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Did the Cat 3 race at Hell’s Kitchen in NW Arkansas today with one teammate Bryan, in a field with a few teams represented to 4-6 level. Three laps of 20 miles with a 1-1/4 mile hill of 6-8% grade at about 15 miles into each lap. The course was pretty much up or down for the rest of it (in more moderate doses) and the whole backstretch was into a headwind that felt like more than the 7 mph weather.com forecasted.

We lined up a bit late and in the first couple of miles worked our way to the front. My plan was to cover attacks and generally watch the race unfold from the front. The first lap had some action before the hill, but it was all pulled back. The first time up the hill, I was sort of strung out but hung onto the back of the field. (Maybe a bit tired …) Anyway, worked my way back up to the front to pick up where I left off. There were 2 riders 100 feet off the front and we left them out there for a while until the start of the 2nd lap, some riders attacked and the field was on them. Groupo compacto..

About 4 miles into the lap 2, right out of the hairpin left hand turn at the bottom of a descent (fun, fun) a big Walmart rider rolled off the front.. He about 100′ out and so I bridged to him and we started working. Normally on the flats/rolling, I will pull along in a long term break situation in the mid-300 W range to keep it sustainable. I then can tuck in behind a rider to rest and repeat. Now this dude, brought some watts to the show, I was putting out 350-360 W to hold his wheel… in this fashion, we worked out what up the 1% upgrade into the wind. He was probably a 195#+ rider, so going up the hills, I could rest a little, sort of… A few miles later, we got company, two collegiate riders from Purdue and Minnesota (no jersey, but had the Minnesota logo on his waterbottle). So now I could get a rest behind these two climber types when they took a pull.

At about 1/2 way through the 2nd lap, we were at the bottom of the other hill (our Category 4 climb, if you will) we were catching the Cat 1/2 field with the main field not even in sight (the road was curvy). We caught and overtook them at the top of this hill… In the process of doing this I slipped back maybe 10′. As we topped the hill, the power rider (Walmart) put in a monster pull down the hill… On the slight 1-2 mile descent, they put 150′-200′ and I was cranking all the way down (maybe I need to gain some more weight?). As I chase to the bottom of the hill, the Cat 1/2 repassed me, but I had to repass them immediately since they slowed down. Now I am at the bottom of the main climb with two riders ahead, which I am thinking is the Cat1/2 break, but as I approach it is 2 Cat 3’s… I caught up to them but couldn’t hold on as we climbed further upwards. About 3/4 of the way up the 1/2’s charged up the hill and the other riders just ahead on the climb were obfuscated by the Cat 1/2 field down the descent. By the time I dropped down to the feed zone, the main field was on me (5 up the road at this point, if you lost track).

The 5 up the road were Purdue, Minnesota, Walmart, Accelarade, and OKC. So this meant, about half the field was out of the chase. Knowing my climbing was compromised at this point, it was time to keep working… So I did, along with a little help from a couple other guys, but they didn’t have much staying power up front. I ended up doing a lot to help bring the deficit down and keep Bryan fresh. But after a while, the gap wasn’t coming down and by a few miles into the 3rd lap, the gig was up… At this point, I for the first time, slipped to the back to get some rest for a few miles before the 3rd time up the hill.

Most of the field was together for the 3rd trip up the hill, racing for 6th place. It started off okay and I was holding on, but the grade steepened, and pace quickened…. and I was in chase mode going over the top. The last 5-6 miles of the course are mostly down and with the wind at our backs, it was a pretty quick trip to the finish. I traded pulls with a Bicycles of Tulsa guy to get to the finish / maybe bridge up.. At the end, Bryan was just ahead, unfortunately, he cramped up on the climb and finished just ahead of me. We were probably the in the high 20’s (results were only posted through the 8 money spots). The field splintered into at least three groups with other riders scattered along the course.

Despite the lack of results, it was good race for me and with my Rouge legs finally sort of recovered, I ended up putting up the same good numbers that I put up at RR last weekend. The plan was a good one and but for a few small details (lacking just a little bit over that hill to stay with the group, for example), we would have come back with some results and $$.

By the way, the break of 3 that helped start ended up taking 1st (Purdue) and 2nd (Minnesota). I am not sure where Walmart placed since he had a bit of trouble up the Hell’s Kitchen hill. I talked to the guy that got 2nd post-race, they waited on Walmart the 2nd time up the hill since they needed his watts to pull their skinny butts back 10 miles into a head wind.

Curt came along and raced the Cat 4 field solo. Sounded like a tough race and he ended up 15th (they had his results up)

I plan to train another week and actually come to a race rested at the end of the month. Tuscaloosa, baby!