This is me trying to imitate Ross' cool shots

This photo is how I felt when it was down to me, Ryan & Dave

(if anyone has any info on how/where we can get a real high-res image of this let me know - there is lots on google *about* the photo but precious little on where to get prints)

Posted By: Jules RoazenThis is me trying to imitate Ross' cool shots

• 

Haha. Not bad buddy

Harry, where is your race report?

If you have pictures, post 'em or send 'em. Social media demands it's pound of pixels...

Oh darn. Nearly forgot. Lisa, John & I had to attend to a minor yardsale on the way back from the podium ceremonies... we had to board three of them, and the 4th probably needed it.

Total carnage in the last women's field, just a couple of miles *before* the covered bridge.

Riding for Champion System (I thought he was Foundation?), Dan Chabanov finishes in 37th place (out of only 59 finishers) in a race where all the local guys and more than a few pros, including his teammates DNF-ed. That's impressive.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-of-the-battenkill-2012/results

Dan was guest riding for champion system.

Two.Laps.

Good lord

I didn't see Derek at the race, but see that he finished mid-pack in his cat5/35-and-under race... anyone speak with him?

I saw him before the race, actually. We chatted for a bit; he said his aspirations were tempered by the fact that he'd only been training for a few weeks, but he was just looking to start the season off with a bang. I told him he was nuts. Hope to see him more before 'cross season!

Posted By: Jeffrey WhiteI saw him before the race, actually. We chatted for a bit; he said his aspirations were tempered by the fact that he'd only been training for a few weeks, but he was just looking to start the season off with a bang. I told him he was nuts. Hope to see him more before 'cross season!

Yep --and I thought I was a bit mad for making BTK my 1st race, even with 4 months training.

I like a character with a bit of extra Crazy

Awesome reports. Im fucking doing this next year~!

In the continuing saga of the Batten-killed...

Shit.

Just learned that the pain in my shoulder is due to a fracture in the acromion. I didn't know what this was either. It is a small bone next to the scapula (source of the famous collarbone injuries). I saw the x-ray - essentially I broke off a bit. Doctor doesn't recommend a sling but expects that it will take 6 weeks to heal. He does not want me lifting weight with my right shoulder as the deltoid is attached to the acromion and will be painful and (I think) prolong healing. He looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him if I could ride. I suspect that I will be limited to the indoor trainer for a while.

A note about the team attacks: I had attacked with a Foundation guy on my wheel for a bit after Juniper Creek. It wasn't a coordinated attacks with another team, but suddenly Hudson was driving at the front of the pack, so it may not have been a complete waste. Having said that, this is such a race of attrition that it doesn't make much sense to send out attacks if no one else is going to join or counter-attack. While we did a good job trying to light up the race, we need other teams to be motivated to do the same otherwise we are just burning matches.

As for the crash, my memory is spotty because it happened so quickly, but the pack made a sharp left hand turn up this climb and I was about 20 riders back. We were accelerating up a short (paved) ramp when I locked handlebars with a rider to my right. I think that we were both out of the saddle and just got too close to each other. I went straight down hitting my cheek and shoulder - this was not a slow motion crash as can sometimes happen. 

To top it off, when I got home I realized that not only did I pretzel my front wheel, but I cracked the fork. This was not my day.

Any suggestions for accelerating healing time (or replacing the fork!) are appreciated.

Patrick

Posted By: PatrickGIn the continuing saga of the Batten-killed...

Shit.

Just learned that the pain in my shoulder is due to a fracture in the acromion.

Ah crap. That stinks. I saw it happen though it was out of the corner of my eye and I wasn't 100% sure it was you involved, at first. Once I looked around and didn't see you I knew and I told the others. But I think it was pretty much as you described.

It wasn't a coordinated attacks with another team, but suddenly Hudson was driving at the front of the pack, so it may not have been a complete waste.

I don't think it was a total waste either, but I'd like to have seen some of you guys not just soften the pack a little but have a chance to be in a break that could do some damage. With the right break-mates, all of our guys who were attacking are strong enough to stay away if the right situation emerges.

The other teams just don't get it. 75% of the field is guaranteed not to get over the final climb no matter how little work they do. And they all have 1 or 2 guys who CAN get over. So if you're not one of those guys, why sit and wait for it? Why not be a face in the race, help your climbers, and have a slight chance of a top ten from a break instead of zero chance of a top ten sitting and doing nothing?

It would be like me saying I wanted to do no work in a park race when I know I have ZERO chance of winning a sprint. Its stupid.

I think they're just scared of the suffering, or of looking bad, or something.

Its not bike racing the way I learned it from Kissena's elder statesman, that's for sure. It's more like the vibe of a local 10k run or triathlon where 90% of the field is only competing against themselves, trying to get to the finish line as fast as possible.

Heal fast Patrick, sorry to hear about your injuries.

Patrick,

That is really rotten to hear. Very sorry. The toll for this race just keeps mounting

Agree totally with Ryan; you guys raced with courage, in the best sense. The other teams were just afraid; it's as simple as that. Afraid and freaked out.

How does a Thursday night at Bierkraft sound? Muffin Money is buying drinks for the Bkill crowd. If you show with a bandage you get two for the price of one

Posted By: Ryan J
I think they're just scared of the suffering, or of looking bad, or something.

lol

suffering

looking bad

two things KCC does in heaps!

big ups to all you "water carriers" who still threw down. we are amateurs and for amateurs, it's not about how you place, it's about how you RACE!

@ Patrick, sorry to hear... I did have a sneaking suspicion when I saw how you were carrying your shoulder at the finish line. Hope it heals quick and thanks heaps for the all the work you did for the team effort.

It is clear that Kissena is having unprecedented success so far this season. I use that word in its literal sense based on my time in the club. And unlike lesser levels of success in previous years, current success is not coming from short-term flukes like Neil Bezdek, but from riders who have risen through our ranks and are likely to stay. You are in good shape, that much is obvious, but so are people in the other clubs. The difference is that we have created a spirit of self-sacrifice and team work, where people are claiming to have more fun tearing up the field than bringing home an envelope with bagel money. The other teams are screaming in frustration because they cannot bring themselves to burn their matches. It goes without saying that most matches just fizzle out (see Gilbert on Sunday). However, some start a bonfire (see Ryan and co on Saturday). It seems to me that those crazy, ineffective, brave moves off the front of the field (that are giving Siggy's and Hudsons fits) are the recipe for our current successes. Keep it up!

Greg Lemond looks really old. Maybe that's what happens when you get shot in the back.

Has anybody got a podium photo of Harry?

16april2012
tour of the battenkill c2012, 62mi/100km, 4000 ft/1220m climbing paved&dirt.
cat5 45+ pink 50riders 1:20pm start, sole Kissena.

preparation: new wheels(rim&hubs 'Off The Front Racing Systems' 33mm carbon 1150g&tires 23mm Continental Tubular, glues-up myself), new rear derailleur replaced trashed sram red / sram force more dependable for 11-28T cassette; (2)bottles: a. 22ozw/4scoops b. 24oz 2scoops Cytomax +1 16oz discard bottle 'great bear' water, 2gels, 2small bananas, 1power bar, 6oz hammer chocolate&caffeine slurry, 1margarita shot block pack, 1 hammer electrolyte capsule, 1+2aleve anti-inflammatory; no pump, no tool, no vittoria pitStop, no gloves, leg warmers, no shoe covers, HR monitor, watch, &KEY Patrick's cheat/cue sheet.

insights/re-con: from from pre-ride mtg from - JP 'zen master' Partland, Jules '3x watts master,' John 'thor!!! god of thunder' malcolmson, marc 'muffin yoda' bertucco' &ninja Norm Swygert - eric Ragot/Patrick 'race weaponry' Grehan/ashley Bernes/joseph Mueller/dan Reiners...etc

plenty of dont's - dont' waste your energy, burn matches too soon/too often, put you nose in wind before last 3rd of race, be intimidated by call to work/take turn out front &work too soon, work-out too much week before ie. 'Taper', & do's: do sleep well 2nights before race, hydrate start 2-3days before, study&pre-ride key curse segments, warm-up& brief openers, attack at climbs/into wind/when conditions are challenging, win!

continued...

race report:
i did every thing right...except win!

i did'nt stay out of the wind(totally); i crested every climb 1st&rolled over off the front &down descent at speed; i started at back of pack and assessed riders as i moved up toward climb at Juniper Swamp road, after 1st climb i was joined by man in red 'Barry' &after i fell back into pack 1st 3rd heard chatter that his name s Barry and he is strong, from that point one of 3 of us would bring pace up from time to time then selttle back in...honestly if Barry &one other had not been there i might still be out on the course today...so it went Barry, me, me Barry...then after dirt of Cheese Factory Road, we came upon a groupetto from another field, i got fed up that w did not pass to went out &around group on tail of pace car, Barry followed we were 20m up the road from our pink pack, Barry came around and i called for him to keep up pressure, he did i took a short turn into the head wind, then w/500m to Wrights Road turn i ramped up pace, Barry came thru for 20sec then i hammered it past Barry @the 90degree left turn with a tight inside line&up the hill at Wright Road picking and choosing the best hard surfaces to ride amongst the cross winded dust, dirt&gravel, time to go...

continued...

i attacked(earnestly, @44.5mi/71.5km mark dirt road hill - wrights road for 3.5miles across rte40); after feed2 (i took 1 bottle of water 2long sips, &poured remainder on neck&legs); i felt good but knew there was quite a bit of realestate between feed2&finish, including Stage Road climb parts 1&2, i the had pace car all to myself out front and a second one behind, i'd been passing stragglers to my left since the attack by 1's, 3's &4's; @top of the hill i geared up to continue TTeffort &to finally, look back and asses the gap, not sure but one rider seemed to be advancing, was it a pink chaser? he was 30m back, i yelled "are you pink"(HB) once, twice, third time, (i remembered JP, 'if away dont waste energy alone') braked hard to verify..."yes i'm pink" it was David in the greenKit 'Bob's Cycling/Speed Merchant' (a mt biker on his last cat4 roadrace, he had fallen in 4 of his 1st 5cat 5 races due to sketchy riding by others...) 'planning to be at work on monday, hey we're just racing for medals' Stacey from Methuen, MA; ok, "lets work together," he agrees i volunteer "ok :45sec pulls"(HB) - the Faustian bargin - "i wont attack you on the hill& well take it to 2km for a true sprint finish"(DS), right!?! "ok"(HB) &i take my 1st pull, Dave says "not so hard, save your energy" i pull steady, he pulls, i am petrified of field catching us, i go outfront and descend @usual fast pace, he pulls back on &coaches me a bit, i pull next to him and inquire: a. how far back is the field?, he say they they shattered when you took-off, they are way back, are you working for your teammate?, can he catch us?, he says his teammate is a new racer and is off the back, i am not sure, still &suspicious that his coaching is to slow our break, i feel good(do a bit of play acting that am tired(per JP&JM waggle shoulders heavy breathing), more coaching, "eat, drink"(DS) i take last banana, the Hammer caffeine slurry&some of remaining water(lost empty GMSR bottle on 45mph dirt descent, note to self: leave precious swagg@home &ALL race bottles must be emotionally disposable), we do work together a bit, escorted@very good pace by pink's volvo &nissan wheel wagon behind, i am thrilled! feels like it just might stick, i lead into left turn past red covered bridge onto packed dirt of Stage Road, at a good pace, i feel ok, David says "take it easy, steady," i do, over 1st bump& Dave comes around for his 'pull' he passed curiously fast with some authority, he gaps me &has 10, 15m, harry to self - 'he is attacking, he IS attacking,' i breath; up, out of the saddle, back down, up again, i feel a draining of leg strength, back in the saddle, head down, in the drops, slowly, i gain back 5m, 10m &@the woody pines crest i am wheel to wheel, he relents; "hey! that sure felt like an attack"(HB), no comment from David, off the dirt onto pavement of we descend, i lead out front, build pace, recover, we are finally on the descent, "5miles togo"(DS), Dave comes around pulls @moderate pace, i roll next to him, "if this is real, this is the best day of my life," no reply, i pull around, "dave, i love ya man," pause, "love you too harry," another round of pulls, some coaching from Dave, through the Kenda inflated arch, 2km togo, i end up out front in the cross wind from the right, i slow - its game ON! - Dave does not come around, i roll left then right again he is tailing, i try to find a gutter to deprive him of shelter, no good he is on me like glue, i contemplate ramping up the pace&a long 750m sprint, i believe that he has more leg/sprint strength than me, so, decide that since i can not get behind him to ride his wheel i'll have to catch his wheel, either, at the final turn onto Main Street ,or, as he comes around, (a couple calf&thigh crams roll thru each leg), after500m togo sign i find a sprint gear, middle of rear cassette, when i shift he/David JUMPS&has 5, 10, 15m on me before the turn, 375m togo i take turn fast as i can muster(per JP instructions), head down, in the drops, out of saddle, full spin, back in the saddle, gaining, gaining, short by 3m! ecstatic!!!! its over.

continued...

i saw JoshC, went up to David for a bear hug..."good race."(HB&DS). 2minutes later third, 2:45 later 4th.

that was a great time!...i believe the confluence of Kissena's sage advice, Jules belief&warnings, prep, pre-race dinner(AWESOME!...thanks msJules)&most of all pre-ride/drive with PatrickG made the race for me. i should have won. had i the vulcan mind-meld in the last 20km i would have known that though i thought my opponent was stronger than me with more leg strength and a likely faster sprint he/David was ready to crack...David said after the race that his legs collapsed in the last 20m w/lactic acid overload.

alternate plan 1, do not let co-break partner rest...the fear of getting caught by the pack terrified me into an unholy alliance which in retrospect there was a high likelihood that i could have cracked David earlier by hammering home after crest of the last climb...hb, gotta go long!
alternate plan 2, NEVER let dueling-mate get behind you w/less than 2km togo, make audible gear change for them to jump!
metrics: 62.5mi, 3:08:32, 19.75avg, 49.5mx, maxHR 186bpm, avg145bpm (edit1)

i should have won, but didn't; podium(w/a 2nd) felt very good&i like milk!;>

http://www.ksjphoto.com/Sports/Cycling/Tour-of-the-Battenkill-2012/i-FbBQZfH/0/S/20120414TourOfTheBattenkillD90-S.jpg

BiG thanks to JoshC for ride home&meal, company...as mentioned before JP&PatrickG heal well, fully&fast!!! - HUGE shout out to Cat4's &Jules 3x! JoshC&derek, rene&Joe.



25may2012 - edit
images of final climb, (2)on a break w/15km togo; determined to crest stage road's 2step climb ahead of david's attack on ...see (9) images #s _0460 to _0469. -harry;>

http://edcollierphotography.exposuremanager.com/p/2012_tour_of_the_battenkillstage_road_330_430/1530_1630_btnkl_0464_2_2_6

Harry, awesome race. Huge congrats brother.

nicely done Harry!

Posted By: Jules RoazenHow does a Thursday night at Bierkraft sound? Muffin Money is buying drinks for the Bkill crowd. If you show with a bandage you get two for the price of one

He Jules, Thursday sounds good to me --and, if necessary, I'm prepared to show my saddle sore bandage.

Posted By: normanzo

Posted By: Jules RoazenHow does a Thursday night at Bierkraft sound? Muffin Money is buying drinks for the Bkill crowd. If you show with a bandage you get two for the price of one

He Jules, Thursday sounds good to me --and, if necessary, I'm prepared to show my saddle sore bandage.

I will stop by on the way home from my evening class and buy you battenkillaz a round. 8ish.

Harry! Fantastic result! Chapeau!

Your first EVER Battenkill and you crush a two man break to the sprint finish. Nicely done sir, nicely done indeed.