at the same times as above. There is no cap on the amount of racers.

You may confirm who has entered the race by going to the Bike Reg link and checking the confirmed riders list.

No refund of any kind will be allowed. Although you can transfer your entry to another rider via Bike Reg prior to 7 p.m. March 23rd, 2011.

New Again! State Park Passports, hang on with me here, this is the rule…if you have a plate renewal date from October 2010 through March 26th 2011, you will NEED to have paid the $10 opt in fee and have the “P” on your license plate tab. But if you have a plate renewal after March 26th through September 2011 you don’t need a sticker or have to pay an entry fee. Michiganders that opted out on the passport and out of state residents have to pay a$10.00 day fee at the shelter Saturday a.m. Please park first then get your day permit. The ranger booth will be closed at the entrance to speed up entry and parking.

What else can I expect?

An awards party with dozens of great prizes to random racers
What the Truck catering with tacos and burritos for sale
10 Kegs of Founders Ale!
A bonfire on the beach
Silent Raffle prizes before and during the event
Traditional Raffle at 2:30, must be present to win
Chronotrack Timing by Race Services Company. Rigid handlebar number plates with timing chips will be used for the best timing available.
Long Sleeve tee shirts and hoodies available for purchase when registering in advance
A very limited amount of pint glasses and t-shirts will be available for purchase day of the race
Hoodies, Long and Short Sleeve T-shirts available for purchase until March 9th when registering in advance.

excerpt from: http://www.barry-roubaix.com/info/


How about a sneek peek:

2011 Barry-Roubaix Course Pre-Ride from XXC Magazine on Vimeo.

I would post our top secret RACING GREYHOUND information right here, if you are ever so inclined to pry. ;-)

It is only two days away and I can already feel the tension in my legs, I cannot wait for my first official mass start road race!



-WCFTW

私の愛人です。 Wannabe Cyclist has a Mistress OMG! BMC SSX01 Review Part One

私の愛人です。Translated: My Mistress, in Japanese. After toying with the notion that in order to race legally with my Gunnar Bad-Ass All-Purpose Super Awesome Steed, I would have to first remove my coveted disc-brakes (AVID BB7's), and add a crappy V-brake from my Schwinn, or shall I say: "One of my Schwinns!" And as it be an all already "heavy" bicycle, 23LBS heavy, it still wasn't meant for racing no matter how I sliced the pie. It is great for Psychocross and such events where those mega awesome brakes come in handy dandy in the grimy gunk, but definitely not for 27mph peloton racing in a criterium for any given length of time, what I really NEEDED was a true road racing bicycle.

You can click the picture to see a bigger version, but not always better version of the picture.

It all started quite a few weeks ago when fellow RACING GREYHOUND "Miami" said he was selling his trusted steed, it was then that I had eyed the bicycle but didn't move in for the kill due to money being tighter than a frogs ass. Time went on by and it was getting time to buy, that led me to the consumption of this product for my bicycle queue. It was a fine Wintry Wednesday night at the Cycle To Fitness Bicycle shop, after a relaxed trainer night (Riding rollers and watching a movie), the bicycle kept calling out to me. Seriously just look at her!!!!!

That is an '08 BMC Streetfire SSX01 with a decent Mavic wheelset, Crabon Fork, Cane Creek Headset, with Sora, and Tiagra Dérailleurs. A great starter bicycle for road RACING and WINNING. Okay, that may be a tad bit overzealous but what the hay, ya know.
N+1 Definition
Anyhow, the miles accrued on this steed as per the trip computer were: 2156 as shown here in this image:

which has already been bumped up about thirty or so miles on both the rollers and the road. I am not able to discuss performance as of yet due to not having much time with her and not having clipless shoes too. Some of the finer bits on this awesome bike are the complicated skeletal frame components, I do like this a whole bunch. :) Have a peek:

This must help the frame deliver the stresses equally amongst the ultra thin aluminum tubing.

Now this fancy little doo-dad looks like crabon, and from what Maimi had told me, it was a special press fit style bearing or something fancy like that. Great technical prowess I know, I'm good with complex engineering wording eh. Seriously though, It all adds up to a definite step up in quality that I am used to when it comes to cycling and all that jazz. I could be happy on a 30 dollar huffy, just as long as it was "solid" enough to hold up when I am riding it, ....

So the so called test ride went like this: RIDE DATA Can you see the indecisiveness in the route! I must have doubled back three times! The great extent of the ride was riding to an abandoned comfort station and home to take pictures and prowl about the ancient landscape, a pastime that I hold dearly might I add.

Love the map feature, it adds so much more interesting value to my already boring blog posts.


View Larger Map
Notice the Fred just casually riding along Edward Hines Drive in this shot. :) I speak of myself, I too am a total FRED turned into a Wannabecyclist racer type.

Sweet, now thaT i HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PEEP THIS:

This and much much more lay in ruin just beyond the tree line, I hope to further investigate this great find. Did I mention that I am an avid explorer too? yep. :)

Well, I hope this unfinished review serves you well, as for the BMC ride data and opinions thereof, I cannot make such statistical claim or opinion until there are at least a hundred miles under my belt with her. Speaking of miles, last season I rode over 2700 miles on bicycles, and about 450 miles this year so far, January 1st as the cutoff date for miles. Wow, who knew that cycling would be this fun!!!

Synopsis on the 2008 BMC Streetfire is this:

Quick, Nimble, Light in the front-end, very rigid, a very tight feel to it. That is about it for now, yeah I know, kinda a half cocked review, but really, who can judge at this point, especially when your ride was in the thirties with gusting wind eh!


Addendum:
As I write this, the sleet / ice mix coming down is rather atrocious and unforgiving if one were to be traversing the motorway in any vehicle, let alone a bicycle. I am actually glad that I didn't ride my bike here, it is nasty out. Might be an iced in day tomorrow, that sucks.



Photo Album:
BMC Aijin


-WCFTW