Koppenburg

Masters cycling is all about managing your time and your life and your racing. It isn't always easy and it doesn't always work. This week I got a little lucky and it all fell together.

The conversation all week amongst the team was about seeing if we could get Bob Dahl the triple...Boulder-Roubaix, Mead-Roubaix and the Koppenburg. We were all for it and the way the Boulder Orthopedics guys have been riding, we looked like we had a good shot. My week was pretty stressful and very busy. As usual, Friday night was busy with practice until 6 and then off to a meet and greet for the BCSM Multisport Conference I was speaking at. Saturday morning was a blur. I coached workout at RACE from 6-7:30 and then rushed over to Boulder Center for Sports Medicine to give my talk and contribute to Alison Friday's. I was there until about 10:30 and then headed home to change and eat. Breeze let me know she got 2nd, so despite my work load, my spirits were very high. After a short time at home, I hopped on my bike and rode to the race.

At the race all went well and frankly I thought I was feeling pretty good. I changed to the race wheels and rode to the start line. Now, I fancy myself a cyclocross racer and we pride ourselves on bike handling and grace. I showed very little of it on Saturday. As we rolled away I was struggling to get my foot in my pedal. Boups gave me some hell for it and I found myself working a bit to get to the front of the field. We came into the base of the Koppenburg climb at a good clip with the Boulder Ortho guys at the front. Carlos and Ken hit the climb on the front and I was in a great spot in the second row. However, right as we started the incline, I pulled my left foot out of my pedal. I stayed up and took 2 hard pedal strokes with my right foot and was lucky to get my left back in. I didn't loose that much time and as we crested the hill it was already a little strung out. My teammate Ken decided to see if we could stress the group so he hammered the dirt at the top. 2 riders joined him about 30 yards off the front. I was sat on the front with Gibson when Boups went to bridge the gap. In my head I heard my team's words of "two in every break" so i went off the front and bridged to Boups and Ken. We were now 6.

We found ourselves with a small gap. It was a worthwhile move. We had Jimmy Thies from Mix1, Danny Sullivan from Scion, Boups and a Alpha guy. I was thinking to myself that it was a lot of work and that I wasn't feeling great in the end, so I could do some good team work by getting in the early break. The pressure would be off the team in the back. We seemed to be a good working group and by the second time up the Kopp, we had a solid gap. Turning onto Marshall I looked back and couldn't see the peleton. Ken turned to me and asked what I thought. I figured we had a gap and let's drive it. Drive it we did. Without a doubt, Boups, Danny and Ken were strongest. They drove up the dirt to the bridge each lap and by the 4th lap, Jimmy Thies was dropped. Now our situation was even better. Mix1 would have to do the work int he main bunch. As we crested the hill the Alpha man, I think it was Brian Krombein flatted and was out. Halfway through the race and we were now 4.

Boups was driving hard as was Danny as we went into the 5th climb of the Kopp, but it was Ken who rode off the front. We hit the climb and he had a 5 sec gap. I was ready to go and join him, but as I got ready to jump, Danny stood and I overlapped his wheel and went down holding up Boups. We were off and running. Lucky for us our cross skills haven't left us yet and as we mounted we were only 20 yards from Danny. Boups was right when he said I owed him, so I pulled us back to Danny. Phew. Danny and Boups rode back Ken and we were 4 again. I think the running loosened me up because suddenly I felt good. Unfortunately, it was not long lasting and as we started the 7th lap I was cramping.

Ken and I hit the 7th time up hard and my legs were seizing. In fact, they didn't let go until the road portion downhill to Marshall. I pulled up to Ken and told him I was pretty cooked and the race was for him. He didn't seem to hear me as he look at me later and asked, "you and me go on the final climb?" I shook my head no as we hit the dirt for the final lap. Danny and Ken were feeling each other out on the dirt, but as we came to the bridge the speed was off. I knew Ken wanted to go so I went to the front and drove the pace. It was my death throes, but mercifully Ken attacked. Danny was on him pretty quick. I stayed at the pace I was riding because I didn't have anymore to give. Ken went again on the climb and Danny couldn't match it.

I was very worried for the final time up the Kopp. I was cramping very badly and I was honestly not sure I could make it. Two years ago in the Centurian, I fell off my bike with cramps and lost 5-10 minutes. It was a real possibility now. I managed to get up to the top, but both quads were cramped. It hurt so so badly, but I knew if I stopped pedaling; A. it would hurt more and B. the race would be over, so I kept moving. Again they didn't let go until the road and as I turned on to Marshall, Danny had caught Ken. I went back on the gas. If I sat up, Danny could force Ken to the front, but with me coming back, he had to drive the pace and he did. Ken tucked in behind. They turned off Marshall and Ken was in the perfect position. 200 meters from the line he opened it up and took the win and I rolled in for 3rd. Bob Dahl led the peleton across in 5th and Gibson was 9th and Sutter 10th. Not a bad day out for the team.

For me it was a good day and the strongest man in the race on Saturday, Ken O'Donnell took the win.