2023_Raceday#10: Giro d'Elkofen, 5.Place

Such a lovely and well-organized event, that I decided to stay to the very end and attend all winners presentations on the green and under apple trees, although I didn't get on the podium, myself.. Chapeau to the ones who did😏. 8 laps on a 5km lightly undulating course with a 400m rise to the finish, Masters 2&3 racing together again. Super windy day. Legs seemed OK today, but Cardio-Respiratory was not, so I wasn't able to be proactive, rather than just reactive. Got boxed in prior to the final uphill sprint and when I got out, there wasn't enough road left.

2023_Raceday #9: Munich Bike Stars Crit series, The Finale 🥈2.Place

Just made it in time for the start, needed first couple of the 18 laps to get going. Points every 3rd lap. Won one points lap and 2nd in the final one (with double point credits). That was enough for 2nd place overall. First podium this year, happy days.

2023_Raceday#8: Ötztaler Radmarathon

My second time at this event. Perfect run from the start to midrace at Sterzing, lots of PRs, and managed to get from a hopeless start position to the very front of the 2nd Block. Kühtai went very well, with a new PR, and on the descent, a good group got together all the way up Brenner Pass. By that time the day had become scorchingly hot. Up to Brenner, I got on with two bottles. Then massive cramping set in, even of muscles I didn't know I even had, even my finger muscles started cramping. The reason was probably a combination of two things, the hot weather and consequentially lot of sweating whilst consuming the wrong drinks, too much Carbs and too little minerals. Up Jaufen was, like last year, just all about pain/cramp management. From there on I stopped at every feeding station for iso drinks and water, as my body had begun to reject carbs completely, I was suffering from stomach cramps. Up Timmels was then a total ordeal, overheated, cramping, upper two gears not working, so I was just fighting for survival and not getting into any of the numerous broom wagons. "I have a dream'-" or so says the ÖRM promotional motto, for me it had turned into a "nightmare", after half race. Still, the final official time was 2mins faster than last year's, age group placing 62nd (out of 1200 starters 50-60 years) and overall 596th out of 4100 Starters. I think overall this was the most demanding event I have ever done. Legs will probably take a month for a full recovery. I have done it twice now and I think I have had it with this ordeal.

2023_Raceday#7: Görlitz, German National RR Championships, Masters3, 18th Place

The race started after the rain had stopped on still-wet roads, but conditions improved quickly. The pace was civilized on the first few km but that changed when arriving at the first rolling hills. Whilst I was hanging in for dear life, some individual riders escaped and formed a group that managed to break away. I had not been able to count how many got off the front. The remaining race was the usual game of attacking and chasing individuals and groups trying to get away, so the pace varied between extreme surging to get them back followed by slow speed sections and repeats of the same. Entering the final of the 5 laps I could feel my legs were pretty smashed and I thought to put everything into a dig myself, which lasted for a few km until I got caught myself. Shortly later, on the second hill of the final lap, I found myself again at the front and just rode my tempo as I would on a training ride, when I suddenly realized a huge gap had opened behind me. This was the opportunity I had hoped for, so I put the hammer down and managed to widen that gap and rode solo ahead of the main peloton for about 7km, when another rider joined me but at first, overtook me and I couldn't hold his wheel, only to find each other and work together shortly later. Two further riders came up to us with 5km to go, but two of our 4-up group refused to do any work from then on. For me it was most important to not get could by the peloton again and thinking that we were out of contention anyway, I was committed to do the main part of the work of this group. On the final straight though, my legs were cooked so badly, that I had nothing left for a sprint. It was only after the race that I came to realize that our group had a 15th place up for grabs. Finishing in top 20 was my goal, but I am happier to have initiated and pulled through an escape from the peloton for a respectable finish in my first German Nationals Roadrace ever!!!! Also, it made clear to me that I am not top-notch level, there is a class above the level I am on at the moment. Suffering from exercise-induced asthma, I got into trouble breathing on almost every climb, sometimes I had to reduce my effort just to avoid an imminent attack. But having taken the initiative to leave behind the Peloton with a lap to go fills me with satisfaction, especially since the effort was successful and stuck to the end. Overall, one really has to ask the question if it is worthwhile driving 1300km through Germany for a 2-hour race where a top 20 result is a success. Not sure if I will do it next year again, as a 55-year-old...

before

after

post-race chat with Heiko Gericke, ex. German Champion Master 4