Laurie wins masters 4/5 scratch race
Laurie has been coached by David Sturt at Cycling-Inform for a while now and has been getting some great results. Recently he won the Master 4&5 75km scr race at the Naracoorte Masters Games in South Aust on Sat 2/4/11 - here is Laurie's report. Well doen Laurie!
Sat 2nd April Naracoorte(SA) held its Masters Games with about 1,200 competitors in all the different sports. I was doing the cycling in the M4&5 a 75km race around a 25km square course with a fairly strong wind and a few little hills (longest 2km). This meant that we had two sides with cross wind &1 with head wind and one with tail wind. The run to the finish had 8km of side wind, so with this knowledge I set about working out how I was going to carry out my instructions from my coach (David Sturt) who always seems to know what to do in all situations tactical.
We were gathered on the start line and as usual there was the usual talk of I’m not that fit, I’m only going to do two laps and pull out. I don’t know who tells the most rubbish a used car salesman or bike riders, I suspect bike riders.
Away we went and with a bit on cajoling I got most of the group to do rolling turns which was great as it was going to be a tough slog if most just sat on, as can happen in some masters races. The first lap I spent most of the time trying to work out who were the gun riders and watching the distance meter so I knew where we were for when the attacks started to come. Plus my instructions were to attack 5km from home and as this seemed a long way I didn’t want to go moment too soon. As luck would have it, 5km was exactly on 500m hill so I couldn’t miss that I thought.
Things were going along pretty well by the time we completed the first lap I felt comfortable and cadence was still 100 rpm or better which was pleasing as I’ve spent a lot of time practicing. Then when we turned from the head wind to the cross wind and up the 2km hill the bloke who was only going to do two laps stepped on the gas, I was on his wheel luckily as he was pretty strong but giving me a good sit thankfully and we were away with four of us, we just rolled turns and passed a few M3 which meant we were going a good clip as they were off 5min in front of us. Nothing much changed for the next 30km no attacks everybody just rolling through with the odd sigh and occasional drop off then get back on easily. I’m thinking that these boys a just foxing, with the last corner coming up 8km from home I thought I’d better be on the front so I moved through just as we hit the corner and came out 30m up so I stepped on it, got 50 in front then they started to chase together and reeled me in after 1km, so I sat for a bit while they kept doing turns then the hill at 5km arrived so I attacked off the back with everything I had, that gave me 50m over the top, I went down a couple gears which had me about 100m up and away.
Well now this is uncharted waters for me, my legs were starting to burn, I kept breathing properly like Lucas Owen had taught me (you’re a genius Lucas) and looking ahead to see if I could work out how much further I had to go. It’s amazing how hard it is to see when you’re on the “rivet”, then I saw the shed which meant around the bend was the last climb then 400m to the finish, the legs were still going to my surprise but it was fairly starting to hurt. I kept looking back but couldn’t see anybody but thought they were in the shadow of the big gum trees so just kept pushing on up the hill and on to the finish.
That was my first win in a scr race. What a great feeling. I’m absolutely amazed how far Cycling Inform coaching has taken me in just under 12mths. 3 ½ yrs ago I hadn’t ridden a bike!
Regards
Laurie Paltridge
