Cherry Blossom Challenge-the crashy  4/5s:  inexpertly detailed

The field was maxed out at 75. Phil and I were lined up he first row with me right behind. I got in a short but high cadence ten minute warmup on the rollers 

Things started out super fast with everybody rushing to the front en masse. I had wanted to max out out my time staying in the top 10 as per Coach Tim's assignment and hoped to do so right away. But I decided things were too chaotic and that doing so would require a ton of unnecessary energy expenditure . So i settled in to the top 20-25 or so. Things just continued along fairly breakneck for the first couple of laps and it quickly became apparent that were a number of sketchy riders in our midst 

There were 3 crashes total. The first one happened on the 3rd lap behind me and the field was neutralized for 1 1/2 laps and we got to pass the carnage twice…one kid was holding his arm giving the universal sign for broken clavicle. After we got going again a Foundation guy went off the front (and stayed there until the bell lap)about 10 seconds up on the pack which was now moving at a more moderate. chastened pace not really chasing after him. I moved up and for the most part settled in to roughly the top 10 or so. Lap 6 came and another crash happened in front of me and slightly to the left which I had to swerve to avoid…no neutralization.  Lap 8 I moved up and by the bell I was running about top 8. The pace picked up, things got a little more strung out and we caught the Foundation kid. The final crash happened right before the sweeper and I was sitting about 7th and had picked out the two big guys whose wheels I might try to affix myself to for the final 1k. Two guys went down right in front of me and I successfully hit the brakes skidding and  swerving to avoid them on the left while the guy to my left bunny hopped the curb putting some cross skills to good use in the dirt. Unfortunately my right foot came unclipped during all this and I couldn't get going quickly in order to catch on to the ten or so guys up front who hadn't been effected by the chaos. That was the end of my race and I  casually TT'd it home…not sure of where I placed…guessing top 25

I feel pretty good about things. I stayed out of the wind and conserved energy. I jumped around guys who let gaps open up. I stayed on average in the top 15 for the whole race. Most importantly,  I DIDN'T CRASH. I felt pretty relaxed despite all the wobbly wankers

Phil didn't crash either and was looking pretty good  early on but got  stuck behind either the 2nd or 3rd crash  with a bunch of other guys. Their gruppeto rolled in a little later

The Cat I/I/III race = The seas were angry today my friends.
That was the hardest race I have ever done...in the history of ever. How hard was it you may ask???  Well according to science I avg'd 322 watts for almost 2 hours

https://app.strava.com/activities/283482415

There was wind after the sweeper and along the back stretch.  If you didn't have position, you were dumping watts all over the park.  I figured out the wind by the 2nd lap and for the next 23 laps I positioned myself and saved every watt I could.  It was a barn burner...there were some hammers out today.  I don't know who's who but that was the word on the street.  The shenanigans really started about 10 laps in.  There were surges and gaps and breaks and all the while a steady steam of chum was being spit out the back of the peloton.  I think the winning move went at about lap 16.  The chase was on and the carnage at the back of the field continued.  Each passing lap I'de see more riders standing by the start finish watching.  I kept asking my quads for more power and somehow they responded.  I honestly don't know how I stayed in that race...I believe it had alot to do with the Peaks Coaching program.  Anytime I had to close a gap...I could.  In years passed I would rely on the kindness of strangers = not a position of strength.
When it came time for the chase group sprint...I stood up...double cramped and lost 12 spots finishing 31st.  And that was ok...I was proud of my legs today...they did everything they could for me.  I wish I could have helped Jacob a little bit but it was like being inside a tornado today.  He finished 20th.  Many hammers came...many fell.  I'll have to wait for the official results but I'de say about half the field spit the bit.
My consolation prize today was beating a former professional doper
http://www.usada.org/u-s-cyclist-pineda-receives-suspension-from-u-s-anti-doping-agency-for-positive-drug-test/
 Yacks

results...44 finishers
https://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?permit=2015-1007

Pictures for the day  http://dmadson.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=9552549

Yacks did a nice summary. It really hurt. My legs are just not conditioned for exertion much beyond 1hr. Despite 3 gels, I was running on fumes for the last 5 (or 10, or 15!) laps. Honestly, it's all a bit of a blur. Too many attacks, too many gaps, too much wind and too few watts (or so I think, my PT died in the first 20 min). On that note, I did set my 2015 2min PR during those first 20min; so yeah, maybe just too many watts at all the wrong times. In the end, I got popped from the chase group with one or two to go and rolled in solo. 

-Jake 

Jacob food was definitely an issue.  I took in only one gel and was really feeling light headed with about 4 to go.  I was so consumed with not losing the wheel in front of me that I forgot to consume calories (see what I did there?).  Also former local pro Neil Bezdak  would not capitulate and kept on trying to get across to the break...ouch babe

I heard that Somerville bike shop got on the front and tore it apart for about two laps before their drugs wore off.

I saw them before the race and they DEFINITELY won the pre race roller warm up....As far as the actual race...I finished ahead of 3 of their Cat I's....and I'm an old dude...carrying extra weight...and getting about 5 hours in a week on the bike.  If they were on drugs last weekend it was likely Ecstasy... 

Perlberg told me that they hit the front so hard during the chase that he popped.

Who is this "they" that you speak of ???

Somerville bike shop, the most dopingest dopers that dope in the dopoton.

Why there? Because payout, not there to sprint for 30th.

There really was no sprint at that point...after throwing down the kind of watts u had to for 2 hours...the finale looked like a balloon race...

Is that a gif?

My face perfectly mirrors the Skeletor head badge....

Maybe if you weren't wearing Rocky's sweatshirt under your jersey ...

wear a better-fitting jersey and you might have made the break. #marginalgainsarebeyondmarginalhere

Single file = should be on the drops

God Yacks.  

I'm a tweener...Race fit too tight...club fit too big.  Taking my jerseys to dry cleaner to have them taken in a little...the arm warmers are from 2001...Ordered new ones last week.  
Adam aero ain't got nothing to do with it at this race...There were cross winds causing echelon opportunities everywhere.  You needed power and I make more of that stuff when I'm on the hoods using my hamstrings.  I was in the drops most of the back stretch as things get narrow there.  I haven't gone near my bike since Sat.  We are pissed at each other still...
https://app.strava.com/activities/283482415

Yacks, haters gonna hate. You and I should do military double-clapping push-ups to show these skinny-armed, flat-chested, hairless biology experiments what real men look like with their shirts off. (FWIW, I find "race cut" large to be a nice compromise for my manliness and/or extra belly)

Let's here it for race cut large!

BTW, reg pages.

3/5
https://www.bikereg.com/branchbrook-park-spring-series-bloomfield-tour

3/12 (same as Grant's Tomb crit)
https://www.bikereg.com/branchbrook-park-spring-series-ronde-von-degraw

3/19
https://www.bikereg.com/branchbrook-park-spring-series-dst-tour

3/26
https://www.bikereg.com/branchbrook-park-spring-series-roseville-circuit-race

4/2
https://www.bikereg.com/branchbrook-park-spring-series-tour-de-olmsted

Bizzump, the first race is next week Saturday!

I might actually race that ^

4/5 race 1 then 35+?

Yessirree.

I'm there dude

I'm gonna race at least one of the two Cat 4/5 fields on March 5th. 

I notice that each race in the series has a distinct name. Does the course change for every race? 

Max, no, I think it is a technical usac requirement that reach race has a unique name.