Hammer Head Racing Blog

(Bones, Sgt, Pops, Kong, Pyro) On the way out 400W to 200S to 800W we kept a smooth controlled 22.1 mph pace. When we turned back on 100S for Mill’s Hills Pops Let out a gasp and barked, “Oh No!” I think he was really trying to express his excitement at retracing this great old route. There are plenty of hills for every one on this route! No need to share.

Then on the way home we kept 23 mph. Kong pulled last and pulled long on 400W to CL rd. Then I took it from there climbing Nursery. Bones came up front for a pull. When I went back only Bones was left. He took a pull then I came around for the final 50 yards. But Bones stayed on my wheel and took me at the line. Final average speed was 22.6 mph.

(Sgt, Nag, Hank, Pops, Kong, Bones, and later Toad and Bull) Great day for a ride after a great weekend. On the way out we kept a brisk but smooth pace into the wind at 21.4 mph without any notable occurrences.

Then on the way home we kept an awesome 26 mph pace the whole way. Through the flats Hank got us up to 28 mph and started to fade to 22 on the first rise up 400 hill. Nag was feeling strong so he rewarded hank’s effort by pulling the first part of the hill at 28.6 mph. This gapped everyone but me and I was hurting / watching my HR. When he faded to 26.2, just before Nursery Hill, I took over and pulled it back up to 27. We grew a significant gap to the pack.

After one more 2man rotation Nag got us up to around 33 just past the roller. Great power out front Nag! Then I pulled it to a peak of 35.6 mph. Just as I neared the line Nag worked up on me. But it was too little to late and I claimed the win. Overall average was 23.5 mph.
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Toad and Bull did Dutchman 20.4 mile >average was 18.4

Pops is pooped. After 5 consecutive days of hard riding I’m glad the weekend is here. I don’t know if we’ll ever have this nice a week in August again but it sure was great riding weather. Pyro, Pops, Kong, Dog, and Hank headed out for the reverse hill route since we had a mild tailwind on the way out. Pyro got us warmed up at 22 going up the first rise and my legs were creaking. I kept us at that pace for a short time before Kong took over and picked it up a notch. Then Dog did his time at the front starting across the flats at 26-27mph. We had a nice smooth rotation out to the south turn on 800W. Shortly after I pulled Dog got bored and took off. I don’t think he was trying to drop us but I was too tired to chase and wished everyone else would have let him go. But Hank and Kong charged after him leaving me and Pyro to fend for ourselves. As the front three turned east on 200S they had to wait for a truck to come through the intersection allowing the back two to gain a little. (24.0 average at the turn)

Dog and Hank charged off again and Kong decided to drop back with us. So now we had three chasing two. The gap was about 100 yards and we slowly started to close it each time we went up a hill. Finally as we headed downhill to 400W we were close enough to try and make contact. As we turned the corner I charged after Dog and Hank and got on their wheels but Kong and Pyro didn’t quite make it. I tried to slow it down a bit to give them a chance but they never got back on (thanks for your help on the chase). Hank took the lead as we turned to go up Nursery Hill and about broke all our legs. About two thirds of the way up he blew up and Dog and I slowed way down with him to recover a bit. Then Dog led us over the last rise and I came around to give a weak lead out for the sprint. Hank finally attacked and Dog just sat on his wheel until they hit the slight downhill before the finish. Then he sprinted around him for another win. Overall average was 22.7 mph.

(Dog, Nag, Geek, Pops, Sgt, Hank, Stang, Slug, out later Toad) I feel decent after yesterdays “Easy Day”, so I hadn’t decided how hard I wanted to work yet. On the way out Dog was cutting in line and getting double pulls. And at a 23.2 mph pace my HR only averaged a yawning 146 bpm. Dog was cutting all my pulls short so I figured he was saving me for something. This was strange because if he was, he hadn’t let me in on it? We did the Dutchman to avoid all hills and we kept Slug the whole way out.

Coming home we picked up the pace to 24.1 mph, which still seemed easy with my short pulls. Again, that’s not from me tapping out! Sure enough Hank climbed Nursery hill and I ended up out front for the sprint descent with 26 mph already in the bank due to Hank and 1 mile to go. I figured that was my purpose today. So I just kept gradual acceleration and shifting up every 20 yards until I was at 34 mph. That 34 pace was pretty harsh to push due to the heavy 85% humidity air. But 34 seemed slow from the rear and Nag popped out to the side a couple of times as if to attack. But he always pulled back in out of the air stream.

Then I pulled off and left Nag up front. Dog used this to his advantage and cranked up a few more mph heading for the line. Nag followed him. Dog paused to give, “the Look”, a couple times. But he got no challenges for the sprint prize. Total average speed was 23.7 mph.

(Pops, Geek, Kong, Nag, Sgt) My legs are still fried today, so I was hoping Geek might attack. If he did my response was going to be laughing at him out front by himself. But he never did. He did set a good 24+ pace. By the turnaround we had a 23.7 average. And that is without the rhythmic drum beat of Nag’s spoke to pace our stroke.

Coming home was just more of the same but at 23.1 mph. Nearing the sprint I pulled through the last roller after Nursery and Geek went out for a sprint. Pops fell in on his wheel and “Lezak-ed” him again in the end. Overall pace was 23.5 mph.

(Dog, Troll, Sgt, Hank, Pops, Geek, Nag, Pyro, Kong, Stang, Slug-JB) After the hill intervals I was hoping for a break. I mentioned it would be nice if we went out easy. When I saw Dog as fresh as a new puppy and Geek by his side, I knew that wasn’t likely. Then Troll met us out by the Embarq building so I started planning on suffering today. Slug started us out at 22.6 up the first hill. This was fast enough for my taste. But Troll got ugly fast as he popped off the front as soon as we turned south on 400. Nag followed him as he broke away and symbolically flipped off the slower back of the pack, as if to say, “Every man for him-self!” Be careful Nag, or that bad karma will get you.

Hank and I, and maybe one other, started working on a bridge. Hank closed part of the gap. Then I started to whittle a little more off. But when I tried to pat out I found my self alone. So I said, “Heck with this. I’ll close it and ride with the break away”. But before the first turn the pack was back on us. Then Nag, Dog and Troll charged up the hill as Pops dropped his chain. Karma? But on the first descent we were back together. Then Karma struck, breaking Nag’s spoke. He pulled out of the pack to the side and hoped that some one would slow to help him. HAH! Good luck with that Mr. “Oh-I-didn’t-know-you-guys-were-off-so-I-sprinted-away!” Well for some reason Stang pulled off and helped him limp back home. Maybe it’s a fellow equestrian thing? (Mustang – Nag)

The rest of us kept the hammer down trying to survive the 23.5 mph outgoing hill pace. The north leg was 25-26 mph. In fact the entire return trip averaged 25 mph! There were gaps, bridges, and mild slow downs. But even the, “slow downs,” at 24 mph, required significant torque on the pedals. Then Dog worked with Troll on a break. Geek and Hank suffered to close the gap. As we came upon Nag limping home his spoke was so bad it sounded like a Briggs & Stratton on his bike? We slowed and kept our distance from him.

Then once clear it was off to the races again at 26 mph after Nursery. Then we pumped it up to 32 in preparation for the sprint. Then Troll took off with Dog in pursuit. As Dog tried to pass on the left Troll moved left blocking him. But Dog got around in time for the win. Final average was a SMOKING 24.4 MPH Fastest ride this year!!!! Great Job Guys!
Thanks for setting an AWESOME pace Troll! We always enjoy a chance to see how insignificant we really are.

(Pops, Geek, Nag, Hank, Sgt, Pyro, Kong, Stang, Toad) There was confusion about the Alspaugh 6:17 so we went out for hill intervals again [6miles of 6 hills over a total 17 mile ride](The 3 loop version would be the 90210 [9miles with 9 hills 20.1 miles])
Directions; We head out the Greenway to 100N. Then we take 100N all the way to 700W (700 is just before the lake). The intersection of 100N & 700W is both the start and finish of a Clock Wise hill interval lap. The first person to the top of the 700W hill on the end of the last lap is the “King of the Hills” for the day! It counts just like a sprint win on a normal day! Then after the last lap, we coast down the back side of 700 hill and turn LEFT on 100N and head home via the Green Way. There is no sprint on the hill interval day. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HILLS!
Since this was new to most of us we rode as a group the first lap, regrouping after each climb. Then on the 2nd lap the race was on.
1st lap I started the hill, then Nag jets out ahead and shows he likes to climb. Then Kong comes up front to claim, “These are my hills,” Then Hank pops around. But they all faded before the top, ‘It’s a long hill’, and Geek charged ahead with Pops on his tail. Then just before the top, Pops pulled around and claimed the peak. I’m suffering at the back with a view of it all, hanging with my bro, Pyro.
2nd lap after the 1st hill when Pops & Geek broke away from us we would never catch them again. Hank gave a couple good efforts at it, but no cigar. Each hill Pops pulled out something extra just as Geek faded in the last 10% of the climb. Both of them were always 100 yards ahead of the rest of us. The last hill it really looked like Geek was going to get it. But just at the last second Pops pulled around and claimed the win like Jason Lezak stealing the 4x 100 away from the French yesterday in the Olympics.
Then they missed the turn home on 100N and went to Crystal Lake road instead for a sprint and added 1.5 miles to the ride distance. Hank, Nag and Sgt made an effort to chase them down. If the climbers want to go into the flat land, that will be their peril. The 3 of us chased hard. But the gap was too big and the climbers held onto their lead. Geek claimed the city sign. The way my spreadsheet is set up there can be only one winner, and I want to encourage the hill effort on these 6:17 days. Plus there is no good sprint sign on 100N, just dangerous tracks. So I won’t be posting averages on the Alspaugh 6:17days either, 1st they don’t compare to flat pace, 2nd I don’t want sprinting to be the point, 3rd I can’t keep up to even know what the pace was in the hills.

5 bikes (CD, Hank, Nag, ‘Stang, JB) went out into an absolutely gorgeous day. Actually, only 4 started and we saw CD and another bike in the distance at the start and caught up with CD on the south bound leg. Who knows who the 6th bike was?

As we were starting out at a quite comfortable pace, I asked Rook, “What’s your name now”, and he let me know he is now ‘Stang. After we turned west and started the first climb, we heard a terrible sound, Nag thought he heard a spoke break. When we turned around to check, sure enough, Kong had once again broken one of the few spokes on his rear wheel. (Man that guy can produce some torque).

Our average showed 21 when we stopped, and then again after we started again, it stayed right there at 21 mph until the turn. When we turned north, we had a nasty head wind keeping the whole group together, come to think of it, it seemed like we always were bucking some wind. Turning East, we brought up the speed slowly and I felt pretty good.

Nearing Nursery Hill, I started to wonder what Nag would come up with as a surprise at the end. He was behind me when I took over after the top of the hill and ‘Stang came around to start the sprint. I was next and brought us up to 28, Nag brought it up to 29 and then CD led around the left side of him. I stayed on his wheel and came around on his right to stay in our lane. I tried to go for it at the end, but CD has so much stored in those powerful legs, he should be a DVD or a Blue Ray instead of CD.

(Nag, Sgt, Slug=JB) Nice today but strong north wind. To try something different we went out for hill intervals on the Alspaugh 6:17 [6 hills 17 miles](The 2 loop version of the 3 loop 90210 [9 hills 20.1 miles])
The time is in the hill loop only so it has no bearing on our normal pace of 21+. You can’t compare the two. Also there is no sprint so the points should come from the hill climbs. Each hill I would charge up but fade at about 2/3rds of the hill and Nag would blast past me for the points, so he easily claimed the green jersey today. JB actually got the win on hill 3 with a sneak attack, but Nag got 1, 2, 5, & 6, I’m not sure how to call 4. So on the stats I’ll count this like a sprint win, Nag is King for the day.
Our 1st lap was an easy 17.8 mpg scoping out the course, the 2nd lap was 18.6 mph pushing a decent but easy pace. I would be surprised if anybody averaged more than 20 mph for a lap? This ride was a great change of pace and ended up being 16.8 miles climbing 341 ft.
I think if we would have done the full 3 laps it would be 19.7 miles climbing 475 ft?

(Sgt, CD, Nag, Geek, Hank, Bones, Kong, Bull) Hot, Humid, wind seemed strong. We averaged 22.6 going out into the wind. The pace was smooth but fast, without a break away.

Heading home we picked up the pace to around 24.8 mph. I considered an attack, but my legs still hurt from the weekend.

Then Geek pulled hard his last pull getting the speed up around 25/27 on Nursery hill. Then the Nag attacked from the rear to lead me out up over 31 mph. CD fell in on my wheel. I raced up to 36 mph. As I neared the line CD was still with me so I shifted into top gear and tweaked it up to 38 mph. And that was just enough to get me across the line first. Average speed for the ride was 23.6 mph!