Preparation & Background
Now that I got that part over, I'll move on. I want to mention that I wasn't able to do this race last year because I had to go to my grandfather's funeral in the Philippines. Needless to say, I had a great season for 2013. However, my time at the Mt. Tamalpais Hill Climb questioned whether I was improving because my time was about 30 seconds slower than 2010 when I had no structured training or a decent race bike.
That really put me into a slump and made me rethink what I was doing? With three weeks completely off the bike, I was motivated again and set up proper training hours and pursued the one thing I lacked, which was consistency.
Now, no one really trains for the San Bruno Hill Climb, but one can certainly prepare for it. The most I did was go up the course at tempo or at a low cadence but race efforts never happen until the actual day. So I pretty much go into this race with nothing but base miles and a few training hours at tempo. However, preparing for the 2014 race was different because I actually had two complete cycles of Base 1 and 2 which totaled over 90 hours of base training. Compared to 2011 and 2012, where I had almost no quality base miles for the race. One of the biggest changes I made during these two base periods was my pedaling technique, which was done with consistent leg drills each week--mostly during Base 1. I also got a new heart rate monitor so I've been able to effectively stay in Zone 2 for endurance rides.
With all that said, I'd say the most important aspect of preparing for the climb was the mental aspect, which involves expecting the intensity and knowing what to do during certain sections of the climb. Additionally, it also includes removing negative thoughts and practicing mental imagery but I don't want to get to complex with such a subjective topic.
The Actual Race Report
It takes me forever to get ready...like pinning my number and building up my bike and dressing up. It had my trainer but knew it wouldn't be worth it to set up and warm up. I had about 30mins to warm up so luckily I know the roads at the base of the climb so I did a few steady and even fewer harder efforts but when I got to the staging area I felt about 87.86192% warmed up. The E4 started with the E5s so we were last to start but the time seemed to go by fast with the silly chatter in the group.
With 2 minutes to go at the official start line, I was getting excited and as the time counted down I realized that this countdown was taken more serious than the countdown to 2014 last midnight.
Go time was indicated by the countdown to 1 from 5 and a whistle. I had a spot in the very front, and blasted at out toward the very first grade. I expected people to go around me but stayed in the very top of the group. I believe a group of 4 or 5 blasted past me but some of them were Cat5's (I think 2 were Cat 4's) and I knew that if I joined that group, I'd get exhausted. Thus, I stayed steady just like a time trial effort.
I was very surprised at my performance at the moment. On my Garmin, I only displayed speed, cadence, and gradient because I knew my seeing my HR would limit me. Surprisingly, I was going faster than I expected and although it was a very hard effort it was still sustainable. I didn't even display elapsed time so that I'd surprise myself because being behind my ideal time would surely affect my pace. For most of the first part I kept my head down and really focused mentally on my form on my bike and my pedal strokes. I knew I couldn't depend on whatever fitness I had because like I said I don't physically train for this race. This was the best way of pacing myself on the climb.
Once the false flat approach to the Carter stoplights started, I knew I could take it fast so I shifted two gears and smoothly increased the pace. I was being drafted by two guys and although it was bothering me, I knew that if I attacked or tried to open the gap, I'd be too exhausted for the second half on radio road. So I stayed steady and also seated because I know that standing will drop my cadence and even my speed. Before the flatter approach to Radio Road's entrance, two guys passed me and I didn't chase because I was loving my pace and I knew I could sustain it until the end. I was being very cautious with my pace because I knew that one surge would really destroy me.
I entered radio road surprised that out of the group of almost 50 guys I started with, only around 5 passed me. I never really heard anyone behind me either...but I didn't look back because it would affect my focus of the moment. I increased my pace on another "fast section" after the gates. I used that momentum to carry me up the first gradient where it actually starts getting a little hard.
I passed so many people from previous categories. Did I lose count?--no--I was never counting in the first place. I focused on what I was doing to the bike, my cadence and pedaling technique. I know my weak spot of the climb is the steep switchback but I managed to get through it without standing. Like I said, I knew that standing would slow me down. I wasn't too tired either which was why I was able to stay seated.
This whole time I had sight of one guy who passed me earlier and I was closing the gap without making any major changes to my pace. Again, I paid attention to my pedaling technique and new that I didn't have to make changes because I was comfortable. Toward the last bend, a Squadra SF rider passed me. Since it was so close to the end I was debating if I should tag on to his wheel but I decided not to since I knew I was going to pass the guy ahead of me. The last bend to the summit, I finally stood and went hard but only managed an average of about 83rpm. It probably wouldn't have made a difference if I stayed seated, but I definitely felt like I wasn't going as hard as my maximal effort just because I was being cautious. (3rd place ended up only 5seconds ahead of me, but that's ok and you'll see why)
Despite that, I crossed the line thinking I was 3rd but I was actually 4th.
I changed my screen on my garmin and saw one of the best things in my life: a personal record!
It wasn't just a personal record though, it was the queen of all of my personal records, and it smashed my old one by 1 minute and 48 seconds!! That is almost a 10% improvement from 18:33 to 16:45 and strava has it at 16:43!!!
I kind of teared up joyfully upon seeing this because I didn't know that I was capable of even reaching this time. And even if weather conditions were right or if there was a tailwind (I know there was a headwind at some point on radio road) it is still a radical improvement. For instance, my ideal goal for the past 3 years was to do better than 17:20, but my realistic goal was to get a sub-18. I was definitely surprised to see a "16" on my Garmin. I can't even describe how surprised I was, so I won't even try to.
The best thing is, I think I could've gone harder at some points. In the past times I did this race, it felt like a sufferfest but today's race felt like a cautious time trial where I did my best to stay right at the threshold of my maximal effort. I really don't care about my placing because of my new personal record.
I expected an 18 minute time because for the past 3 races that's all I got. So I'm really happy to see an improvement like this one and it really makes me look forward to the rest of the 2014 season.
I think that the best thing I executed about this race was my mental focus but that's all I'm going to say about that, for now.
Highlights:
E4, 4th place
Time: 16:45 (garmin) 16:43 (Strava)
- Personal record by -1:48
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