PHOTOS: Warming up on the trainers; MEA and RFA at the top; MEA climbing; RFA climbing; Course profile; RFA at the finish; MEA and Phyllis post-race; MEA at the start
Category: W4; Place: 5th; Field: 22; Time: 21:48
RFA and I started the New Year with the San Bruno Hill Climb (Brisbane, CA) - the first sanctioned road race of the season. The course is 3.5 mile with an average grade of 7% - the switchbacks at the top are over 10%. The race started at 10 AM, but we were at the start by 8:30 so we had adequate time to check in, pin on the race numbers, set up the trainers, warm up and hit the porta-potties. It was cold (mid-forties) and foggy. We said hello to our numerous Webcor teammates and NorCal bikeforums folks. The groups went off in 2 waves, 5 minutes apart. RFA raced with the 55+men who started just ahead of the Cat 4 women in wave 2. Although we had a good warm-up, it was chilly waiting at the start. I passed RFA a couple minutes into the race. My heart rate was around 152 and I kept it there for the whole race. My teammate Phyllis was racing with the Cat 1/2/3's so I couldn't tell how I was doing compared to her. My legs felt great and I was probably more limited by my breathing. The fog was pretty dense at the top and you couldn't see the finish line until you were almost upon it. Everyone was complaining that they were saving for the sprint at the finish - but it was too late. I was happy with my time. My goal was 22 minutes and I knocked off 2 1/2 minutes from last year! Afterwards, RFA and I stopped at Peet's for coffee, went home for a quick bowl of hot soup, and went out for a good 20 mile tempo ride.
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