Conference noted::bicycle

I've done this race the last two years in a row in the 5/public field, but
I'm going to pass on it this year.  I did Sterling last week, instead.

There are 3 good climbs, with the last two doing the most damage.  The
last one is aptly named "The Wall" and I saw a few riders walking up it
trying to shake off leg cramps.  Bring your 39/23 if you're not a
climber, otherwise a 39/21 will suffice.  It's a fun race that is well
organized.  Dick "Big" Ring is the master of ceremonies.

If memory serves me correctly, its 52 miles, with the first 10 or so
going by fairly easily on rolling terrain.  Be prepared to put the
afterburners on as you crest the hills as the pack likes to sprint over
the top.  I became a victim of this my first time there as I mosied up
the hill with the pack on the first one.  I felt pretty good, but I
didn't catch a wheel as I crested and realized that leaders put the
afterburners on and left me in the dust.  I spent the next mile close to
my max heart rate trying to catch back on, but, well, you know how that
goes.

It's a tough race and a climbers dream.  I'm sure you'll like it!

-Buddy

I rode it this morning.  39x19 for the last third of "the wall".  The other
climbs were all 39x16 or even 15.  They've changed the finish this year, adding
5 miles, and 3 right turns, instead of a left.  Oh, and there are a few hills in
that last 5 miles.  The end is a good 1/2 mile downhill, 90 degree right turn
onto 12A and 8/10 mile flat straightaway to the finish line.

My legs are toast.  One of my teammates came with me -- 57 miles in about 2:40
(20.9 mph)

The field limit is 150.  I suspect there won't be 50 left at the end.  Minimum
is 60.  I hope I don't have to race with 3s.  I'm doomed if I do.

Tim

    Thanks for inputs. I knew that had changed the course a little. My
    field is limited to 30. I believe it's 30 1/2 women and 30 45+ for a
    total of 60. I can't see them limiting both fields to 30. The flyer
    wasn't very descriptive.
    
    I basically climb like I have a piano in my back pocket. However, pack
    riding brings out the best in me. Unless it's something very steep and
    very long (combined) I don't have much of a problem.
    
    An old guy like me? Hah, I always run a 39x23 :-). Actually, I'll throw
    my 54 chain ring on in another month or so to get a little more out of
    my time trialing.
    
    The forecast says both Saturday and Sunday are supposed be really nice.
    That's a must for a 55 miler.
    
    Tim, aren't he 1/2/3s doing 87 miles? Ouch in a hammerfest... Good
    Luck!
    
    My legs are toasted right now. I didn't really allow recovery from the
    Sunday club ride (63 miles - 20.9mph). I did (suffered through) 36
    yesterday trying to loosen up a bit. I'm at 156 miles for the week
    which is a little more than usual. I'll do at least 30 tonight which
    will bring in my biggest week of the year. I want to do Mt. Wachusett
    but I'll wait to see how the trunks feel when I get out of here.
    
    What time does your group start, Tim?
    
    Chip

9:03.  We are "only" doing 57 (I'm a cat 4)--The 1/2/3 are doing 87, and I don't
know what their course entails.

For a hand-drawn map of the course, with my comments, see:

http://asaab.zko.dec.com/~lucia/training/peerless.jpg

Mileages are approximate, from memory of riding and from an Atlas and a piece of
string!


Tim

    Well, I'm pretty sure the race organizers found every stinking hill
    (and couple of walls) for us to climb up. I think the course had at 
    least 4k feet.
    
    It was a beautiful day and the race was a very high quality, well
    organized event.
    
    I rode with the 45+ group. While we were waiting to start Dick Ring
    was talking and he mentioned a couple of guys in front of me. One
    guy named Chip Bertzin (who ended up winning) was being interviewed.
    Dick asked him if he was using this race as a warm-up for the
    Nationals. I said to myself "Hoooo boy, this is going to be a ride".
    
    It was a ride, a quick ride. This was the first time I rode in this
    age group and I have to say it's a much more controlled and mature
    group. Nobody being stupid or ugly at anyone. No yellow line BS you
    get in the 4/5s with guys violating 2 miles into the race. It was a
    pleasure to be in that group.  
    
    I rode what I like to call "over my head". I finished in the top 20
    which was a huge accomplishment for me on a very hilly course like
    that. Any previous year and I would have been spit out the back pretty
    early. I was very pleased with effort and my performance.
    
    Chip 

    great ride Chip!  
    -Larry

    Thanks Larry. Did you go?
    
    Chip

    I wimped out... but I did lots of hill work ... with a rake in my hand
    :-( ...  I'm saving myself for Washington!
    
    Did you hook up with Tim?
    
    -L

I looked around when we were lining up, but didn't see anyone that had
possibilities.  There was enough time between fields, that it was not a frantic
start.

I think it was billed as 2K feet of climbing.  The p12 did two laps over a
mid-point loop with a 1600' hill in the middle.


Once again, I did two races on Saturday Sunday (3 weeks in a row now!)

Saturday was the Optical Ave Criterium.  I have worked at perfecting the
clip in, but I still don't have it down when getting bumped on both
sides.  I am much better at cornering, but still not good enough.  After
being on the tape, I ended up in the back of the back after corner #1. 
I sprinted and braked for the next 5 laps until all the slower people
got dropped.  I then settled in and threaded my way up as best I could,
but never got further then mid-pack.  I finished about mid-pack. 
Important note: first real crit (not counting Welles Ave) I have ever
made it to the sprint!

Optical Ave is a 2K course (16 laps), with a slight up hill along the
back side and a down hill after the corner.  Then something between a
bend and a corner, then the real turn, then the start/finish line:

                    ----------------+
     ---------------               3|
+----                               |
|2                                 4|
|                                  /
|                                 /
|1                              5/
+----------|--------------------+



Sunday was the RR.  Warmer and sunnier than Saturday, everyone started
with shorts and arm warmers.  The arm warmers disappeared along the 7
mile ascent from 475 feet in East Alstead to 1295 feet to the east.  The
pace was under 20mph except for the downhills for the first 15 miles. 
The first hill didn't do much in terms of breaking things up.  It
definitely strung the field of 150 riders out to double and tripple
file.  It bunched back up pretty quickly, however.  I stayed with the
leaders 75% of the way up the second climb (the steep 1 mile portion of
that ascent to 1295.) and chased by myself for a while, before getting
picked up by a strong-looking chase group of about 15, including 4
teammates.  Took a while to get us going, but once the pack got spied
across a field (1/2 mile away or so), the case got going in earnest. 
The remainder of the climb was done in the big ring (Burn baby, burn). 
We caught them on route 10, after a 8 mile chase or so.  Just in time
for the last climb, where most of us got shelled again.

A smaller chase group formed, and yours truly took the last 2 minute
pull that brought us back into the lead group, about 5 or 6 miles from
the finish.

1/2 mile from the exit off route 12, I took off, hoping to string things
out for some teammates on the exit.  I was partially successfull, but it
still bunched up going up the narrow winding finishing loop.  I had
enough to stay with the pack for the sprint, but not enough to place.  I
did finish in the top 30 or so.  The pack was probably about 45 out of
150 starters.

GREAT RACE!!!!

Tim

p.s. Tyler "I'm home from Europe resting under team director orders"
Hamilton (United States Postal Service) won the p12 race on a solo break
of 3:45 (attacked in the feed zone, which climbed to 1600 feet!)

    Nice job Tim! Sounds almost like our race. Those two hills in Alstead
    and N. Alstead heading in to Marlow are almost 2500' by themselves
    (according to the map they had set up near the Red Cross tent).
    
    When guys like Tyler Hamilton show up it brings the reality to how
    relative sports are. A guy like Tyler will blow anyone away in a field
    like last Sunday. Put him in with the pro peleton and the shoe goes on
    the other foot very quickly. There were some guys in our chase group
    that just wouldn't help out. We were chasing at 28mph for quite a few
    miles.
    
    Hey Tim? How about that wind on the section of 123 (right before 10)
    and part of 10? Hammering your butt off at near max and going 18mph
    is a lot of fun, isn't it?  :-)
    
    Chip

Route 10 is ALWAYS windy.  I rode the course Wednesday and it was honking.  I've
ridden that road with Larry and it's been honking.

I *thought* I saw 1295 as the highest point on the non-pro/1/2 course, and 1600
on the pro/1/2 course.  I have a teammate with the altimeter computer and I'm
waiting for him to tell me the total feet climbed once around.  Barring that, I
may just call the HNECC guys and ask them.

As for Tyler, well, even the Everfresh (Pro Canadian team) couldn't reel him in
and they had 6 or more guys there.  Ryan Tie (cat 1 or 2 JUNIOR) was in the
first chase group.  He'll be a pro.

Yeah, guys who ride the Tour de France should not have any trouble attacking a
"measily" course like Peerless.  And you know, he's a really nice guy too.  He
was hanging around the awards ceremonies afterwards clapping for the 4/5 winners
and the women's winners.

Tim
  

    -1 Cool (Tyler). We all know the attitudes some of these guys can
       develop. that's what it's about. That behavior gives back to the 
       sport and supports it.
    
         

Congrats to both you guys, Tim and Chip!

I knew you'd like the race.  Finishing with the lead group or in the top 20
is quite an accomplishment for such a tough course, given the amount of
talent that this race attracts.  I've always lost the group on the second
climb.  If I do this race again (I'm a 5, so we get to race with the 4's,
too) my goal will be to maintain contact until the last climb.  Have to do
more hill work...

-Buddy

My friends altimeter computer says 2700 feet, although the barometer was falling
during the race (clouding up) so it could have been more....

Anyone have a real paper flyer?  I only had the web flyer.

Tim

    I had it, but dumped it Sunday (of course).
    
    The next one I'm going to do for sure are the Regionals. Three years
    ago I came in 15th with the 4s. I'm not entirely sure, but Peerless
    seemed more painful than what I remember the Regionals inflicitng on
    me.
    
    I wouldn't mind trying the Pemi-Valley RR. Anyone ever done Pemi?
    
    Chip

I have not done Pemi, but was thinking about it.

The course description is "30 mi mountainous road".  There is a M35+ (1/2/3/4)
group (for Chip, if you are a 4), a 5/public and a 3/4.  Looks like the M35+ and
the p/1/2/3 do two laps (60 miles.)  I wonder what the ratio of 3s to 4s is?  I
know I had a choice for the regionals and I picked 4/5 over 3/4.  30 miles over
mountains is going to be hell.  It's not long enough to take it easy for the
first part.  It will be hammer from the start.  Then again, maybe I should race
with the 3s once and a while.  Or I can just find M30+ fields to race in and
race with 1s and 2s...