Junior Nationals 2012

This will be my attempt to re-cap the crazy week that was junior Road Nationals.  For some perspective, look back at last year HERE

It was a tough week, racing-wise, so I'm going to tell a bit more of the story from the perspective of the parent(s) but will also tell about the races (obviously from my Jake-biased view).

So, this is a significant logistical undertaking.  Hotel was booked months ago.  Same Hilton Garden Inn where we stayed last year.  It's an 8 hour (549 mile) drive.  I made sure to take the trusty CR-V (2003) in for oil change the week before.  I had not taken care of business in time, so I also needed to try and secure Jake a disk rear wheel for the time trial.  Luckily, Pierre scored a loaner Zipp disk (clincher) and 808 (clincher).  Jake would use it in the afternoon and Jacob Miller would use it in the morning.  Nonetheless, for a week before I spent time checking out wheel rental places on the internet (namely www.racewheelrental.com).  We also had no skinsuit for Jake.  And even though the UCI regs don't apply in the 15-16 races, I spent fathers day taking a hacksaw to the TT extension bars to make them UCI legal.

Thanks to the continued ridiculous schedule of Arlington County Public Schools, Jake had finals until Tuesday June 19th (Liam didn't get out until Friday June 22nd).  We would leave as soon as he got home.  [[as a side note, the school schedule is extremely sub-optimal for road nationals for Jake and all of these boys from Northern Va.  Boys from elsewhere got out of school weeks or in some cases a month ago and could focus and train; the late exit from school year also makes it difficult to get summer jobs because the kids are only available for maybe 7 or 8 weeks]]

I packed up the car in the morning while Jake was in finals.

3 bikes; 6 wheels; 2 bags, cooler, tools, suitcase, umbrella, chair

 We made reasonable time and got to Augusta around 8:30.  We went to Kroger and got some water and drinks to keep in the room:

Because we didn't leave until 12:30 on Tuesday, we would not get to Augusta in time for number pick-up at the host hotel.  Instead, we would have to get up first thing Wednesday and drive to Fort Gordon, where we would pick his number up from registration for the younger juniors (10-12 13-14) road race venue.  The other HPC boys were meeting at the Time Trial course (like 45 minutes north) at 9:30.  So, Wednesday morning we went to Fort Gordon, secured our vehicle pass, and got Jake's number.  We saw southern Virginia boy, Adam Croft, warming up for the 10-12, which he won.  Jake then took the chance to ride a little of the road race course, just to loosen up and see the hills.

Justin

After that we drove over to Strom Thurmond Dam to pre-ride the TT course and pick up the disk wheel.  Everyone was in good spirits.

Jake and Matt Clements (pre-hair cut)

Being officially in charge of paranoia, I wanted to make sure that the disk wheel would pass roll out on the time trial bike, so we hung out at the Sheraton (across the parking lot from our hotel) for the bike check at 6pm on Wednesday night.

Jake's Specialized "Podium" Shoes were a big hit

Jake's start time was 1:38 on Thursday.  It would be hot, Mid-90s at least.  The 17-18 boys went earlier in the morning.

As an aside, Justin's parents, Larry & Pam Mauch, towed a trailer full of equipment, including the loaner wheels and 2 tents and various coolers down to Augusta.  They would do incredible work by bringing that trailer to each event, even when Justin wasn't racing until much later or the next day.  They also had a banner made to go on the tent.  We can't thank them enough for their efforts.

A major question in Augusta from last year was where to eat dinner.  We tried Bonefish Grille, but they had like an 1.5 hour wait so we went to Outback Steakhouse in the same shopping area.  We were able to grab a seat in a booth near the bar after only about 10 minutes, so that was ok.

Thursday -- Time Trial


When we got to the TT course around noon, the team was already fully set up from the 17-18 boys' morning efforts.  Jake & I stopped for Jake to get a sandwich at Subway at 11-ish (to eat in advance, this may have not worked too good).  We got Jake set up under the tent to warm up with Jacob Slife, who isn't a Cat 3 but came down to do the TT and be with his teammates.  Jacob was also a great help as you'll see on crit day.

Team supporter Doug Graham and Shane's mom Suzanne

Justin recovers while Larry, Suzanne and Joelen hang out

We saw Claire VanEkdom from Bethesda who had won the 15-16 girls road race on Wednesday.  She's really nice so we were happy for her.  She would then win the time trial as well.

that is ice in a stocking around her neck

 It was hot and a lot of ice water was used to try and cool Jake.  Even so he complained of being really hot and his heart rate was way up.  Shane was a bundle of nerves.

oh, that Mountain Dew was a bad choice

Doug took this cool photo of me fanning Jake w/ a towel

Also photo by Doug

I was a bundle of nerves and I guess so was Jake.  Because he had no skinsuit, I used safety pins to tighten his jersey as much as possible and pin it to his shorts so it wouldn't ride up.
He headed down to staging.  I got a few photos and videos and so did Doug (check out Doug's entire photo set here) and Justin's sister Joelen.

photo by Joelen Mauch

photo Doug Graham

by Doug

by Doug

by Doug

Here's a video of his start

And then I waited.  I was checking my watch, and the times of the leaders (winner ultimately sub 26 minutes) came and went and he wasn't to be seen.  Ultimately, he came across in 30:53, which was disappointing.  He said his stomach cramped and he couldn't breath (hello Mt. Dew).  A very bad day with a lot of stupid mistakes.

Shane did well.  Even though he wanted to win, he got 8th, which is damn good.  And Jacob said he had fun, which is just wrong when describing a time trial, in my opinion.

Dinner, we got to Bonefish Grille early.  It was pretty good.  Jake's mood wasn't good, but it also wasn't horrific.

Friday - Criterium Day

Friday was the criterium.  One hundred 15-16 year old boys diving through 6 turns and only a 15 mile long race.  What could go wrong?

I knew from last year that staging is a nightmare.  If you start at the back, you are literally doomed.  Last year, we saw parents holding spots for kids to get them to the front row, so I took charge of that effort this year.  Again, when we got there at 11 (Jake and Shane would race at 1pm) the Mauchs arrived and we set up the tent along the finishing straight.

Jacob, Justin & Andy sit while parents stand in the background

 

Jake got set up and warmed up.  No mountain dew this time; we tried to have him do what he would in any normal crit.  In the meantime, 30 minutes or so before Jake and Shane would start, I took Jacob Slife and Matt Clements and took them across the street to the staging pen and we stood there holding bikes at the front.  A front row in the pen was necessary to get to the front row(s) for the start, which would go like a gun.  When Jake and Shane were done warming up, they could come over.  Sue joined us and there we held umbrellas over them (it was upper 90s) and poured cold water on them.  Here's life under the umbrellas in the scrum.

The staging was a cluster, because just as they were about to let us out a bunch of boys rolled up on the course who had never been in staging.  Then the officials would do gear "roll out" before the race, so the scrum was really to just get a spot for roll out, which then let you go to the start line.  Yes, I took video of this nightmare

 Jake and Shane did ok and were in the 3rd row.  Not super, but at least not so far back they would be doomed from the start.

Jake on far side

As predicted they were off like being shot out of a gun.  Jake was positioned ok the first few times around.  I got some video of the start and one of the early laps:

In the second video Jake and Shane are on the far side

Doug Graham got some cool shots of Jake

It was a big aggressive field and a few laps later I was getting video and Jake was behind the main group.  It turns out he was pinched into a barricade on the side of the course.  The barricades pinched inward and the field swerved over into that side and Jake had to slam on his brakes or eat it into the barricade.  So then he was going backward as the field was rushing forward at 30mph.  He Sprinted back on to the back of the group, but that effort and then being at the back was the end for him.  He was off the back and pulled by the officials.  Crap crap and crap.  Shane was able to stay in the pack, but the aggressive riding lead to crashes and Shane was caught behind a crash in the final turn with 3 laps to go (I heard from other parents that riders from at least one of the big teams were literally throwing elbows and pushing to cause crashes in the corners).  There was another crash in the same corner with 2 to go as well.  Shane came across somewhere in the 30s.  He was disappointed.

This size of field with only 15 miles is simply too short to allow the race to actually shake out.  There is no time to move in the field and the race isn't long enough to allow any fatigue to play a factor.

We hung out to watch the 17-18 boys.

Avery Wilson, Sue, Matt Clements' brother, Justin

David Brookes in his Shades

Cheri Panagiotopolous & Andy Mount

Again, the staging was key for the 17-18 boys and I charged into the breach to help them.  It was affirmatively nasty this time, with a bunch of parents sitting in chairs claiming to have taken up a massive line at the front.  So, I set up to the left of the metal barricade that would let our boys jump out quickly, but I literally still had to be pushy with other parents who were trying to shove their way in.  Jacob Slife set up and I had Jake hang out with a bike as well. 

Shane holds umbrella for Justin

 

another team's big umbrella

Pierre w/ Jacob Miller in the spot I established

Andy Mount w/ Sue

Again we were successful, and Andy and Justin got to the front row and Jacob Miller was right behind them.  Again, I took video of the rush to the roll-out/scrum, but I may or may not have been yelling at some fat redneck in his camo shirt who was affirmatively blocking Jacob Miller so I'll not post it.

The crit started well.  Andy jumped off the front for the first 2 laps.  I thought I got video of him, but the stupid camera didn't start when I hit the button.  Justin was well positioned.  But it was a tough race.  The heat took its toll and so did the crashes, which were numerous.  Andy crashed out.  Matt Amman succumbed to the heat as did Matt Clements and Jacob Miller.  Justin succumbed to the pain from his previously sprained wrist.  Avery Wilson had a good ride and survived the craziness to finish in the front group.

cheering for Avery

 

Doug Graham got this series of photos of bad crashes that happened all in short succession.

note the reaction of the crowd

Andy Mount w/ Bandages

Matt A serious heat issues

That doesn't look good

 

So, to recap, Crit day was stressful and chaotic.  There were a lot of frayed nerves and disappointed kids.  I know that Jake was strong enough to stay in the mix, but he was left no choice when forced over into the oncoming barriers.

"Soigneur Dad Moment" -- That evening, on the way to dinner, my transmission shifter started acting strangely.  It would go into Drive but the green light behind the "D" wouldn't come on AND it wouldn't shift down into 2 or L.  Oh great.  So now I was worried about whether we could get to the road race the next day and home on Sunday.

Dinner was "Moe's Southwestern Grill" sort of like Chipotle but not as good

Saturday -- Road Race

First thing Saturday morning I called the local Honda dealer about bringing my car by after the race.  And then we headed over to Fort Gordon for the Road Race.  Jake and Shane would race at 10:30.  As the pictures show, they were "relaxed"

Again, the Mauchs were awesome, getting the tent out to the feed zone even though the 17-18 boys wouldn't race until Sunday.  Indeed, the 17-18 boys (and parents) and Jacob came out to support Jake & Shane and get in a little ride.

James P, Pierre, Justin

Larry & Pierre

George had a unique hat trick to beat the heat

Again, I shoved my way in and held an umbrella for Jake & Shane in the staging area.

life under the umbrella in staging

 

 Jake & Shane got decent spots up front, which wasn't as critical as in the crit but doesn't hurt.

Here's some video of the start

After the start we made our way to the feedzone.  The 17-18 team was lounging in support and Justin was amusing the crowd (including passing mothers) with slightly off-color quotes from "procyclistproblems" from twitter.

the feedzone was on the first big hill of the 12 mile loop

 

The group had already been by once so when we saw them it was the start of the 2nd lap.  I set up to feed and Patty Clements kindly worked the video camera.

Shane was moving up front and Jake was on the back edge of the group.  He looked to be suffering and I was worried.  So again we waited.  It was taking them about 40 minutes per lap.  When we saw the lead car coming down the hill again we took positions.  But this time it was a radically smaller group, like half the field at least.  This was their last lap.  Shane was there but Jake wasn't there.  A few stragglers came by and told people there had been a big crash that took out 20 people.  Oh hurray.  So, I stood there to wait for Jake and Sue and others headed back to the finish.  They said they would call if they saw any sign of Jake.  So I stood there, looking for him among the stragglers, but no sign.  And then I get "the call" (actually it may have been a text).  Jake was in the medical tent.  It was quickly relayed that he was generally ok, but I of course was ready to drive like a nut back.  Me Pierre & Patty Clements threw the coolers in the car and drove back.  Jake called me at one point using someone's phone, so I knew he was ok but the reception was bad so I couldn't really talk to him.

We quickly found him standing with Sue, visible unscathed.  It turns out that on the first lap, a boy in front of him touched wheels which threw that boy into Jake's handlebars, which threw Jake off the road and into a pole on the side of the road that luckily had inflatable padding on it, which Jake caught with his left shoulder.  He was able to quickly re-mount and chased the field up the final climb.  He was able to make contact just before the decent to the feed zone hill.  He says that he was so cross eyed from the effort that at the top of the feed zone hill he touched wheels with a boy that had lost his saddle and that caused Jake to slow and be gapped and he was done.  He rode the lap with the boy w/o a saddle and pulled out because his shoulder hurt.  So he went to medical asking for advil.

Well, I had him go back to medical and the doctor did a quick exam on his shoulder to make sure everything was ok.  Just a few stretched ligaments probably.  They put some ice on it to help the soreness and any swelling.

quote "poles hurt whether they're padded or not"

We watched Shane finish with the pack.  Afterward at the car, he explained that when we saw them in the feedzone on lap 2, he attacked after the hill to bridge up to the 2 man break away along with another boy.  They then had 4 (or 5) boys but that break away was chased down and the counter attack is the breakaway that stayed away for the win.  So, Shane was right there in the mix, but he was unlucky that his break wasn't the right one.  A good effort nonetheless.

Shane Post race

 

Unfortunately, Jake and I then had to run my car to the dealership.  It turned out to be no big deal, so pin had been installed upside down (and I need to talk to the dealership that did the service before we left about that).  But it killed 2 hours.  I did get to go for a 1 hour ride on the local dirt trail that runs along the canal, which was good.

For dinner we went to "Carrabbas Italian Grill" (yes it's all chains).  We were able to sit outside w/o a wait, and it was actually pleasant, not hot.  We saw Nick Bax who came and sat with us for a few minutes to talk about some of his junior racing experiences.

Sunday we re-loaded the car and left at 7am.  We made good time and were home at about 2:40.  On the way home Jake was trying to calculate whether we could get to Reston in time for him to do the 123 race.  On the downside, a pebble hit the windshield and started a crack that was only 3 inches at first but slowly grew to about 8 or 10 inches; that's going to cost me.

So, on the whole, it was a tough couple of days.  Hopefully this was all the bad luck Jake will have to endure for a while.  It's really tough as a parent to see the kid go through it. You know he's better than he's performing.  Boys that he has beaten or been neck-and-neck with all year did reasonably well, so we know he has the legs.  But you don't know what to say or do.  I told Jake early on that no matter what happened at Nationals, he had already had an incredibly successful season.  The idea that he would get the results he has and upgrade to Cat 3 to even qualify for Nationals was completely unexpected back in January or February.  Next year he'll be like Shane, the super strong racing age 16 year old (Jake will still be 15 then) who will be able to legitimately contend.  But even then, the races are total chaos and there is a lot of luck involved.  Both of the big teams, Garmin and Specialized, despite animating the Crit and Road Race got essentially no results to show for it.  And as I noted above, the timing of Nationals and the end of school may never be optimal for Jake or other boys from northern Virginia.  But there are many other races and Jake is young and has many years to ride.  And I'm already starting to think about what I need to do to prepare Jake for cyclocross season because he needs a new bike.

Thanks again to Sue & Pierre, and to the Mauchs and all the other parents who were there supporting the HPC boys.  Thanks to the sponsors, like Bicycle Outfitters in Leesburg.  And thanks to Doug Graham for his kind words and the photos.

Thanks to Loren and Liam (who's 5th Grade "graduation" I missed, but will make it up to him).  Maybe schedules will change and they can come next time (and Liam can do the 10-12 time trial).  Next year it's in Madison Wisconsin, but weather.com says it's hot there too right now, so....