Memorial Day Weekend Preview



The 2011 banner I created for the Muscatine Criterium Website.  I was thrilled to have won the Cat 3 race in 2010.

This should be an interesting weekend of racing.  I was still at Cat 3 at this time last year, so I will be facing a whole new racing situation. Considering the strength and talent of the Cat 1,2 field that participates in the Memorial Day Weekend races,  I have sort of cherry picked the races that I will participate in.

On Friday I will do the 102 mile Pro 1,2  Burlington road race.  The course almost makes it up to my hometown of Muscatine, turning around in Grandview.  This means my mom can give me a hand-up and get to see the race for about 30 seconds.  I am mostly doing this event for the experience, as it seems suited toward the sprinter types.  I suppose their might be a couple of splits in the field since 102 miles is a substantial distance.  Teammate Jeff Bradley is feeling good about this race, so I might get a chance to be of assistance.

For the Snake Alley Criterium on Saturday, I opted to pass on the Cat 1,2 event, and try my luck against the Master's 30+ field.   I did well in the Cat 3 event last year, but just not feeling the love for the Cat 1,2 race.  I believe Carson and TJ Tollakson are racing the Cat 1,2 event, so American Equity will have great representation.

On Sunday, I will enter the the Pro 1,2 race at the Melon City Criterium.  40 laps around Muscatine's Weed park does seem a little daunting, not to mention the fact that I am thinking the Pro 1,2 field will be completely ripping it down the hill and back up the loop.  Regardless, I want to see what it is like to race with this elite field in my hometown.

Not sure about the Rock Island Criterium.  I haven't registered and will play it by ear.  As far is courses go, this one quite simply doesn't suit me.  I have always done poorly, but will admit that the atmosphere at the district is awesome, and the event is very top-notch and well organized.

LAST CHANCE WORKOUT
Like many Iowans, I was hoping to get in a killer workout today, as final preparations for the 3-4 day race weekend. I was up in Davenport so decided to try one of the infamous hill workouts that Jeff Bradley organizes from the Trek Store.  I got in a 25 mile pre-ride, and anxiously watched the skies begin to cloud cover as I finished up.  Sure enough, the rain rolled in right about the time the Wilkes Hill Repeats would have started.  No one seemed to be showing up, so I headed back to Muscatine at 6pm.

Very disappointing... However, as I headed back to town, the skies began to clear.  Alas, this murky weather is the perfect time to ride the Melon City Criterium course, as it deters park goers from interfering with my reps. 

So, I put on my rain jacket and started doing laps of the course.  The ducks kept getting in my way, so I hardly ever could hold my momentum after the speed bump.  If the ducks weren't hissing at me, there was usually a car inching its way over the speed bump, prohibiting me from training at speed.  In other words, it really isn't that practical to do hill repeats on this course. 

I did start to get in a rhythm, and did 40 laps of the lower loop (the part with the hill and descent).  I varied my speed bump launches, to get a feel for where some good lines were... they all pretty much suck... just something we have to endure as part of the course.

Well wishes to all the competitors and fans who will be enjoying Midwest bike racing at its finest this weekend.