Lookout...the Verdict

Saturday the foul weather stayed away, and the morning dawned cold, but sunny and clear. I got out to Lookout by 6:30 to register, set the bike up on the trainer and started warming up for the 8:10am start. For the 3 Primal/1st Bank riders holding down the fort for the team on Saturday, our strategy was to get a fast start, ride tempo for the first mile and a half and try and apply pressure on the fast sections as best we could. Our goal really was to get as many of us into the top 20 as possible for BAT (Best All-Round Team) points.

We had a great warm up and I felt good getting to the line. The three of us lined up to be first to the initial inside turn: great position from the gun. I consider myself a reliable clip when starting, probably due to my commuting route with lights and stop signs etc. At go I was up, clipped in and the first through the first 3 turns. I held a good tempo and was quickly joined by my two teammates: Primal held the first 3 positions. The other two guys from my team clearly had stronger and fresher legs. They really pushed hard up the first section and I had a hard time holding their wheel. The plan was working but I knew I was going too hard too soon. As the rest of the field began to swarm we still held the first position and 2 in the top 10 riding into the switchbacks. I began coasting back but kept with the lead group. I had to face facts though rounding the bends into the 'fast section'; I was in a bad heart rate zone, holding it at present but unlikely to sustain it the remaining 2 miles. Reality set in and I edged back and brought my heart rate down heading into the last two long ramp sections. The field started to pull away at this point and I fought fatigue and annoyance at not really sticking to my game plan.

As I pulled into the last series of tight switch backs I felt better and got out of the saddle. A guy standing on some rocks yelled, "Get on that wheel bearded man!" That got me fired up and I started pulling back some riders. I reeled in some guy in a blue jacket, then a Garmin/5280 kid. I pulled in a Feedback rider and heading into the fast turn at 200 meters felt another Feedback rider on my heels. He had a bit more in the tank and out sprinted me to the line, but we did pass a CO Bike Law rider just before the line. I could taste the iron in my throat and my voice was raspy over a few heavy coughs: ahh the taste of blood. What pain, ,what sheer lunacy, and in a flash it was all over.

We rode briefly and cooled down our legs before the cold descent back down the hill. As much as I bad mouth and complain about this race, I do enjoy it on some levels. One of these days maybe I'll ride it the way I know I should as opposed to the way I always do! (Too hard too soon and then hit the wall). Still, when results came through the ACA site this morning the final tally ended up pretty good. Primal got one in the top 20. We narrowly missed a second with 21st and then me bringing up the rear: 26th of 53 starters. Mid pack, but with a time of 21:06. I consider this somewhat of a victory. I beat my time from last year by 53 seconds. I also beat my best time of the year in terms of training. And, considering I put in a miserable 24 minute and change effort on my own back in March I think my progress actually is respectable. This year's field was more consistent and so more guys placed higher up than they did last year, speaking to the quality of riders on the road Saturday.

So the verdict on my Lookout cramming...undecided. I actually think that as a concept, given a suitable base level of fitness, riding Lookout continuously over an extended period of time actually does work pretty well for intensive training. Its boring as hell but you definitely see quick gains from the effort. More built in recovery (non-Lookout days) and a longer rest period between training and racing probably would yield even better results. But that starts feeling too much like that textbook, traditional form of training nonsense which I have no stomach for. So you can feel free to use my new and improved, better than normal training, patented, "Lookout Cramming" technique for your own training purposes...that is if you're completely out of your mind...and lacking for inspiration...and not concerned too much about actual results...and you pay me some royalties or buy me a beer or something.